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Posts Tagged ‘Light’
Download Baptism of the Lord Reflection Document
Reflection Questions
- The prophet Isaiah speaks often of the promise that God will send a Messiah. Today’s prophecy foretells Jesus’ coming. Celebrating Jesus’ Baptism we learn also of our own ‘job description’ to live following Jesus’ lifestyle and example in the world. Have you made your baptism personal and meaningful? What does it mean for you to be: ‘chosen’, ‘upon whom I have put my spirit’, ‘bring forth justice’. Called personally for the ‘victory of justice’. Have you recognised God trying to take you by the hand and form you, ask you to be an example and light for others? Transform peoples lives who are blind and suffering in darkness?
- Acts 10 is a very important chapter and experience in the life of St Peter. Peter was Jewish and was brought up in strict observance knowing what was ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’. Non Jews (Gentiles / Greeks) were considered ‘unclean’. If you entered their home or ate with them you became ‘unclean’. Peter is told by God to go into Cornelius’ home (He was a gentile and a despised Roman soldier!). Peter has a significant conversion of the mind…. ‘people of every nation are acceptable to God’. Who do you consider to be ‘clean’ ‘unclean’?
- What obstacles did Peter have to overcome to go into Cornelius’ house? What obstacles do you have to overcome?
- It was a custom for disciples to carry the masters sandals. It was a sign of discipleship. The image John shares is he is not even worthy to bow down and undo the sandals of Jesus. The holiness and distinctiveness between John and Jesus is emphasised. Why?
- Historical and theological writing is present in this Baptism scene of Jesus. Isaiah had cried out to God in the Old Testament – open the heavens and come down! Now the clouds are pushed apart, the spirit of God descends and God’s voice is heard. Here he is! The Messiah. The promised one. My Son. Imagine being at this scene. Imagine this is your baptism scene. What do you feel? Think? Fulfilling the Old Testament Prophecy of Isaiah, do you accept your baptismal ‘job description’?
- You may have been too young to remember your own baptism. It does not mean that you cannot now become conscious of what happened and what it means ‘today’. A special prayer was prayed over you as party of your annointing ‘christ-ing’ that you be a Priest, Prophet and King. Your call is to be a
- Priest – bring the world to God and God to the world
- Prophet – listen to the scriptures and speak God’s word of comfort and challenge to the world
- King – to lead the world not follow the world.
- How could you grow in awareness and expression of your God-given calling?
- What is one action that you will do to be ‘livingtheword’ this week?
Download 5th Sunday Yr A
Reflection Questions
- Isaiah chapter 58 is a very significant chapter for the church community. Isaiah is writing to the Jewish community that has returned to Jerusalem after exile, built the new temple, but forgotten what real worship and honouring of God involves. The prophet invites us to ‘share’ your bread with the hungry not ‘give’ your bread to the hungry. There is a big difference. One sits down and enters a relationship. Another gives ‘charity’, closes the door and remains at a distance from the ‘poor’ ‘homeless’ ‘naked’ ‘person in need’. Have you experienced the difference between ‘giving’ and ‘sharing’? Have you seen or do you know someone in real need at the moment? Is there a member of your family, close friend whom you are ‘turning your back on’?
- In the time of St Paul, great travelling preachers and philosophers would delight the crowd with great speeches and words of wisdom. Paul tried only to speak of Jesus and the great and humble love of God revealed in Jesus crucified. Putting aside arguments, personalities, theologies, can you say you have discovered the person of Jesus and the beautiful forgiving love of the cross? What happened? Who (could) help(ed) you?
- Salt has a very different meaning in the time of Jesus than it does today. Salt was so valuable it was used in Roman times instead of ‘money’ to purchase goods. It acted as a preservative stopping food ‘turning rotten’. Significantly it was also mixed with camel and donkey ‘dung’ because it has catalytic properties which helped the ‘dung’ burn as fuel for cooking ovens. Part of the process involved dung being thrown onto a salt block. Eventually the block lost its ‘saltiness’ and was thrown out onto the road and was trampled upon. What image of salt inspires you and helps you understand your Christian calling: being a presence that stops the world turning rotten? Mixing with dung to produce a fire?
- Jerusalem, the special city on the hill-top, the place of the Temple and ‘dwelling place’ of God is often pictured in the Old Testament as a ‘light’ for the world. It is ridiculous to light a lamp and then ‘hide it’ under your bed. A light guides. Welcomes. Protects. Shows a pathway. Stops us knocking into sharp objects in the dark! ‘Jerusalem’ is the ‘church’ but also the ‘individual Christian disciple’. How can your ‘light’ be uncovered? What ‘good deeds’ have you always wanted to do? What would you like to do so that others may give praise and thanks to God for your life?
- What is one action that you will do to be ‘livingtheword’ this week?
Download Reflection Document – 3rd Sunday Yr A
Reflection Questions
- The Prophet Isaiah remarks that the land called ‘District of the Gentiles’ (the area around the sea of Galilee) will see ‘a great light’. Imagine a small narrow road linking one part of the world with the other. This is the ‘Holy Land’ (Israel). It was a very busy trading route. Consequently there were many ‘foreigners’. For Jewish people it sometimes felt like a curse. However in God’s plan the light shines brighter in the darkness. Have you ever experienced being lost in darkness and then helped by a light? What happened. What is Isaiah trying to teach us about God?
- St Paul continues his writing to the people of Corinth. He is upset that their witness and service to Christ has turned towards arguments rather than charity. Have you ever felt a group of people wanting you to ‘belong’ to ‘their idea’? Have you had an experience of ‘division’ in the community or workplace or parish, people claiming the same purpose but not united in ‘mind’? Did you seek to understand ‘both sides’ and seek unity, or, did you grow division?
- Today in Matthew’s Gospel Jesus leaves his home town of Nazareth and arrives in Galilee. Fulfilling the 1st Reading prophecy of Isaiah, Jesus spends most of his 3 years of public ministry between 3 towns in Galilee. As the new year begins do you feel it is time to leave your ‘Nazareth’, your place of comfort, and enter ‘Galilee’ to undertake a new challenge? How could you be a light to ‘people who sit in darkness’? Those overshadowed by death, sickness, sadnees?
- In the time of Jesus, the phrase Kingdom of Heaven and Kingdom of God were special. Everyone was waiting for the time when God would finally overcome the power of evil. Essentially Jesus begins preaching a ‘wake up’ call: ‘change your mind (repent), take notice, God is now showing victory over evil! This is the good news. Have you ever noticed Jesus both preaches and heals. Words and actions go together. How does your life bring the kingdom of heaven and contribute to the overcoming of evil? Is your faith words and actions?
- Fishing was the main industry around the sea of Galilee. Peter, Andrew, James and John were probably not ‘poor’. Boats, nets, family, work colleagues, commitments and bank accounts are significant for them (and us!). Yet they are placed second to Jesus’ invitation to follow. Is the presence of your life curing and comforting (disease and illness?) or comfortable and callous? If you had to write a sentence of what you thought God would personally like you to do / be, what would you write?
- What is one action that you will do to be ‘livingtheword’ this week?
Download 2nd Sunday Yr A
Reflection Questions
- Today marks the beginning of ‘ordinary’ time in the liturgy of the church. Symbolised by the color green, our ‘ordinary’ days and weeks are called to bring ‘life’ to the world. As your daily routines and patterns become established in the new year how are you encouraging life and growth to yourself, family, workplace? How could you be more ‘life-giving’?
- The Prophet Isaiah is living in the midst of the Jewish people in exile. He feels as if he was made into a polished arrow, concealed in a quiver for God to use (v2). Yet he is also sad that he has labored in vain, and all his energy has been spent (v3) with no results. God whispers into his ear: I have bigger plans for you. It is not enough for you to just live and speak among your family. ‘I will make you a light to the nations’! Have you ever felt tired by the experience of God ‘sharpening’ you into an arrow through your struggles? Have you adjusted your life to not simply ‘serving’ but ‘being a light’ for others?
- St Paul writes to the community in Corinth. He had stayed in this community for 18 months and then moved on. The community experienced struggles and difficulties when he went. Corinth was known as an ancient city with a reputation for depravity and drunkenness. So bad was its reputation it even earned the phrase in Greek ‘to live like a Corinthian’! St Paul spent 18 months here and it became one of the most vibrant Christian communities. Paul urges the community to continue to live up to their calling ‘to be holy’. What does the challenge to holiness look and feel like in your life at the moment?
- John the Baptist gives Jesus one of the earliest and most important titles which we still use today: the Lamb of God. A lamb in the Old Testament was sacrificed in the temple and became an offering which received forgiveness of sins by God. Jesus replaced the ‘lambs’ that were sacrificed at each Jewish Passover. On the cross Jesus becomes ‘the sacrifice that takes away the sin of the world’. Have you allowed the great event of the Cross to become personal for you? Imagine an event happens that ‘takes away all your sins’. What would your response be?
- John witnessed that he had seen the spirit come down and remain on Jesus. Who do you recognise as someone ‘spirit filled’ and alive with the presence of God? What do you admire or feel attracted toward by their life? How does their life ‘prepare’ the way for you to draw closer to God?
- What is one action that you will do to be ‘livingtheword’ this week?