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Posts Tagged ‘Inclusion and exclusion’
Download 28th Sunday Reflection Document
Discussion Questions
- Our readings today have 2 characters who suffer from Leprosy. Lepers were excluded from living in the community. People didn’t want to catch the disease. It was also commonly believed that leprosy was a sign of being punished by God and that the leper was both morally and ritually unclean. Having to live alone and outside the town (Lev 13,46) caused incredible loneliness and constant rejection. What are the modern forms of leprosy causing loneliness and rejection today? What might your form of ʻleprosyʼ be?
- Naaman was from Syria (a foreigner), he was a general in the Syrian Army (an enemy), and had leprosy (to be excluded). Israel and Syria were not friendly toward each other. Possibly from a previous conquest Naaman had even taken a Jewish girl to be a slave in his own household. Everyone would have been against Naaman! Consider the courage of Naaman in going to Israel to a holy man named ʻElishaʼ. What obstacles has he had to overcome for healing? He insists on taking soil from Israel home to build an Altar. What sign of thanksgiving could you ʻbuildʼ to offer worship to God for healing and forgiveness?
- Scholars suggest that St Paulʼs letter to Timothy was written while he was in prison. St Paul was ʻin chainsʼ, treated as a criminal, ultimately for his preaching the gospel of inclusion by God in Christ to the gentiles. He invites young Timothy to also be willing to persevere and suffer for this mission. What would you be willing to endure ʻchainsʼ for? Do you consider yourself a revolutionary to over-turn the patterns of exclusion in society?
- Gospel stories are like ʻice-bergsʼ. 90% of the story is beneath the surface. Underneath the story of the lepers are further stories of exclusion, hurt, isolation. The Samaritan figure is like Naaman in the first reading, a hated foreigner. Past events had caused Samaritans not to acknowledge Jerusalem and the Temple as the place of true worship. Healing from leprosy required a ʻcertificate of healthʼ by the Priest and only when this was given would a ʻleperʼ be accepted back into the community. The 10 lepers are obviously so keen to see the priest that they lose sight of who did the healing – Jesus. Have you had some ʻhighʼ moments in life and forgot to return and ʻgive thanksʼ to God. Write or share or pray a ʻthank-youʼ list to God noticing things in your life you do not normally say ʻthanksʼ to God for.
- God wishes to include and bring to faith the most unlikely of characters. Naaman and the Samaritan leper show God wishes to include rather than exclude. What does this teach us about God? How might this adjust your ʻimage of Godʼ? Which unlikely character in your workplace might God be inviting you to ʻbring to faithʼ? What misconceptions do you and they need to let go of so that Godʼs welcome and inclusion can be realised?
- What is one action that you will do be ʻlivingthewordʼ this week?
Download 22nd Sunday Reflection Document
Reflection Questions
- Sirach is a book of instructions on the day-to-day living of a good life. Top on the list of advice is to be ʻhumbleʼ. Someone who is ʻa giver of giftsʼ often expects something in return, whereas a humble person is not deceitful or cunning. A humble person does not try and pretend to be stronger or better than he / she is. A humble person has an ʻattentive earʼ. Why do you think Sirach considers Humility to be so important? What sort of world is created by its opposite?
- Today is the last time we have the letter to the Hebrews read to us. The differences between the ʻold lawʼ with its blazing fires of Mt Sinai, its trumpet blasts and fearsome prophecyʼs of Daniel is contrasted with the ʻnew gospelʼ of God dwelling joyfully amongst us, ʻfirstbornʼ christians belonging to the family of God, the joy of Jesus bringing the intimacy and forgiveness of God with the new covenant of the blood of the cross. In the Old Testament, the presence of God was a ʻfearsomeʼ thing. Has your image of God moved from the Old to the New? Reflect on the images used in the Hebrews scripture passage. What image(s) is meaningful for you?
- Luke 14 – 15 has many examples of Jesus at meals. He uses these moments to teach about ʻfellowshipʼ, critique structures in society, and teach the Church about how true eucharistic gatherings should function. It is helpful to see the warmth Jesus wants to extend to those who are excluded and his challenging words to social structures which exclude people. Some say Jesus was a disturbing guest who may not have received many second invitations! What would your impression be of Jesus if you were sitting at this meal ʻobserving him carefullyʼ?
- In the time of Jesus, and generally with people who do not have ʻwealthʼ, status in the community was based on ʻreputationʼ. To have your reputation held high was a growth in ʻhonourʼ. To have your reputation lowered was considered a source of great ʻshameʼ. This system can create a game where you take a humble position but wait desperately to be ʻhonouredʼ and ʻmoved upʼ! Generosity is secretly only self centred reciprocity. Jesus shares a subversive challenge which would change the whole social structure. What is his challenge?
- Jesus reverses everything that was considered socially and religiously ʻcorrectʼ. 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 Jesusʼ challenge. He doesnʼt say give money to the poor, give some volunteer service hours to the poor, but ʻinvite them into your home, to sit at table and eat togetherʼ! To enter into a relationship that goes beyond ʻcharityʼ. Examine your lifestyle and ʻtime-styleʼ. Who do you include? Exclude? Why? How could you bring about the ʻgreat reversalʼ of the Kingdom of God in your family, workplace, church community?
- What is one action that you will do to be ʻlivingthewordʼ this week?
Download 28th Sunday Yr C
Reflection Question 4: Gospel stories are like ‘ice-bergs’. 90% of the story is beneath the surface. Underneath the story of the lepers are further stories of exclusion, hurt, isolation. The Samaritan figure is like Naaman in the first reading, a hated foreigner. Past events had caused Samaritans not to acknowledge Jerusalem and the Temple as the place of true worship. Healing from leprosy required a ‘certificate of health’ by the Priest and only when this was given would a ‘leper’ be accepted back into the community. The 10 lepers are obviously so keen to see the priest that they lose sight of who did the healing – Jesus. Have you had some ‘high’ moments in life and forgot to return and ‘give thanks’ to God. Write or share or pray a ‘thank-you’ list to God noticing things in your life you do not normally say ‘thanks’ to God for.
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