Year C, Ordinary 22, 2019 – Hospitality

More Than Hearing

Hey all! We’re back for another episode of Multiple Intelligence Theory illustrations and special effects. We looked back over our show three years ago and are a bit mystified as to why we do not have anything for Ordinary 22, 23, or 24. We put up a Feedback Loop episode in place of Ordinary 22 and left two weeks out of the cycle. Which is to say, we do not have any other options to offer this week other than what we prepared. The passages for this week are about honor and shame and hospitality. Let’s go see what we found for the two intelligences for this week.

Smarts of the Week [01:58]

David looked at NATURE smart this week while I concentrated on SELF smart. NATURE smart includes geology, biology, categorization and classification, botany, and anything that involves connecting with the great outdoors in a non-sporting manner. SELF smart involves time to reflect on one’s inner world; thoughts, feelings, hopes, and opportunity to meditate or pray. The worksheets for each intelligence are available for download below.

SELF smart – [02:16]Download

NATURE smart – [03:34]Download

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The Week’s Texts

Luke 14:1, 7-14 – [05:31]

This story is full of drama; the authorities are watching Jesus while he in turn watches others. For SELF smart, I wondered if being under the microscope affected Jesus in any way. I found a documentary about this very thing – I’m eager to watch it when it airs on POV next month. David suggests a NATURE smart illustration through applying something like social Darwinism. [David also misspoke in the episode when commenting on being watched in a surveillance society; Londoners are said to be on camera over 300 times per day!]

• SELF smart – [07:14]
  • The Feeling of Being Watched, a documentary based on journalist Assia Boundaoui‘s life in Chicago. Here is a teaser to the show which aired last spring at the Tribeca Film Festival.
  • commentary by Bill Loader
  • commentary by Andy Nasselli
• NATURE smart – [12:15]
  • “the fittest” as described in this article from socratic.org

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Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 – [16:46]

The author of Hebrews encourages readers to be in tune with one another’s spirits in order to be in harmony with one another. For NATURE smart, David came across some people discussing whether animals can sense or understand human’s emotional states. The author also urges readers to offer fruits of praise, so bring in some fruit! For SELF smart, I found a sermon illustration about entertaining angels that has its own internal illustration! By throwing in a bit of WORD smart study, we can ponder what it means to act towards strangers the way we would toward those we know and love.

• NATURE smart – [18:20]
  • a conversation on a forum (Chronicle of the Horse .com)
• SELF smart – [20:41]
  • This sermon by Philip McLarty has an interesting story about hospitality to strangers.
  • entertaining angels or showing hospitality which is “love of philo strangers xenia” is the exact opposite of xenophobia
  • Here is a google search for ways to be a prison pen pal.

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Psalm 112 – [25:20]

I must admit that often my SELF smart reflections often begin with a WORD smart romp through translations and definitions. The Psalmist insists that those whose righteousness is founded in GOD will never be shaken. I looked up the Hebrew word and have some thoughts about how that might work both physically and emotionally. For NATURE smart, David melds SELF smart and the experience of being up before sunrise.

• SELF smart – [26:04]
  • never be moved = מוֹט or not be shaken
• NATURE smart – [29:02]
  • Here’s a longer, similar description of the experience of dawn with a bunch of SELF Smart thrown in from The School of Life .com.

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Sirach 10:12-18 – [32:03]

We have never used anything outside the canon to which we are accustomed, so venturing into Sirach was fun. It may have been more fun if we had included more than two intelligences – I think there is much more to unearth in these verses. At any rate, David thinks these verses could be demonstrated by bringing in some plants and literally uprooting and replanting them. Moving to SELF Smart, a commentary at Catholic Culture defines pride as sin. “God may know what is good in some things, but in this thing, I know better. He says it is bad; I know it is good.” How often have we gotten ourselves into hot water by thinking this way? This may be a chance to reconnect with God through spiritual disciplines.

• NATURE smart – [34:02]
• SELF smart – [36:17]
  • Commentary at Catholic Culture
  • Soul Shepherding has a list of spiritual disciplines for reconnecting with God.
  • Church Leaders has 12 disciplines.

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Proverbs 25:6-7 – [38:30]

We don’t get to use the book of Proverbs very often, either. I took it upon myself to read through them a couple years ago using Richard J. Clifford’s work in the Interpretation commentary Old Testament Library Series: Proverbs. I recommend this book! Jesus was obviously a scholar of Proverbs – these two verses are the basis for his story in Luke.

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Photo by Tembela Bohle from Pexels. Used by permission.

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