Sunday 19th November 2023 (’02) : 33rdSUNinORDINARY : A
1. PROV31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31 (Why the penny-pinching selection?)
* Read 31:1-31! KingLemuel’sMother’sOracle to him, about Discipline&Women!
* To what extent is 31:10-31 a ‘program’ for contemporary ‘home-makers’?
* What ‘mother’ is counselling ‘rulers’ (civil, ecclesial, &others) nowadays?
* What ‘agencies’ are setting the ‘agenda’ for wives&mothers?
* What are The15Obstacles&Challenges being encountered by women today?
* Why are mothers being excluded from ‘power-sharing’ in my local church?
* Especially in view of their wisdom! &their experience of body&sexuality&pain!
* In this excerpt, what assures ‘harmony’ between husband&wife (&vice-versa!)?
2. THE PSALM : 127:1-5 (Verse 6?)
* Read 127(128):1-6! Blessings of a man-devoted-to-Yahweh!
Specifically, prosperity in the land, the family, the grandchildren, &Jerusalem!
* Can I write a similar ‘blessing-song’ for a woman-devoted-to-Yahweh?
* Is this psalm a benevolent echo of the ‘woes’ on ‘Adam&Eve’? (GEN3:16-19!)
* ‘FearTheLord!’: To make ThePrioritiesOfYahweh one’s-own ‘priority’!
* Is the psalmist sure that prosperity&fertility&longevity invariably are the reward
of devotion-to-Yahweh? Or is there some pious froth here too?
* What is promised by my local church for ‘devotion-to-Jesus’?
3. 1THESS5:1-6
* In regard to TheCircumstances&Personages-ofTheEndTime, what do I know?
* Even in regard to TheEndTime of one’s own life, is it not quite vague?
* Surely ‘TheLord’sDay’ is in every moment & every situation?
But, am I sharpening my alertness&discernment, so as to recognise&respond to Him?
* Why is Paul so sure that ‘Christians’ are ‘sons-of-light&day’?
Or indeed, that ‘we do not belong to TheWorld-of-Darkness’? Just think of the 20thC!
* What disciplines&rituals are enabling me to ‘stay wide-awake&sober’?
* Who in my local church has Paul’s charism of ‘passionate self-assurance’?
4. MT25:14-30
* What interpretations have I been offered for this JesusStory?
* Is it possible that this more circumstantial ‘parable’ has been expanded by MT/or
his community, from an earlier brief story? What might this latter have been?
* What OT stories or similes or prayers might have inspired this ‘parable’?
* Who is the most significant character in mT’s story? &Why is this?
* Can I describe each character’s ‘one-track-mind’?
* Should the third servant have been blamed&punished for his course-of-action?
* How am I taking-on the urgent task of unfolding-for-others my inner resource?
5. The presence&action of the BlessedOne, is it like this?
‘Ah, boys-a-boys! that’s all I have t’ describe it, boys-a-boys!’ ‘Begod, many’s a time I heard th’ oul’ Canon say th’ selfsame words…’ ‘Aw, a prophet indeed…’ ‘…as he looked at the state of th’ churcha Christ! I take it y’ w’re above this mornin’, wearin’ y’r first communion suit til th’ bitter…’ ‘Look, I toldja before, I take exception…’ ‘OK, I owe ya! you do yours, I do mine!’ ‘Right-on, mate! Cheers!’ ‘So what’d th’ broth of a boy…’ ‘one a’ th’ stories, whatever they’re called, of Our Lord! Prob’ly aimed, he said, at th’ priests…’ ‘Oh…’ ‘…in the temple!’ ‘Wow, I was wonderin’ would ‘e ‘ve admitted it, if it was ‘is own crowd!’ ‘Anyway, these three codgers got talents from their owner…’ ‘…like playin’ th’ mouth organ an’ tap-dancin’…?’ ‘No, talents means loadsa moola! They hadta do business…’ ‘Prob’ly smugglin’ or drugs…’ ‘…then come back wi’ th’ praffits! one fella just put th’ loot in ‘is hankie, an’ buried it, an’ brought it back, an’ was ate-up an’ swallied an’ sput-out be ‘is owner!’ ‘Y’d think ‘e’d be glad t’ get ‘is own back…’ ‘No, the preacher said! It’s y’r faith from baptism! don’t jus’ cart it back! trade with it! an’ on an’ on an’ on, talkin’ hisself puce in th’ face to a chapel fulla dead frogs… Ah, boys-a-boys-a-boys…!!’
6. RIDDLE Who is the worthwhile role-model?
The capable wife? The devoted Yahwist?
The watchful ‘church’? The thrifty servant?
Refections and comments can be emailed to adbi@chokmah.ie