Posts Tagged ‘heaven’
Reflection Guide for The Transfiguration is here.
Daniel 7:9-10,13-14, 2 Peter 1:16-19, Matthew 17:1-9
The Discussion questions
- Fr Anthony De Mello, a famous preacher and teacher once began a retreat by asking, “Hands up if you want to go to heaven.” All eagerly put their hands up. He responded, “Hands up if you want to go to heaven now.”
No hands went up. He suggested they think about why they were ‘not ready’ and he walked out of the room! What would be your answer and why? - The Book of Daniel is written to encourage Jewish people during a time of great persecution. Mighty armies,
Kings, powerful empires would cease and be silenced by the ‘Son of Man’. This is an enthronement vision of Jesus before God the Father. In the midst of super-powers and battles for resources and status do you view the world and history with ‘hope’ that the way of Jesus will be victorious? Ask God for what you need to help you grow in this mindset. - The second reading is a testimony of what Peter, James and John experience when they are given the revelation of who Jesus truly is as the glorified beloved son of the Father. The three apostles did not share the experience at the request of Jesus, but they also did not fully comprehend its meaning until after the Resurrection. Describe a time you experienced something significant which took a long time to fully understand. What personal experience of God has helped you grow deeper in your faith or knowledge of God in your life over time? How much weight do we place on eyewitness testimony today? How does Peter’s eyewitness testimony impact your faith?
- A ‘mountain’ or ‘high place’ was symbolic of a place where one can ‘be in touch with God’. Where is a ‘place’
where you feel close to God and which helps you ‘listen’ to yourself and God? - Jewish people remembered living in tents in the 40 years of wandering in the desert. They believed God would come among them and look after them again with the coming of the Messiah. They thought Moses or Elijah would come again. Peter acknowledges Jesus’ true identity. White symbolizes divinity and Jesus being truly God among us. What are you waiting for God to ‘do’ for you? Can you identify ways God is showing himself present and active now in your life?
- The disciples were ‘afraid’. Have you ever been ‘afraid’ of damaging a love relationship with someone close to you? This is called ‘holy fear’. How could you live a ‘holy fear’ this week?
- What is one action that you will do to ‘livetheword’ this week?
Download 22nd Sunday Yr C
Reflection Question 5: Jesus reverses everything that was considered socially and religiously ‘correct’. The poor, crippled, lame, blind were excluded from the priesthood and some claimed they were not eligible to participate in the heavenly banquet. The Kingdom of God revealed by Jesus is there is a great reversal about to take place. Notice the extreme nature of Jesus’ challenge. He doesn’t say give money to the poor, give some volunteer service hours to the poor, but ‘invite them into your home, to sit at table and eat together’! To enter into a relationship that goes beyond ‘charity’. Examine your life-style and ‘time-style’. Who do you include? Exclude? Why? How could you bring about the ‘great reversal’ of the Kingdom of God in your family, workplace, church community?
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Download: 21st Sunday Yr C
Reflection Question 5: Jewish people understood they had a special status of ‘chosen’ by God. They presumed this also meant they had a special entry permit ‘through the door’. ‘We ate and drank with you, you taught us!’ They are absolutely surprised with the possibility that other people, ‘sinners’, could get into heaven before them. ‘But I have listened to the Gospel stories on Sunday and have shared in the Eucharist’ could be a modern Catholic response. It is not enough to ‘be there’ on Sunday, we are called to ‘do something’ on Monday… to be a ‘sign’ of God’s forgiveness, welcome, shaping the world into becoming one family. What would you consider the Church needs to ‘do more of’? How could you be involved?
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