Commentary and Questions Prepared for you by FR. James DiLuzio CSP
Reflecting on Zechariah and Elizabeth’s situation in Luke’s Gospel, Chapter 1, vs 5 through 25, I invite you to identify with the way they and those hearing or reading Luke’s Gospel were experiencing oppressions.
- Oppressed as a childless couple, stigmatized in an ancient culture
- Oppressed as a people conquered by the Roman Empire and formerly oppressed by other empires
- Oppressed by not having citizenship, deprived of all the rights and liberties thereof
- Oppressed by fear their religious traditions will be compromised by Rome’s official religions and/or that the religious freedom they enjoyed could be taken away
To feel oppressed is to feel “put upon,” to be denied a say in what impacts you. It can mean feeling taken for granted in ways that evoke a sense of helplessness and loss of basic human dignity. It can mean living in fear, under the threat of violence, imprisonment or death. One may be oppressed by the economy, social mores, unjust laws, or oppressed by people in authority—an unreasonable boss, an overbearing teacher or team leader—or even feel oppressed, taken for granted, by family members and friends. Knowing as we do that marriage in today’s Church and in modern societies is understood as a true partnership of equals—male and female, still, how often we hear one spouse say to another, “Why is it we always have to do things YOUR way . . . DEAR?” So now, focus your group on these three questions.
1. What do you imagine it would be like to live in an occupied country, or to live in your own country with lack of citizenship? Explain.
2. In what ways might you feel “oppressed” in your current life situation?”
3. What may be some of the most productive ways you and others can address your feelings of oppression? Some resources such as “Non-Violent Communication Skills” are featured on the web. You’ll find some suggestions in the footnote below.[1]
4. Does naming your personal oppressions enhance or detract from your ability to enter into this part of the Gospel and other stories like it? Please explain.
5. Does naming your personal oppressions enhance or detract from your ability to empathize with other oppressed people?
6. Explore the topic of Religious Freedom. How important is “religious freedom” to you? What about religious expression? For example, what is your opinion regarding displaying personal, religious symbols in public? And, what feelings are evoked within you as you discuss this topic? It would be best to start with how you “feel,” before you go into the topic.
7. To what extent is a person entitled to freedom of religious expression in the workplace? What is your opinion? What ethical principle grounds your opinion? For example, you could say, “The Golden Rule,” or “The Platinum Rule,” or “The US Bill of Rights.” Or perhaps you ground your opinion in a political philosophy, or a passage from the Bible, whether it is TANAKH (the formal name for the Jewish Bible) or the Christian Bible, Koran, other religious source, or, perhaps, some combination thereof.
Would you like a PDF copy of these Questions to print out for Small Groups or Personal Reflection? Write to jamesdiluzio@hotmail.com I’ll be happy to send it to you God bless!
[1] http://www.nonviolentcommunication.com/aboutnvc/4partprocess.htm
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