3rd Sunday of Lent Cycle C 2022 (’01)

                          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