Sunday 20th March 2022 (’01) 3rd. Sunday in Lent
1. EXOD3, 1-8, 13-15
- Read 3: 1-22! What! Two narrative-divinities in TheBush, Yahweh/TheLord& Elohim/God, each with a different ‘agenda?’ (‘Holiness’ & ‘Freedom’)
- Is that ‘blazing unburnt tree’ merely to attract him? Or something much deeper?
- Does this storyteller try to create the impression that ‘God’ & ‘TheLord’ are one?
- TheBurningUnconsumedBush!
What aspect of my adult experience is evoked by this?
Is TheBush linked with one or both of The Trees in TheGarden? (GEN 2/3)
Are there any other similarly-ambivalant biblical images?
2. THE PSALM : 102: 1-4, 6-8, 11
- Read 102(103): 1-22! Some important imagining of ‘Yahweh!’
- Is it better to praise a divinity for this or that, or find it embodied in myself?
- ‘Ways&Deeds!’ : Yahweh’s moral priorities, to be ‘behaved,’ not just ‘sung!’
- If ‘Yahweh’ is CompassionateLovePatienceMercy, what’s preventing me from action?
3. 1COR10: 1-6, 10-12
- Read 10:1-11:1! Was he aware of the extent to which ‘TheOtherGods’ permeated the totality of CorinthianSociety? & How powerful and deep-rooted they were?
- Read EXOD32/TheGoldenCalf! Numbers11/TheComplaining! N14/ TheRevoltAtParan! N16/Korah&Dathen&Abiram! N21/TheBronzeSerpent! N25/BaalPeor!
- What about a religion that’s so full of (largely-futile) dire-warnings?
- In 35words, what is my ‘spirituality?’ How is it being nourished & pruned & renewed?
4. LK13 1-9
- Is there a hint that those Galileans died because they hadn’t ‘repented?’
- What connection can I see, between ‘not repenting’ & ‘perishing?’
- Repentence! Active change-of-heart away from TheOtherGods to embody Yahweh?
- ‘Perish!’ From Yahweh’s point of view, Not-to-have- EmbodiedHim is a wasted life!
- Fruit!
- Am I expecting fruit from myself or others, without making provision?
- How can I expect fruit without PatientCongruentStrenuousAction?
- ‘TheGardener’ is more compassionate than ‘TheOwner!’
5. The presence & action of the BlessedOne, is it like this?
‘Let there be no prevarication! No mealymouthedness! TheHolySeason-of-Lent is unquestionably an invitation to Change-of-heart!’ The OfficialBeliever nodded in quiet satisfaction! This assertion was unassailable! ‘An admirable sentiment!’
The PractisingSceptic drily concurred! ‘But whatHeart! & whatChange, I pray? & Is it purely & simply a matter of getting the formulation right, & bob’s-your-uncle?’ ‘Try for once not to be offensive..’ ‘Offensive? What is more offensive than your own pompous imagining, that so-called ‘AdultChristians’ will desire, or manage, to throw-off the very real shackles of TheOtherGods! Just because your gobbledegook.’
‘Permesso! Do me the honour of admitting that I speak, not only with authority, but with power to…’ ‘If you please! & if you’re able! Leave TheMiddleAges, & step into TheThirdMillenium!’ ‘TheSon-of-Man transcends…’ ‘Perhaps! But you don’t! No one takes any heed…’ ‘Vade retro Satana! Nunquam saude mihi vana…!’
6. Riddle: Which is more fruitful? ThreatWarningPromiseExampleInspirationRevelation?
Refections and comments can be emailed to adbi@chokmah.ie