Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cycle B 2021 (’00)

Sunday 15th August 2021 (’00)       Assumption of B.V.M: B

  1. APOC 11:19; 12: 1-6, 10
  2. Read 12 1-18! TheWoman, TheMaleChild, TheDragon, TheVoice, TheEarth!
  3. The drama between Heaven&Earth, what biblical or other narratives are evoked?
  4. As I look imaginatively into this shortened narrative,

       Ecologically, what about the destruction of environment & species?

       Educationally, what about the eating of children’s minds by TheMassMedia?

       Relationally, what about the grossly exploited intricacies of the genders?

       Spiritually, what if Woman&Dragon hint at elements of a larger wholeness? 

  • THE PSALM : 44: 10-12, 16
  • Read 44 (45) 1-17! Royal WeddingSong full of CourtlyFlattery!
  • Apart from its ‘application’ to Our Lady, does this psalm&excerpt offer a glimpse of the status of even royal women as ‘property,’ in Ancient Israel?
  • What is the function of these royal ‘Loved Ones’/ ‘Ladies in Waiting?’ (NRSV)?
  • What religious&political&domestic ‘realities’ are hinted at by this poet?
  • 1COR15: 20-26
  • Read 15: 1-57 He struggles to imagine the DeathChange in Jesus&Disciples!
  • If ‘firstfruits’ belonged to ‘Yahweh,’ then, so must ‘Christ!’ But who belongs to Christ? Can Adam be dispossessed by those who’ve ‘Died-inHim?’
  • How convincing is his scenario of ‘TheEnd,’ & ‘TheDestructionOfDeath?’
  • Might Paul’s violent imagery occasionally have inspired ecclesial or other violence?
  • Especially if groups or individuals are deemed to be ‘EnemiesOfChrist?’
  • Luke 1: 39-56
  • Read 1: 1-2:52 The twinned woven yet contrasted narratives of John&Jesus!
  • 1Sam1-2:11 Archetypal Mother-of-a-Prophet ofYahweh?
  • What are the memorable ‘MeetingStories’ in TheJewishBible?
  • What ‘promise’ did Yahweh make to Elizabeth&Mary? & How was it fulfilled?
  • What is Yahweh promising to contemporary women? &How is this different from the ‘promises’ of TheOtherGods? &Whose ‘promises’ are women heeding?
  • What if Mary’s Song is a programme to be fleshed out by each local church?
  • The presence&action of the BlessedOne, is it like this?

Gertie, I know y’ haven’t much time for religion…’

‘None, Cissie! ‘I’ve none especially since…’ ‘But this about Our Lady is more important nor religion…’ ‘Who?’ ‘After all isn’t she OurMother, Gertie, & that’s the most…’ ‘y’ mean they’ve stoppt havin’ them grand processions, with banners an’ flowergirls? My fella says, ‘It’s the capitalists is runnin’ the show. An’ they’ll not be happy till they get the Angelus off the airwaves! The last bitta religion we’ve held onta!’ An’ then if he’s half pa’latic, Cissie, it’s Faith-of OurFathers!’ That’s what I mean, Gertie! OurFathers! Some sorta coo to oust OurDivineMother!’

‘What?’ ‘A coo! I don’t mean TheHolyfather! He’s all for Her, it’s some others who shall be nameless!’ ‘Cissie, is it you-know-who-I-think?’ ‘It prob’ly is, Gerti!’ ‘But what can we do?’

‘We’ll say th’ Angelus at midnight outside every pub in town!’ ‘What!’ ‘That’ll remind them of theirMother!’ ‘God, Cissie, y’ wouldn’t want to be up for disturbin’ the peace!’ ‘No, y’re right, Gertie! A better idea ‘ll dawn on us, bye&bye…’

  • RIDDLE   The reality of ‘ HerAssumption!’

Is it more necessary to Ignore or Conceal or Assert it?

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

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B 2021 (’00)

SUN 8thAUG 2021(‘00) 19th SUNinORDINARY: B

1.1K19:4-8

  • Read 18:1-19:21! What was it about Jezebel that intimidated resourceful Elijah?
  • ‘TheBush!’: Read GEN21 (Hagar)! EXOD3(Moses)! JON4(Jonah)!
  • Elijah’ unintegrated crane-bag of Piety&Violence&Luck&Timidity&Charism!

            How does this offer me a glimpse of my own work-in-progress?

What sorts of disciple do I still need to undertake?

&Especially in regard to my dynamic non-rational serendipitous aspects?

2.THE PSALM:33:2-9

  • Read 33(34):1-22! an optimistic moralistic ‘wishful think’ about Yahweh!
  • What counts for me as ‘Yahweh’s Reality’, moment-to-moment, day-to-day?
  • What especially allows me to ‘taste’ the desirability of being ‘Yahweh’sSlave’?
  • Does the passive hearing&reciting of psalms like this  lull me into being unable to strenuously work-with the ‘fragmentation’ glimpsed in Elijah’s narratives?
  • Who has a vested interest in the propagation of optimistic ‘wishful think’ prayers?

3.EPH4:30-5:2

  • What will enable me to listen more robustly to Paul’s ‘commonplace’ here?
  • &’Transubstantiate’ it from mere rhetoric to be the beginnings of ‘real food’?
  • ‘TheHolyBreath!’: Is this important biblical/theological ‘breath’ becoming the core of my inner&outer discipleship? &The dynamism to embody ‘commonplaces’?
  • What ‘chance’ has ‘Christ’, in a marketplace thronged with ‘OtherGods’? Will He be trampled, or inculcated wimpishly, or prematurely frighten would-be disciples?

4.JN6:41-51

  • Read 6:1-71! How would Elijah or Paul or Yahweh hear all the biblical echoes?
  • In what ways is ‘TheFather’ drawing, sending, speaking or showingHimself-to me?
  • Life: Power, mediated by biblical story&ritual, of being fully-Jesus in TheWorld!
  • Why is one Bread-from-Heaven(Manna) not ‘lifegiving’, yet another Bread-fromHeaven(Jesus) is? But that Jesus models&enables a ‘way’ that ‘casts out fear’!

           & can any of this be understood, apart from the imagery&power of ‘ThePassover’

5.The presence&action of the BlessedOne, is it like this?

Confidential memorandum to TheMostExcellentHighPriest Caiaphas!

Dispatched by trusted messenger from BarShemaya’, Stalker of The Nazarene!

Greetings!May Heaven’sBlessings adorn YourExcellencey, this Festival of Pesach! In accordance with yourBidding, I have attached myself to the group of pious flatterers

who constitute the larger part of TheNazarene’s following! Two days ago, by some magical devising, or more likely by a pre-arranged stratagem, he seemed to feed a very numerous crowd to satiety with a few fragments of food, this arousing on these simpletons the ludicrous desire to make him their king! &As if this weren’t sufficient treason, he claimed that what he could provide was more powerful & more lifegiving than ThePricelessFood, TheManna, offered to OurFathers by Moshe, peace be upon Him! He seemed to hint indeed, in a manner I found disquieting due to the proximity of the great Festival, that he himself was the new manna! I think YourExcellency will smell here, something even more baneful than treason!! Fare You Well!!!

6. RIDDLE   Which offers the best exemplar to live This OneLife by?

                      Elijah  David  Paul  or Jesus? 

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

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B 2021 (’03)

Sunday 1stAUG  2021(‘03): 18th SUN in ORDINARY: B

1. Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15

  • Read 16:1-35! The strange story of the ‘man-ha?’ that fell from ‘heaven’ for 40years!

& the more serious ‘Resentment-towards-Yahweh’ behind it!

  • What was the ‘real freedom’ that was being offered by Yahweh?

What was the cost involved? &the benefit? &Was it perhaps rejected in the end?

  • If each narrative divinity(eg Dionysus Aphrodite Hermes Artemis) is offering a particular ‘freedom’, maybe Yahweh’s is just too demanding?
  • In my local community, is there too much, or too little, ‘complaint’?
  • How could ‘Egypt’ conceivably appear more attractive than ‘The Wilderness’?

2. THE PSALM: 77:3-4, 23-25, 54 (Hardly a suck or a sip of this great song!)

  • Read-with-inseeing 77(78):1- 72! This ritual song is called a ‘parable/dark-sayings’ at the beginning! Can I glimpse the lurking dark truth?
  • Shredding the psalm to derive a ‘theme’ surely obscures the overall ‘parable’!
  • How are TheDarkSayings&Doings-of-Yahweh-inJesus’ being passed on to me?
  • The general non-reference to ‘Yahweh’, has this made our ‘religion’ shallow?
  • ‘Cos, isn’t the challenge of TheChallengeBible, ‘Yahweh’sCovenantWithTheOpressed’?
  • ‘BreadFromHeaven!’: What’s my current experience of this ancient myth-theme?
  • ‘HisHolyLand!’: To imagine He gave them Canaan, ‘saved’ them from ‘Wandering’

3. EPH4:17, 20-24 (Boo-hoo! Aren’t vv18-19 the nails in their coffin!)

  • ‘The aimless kind if life pagans live!’ Who? Not Christian? Whew!!
  • What areThe3Priorities that give consistence&direction to my life?
  • ‘Self!!: What is this, that can be corrupted by illusory desires?

How is it replaced by ‘TheNewSelf’ created ‘in God’sWay’? &OurMindRenewed’?

  • What 5Aspects of ‘MyOldWay-of-Life’ am I prepared to ‘GiveUp’ for Christ?
  • ‘TheGoodness&Holiness-of-TheTruth’! But what-is-truth?

Unless it is the full embodiment-in-my-world of TheAspirations-of-Yahweh-in-Jesus?

4.JN6:24-35

  • ‘Eternal Life!’: A new lifestyle mirrored to me by the narratives of Yahweh-in-Jesus! Not merely for contemplation&exegesis, but for actual embodiment!
  • What food cannot last, &in what sense? What food endures? &How?
  • What nourishment&support do I need, so as to live a ‘Jesus’?
  • Will even ‘Reception-of-TheEucharist’ ‘work’, without further ado?

Cos maybe the current ‘theology’ is encoraging illusory claims&hopes!

  • ‘BreadThatEndures/BreadFromHeaven/Bread-of-Life!’: Yahweh-in-Jesus ritually&dynamically present, in ways that best-nurture CovenantLove!

5. RIDDLE       Which is the most important bread?

               That received devotionally in EucharisticCommunion? 

               That eaten-with-gratitude in family rituals?

                That given-with love- to the poor? 

                That allowed with-inadvertence to moulder?

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

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B 2021 (’00)

Sunday 25 July 2021 (’00): 17thSUNinORDINARY: B

 

1. 2K4·42-44

  • ‘Elisha/El-hasSaved!’ 2K2 8! Larger-than-life wonderworker & political activist!
    • ‘FirstFruits!’: Many varieties of ‘firstfruits’ (also the ‘firstborn’!) were offered to ‘Yahweh’ (Or TheTemple&ThePriests!)! Why was this? (Read DT26:1-11!)
    • What about ‘Yahweh’sSaying’, ‘They will eat, &have some left over!’?
    • What alternative ways of seeing ‘food’ are suggested by this very reticent story?
    • Is there a danger, ‘food’ has lost its links with ‘Yahweh’ (&so, with ‘ThePoor’!)?

2. THE PSALM: 144:10-11, 15-18

  • Read 144(145):1-21! Optimistic upbeat praise of YahwehsGoodnessToAll’! Who wouldn’t want this Yahweh’! But where’s the impotent rage & moody jealousy?
    • How will I place with this song the realities of Famine? &of ‘TheFoodCham’? &the imperative ‘Eat or be-eaten!’? &generally, human impact on the environment?
    • What of ‘Yahweh’sOpenHand’? &The metaphor of ‘grantingTheDesires OfAllWhoLive’? &The claim that ‘He is Just&Loving&Close… ‘?

;   3. EPH4 .1-6

  • ThePrisioner inTheLord!’: Is this a title (honorary or not!)? Or a summary of his existential faith? Or an autobiographical detail? Or a biblical allusion?
    • In 30words, how do I describe my Calling orVocation as a ‘christian’?
    • How am I affected by Paul’s ‘exhortational language’ in this excerpt?

especially terms like ‘complete seflessness’, &’the unity of the spirit’, &’one body’?

  • How are adultChristians m myCommunity being trained in ‘mutual love’?
    • What would I say to him, in response to this inspirational excerpt?     

4. JN6:l-15       

  • Read 6:1-71! JN’s multifaceted narritave&discursive jewel! &Another of several foundational ‘passover-scenarios’ that serve to explore&unfold ‘TheHour’!
    • What reminiscences of the Exodus/Sinai stories are here? (Read EXOD24!)
    • Jesus&Philip! ‘: What sort of question was asked, what sort of response given?
    • Why is there such anxiety about food in our society? including Diet&GM&Allergies&Additives&Anorexia&JunkFood&Bulimia&Famine&Organic…
    • So many men? &One small boy? &No women&children? Another ‘sign’?

15. The presence&action of the BlessedOne, is it like this?

‘Gran!’ ‘Yes, my dear?’ ‘Boysie an’ Sam nearly got married!’ ‘O, I hope notbing’s happened?’ ‘The loaves an’ fishes, Gran!’ ‘Did Mam interfere, an’ say it’d be a sorta  miracle...‘ ‘Gran’ Sam said to Boysie in her jokie-voice, “Boysie, let’s get hitched soon'”, an’ Boysie said, “0 not again! I want the neeve paudrix at it!”…’  ‘…the football team?’ ‘..so Sam shouted in her tractor-voice, “Y’seem t’ think this is the loaves an’ fishes!”, an’ Boysie kicked over the sofa an ran out, gulpin’! an’ Mam said, “That’s-that! Yez nearly got married!” ‘0 my goodness, Effie!’ ‘Gran, the loaves an’ fishes!’ ‘When the people were hungry, a mhilis, Jesus blessed a plateful of bread an’ fish, anfed the whole crowd…’ ‘Like the neeve paudrix!’ ‘…more, even!’ ‘Maybe Boysie thought Jesus would do it again for him an’ Sam?’ ‘So, let’s ask Jesus… ‘… to come an’ feed the whole crowd with loaves an’ fishes! great!’ ‘Then Sam an’ Boysie… .. can get married! great great!!’

6. RIDDLE    Is food-for-the-hungry a pointer to TheEucharist? Or TheEucharist a pointer to food-for-the-hungry?

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

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B 2021 (’00)

Sunday 18 July 2021 (’00): 16thSUNinORDINARY : B

1. JER23:1-6

  • Read 23:1-40! Yahweh’s fierce tirade against the ‘falseness’ of ProphetPriestKing!
  • Does our claim to be the ‘true church’ exonerate us from earning these reproaches?
  • How compelling is the ‘shepherd&sheep’ imagery nowadays, as a vehicle to convey the richness&complexity of the engagement  between ‘Yahweh’ & ‘ThePeople’?
  • Which ‘shepherds’ in my local church are fulfilling ‘Yahweh’sExpectations’?
  • How do I hear the promises by ‘Yahweh’ of ‘restoration&reintegration’?
  • What has to change in our religious totality for Yahweh to be our  ‘Righteousness’?
  • Has persistant&meretricious use of the term ‘God’ possibly blunted ‘conscience’?
  • What 7BasicFears are still typically consuming IrishAdults (‘religion an’  all!’)?

I   2. THE PSALM: 22:1-6

  • Which is better? TheSheep’s welfare (1-4)? Or  TheFavouredGuest’s welfare (5-6)?
  • What is special about ‘Yahweh-as-Shepherd’, rather than say, Zeus or Balor?
  • ‘HisName!’. Yahweh’sDetermination to protect&deliver&vindicate ‘ThePoor’!
  • What’s significant about being at TheHost’sTablein ThePresence of one’sEnemies?
  • ‘Yahweh’sOwnHouse!’ : TheTemple? TheChurch, maybe? But I it’s ‘ThePoor’?
  • What makes this psalm so attractive to so many of us, as a prayer or a song?

3. EPHl:13-18                                                      

  • Read 2:122!Christ is the principle that unites&reconciles! ‘InHim’ all may dwell!
  • Why do Christians-at-loggerheads find ‘reconciliation’ to be so demanding?
  • Will ‘peace’ be created by economic&political strategies&deployments, essentially?
  • Or is there a biblical-christian factor both as Origin&asHealing of the TheWound?
  • Or does the ‘privatisation_of religion’ enable a ‘ ChristlessPeace’ to be projected?
  • Or is ‘ChristianWitnessInSociety’ increasingly regarded as effete&fuddyduddy?
  • How is ‘ancesteralhostility’ being addressed&redressed in my local church?
  • But how convincing is Paul’s depiction of Jesus as ‘Unifier&Reconciler’?

4. MK6:30-34  

  • Read 6·30-44 Will the   shepherd’s priority be himself, or the flock?
  • Lonely Place&Rest! :  Exodus motifs but also more&more desirable&scarce!
  • Whatt was ‘the crowd’ seeking from Jesus&TheApostles/Twelve/Disciples?
  • As-Jesus, how might I reckon ‘a  large crowd’ were like ‘sheep without a shepherd’?
  • Read again EZEK34! Could He have been inspired by this outpouring-of-Yahweh?
  • Can I imagine how Jesus set about ‘teaching a large crowd at some length’?
  • Where can I get soul-sathisfying&mind-nourishing ‘teaching’ in my milieu?
  • The presence&action of the BlessedOne, is it like this?

Aw, why do I bother goin’ up at all!’ ‘What?’ ‘Y’heard me sayin’ it often! th’oul’ Canon, the don’t make them like that any more!’ ‘Y’re dead right! isn’t that why I don’t… ‘ ‘Given out the pay about the  man-above lovin’  the  sheep, carryin’ them in ‘his arms! had us all in tears, that we’d never swally a poor lamb’s liver never again!’ ‘Th’oul’ Canon had none o’ that millarkey… ‘ ‘Aw, I loved that man!’ ‘Remember ‘is great spake! “The poor an’ downtrodden, them’s the man-above! G’out there inta the highways an’ byeways, an’ raise them up! cantja- hear ‘im callin’ an’ weepin’!” No whimperin’ there!’ ‘Aw, boys a’ boys! what’ve we come til, at-all at-all!!’

  • RIDDLE        Which is the most crucial? TheShepherd,

TheIndividualSheep, or TheFlock?

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

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B 2021 (’00)

Sunday 11 July 2021 (’00): 15th SUN in ORDINARY : B

1. AMOS7 12-15

  • Read 1:1- 9:15! TheClaim of this terrifying prophet! ‘Yahweh will vindcate   His Moral-Imperatives  by every imaginable natural&historical disaster!’
  • Mid 8th Cent BC, The Holy Land was divided into Judah (south) & Israel (north)!
  •  Prophet’: Declares by Word & Action TheWill of a divinity, say Yahweh or Baal!
  • Who are the prophets of Mammon&Aphrodite&Dionysus&cet in Irish Society?
  • How would I know that Yahweh’ was calling me to become ‘His Prophet’? &Have I any conception of what it would entail, for my safety&health&career?
  • How is my Church contriving to neutralise ‘unwelcome or interfere with prophets’?

2. THE PSALM: 84:9-14

  • Read 84(85).1-13(14)! Why was ‘Yahweh thought to have effective control over  the processes of nature & history & politics?&Why was all-this ‘Justice-related’?
  • ‘Peace!’: The ‘Fullness-of-Life’ imagined & yearned at a particular juncture!
  • Mercy FaithfulnessJusticePeace! The ingredients & Concomitants of ‘Covenant’!
  • How is covenant understood & valued & actualised & monitored in my Community?
  • If I were ‘Yahweh’, what would be my Agenda for the local church of Armagh?

3. EPHl.3-14 ·

  • The ‘Of&In&Through&UnderChrist SluaghGairm  for another UrgentWrestle!
  •  ‘Christ!’: The Will to Universal Reconciliation embodied in Jesus (&Disciples… )
  • How was Paul initiated into knowledge & actualisation of this Plan&Mystery?
  • But is this rhetoric relevant or credible in contemporary Capitalist Society?

4. MK6:7-13

  • ‘The Unclean Spirits/Devils!’: Various ‘dynamic Breaths’ (representing social& psychological& somatic & other factors) imagined to infest people & cause ‘illness’!
  • ‘How do I visualise this ‘Authority Over’ passing from Jesus to The Twelve?
  • These extremely spare& Spartan Mission Orders! Any equivalent nowadays?
  • Is ‘The HomelessBeggingItinerantPreacher’ currently the Offer of ‘Repentance’?
  • Repentance! Voluntary Total Transfer-of-Allegiance from Mammon to Yahweh!
  • But seriously, is all this story anything more than a vaguely edifying fairytale?
  • Which ‘Pairs” in  my Community are being addressed in this excerpt?

5. The presence & action of the Blessed One, is it like this?

What about this new mission-initiative? I hear they’re to be called ‘Staffers’ since only they’ll have a staff of blackthorn, & clothes from Oxfam!’ The Practicing Sceptic spoke casually, but interested! ‘Or is it all as yet under wraps? Spring it on the plebs?’ After a will-I won’t- I pause, The Official Believer responded, as if to a child, ‘No, as far as I’m aware there’s nothing in the pipeline! perhaps someone was heard quoting from the missionary discourse in one of the Synoptics .. ‘ ‘Oh, like Augustine conveniently   overhearing …’   … & fabricated   a   caricature, so as to   subvert the forthcoming diocesan mission. ‘ ‘You mean, they will have bread & haversack, &coppers in their purse?’ ‘Of course! All those words of Our Divine Lord are inspired allegorical… ‘ ‘But will they get to stay in the houses? Ah shake the dust from under their feet?’  ‘Listen, it’s inspired & allegorical & a-child-of-its time! OK?’  ‘OK,  Bossuet!
I just thought I’d heard an interesting initiative! Fine,  fine….. Everything’s in hand…!”

6. RIDDLE    Which is more needed in my Church?

Piety. Controversy, or Authority?

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

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B 2021 (’00)

                  Sunday 4thJuly 2021   14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B (’00)

1.Ezek 2 2-5

  • Read 1:1-3:27 InauguralVision&Mindset&InnerExperience&SelfImage of a 6th.centBC maleHebrew ‘Mouth-ofYahweh!’ Familiar? Or…
  • Who now experiences ‘Yahweh’ in these terms? Whatever about our pretensions as we ‘quote from Ezekiel’ or ‘listen to the reading’ offered here without context!
  • What is actually impressed in myCommunity by the slogan, ‘Yahweh says this!?’
  • ’ Son-of-Man!’: This term, meaning ‘human being,’ came to carry a value-added significance, ‘Heaven’sDefinitiveRepresentative!’ (Who, me? Nah, Jesus…)
  • Which ‘Human’ represents ‘Yahweh’ in my socio-religious world if not ‘ThePoorDispossessedExploitedGayDetrited!’ (Read Matthew25: 31-46)

2. THE PSALM 122:1-4

* Yahweh imagined as a monarch or judge who perhaps raises up the trampled!

* Why does ‘Yahweh’ (especially if he’s identified with ‘God!’) seem to be so impotent concerning the rampant misery&oppression in our world?

* ‘Servants&Slaves’ Mistresses&Lords!’: Has this aristocratic modelling of TheYahweh&DiscipleRelation also encouraged complacency&passivity in us?

3. 2COR 12 :7-10

* Read 11: 1-12:21  If this is the lot of a ‘real apostle,’ who’d want such ‘reality?’

* Could I be as ‘indiscreet’ as Paul about my ‘religious&spiritual intimacies?’

* What are my most egregious ‘weaknesses’ as adult&christian? Whom are these inflicted-on? Whom are they shared-with-for-grace?

* Do church ministers dissimulate their ‘weakness’ under cloaks of ‘authority’ & ‘reverence?’ Any prospect of ‘outing’ oneself as creatively as Paul does here?

* ‘Thorn!’ What 20ConcreteAspects of my experience actually ‘TestMyFaith?’

4. MK6: 1-6

* Read Matthew 13:54-58, Luke4: 16-30 What gets emphasised&nuanced&transformed?

* In 45 words, what impressed&offended the Nazarenes about Jesus?

* By what ‘criteria’ did they estimate the worth of His ‘Words&Works?’

* What 5 criteria enable me to judge the value of ‘Teachers-in-TheSynagogue?’

* How do I distinguish between ‘Miracle’ & ‘Healing’ & ‘Cure?’

* ‘Faith!’ A disciple’s will to See&Respond To Yahweh’sNeed in every situation?

* In myChurch, what ‘prophets’ are ‘despised?’ Why? & What can I do?

5. The presence&action of the BlessedOne, is it like this?

‘Y’know what, Gertie…’I was just about t’…’ ‘…in my day, they were always gettin’ up an’ speakin’ out about ever’thin!’ dancin’at lent, or th’ unions, or th’ motherin’ child…’ ‘Cissie, my fella’s an awful man! A smell o’ them an’ he’s off full-cock!

“James Connolly was th’ last o’ the profits! Them boys knows nothin’ about th’ rale m’coy! Goin’ round in their nighties!” ‘All I do is…’ ‘Gertie, aren’t y’ lucky the neighbours can’t hear ‘im, he’s such a squeaky! My fella’s worse, ‘cos when it comes on ‘im, he goes outside in th’ street!’ ‘Cissie, when I was small, this preacher from th’ North usedta stand on th’ corner, shoutin’ about our sins! But he never came inta th’ street, he never got th’ OK!’ ‘Gertie, aren’t we unfortunate nowadays! All-that’s dried-up both sides o’ th’ fence! At least we’ve got mouth o’ bones on th’ TV!’ ‘Cissie! At least we’ll get a bit of a laff before we croak for good!’ ‘Ha ha! Croak for good!’

6. Riddle: Which? LieLow, PretendInterest, or BecomeInvolved?  

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

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B 2021 (’00)

                                     Sunday 27thJune 2021    13th Sunday in Ordinary Time : B (’00)

  1. WIS1: 13-15; 23-24
  2. Read1:1-3:19! Threatening&reassuring&selfconfident mindset of TheScribes!
  3. The Origin&andNature&Purpose of ‘death’ in general? & especially my-own!
  4. What if I compare the worldview represented in this excerpt (and derived from Gen 1-3) with the scientific worldview of contemporary Biology & Cosmology?
  5. The Devil’s Envy! How to express this inscrutable factor in modern language?
  6. How to discern ‘TheDevil’sPartners’ (Remembering The SalemTrials 1692)?
  7. Sure, give-up on Satan&Co! But how to deal with what’s called ‘evil’?
  8. Sure, insist on ‘Satan’sReality’! but how to separate-out trolls and bogeymen?
  9. How does the writer ‘know’ that ‘man’ was made imperishable?
  10. THE PSALM : 29:2, 4-6, 11-13
  11. Read 29(30): 1-12(13)! Poignant evocation of life’s fragility & Yahweh’s fidelity!
  12. ‘TheDead/TheGrave!’ She’ol, the underworld abode of those who’ve died!
  13. Situations of DangerIllnessIsolationLoss could be termed TheDead or ‘She’ol!’
  14. From my experience of dealing with ‘Yahweh,’ is this psalm ‘wishful thinking?’
  15. Another reminder that, biblically, ‘Name’ means something like ‘Power!

3     2COR8.7, 9, 13-15

  • Read 8:1-24! Exploration&recommendation of ‘generosity!’
  • How are the poor in my local church being identified and supported?
  • What excuses are Irish Christians making, so as to avoid the ‘work of mercy?’
  • Read Exodus16! ‘Heaven’sGenerosity’ with ‘meat&bread!’ But, is there a catch?
  • To what extent is my Community strenuously inculcated in interdependence, and the various recriprocities in giving&receiving ‘Heaven’sGifts?’
  • In what sense has ‘TheLordJesus made me rich out of HisPoverty?
  • What are the 7PreciousResources I’m being encouraged to be generous with?

4    MK5:21-43

  • Why does MK insert one ‘12year’ story within another ‘12year’ story?
  • ‘Faith!’ Courageous readiness to embrace&deploy ThePower-of Jesus?
  • How and where can I learn this sort of ‘faith?’ Am I encouraged? Do I dare?
  • What ‘interpretations’ have I been given for these nested stories?
  • To what extent is ‘fear’ still part of the stock-in-trade of myChurch?
  • What’s inhibiting me from pushing near to Jesus, to imbibe His’Power?’
  • Or do I still think this is something ‘churchy&holy&fuddyduddy?’
  • What if His’Power’ is unavailable, until someone burns-with-faith?

5     The presence&action of the BlessedOne, is it like this?

‘Sir! What is the greatest obstacle to faith?’ ‘Friend! Fear is the greatest obstacle to faith!’

‘& what is fear, Sir?’ ‘Friend! The inability to love, that is fear!’ ‘Sir! Tell me this! Why do I still fear, even though I love?’ ‘Friend! Either the love, or the fear, is not real!’ ‘But how will I know?’

‘Whichever you would hold-with, even unto the embrace of death, that is real!’ ‘Oi-veh, Sir! If my fear is of-death, how then will I hold-with love?’ ‘Choose Friend! Since you must die anyway, seek to die to-fear! & Embrace faith-in-love!’ ‘But, Sir!…’ Remember Friend, love and fear will never flourish on the same tree!!’

6.  Riddle :  Which ‘faith’ in sooth? ObeyTheScribe, LearnTheRhetoric, or BurnWithhisPower?

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

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B 2021 (’09)

Sunday 20 June 2021 (’09): 12thSUNinORDINARY · B

1 JOB, 38, 811!


One of the great images from the hardly-ever-read Bookof-Job! Agam&agam in TheBible, Control-of-TheOcean is reckoned one of the essential DivineAttributes…

2. PS106:23-26, 28-31! (All of this expansive psalm deserves at least one read...)

Yes, the ocean waves are trounced! But the crucial word: in every distress, Yahweh is TheOne who will lead us out of every distress! Why doesn’t happen every time...?

3. 2COR5·14-l7!

In 15words, who or what am I actually livingfor? How will I Know-Christ-in-the-Spirit? What will Enable-Me-to-Be-in-Christ, &BE-a-NewCreation…?

4.  Mk: 35-41!

What if in every tight corner, TheMaster encouragingly admonishes His selfstyled disciples, ‘Why are you so scrumped-by-this? How is it you’ve No-Faith?’Wow, Lord! Are you saying that FAITH will enable me to transform every storm…?

RIDDLE! How will puny-me overcome the crushings-of-ocean?

  • In every situation, good or bad, I cast my cares upon TheLord?
  • Realise, that all, or most, emergencies are self-created!
  • Build up a strategy of self-reservation through disciplined prayer!
  • Learn to recite St Patrick’s BreastPlate totally-from-the heart!
  • Enter into The Baptisim-of-TheHolySpirit with utter sincerity!


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

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B 2021 (’97)

Sunday 13th June 2021(1997): 11th SUN in ORDINARY B

1  EZEK 17:22-24

  • Reads EZEK17:1-24 (&31:1-18)! Yahweh’s claim to be Active&Powerful in the Politics of KingMaking&Exile&Restoration! &In the vital dynamics of ‘Covenant’!
  • ‘Cedar!’: One of the great sacred&secular Trees in the AncientWorld!
  • In what sense is myChurch/Community a Refuge for AllComers?
  • If the Promise attributed to Yahweh is but ‘pious exaggeration&wishful thinking?
  • The threat about ‘The Trees’, what would the equivalent in my world be?

2  2COR5:6-10

  • Read 4:1-5:10! Polemic against our ‘perishing/bodily/earthly’ life!
  • Why is it not considered more virtuous to be ‘in the body, struggling&suffering’?
  • How can this writer claim, ‘to live in the body means to be exiled from TheLord’?
  • Why is his claim not more seriously explored &questioned? rather than left there?
  • Where does he draw his confidence&enthusiasm&energy from?
  • What is the effect on us nowadays of imagining Jesus in the scenario of ‘lawcourt’?

3  MK4:26-34

  • ‘Kingdom of God’!’: The presence&action of the One who was at work in Jesus!
  • ‘Parable!’: A fancy word for yarns images similes he flung about like seed!
  • Why are his disciples not trained now to use metaphor as freely&creatively as He did!
  • What of the fantasy, there was ‘excess meaning’ in parables, reserved for disciples!
  • ‘SeedInSecret!’: Does this sound as if someone ‘helpfully’ expanded it?
  • ‘MustardSeed!’: What if this horticulturally suspect image is really a burlesque! Namely, that the work of Jesus will never really be gigantic! scrawny, rather!

4   The presence&action of the BlessedOne, is it like this?

One of the most difficult(if not impossible) things, that those who invoked TheName of Foundress struggled to accept, was the possibility that She mightn’t always favour or fructify those who invoked HerName!  In spite of Her greatRiddle that everyone knew and quoted, ‘Being right is nothing, being right is everything!’ &Even tho’ TheOracle reminded TheDevotees , to say nothing to TheConvenors, ‘She is not yours, &perhaps you are Hers…! ‘Whatever about this, the vast majority continued to invoke HerName with unquestioning self-righteousness! ‘Let us have no mawkishness! &Let TheOracle itself keep its feet on the ground! Less of this stirring-up-things!’ &So it continued for Foundress’ loyal ostriches! Until the moment the ground melted away from under both head&feet!  Forever after, it was called TheCriticalRemembrance! TheChiefConvenor of the time, marvellous! was approached by Foundress, &reminded of something that however had slippt thro’ the memory of all!  Her FinalRiddle, delivered 3Days before her DanceAway!

                        Foundress is neither your Past nor your Future!

                        The more Honour the less Honour!

                        The less Honour the more Honour!

                        Foundress is both your Past &your Future!

The Crisis of Faith experienced by TheChiefConvenor was as unprecedented as it was fruitful!  He resigned hisOffice, &began ‘TheNationalMovement to ReEmbrace Foundress’! The days of the ostrich were finished!!

  • RIDDLE     

Which is preferable?

Tp wheel out the old tired ParableInterpretation?

Or to make new Stories out of Disciple’sStruggles?

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