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Posts Tagged ‘Samuel’
Download 4th Sunday Lent Yr B (RCIA)
Download 4th Sunday Lent Yr B
4th Sunday of Lent has Samuel doing an incredibly difficult task – making another King while one is still on the throne! And a blind man now sees – and faces the consequences of rejection from the synogogue and community for believing in Jesus. Knowing and living for Truth and God has challenging consequences!
The Readings for those not having RCIA candidates in your parish has the incredible story of King Cyrus – a Persian king – who actually frees God’s people and helps them build the Temple. Nothing is impossible for God. Combined with this with have the story of Nicodemus, a leading Jew, trying to make his way to Jesus under the cover of darkness. Blessings on the praying, fasting and giving! Enjoy and share.
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Download 2nd Sunday Yr B – Listening to God’s Call
Reflection Questions
- Samuel is a young boy who eventually becomes one of the great prophets of the Old Testament. It is possible he was given the job of ensuring the ‘sacred flame’ in the Temple did not burn out and for that reason is ‘sleeping in the temple’. Today God calls him. He is confused, and even his mentor ‘Eli’ takes a while to recognise it is God speaking in prayer to Samuel. Is your lifestyle allowing for time in prayer and silence? Have you ever sincerely presented yourself before God and stated ‘Here I am…. Speak…. I am listening’?
- Samuel needed Eli to mentor him in the ways of listening to God and prayerful obedience. Who has been an ‘Eli’ figure for you in your journey with God? Has there been any word or inspiration from God or an Eli-Mentor that you have heard but not been obedient to? What happened?
- Samuel was blessed. The Lord helped him to not let any word spoken ‘fall to the ground’. He both caught the Lord’s word and Spoke the Lord’s word. How could you be more effective in ‘catching’ every word of the Lord spoken to you? Consider starting a spiritual journal of your prayer time and finding a spiritual director (Eli). Check out www.livingtheword.org.nz/resources and click on spiritual director and keeping a journal.
- There was a problem among some of the community at Corinth. Some separated the body and the spirit believing that it did not matter what one did with their ‘bodies’. Paul teaches them about the dignity of their bodies. Joined with Christ, filled with the Spirit, our bodies are true ‘Temples’ of God. What we do in and with the dwelling place of God should bring God Glory. Do you respect and protect the dignity of your body? How could you give God greater glory? Whose ‘bodies’ are being broken or abused today in society. Do you care?
- John the Baptist points his disciples toward Jesus and they begin the journey of discipleship. The first question Jesus asks of a disciple points deeply to their heart: What are you looking for? Imaginatively enter the scene. What is your response to this very first question of Jesus?
- ‘Come and see’ is an invitation by Jesus to ‘abide’ and ‘stay’ with him. Like Samuel, could you find a frequent way of drawing close to Jesus, spending time beside the tabernacle in Church? It means leaving friends, normal routine, unknown conversation. Where does the adventure of ‘come and see’ ask of you?
- While Peter is well known, it was his brother Andrew who brought Peter to Jesus. The time spent with Jesus impacted Andrew so much he had to find someone to share this good news with. Have you experienced the joy of Jesus and the desire to lead others to share this faith experience? Is your lack of courage stopping a future Church leader? Saint?
- What is one action that you will do to ‘livetheword’ this week?
Download: 4th Sunday Lent Yr A
- Reflection Questions Remember Samuel as a young boy, woken in the middle of the night by the voice of God (1Sam 3:4). Now trained in the discipline of listening and doing what God asks Samuel now faces an incredible challenge: God is asking him to find and anoint a new King (while King Saul is currently still alive!) This would be treason. Consider the emotions and struggles of Samuel? What struggle can you identify with? How might God be inviting you to ‘fill your horn with oil, and be on your way?
- Some translations emphasize that David was a young boy, with a fresh and clear appearance. He is not big, has no military training or obvious talent for battle. To the human ‘eye’ and ‘outward appearance’ this is not a wise choice for a King and future military leader. But this public calling and anointing, this ‘baptism’ of David changes everything. No longer would he suffer psychologically from his fathers ‘smallest’ ‘weakest’ viewpoint. When the Lord looks into your heart what does he ‘see’?
- This text from St Paul to the Ephesians is thought to be part of an ancient baptismal liturgy: baptism calls us to bring our lives into the ‘light’. As Easter approaches, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is one practice that leads us to bring our struggles into the light of Jesus for help and guidance. Awake from sleep and death! Ponder for a few minutes what you would like to bring to the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Lent?
- Gospel stories from John are used to encourage baptism candidates on the final journey to Easter. Today’s story is in the context of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles involving water and light. Water from the pool of Siloam was taken into the temple, thrown upon the Altar, which then ran out from the temple into the ‘world’. It symbolised God’s Temple and People called to be like Water for the world. Also large candles with wicks made from the Priest’s vestments lit up the Temple and courtyard symbolising God’s Temple and People called to be like Light for the world. Can you see in the text how Jesus in John’s Gospel uses and yet replaces these symbols? What is John trying to show us?
- The early Christian Church used the reality of being ‘blind’ and receiving ‘sight’ as an image of the journey to Baptism. Baptism was even called a ceremony of ‘enlightenment’. From blind ‘darkness’ to seeing ‘light’ is possibly the greatest transformation that can take place for a person. Seeing becomes symbolic of knowing ‘truth’. Truth is gradually clearer for the blind man (baptismal candidate) regarding Jesus’ identity. Unstated is the reality that belief in Jesus will see the man now rejected from the synagogue and community. Can you see your journey in the blind man?
- What is one action that you will do to ‘livetheword’ this week?