(printer friendly PDF version)    (email this study to a friend)

June 25-July 2, 2008

You gonna eat that?

Warm-up Question:

How do you know your food is safe to eat?

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has still not identified the source of tainted tomatoes, which have caused 383 salmonella infections across the country since April 1. However, restaurants, grocery stores, and salad bars across the country are returning to normal, resupplying with tomatoes from regions that the CDC has “cleared.”

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned consumers not to eat red plum, red Roma, or round red tomatoes, which appear to be the source of the contamination. Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold on the vine have been declared “safe.” Great news for salad-lovers, less good for burger-eaters.

Salmonella outbreaks are not rare. According to the CDC, there are roughly 1.4 million cases of salmonellosis reported per year. However, the strain of salmonella responsible for the current outbreak (saintpaul) is much more unusual. In 2007, there were only three reported cases. There have been no deaths in this outbreak, although salmonella is believed to have contributed to the death of a cancer patient in Texas.

Plants can become contaminated with salmonella through exposure to human or animal feces. The bacteria cannot always be washed off, although cooking normally kills it.

The source of this outbreak has been particularly difficult to determine because tomatoes are often shipped and sold great distances from where they are grown. Officials suspect the source may be in Florida or Mexico, the source of most U.S. tomatoes.

The Web site www.cdc.gov includes the latest information and FAQs on salmonella.

 

Discussion Questions

  1. How, if at all, has the outbreak of salmonella in tomatoes affected you?
  2. How will this affect farmers, grocers, restaurant owners?
  3. Where can you buy or consume food you can trust?
  4. Are you aware of other instances of tainted food (Peter Pan peanut butter, pet food from China, spinach from California)? How could they have been prevented?
  5. When you get sick or experience health problems, who do you like to have near you or helping you? Who do you trust? What do you expect of them to help you feel better?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, June 29, 2008.
(Text links are to oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year A at Lectionary Readings.)

Jeremiah 28:5-9
Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18 (1)
Romans 6:12-23
Matthew 10:40-42

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection
Have you attended a high school or college graduation this past spring? Those of us who have usually witness very similar rituals. One constant seems to be the commencement address, in which a speaker urges the graduates to make something of themselves and avoid life’s pitfalls. Another common element is the presentation of diplomas.

In some ways, Matthew 10 reads like a commencement address for disciples. Instead of a diploma, Jesus gives the disciples the power to heal sickness and cast out spirits. They have learned enough of his teachings to graduate to the next phase of their ministry. In the rest of the chapter, Jesus instructs the disciples in the path they should take. Go to the Gentiles, beware of those who would lead you astray, expect and be prepared for trouble.

Today’s Gospel, the end of this chapter, wraps up the address perfectly, explaining the point of all the difficulties the disciples can expect to endure. Here, Jesus refers to the time after the resurrection when he will no longer be with them. When that time comes, the only people who will be around to pass on the faith and give witness to God’s presence and actions are through those who have loved and followed him.

God has the same message for us today. As Christians, we have a relationship with Christ, and we study God’s Word to understand God better and deepen our relationship. But there are still many people in our midst who haven’t yet heard the good news of Jesus Christ. For these people, we are the connection to Christ. We are living, human witnesses of God’s love for us thorough Jesus Christ.

So, Jesus says, there will be challenges in our attempt to live righteously. Expect this. But it is important for us to follow a righteous path. For those who try, and do so with faith, Jesus says, even the smallest gesture -- imperfect as it may be -- done in his name will not be forgotten.

Discussion Questions

  1. Look at verses 17, 22, and 34 of Matthew 10. What do these instructions mean for Christians today?
  2. Do we also possess the abilities granted to the disciples in Matthew 10:1?
  3. How do you think someone who doesn’t know Jesus, but has seen Christians in public and in the media would describe us?
  4. Do modern Christians face greater challenges in pursuing their mission than the disciples did in their day? What seems similar? What seems unique to each?
  5. How does Jeremiah 28:5-9 suggest we can identify the one God has sent? To whom is this passage referring?

Activity Suggestions

  • Design an advertising campaign for your group. This could include Web, print, radio, television, e-mail, or a combination. (How will the campaign be different if you target church members as opposed to non-members?)

Consider actually using some of these ideas to share the good news of Christ and increase participation.

Closing Prayer
 (Read together as a group.)

Loving Father, I live in a time and place where the challenges to spreading your word are not hard to see. Remind me that, not matter how tough it gets, I am never alone. You are always by my side. Help me to also see the unimaginable reward of helping to bring your light to the world’s darkness; your healing and justice to those who are broken and in need. Help me always to serve you with a grateful heart and trusting soul. Amen


Contributed by Jocelyn Breeland
Fairfax, VA

Permission to reproduce for local use. Copyright © 2008 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. ELCA Youth Ministry. 1-800-638-3522, ext. 2447. To offer your comments or responses to Faith Lens, e-mail:  rod.boriack@elca.org.

Program Resources