Submitted by Jan on Tue, 06/08/2013 – 16:59
Year C (2012-2013)
Chapter: 12
Verse: 32 – 40

As you surely know by now, I have had no formal theological training. When I am responsible for the reflection of the week, I do a lot of research. I read commentaries and reflections from many sources. This is often done with very little warning, when the contributor for the week can for some or other reason not submit their contribution.

And so I started reading about Luke 12:32-40. ” Sometimes Scripture is difficult to understand” is the first comment I read…”Understanding Jesus is not always easy,” reads the next comment”… and so the ‘experts’ continue and the ‘amateur’ becomes more confused!

Until I start reading the reflection of the week from Sacredise. And although the text becomes much more clear, it also becomes much more challenging! I would really like to invite you to read the full post if you can. (Read here) For the purpose of this reflection, I would like to share one small section from the section Local Application;

In so many ways we have developed a spirituality that hoards blessings, and keeps God’s promises to ourselves. Even the way we view salvation – as a personal escape from hell that requires no engagement with, or responsibility for, others, and that recognises no other possible avenues of grace – is a hoarding of God’s goodness and mercy for ourselves. And so, even within the church, we too easily hoard material wealth, facilities, people and opportunities, allowing our brothers and sisters in other communities, or other parts of our cities, to go without, to struggle and to suffer. How might our view and practice of Church change if we began to recognise that God’s blessings are given to be shared, that we are called to live “among the foreigners” and that it is here that God’s promises are fulfilled? How differently might we live if we chose to be “descendants of Abram” trusting God’s Kingdom promises whole-heartedly, and laying aside our usual human structures of security and comfort in order to recognise God’s coming through the least, the ‘other’, the ones who cry for justice?

(From Sacredise, with appreciation)

To think about: Where do you think that your faith community might depend too much on “human structures of security”. Could our limited response to the challenges around us, including the challenges brought about by the HIV epidemic, be due to the threat this might bring to our security and comfort?

Author:Lyn van Rooyen, CABSA Director and CCoH facilitator
Language: English