1-11-14 Theological Reflection

Fr. Brendan Moss from St. Meinrad was the instructor.

Theological Reflection:  Where Faith and Life intersect.
Theological Reflection is not complicated:  Read; Reflect; Rest; Reverence.  

But you must do it with regularity!  You have to do it more than once a month!  We can't wait for God and Faith to come to us.  We must go out and get it.

Informal Theological Reflection is Theology from below:  "Where is God in this?" 
We are not seeking God in Heaven, we are seeking God incarnate

Formal Theological Reflection is Seeking God in Service to the Church.  Ministry is more than service: it should be an encounter with God. 

"Theological reflection is believing that our everyday living is an important agenda for our faith and that our faith has a voice in our everyday life.  It's an activity of integration.   It's an activity of reciprocity.  In our ancient tradition this would have been called searching for wisdom..."  (Joyce Gros)

Scripture and Catholic Social Teaching tells us that we have inherent dignity.  This dignity falls with Adam, and is restored with Jesus' life, death and resurrection.

1) We look at an experience
2) We look at Scripture and Tradition
3) We look at Culture

Theological reflection requires reflection ... which limits the knee-jerk reaction.  It allows us to connect faith and real life, and it helps us be more intentional in our lives and decisions.

There is nothing where God is not.

Theological reflection works on:
     Experience - it's all about everyday life.
     Feelings - what makes the feelings?  ask "Why?"
     Images - prodigal son and his Dad
     Insight - what do you want FOR me?
     Action - the next move.  The "So What?" ... the "Do What?"

We are called to be theological diagnosticians.  Spirits can not be 'fixed', they can be journeyed with.

The Pastoral skill of listening. 
What does it mean to "listen with the ear of one's heart"?

Listening required mutuality.  Listen for the wisdom in front of you.  Listen for the reality of the relationship.


Theological Reflection:  Looking for God in our lives.