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Posts Tagged ‘Desert’
Download Ash Wednesday Reflection Document
Download 1st Sunday Lent Reflection Document
Reflection Questions
- The journey of Lent began on Ash Wednesday. Have you recognised the significance of wearing a cross of ‘ashes’. Ashes symbolise a connection with the earth and being ‘humble’. The cross points to a life of sacrificial love with wide open arms embracing the world. What does living humbly mean for you? Is your life lived closed up tight, or with arms wide open?
- A goal without a plan is still a dream. Many people line up at the beginning of the lent ‘race’ but do not make much progress from the start line. What is your plan for Lent? Will this lead you into a ‘deep transformation’ or a mere ‘shallow show’?
- Genesis shares a truth about sin using a story. Have you ever noticed that the best the serpent can do is talk and try make people doubt God. “Did God really tell you…..” The serpent actually has no power other than suggestion. What voices and fears do you need to turn off this Lent? How will you listen to God?
- For St Paul Life and Death represent two different directions. Toward God (righteousness) and away from God (sin). Jesus has actually destroyed death by becoming human and offering his life in forgiveness. There is no more distance. Jesus rising from the dead reveals death actually has no power at all. Lent is an opportunity for intensive spiritual living toward what is life-giving. What relationships in your life are not right? Pray to the Holy Spirit to help you know what to bring to the sacrament of reconciliation this Lent.
- In the original greek, the word is ‘tested’ rather than ‘tempted’. A ‘test’ or trial can reveal what decisions and choices are made. We become aware if we are ‘ready’ for a challenge or responsibility to be given to us. Is being ‘led by the spirit into the desert’ of your heart positive or negative for you? Have you tried a daily practice of silence to listen to the voices of your heart?
- ‘Command these stones become loaves’. Fasting is a remedy for being controlled by food and satisfying our ‘body’. Our bodies are good but we are not to become slaves to every sensual pleasure. Rather than a focus on diet or weight loss, how could you ‘stop’ some activities to ‘start’ some more positive activities?
- ‘Throw yourself down’ is pretending that everything is ok and God will look after me no matter what I do. Am I responsible? You are where you are because you have chosen it. What do you need to take responsibility for this Lent?
- What is one action that you will do to be ‘livingtheword’ this week?
Download Reflection Document 1st Week of Lent
Reflection Questions
- The book of Deuteronomy shares one of the most important statements of faith in the Old Testament. It was spoken every time a person gave their offering to the priest in the Temple. It reminded them of their identity and how God ‘saved’ them. Bringing the tithe (tenth) of the harvest to the temple acknowledged God’s care and provision. How could you express this religious practice of thankfulness – ‘tithing’ (giving a 10th)? Dt 26: 12-15 invites giving to the levite (priest), the foreigner (refugee), the orphan and the widow (those without family and financial support). This is at the heart of the Lenten practice of ‘almsgiving’. How generous will you be in giving of your time, talent, money, compassion… this Lent as a way of ‘thanksgiving’ for what God has given you?
- Paul’s letter to the Romans is a careful explanation of how we are made right with God. Justification by keeping the ‘law’ was deeply ingrained in Jewish consciousness and history. Paul reminds us that it is faith in God’s covenantal relationship with us in Jesus that saves us. In a relationship, what is the difference between ‘law’ and ‘love’? Do you ‘enjoy-love’ your relationship with God? Does a ‘love’ relationship need to respect any ‘law’? What word or image would describe your relationship with God ‘now’ as the journey of Lent begins?
- Jesus in the desert provides us with the starting point of Lent. Consider how you can create some ‘desert’ space in your life, away from distractions and noise, to be with God and discover your ‘true’ self? What is 1 decision you can make to enter the Lenten ‘desert’?
- Careful reflection on Jesus’ temptations leads us to see a mirror conflict within ourselves between good and evil. Get bread for ‘self’. Seek power and reputation. Demand support from others. Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving are practices during Lent to deconstruct our false self and reconstruct our true self. Almsgiving enables the hungry at our door and beyond to be fed and healed. Fasting turns us from worldly consumerism to clarity of purpose and compassion for others. Prayer tunes us into God’s vision and voice. From Jesus’ temptations, which core temptation do you notice strongly at work in your life? Which Lenten practice do you need?
- Repent literally means ‘change your mind’. It could be understood as ‘turn your value system around completely – 180 degrees’. As Lent begins, Jesus guides us: there is more to life than satisifying our ‘bread-belly’ and physical or material cravings. What creative fasting experience could you create to nourish your spirit and soul journey?
- Returning from the great baptism event in the Jordan, Jesus would have faced pressure to get active and do things. Interestingly his choice was to listen to where the Holy Spirit deep inside was calling. Are you faced with a temptation to ‘perform’ and be a certain type of person in public? Whose voice is the Spirit and what is the Desert for you?
- What is one action that you will do to be ‘livingtheword’ this week?
Download Reflection – 12th Sunday Yr B – Feast of John the Baptist
Reflection Questions
- The celebration of the Birth of John the Baptist is a very early christian celebration dating back to the 4th century. John is like a bridge, linking the Old Testament and the New Testament. He is the greatest of prophets pointing to the promised Messiah – Jesus. Today we are reminded of the importance of prophets and people who ‘point the way’. Are we willing to enter the discipline of prayer and having an open ear and heart? Undergo ‘desert training’ of purification and moulding? Are we willing to speak the ‘hard word’?
- Isaiah writes of 4 poems or songs of the ‘suffering servant’. The third song is presented today. Have you ever felt like you had ‘toiled in vain’, ‘spent all your strength’ felt as good for nothing and ‘useless’? Yet God has been gradually using these experiences to make you ‘sharp’. Sanding and polishing you into an arrow, storing you in his quiver, ready to be used to bring God glory. Consider the hard times of suffering. How has this strengthened and sharpened and polished you?
- What do you consider is your ‘calling’ from God. Are you thinking ‘too little’, just being a servant when in fact God wishes you to be a ‘light to the nations’?
- Paul is speaking to Jewish listeners in a town called Pisidia. They understood they were waiting for the promised Messiah, a descendant of David. Paul shares with them this long awaited person – Messiah – has already been and gone! Did they not know!? Many people ‘wait’ for salvation and healing of the world. Have you considered what they ‘wait’ for? Hope to ‘see’? Could they see this in your life?
- An incredible amount of silent work of the Holy Spirit takes place with Elizabeth and Zechariah and John. Naming their new-born boy ‘John’ breaks from custom and shows they are obedient (to the Angel and the Spirit) and open to the new way of God working. Painfully, John will not follow his Father and be a priest in the Jewish Temple. Instead he will leave the city and be part of the Qumran community in the desert. He will eventually emerge as a prophet calling God’s family to wash again in the waters of the Jordan – renew and start again the entry into the promised Land, this time truly becoming a ‘light for all nations’. Consider the experience of Elizabeth. Zechariah. John. Disciples of John. Jewish people. What part of John’s life can you identify with? What part do you rebel from?
- ‘What then will this child be’? Circumcision, 8 days after the child is born, marked ‘baptism’ and ‘belonging’ to God. Have you prayed openly to God for your children, brothers, sisters, for the grace of baptism and their ‘special calling’ to be stirred up and real? To become strong in spirit? What gifts do you see in them? Have you spoken to them about this?
- The desert has a special place in the memory of Jewish people. It was a place of God luring his chosen bride and people closer to him. It involved testing, proving, preparation. Could you create more desert time in ‘prayer’ so you can hear from God how you are to ‘manifest’ ‘show’ and live your life in the Church (Israel)?
- What is one action that you will do to be ‘livingtheword’ this week?
Download 1st Sunday Lent Yr B
Reflection Questions
- The season of Lent begins with the receiving of ashes on Ash Wednesday. If you were not able to attend Ash Wednesday ask your priest if he could mark the ashes on your forehead with a prayer on Sunday. Or you may consider placing your thumb in soil and marking yourself with the sign of the cross. It takes a physical experience to remind us of something beginning. Consider Ash Wednesday like arriving at the starting line of a race. We need to be present and committed – when the starting gun goes off we need ‘begin’ the journey to the finish line of Easter. Are you psychologically ‘ready’? What will the spiritual practices of ‘Prayer’ ‘Fasting’ and ‘Alms-Giving’ involve for your daily / weekly routine?
- In the season of Lent, the First and Gospel readings are not specifically linked, but independently teach us a truth about God and ourselves. The word describing the ‘Ark’ built by Noah, is also used for the ark carrying baby moses to safety, the ark holding the special tablets of the commandments and symbolic of the Ark of the Church. God has made a covenant / promise to protect and be with those who belong to him. Have you ever had an experience or sign showing God’s protection for you? Can you see the Church as an ‘Ark’ today? How?
- The Second readings of Lent teach us the meaning of Baptism. The cleansing of Baptism waters is not washing away physical dirt, but literally a ‘putting away of filth’ as one now living in Christ. Lent becomes a time of renewed effort in living our christian identity. What do you recognise needs to be ‘put away’ from your life? What is the first step on this journey?
- Jesus responded to the Spirits inspiration into the Desert. To help create a prayer-full lent, what place and time each day can you identify that will work for you? How could you symbolise beginning this journey?
- Being in the desert for 40 days links to Israel being in the desert for 40 years. A time of testing, proving loyalty, closer union with God. As Adults, Lent is not a season for child-like practices of giving up lollies. It is a journey facing struggle and sin, being ‘tested’, proving my loyalty to God. Is my Lenten commitment serious enough? Do I consider it will bring me closer to God?
- “The angels ministered to him.” God does not leave us alone. Angels are provided. Literally, Angels mean ‘good message bearers’. In my Lenten journey and wilderness experience who are some ‘angels’ that God may have already placed in my life to support me but I have not responded to. Is there someone you could ask to accompany you on your journey of Lent? It could be just the help you need!
- Repent and believe the gospel. This is Jesus’ first public words ever spoken. The greek word is metanoia – change, physically turn your life around. What do I know needs to change to find wholeness in my life?
- How will you ‘livetheword’ this week?