26FEB 2023 1stSUNinLENT(2002): A
1. GEN2:7-9, 3:1-7
Read 2:4b-3:24! A neglected narrative, smothered by tendentious interpretations!
- Why are there two special ‘trees’ &How are ‘life’ & ‘knowledge’ related?
- How was the suitability of animals (&woman) as a ‘partner’ judged?
- What the values&emotions&taboos around ‘nakedness’ nowadoys?
- What ‘knowledge’ would the ‘tree’ give? &Did woman or man receive it?
- Is ‘self-awareness’ always at a cost? What cost? &What benefit?
2. THE PSALM 50: 3-6, 12-14
- Read 50(51) 1-19! Various strategies for ridding oneself of ‘sin’,&its miasma!
- Why is there so much emphasis on ‘sin’ in TheBible, &in the mainstream Churches?
- What are the ‘secular’ equivalents of ‘sin’? &How are they purged?
- How could I rid myself, once and for all, of this debilitating ‘venom-in-the-bones’?
- How adequate are the current ‘rituals-of-penance’ for dealing with sin’s ramifications?
3. ROM5:12-19
- Read 4.1-7.25! How relate Adam&Christ, Sin&Grace, Life&Death, Fait&Works!
- What about the matter-of-fact self-confident logic of it all? But maybe too eloquent?
- Why does Paul connect ‘sin’ & ‘death'(Read carefully GEN2, 4b -3.24! Again!)
- Does he clarify how ‘all have sinned’? &How ‘death spread to all’?
- Is it ‘physical death’ he means? Or some condition like ‘lack of faith’?
- SinDeathWorldLawGraceRighteousManLife! Can I say this riddle in 20modern words?
4. MT4:1-11
- Read 3.1-4.25! Setting-in-train, by Heaven&John&Jesus&Devil, of ‘TheNewExodus’!
- ‘Tempter’! As Moses was tested for his competence as Leader-of-Exodus, so is Jesus!
- In what 20 ways is my LifeCommitment-as-Disciple being tested?
- ‘Angels’! How did they ‘look after Him’? GEN21.8-21(Hagar), !Kg19.1-8(Elijah)!
5. The presence&action of TheBlessedOne, is it like this?
‘Gran’! ‘Yes, Effie dear?’ ‘Boysie’s goin’ off everythin’ for the forty days an’ forty nights!’
‘O, I’m very impressed to hear it, luveen! But a bit surprised.’ ‘Sam an’ Boysie had another row, which he lost! An’ he got very wampy an’ shouted, “Righto then, that”s me up th’ Swanee! A’m goin’ off everythin’ for the forty days an’ forty nights!’”….’What’s th’ forty, Gran?’ ‘Well, a mhilis, y’ know we’re into Lent’ ‘ Yes, Sister Maggie says it Th’ Spring but y’ pray durin’ it, an’ shouldn’t be goin’ ’round like swans or lambs’ ‘ oh’ ‘ ‘an go off cursin’ an’ tearin’ up Gran, Boysie’s goin’ off too, but everythin’! ‘Did Sister Maggie also tell you that Lent is was forty days an’ forty nights…’ ‘ Maybe while I was listenin’ to a family a’ sparras talkin’ outside’ ‘But I wonder why it’s forty days an’ nights’ ‘Mam says she’s goin’ to be forty forever…’ ‘ so it must be a good number!’ ‘Yes, I think Jesus went off everythin’ for forty days an’ nights’ ‘ Had he a nargument with his friend?’ ‘ During the forty days an’ nights he had a big nargument with someone very bold’ ‘ I think I know, behind my eyes,’ …’who was trying to get Jesus to turn against God’ ‘ But Jesus shouted, “No, you don’t! I will never turn against God…”’…’… “Y’ must know, I’ve gone off everythin’ these forty days…”..’ ‘”except God alone!!”’ Effie smoothed her nice blue dress, & whispered to Gran, ‘Thank you, my favourite lady of all! I love you the same as I love God, all the days an’ all the night! Great, great!!’
6. RIDDLE Sin! Disobedience-to-Law? Refusal-of-Friendship?
Embrace-of-AnotherGod? MisrepresentedAutonomy?
Refections and comments can be emailed to adbi@chokmah.ie