Let's talk about today's readings 12/07/08

[cheeto1]

Isaiah 40:1-5.9-11
Psalms 84
2Peter 3:8-14
Mark 1:1-8

In Isaiah it starts saying, “Console my people, console them says your God.” I am going to take this as a direct command
today and look for someone to console.

In 2peter we see that the earth and sky will be burned up, and
we will see a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness will be at home. I look forward to this, where hollywood entertainment won’t be the model of joy, but instead it will be
praise of the living God.

Today I was struck by some words in the Preface of Advent I,
which is the small prayer currently being read before the “holy,
holy, holy”. These words, “when He humbled Himself to come
among us as a man”, got me thinking: is there a way now that
we too can humble ourselves to come among another group of
people as one of them? I think maybe missionaries do it, but
mostly when we help the poor, we do it not as one of them. It’s one thing to give money or items to the poor as many do this time of year especially, but it would be another to go and live as they do.

Did anything strike you about today’s readings?

 

[katy]

Actually, I heve wondered about BEING the poor. So far have avoided it, but somehow feel if I were on the receiving end, I would not be actually part of the Church because she takes care of the poor. If real poverty ever struck I’d be part of the “other” and not part of the Church. So, I wonder how to identify with the poor and get this spiritual astigmatism gone. I wonder if this feeling is part of the reason for division among Christians.

 

[cheeto1]

If real poverty ever struck I’d be part of the “other” and not part of the Church.

Do you have a feeling as if the poor are not part of the church?
I never thought of this idea before, I wonder if I feel that way?

I think when it comes to the church, there is no receiving end.
You always know you have to give. Once I gave some money
to a financially struggling family, and what did they do? They gave some to another struggling family. I think if I was in a
position where someone gave me 10 cans of peas, I could
give one away, and I would still have 9 cans of peas.

 

[katy]

I think it may be a pride thing. It feels OK for me to give, but not to be receiving.
Also, before I was Catholic, I belonged to a denom where someone asked for help who was from that church and was told that they had no format for helping those from the church, only those outside it. I may have picked up that attitude from that experience as well. I like to think that I would respond as you described.

 

[cheeto1]

Today is also the day of St. Ambrose, who converted St. Augustine.

In his first reading, Ephesians 3:8-12, It says Why did God wait
until now to reveal His plan? So the Soveriegnties and Powers would find out only now through the church the Wisdom of God.

I wonder if this is to trick the soveriegnties and powers so they
couldn’t win, or is there a possibility that when God desires
every man to be saved, does that extend to the sovereignties and powers too?

 

[katy]

Maybe the Roman Empire provided just the right “field” for God to sow the seeds he wished to plant? Other than that, I don’t know. Quite confusing to me.