Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors

Creating Access and Inclusion in Worship

PREPARING THE WORD

Prepare for Inclusion Awareness Day with reading summaries, a process of self-examination for the preacher, an exegetical essay connecting today's themes with the themes of Inclusion Awareness Day, and a starter story you can adapt to fit your needs.

ROMAN CATHOLIC READING SUMMARIES

Reading 1 Ezekiel 18:25-28
Summary: We say God is not fair, but who is the one who shows mercy?

Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Summary: The humble can be taught the ways of God.

Reading 2 Philippians 2:1-11
Summary: Christ's perfection was found in emptying himself, even through suffering and death.

Gospel Reading Matthew 21:28-32
Summary: We like to judge ourselves by our intentions, but true faithfulness is revealed by our actions.

THE INNER WORD: WHAT'S IN YOUR HEART?

Inclusion Awareness Day is an opportunity to examine how well our community welcomes and includes people of all abilities in our worship and in the ways we live out our faith.

• Regarding those in my community, are there people on the margins who I fail to see, fail to connect with, or fail to invite into participation in church life? What barriers might there be that I unwittingly collude with: physical barriers, language barriers, lowered expectations?



• In what ways do I need to have a change of mind and heart like the reluctant brother in today's Gospel, so that I might personally take concrete action to reach out to those who feel excluded from our community? How might I better lead the community in such a change of mind and heart?



• Do I see the value of Jesus' example of emptying himself as a way of revealing God's glory? Can I recognize Jesus in the example of others who are living with grace in the midst of their disabilities and limits? How about in my own disabilities and limits?

WHO'S LISTENING? WHO'S IN YOUR AUDIENCE?

One in five Americans has a disability-physical, mental, or sensory. Disabilities increase with age. So the odds are that more than every fifth person you greet at church this weekend will have a disability of some sort. Meanwhile we live in a culture that glorifies its own brand of physical perfection and emotional wellness, both of which are based in a false notion of reality. The challenge today is to increase your own and your congregation's awareness that a healthy community welcomes and tends to all aspects of all its members, especially those who feel excluded.

EXPLORING THE WORD: EXEGETICAL ESSAY

Over iPods and airwaves and on television commercials, Sheryl Crow can often be heard singing out her plaintive message, "Change will do you good." A change of heart did a lot of good for the reluctant son in today's Gospel who at first tells his father he can't be bothered to work in the old man's vineyard, but later changes his mind and shows up. This contrasts with the goodie-two-shoes brother who tells his father, "Of course I'll go," but who never shows. For Matthew, showing up to work in the vineyard is everything. Last week we heard that even those who show up at the vineyard extremely late and put in only an hour or two of work qualify for full pay and all the benefits. In Matthew's gospel, showing up is the key.

Today, we are offered the opportunity to become more aware of how easy or hard we make it for our brothers and sisters in faith to show up here: in this church, at this Mass, with this community, to be transformed into the body of Christ. And we are offered the opportunity to examine not just our good intentions-like the brother who said he would work but didn't. But to examine our actions-like the brother who revealed his true identity by what he did rather than by just mouthing the right words.

It's often hard to know whose missing. It's like my old seminary professor who once took attendance by saying, "Will those who aren't here please, raise your hand?" More to the point, it's like the pastoral council member who said, "We don't have any people with disabilities in our parish." He said this in a building that had steep flights of stairs and no elevator and the meetings didn't offer any accommodation for those who had difficulty hearing, seeing, walking or climbing stairs.

In fairness to him this man was willing to learn and change his mind. He discovered he was wrong about who was and wasn't in that parish and has since been an advocate for removing barriers and adding accommodations so that everyone can find their way to the pastoral council meeting-as well as the altar on Sunday.

Sometimes in order to be able to see fully, we need to not be so full of ourselves. We need to let go of our own perspective and take the point of view of another. Jesus knew that. In the letter to the Philippians Paul recalls how Jesus "emptied himself" and became human. As a human, he knew intimately what it was like to live and breathe, stretch and grow, suffer physical, as well as emotional pain, and even die. In doing so he revealed that God's nature is not to be distant and aloof, but to be up close and compassionate. God longs to be one with us.

Today's First reading raises the question of God's fairness. Some might look at the fact that certain people have disabilities and limits that others do not as a sign of God's unfairness. But God responds that his mercy is offered to everyone. In God's eyes, no one is excluded from living a full life in faith. God longs for inclusion-that all may be one. He turns the question around and asks "are not your ways unfair?"

And so today we can ask ourselves that question. As a parish we can humbly examine whether we are making room at the table of God for everyone who belongs here. Are there physical barriers we need to overcome? Are there social and emotional and attitudinal barriers that require a conversion of heart to be removed? If so, we know from Jesus' parable today that God welcomes a change of mind and a change of heart.

Developed by: Prepare the Word: Homilies from the heart that hit home, True Quest Communications Chicago, IL
www.preparetheword.com

STARTER STORY

It's good when, like the reluctant son in today's gospel, we change our mind from failing to do God's will and throw ourselves into it. Sometimes we everyday mortals need a nudge in the right direction.

That happened to a New York City subway conductor when the train he was on was declared "out of service." It was stopped at a station that had no elevators or ramps-only stairs. Most of the commuters trudged off the train and up the stairs leaving a few moms with kids in strollers, and television news commentator John Hockenberry in his wheelchair.

"When the conductor offered me no help," said Hockenberry, "my only option was to hop out of my wheelchair and lug myself up the filthy stairs on my kiester." But something happened to help the conductor change his mind. One of the women with a child in a stroller asked the conductor pointedly, "What's your plan for this man? Is he supposed to just stay down here forever? We are not stupid people. There is a law that says you have to have a plan. Everybody knows that."

Hockenberry reports that the conductor had a change of mind that led to a change of heart. He invited Hockenberry and the women with children in strollers back aboard and took them to the next station that had an elevator. One courageous woman who could see the plight of another person in need made all the difference. She asked the right question at the right time and a conductor's eyes were opened and his imagination engaged.

Today we are invited to celebrate Inclusion Awareness Day. And like that lady who asked the right question, Inclusion Awareness Day asks us to have a change of mind and a change of heart so that we might honestly examine any barriers-whether physical, emotional, social, or attitudinal-that are blocking others from joining us fully in our worship and in our life as a people of faith.

From: Yes, You Can by John Hockenberry, award-winning television commentator, radio host, and foreign correspondent in the July 24, 2005 Parade Magazine.

Developed by: Prepare the Word: Homilies from the heart that hit home, True Quest Communications Chicago, IL
www.preparetheword.com