livingtheword

Download 10th Sunday Yr C

Reflection Questions

• Elijah is a very special Prophet in the Old Testament. He does such great works of power in God’s name he was expected to return again to prepare and welcome the Messiah. Yet he suffered deeply. Elijah is being chased by King Ahaz and his ‘foreign’ wife Jezebel who imported over 700 prophets from her own religion attempting to turn Israel away from Yahweh. He seeks refuge in a Widows house and the son stops breathing! Have you ever felt nothing is going your way and blamed God? How could you develop the confidence of Elijah to move beyond moaning and trust in the power of prayer?

• In ancient Jewish society if a Widow loses her son it would most likely mean losing her legal title to land and home as well. She loses all her social security! In society today, who is vulnerable, without family support? Do you know the story of anyone suffering from HIV Aids? Homelessness? Addiction? Unemployment? A Migrant, Refugee? What action could be shared so that they might say ‘Now indeed I know that you are a person of God’?

• Paul’s first missionary journey took him to Galatia. The community there were very special for him. Unfortunately, after he had left, ‘Judaisers’ visited the community and claimed that Paul had ‘watered down the gospel’. Paul was not a ‘true Apostle’. They (the gentiles in Galatia) were told they needed to live many of the Jewish laws to be truly ‘saved’. Have you ever suffered from claims you are ‘watering down the gospel’ by not focussing on laws and commandments? What happened? Why do you think Paul made a journey to Jerusalem to visit Peter and James? Do you seek to move from conflict to communion?

• Another Widow appears in the Readings. Jesus is moved with pity for a vulnerable Widow. Strikingly Jesus willingly makes himself ‘unclean’ by touching a coffin (dead body) and then raises the ‘dead’ to ‘life’. And the truth is shouted… ‘God has visited his people’! Jesus is more powerful than Elijah (1^st Reading). He is truly the promised Messiah. Finally the Kingdom of God, the poor being comforted and ‘lifted up’ is happening! Luke seeks to share discipleship is also continuing these ‘Kingdom activities’. Are you willing to get your hands and reputation ‘dirty’?

•  Both Elijah and Jesus create a response of people glorifying God. What would help you arrive at a place in your heart where you are ‘moved with pity’ for those suffering? What words could you speak from God into your friendships and workplace? What actions could you live to bring comfort to modern-day ‘widows’? Is a ‘report’ spreading through the whole region that God is visiting his people ‘through you’?

• What is one action that you will do to be ‘livingtheword’ this week?