Sunday 30thJanuary 2022 (’01) 4thSunday in Ordinary Time C
1. Jer1 4-5, 17-19
- Read 1: 4-4:31 Collections of hisVisionsOraclesPreoccupations!
- Who is Thinking&Speaking&SelfPresenting like Jeremiah in my world?
- Who is publicly agonising about TheChurch&Society&OurPlanet? ( Granted, of course, we’re convinced that our plight’s nothing like that of ‘Jerusalem!’
- What if that image ‘Yahweh CallingMeInThe Womb’ is no longer available to us?
- Or has been theologised&spiritualised&neutered by MyMinders&Mentors?
- Read it aloud slowly & carefully! How exciting &dangerous&treasonous!
- I-am-with-You! Sure, but can He deliver, not just me, but ThePromise-itself!
2. The Psalm, 70 1-6, 15, 17
- Read 70(71): 1-24! A gritty feisty song of the experience of life-long protection!
- What if the intimacy of such psalms underlay Jesus’ expression ‘Abba!’
- What are The20PrincipalAreasOfRisk in my experience as an adult?
- In what ways do I enjoy ‘divine protection’ in any or all of these?
- How would I know if it was ‘Yahweh,’ or some other divinity was involved?
- Is all ‘divine protection’ the one? Or is the presence of certain ‘divinities’ iffy?
- In what ways has my ‘childhood faith’ transformed as I grew up?
3. 1Cor 12:31-13:13
- Why is this excerpt so popular in WeddingMasses? & What of its implications?
- What convinces Paul that ‘love’ is greater than ‘faith’ or ‘hope?’
- How can he make these ‘cool statements’ about ‘love?’
- Especially that ‘love’ delights in the ‘truth?’ & That ‘it does not come to an end?’
- Read this ‘lyric’ aloud, slowly&carefully! Is there really no negative side to ‘love?’
4. Luke 4: 21-30
- Read again 4: 16-30! Another of these one-story versions of TheGoodNews!
- Did He push them somewhat, quoting about ThePhysician & TheProphet?
- & What if ‘ThePeopleOfYahweh’ can’t demand to keep Him to themselves?
- Does this erode the fantasy of being ‘TheChosenPeople’ (in an exclusive sense!)?
- If Yahweh wishes to act graciously towards others, will our ‘love’ equally extend?
- Perhaps the religious authorities were rejecting not just Him, in the abstract, but his struggle for inclusive AttitudesValuesRituals! Even nowadays…
5. The presence&action of the blessedOne, is it like this?
‘Sir, why did the religious men of Nazareth refuse to accept you in their synogague, & in their hearts? Was it Heaven’sWill as some claim?’ ‘Friend! The spurning of grace by HisOwnPeople was never the intention of TheOneWhoSentMe! Rather, to be open in every way to the initiatives of HisBeloved!’ ‘Sir! It both pleases&saddens me to hear you speak-thus! So, how did those religious men mistake TheFreeingAngel & rush to trampleThePearl?’
‘It grieves me deeply, friend, to say! They were seduced by their Teachers to expect a Messenger & a Salvation that would make no demands! Rather would flatter their own fantasies of being ‘TheChosenPeople!’
‘Sir! Will ThePeople ever be immune to such erroneous expectations&fantasies?’
‘Friend! I fear they will not! At least until they realise that all the ancient stories are truly&only about themselves! Possibly then…’
6. Riddle Which is more challenging? To-be-called-by-Yahweh, in TheWomb, in Youth, in Adulthood, or atDeath?
Refections and comments can be emailed to adbi@chokmah.ie