Sunday 5 December 2021 (‘00) : 2ndSUN of ADVENT : C
1. BARS:1-9
- Read J •9 – 5 ·9 ! In Praise of Wisdom & Jerusalem & Torah !
- ‘Jerusalem!’: Place of David & The Temple & The Return From Exile!
- Assembly-of-The Children, Return-like-Princes, Flattening-of-The Hills, Filling-of the Valleys, Shade-of-Trees, Walking-in-Light! Where are these in my Church?
2. THE PSALM: 125:1-6
- ‘Sow’-in-Tears!’: To mourn The Death-of-The Seed! To irrigate it ritually!
To deceive and ward off the Envious Spirits! To merit in advance TheHoped for Fruit!
- ‘Sheaves!’: What ‘harvest-rituals’ are still important in my world?
- Is the plentiful availability of food increasingly taken-for-granted? Or is there a concomitant fear & ignorance around GM&superpests&crypto-illnesses like CJD?
- What other ecological ‘Cassandras’ are we just too blasé about? Like
Widespread pollution of the water table
Overuse of fertilisers and suspect animal feed
Short term conveniences that accelerate global warming
Collusion with policies that destroy species we actually depend on?
& if these and other fatal incidences are ‘supported’ by ‘otherworldly’ theologies?
3. PHIL l :3-6, 8-11 (What of the important v7?)
- Who wouldn’t straightway go & read the whole letter aloud, with a friend!
- How is this prayer (that mutual-love’ may increase, improve their knowledge, deepen their perception, to recognise the best!) happening now?
- ‘The Day Of-Christ”: Sleepers-awake! Who said it’s not this Eucharist!
4. LK3:1-6
- Read 3: 1-38! This dense complex one-chapter epitome-of-the-bible!
- Can I imagine the process by which John emerged as a ‘yahwistic prophet’?
- The power represented by Caesar & Co, is it not still triumphant, in spite of all!
- So many ‘Christians”’, baptized and preached-to, yet The Other Gods thrive! Why?
- Has our preoccupation with authority&obedience&devotion, &our mutual encouragement to be passive&minimalist, frustrated ‘The Way-of-Yahweh’?
5. The presence&action of the BlessedOne, is it like this?
Many suns&moons like Elijah I crouched in the caves watching for TheBlessedOne to pass! Like Jonah, I contemplated the sinful city from a distance, what word would leap from my burning throat! Like Moses on ThePisgah, and Joshua on TheFurtherBank, I waited patiently, yet the hunger for the great destiny I knew was mine! Always TheWhisperer “Yochanaan” You, The-One-Who-Prepares-TheWay! The ancient oracles flowed tumultuously in the cavern of my heart! Where food&clothing were scarce, those blessed songs were nourishment, warmth, and shelter! Then time was fulfilled, and TheWhisperer thundered, “Up Yochanaan!” Go to that people once myBride, who have become Canaanites in my sight! Spare them not high&low! Be not seduced by their threats and blandishments! Carry TheFlail-of-Judgement in one hand, but carry too in the other TheBlessingCup! Stand finally in TheRiver-of-Life&Death and offer the bitter gifts to all who come near! &There at last both you&they will embrace TheTruth-of-Truths!
6. RIDDLE Which is more urgent to be embodied in our present crisis?
Paul or TheBaptist or Jesus?
Refections and comments can be emailed to adbi@chokmah.ie