SAT 25th DEC 2021(‘03): THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD
1. IS9:1-7
- Read the shocking story NUM31:1:1-54 (Also NUM25:1-17)
- ‘A Child’ Read IS7:1-8:22! The male heir of King Ahaz! on whom are bestowed flattering ‘divine’ titles! is a sign of Yahweh’s ‘favour’!
- What hints in this excerpt about the possibility of a non-violent sovereignty?
- Or indeed, of ‘foreigners’ accepting someone else’s ‘wide dominion’ over them?
- & Have Christians asserted ‘peace’ rhetorically, & something else pragmatically?
- Is my local church living&walking in Darkness or Light? &How I’d know?
2. THE PSALM: 95:1-3, 11-13
- Read95(96):1-13! A ShoutLitany for Yahweh-ehe-King!
- What signs are there that Yahweh is willing or able to create ‘Justice&Truth’?
- Why flatter Yahweh, when DionysiusAphroditeHermesHades rule OK?
- Surely the ‘NewSongToYahweh’ should emphasise&celebrate
His extreme weakness as regards ‘freeing the oppressed’
The unacceptable cost of embodying HisPriority!
The unlikelihood that He can go-it-alone (without Wisdom, that-is)!
The attractiveness of TheOtherGods!
The enervating ‘theology’ that stifles Jesus, Yahweh’sEmbodiment!
3. TIT2:11-14
- Really, what ‘salvation’ is ‘possible for the whole human race’?
- ‘Everything that doesn’t lead to God!’: What’s left, in that case?
- ‘WordlyAmbitions!’: We must be ambitious for our world & its species!
- The ambition of ‘doing good’, how can it be explored & grounded-in-reality?
- How much of our current ‘world-denial’ is born out of massive&erroneous conviction that ‘HisImminentAppearing’ rendered ‘this-world’ irrelevant?
4. LK2:1-14
- ‘Census’: To estimate (colonial) resources relative to taxation & military service!
- Why does Joseph in LK have no ‘problem’ about the child, but Mary does?
- How does ‘TheCrib’ function as a ‘hint-to-relevance’ in chapel&home&supermarket?
- Which is more important in this excerpt? ‘TheDavidicDynasty’ or ‘TheShepherds’?
- ‘Sign’!: ‘Cos the birth of babies in the open was unusual? Or is it the ‘manger’?
- In what ways is ‘Jesus’Life’ food&nutrition for an ‘adult disciple’?
5.The Presence&Action of the Blessed One, is it like this?
‘I was at midnight Mass there…’ ‘Did he say an’thin’? ‘He did!’ ‘What?!’ ‘Well, t’ be honest withya, I wasn’t in great shape, God forgimme! But I remember one thing…’Was it the one about Santa & Rudolph?’ ‘Wouldya mind, even if y’ are an atheist..’ ‘OK peace at Christmas! What’d he say?’ ‘He mentioned th’ oul’ Canon!’ “th’ oul’ Canon?’ ‘Th’ oul’ Canon!’ He says he heard from someone or other what th’ oul’ Canon ‘d say during midnight Mass, after The Consecration, mind-you!’ ‘Begod, I..’ ‘He’d step forward &proclaim it.’ ‘God, I remember it!’ ‘…in that great voice,
“He’s-here! He’s-always-here! He-always-will-be-here!
But what of yous an’ me? But what of yous an’ me?” We’d be waitin’ for it with a lump in our throats! That was the real Christmas then!’ ‘Aw y’re right! A lump in our throats! No frills or flounces! Straight from th’ heart! ‘Ah, boys a’ boys! ‘But what of yous an’ me!’ Ah that’s th’ way.’
6.RIDDLE: His most nourishing ‘title’? Saviour Christ Lord God Son …..or?
Refections and comments can be emailed to adbi@chokmah.ie