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Posts Tagged ‘coming of Jesus’
Discussion Questions
.The month of November begins by celebrating All Saints (Nov 1st) and All Souls (Nov 2nd). Be invited to visit a Church to pray in thanks for all those who have brightened our journey with their lives.
• The Book of Wisdom was written to share the beauty of Jewish ‘wisdom’ different from Greek ‘wisdom’. For Greeks, wisdom was the result of hard human study and work. Jewish people understood wisdom as a feminine aspect of God and a gift ‘received’. At dawn was the favoured time for prayer. During the day ‘the gate’ was a place of gathering for elders making legal decisions and where city trade
took place. Do you love, seek, watch, pray into the night for… wisdom? v17 continues: wisdom begins with the sincere desire for instruction. What would you like ‘instruction’ in? Who could you ask for help?
• Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians is one of the earliest letters in the New Testament. In contrast to the belief that death was the very end, our christian faith rests on a certain hope. Use your imagination to enter Paul’s picture of the final day. Why do you think scripture refers to this as a ‘great and terrible’ day?
• In the ancient Middle – East, the complete wedding celebration would take up several days. The first stage involved the fathers of the couple discussing and arranging the contract and legal matters between the two families. The Groom would then arriveto the Brides house to take her home. It was not known how long the various discussions would take. Guests at the Groom’s house were frequently ‘waiting’ as a result of delays. You can imagine the surprise with the Groom and Bride arriving at midnight! Jesus
uses this image for his ‘return’. The Church celebrates the Feast of Christ the King (November 20) as if it was the ‘return’. What would you do if Jesus returned in 2 weeks?
• The Bridesmaids and ‘oil for their lamps’ is symbolic of being ‘ready’. ‘Oil’ equals readiness. It cannot be ‘shared’. Spiritual preparation cannot be done by someone else. There is the striking image of a ‘locked door’. Cries to ‘open the door’. A negative response. The parable draws us in. We are left with self accusation: will I be ‘ready’? In what way does this parable challenge you?
• What is one action that you will do to ‘livetheword’ this week?
livingtheword weekly download and resources are created by Fr Frank Bird sm, a Priest of the Society of Mary NZ
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Reflection Questions
- The Prophet Malachi is upset. Israel has returned from exile, the Temple has been rebuilt, the liturgy is celebrated, and yet the rich are increasingly hurting the poor. He did not expect Israel to be like this. One writer expresses it this way: I know what living for God looks like on ʻSundayʼ, but what does it look like on ʻMondayʼ? How do you integrate ʻliturgyʼ with ʻlifeʼ? How does Sunday talk with Monday in your life?
- Malachi shares a judgment scene that we will witness at the end of days. There will be a reversal of fortunes for many. How do you understand and interpret ʻyou who fear my nameʼ. Can you identify fearing someone who loves you greatly? What does it positively cause you to do?
- Paul continues his letter to the Thessalonians. Some disciples were so convinced the ʻDay of the Lordʼ had arrived that they actually retired early! Unfortunately they became ʻarmchairʼ critics of others and a ʻburdenʼ. They focussed on the shortcomings of others rather than the ʻcoming of the Lordʼ. Within the Church community, is your energy focussed on being ʻcriticalʼ of others? How could your energy be turned toward focussing on Jesus?
- When will the final day arrive is a big question. Jesus and the Gospel writers do not give an answer to ʻwhenʼ but only ʻthatʼ it will happen. The Gospel of Luke challenges us to be ready for the last day. In the time of writing the Gospel of Luke the community had already witnessed Jewish persecution causing many to leave Jerusalem. Many disciples ended up in Rome and were also persecuted there (60AD). The beautiful Jewish temple was totally destroyed (as Jesus predicted) in Jerusalem (70AD). Further persecution occurred at the order of Domitian (80AD). Under such difficult times, apocalyptic writing gave disciples hope that there will be a final victory of good over evil. However this involves a challenge that we are to make good moral choices ʻpersonallyʼ and ʻnowʼ. What words in the gospel give you ʻhopeʼ. What words challenge you deeply? Do you consider yourself ʻreadyʼ?
- Contemporary society does not face many of us with such obvious persecution as the early christians experienced. Some writers suggest we are no longer faced with a ʻredʼ (blood) martyrdom, but a ʻwhiteʼ (perseverance) martyrdom. What would a ʻmodernʼ synagouge or prison be? How do you experience christians being taunted, threatened, influenced away from Christ? What does it mean to ʻgive testimonyʼ because of ʻmy nameʼ?
- Next week is the final week of the liturgical year celebrated by the Feast of Christ The King. We liturgically celebrate ʻas if it was the ʻend of timeʼ! Imagine the urgency of having only a few weeks to live. How would you live? What would you consider is most important to do? What would be demanded of you in your spiritual life? What do you need to ʻdoʼ?
- What is one action that you will do to be ʻlivingthewordʼ this week?