Questions for the readings for the 3rd Sunday in Advent

Our readings for this 3rd Sunday of Advent are:

1. Isaiah 61: 1-2a,10-11
2. Luke 1: 46-48, 49-50, 53-54
3. 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-24
4. John 1: 6-8, 19-28

1. Anointed by God
• Do you think that it's possible to have peace without justice or justice without peace?
• How would you define each of those graces?
• Do you think that either justice or peace can be found without God?
• Do you think that men and women like the Dali Llama and Gandhi are people of peace?
2. Living the magnificat
• Are things such as success, riches, fame, power necessarily bad by themselves?
• If you happen to be "cursed" with such things, what sort of an attitude should we have toward them?
• How would you define true power?
3. Living with the prophetic
• It occurs to me that the prophets in our lives, those who call us to greater devotion, greater authenticity, greater ardor in our walk with God, can be a pesky lot, and a disturbance in our lives that many could well do without.
• How do you think someone goes about "testing the prophets?"
• Who do you think might be responsible for that role?
• How often do you think that prophets need to be tested?  Once they're "certified", does that ever lapse?
• Who are the prophets in our community?
4. Expecting the unexpected
• A complete stranger walks up to you and asks "who are you?"  Your response is likely to be rather context sensitive.  If they ask you here at Church, you'd probably site your ministries here, and only later mention that you provide for your family with your "day job."
• But if you were to break away from the contextual setting for a moment, and try to answer that question in the broadest sense possible, how would you answer?
• Is that the person that you've always wanted to become?
• Do you feel a calling to be that person?
• What direction do you see your identity going?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Have I been a healing presence to anyone this past week?
2. Where do I see God moving of late?  What of those movements do I feel drawn to?
3. How could my entire life be more prayerful?
4. What do I want my headstone to say of me when I'm gone?

Announcement

By nature, I'm an "behind the scenes" sort of guy.

Try not to draw attention to myself.

Better that way, just in case I have it wrong.

Those motivational slogans like "go big or go home"

Never stirred my blood, quickened my pulse,

Hoping that I'll leave something behind worth remembering.

The problem with the "low profile" approach

Is that it can become too easy,

To hide behind anonymity, just in case you're wrong.

Maybe it's time to build a broader community

Of those that see and hear me,

Speak up a little more boldly, don't let my life mumble.

There's an urgency on the wind.

An expectation that the time for deciding is waning.

An end to weighing, a time for choosing.

Jesus' coming happens all the time.

His kingdom nearer than we can imagine.

Hidden only by distractions, that need to be named.

I am only truly ready for that arrival

In helping others

Maranatha!