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10th Sunday of Ordinary Time 2013

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This week, however, marks our official return to Ordinary time.  With Easter and our other special celebrations behind us, the Church settles in to “business as usual”, just counting the Sundays from now to the end of the Liturgical Year (with a few celebrations thrown in).  But just as each of the Church Seasons has its special focus, so does Ordinary Time.  Summer is a time for slowing down and reflecting on our past academic year, and later, preparing for the Fall and the future when the pace of our lives speed up in preparation for Winter.  Similarly, the Church slows down to reflect on the life and mission of Jesus and his Apostles, walking with them through their travels, to focus more deeply on his teachings, and eventually preparing ourselves for the Advent that is to come.

The Word for the 10th Sunday of Ordinary Time:
       1 Kings 17:17-24
       Psalm 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13
       Galatians 1:11-19
       Luke 7:11-17

Our readings this Sunday focus on Resurrection… Life from death.  We all remember the Resurrection of Easter Sunday, but in the joy of that moment we may not have embraced its deeper meaning.  Resurrection is one of those themes that runs like a thread through scripture.  Our first reading from 1st Kings has Elijah bringing back the son of Zarephath (the widow he is lodging with).  This is not the only resurrection story in the Hebrew scriptures.  Our Psalm, though not a direct reference to resurrection, reminds us that it is the Lord who rescues us… rescues us from the nether world, turns our mourning into dancing.  As we continue our journey through the Gospel of Luke, we have a story of Jesus entering the city of Nain, a small city in lower Galilee (60 miles north of Jerusalem, and 5 miles southeast of Nazareth).  Here Jesus comes upon a funeral party exiting the city, as a widow is about to bury her only son.  Taking pity, Jesus raises her son.  What does the Resurrection mean to you?  Is it important?  What does it teach us?  Do you find it hard to believe?

You may also want to check out these supplemental readings:
Catholic Update
Resurrection:  How We Know It’s True
We Believe in the Resurrection

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