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2nd Sunday of Advent Cycle B 2020(’99)

Sunday 6 Dec 2020 (’99) 2nd SundayofAdvent: B

1. IS40: 1-5, 9-11 (What was so frightening about vv6-8?) 

  • Read 40:1-31! The crunchy programmatic overture to the immeasurably-influential book of ‘TheJewishBible known as SecondIsaiah (IS40-55)
  • In what ways are events in my world attributed to ‘Yahweh’?
  • What ‘GoodNews’ is ‘TheMessenger’ shouting-out to myChurch?
  • Or are we just content to keep on repeating ‘TheNews” in old familiar formats?

2. THE PSALM: 84:9-14

  • Read 84(85):1-13! Is this an unfailingly-dynamic commitment? Or a good example of the ‘wishful thinking’ in much of our own liturgical palaver?
  • ‘MercySavingHelp!’: The Values that characterise a ‘Servant-of-Yahweh’!
  • (Hostility to TheOtherGods, Commitment to TheOppressed, &Aleretness)
  • Apart from ‘Yahweh’, to what factors might we owe our ‘Prosperity&Fertility”?
  • Do ‘discoveries’ of Biology&Physical&Psychology relate to this language?
  • By what Channels&Conduits is He Eloquent&Strident&Exigent in my world?.

3. 2 PETER3:8-14  Read 1.1-3:18! A homily attributed to Peter, that seeks to reassure certain Christians who are disturbed  because the ‘Parousia’ ofChrist hasn’t yet happened yet!           

  • The Slowness&Patience&Suddeness of ‘TheLord’, how does this sit with me?’Peace”: In 30words, what ‘Wholeness’ am I struggling to attain?
  • What of the claim that ‘TheComing’ is even now taking place in ‘ThePoor’

4. MK1:1-8

  • Read 1:1-45! Jesus’ Inauguration&Selfpresentation as Holy-One-of-God’
  • To judge from ny total behaviour, was I baptised in ‘HolyWater’ or ‘HolyBreath’?
  • If John’sBaptism so affected Jesus, surely it cannot have been just a ‘swim’?
  • Why does the storyteller so systematically subordinate John to Jesus?
  • Is the same tendency there in myChurch’s discourse about ‘TherOtherChurches’?
  • If this excerpt links Jesus closely with Yahweh, is this cause for Joy or Regret? ‘Cos, if Yahweh’ so self-asserted in both John&Jesus, what might He seek in me?
  • If John&Jesus each embody a very strenuous & very dangerous vocation, shouldn’t I say NO! To both? (unless it’s only rhetoric&devotion…)

5.  The presence &action of the BlessedOne, is it like this? ‘Cissie, didja hear it last Sunday above? ‘God, tell us quick Gertie! A bitta scandal was it?’ ‘Well sorta! Yer man that baptised OurBlessedLord, JohnTheBaptist.’ ‘ Funny name, isn’t it?! Like roundy bread!’ ‘…Cissie, are ya sure it didn’t register?’ ‘Wouldn’t i tell y’ if it did? ‘Listen! He never drunk nothi’ but an occasional sippa the jordan! An ate nothin’ but locuses an’ wild honey! ‘What!’ ‘There y’are now!’ ‘god how’d I miss that! I coulda bounced it off my fella’s phizzog1’  ‘Cissie, don’t get distracted ! sipsa Jordan, with everythin’ leppin about in it..’..’ Aw yuk, Gertie!’  an’ insecks, an’ that other stuff, it coulda been anythin’  ‘Gertie! It’s comin’ back t’me! The priest said it really meant notta br goin’ over th’top wi’ th’gargle, but be temporal!’ an’..’ ‘.t’swally the sour bitsa theChristian life”  ‘That’s the locuses prob’ly!’ ‘as well as the sweet bits!’ ‘I wasn’t so sure about that meself!  But he mighta meant Advent!’ ‘No matter! We’ll make up for it all on Christmas Day, Cissie, wi’the help o’ the spirit of life! ‘ Indeed we will, Gertie! Isn’t that what Christmas is all about!’

RIDDLE: Whose life is safer? The Baptist’s, Jesus. Or Paul’s”

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

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