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Posts Tagged ‘eucharist’
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Reflection Questions
- God is a God of surprises but the disciples were afraid of Saul. They could not imagine the greatest source of persecution could ‘turn-around’. The situation required someone courageous like Barnabas. He had the knickname ‘son of encouragement’. He had witnessed Saul in Damascus and stepped up to being a mentor. A link. Introduced Paul to the Apostles. Imagine the loss for the Church if Barnabas hadn’t ‘taken charge of him’? Who is on the ‘outside’ of your group, community, workplace whom you could include?
- Barnabas and Paul show us the cost of the committed christian life. They are ‘radicals’. They go a bit further. Without people like Barnabas and Paul the Church is stagnant. Paul’s first preaching experiences to the Hellenists (Greeks) in Damascus and Jerusalem ended with attempts to ‘kill him’. And yet both Paul and Barnabas did not stop. Have you met resistance in preaching the message of life and peace of Jesus? Do you have a safe place like Paul’s home in Tarsus to retreat to when necessary?
- LOVE is lived. It looks like something. Too easily love can stay in ‘word or speech’ and not make it to ‘deed and truth’. What love action could you commit to this week that you have struggled with for a while? What words or promises have you made but you have failed to back up with action?
- The image of the Gospel this Sunday is of life flowing through the vine into the branches. ‘Remain in me’ repeats itself 6 times! Remain in me is different from remain close to me or read my book. How could you go 1 step further in praying with scripture, celebrating the sacraments, living christian community?
- The intimacy of the ‘vine’ image for John’s gospel is a description of the church and the individual disciple. In baptism we were truly joined to Jesus’ mystical body the Church. In the eucharistic union of our lives with the body and blood of Jesus in ‘holy communion’ we are called to bear the ‘fruit’ of replicating the life of Jesus in the world. Pray with the idea of being ‘fruitful’ and bringing ‘glory’ to the Father. What do you begin to think about?
- Jesus shares that the experience of praying with his Word is like being ‘pruned’. Have you experienced the scriptures ‘cutting’ and bringing you pain? Yet also directing you to what is life-giving?
- What is one action that you will do to be ‘livingtheword’ this week?
Take some time to get into the week of holy celebrations. Each ceremony has much to teach us.
Holy Saturday Vigil Readings – In this ceremony we wait in expectant hope. With symbols of fire and light, water and oil, the great celebration of victory over sin and death, being washed clean and joined to Christ and annointed to continue his saving mission unfolds as we celebrate and welcome new members into the body of Christ.
Download Easter Sunday – In this ceremony the Easter story begins to be told and shared. The meaning of Jesus rising from the dead and his message to his followers unfolds for the next 6 weeks of the Easter season.
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Reflection Questions
- Acts chapter 10 is an very significant part of the New Testament. It is hard for us to understand just how big were the divisions between Jews and Non Jews (Gentiles). Jews were not allowed to enter a Gentile house and were certainly not allowed to ‘eat a meal together’. Acts 10 reveals the story of Peter entering a Gentile home and having a meal with a Gentile (and Roman Soldier!) Cornelius. Peter had a vision from God that the ʻgentilesʼ were ʻcleanʼ and could sit at table together with Jews. This message would upset many who had long held religious views of separation. What obstacle may God wish to remove within you so you can sit together with an ‘enemy’? Who do you consider ʻuncleanʼ?
- Before the Feast of the Passover Jewish women would spend hours sweeping and tidying their homes. They particularly got rid of any ʻleavenʼ (yeast to make the bread rise). It was a symbol of sin, capable of affecting the whole ʻloafʼ. In response to the Resurrection we are called to be ʻnewʼ, people of the light, walking out of darkness. What particular action, habit, area of my life will I seek to tidy and sweep during the season of Easter as a response to living the new life of the Resurrection?
- John’s gospel has Mary of Magdala, Simon Peter and the Beloved Disciple (John) – three foundational members of the early christian community – walking about confused. Belief in the Resurrection was not something that happened instantly. Even the ‘other disciple’ who saw burial cloths before Peter, had to look again before he believed. What has been your experience of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Saturday Vigil. What have you seen? What do you remember? What was shown to you by God to help you ‘believe’?
- Imagine someone you have loved in a very intimate and special way. This person died and you were personally involved in seeing the death, the burial. In grief you go to the place of burial and see first-hand that your friend is not there. There is evidence of burial cloths and a messenger that ʻhe has been raisedʼ and that your friend so wants to meet with you and you will see each other soon. What would be your thoughts and feelings? If the resurrection is true, what change in thinking happens about death? About life? About God?
- What is one action that you will do to ‘livetheword’ this week?
Take some time to get into the week of holy celebrations. Each ceremony has much to teach us.
Holy Thursday remembers Jesus’ last supper with his disciples. In this ceremony we remember how Jesus established a new covenant where the Jewish Passover is replaced with a new sacred ritual of the Eucharist, and the final instruction to live in humble service – wash feet – is to be the trademark of christians. In receiving the true presence of the Body and Blood of Jesus into our lives we are called to make a gift of our own bodies, lives, humble service for the cleansing and repair of the world.
Download: Holy Thursday Readings – In this ceremony we celebrate how Jesus replaced the Jewish Passover with a new covenant – the Eucharist – and we wash each others feet as a reminder of the last symbolic action Jesus left for his disciples to live in humble service.
Reflect on the video and scripture readings and move this from the historical to the person.
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Download 18th Sunday Yr A
Reflection Questions:
- Isaiah 40-55 is known as ‘The Book of Comfort’. God will comfort and look after his people. In ancient cultures a relationship and bond of commitment was sealed by a meal together. They also acknowledged with a prayer of thanksgiving that something was sacrificed (an animal, a grain of wheat..) in order that human beings were fed. A ‘sacrifice’ enabled a ‘meal’ which established a ‘bond between the participants of a meal’. This is the basis of a ‘covenant’ meal in the Old Testament, the Last Supper and indeed the Eucharist Christians celebrate. God promises to feed us without money being paid. And to nourish us both physically and spiritually. Consider the gifts God gives you each day. How has God been ‘feeding’ you?
- St Paul himself endured being beaten, stoned, whipped, shipwrecked, imprisoned. Yet he boldly declares nothing can separate us from God’s love revealed in Christ. What current experience causes you to think and feel ‘separated’ from Christ? Does Christ on the Cross ‘bridge this gap’?
- Matthew 13 was filled with Parables on the Kingdom of Heaven, Matthew 14 is now concerned with the Kingdom of the Church and the mission of the Disciples. We are taught how we are to be and live.
- John the Baptist, the greatest prophet, has been killed. This sadness causes Jesus to retreat to a deserted and lonely place. Consider all the feelings of Jesus in loosing a very close companion. Wanting silence and rest. Having a crowd chase after him. Tired and yet moved with pity and willing to give of himself. What do you learn about Jesus? About God? About yourself?
- John the Baptist spoke courageously reminding Herod he cannot marry his brothers wife. Why does the world seek to remove the ‘voice’ of a prophet? Have you experienced the tension and risk in being a ‘prophet’ today? What happened?
- Matthew is seeking to show Jesus as the fulfilment of Moses and all the prophets. Parallel to the feeding in the desert (Moses / Exodus) Jesus now feeds a large crowd in a ‘deserted place’ with bread. There is an abundance of food (a symbol of the great messianic age). Each Apostle is left holding one of 12 baskets of bread symbolic of the new Tribe of Israel (Church). The Disciples now have the job of feeding the hungry. Imaginatively enter the scene and pretend to be a disciple. What did you learn?
- The Disciples had a ‘poverty mentality’. Jesus had an ‘abundance mentality’ when even a small amount of resources were offered to God. Consider your response to the ‘poor and hungry’ this week. What could you do with the little you have?
- What is one action that you will do to ‘livetheword’ this week?
Download Feast of Body and Blood of Jesus
Reflection Questions
- The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) began as a response to increased devotion to the real presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in the 12th Century. This led to a desire to ‘see’, Jesus in the consecrated elements. In 1220 in Paris the practice of elevating the host began.
- God’s journey with his people in the desert involved difficulties but also God’s providence and care. You were hungry and I fed you with manna – ‘a food unknown to you’. (See Ex 16). Providing food is a basic expression of care for your children. It creates a bond. And yet they soon grew tired of this ‘manna’. It became taken for granted. How could you reawaken a deeper sense of appreciation for God feeding us with the Word and the Body and Blood of Jesus at mass? Is it ‘normal’ or ‘special’? How?
- There were many temples in the city of Corinth. It was ‘normal’ to take food and offer it to various ‘god’s and pledge allegiance to them. St Paul writes this is not to happen with christians. At the sacred meal (Eucharist) we participate in and receive the blood of Christ and the body of Christ. It is not right to then join your body with worship to other ‘altars’ and ‘demons’ (1Cor 10,21). Is my communion with Jesus real or superficial? Does my life-style show I have many ‘gods’ and ‘altars’ that I worship at? What change and purification may be necessary in my life?
- Moses was greatly revered for ‘feeding’ people with bread from heaven (1st Reading). Jesus now replaces Moses and this ‘event’ with his body. ‘Heavenly Bread’ is now replaced with ‘flesh’. It is no accident that the words flesh and blood are repeated 10 times in this text. How can this man give us his flesh to eat is a question that leads to layers of questions. Is Jesus a ‘man’ or the Divine Son of God? Is the real question ‘how’ can this happen or ‘who’ is making this promise? Do you believe in these words? This promise? What the Mass brings into the life of the world and the Church and offers personally to you?
- Meditate / reflect on these scriptural lines and allow a conversation to begin with God.
- The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world….
- My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink….
- Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you….
- Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in them…..
- Is your experience of the Eucharist one of looking, sitting, getting or becoming? Does it progress from Sunday into Monday…?
- What is one action that you will do to ‘livetheword’ this week?
Download 3rd Sunday Yr A
Reflection Questions
- The church continues for 8 weeks soaking us with the message and stories of Easter. Consider the story of the newly married Catholic German couple. The wife welcomed fleeing Jews into their house for safety. The husband on returning challenges his wife on their own safety and possible death. She replies: but we believe in the resurrection. Is your heart glad? Tongue exulting? Flesh hopeful?
- Peter with the ‘Eleven’ standing in the midst of many ‘Jews’ is a picture of the early Church in Jerusalem. Considering the tone of their words and the audience, fear of persecution is heavily present behind the scenes. Picture yourself today, in the Church, one of the ‘eleven’. What are the challenges and obstacles of the christian community today? The Holy Spirit moved the disciples from fear behind closed doors to courage and preaching in public places. Do you sense the Holy Spirit moving and inspiring you toward a certain action, attitude, mission task?
- The word ‘ransom’ has a special history in the Old Testament. If a member of your family was sold as a slave, imprisoned, or family land was in-debt, the eldest member of the family had a special duty to ‘ransom’ (buy-back) the family member or land. This image is used by Peter. We have not been won back to God by gold but ‘with the precious blood of Christ’. Do you glimpse the cost of God wanting us to know we are ‘reconciled’ with him? Do you glimpse how loved and loveable you are? What is your life-style response?
- The Road to Emmaus features disciples so upset and downcast. They had such high hopes in Jesus. They now ‘walk away’ from Jerusalem. They could not understand why the death of Jesus was necessary. Their saviour had become a failure. To understand they need to be shocked and humbled at how God’s power is able to work through human weakness. Are you ‘walking away’ from Easter / Jerusalem disappointed? Do you ‘see’?
- In the Church’s liturgy what was present in Christ has now passed over into the mysteries / sacraments. Past events are truly made present now. The Emmaus story reflects this truth. Jesus is truly present when his words are shared and his actions at table are repeated. When he ‘blessed, broke, gave’ bread were very very important to the community. These particular actions and words were unique to him and were commanded to be repeated. How could you heart burn more with scripture? What do you need so that you may ‘recognise him’ in the celebration of the Eucharist?
- What is one action that you will do to ‘livetheword’ this week?
Download: Holy Thursday Yr A
- Holy Thursday is a celebration of the Institution of the Eucharist and the Priesthood and a reminder of the last command of Jesus for disciples to love and serve each other. There are some dramatic images of blood being painted on doorways and a humble servant washing dirty feet. Both are heavy with meaning as we enter the celebration of the sacred 3 days of Easter.
- A lamb being sacrificed and the blood placed on the doorways of the house caused the angel of death to ‘pass-over’ the house. All the houses not marked with blood were affected by death (see Ex 12,23). Symbolically blood represented life. It also had the power to overcome sin and death. It cleansed. It forgave sin. Can you make the link between the passover lamb and Jesus being the ‘lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world’? What is the significance of Christ’s blood?
- In a typical Jewish celebration of the Passover meal the Father would take some unleavened bread and remind the family of having to leave Egypt in great haste. Imagine the surprise of the disciples when Jesus speaks not of the Exodus or unleavened bread but states his own body will bring about a new Exodus / Passover. Jesus is replacing the Jewish Passover with new sacramental words and signs. Can you see the link between unleavened bread and the gift of Jesus’ body?
- To understand the Eucharist we need first to understand the Passover (which the Eucharist fulfills and replaces). In the Jewish Passover there were four cups of wine. The second cup was the most important. It remembered the blood of the lambs sprinkled on the doorposts. Jesus in the words of institution at the last supper did not make reference to the blood of the lamb, but instead states he is beginning a new and everlasting covenant with his own blood. Can you see how Jesus is fulfilling and replacing the Jewish Passover?
- St Paul’s letter to the Corinthians is one of the earliest passages of scripture in the New Testament. Paul states very clearly that what was handed on to him about the celebration of the Eucharist was connected with Jesus’ own words and command at the last supper. If the Eucharist is ‘proclaiming’ the death of the Lord what does this mean for you? For the world?
- St John does not have the last supper scene like the other gospels. Instead John teaches christian disciples that to celebrate the Eucharist is by implication to participate in the life of Jesus who emptied himself, washed, served. Foot washing was considered such a lowly task that even Jewish slaves were not expected or asked to perform it! John teaches us not to disconnect the Eucharist with service to repair and heal the world. How does Jesus’ last example and the ‘tools of the trade’ of a basin and towel challenge you today? What is self emptying work washing the dirty parts of humanity look like in our society today?
- What is one action that you will do to ‘livetheword’ this week?
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Reflection Question 5: Jesus reverses everything that was considered socially and religiously ‘correct’. The poor, crippled, lame, blind were excluded from the priesthood and some claimed they were not eligible to participate in the heavenly banquet. The Kingdom of God revealed by Jesus is there is a great reversal about to take place. Notice the extreme nature of Jesus’ challenge. He doesn’t say give money to the poor, give some volunteer service hours to the poor, but ‘invite them into your home, to sit at table and eat together’! To enter into a relationship that goes beyond ‘charity’. Examine your life-style and ‘time-style’. Who do you include? Exclude? Why? How could you bring about the ‘great reversal’ of the Kingdom of God in your family, workplace, church community?
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Reflection Question 5; Paul’s letter to the Corinthians is the earliest writing we have of the celebration of the Eucharist (15-20 years before the first gospel). Paul shares this ‘tradition’ (which means ‘handing on’) comes from Jesus himself. We are told to ‘Do this’. For Jewish people, to do a ritual liturgical action in ‘remembrance’ was to actually enter and receive the event celebrated. Paul shares the Eucharist proclaims and makes present the cross and victory of Jesus. We receive God’s forgiveness but also intimate communion. What does receiving ‘holy communion’ mean for you?
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Welcome to Holy Week. Click on the title and open this post completely into its own page. Enjoy and share with others on facebook by clicking the facebook icon at the bottom of the page. May you have a blessed Holy Week journey!
Holy Thursday – The Last Supper
Good Friday – the painful sacrifice of the Father
Good Friday – another perspective (movie – Most)
Easter Sunday – Jesus is Risen