Proper X 07/13/25
The Still Point
A Time of Meditation and Reflection
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost:
Proper Ten
... At the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshless;
Neither from nor towards; at the still point, there the dance is,
But neither arrest nor movement. And do not call it fixity,
Where past and future are gathered. Neither movement from nor towards,
Neither ascent nor decline. Except for the point, the still point,
There would be no dance, and there is only the dance... T.S. Eliot, Burnt Norton
Peace on each one who comes in need;
Peace on each one who comes in joy.
Peace on each one who offers prayers;
Peace on each one who offers song.
Peace of the Maker, Peace of the Son,
Peace of the Spirit, the Triune One.
Opening Prayer
O Lord, when your Son ascended into heaven, he sent down upon the Apostles the Holy Spirit, as he had promised, that they might comprehend the mysteries of the kingdom: Distribute among us also, we pray, the gifts of the selfsame Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Scripture Reading Luke 10:25-37
Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live." But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, `Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.' Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
Poem: “No Man is an Island” By John Dunne
No man is an island,
Entire of itself;
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less,
As well as if a promontory were:
As well as if a manor of thy friend's
Or of thine own were.
Any man's death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.
Meditation
This week's gospel is an especially familiar one, with the story of the Good Samaritan, which Jesus told as a response to the lawyer's question, "Who is my neighbor?"
The poem by John Donne is also familiar to many. Donne was writing in a time of rapid scientific advances, and a time when Europeans were both exploring new lands and colonizing non-European peoples. Donne used geographical images of islands and continents to convey the concept of people being interconnected. And the poet may be speaking to an expanded view of what human connections might mean, in light of the exploration of new lands and encounters with new peoples. "Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind."
Today, we live in a time in which technology allows us to instantly know what is happening nearly everywhere in the world. We may also as a result have a heightened sense of our connectedness, as we see and hear how an event in one place can affect people on the other side of the world. How might all this impact our concept of who our neighbor is?
The parables of Jesus are seldom simple and straightforward! Perhaps one takeaway to this one is: spend less time focusing on who precisely our neighbor is (or isn't), and more on compassion to those in need, however we might encounter them in our daily life.
Questions for Reflection
1. Imagine you are reading or hearing the story of the Good Samaritan for the first time. (You may even imagine that you are there hearing Jesus's response to the lawyer). What are your reactions and responses, in your head and heart?
2. John Donne uses images of islands and continents to show our interconnectedness with other people. What images would you draw on that can communicate this interconnection (perhaps images from biology and the natural world)?
3. How might this gospel story apply to the whole of God's creation (not only to our fellow humans)?
Prayers
We bring before God someone whom we have met or remembered today
We bring to God someone who is hurting tonight and needs our prayer
We bring to God a troubled situation in our world
We bring to God, silently, someone whom we find hard to forgive or trust
We bring ourselves to God that we might grow in generosity of spirit, clarity of mind, and warmth of affection
We offer our thanks to God for the blessings in our lives
We name before God those who have died.
Gracious God, you hear all our prayers: those we speak aloud, those we hold in our hearts, and those prayers for which we have no words. Hear the prayers of your people, and grant them as may be best for us, for the sake of your holy name. Amen.
Accept our thanks for all you have done, O God. Our hands were empty, and you filled them.
May Christ’s holy, healing, enabling Spirit be with us every step of the way, and be our guide as our road changes and turns, and the blessing of God our Creator, Redeemer and Giver of life be among us now and remain with us forever. Amen.
Reflections this month offered by: Frank Nowell
