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Posts Tagged ‘Rejection’
Download 14th Sunday Reflection Document
Reflection Questions
- Ezekiel worked as a Priest in the Temple before being exiled with Israelites into Babylon. It was here, in a distant land, he experienced the spirit enter him and raise him to his feet to ‘speak’. It was not a popular message; the cause of their exile and punishment was due to their unfaithfulness to God. Have you experienced being moved from a ‘comfortable’ to an ‘uncomfortable’ place? Have you felt the spirit strengthen you for a new and difficult challenge? How do you think Ezekiel felt knowing the outcome of his words was uncertain… will they heed or resist?
- Today we reflect on a deep and personal self revelation of St Paul. It is uncertain if the ‘thorn’ (translated also as stake’) was a physical ailment, disease, depression. Was it constant persecution? Lust? Upset with being ‘short’? It is probably helpful we do not know as we can now all symbolically identify with Paul in our own personal experience of ‘pain’. What would you humbly own as your ‘thorn’? Some spiritual writers suggest the first deep question of spiritual direction is: where are you hurting? Boast comes from the word meaning ‘having your head held high’, from a position of understanding. Have you shared this with anyone. Would you like to receive encouragement to move from pain to boasting, and being accepting of your weakness?
- Jesus returns home to Nazareth and experiences rejection. Mark, the earliest gospel writer clearly describes the lack of faith of Jewish people and the Synagogue toward Jesus. At home in Nazareth they are attracted to his teaching but take offense (skandalizmai – scandalised) and even make a negative remark calling him ʻSon of Maryʼ. It was normal to refer to someone only using the title of ʻSon of Joseph- Fatherʼ. They are objecting to the uncertain origin of Jesus. Can you glimpse the pain and rejection of Jesus at home, with his own family members? Have you had a personal experience of rejection. Lack of belief in you. ʻCutting you downʼ. ʻPutting you into a boxʼ? How did you react? How does Jesus react? Are you curious as to what Jesus does next?
- The three readings today highlight a theme of ʻif only …ʼ. If only people would listen (Ezekiel)… If only I didnʼt have this personal difficulty (St Paul)… If only my family and friends would believe in me (Jesus)…. Difficult circumstances can shut us down, take away our energy. We need another source of energy and identity. The spirit sustained Ezekiel, Paul, Jesus to respond positively not negatively. Consider naming your challenges and decide on positive solutions. How do you overcome the ʻNazareth syndromeʼ?
- It is mysterious how Jesus ʻwas not able to perform any mighty deed thereʼ. Have you ever decided about someone and your mind and heart becomes ʻclosedʼ and not ʻopenʼ to that person? The relationship now becomes ʻstuckʼ in possibility and expectation. We bring the closed door and negative view into each conversation and meeting. How open are you to Jesus? Pray for an open mind and heart to see signs and wonders and glimpses of the kingdom at work in daily events. How are you seeking to grow your faith and relationship with Jesus?
- What is one action that you will do to be ʻlivingthewordʼ this week?
Download: 20th Sunday Yr C
Reflection Questions
- Jeremiah did not have an enjoyable experience as a prophet. He lived in a time when he saw the ‘gap’ between God’s way and the way the King and Religious Leaders were leading the people. For many years he spoke challenging words of change but without success. In the end he reached the conclusion that it would be ok if the ‘Court’ and ‘Temple’ were demolished so that God would have an opportunity to ‘start again’! People became upset and today Jeremiah ends up ‘in the mud’ of a large empty water tank. Have you recently heard an invitation or idea that deeply challenged you to change? What was your response? Why do prophets often experience rejection?
- Imagine the experience of Jeremiah standing ‘in the mud’. Waiting. Crying. Faithful. Confused. And then Ebed-melech from the court arrives. Can you apply this image to your life journey now? Who could be ‘Ebed-melech’ reaching out to help you? What do we learn about God from this experience?
- The Letter to the Hebrews teaches Jewish people the meaning of Jesus life and sacrifice. Jesus followers are called to live in close imitation to him. Is there anything you are doing in your life that Jesus would not do? How could you ‘run the race….’?
- Jesus continues to teach his disciples about the deep changes required to become a ‘follower’. Fire ‘purifies’ objects, melts away any impurities. Cleanses and reduces metals back to an original state. To set the earth on fire seems to be a more painful experience than ‘giving the earth a wash’. A fire is more severe and deep. Have you ever asked Jesus for this ‘baptism’ of fire – the Spirit – to come upon you? Do you desire this baptism? Bring this desire into a time of prayer.
- Jesus is often portrayed as someone bringing peace and reconciliation. But the cost of transforming the world is great. Archbishop Oscar Romero said: the world is established in disorder which makes the mere proclamation of the good news a subversive act’. What do you think this quote means?
- Jewish people considered the relationship of care and respect between parents and children to be the greatest value to uphold. Nothing else should topple this value. Jesus inserts a seed of fire into the social structure of his time. Disciples will eventually be confronted with a choice: will you choose the relationship with Jesus to be the most important relationship of your life no matter what? This experience has often been called ‘costly discipleship’. Do you have a costly discipleship story? Could you inspire someone by sharing it or write it in a journal to claim it more deeply as a life lesson for yourself?
- In early christianity, Jewish people who became christian were ‘kicked out’ of the family home and not allowed to worship in the temple. They began to experience a new family of care and community, living together, sharing everything in common, feeding the hungry. They truly began to live a ‘different life’. The first christians in Antioch were called the people of ‘the way’. Does your ‘way’ reflect the life of Jesus?
- What is one action that you will do to be ‘livingtheword’ this week?
Download 14th Sunday Yr B
Reflection Questions
- Ezekiel worked as a Priest in the Temple before being exiled with Israelites into Babylon. It was here, in a distant land, he experienced the spirit enter him and raise him to his feet to ‘speak’. It was not a popular message; the cause of their exile and punishment was due to their unfaithfulness to God. Have you experienced being moved from a ‘comfortable’ to an ‘uncomfortable’ place? Have you felt the spirit strengthen you for a new and difficult challenge? How do you think Ezekiel felt knowing the outcome of his words was uncertain… will they heed or resist?
- Today we reflect on a deep and personal self revelation of St Paul. It is uncertain if the ‘thorn’ (translated also as stake’) was a physical ailment, disease, depression. Was it constant persecution? Lust? Upset with being ‘short’? It is probably helpful we do not know as we can now all symbolically identify with Paul in our own personal experience of ‘pain’. What would you humbly own as your ‘thorn’? Some spiritual writers suggest the first deep question of spiritual direction is: where are you hurting? Boast comes from the word meaning ‘having your head held high’, from a position of understanding. Have you shared this with anyone. Would you like to receive encouragement to move from pain to boasting, and being accepting of your weakness?
- Jesus returns home to Nazareth and experiences rejection. Mark, the earliest gospel writer clearly describes the lack of faith of Jewish people and the Synagogue toward Jesus. At home in Nazareth they are attracted to his teaching but take offense (skandalizmai – scandalised) and even make a negative remark calling him ‘Son of Mary’. It was normal to refer to someone only using the title of ‘Son of Joseph- Father’. They are objecting to the uncertain origin of Jesus. Can you glimpse the pain and rejection of Jesus at home, with his own family members? Have you had a personal experience of rejection. Lack of belief in you. ‘Cutting you down’. ‘Putting you into a box’? How did you react? How does Jesus react? Are you curious as to what Jesus does next?
- The three readings today highlight a theme of ‘if only …’. If only people would listen (Ezekiel)… If only I didn’t have this personal difficulty (St Paul)… If only my family and friends would believe in me (Jesus)…. Difficult circumstances can shut us down, take away our energy. We need another source of energy and identity. The spirit sustained Ezekiel, Paul, Jesus to respond positively not negatively. Consider naming your challenges and decide on positive solutions. How do you overcome the ‘Nazareth syndrome’?
- It is mysterious how Jesus ‘was not able to perform any mighty deed there’. Have you ever decided about someone and your mind and heart becomes ‘closed’ and not ‘open’ to that person? The relationship now becomes ‘stuck’ in possibility and expectation. We bring the closed door and negative view into each conversation and meeting. How open are you to Jesus? Pray for an open mind and heart to see signs and wonders and glimpses of the kingdom at work in daily events. How are you seeking to grow your faith and relationship with Jesus?
- What is one action that you will do to be ‘livingtheword’ this week?
Download 11th Sunday Yr B
Reflection Questions:
- Ezekiel is different because he was both a Priest and a Prophet. He was with God’s people when they were deported into Babylon enduring suffering and slavery. They were without a Temple, their Land, a King. In a time of great distress he is humbled to realise that very few people listen to him (and God) and even less respond with obedient living to God’s ways. He shares an image of a ‘snip’ of a great tree, a ‘faithful small remnant’ of people will be planted by God in Jerusalem. So deeply does he believe in God’s guidance of history he repeats ‘the Lord will do this’ 86 times. Would you consider yourself part of God’s ‘tender shoot’, faithful and obedient? The tree (Church) of God will include all types of birds and winged creatures and the ‘lowly’. How inclusive are you toward others?
- It is important to understand St Paul. Our bodies are good but there is a ‘desire’ in our flesh that is deeply selfish. A christian disciple lives and walks by ‘faith’ not by ‘flesh’. Jesus guides our life and choices not the selfish desires many in the ‘world’ chase. Is your ‘home’ in Jesus or the ways of the world. Paul encourages disciples to face this tension and question head-on. Imagine an examination of your life at the end of time: What did you live for? What was your heart attached to?
- Jesus very early on in the Gospel of Mark meets great resistance. His family think he is ‘out of his mind’ and religious leaders from Jerusalem suggest he is possessed by a demon’ (Mark 3,20). It does not look like Jesus is having much success. Have you met resistance from family and people in leadership? How did you cope? What did you hold on to so as to continue your call and purpose?
- Jesus shares a story of the mysterious and silent working of God in bringing the ‘Kingdom’. Just as farmers presume something is happening to a seed under the ground, we also need to trust not always by sight but what we know. In truth, the mustard seed only grows to a 4 foot ‘bush’! Are you expecting Church to be a magnificent Cedar tree and struggle with the reality of a stumpy ‘bush’? Is Jesus suggesting a change from strong and powerful to humble and ‘medicinal’? The mustard-seed was considered to be a medication for many ills.
- The topic most frequently talked about by Jesus was the ‘Kingdom of God’ (Kingdom of Heaven). He chose to use parables to describe ‘God’s ways’. Parables trap us. We agree with some parts of the story but resist or don’t want to agree with other parts. We reject it, or open ourselves to an opportunity of a new way of understanding (conversion). Why did Jesus choose to describe the Kingdom as a mustard seed. We like the idea of many birds finding shelter and the church ‘welcoming and including’ all people. But a ‘mustard’ seed and bush was a backyard weed, very stubborn and difficult to get rid of. Is the way of God really requiring a revolution? Who gets threatened by that? Do you prefer the status quo or an inclusive change welcoming the poor and marginalized?
- What is one action that you will do to be ‘livingtheword’ this week?