Sunday 16 October 2022 (’01) : 29thSUNmORDINARY TIME. C
1 EXOD17:8-13
- ‘Amalekites!’· Read lSAMl5:1-35! The ‘BloodFeud’ between Israel&Amalek demanded the totalextinctionoftheenemy’ Howcanwestillcondonethis?
- Isn’t the pious violence of this excerpt not an outrage to thestrugglefor‘TruePeace’? Specifically the collusion of ReligiousLeader&God&Prayer&Slaughter’
- ‘ArmsRaised!’ Why does this symbolic gesture seem to offer amilitary advantage?
- To what extent are ‘religious leaders’ still expected to ‘bless’violence?
- What is ‘TheEnemy‘ of my local church? &How is it perceived&dealt-with?
- What factors are frustrating my endeavors to grasp‘my-own-freedom’?
2. THE PSALM· 120·1-8
- Can I explore-into this song of ‘Yahweh’sVersatileProtection’?
- What are The15’ImplacableDangers‘ threatening my local church?
- Which of these are being taken seriously? Which are being poohpoohed?
- But will the vaguely–hopefulrhetoric of the ‘response’ (vv3-8) change anything?
- Is this psalm actually a spell to ‘protect’ TheKing’sBodyguard?
- What is effectively preserving TheIrishChurches from wandering intotheswamp?
3. 2TIM3·14 – 4:2
- The gripes&imagings&hopes&ideals&trials of an early Christian missionary!
- Can I summarise in 60words the marrow of my ‘ChristianInstruction’?
- Who were Thel0’Teachers‘ who encouraged&formed me as an 1adultChnstian’?
- In my local church, how is ThcTotalBible KnownAcknowlcdgedReceivedOffcred- OutInterpretedPick’N’MixSupprcssedLa-Di-Da’dTriialisedDistortcdAppeascd?
- Whichis morevalued? TheTotalBible, TheCatechism, TheDabitur, AdultConscience?
- What of the opinion that ‘TheBible’son’yfrProdestance!’?
- For anadultChristian’, what confers ‘authority’ on ‘Church Teachers’?
- ‘PrayContinually!’: An alert Jesus-way of Living&beingAwake-in-ThePresent‘
- ‘NeverLoseHeart!’: What is actually nourishingthisadaptive-power?
- What 20Aspects-of-IrishSociety are subverting my adult-resolve? &Is my local church itself ready to succumb to the many allures of modernity?
- “What about the judge’s three reasons for heeding the widow’s urgent plea?
- How can God both ‘delay to help’, &’see Justice done speedily’?
- ‘AnyFaithOnEarth!’: Even more–fraught question, in a ‘totallyChristianMilieu’
- The presence&action of the BlessedOne, is it like this?
‘Wha’ happened? didja go at all this morning? was it cancelled .?’ ‘It might as well a’ been! aw, lea’ me alone!’ ‘Here’s y’r pint! stick y’r head in that t’ cool y’ off!’ ‘Well, he was hoppin’ back an’ forth between this widda, an’ Moses with ‘is hands up in th’ air.. ‘ ‘Wha’ ..’ ‘Seems, th’ sohjers-o’-God ‘d kill all round them, as long as he kept them up’ sounds sorta bull t’ me… ‘ ‘It’s worst nor bull’ remember th’ oul’ Canon .’ ‘Aw, no bull there…’ ‘…”Comrades! No resort t’ violence! That’s how y’ II always know-th’ man above’s with ya! No violence on no one, never!'” ..’ ‘Aw, I love t’ hear it over an’ over!’ ‘But not head-a-wit above! goin’ on forever about God enablin’ ‘is own crowd in th’ strife! an’ th’ other bless-me-father with ‘is hands up like th’ lone ranger” ‘An’ what about th’ widda?’ ‘A’m not sure! anyhow, she didn’t figure much in th’ end! jus’ them boys killn’ rings round them! for God, begod! aw, lea’ me alone…!’
- RIDDLE Prayer? WordFormula? PotentSpell?
NowPresence? SuperstitiousCredulity?
Refections and comments can be emailed to adbi@chokmah.ie