Where Are You Going?

Image by Steve Snodgrass via Flickr

I just love the readings for this coming Sunday! Why? Because to me, they are unexpected. Here we have just celebrated Pentecost, this celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit, we have just celebrated the birthday of the church, and the disciples have been commanded to go and spread the Good News all over the world! What a task to be given, from your Rabbi who has been crucified, risen from the dead, has continued to teach them post crucifixion, has been taken to heaven to be with the Father and just recently, all the disciples were together, all speaking different languages and more than 3000 were converted! Wow, and so I would think that next the scripture is going to have some big revelation of how to go about and convert the rest of the world (did the disciples know how big the world really was?). But instead, we have this kind of short Gospel reading, reminding us of Jesus’ mission in the first place. That He didn’t come to condemn the world, he came so that everyone would truly understand what their purpose was and really understand how much their Father in heaven loves them that He sent his son, to take our sins away from us, so that we would be free to live this promise that God had given, not only to us today, but to our father’s back to the beginning of time.  The first reading tells about Moses climb to Mount Sanai and how he finds God to be merciful and gracious, and Moses hopes that despite people being “stiff necked” that God finds favor and decides to join them on the journey.  The second reading, tells the people to “REJOICE” and to encourage one another, to agree with another and to meet each other with a “holy kiss”.  (Kind of sounds like my mother when she would find me and my siblings in an all out war!) And as you read these passages for this coming Sunday, (Fathers Day, btw) it does make so much sense, because I am sure that once the disciples got moving to spread the “Good News” there were different opinions on how to do it, where to do it, who could be a part of it, etc. and so how fitting that when you start a journey, it is important to take a moment to remember your purpose, what is your mission, where is it that you want to go? And as important, how are you treating those around you as you live out that mission, are you making sure that you take care of those around you, are you encouraging to others, are you meeting people with a holy kiss?  Are  you making sure that this “Good News” is being presented as “good”.  We have to remember that so many times, the Good News is translated more about our actions than our words.  Ask yourself what it means to be “stiff necked” and could this be used to describe you? Do you sometimes get so fixated on something and forget to pay attention to all that is going on around you?

So as we begin this week, let us reflect on our mission. We have been given the gifts, everything we need to make a change in the world, now, where are you going?

Talk to you Wednesday, when we discuss how to bring this message into your local parish.