Follow us
Posts Tagged ‘mission to the gentiles’
Reflection Questions
- Peter entering the home of Cornelius (A Roman Centurion / Soldier) is an incredibly important moment in the early Church. It sets in motion the whole christian mission to non-jews – to the untouchables, the pagans, the ‘greeks’. God wants to include everyone. Who do I consider an ‘outsider’ to the Church? Why? How could I be more inclusive? In my family? My church?
- Acts 10 reveals the early struggle to be open and welcoming. The Holy Spirit spoke in dreams and visions to inspire and move the Church and disciples. Consider the words of St Peter: ‘Get up, I myself am a human being’ and ‘God shows no partiality’. What has happened within Peter? What invitation and challenge do you notice for your own journey?
- Both Peter and Cornelius are spoken to in prayer. Thankfully they responded obediently. What have you heard in prayer and life lately? Have you been obedient in livingtheword? What are some obstacles you have encountered?
- John repeats the word love 9 times in his letter and 9 times in the Gospel. In John’s community they were fighting with gnostics who didn’t think christian behaviour was important. John reinforces the idea that love actually ‘looks like something’. Christian love is to love all others as God has loved us in Christ. Consider how God has initiated the relationship of love with us . Dying as an expiation (offering) to show us the forgiveness of our sins and the extent of God’s love. Do you initiate love or merely respond to love? Does your love change depending on a response? How does your love-style witness to christian love?
- God wants disciples to ‘bear fruit’. Yet fruitfulness requires attachment to the vine / trunk. The fruitfulness of joy and peace and love develops from ‘friendship with’ the Father. Friendships grow and develop in responding to needs and requests. Hence Jesus invites us to ask so the Father can give and be glorified. Would you describe your relationship with God as a ‘friend’? What is your attitude toward intercessory prayer? Ask or text your friends what they need and pray specifically for them. Don’t be afraid to ask God for signs so that God may receive ‘glory’. He gives plenty in the Acts of the Apostles!
- When asked to describe the love to which believers are called, St Augustine replied: “It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It hs the eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the signs and sorrow of others. That is what love looks like.”
- What is one action that you will do to be ‘livingtheword’ this week?
Download – 4th Sunday Yr C
Reflection Questions
- Jeremiah was known as the ‘weeping prophet’ because people did not listen to his message (King Jehoiakim even burned one of Jeremiah’s manuscripts). He experienced God’s word deeply and in the midst of false ‘prosperity prophets’ who declared God was looking favorably on his people and good times were coming, Jeremiah shares his personal call and his preparedness for rejection. What is the challenge of being a ‘prophet to the nations’ like Jeremiah today? Do you feel formed and called by God to stand up for (or against) something in society? What has been your response so far? What happened?
- St Paul continues discussing the ‘elitist’ problem in the Corinthian community. Some people were setting themselves apart as a ‘spiritual elite’ with boastful talk of their charisms and gifts. Gifts and charisms mean nothing if love is absent. Evaluate your life by the qualities of love in the second reading: Are you patient? Kind. Jealous? Proud? Resentful? Do you take offence easily? Gossip? Delight in truth? Forgiving, trusting, and hopeful? What aspect of your character could you invite the holy spirit to help you with?
- St Paul uses a special word (agape) for love. It is not a sexual love (eros) or a family love (philia). Agape is a quality of love that is given regardless of a response. Agape love is loving like God loves. In what ways and in what relationships do you show ‘agape’ love? Do you recognise people in need constitute God’s agape call to us?
- Jesus continues to speak to his home-town. In an ‘honour and shame’ culture of the ancient Middle East, an expectation is placed over Jesus to bring honor, glory, acclaim to Nazareth. Be our ‘local’ prophet, set up a healing station here in Nazareth like you have been doing at Capernaum. Bring in the tourists! Their attitude and concern is reputation rather than conversion. Jesus confronts them. In what ways does ‘reputation’ take priority over ‘conversion’ in your life? When was the last time you experienced the ‘cost’ of discipleship like Jeremiah and Jesus?
- Jesus identifies himself with the mission of the great prophets of Elijah and Elisha who were sent out to nearby gentile lands (Sidon) and people (Naaman the Syrian) which infuriates them. They react violently to the idea that God’s favor is also for the gentiles and not exclusively to Israel. Why do you think removing barriers and cultural walls meets resistance? What is beneath the categories of right / wrong, clean / unclean?
- The ‘community’ at Nazareth limit Jesus by confining him to be ‘Joseph’s son’. Have you experienced the support of family, friends and community and then as time goes on, recognise the limitations people’s perception puts on you? Do you feel called to ‘break out’ of ‘reputation’ and move toward ‘doing the will of God’? What obstacles do you face? How will you respond to people ‘springing to their feet and trying to throw you off the cliff’?
- What is one action that you will do to be ‘livingtheword’ 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.
Enjoy and Share
Download 6th Sunday Easter Yr C
Reflection question 3: Circumcision was physical and symbolic – an outward sign of an inner consecration and being a nation ‘set-apart’. It was a physical part of oneself offered to God like a sacrifice. Jewish Christians wanted gentile christians to follow their Mosaic practice (given by Moses) and be circumcised. This question caused the first Council of Jerusalem meeting. How do we know what is important to keep practicing? Are external markings important? Do you show / wear of sign of belonging to God? Why?
Feedback: livingtheword is having a 3 month review. If you use the site, with a group, have some feedback, would like changes, improvements to the site – send a note. contact@livingtheword.org.nz
Download 5th Sunday Easter Yr C
Reflection question 3; Paul and Barnabas broke centuries old prejudices of considering God only loved ‘the Jews’. His ‘chosen’. Going to the Gentiles was an enormous change. To put this into context, if a Jew married a Gentile in Jesus’ time the Jewish family would conduct a public funeral to say to everyone that you were now ‘dead’ to the family. Gentiles were considered ‘intrinsically unclean’. Strict Jews believed they were ‘defiled’ by being with Gentiles. Which group of people today are considered ‘outcasts’, ‘sinners’, beyond God’s love? Could you be a missionary to them? What might need to change in you? In the church?
Resource highlight – as well as many resources check out also the google bookshelf created for livingtheword. On this bookshelf are a few well chosen books that can help you investigate and study the scripture readings yourself. Enjoy!