Sermon and Worship Suggestions for the Gospel Readings for Torture Awareness Month

The following brief reflections are meant to help preachers and worship leaders connect the lectionary gospel texts for the last three weeks of June and a faithful response to the constellation of issues surrounding torture. All three pericopes from Luke depict Jesus interacting powerfully, respectfully and compassionately with people who would be considered deviant by the social norms of his day. If we transpose these texts on to our time and place, we scan ask ourselves, “How is God currently reaching out to those whom society labels wrong?”