Changing Positions

Reflection: The Church is now in the season known as “Ordinary Time” (the months after Pentecost and before Advent.)  I’ve always had a problem with calling it “ordinary time,” as if to say that unless we’re celebrating the big events of the Church year like Christmas or Easter – that our faith and life together in the Church is just “ordinary.”  Nothing could be further from the truth! Every day and in every way, our life as God-followers is anything but ordinary! Every day and in every way, God calls us into a life which is extraordinary – and can be even more so when we dig in, listen, and discover in God’s word just how extraordinary our life in faith can be.

This summer we will be pulling out scriptures from different places in the Bible, seeking to discover the extraordinary value of being children of God. We will not only hear the scripture read and proclaimed from the pulpit – but we will take time to share a bit of what we’ve heard, what we’ve learned and how God makes our lives extraordinary.

We start this week with a reading from the Gospel of Matthew in which Jesus does many extraordinary things all in a row: He calls Mathew the tax collector to follow Him, He teaches some Pharisees a thing or two about grace, and He heals not one but two women – all at an extraordinary pace. Throughout this quick and packed story, all involved are required to change their positions to be changed by faith.

Let’s hear their stories and ask ourselves: How has following Jesus changed your position – helping you to see a “sinner” through the eyes of grace?  Is Jesus calling you to “stand up” on their behalf? Why do you hesitate?  In what ways have you or someone you love been healed (body, mind or spirit) through faith?