6th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle A 2023 (1996)

Sunday 12th.February 2023 (1996) 6th.Sunday in Ordinary A

1. ECCLUS/SIRACH 15: 15-20

Read ECCLUS/SIR 14:20-15:20 Another example of the disarmingly sanguine&optimistic mindset: which imagines that Rhetoric&Knowledge! will give birth without further ado, to appropriately virtuous behaviours, either in oneself or others!

  • What hints do I receive that ‘Unconscious Factors’ are at work in me?
  • What am I currently identifying as ‘TheTrueWisdom’?
  • What Rituals&Methods&Processes am I working, so as to embrace This?
  • What aspects of my total experience, are represented by ‘Fire&Water?’
  • In what sense is one of these dimensions less valuable or desirable than the other?
  • How am I affected by this Fantasy, of Yahweh as a ‘Censorious Watcher?’
  • What about the somewhat hectoring&truculent tone of this extract?
  • &How about the pervasively masculine texture of this English Version?
  • Which phrases of the extract would I want to test against my adult experience?

2. 1COR2: 6-10

  • The wisdom that weaves in my adult experience: how describe It?
  • How do I represent the relatedness between this Wisdom & myself?
  • How does It stand vis-a-vis what Paul means as ‘Wisdom?’
  • What counts as ‘Maturity’ in my Church/Community? What are the ‘Criteria?’
  • Who declares&applies the Criteria for ‘Wisdom’ in my Community?
  • In Paul’s Community, how will people actually reach ‘Maturity,’ without ‘Wisdom?’
  • If Paul were here now, would he still say TheMasters had come to their End?
  • Who are TheMasters, whose Thinking Example Imperatives dominate this Age?
  • How can the modes of Initiation of AdultEducation be more affective?
  • Crucify the Lord of Glory’: why does he choose such emotive&tendentious terms?
  • As One-who-loves-God, what do I imagine is being ‘prepared for me?’
  • What opportunities exist in my Community, for the Spirit to Reveal the Depths?

3 MT5: 17-37

  • Read aloud&slowly TheDecalogue (EXOD 20)! Keeping in mind that these were part of the Covenant-with-Yahweh, and all its dimly-glimpsed implications for the life in the world for a ‘ServantOfYahweh’ (Jos 11:24)! &How truly dismaying to hear Him say that ‘embodying Yahweh’ demands more struggle than being a Pharisee! These Jews being, not Freaks&Frauds, but the best exemplars of JewishBiblicalPiety!
  • What, if&when I glimpse that ‘Yahweh’ was the InnerEssence of ‘Law&Prophets?’
  • Why have CatholicChristians so little esteem for ‘TheOldTestament?’
  • What if Paul’s dismissive attitude to ‘TheLaw’ has rubbed onto Catholics: who in another sense have even less esteem than Paul!
  • Jesus’ impossibly demanding understandings of Discipleship! What can I do but Ignore or Spiritualise or Analyse or Ridicule His unmistakable thought! Unless…
  • How compatible is this extract with current Ecclesial&Social conventions?

4. OVERALL QUESTION:

Lord! Let me get my breath back!

‘Which of us is in the real world!’ That’s what’ll be said!

Can I settle for TheSacredHeart?

Refections and comments can be emailed to adbi@chokmah.ie