Fourteenth Sunday – Ordinary Times Cycle C
Reflecting on Galatians 6:14-18
It’s a beautiful summer holiday weekend in Colorado, and we have friends visiting from Iowa. They’ve spent every possible moment up in the mountains, hiking, rafting, and gawking at the bicyclists riding up Mount Evans.
Amber waves of Nebraska grain
I brag that America the Beautiful was written here. I look to the west and see the purple mountain majesties that have brought me to prayer every morning of my life.
It’s hard to live in a constant state of gratitude and awe. My sister is the best you’ve ever seen. We’ll be driving along the San Diego harbor―she lives in that spectacular city―and she’ll stop the car to make sure we are all thanking God for the water, and the ships, and the seagulls. And it turns out we are.
This land is our land, from the redwood forest to the Gulf Stream waters. Oh, God, forgive us our trespasses against Your Gulf Stream waters.
Paul bore the marks of Jesus on his body. America bears scars on her body too. Our rivers, our forests, our seas and our skies bear the wounds of our selfish decisions, our appalling deficit of dreams. We know better now, and we’ll do better.
It’s nice that the holiday lands right on Sunday this year. It gives us the collective opportunity to ask forgiveness for what we have done, and what we have failed to do. And then, in our Sunday sanctuary of time, we will bless and thank our Creator for the endless gifts of America the Beautiful.
Sharing God’s Word at Home:
Where is your favorite place to pray in your home state?
What would YOU like to say about this question, or today’s readings, or any of the columns from the past year? The sacred conversations are setting a Pentecost fire! Register here today and join the conversation.
I have come to light a fire on the earth; how I wish it were already burning (Lk.12:49).