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Posts Tagged ‘Gospel of Luke Yr C’
26th Sunday Yr C – The Rich Man and Lazarus. Purple cloth and Poverty.
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September 24, 2013
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Reflection Questions
- Amos continues his public speech in Jerusalem against the incredibly wealthy who are so ʻsatisfiedʼ with beautiful beds, couches, food, wine, music concerts, beauty oils and cosmetics. ʻThey are not made ill by the collapse of their fellow people (Joseph)ʼ. How does wealth manage to create a ʻblindnessʼ to the poor? Can you remember any experience where you had your eyes opened to the cry of the poor? What happened?
- Godʼs covenantal relationship in Dt 15:4 stated that ʻthere should be no poor among you because the Lord will richly bless youʼ. Implied in this is the richly blessed sharing with others to ensure all are looked after. Have you realised a christian religious commitment / covenant also involves a social obligation / covenant toward the ʻpoorʼ? How are you currently expressing this commitment in your lifestyle?
- Some scholars consider this passage from the Letter to Timothy could come from an Ordination Ceremony. Do you have ʻcourage under fireʼ, like Jesus before Pontius Pilate, to give your testimony and confess your faith in the most difficult of circumstances? Where and when do you find it hard?
- Purple clothing was the ultimate sign of luxury and wealth because its source was a rare shellfish and insect being crushed. It was the ultimate in ʻbrandedʼ clothing to distinguish a person who had wealth. What symbols of wealth are worn or shown today? Do you belong to this ʻsystemʼ? What does it mean to you?
- The Great Reversal of fortunes is a theme of the Gospel of Luke. The Rich will be brought low, the poor will be lifted up. However it is not riches themselves that are the problem (Abraham himself was a very rich man!). It is the cycle of wealth to so preoccupy and claim ones attention and energy so that the needs of others go unnoticed. The rich man does know Lazarus because he calls out his name. However there is a failure of conversion. He cannot bring himself to share of his wealth. The Rich Man claims he did not have a warning that this reversal would happen. If this parable truly describes what will happen in the after-life, what does it demand of you? What would it take for your to ʻshare your wealthʼ? Have you given generously to the poor recently? Have you considered the difference between charity and true justice?
- The Parable of Lazarus could illustrate our Eucharistic Communities. We who are richly blessed, in our best Sunday clothes, celebrating in our liturgy Godʼs great blessing and Eucharistic Banquet, while there are so many poor sitting in the nearby streets and alley-ways. Jesus, in the Gospel of Luke, refuses to allow his disciples to feel comfortable and satisfied with the default settings of the world. The costly and inclusive hospitality of God is something we are called to witness to. What obstacle to a deeper conversion to the poor sits in your way?
- What is one action that you will do to be ʻlivingthewordʼ this week?
Download Reflection – 1st Sunday Advent Yr C
Reflection Questions
- Advent begins today. The color purple has an interesting background for us to ponder. Purple dye historically originated from a tiny shell-fish. It took 12,000 shell fish to make 1.5 grams of pure dye. The expense meant it was used only by the wealthy and became a symbol of royalty. Advent purple indicates we are waiting for the coming of the King of Kings. We are ‘preparing’ for the birth of Jesus but also spiritually for the second ‘coming’. Ponder for a few minutes what you would do if in 4 weeks time you were truly going to stand before Jesus Christ the King.
- Jeremiah was a prophet in a very difficult time. Jewish King after Jewish King had failed to bring peace. God’s people were now in exile in Babylon. In the midst of foreign people and their gods Jewish people began to lose hope. Jeremiah reminds them of a promise made by God to believe in: I will raise up a ‘just shoot’ from the line of David. So beautiful will this event be, the great city of Jerusalem will be renamed – Justice! In the midst of life’s difficulties what brings you hope? Frequently we think of God’s love, but do we recognise what God really wants is ‘justice’. Do you hope for this as a future event or do you give your life to its fulfillment ‘today’?
- Thessalonica was one of the earliest christian communities. A port city bringing trade and culture, hot springs bringing tourists. It was prime real estate in a Roman provincial town. With many cultures came many gods, Greek, Egyptian, Roman Emperor worship. Paul had been chased out of this town quickly but had established a small group of christian followers. He writes to encourage them to be blameless in holiness, living lives pleasing to God. Ready ‘for the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones’. Picture your own town instead of Thessalonica. What is the purpose of ‘conducting yourselves to please God’? Is it only for heaven or a sign for people ‘today’ of heaven?
- Year C begins with our move from the Gospel of Mark to the Gospel of Luke. Luke’s community is tired of waiting on a promise of Christ’s return. Luke gives instruction on how christians are to live while ‘waiting’. What does the image: ‘stand erect and raise your head’ mean to you. What would make you do this? What does living in readiness ‘now’ actually look like for you?
- Luke contrasts people of the ‘world’ with hearts drowsy or hardened with excessive sensual pleasure, drunkenness, worries, with christian disciples watchful and vigilant, praying and ready to stand before the Son of Man. Where are you in this picture? What advent practices could you begin to be ‘vigilant’ ‘prayerful’ ‘ready’? What would you like to bring to God in the Advent practice of receiving the sacrament of reconciliation?
- We all know what December will involve: shopping, christmas cards, cooking, end of year celebrations. Will you be satisfied? How could you ‘slow down’ and set aside time to soak up the christian focus of Christmas – is there a church near or on the journey from work you could visit for 5 minutes daily?
- Christians view the end of the world differently: ‘What the caterpillar calls end of the world, the Master calls a butterfly’
- What is one action that you will do to be ‘livingtheword’ this week?