Lectionary Links: Sunday, October 21, 2012
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Year B: October 21, 2012
First Reading:Job 38:1-7 (34-41)
Creation by Gerald McDermott
(Written for ages 5-9)
Comment: It is perplexing when God responds to Job, not with answers, but questions. J. S. Randolph Harris suggests, “God is not dismissing Job, but is reorienting Job within a larger awareness of God’s good creation.” (Feasting on the Word: Year B, Volume 4, p 175) God’s questions may reorient us, too, centering us on the majesty of God and vastness of God’s creation. In light of all that God has made, are we then insignificant? A blip on the radar? Creation invites readers to consider the ways we are connected to one another by One who has always been; by One who knows each member of creation; by One who declares, “I am all this. All this I AM.” May we find comfort that the God of all of creation speaks to Job, and to us. We may not fully understand, and yet, God is here.
Second Reading: Hebrews 5:1-10
The Myseterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
(Written for ages 9-12)
Comment: “And one does not presume to take this honor, but takes it only when called by God…” In her commentary on this text, Susan R. Andrews explores the calling of the priesthood of believers: “God chooses us, and will not let us go… This is why we end up with members who annoy us, leaders who forget meetings, and fellow clergy who disappoint us. Somehow God needs each one of [us]… to be the priestly body of Christ in the world.” (Feasting on the Word: Year B, Volume 4, p 184) The Mysterious Benedict Society presents readers with a motley crew not unlike the one described by Andrews. Benedict calls the children to become a team, saying: “Whether you always agree is inconsequential, but you must take care of one another, must rely on one another… every one of you is essential to the success of the team, and indeed, to the fate of us all.” (Chapter 7 “Codes and Histories”) Likewise, the work we do as members of the priestly body of Christ affects the fate of us all; we, too, must take care of and rely on one another.
**An additional book selection for this text can be found in the Lectionary Links from March 25, 2012**
Gospel Reading: Mark 10:35-45
The Fisherman and His Wife by Rachel Isadora
(Written for ages 5-9)
Comment: “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” It almost seems as if James and John are looking to Jesus as a magic genie, one who can grant their wish to be his powerful right and left hand. Should we be shocked? It wouldn’t be untrue to say that human beings have a desire for greatness. We see this desire on display in The Fisherman and His Wife. Continually the wife demands the flounder make her more and more powerful, until she expresses her desire to be God. In both the gospel and Isadora’s story, Jesus and the flounder turn these desires on their heads. To have the greatness of God is not to be served, but to serve.
The Lectionary Links this week were written by regular contributor Noell Rathbun-Cook.
Lectionary Links: Sunday, October 21, 2012 by Storypath is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
My Sunday School class of elementary students were completely captivated by the Fisherman and His Wife. They could barely sit still as the wife’s demands grew. Great addition to the lesson!