2nd Sunday after Christmas Cycle B 2021 (’00)

Sunday 3 Jan 2021 (’00). 2ndSUNafterCHRISTMAS

1. ECCLUS/SIRACH24:1-2, 8-12

  • Read 24:1-34! slowly aloud suspiciously, with a friend!

What layers voices anacoloutha U-turns contradictions can we hear?

What hints that Wisdom is subordinated to Yahweh, &both to TheTemple?

But then, what concern is there for ‘Wisdom’, in any shape or form?

What about the identification of ‘Wisdom’ with ‘ThePentateuch’?

&Is every occurrence of ‘I’ & ‘Her’ actually a reference to ‘Wisdom’?

  • For what purpose does the excerpt seem to have been tailored?
  • ‘Created”: How do I visualise this admittedly vague relationship?
  • Is there any hint here that Wisdom&Yahweh are ‘married’?

2. THE PSALM. 147:12-15, 19-20

  • Read 147·1-20! Savour Yahweh’s varied&impressive CV!
  • But is He overqualified? Or could we just pick ‘n’ mix the bits that flatter us?
  • In the excerpt doesn’t He sound like a ‘BenevolentDespot’?
  • Whose interests are served by projecting such imaginings of ‘God’?
  • The ‘Yahweh’ of this psalm, where is He found, outside TheTempleRitual?
  • What is the purpose of patching shreds of Jewish Psalms onto a Christian  Liturgy?

3. EPHl :3-6, 15-18 (Why omit vv7-14, the ‘In-Him’?)

  • Does Paul show any awareness of Ephesus’ cultural richness?
  • In 25words, what am I hoping for, as a Christian adult?
  • Can I name 5Women or Men I know, who have undergone ‘Conversion’ as adults?

4. JNl:1-18

  • Can I see why this song was once believed to have healing power over the sick?
  • TheWord/Logos!

Since it can mean ‘Action/Event’, what if it is ‘TheExodus’?

&What is potentially-more-revolutionary! Yet more-talked-about&-rejected!

Jesus, sure! but what if ‘Exodus’ wanted to be ‘MadeFlesh’ inb me?

(Wa-wa! Isn’t it enuff to worship Him, without having to beHim, too’)

But how will it heal us, if we don’t listen&chew like hawks?

Why is it implied that ‘Grace&Truth’ are superior to ‘TheLaw’?

What if ‘world’ is a state-of-affairs, or tapestry-of-values?

5. The   presence&action of the   BlessedOne, is it like this?

one of our wise women had a dream which she brought according to custom to the assembly it seems that moses in his heavenly mansion sent for john baptist greetings be said from one man of the wilderness to another john baptist nodded yes the patriarch said what about the nazarene whom you initiated through water the other replied he has long departed on urgent business and now I’m following and left then moses laffed very loudly and limped after john slowly but with determination the assembly pondered the dream in silence for three days in honour of the three then with one voice we all chanted if three rivals such as they have gone on urgent business this assembly will do no less since that moment a hundred years ago all have travelled as-one sometimes behind sometimes with sometimes ahead-of that blessed triad always-at-one always-at-peace

6. RIDDLE But which nourishes? Wisdom, Yahweh, TheFather, TheChrist, TheSon TheBeloved, TheWord,? Or where is TheMother in this roster?

Refections and comments can be emailed to adbi@chokmah.ie