Sunday 11 December 2022 (’01) : 3rdSUNofADVENT : A
1. 1S35 1-6, 10
- Read 34 1- 35:10! Doom for the oppressor, vengeance&joy for the oppressed!
- Has the biblical thirst-for-vengeance, ‘eye-for-eye’, survived into ‘christianity’?
- ‘BlindDeafLameDumbUnransomed•”Physicar? Or ‘spiritual’? Or ‘politicall
- ‘Flowers!’. Is this a hint to the necessary presence of ‘Wisdom’, She-of-TheGarden?
- ‘Vengeance&Retribution!: Where is this in ‘IrishCatholicSpiritualitys?
- ‘Joy!’• In which 20Circumstances of my world do I experience ‘Joy&Gladness’ ?
- ‘TheComing-of-TheLord. Has this phrase an inevitable ‘militaristic’ overtone?
2. THE PSALM . 145:6-10 (But not overlooking vv3-4!)
- Read 145(146):1-10′ Who is a trustworthy protector like ‘Yahweh’ is?
- Another carefully-trimmed excerpt! Is it like poking sleeping dogs, to leave in the ‘revolutionary’ reference to the untrustworthiness of ‘princes’, whoever?
- ‘Come, Lord, &Save-us!’: Presumably a shout-to-the-ImminentJesus!
- But, can I say in 35words what ‘salvation’ I need or want or envisage?
- What is ‘ThePath-of-TheWicked’? &How is it being thwarted in IrishSociety?
3. JAM5:7-10
- In what 20Ways do I see our times as expecting InstantGratification’?
- What opportunities are provided for adultChristians to train in discipline’
- Any connections between ‘disciple’ & ‘discipline’ & ‘disciplinary’?
- Have I discovered the importance of ‘attentive breathing’ as a root of ‘patience’?
- What other essential ingredients of ‘patience’ may be unacknowledged in ferverinos?
- ‘TheLord’sComing!’: Have I 5Non-Literal-Imaginings of this biblical commonplace?
- Can I name 10Women&Men in the local church who ‘Speak-in-TheName-of-TheLord’?
4. MT11.2-11
- What ‘prisoners’ in IrishSociety are enquiring, ‘Has Christ really come yet, at-all!’?
- If I were John, how would I understand&deal-withChrist/Jesus’ declaration?
- Jesus’ monologue about John, does it seem to culminate on a negative note?
- Jesus’ riddle-of-John?
What have Moses&John in-common?
How was John born-of-Woman, but not-born-of-Heaven?
If John is not in TheKingdom, how could anyone else be?
5. The presence&action of the BlessedOne, is it like this?
Yochanaan entered TheHeavenlyJerusalem as the butcher’s cleaver severed his blessed head’ Appropriately, the first to greet&embrace him was Mosheh, peace-be-upon-him! ‘Welcome, child of Aaron-my-brother!’ Greetings to you, my father-in-faith” Did vou take up TheGreatWork of fitting the people for freedom?’ ‘Surely I did!’ What was your
way?” ‘Like yourself, my father-in-faith, I endured the wilderness for many years!’ ‘Truly grace for one who can grasp it!’ &As time was near its fullness, TheVoice bade me approach TheRiver-of-Memory, &stand in the midst of TheWaters as reminder for all, of TheNewArk-of-Covenant!’&did you shout?’ Surely I did!!’ &Did they listen” ‘Some did” ‘&What of them?’ They embraced Death-in-TheWaters to all their past! &The struggle ToSwim-at-AllTimes-in-TheVoice!”So, TheGreatWork is near completion?’ It is hardly beginning!’ but it has begun!’ &Who will carry it forward?’ There is another, who bridges wilderness&city’ But who-knows-what, as-yet!! ‘
6. RIDDLE TheLord’sComing! SuccouringThePoor? CleansingTheTemple?AntagonisingThePowerful ? EmbracingTheOutcast ?
Refections and comments can be emailed to adbi@chokmah.ie