Ordinary Time 
Pause
“One of the sayings in our country is Ubuntu – the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can’t exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can’t be human all by yourself […]
You are connected and what you do affects the whole World. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.”
from No Future Without Forgiveness by Desmond Tutu (1999)
Listen
God didn’t put the world that is coming (the world we are talking about) under the angels’ control. Instead, someone declared somewhere,
What is humanity that you think about them? Or what are the human beings that you care about them? For a while you made them lower than angels. You crowned the human beings with glory and honor. You put everything under their control.
When he puts everything under their control, he doesn’t leave anything out of control. But right now, we don’t see everything under their control yet. However, we do see the one who was made lower in order than the angels for a little while—it’s Jesus! He’s the one who is now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of his death. He suffered death so that he could taste death for everyone through God’s grace.
Hebrews 2:5-9
Think
It is human nature to want to be in control of situations. We do not like the unknown and ambiguity. This can make us very inquisitive. We want to know as much as we can to gain a sense of control. The writer of Hebrews says that God doesn’t leave anything out of control, and that neither the angels nor humans are in control. In other words, as much as we like to believe we are in control of the world, we are not.
If it’s not humans or angels in control, then who is it? Well, the writer declares that Jesus is the one. Jesus was fully human; the Word made into flesh. Jesus lived in a community and is a model for us in how to be in community with creation. Jesus was also inquisitive and lived a full range of human experiences. Jesus even suffered death – a picture of God’s grace for all of us – which makes him worthy of all glory and honor.
That’s the kind of person we want to have in control.
Crystal Rook
Pray
Most gracious God, thank you for understanding that I am inquisitive at times. You are the Lord over my life, and I am not in control of this world or the world to come, which is one less thing I have to worry about. You have it covered. How great are you, God! Amen.
Go
Open our eyes to see everyone in our community.
Increase our hearing to listen to your creation.
Bless our hands to help those who need our help in our community.
Open our hearts to receive everyone in our community.
Teach us to be in community.
Water and Grow us into Ubuntu – the essence of being human.
