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Posts Tagged ‘Sunday Readings’
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?
23rd Sunday Yr C – going to war, building a house… how is this connected with discipleship?
September 3, 2013
Download 23rd Sunday
Reflection Questions
- The Book of Wisdom was a Jewish response to the wisdom writers and Greek Philosophers seeking to understand the meaning of life. Written for Jews in Alexandria, the international and cultural centre of the time, many Jews were giving up their faith and adopting a Greek philosophy. Greek Philosophy taught that human nature was ʻagainst Godʼ and we could not ʻknow Godʼ. The Wisdom writer teaches we can be in tune with the Holy Spirit of God so our paths can become ʻstraightʼ. What do you think? Have you experienced the guidance of the Holy Spirit at any point in your life?
- Philemon was a convert of Paul and he was obviously wealthy enough to have slaves. Onesimus was a slave of Philemon who had escaped, found Paul in Rome, and had become very helpful to him. But Paul found out Onesimus was a ʻslaveʼ. He sent him back – with this letter – to his master Philemon. He does not try to change the slavery system, but seeks to change the heart of Philemon to treat Onesimus as a ʻbrotherʼ and to give him the status of being ʻfreeʼ. It was a dangerous move. Onesimus could have been killed, or at least be branded withʻfʼ (fugitiveʼ) on his forehead. Why would Paul take such a risk for freedom?
- Today Luke shares the most radical challenge of following Jesus. Great crowds are following Jesus and he turns to them because they may not truly understand what following him will involve. The disturbing ʻcostʼ of discipleship is that they must ʻhateʼ their family! This is a Jewish teaching method to prove a point. Jesus challenges every disciple he must come first. Above all family relationships. For Jewish people this is upsetting. Jesus is to be preferred before Mum and Dad… Jesus is to be the top social priority of their lives. What does this discipleship challenge mean for you personally?
- Jesus often provides instruction, then offers an image into what living his teaching will look like. Building a house or marching into battle are two of the biggest challenges one might undertake in life. Instead of finances and military supplies, discipleship preparation is the task of being free of attachments to family and possessions. What would this large discipleship preparation task look like for you? Do you want to ʻfollow? What are your biggest obstacles?
- Freedom in relationships and possessions is a sign of a closer journey with Jesus. Imagine taking a modern person away from family and friends, cell phone and internet. Why is it difficult and why might it be ʻnecessaryʼ? Is there a relationship you are in which requires more freedom, possessions you may need to give away or your lifestyle simplified so that you may not be so ʻentangledʼ in following Christ?
- What is one action that you will do to be ʻlivinghewordʼ this week?