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Reflection Questions
- Today is ‘Gaudete’ Sunday when the Pink candle of the Advent Wreath is lit. The third Sunday of Advent takes its name from the first word of the entrance antiphon – ‘Rejoice’. This theme is found in the first two readings. We are reminded that the joyful coming of Christ is drawing nearer. Christmas celebrates presence with presents.
- Isaiah gives us the prophetic text which Jesus himself uses as his mission and identity statement in Luke (4:16). It speaks of bringing people back home, releasing them from slavery and imprisonment in foreign lands. A ‘year of favour’ was the 50th ‘Jubilee Year’ practice of forgiving all debts and return of all land back to its original family. What a beautiful revolution! What aspect of Jesus’ mission could you practice this Christmas? With family?
- The marriage covenant image of God marrying his people is beautifully presented. In Christ – at Christmas – Heaven is now wedded to Earth. What does it mean? Do you truly rejoice?
- The call to holiness is repeated again as we journey toward the Second Coming (Advent continuously refuses to separate the first and second coming of Jesus). The Second Reading becomes like a spiritual ‘health – check’. Do you: Rejoice? Pray frequently? Give thanks in the ups and downs? Pursue the will of God? Stop the spirit? Avoid opportunities for God to speak? Filter good and evil influences upon your life? Hold fast to what is good? Turn from evil? Perhaps this ‘check list’ may help you in Advent preparation for the sacrament of reconciliation.
- Week 2 and 3 of Advent present the figure of John the Baptist. He is the one announcing the public arrival of the Messiah – Jesus. Like a Herald announcing a King, the intention is to ensure readiness and welcome. Jewish custom expected Elijah and a prophet like Moses to return to make this announcement. Religious leaders are confused. What do you make of this ‘debate’? The Gospel writer John neatly plays on words with John saying ‘I am not’ which will later contrast with Jesus repeated statements I AM (the divine name received by Moses on Mt Sinai). Does John the Baptist stir you to ‘get ready’. If not, what would it take? What are you waiting for?
- The image of sandals actually teach us about Jesus. It was a custom for disciples to carry the sandals of their teacher. But only a slave would untie the sandals and wash feet. John proclaims that Jesus is so holy that he is not ‘fit’ to be even considered a slave in the presence of Jesus. It is a reference to the holiness of God. We touch the awesome reality of Christmas: God is birthed – enfleshed – among us in Jesus. Do you get it?
- What is one action that you will do to ‘livetheword’ this week?
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Reflection Questions
- Isaiah chapters 40-55 are known as the ‘Book of Comfort’. The prophet is speaking encouraging words to the exiles as they return home and seek to rebuild their lives and the Temple in Jerusalem. Isaiah is also known as the ‘carrier of the hope of the Messiah’. Foretelling a time when God will come among his people. Can you see the prediction of John the Baptist and Jesus in the reading from Isaiah? What image speaks personally to you on your advent journey?
- The preparation of a straight road or a royal highway was known to happen in ancient times when a very special person was to visit. Physically, valleys were filled and hills were lowered to make the way smooth and easy. At great expense! As Advent invites us to make a clear pathway for the Lord, what roadblocks, ditches, hills require the earthmoving equipment of prayer, spiritual direction, reconciliation?
- The 2nd Letter of Peter is regarded as possibly the latest of the New Testament Letters. Obviously they are concerned with the delay of Jesus. Peter teaches God’s final judgement is not based upon human calendars. While Peter uses the popular belief of the time of a final ‘fire’ at the end of time, he also emphasises the need for good behaviour and ‘righteousness’ (whereas gnostics did not consider there would be a future judgment and therefore immorality was irrelevant). Would Christ’s coming find you ‘eager to be found without spot’? At peace? What is the source of your ‘dis-ease’?
- Today we hear the beginning of the Gospel of Mark. The Gospel we will listen to for the rest of the Year. Mark immediately shares the ‘secret’ in the first line. We are about to hear ‘gospel’ (good news about a victory battle over evil) done by Jesus Christ. He is the one who reveals by words, actions of power, that he has all the attributes of God = Son of God. Is your interest raised? Consider spending a few hours to read Mark (the shortest gospel) for Advent.
- To announce a figure of such great importance requires a voice to ‘proclaim’ the immanent arrival. This is the role of John the Baptist. Significantly John does this at the Jordan river (at the same crossing point Israel left the desert and entered the Promised Land). A new rescuing by God is taking place. John is painted to be like the great prophet Elijah who was to return to prepare for the ‘great day of the Lord’. Who has been a holy witness and ‘prophet’ like John the Baptist for your journey? Who could you be a holy witness for this advent calling them back to God?
- What is one action that you will do to ‘livetheword’ this week?
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Reflection Question 5: As the Ordinary Time season begins each year begins with a passage from the Gospel of John. Today we have a very early and significant title given to Jesus: the Lamb of God. This title has many layers of meaning. A lamb was sacrificed in the temple at the feast of ‘passover’ which linked itself to the very early sacrifice of a lamb whose blood was put on the doorway of Jewish peoples homes so that death would ‘pass-over’ their home (see Exodus 12,7). Celebrating passover lamb sacrifice every year became the vehicle by which the blood of the lamb would ‘forgive’ sins and provide a forgiveness / reconciliation / communion meal between God and the ‘family’. God now chooses to come among us, and, in Jesus actually replaces the ‘passover lamb’ and become in himself ‘the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world’ (John 1,29). This sacrificial event happens on the cross and is connected with the last passover / supper which Jesus changes into the gift of his body and blood in holy communion. What new insight does the ‘lamb of God’ title teach you about Jesus?
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Reflection Question 5: ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’ reveals John the Baptist had some doubts about Jesus as the promised Messiah. John had preached of a divine judge, a vindicator, a warrior, someone separating out the good from the bad, throwing people into ‘an unquenchable fire’. Jesus’ actions caused some confusion to John. What is your image of God and Messiah? What expectations do you have of God bringing ‘salvation’?
Advent Story. The Master and the Puppy. C.S. Lewis. Imagine you were God and you had a puppy. You wanted to show your puppy you loved it completely. How would you show your love? You would feed it, take it for a walk, cuddle it, let it come inside…… But would you consider an extreme love? How about completely taking on the condition of being a ‘puppy’ with all the self emptying it involves? This is what God has done in Jesus. This is the real celebration at the Heart of Christmas. What is your response?
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Reflection Question 3: They say of John the baptist: He is admired from a distance but watch out when you get close! Repent! is his cry and message. In the original Greek the word is Metanoia. Meta – change. Noia – mind / thinking. It is often linked in scriptures to both personal and communal conversion to bring about a social reconstruction of society. Everything is to be made ‘right’ ‘repaired’ ‘turned to God’s way’. Identify something you want to change personally and communally – producing ‘good fruit’. Write this in a place you will often notice during Advent.
Advent Story: Hands Up! Anthony De Mello. Some years ago a great retreat preacher came into a crowded room of people who had traveled great distances to be on retreat. The preacher came to a microphone and asked: Hands up those who want to go to heaven? Immediately all hands waved in the air. The preacher then asked: Hands up those who want to go now? No-one put their hand up. He said ‘you might like to spend the day thinking about why you are not ready now. And with stunned silence he left the room.
Download: 20th Sunday Yr C – The Assumption of Mary
The Assumption of Mary. Pope Pius XII asked all Bishops in 1950 if their congregations believed that Mary was assumed into heaven. 98 percent answered Yes. The Pope recognised that God was speaking through the Church and the sense of faith of the ‘faithful’. Mary’s assumption – being taken up – does not mean she did not die but after her ‘sleeping’ she was taken body and soul into heaven. We as Christian disciples hope to follow after her.
Reflection Question 4: The historical site of the Visitation is in the small village on the outskirts of Jerusalem called ‘Ein Karem’. In the Church of the Visitation there are large bronze figures of Mary and Elizabeth, their two pregnant tummies almost touching as they greet each other. A conversation happens between Elizabeth and Mary, but also between John and Jesus. The Old Testament is meeting the New Testament. Zechariah, the High Priestly family, the Jewish Priesthood, is meeting the New Priesthood of Christ. God’s promises of old, now fulfilled. The long waiting of the Old Testament is now turned to ‘leaping for joy’. The Ark of the Covenant which King David ‘leaped for joy’ before (2 Sam 6,5) is now fulfilled with John leaping for Joy before Mary, bearing Christ and the new covenant’. In the baby and disciple John we see our own leaping for joy in the Church before the Eucharist. What image strikes you the most? What could it teach you for your life?
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