Sunday Feb 27th 2022(1995) 8th SUNinORDINARY C
1. SIR27:4-7
Sirach: An exaltation of traditional Hebrew wisdom that is, distilled Biblical knowledge about the handling of one’s life and different affairs. As in this extract the Book offers clusters of proverbs this one being about tests of ‘character’. Much of this is not particularly ‘religious’ and while opinions are often linked with Yahweh, yet they can betray quite narrow views (like hatred or mistrust of women) In my Community
How is the effectiveness/fruitfulness of the various Ministries assisted?
What weight is given to the perceptions expressed by the ‘FootSoldiers’?
Which are the ‘important offices’? How and to whom are they acceptable?
How stringent or how lax are we, about ‘standards of excellence’?
How are these ‘standards’ drawn up, and made known to all?
What is being done about unfruitful or unzealous Ministries?
2. 1COR15:54-58
- Read 1COR15 again aloud&slowly&listening for the images
- ‘My physical nature’ In what ways is it ‘perishable”?
In what ways does ‘Death” invade or affect it?
- What sort of Animal is Paul imagining Death to be with a ‘Sting and a “Victory’? And what Animal could in turn, ‘swallow Death up’?
- If ‘Sin’ is ‘Death’sSting’, how does it get ‘Power’ from the ‘law’?
- And why is Paul continually in contention with the ‘Law’?
- How does this amazing Victory come ‘through our Lord Jesus Christ’?
- What are the Signs of this Victory in my Community?
- What factors are persuading me to give up ‘working at the Lord’sWork’?
- Who in my Community is supporting me ‘in the Lord’?
- How are we all negotiating between different ‘versions’ of the Lord’sWork?
3. LK6:39-45
- In this extract the Nazarene is portrayed like a ‘WisdomTeacher’ exploring the experiential arenas of ‘mutual relations’ and ‘fruitfulness’
- In my Community to what extent are ‘Disciples’ being ‘fully trained’?
- What else needs to happen, to better equip ‘Disciples’ for a hostile world?
- What is the Nazarene is seriously addressing my Community, thus
- Who are the ‘BlindGuides’ among you? And how is this judged?
- Why are the most excellent training methods not being provided for all disciples
(that is, all the Baptised who embrace Me!)?
- What can you do about the suspicion&resentment&complacency&sheer waste of
- talent that is rife among you?
- What will you point to, as concrete witness to your fruitfulness?
- What are you do lackadaisical about the thorns&brambles that are growing plentifully
among you?
- What needs&schemes occupy your imagination most of the time?
- How do you imagine Me, and what I really expect?
OVERALL QUESTION
Lord! Of course I tend to think Your Words
Are clever Ferrets at someone else’s throat!
For their own Good! Why should I change?
Refections and comments can be emailed to adbi@chokmah.ie