Sunday 12 March 2023 (’02) : 3rdSUNofLENT : A
1. EXOD 17·3-7
- What 15Sorts-of-‘Freedom’ are on offer in my religio-socio-political menu?
- Which of these ‘freedoms’ approximate to ‘being-freed-from-egypt’?
- ‘Freedom” Insofar as I’m struggling for this, what are the benefits? what are the costs?
- ‘Stone”: Nowadays, what 5Dangers threaten the leadership of my local church?
- Why shouldn’t people ‘test’, whether ‘Yahweh’ is with them or not’
- ‘Water-from-Rock” What is the seemingly-most-hopeless problem in the local church?
2. THE PSALM 94.1-2, 6-9 (This psalm’s seemly aspect!)
- Read 94(95):1-11! A great shout for Yahweh! But what dark voice, there in the tail?
- ‘BendBowLowKneel”· Outside Islam, what is the status of these gestures nowadays’
- Which image of ‘Yahweh’ is more congeinal to myChurch, Warrior or Shepherd?
- Why is ‘Yahweh’ so loathe to be ‘put to the test’? Who else am I reminded of?
- &Is His’Work’ in contemporary society sufficient to ensure He won’t be ‘tried&tested”
- Perhaps there is a widespread sentiment that ‘authority’ shouldn’t be questioned.
3 ROMS 1-2, 5-8 (Somewhat eviscerated?)
- Am I comfortable, &even blas, with this familiar language, or might I explore into it?
- ‘ThroughJesus!’: What sort of relationship? What sort of change? What cost ensues?
- Faith&Hope&Love’ Rhetoric? Attitudes&Skills’ PopsongStuff? UnimaginableChange?
- Where did the idea derive from, that someone could efficaciously ‘die for sinners’?
- In what ways does ‘Christ’sDeath’ prove ‘God’sLove’?
4. JN4:5-42
- Which OT stones (of WellsJacobSamaritansMountainsHarvest) are evoked here?
- Is there an elusive quality, nearly cat&mouse, about the ‘conversation’ of Jesus&her?
- Say, what each understands by ‘water’&’husband’&’worship’&’messiah’&’truth’?
- What about His subversive suggestions,
Whoever drinks Jesus’ ‘water’ will never thirst again!
Whoever worships ‘TheFather’ must do so ‘in spirit&truth’!
Traditional enemies will love when they look-beyond their ‘bone-of-contention”
5 The presence&action of the BlessedOne, is it like this?
‘Quick Gertie, call us a wee ball a’ malt’ I never heard such a drim an’ drew! Y’r man took th’ biscuit this mornin’, goin’ on an’ on like a tinker’s trimmins ‘ ‘Oh ”,,,thirst an’ women an’ wells an’ droot ‘ ‘Here, peg that inta y’r gob” ‘Then suddenly he started on th’ Samaritans .’ ‘Them boys that marches f’r Jesus?’ ‘Seems they’re a small crowda rummies from OurLord’s time, who lives in th’ past..’ ‘Oh ‘ ‘. an’ does nothin’ like no one else! includin’, they’d never take a sippa y’r Powers.’ ‘Begod, I’ve no squawk about that” ‘But worse, th’ think they’re the really real people a’ God, an’ we’re Just…’ ‘Cissie, th’ sound th’ spittin’ image a’ my fella! His latest is, “A’d let nobody, but nobody, inta Ireland’ Ireland’s our holy ground’ Bought be th’ blood of our own martyrs, Connolly an’ Pearse’ No dirt in Ireland, never””· .Aw he’s such a. ‘ ‘I know’ but y’ can’t blame ‘im, neither’ Before y’d blink, them rummies, an’ worse, ‘d have th’ emerald isle overrun’ Like th’ other crowd already” ‘So, did head a’ wit.. ‘ ‘Oh yes, this Samaritan women, one a’ th’ rummies, was sittin’ at Jacob’s Well.. ‘ ‘Ha-ha!!’ ‘ an’ asked Jesus f’r a drink! No, he asked her’ No, she ..’ ‘Typical rummy’ I know what a’d a’ done If I was him ‘!’
6. RIDDLE Where will I hear ‘TheVoice-of-Yahweh’? ChurchPrescriptions?
TheCry-of-ThePoor? TbeArgybargy-of-Militants? TheSelfPresentation-of-TheAhen?
Refections and comments can be emailed to adbi@chokmah.ie