Lacy Sietsema – Page 43 – Good Ground Press

Gospel Reflection for September 30, 2018, 26th Sunday Ordinary Time

Sunday Readings: Numbers 11.25-29; James 5.1-6; Mark 9.38-48 “Whoever is not against us is for us.” – Mark 9.40 Often in our disgustingly polarized times, activists, liberal and conservative, reverse Jesus’ saying and eliminate the middle ground. They insist whoever is not for us is against us. Middle ground is liminal space, valuable to preserve for exploring what […]

Gospel Reflection for September 30, 2018, 26th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »

Gospel Reflection for September 23, 2018, 25th Sunday Ordinary Time

Sunday Readings: Wisdom 2.12,17-20; James 3.16–4.3; Mark 9.30-37 “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and the servant of all.” – Mark 9.32 Jesus’ disciples aren’t catching on to his words about the Son of Man being betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him and three days after being killed, he will

Gospel Reflection for September 23, 2018, 25th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »

Gospel Reflection for September 16, 2018, 24th Sunday Ordinary Time

Sunday Readings: Isaiah 50.5-9; James 2.14-18; Mark 8.27-35 Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” – Mark 8.29 Jesus finally calls the question in chapter 8, the midpoint of Mark’s gospel. In a miracle just before Jesus asks this question, he has to try twice to open the

Gospel Reflection for September 16, 2018, 24th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »

Gospel Reflection for September 9, 2018, 23rd Sunday Ordinary Time

Gospel Reflection for September 9, 2018, 23rd Sunday Ordinary Time Sunday Readings: Isaiah 35.4-7, James 2.1-5, Mark 7.31-37 “Ephphatha, Be opened.” And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus order them to tell no one, but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.” –

Gospel Reflection for September 9, 2018, 23rd Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »

Gospel Reflection for September 2, 2018, 22nd Sunday Ordinary Time

Scripture Readings: Deuteronomy 4.1-2,6-8; James 1.17-18,21-22,27; Mark 7.1-8,14-15, 21-23 “You forsake the commandment of God and hold to human tradition…It is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come.” – Mark 7.8, 21 Rules tend to multiply, and traditions accumulate. The Pharisees in Sunday’s gospel question why Jesus’ disciples do not follow Jewish

Gospel Reflection for September 2, 2018, 22nd Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »

Gospel Reflection for August 26, 2018, 21st Sunday Ordinary Time

Sunday Readings: Joshua 24.1-2, 15-17, 18; Ephesians 5.21-32; john 6.60-69 “The words I have spoken are spirit and life. But there are some among you who do not believe,” Jesus says. Many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. Jesus said the the twelve: “Do you also want to leave?” Simon

Gospel Reflection for August 26, 2018, 21st Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »

Gospel Reflection for August 18, 2018, 20th Sunday Ordinary Time

Scripture Readings: Proverbs 9.1-6; Ephesians 5.15-20; John 6.56-57 “Those who eat this bread and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. The one who eats this bread will live forever.”

Gospel Reflection for August 18, 2018, 20th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »

Gospel Reflection for August 12, 2018, 19th Sunday Ordinary Time

Sunday Readings: 1 Kings 19. 4-8; Ephesians 4.30-5.2, John 6.41-51 “The Jews began to murmur about Jesus because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven” – John 6.41 Within the crowd following Jesus is a group whom the gospel writer calls “the Jews.” They murmur. They question how Jesus can be from

Gospel Reflection for August 12, 2018, 19th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »

Gospel Reflection for August 5, 2018, 18th Sunday Ordinary Time

Scripture Readings: Exodus 16.2-4, 12-15; Ephesians 4.17,20-24; John 6.24-35 “What must we do to perform the works of God?” – John 6.28 Jesus interests the crowd that he fed the day before in working for the food that endures for eternal life. Eternal life is the lure. That is why they ask, “What must we

Gospel Reflection for August 5, 2018, 18th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »

Gospel Reflection for July 29, 2018, 17th Sunday Ordinary Time

Gospel Reflection for July 29, 2018, 17th Sunday Ordinary Time Sunday Readings: 2 Kings 4.42-44; Ephesians 4.1-6; John 6.1-15 Jesus saw a large crowd coming toward him and said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat? He said this to test him, for he knew what he was going

Gospel Reflection for July 29, 2018, 17th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »