livingtheword

Download Reflection Document 13th Sunday Yr B

Reflection Questions

1. The book of Wisdom was a book of Jewish wisdom teachings for Jews living in the midst of Greek culture and philosophy. The question of death is pondered. Physical death does not cause an end to God’s relationship with those who belong to him. This reading links to the Gospel with Jairus’ daughter raised to life. Have you reflected the beauty of creation lately? Considered what it means that each person is made ‘in the image of God’? If all of creation belongs to God, how does this affect your relationship to creation and respect-full ‘life-style’?
2. St Paul, in writing to the Corinthians was raising money for the poor church in Jerusalem. Paul’s fund-raising starting point is ‘the gracious act’ of Jesus who in his divinity was ‘rich’, yet for our sake ‘became poor’. Paul calls this Kenosis – self emptying. Christians are to live this self emptying. Our surplus should help relieve those who have little so that their needs are met. Christians need to practice a basic human equality. Can you glimpse how much Jesus has ‘let go’ by taking on our human condition and then suffering death? Some  christians have been so deeply called to imitate this they have chosen voluntary poverty. Have you made a decision how much you need to live on? And what to do with your ‘surplus’? Have you responded to the needs of the ‘poor’? How?
3. The Gospel has two stories of great faith. Jairus was a leader of liturgy at the Jewish Synagogue. It required great courage for him to approach Jesus as he could lose his job seeking the help of an ‘outsider’ to the Synagogue. He humbles himself and pleads for his sick daughter. Have you ever wanted to ask for help but were too embarrassed? What is it that really holds you back? What healing do you seek? Can you notice in the reading that healing often requires faith and action – and not just prayer alone? What does this inspire you to do?
4. In ancient times many women would endure bleeding after child-birth. The unnamed women has endured this condition for 12 years. In Jewish law a flow of blood held her in a state of ritual uncleanliness. She was not to touch others as that would make them also ‘unclean’. Can you glimpse her courage in seeking help? Walking secretly through the crowd? Her intense prayer and action in ‘touching his clothes’? Her embarrassment when asked to identify herself in public? Why do you think Jesus wanted to make this ‘public’?
5. Jesus breaks two very significant social and religious barriers. Touching a dead person and being touched by an ‘unclean’ woman. He has made himself ‘unclean’ so as to make the ‘unclean’ ‘clean’. Have you ever gone out of your way to the extent of being rejected so as to include and welcome those the group has ‘excluded’? How does it feel? What is the cost to society of not doing this? How do you experience the personal ‘cost’ of creating the Kingdom of God?
6. ‘And they ridiculed him’….. The people attached to the Synagogue, symbolically represented by the 12 (tribes) year old Jewish girl is dead, but now invited to rise and believe in Jesus. So too the woman excluded by the Jewish code of holiness for 12 years is now made whole and welcomed by Jesus. A new people is born by faith. What does this teach us about Jesus? The Church?
7. What is one action that you will do to be ‘livingtheword’ this week?