livingtheword

Download 2nd Sunday Yr A

Reflection Questions

1. Today marks the beginning of ‘ordinary’ time in the liturgy of the church. Symbolised by the color green, our ‘ordinary’ days and weeks are called to bring ‘life’ to the world. As your daily routines and patterns become established in the new year how are you encouraging life and growth to yourself, family, workplace? How could you be more ‘life-giving’?
2. The Prophet Isaiah is living in the midst of the Jewish people in exile. He feels as if he was made into a polished arrow, concealed in a quiver for God to use (v2). Yet he is also sad that he has labored in vain, and all his energy has been spent (v3) with no results. God whispers into his ear: I have bigger plans for you. It is not enough for you to just live and speak among your family. ‘I will make you a light to the nations’! Have you ever felt tired by the experience of God ‘sharpening’ you into an arrow through your struggles? Have you adjusted your life to not simply ‘serving’ but ‘being a light’ for others?
3. St Paul writes to the community in Corinth. He had stayed in this community for 18 months and then moved on. The community experienced struggles and difficulties when he went. Corinth was known as an ancient city with a reputation for depravity and drunkenness. So bad was its reputation it even earned the phrase in Greek ‘to live like a Corinthian’! St Paul spent 18 months here and it became one of the most vibrant Christian communities. Paul urges the community to continue to live up to their calling ‘to be holy’. What does the challenge to holiness look and feel like in your life at the moment?
4.  John the Baptist gives Jesus one of the earliest and most important titles which we still use today: the Lamb of God. A lamb in the Old Testament was sacrificed in the temple and became an offering which received forgiveness of sins by God. Jesus replaced the ‘lambs’ that were sacrificed at each Jewish Passover. On the cross Jesus becomes ‘the sacrifice that takes away the sin of the world’. Have you allowed the great event of the Cross to become personal for you? Imagine an event happens that ‘takes away all your sins’. What would your response be?
5. John witnessed that he had seen the spirit come down and remain on Jesus. Who do you recognise as someone ‘spirit filled’ and alive with the presence of God? What do you admire or feel attracted toward by their life? How does their life ‘prepare’ the way for you to draw closer to God?
6. What is one action that you will do to be ‘livingtheword’ this week?