Month: November 2021

Sunday 5 December 2021 (‘00) : 2ndSUN of ADVENT : C

1. BARS:1-9

• Read J •9 – 5 ·9 ! In Praise of Wisdom & Jerusalem & Torah !
• ‘Jerusalem!’: Place of David & The Temple & The Return From Exile!
• Assembly-of-The Children, Return-like-Princes, Flattening-of-The Hills, Filling-of­ the Valleys, Shade-of-Trees, Walking-in-Light! Where are these in my Church?

2. THE PSALM: 125:1-6

• ‘Sow’-in-Tears!’: To mourn The Death-of-The Seed! To irrigate it ritually!

To deceive and ward off the Envious Spirits! To merit in advance TheHoped for Fruit!

• ‘Sheaves!’: What ‘harvest-rituals’ are still important in my world?
• Is the plentiful availability of food increasingly taken-for-granted? Or is there a concomitant fear & ignorance around GM&superpests&crypto-illnesses like CJD?
• What other ecological ‘Cassandras’ are we just too blasé about? Like

                         Widespread pollution of the water table  
                         Overuse of fertilisers and suspect animal feed
                         Short term conveniences that accelerate global warming 

Collusion with policies that destroy species we actually depend on? 
& if these and other fatal incidences are ‘supported’ by ‘otherworldly’ theologies?

 
    3.   PHIL l :3-6, 8-11 (What of the important v7?)

• Who wouldn’t  straightway go & read the whole letter aloud, with a friend!
• How is this prayer (that mutual-love’ may increase, improve their knowledge, deepen their perception, to recognise the best!) happening now?
• ‘The Day Of-Christ”:   Sleepers-awake! Who said it’s not this Eucharist!

4. LK3:1-6

• Read 3: 1-38! This dense complex one-chapter epitome-of-the-bible!
• Can I imagine the process by which John emerged as a ‘yahwistic prophet’?

• The power represented by Caesar & Co, is it not still triumphant, in spite of all!
• So many ‘Christians”’, baptized and preached-to, yet The Other Gods thrive! Why?
• Has our preoccupation with authority&obedience&devotion, &our mutual encouragement  to be passive&minimalist, frustrated  ‘The Way-of-Yahweh’?

5. The presence&action of the BlessedOne, is it like this?
    Many suns&moons like Elijah I crouched in the caves watching for TheBlessedOne to pass! Like Jonah, I contemplated the sinful city from a distance, what word would leap from my burning throat! Like Moses on ThePisgah, and Joshua on TheFurtherBank, I waited patiently, yet the hunger for the great destiny I knew was mine! Always TheWhisperer “Yochanaan”  You, The-One-Who-Prepares-TheWay!  The ancient oracles flowed tumultuously in the cavern of my heart! Where food&clothing were scarce, those blessed songs were nourishment, warmth, and shelter! Then time was fulfilled, and TheWhisperer thundered,  “Up Yochanaan!” Go to that people once myBride, who have become Canaanites in my sight! Spare them not high&low! Be not seduced by their threats and blandishments!  Carry TheFlail-of-Judgement in one hand, but carry too in the other TheBlessingCup!  Stand finally in TheRiver-of-Life&Death and offer the bitter gifts to all who come near! &There at last both you&they will embrace TheTruth-of-Truths!

6. RIDDLE  Which is more urgent to be embodied in our present crisis?

Paul or TheBaptist or Jesus?

Refections and comments can be emailed to adbi@chokmah.ie

Sunday 28 December 2021 (’00)  lstSUNofADVENT : C

1. JER33 14-16

• Read 32:1 – 33:26! Yahweh’s&ThePeople’s Struggle, for Fidelity-inCovenant!
• What are TheFiveCriteria by which to discern ‘Yahweh ‘sPresence’?
• ‘Covenent!’: The effectual-embrace of Yahweh&People that makes Him freeingly- actual in&from&towards-all! But, who’d want such a dangerous lover?       
• ‘YahwehOurIntegrity!’: &What ‘name’ for our own local church?
• What is analogous in my world,to TheDavidicDynasty & itsDauphins?

2. THE PSALM 24:4-5, 8-9, 14

• Read 2-1(25):l-221 But will embodying Yahweh’s ethical priorities enhance me?
• In TheCelticTiger, what Resources&Needs&Behaviours represent Yahweh?
• ‘Way&Path&Truth!’: Yahweh’s imperative, to free those enslaved by ‘OtherGods!’
• What are TheOthcrGods if not TheResoucesNeedsBehaviours that oppress me!
• How, if at all, is Yahweh  (as distinct, say, from  Dionysus&Hermes&Elohim &Aphrodite&Hades etc) impinging on me? &What’s the cost of warding Him off?

3. 1THESS3:12 – 4:2

• Read 2:17 – 5-28! Paul addresses the confusion&concern&pessimism of GreekChristians in face of the imminently-expected ‘SecondComingOfJesus’!
• How effective is Exhortation&Threat, for the faithful embodiment of ‘discipleship?
• How do contemporary  ‘letters to the church’ (which’!) compare with 1THESS?
• Write a100word letter to ‘the adult christians’ of Northern Ireland!

4. LK21:25-28, 34-36 (Why is ‘TheFigTree’ omitted?)

• Read 21 :5-36! Imaginings of Persecution, EndTime, SecondComing, TheDay’
• In this ‘apocalypse’ what is being ‘unveiled’ about the state of my local church?
• What are we doing about

The alurming ecological crisis?

The distress of millions from hunger&depredation?

The pullulating violence, substance-abuse, &greed?

The unabated credulity&flattery&selfdeception?

The collusive refusal to pay the high cost of freedom?

5. The presence&action of the BlessedOne, is it like this?

‘Well .. ‘ ‘Well is-right! y’  shoulda been above there this mornin’.  ”What.. ” .. t’ hear  ‘im tryin’ t’put th’ wind up us! pretendin’ t’  be spakes from th’  man-above  . ‘ ‘All in dubble-dutch I suppose .. ‘ ‘Signs up in th’  sky, things here things there, floods

An’ th’ enda’ th’  world! makin’ out it could be soon, for  th’  joobily” ‘More o’ that global warnin’ , all millarkey for what’s ,worth!’ ‘I  just let ‘im flow gently  sweet afton, what could I do!  when a spake o’ th’ oul’ Canon came t’ me as clear as day, his great musical voice, no mike nor nothin’!’ ‘Nowadays begod, even with dessibels,  y’ can’t hear .. ,, ‘He usedta stand there, comin’ up t’ Christmas,  “Th’Time  t’Remember Th’Poor!’  he called  it, an’  he’d let it out like an orchestra, “It’s always Advent, He’s ahalways close by, don’t be put off be threats nor nothin’… !!! ‘Aw I loved that man…’ ‘…”One thin above all… “‘  ‘Aw say it for   ‘im!’ ‘… “Don’t be fooled  be all  th’  oul’ talk, just watch out for ‘Im, comin’ there a  natural as babies an’ beggars an’  birds !'”

‘Aw it still brins a tear! But, boys a’ boys, it’s a quare changed world!’

6. RIDDLE

Which is preferable? Comfort without freedom? Or freedom without comfort?

Refections and comments can be emailed to adbi@chokmah.ie