Isaiah 43:16-21
The prophet commands the people to forget the past, although he looks both backwards, to describe the Lord, and forward to God’s new act of salvation. How might their past hinder the people’s ability to see the “new thing?” Are there ways that our past (either personally or as a community) keeps us from seeing God’s new acts?
Isaiah offers a hope based, not on recent experience, but on the old stories of God’s acts of salvation. What would you say is the difference between hope based on faith and simply positive thinking or optimism?
Philippians 3:4b-14
Paul is single-minded about knowing Christ. What do you think he means by this? Why would Paul mention sharing in Christ’s suffering? How would you say you know Christ? Does your experience have anything in common with Paul’s?
Paul describes his spiritual journey as a race, with resurrection as the prize to be won. He isn’t referring to competition, but he is talking about achievement. Notice that at the beginning of the reading, Paul offered a brag sheet of his old credentials in Judaism, then tossed them all. What could we imagine to be the achievements of the Christian life? How do we achieve them?
John 12:1-8
What was Mary thinking as she anoints Jesus’ feet? What does her wholehearted devotion and Jesus’ acceptance of it say about the meaning of worship? What does it meant to love God with our whole heart and mind? How do we know we’re doing it?
If we compare Mary’s act with Jesus’ footwashing example later in the Last Supper, we might recognize it as an act of discipleship. Why, then, is Judas wrong in thinking that the perfume should be used to help the poor? How do worship and service connect?