February 28-March 4, 2012

It’s hard to imagine Jesus and the disciples “getting in each other’s faces.”  Maybe that’s not an apt description of the story found in Mark 8:31-38, for Peter at least took Jesus aside and had what seemed to be some strong words.  Jesus though, shared strong feelings not only with Peter, but with the rest of the disciples.  These are difficult words to read and perhaps even more difficult to put into practice.

–Why do you think, this story elicited such strong feelings?

–Where do you see others in our world, taking up the cross?

–”What might you need to lose, what might you need to set aside for the sake of following Christ?”  (John Indermark)

–Service to others involves giving of ourselves.  What do we receive as we give?

February 20-26, 2011

Genesis 9:8-17 may seem a strange reading for the beginning of Lent.  It’s the story that concludes the flood event, where we hear about God’s covenant with Noah and his family, reaffirming God’s faithfulness to all creatures.  God’s commitment and promises to us, as well as our commitment and promises to God may very well be good points of reflection for these days of Lent.

–What more can we do, to show God’s love for the earth and its inhabitants?

–The rainbow sign serves as a reminder of God’s investment in all of creation.  What are the signs around us of either humanity’s investment in creation, or our disinterest?

February 13-19, 2012

The story of the transfiguration (Jesus’ appearance was transfigured–changed before their very eyes),  is always the Gospel reading for the Sunday before Ash Wednesday.   You will find Mark’s version in Chapter 9:2-9.   It’s an intriguing story on many levels, but is made a little more complex by this mountaintop experience with Peter, James and John, as well as the presence of Elijah and Moses.  Talk about gathering in the saints from many generations!  It’s one of those stories where one can easily imagine a movie with all kinds of special effects.  Given all of that, what sense can be made of this story for out contemporary lives?

–Mountaintop experiences are great, and some of them we remember forever, but “mountaintops are to be visited, not lived on.”  (W. Paul Jones)  Has this been your experience?  What have been your mountaintop times that you wouldn’t have wanted to miss?

–What can mountaintop events give to us that we need for living the rest of our days, sometimes days it feels like we live in the valley?

–Have you had times where generations of the faithful were together?  What was that like and what did you learn?

February 6-12, 2012

In Mark 1:40-45, we read the story of the leper who came to Jesus for healing.  He puts the responsibility for his healing on Jesus–”if you choose, you can make me clean.”  Yet, because he made the request, the leper is also indicating his belief that this is really possible.  This may be an early example of the spiritual and physical working together to move toward wholeness.  “There exists a real, though not yet fully understood relationship between mind and body–belief and health, the spiritual and the physical.  The old dichotomies between body and spirit are questioned, if not challenged.”  (P.C. Enniss)

–How have you experienced this mind/body connection operating in people’s lives?

–When have you experienced healing and well-being?

–How can we be a part of the process that works to heal a hurting/sick world of a variety of maladies?

–Why do you think the leper went out and told everyone about his healing, after being told specifically by Jesus to not do so?