Preview of readings for Sunday September 16, 2007

Reading 1, Exodus 32:7-11,13-14  While Moses is delayed several days on Mt. Sinai, the people down below build the golden calf. God is very upset. Moses calms him down…one of the many times Moses does so. The Old Testament portrayals of how God reacts to human sinfulness are quite different from those presented in the New Testament. In the OT, God reacts to situations much like people do. What differences do you see between OT and NT images of God? How/why do you think the image of God changed from OT times to Gospel times? Are OT images valid for our understanding of God?

Reading II, 1 Timothy 1:12-17 The word “beloved” was added by those selecting the lectionary readings and does not appear in the actual scriptural text. It may mistakenly give the sense that this reading was addressed to a group of people. Not so. The letter is a personal one from Paul to Timothy whom Paul calls his “true child in the faith” and to whom he has given the responsibility for organizing Christian communities in a large area and appointing/ordaining leaders for those communities. Paul shares a very personal testimony as he writes to encourage Timothy. Consider how you have shared your own faith story as an encouragement for others.

Gospel, Luke 15:1-32 Lost sheep, lost coins, lost sons…all found and cause for rejoicing.  Given that both the shepherd in the first section and the father in the third one both represent God, what do these texts tell you about God either similar or in contrast to the first reading?