Scripture Focus: Luke 10.2-3
2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

Reflection: A Prayer of Harvesters — Guided Prayer
By John Tillman

We are to pray for harvesters to be sent. Yet, we are also sent as harvesters.

This weekend, pray this prayer as one sent into the field. Pray over yourself the instructions Jesus gives to his followers. And remember that when Jesus sent the disciples into “the fields” he was sending them into the cities. As he sent them, so he sends us. 

A Prayer of Harvesters
“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few…”
There is much work to be done, Lord.
We see it in the eyes of the suffering
In the stumbling of the wandering
In the outbursts of the desperate
Send us to the field—into our cities.

“Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves…”
Send us not as sharp-toothed predators, Lord…
Not preying on others but praying for them
Send us not as sword-wielding soldiers, Lord…
Not with battle-hardened nerves but prayer-softened hearts

“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house…’”
Make us peace-bringers, hosts of heaven’s peace, and messengers of its goodwill.
May your Spirit arrest enmity in our presence and may amity grow from our steps.

“Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you…’”
Make us healers who first do no harm to the hurting.
Just as you came near to us, let us come near to the hurting and make them whole with the resources and blessing of your kingdom.
Let us heal them…
Of sickness
Of pride
Of rage
Of hate
Of loneliness
Of fragility
Of every malady, division, and fracture.

“But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’”
Not all will hear us, Lord but perhaps they will hear another.
We do not know their future. So let us warn only, and never condemn.
If they send us and our message away, Lord, let us leave no doubt that your kingdom has come to them, and let us leave no doubt that the way is open for them to follow us.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Small Verse
Today if you shall hear his voice, harden not your heart.

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Reading
Exodus 28(Listen 5:54)
Luke 10(Listen 5:40)

This Weekend’s Reading
Exodus 29(Listen 6:23), Luke 11(Listen 7:33)
Exodus 30(Listen 5:06), Luke 12(Listen 7:42)

Read more about One Thing Needed
We can’t say, “Well, I’m a Mary,” and ignore details. We can’t say, “Well, I’m a Martha,” and ignore relationships.

Read more about Supporting Our Work
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Scripture Focus: Luke 9.51-56
51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village. 

Reflection: Rebuke for Hotheads
By John Tillman

Earthly justice is one thing but fire from Heaven? The Zebedee brothers weren’t joking around. James and John had cause for anger from their point of view.

Jesus had visited the Samaritans. He spoke to them, stayed with them, taught them, and included them. He would even use a Samaritan as the hero of one of his most famous stories. (Luke 10.33-35) Yet, after all Jesus did for them, this Samaritan town rejected and disrespected him.

It’s easy to point fingers at the Zebedee brothers. “Those hotheads! What are they thinking!?”

Then we get on social media and see the latest insults hurled at people we respect…the latest revelations of abuse against people we love…the latest attacks on truths we hold dear…the latest offensive comments…the latest shocking articles… 

If we are honest, in moments of pain, conflict, hurt, and anger, don’t we sometimes want to see things, institutions, or even people “burned down?” Maybe it’s not that we wouldn’t call down fire but that we don’t have the faith to believe that we could. If we did, some of us might try it.

Many in scripture, such as Eve, Abram, David, Herod, and the Zebedee brothers, sought to gain God’s blessings or use God’s power outside of his ways. We often do the same. When we center on hurt, emotion, anger, or pain, we can’t help but want to strike out with any power we have. But God’s power is for his purposes and God’s purpose is to redeem people rather than roast them.

Jesus was not concerned with the Samaritans’ slights. While the disciples worried about Jesus losing face, Jesus “set his face like a flint” to go to Jerusalem. (Isaiah 50.6-7; Luke 9.51) What did he care that one town rejected him? He was about to be rejected and insulted on a much grander scale than the disciples could imagine. He was headed resolutely toward the cross and he expected them to follow.

Like James and John, we can lose sight of the greater mission and be caught up in conflict. At least the two hotheads got one thing right that we can emulate: they took their anger to Jesus first and followed his lead. 

Make no mistake, justice will fall on every wrongdoer for every wrong, no matter how small. Yet, we must follow Jesus and resolutely set our faces toward the cross while simultaneously working for earthly justice.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting
Who is like you, Lord God of hosts? O mighty Lord, your faithfulness is all around you.
Righteousness and justice are the foundations of your throne; love and truth go before your face. — Psalm 89.8

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Reading
Exodus 27 (Listen 2:52)
Luke 9 (Listen 8:05)

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Read more about Trust in God Rather than Revenge
We seek truth but not vengeance. There is a time and place for our hand to cease and the will of God to be done.

Scripture Focus: Luke 6.24-26
24 “But woe to you who are rich, 
for you have already received your comfort. 
25 Woe to you who are well fed now, 
for you will go hungry. 
Woe to you who laugh now, 
for you will mourn and weep. 
26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, 
for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

Reflection: Blessing and Woes — A Guided Prayer
By John Tillman

Luke’s Beatitudes strike a sharper tone than Matthew’s because Luke pairs them with a mirrored set of woes. Where Matthew mentions that we are like the prophets of old when we are treated poorly, Luke adds the woeful warning that when we are treated well, we are like the false prophets of old.

Pray Luke’s Beatitudes through the rest of this week. Hear God speaking to you in both parts of the prayer.

A Prayer of Blessings and Woes
Lord help us press onward through the blessing of being poor, of being hungry, of weeping, of being hated, excluded, insulted, and rejected. There is blessing in the pain of the journey and surpassing joy on the other side.

Blessed are you who are poor,
    for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now,
    for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
    for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
    when they exclude you and insult you
    and reject your name as evil,
        because of the Son of Man.

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.

May we take heed of the woes we are subject to. May we not deny that we are rich, that we are comfortable, that we are well-fed, that we laugh, and are spoken well of. There is comfort now in acclaim and acceptance, but there is woe and destruction if we turn away from the path of Christ.

But woe to you who are rich,
    for you have already received your comfort.
Woe to you who are well fed now,
    for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
    for you will mourn and weep.
Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
    for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
“Because the needy are oppressed, and the poor cry out in misery, I will rise up,” says the Lord, “And give them the help they long for.” — Psalm 12.5

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Reading
Exodus 24 (Listen 2:48)
Luke 6 (Listen 6:46)

Read more about Seeing God in the Wilderness
Christ extends his hand, inviting us to a joy-filled city, in which the God of creation waits to dine with us.

Read more about Woken by Woe
Amos, Jesus, and other prophets employ the ominous tone of, “woe” to get the attention of their audiences.