Sunday 4 December 2022 (‘0) 2ndSUNofADVENT : A.
1 IS11.1-10
- ‘Jesse!’ Read 1SAM16′ Grandson of Ruth-of-Moab & Boaz-of Bethlehem!
- The idealised king alluded to here, where are these attributes in my local church”
- The symbiosis of humans&animals, what is it really an allusion to’
- Especially since the basic imperative uberall is still, ‘Eat, or be eaten’!
- Apart from the political&economic ‘peace-stratagems, what 20Initiatives are afoot in my local church, to nurture understanding&tolerance&courage?
- ‘Rod/Death”‘: This threat of violence, well, ‘Maybe it’s OK in a good cause
2. THE PSALM 71:1-2,7-8, 12-13, 17 (What’s wrong with the other verses’)
- Read 71(72):1-19! An exceedingly flattering&unrealistic prayer for the monarch’
- What religious or political leader can claim (or would wish to claim) all this
- If Jesus is ‘king’, in-what ways are the ‘wretched of the earth’ benefiting’
- With the approach of ‘TheMustBuy&Have’ season, how will ‘ThePoor’ be seen?
- Will Santa&HisExpandingEmpire succeed in oppressing me, along with them’
- What other agenda is concealed in the bland piety of this extract?
- Is this ‘controlling’ of PS71(72) a hint to other sorts of blatant ‘control’?
3. ROM15:4-9
- Read 14:1 – 15.33! A_ dense exhortation to christians in the local church of Rome to understand&tolerate each other’ Why did he lay so much emphasis on this?
- What sorts of rivalries&disputes&bitternesses prevail in my local church? &Who is adverting to this widespread malaise, &making ‘Christ’ actual&relevant”
- What of the claim that ‘Harry Potter’, along with ‘Rock&Rap’, is ‘it’ for-many? 4 MT3:1-12
- What ‘baptism’ was I ‘plunged-in’? Water? Breath&Fire? Or claims about Abraham?
- What is the contemporary equivalent of,
Repentance with a view to the closeness of TheReign-of-Heaven? Pharisees&Sadducees presenting for John’sBaptism?
Trees that fail to produce good fruit?
Clearing the threshing floor to winnow out wheat&chaff?
5. The presence&action of the BlessedOne, is it like this”
‘One thing that puzzles me about John-the-baptist. .’ ‘Careful now! even though he’s only ThePrecursor. !’ TheOfficialBeliever’s interruption was expansively genial, but still was seen to be laying down an institutional marker’ ‘He’s portrayed so outlandishly’ everything about him, milieu&garb&diet&discourse, so bloated&theatrical’ also the ritual of drowning sinners in the river ..”Not just any river! but the sacred stream of the people’s primordial crossing! into ThePromisedLand!”Sure, other people’s land .’ ‘However! it’s the outlandish bit I really object to! such a casual way of referring to . ‘
.”only the precursor” ..”TheVoice crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye “I don’t wonder he was so dramatically wiped-out.. ‘ ..’martyred for his faith by a debauchee. ‘ ‘He just sounds so fanatical’ like one of those Egyptian hermits, crazed by fasting &solitude&glare! How could anyone normal come out of the desert?”Look, get it right’ He preached repentance, he baptised TheLordJesus, he died courageously! Does it matter a drake’s waddle if you think he’s outlandish?” Probably not! Though I still think he has set a skewed example for…’ Bleahhh!!!’
6. RIDDLE What is the core of discipleship? Tolerance among Christians?
Struggle to emancipate the oppressed? Focus on piety&prayer?
Refections and comments can be emailed to adbi@chokmah.ie