Resource theme: The Bible
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The Run Up to the Birth (Matthew 1: 18-25)
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Opening Prayer Jesus, light of the world, we give you thanks that you came to be one of us, in solidarity with all whose very humanity is often called into question. As we celebrate your humanity, let us celebrate the humanity of all people. Amen. Exegesis This section from the opening chapter of Matthew’s Gospel…
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The Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25: 31-46)
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Opening Prayer Holy One, Forgive me the times when I miss an opportunity to show your compassion in the world; open my heart to my neighbours and to all your creation, not in fear of your judgement but out of love for you. Amen Exegesis This passage opens with a reference to the ‘Son of…
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The Beatitudes (Matthew 5)
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Opening Prayer God, as we give thanks for your love, we also pray that our minds will be open to learning about you and our hearts will be open to people that we come in contact with. May your love and life shine through us. Amen. Exegesis The Sermon on the Mount gives us a…
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The Rich and the Kingdom of God (Mark 10: 17-31)
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Opening Prayer Gracious God, in the example of your son, Jesus, you call us to be solidarity with all your people, especially those who are poor and are on the margins. Help us to remain vigilant of our class prejudices lest we conform to the snobbery that undermines our witness. Amen. Exegesis In this gospel…
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Jesus and the Afflicted Man (Mark 5: 1-20)
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Opening Prayer Opening Prayer Jesus, Where others see demons You see fear, heart, survival and bravery. Lead us to see ourselves and our neighbours with your eyes, Because you bring us to the festival of human community. Amen. Exegesis This man in Mark’s gospel is an extraordinary man of survival and pain. He has been…
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Jesus is Accused (Mark 3: 20-30)
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Opening Prayer As we gather, we bring to God all that we are – our hopes and fears, our joys and pains, our truths and lies; trusting that God welcomes us just as we are, and works with us. Amen Exegesis This is one of the most difficult episodes in the Bible! What is going…
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Jesus and the Paralyzed Man (Mark 2.1-12)
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Opening Prayer Come Holy Spirit of God, open my heart to receive God’s word to me today. Make us aware of the presence of Jesus, that we might be touched by him. Amen. Exegesis This is such a vivid story – the friends’ loyalty to the paralysed man, their desperation in breaking through the roof,…
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Luke’s Gospel (Luke 24: 1-4)
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Opening Prayer Transforming and energising God forgive us when we collude with the status quo that seems happy to take from those at the bottom of society and give to those who have much more than they need. Help us to be attentive to the ways in which injustice is often hidden. Amen Exegesis Luke’s…
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The Persistent Widow (Luke 18: 1-10)
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Opening Prayer Loving God, Open our hearts to receive your wisdom. Amen Exegesis and Reflection Caught in a web of patriarchy, and living under an oppressive power of a 1st century agrarian society that supported the elite and rendered the marginalised invisible, a widow comes to an unjust judge and pleads for help. Under the…
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Feminist and Queer Approaches to Scripture
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It is the opinion of most feminist theologians that the church has, historically, marginalised and silenced women, and that it has employed well-recognised techniques for doing do. One of the ways in which this has happened has been through the systematic writing out of women from scripture and history – that is to say they…