As we read through the Gospel of Matthew this summer and hear words from Jesus that are often harsh, it’s helpful to remember what’s at stake for Jesus. Jesus is speaking to those in privilege within his own faith community whose hardness of heart makes God’s word harder to hear among those most vulnerable. This Sunday in Matthew 11, we’ll hear Jesus specifically call out those who will find any excuse to reject a new word from God. When they heard from John the Baptist? Well, he hardly ate. Too strict to take seriously. From Jesus? He eats with sinners!
What ways do we, like those Jesus’ community, find excuses to stay closed to God’s Word moving in the world? And who stands to lose when we do so? I think about the those activists from the Global South and other areas most deeply impacted by climate change, which we hear highlighted in the book Not Too Late. God’s Word is calling to us from outside of our own experiences and expectations. How can we open our ears to hear and respond?
With you on the journey,
Liesl
Three Holy Days
In our tradition, we make space on Maundy Thursday to remember central parts of our faith story. We hear about the...
