Mercy in Discernment

Jane Patterson reflects on Jesus’ parable that invites us to discernment in the spaces of judgment in our lives [Matthew 13:24-30].

 

Reflection

• What is the difference between being discerning about someone's actions and judging them?
• In what ways have you been corrected in a way that was creative for you?

 

Resources

• Article: After a Trail of Tears, Justice for Indian Country
• Poetry: Joy Harjo

MWG Discussion Questions

• How do we hold the tension of embodying Jesus’ righteousness and mercy at the same time?  What do we have a tendency to emphasize?  How is that shaped by our own experience of faith?
• In what ways do we rationalize our judgment of others?  What are the challenges of living in a way where our project is not one of sorting out, but of growing together so that all will flourish?
• When our communities are disturbed or disrupted, what does God’s invitation for us to stop look like because of what we do not know?  What does it mean for us to practice discernment and not knowing at the same time (e.g. in light of divisions and conflicting values and perspectives of politics, racial justice, pandemic, etc)?