Saturday – 25th Week in Ordinary Time

Gospel – Luke 9:18-43-45

Pay Attention

Synagogue Church, Nazareth

 

A slightly different version of the Beatitudes! 

 

 

Then Jesus took his disciples up the mountain and gathered them around him.

He taught them saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are the meek.
Blessed are they that mourn.
Blessed are the merciful.
Blessed are they that thirst for justice.
Blessed are you when you are persecuted.
Blessed are you when you when you suffer.
Be glad and rejoice for your reward is great in heaven."

And James said "are we supposed to know this?"
And Simon Peter said "will we have a test on this?"
And Phillip said "I don’t have any paper."
And Bartholomew said "do we have to spell correctly?"
And Mark said "do we have to hand this in?"
And John said "the other disciples didn’t have to learn this."
And Matthew said "may I go to the toilet?"

Then one of the Pharisees who was present asked to see Jesus' lesson plan and inquired of Jesus:
"Where are your learning and assessment objectives?
What range of teaching strategies did you draw from?
Did you provide a differentiated provision?
Can I see a cross section of pupils’ work?

And Jesus wept.

 

Jesus has some tough words to share with the disciples today; He would be handed over to be put to death.  Not your everyday chat; so He wants to make sure they are listening!  With all the distractions besetting us today – TV, social media, music, civil unrest, worries over Corona, concerns about our health and that of our family and loved ones – it’s no wonder that we all have trouble listening to anyone with a really important message.

This is a good time for us to remember that prayer is a conversation with the Lord.  And that means we have to quiet ourselves so that He can speak to us.  We have to still our hearts and LISTEN and PAY ATTENTION!  Sometimes we talk too much and never give God the chance to answer.  So set aside some time!  Unplug and turn the electronics off!  Go for a walk or just settle down, calm down and LISTEN to God’s voice in the silence!

Great Spirit whose voice I hear in the wind,

whose breath gives life to the world

I come to you as one of your many children

May I walk in beauty.
Make my eyes ever behold
The red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect
The things that you have made,
And my ears sharp to hear your voice…

Make me wise
So that I may know the things
That you have taught your children…
The lessons you have hidden
In every leaf and rock.

Make me ever ready to come to you…
With straight eyes,
So that when life fades as the fading sunset…
My spirit may come to you without shame…

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