El Aposento Alto

Humans expend a lot of effort in trying to make peace with their gods. We tend to attribute value and worth to many different (false) gods: success, wealth, tribal or national loyalty, self-determination. Yet the gospel of Jesus Christ tells us that these ideas are mere distortions of the reality they purport to represent. These ideas do not deserve our allegiance because they are false. Take wealth, for example. Elevating wealth as an ideal, as our society so often does, simply illuminates wealth’s failure to meet emotional needs. Chasing wealth does not lead to abundance but instead to lives of poverty, fear, and despair.
In Romans 4–5 Paul draws upon the faithfulness of Abra- ham and Sarah to show that trust in the living God affords us a kind of real peace. This authentic peace grows from true relationships built on endurance, character, hope, grace, and suffering. Just as Abraham and Sarah often faced alienation, persecution, and despair in their lives of faith, their faith in a God of loving providence prevailed.
In Romans, Paul engages in lengthy theological explora- tions about how the early church may best live out lives of faith in the God of Jesus Christ. But at the core of it all is his clear belief that Jesus enables humanity to be reconciled with a lov- ing God, to be at peace with God through faith.
Paul’s belief in making peace with God through Jesus Christ is audacious but totally grounded. When we trust that God loves us faithfully through the ages, we will never be disappointed. Our future is one of hope. For the early church and for us, mak- ing peace with God means that we will be able to make peace with ourselves and with others—even with our enemies.

Reconciling God, may we make peace with you and all human- kind. Amen.

Rece las Escrituras usando Leccionario en Audio
Leer Matthew 9:35-38 , Leer Matthew 10:1-23

Matthew 10:1-23

¹ He called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to throw them out and to heal every disease and every sickness. ² Here are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, who is called Peter; and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee; and John his brother; ³ Philip; and Bartholomew; Thomas; and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Cananaean; and Judas, who betrayed Jesus. ⁵ Jesus sent these twelve out and commanded them, “Don’t go among the Gentiles or into a Samaritan city. ⁶ Go instead to the lost sheep, the people of Israel. ⁷ As you go, make this announcement: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, and throw out demons. You received without having to pay. Therefore, give without demanding payment. ⁹ Workers deserve to be fed, so don’t gather gold or silver or copper coins for your money belts to take on your trips. ¹⁰ Don’t take a backpack for the road or two shirts or sandals or a walking stick. ¹¹ Whatever city or village you go into, find somebody in it who is worthy and stay there until you go on your way. ¹² When you go into a house, say, ‘Peace!’ ¹³ If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if the house isn’t worthy, take back your blessing. ¹⁴ If anyone refuses to welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet as you leave that house or city. ¹⁵ I assure you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on Judgment Day than it will be for that city. ¹⁶ “Look, I’m sending you as sheep among wolves. Therefore, be wise as snakes and innocent as doves. ¹⁷ Watch out for people—because they will hand you over to councils and they will beat you in their synagogues. ¹⁸ They will haul you in front of governors and even kings because of me so that you may give your testimony to them and to the Gentiles. ¹⁹ Whenever they hand you over, don’t worry about how to speak or what you will say, because what you can say will be given to you at that moment. ²⁰ You aren’t doing the talking, but the Spirit of my Father is doing the talking through you. ²¹ Brothers and sisters will hand each other over to be executed. A father will turn his child in. Children will defy their parents and have them executed. ²² Everyone will hate you on account of my name. But whoever stands firm until the end will be saved. ²³ Whenever they harass you in one city, escape to the next, because I assure that you will not go through all the cities of Israel before the Human One comes.

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Leccionario Semanal

June 12–18, 2017

Resumen de la Escritura

Two threads run through all the readings. One is the claim that God is powerful over all things. Psalm 116 makes this claim most eloquently with its assertion that God “has heard my voice and my supplications.” The story of the promise of Isaac’s birth demonstrates that it is God and God alone who gives life. Matthew situates the call of the disciples within the larger context of Jesus’ mission and understands their work to be the consequence of God’s decision to send workers. Paul emphasizes God’s power by recalling that God’s act of reconciliation comes within the setting of human alien- ation and hostility. The second thread is that of the unworthiness of those whom God chooses.

Preguntas para la reflexión

• Read Genesis 18:1-15; 21:1-7. When has God presented you with a laughable opportunity? What incredible offer would you like God to propose to you today?
• Read Psalm 100. How do you create a future of hope by recalling God’s faithful action on your behalf in the past?
• Read Romans 5:1-8. When have you looked for a superhero in a crisis situation? Who came to your aid?
• Read Matthew 9:35–10:23. What field of harvest is God calling you to? Do you yearn for wheat rather than potatoes? How do you go about an attitude adjustment?

Responda publicando una oración.

Romans 5:1-5

Matthew 9:35-38

Matthew 10:1-23

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