Day 1 (Monday)

Exodus 20:1-26

Last week we saw the children of Israel arrive at Mount Sinai, and saw God command them to cleanse and prepare themselves, and that He came down upon the mountain on the third day in smoke and thunder, with the sound of trumpets. Once they had all gathered at the foot of the mountain to hear Him, He spoke to them. Let us hear what He says!

Then God spoke all these words:

2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; 3 you shall have no other gods before me.

4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, 6 but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.

8 Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 10 But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.

12 Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

13 You shall not murder.

14 You shall not commit adultery.

15 You shall not steal.

16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

18 When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin.” 21 Then the people stood at a distance, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

22 The Lord said to Moses: Thus you shall say to the Israelites: “You have seen for yourselves that I spoke with you from heaven. 23 You shall not make gods of silver alongside me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold. 24 You need make for me only an altar of earth and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your offerings of well-being, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you. 25 But if you make for me an altar of stone, do not build it of hewn stones; for if you use a chisel upon it you profane it. 26 You shall not go up by steps to my altar, so that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.”

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should point out that it is different seeing the Ten Commandments in context, and note the response of the people to hearing the voice of God, and the specific requirements for how to worship God. Some of the requirements for the altar are surprising and worth discussing)

2) What do we learn about God in this story? (We learn what is most important for us to do, the core of the Law, and that He must be worshipped in a particular way.)

3) What do we learn about human beings in this story? (We learn that human beings need laws to restrain them from sin, and we see what the natural human response is to seeing and hearing the glory of God).

4) What do you find difficult about this story? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question – the leader can mention anything that he/she finds difficult. It’s a good thing to show that it isn’t necessary to immediately understand or be able to explain the Scripture. Sometimes, we need to acknowledge that it makes us uncomfortable, or doesn’t make sense to us, and learn to sit with those questions and think about them, perhaps for days or weeks, but sometimes even for years.).

5) Does this story make you think that you need to change anything in your life? (It is good to reflect on the Ten Commandments – when Orthodox Christians examine themselves in preparation for Confession, we do so by reflecting on the Ten Commandments and considering how we have violated them. It is essential, however, that we remember that God calls us to repentance when we break these commandments. He does not condemn us absolutely if and when we sin, but provides a way for us to be reconciled to Him, if we will only take it and repent and return to Him.)

Day 2 (Wednesday)

St. Gregory Palamas on Encountering God

St. Gregory Palamas was a saint of the 14th century, and the Archbishop of Thessaloniki. In his writings, he speaks a great deal about the practical reality of the Christian life. In this passage, he sums up how a Christian should respond to Jesus Christ’s coming into the world. Since we are celebrating the Feast of Ypapanti, the Meeting of the Lord with those who were waiting for Him in the Temple, it is good for us to consider this, how it is that we should behave ourselves as we encounter God.

Since the Logos & Word of God, through his descent to us, has brought the kingdom of heaven close to us, let us not distance ourselves from it by leading an unrepentant life…. Let us acquire the fruits of repentance: a humble disposition, compunction and spiritual grief, a gentle and merciful heart that loves righteousness and pursues purity, peaceful, peacemaking, patient in toil, glad to endure persecution, loss, outrage, slander, and suffering for the sake of truth and righteousness. For the kingdom of heaven or, rather, the King of Heaven—ineffable in his generosity—is within us (Luke 17:21); and to Him we should cleave through acts of repentance and patient endurance, loving as much as we can him who so dearly has loved us.

St. Gregory Palamas

IV, Topics of Natural and Theological Science, sec. 57

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should point out that St. Gregory both thinks that repentance is the most essential way we should respond to God’s grace, AND that he sees many other virtues flowing from repentance as its natural fruit. That means these virtues can help us discern whether or not we are actually living in repentance.)

2) What do we learn about God in this passage? (We learn that He is with us and within us – and He calls us to be with Him.)

3) What do we learn about human beings in this story? (We learn what the Christian life should look like, in very basic terms, and therefore what the blessed life, the fulfilled life, looks like.).

4) What do you find difficult about this story? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (In this case, it may be a good idea simply to define some of the words St. Gregory uses. Disposition means mood/character, compunction means regret for sin, ineffable means beyond knowledge or definition, cleave means hold tight).

5) Does this story make you think that you need to change anything in your life? (The list of virtues and habits that St. Gregory mentions is a good “measuring stick” for us to apply to our own lives. Not just once, but always.)

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 8:40-56

Last week we read about Jesus & the disciples crossing the lake and how the Lord delivered the man who was possessed by many demons. After He had done so, they crossed back over the lake. Let’s see what happens next.

40 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 Just then there came a man named Jairus, a leader of the synagogue. He fell at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, who was dying.

As he went, the crowds pressed in on him. 43 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years; and though she had spent all she had on physicians, no one could cure her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. 45 Then Jesus asked, “Who touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and press in on you.” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; for I noticed that power had gone out from me.” 47 When the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

49 While he was still speaking, someone came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any longer.” 50 When Jesus heard this, he replied, “Do not fear. Only believe, and she will be saved.” 51 When he came to the house, he did not allow anyone to enter with him, except Peter, John, and James, and the child’s father and mother. 52 They were all weeping and wailing for her; but he said, “Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.” 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But he took her by the hand and called out, “Child, get up!” 55 Her spirit returned, and she got up at once. Then he directed them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were astounded; but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened.

Discussion Questions

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should point out the two miracles contained here, and how the woman was healed just by touching Jesus, which is different from what we normally see. Also, this is the second time Jesus raises someone from the dead. The first was the son of the widow of Nain, in Luke 7)

2) What do we learn about God in this story? (We learn that He is compassionate, and comforting, and how power over sickness and even death.).

3) What do we learn about human beings in this story? (We see the sort of problems that we tend to have: chronic sickness, death, and grief.).

4) What do you find difficult about this story? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. Some of the kids may wonder why the woman was healed without actually asking, or why Jesus told the parents not to tell anyone what happened with the girl who was dead. The Scripture doesn’t provide clear answers, so these are a good opportunity for discussion, to see what kind of answers the group comes up with.).

5) Does this story make you think that you need to change anything in your life? (The woman who was healed came to Jesus with purpose and intent – too often we just go through the motions when we pray or come to Church. We would do much better if we imitate this woman at those times, and always, and approach Christ with purpose and intent, desiring greatly that He make us whole).

Day 1 (Monday)

Exodus 19:1-25

Last week we saw how God provided food for the people of Israel in the wilderness, and established for them the Sabbath day of rest on the 7th day of the week. This week we are skipping ahead a few chapters; we actually read from Exodus 17 back in Week 3, on September 14th, when the Amalekites attacked the Israelites and God gave them victory against them through the sign of the Cross. But this week they will arrive at the mountain of God, at Mount Sinai, and God will speak to them and tell them what His purpose for them is.

19 On the third new moon after the Israelites had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day, they came into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 They had journeyed from Rephidim, entered the wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness; Israel camped there in front of the mountain. 3 Then Moses went up to God; the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the Israelites: 4 You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, 6 but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites.”

7 So Moses came, summoned the elders of the people, and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. 8 The people all answered as one: “Everything that the Lord has spoken we will do.” Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord. 9 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, in order that the people may hear when I speak with you and so trust you ever after.”

When Moses had told the words of the people to the Lord, 10 the Lord said to Moses: “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes 11 and prepare for the third day, because on the third day the Lord will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 You shall set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Be careful not to go up the mountain or to touch the edge of it. Any who touch the mountain shall be put to death. 13 No hand shall touch them, but they shall be stoned or shot with arrows; whether animal or human being, they shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they may go up on the mountain.” 14 So Moses went down from the mountain to the people. He consecrated the people, and they washed their clothes. 15 And he said to the people, “Prepare for the third day; do not go near a woman.”

16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, as well as a thick cloud on the mountain, and a blast of a trumpet so loud that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God. They took their stand at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because the Lord had descended upon it in fire; the smoke went up like the smoke of a kiln, while the whole mountain shook violently. 19 As the blast of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses would speak and God would answer him in thunder. 20 When the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. 21 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to the Lord to look; otherwise many of them will perish. 22 Even the priests who approach the Lord must consecrate themselves or the Lord will break out against them.” 23 Moses said to the Lord, “The people are not permitted to come up to Mount Sinai; for you yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set limits around the mountain and keep it holy.’” 24 The Lord said to him, “Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you; but do not let either the priests or the people break through to come up to the Lord; otherwise he will break out against them.” 25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should point out that God has a purpose for Israel, that He is making them His particular people, a priestly people, and that this means they need to keep themselves pure and holy.)

2) What do we learn about God in this story? (We learn that He is holy, and we see His power and His greatness as He descends in a cloud with an earthquake and fire and smoke upon the mountain. We see too that He makes promises to His people, but that there are conditions: “If we obey His voice and keep His covenant”).

3) What do we learn about human beings in this story? (We learn that human beings need to be purified to approach God).

4) What do you find difficult about this story? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question – the leader can mention anything that he/she finds difficult. It’s a good thing to show that it isn’t necessary to immediately understand or be able to explain the Scripture. Sometimes, we need to acknowledge that it makes us uncomfortable, or doesn’t make sense to us, and learn to sit with those questions and think about them, perhaps for days or weeks, but sometimes even for years.).

5) Does this story make you think that you need to change anything in your life? (It would be good to note that we should remember to take it seriously when we approach God, and not to take it lightly. We have the opportunity to change the way we approach God most especially in how we prepare for Holy Communion. Note: realizing that we need to prepare to encounter God should NOT mean that we decide simply NOT to encounter God at all, if preparation is difficult or inconvenient.)

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Prayers before Communion

There are many prayers that can be used to prepare to receive Holy Communion; in some prayer books, you can even find an entire Canon with hymns and prayers of preparation. However, there are seven prayers in particular that the clergy say before they receive Communion in the Liturgy, and the people can and should use these prayers as well. We will read three of them today.

I believe and confess, Lord, that You are truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. I also believe that this is truly Your pure Body and that this is truly Your precious Blood. Therefore, I pray to You, have mercy upon me, and forgive my transgressions, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, known and unknown. And make me worthy without condemnation to partake of Your pure Mysteries for the forgiveness of sins and for life eternal. Amen.

Behold, I approach for Holy Communion.
O, Creator, burn me not as I partake;
For You are fire, which burns the unworthy,
Wherefore, do cleanse me from every stain.

Tremble, O mortal, beholding the Divine Blood.
For it is as a lighted coal, burning the unworthy.
It is God’s Body and deifies and nourishes me:
It deifies my soul, and wondrously nourishes my mind.

Discussion questions (These are the normal questions we should ask when considering a prayer):

1) What does this prayer say about God? (These prayers say that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, that He has saved us, and that His Body and Blood are offered to us in Communion. They say that He is fire, and consumes the unworthy.)

2) What does this prayer say about us? (These prayers say that we are the first, the greatest of all sinners, that we are not worthy of God’s love, and that we need Him to cleanse us, to forgive and heal us, and to make us worthy.).

3) What is the relationship between us and God that this prayer is seeking? (A relationship in which we, who need God, receive His love and grace and mercy, and are brought into communion with Him, not because we are worthy, but because in our unworthiness He loves us. A relationship in which we are lower, and He is higher, and we are looking up to Him in thanksgiving.)

4) What do we need to change about our thinking and our living to make this prayer more real for us in our lives? (We need to confess the truth that we are unworthy and sinful, and the truth that God loves us even though we are unworthy and sinful, and that He calls us to approach Him and be healed and cleansed and forgiven and raised up and deified, made like Him)

5) Is there anything in this prayer that bothers, troubles, or confuses us? (There may be many answers, but a common question is how we can all say that we are the first among sinners with any truth. If one of us is the first among sinners, then everyone else would be second, third, etc. But the point is that we shouldn’t be looking at anyone else’s sins; when we stand before God, all that matters is that we are unworthy, and He loves us anyway and calls us to repentance and communion and theosis (to be made like God, like Him). If we’re looking at anyone else’s sins, we’re not looking at God…so in the only way that is relevant, we are all each the first among sinners.)

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 8:22-39

Last week we read the parable of the sower, and the further explanations that Jesus gave to what that parable meant. This week, we see what happens next in the Gospel of Luke, as Jesus and His disciples get into a boat and cross the lake to the other side.

22 One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they put out, 23 and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A windstorm swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. 24 They went to him and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he woke up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were afraid and amazed, and said to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?”

Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac

26 Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me”— 29 for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) 30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31 They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.

32 Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

34 When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.

Discussion Questions

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should point out that only God has power over the weather, over the chaos of the waters, and how interesting it is that the demons knew Jesus by name, even before He had spoken to them. We should notice that Jesus doesn’t do anything else in this country except cleanse this man with the demons; it appears that He crossed the lake for the express purpose of driving these demons out of him.)

2) What do we learn about God in this story? (We learn that He has divine power over both the weather and demons. We also see His love and compassion for human beings who are enslaved by demons).

3) What do we learn about human beings in this story? (We see how easy it is to be afraid; even when Jesus is with the disciples in the storm, they are still full of doubt and fear. We learn that human beings are the objects of demonic attack, and that the demons seek to destroy us. And we see that sometimes people want Jesus to just go away, when He does and says things that disrupt their lives.).

4) What do you find difficult about this story? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question – they might mention how the pigs are killed, and question why, or wonder how the man came to be possessed by a Legion of demons. I think God allows the demons to kill the pigs to show clearly that they are agents of death and destruction, to warn us not to take such things lightly. As for how the man came to be possessed, demon possession does not happen unless a person welcomes or seeks that sort of thing out. We should be careful, however, because various kinds of sin can open the door to demonic activity in our lives. Messing with the occult is an obvious example, but sexual sin can open the door as well, and seeking power and domination over others can be a first step towards sin that opens the door also).

5) Does this story make you think that you need to change anything in your life? (We should remember to trust God even in the midst of the storms, and make sure that we keep our lives filled with the things of God, so that there isn’t room for sins and demonic activity. If we think of our lives as a room, we need to make sure it is filled with light, so that the darkness doesn’t take it over. We do this with Scripture reading, with prayer, and with a general attention to the things of God throughout the course of our everyday lives).

This week, in the discussion questions, we will be trying out two different sets of questions that we can apply to our readings. The first set of questions about any Scriptural text is: “1 – What surprises me? 2 – What does it tell me about God? 3 – What does it tell me about people? 4 – What is difficult about it? 5 – What action does it require of me?” The second set of questions is: “What is the a) historical, b) allegorical, c) moral/ethical, d) eschatological meaning of this text?” We will apply these specifically to each reading, and give some of the important points that should be discussed, and hopefully we will grow accustomed to these questions over time.

Day 1 (Monday)

Exodus 15:22-26, 16:1-36

Last week we read the Song of Moses, which he sung after the parting of the Red Sea. This passage comes immediately afterward. This is important to say, because the way the people are doubting and complaining, we would think it had been months or years since they saw the power of God on display. Instead, it hasn’t even been a week.

22 Then Moses ordered Israel to set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter. That is why it was called Marah. 24 And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 He cried out to the Lord; and the Lord showed him a piece of wood; he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.

There the Lord made for them a statute and an ordinance and there he put them to the test. 26 He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, and give heed to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will not bring upon you any of the diseases that I brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”

And Israel came to the wilderness of Sin on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. 2 The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.” 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?” 8 And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.”

9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’” 10 And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11 The Lord spoke to Moses and said, 12 “I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”

13 In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather as much of it as each of you needs, an omer to a person according to the number of persons, all providing for those in their own tents.’” 17 The Israelites did so, some gathering more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of them needed. 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over until morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses; some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul. And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, as much as each needed; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.

22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, two omers apiece. When all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23 he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy sabbath to the Lord; bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning.’” 24 So they put it aside until morning, as Moses commanded them; and it did not become foul, and there were no worms in it. 25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is a sabbath, there will be none.”

27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, and they found none. 28 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and instructions? 29 See! The Lord has given you the sabbath, therefore on the sixth day he gives you food for two days; each of you stay where you are; do not leave your place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

31 The house of Israel called it manna; it was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. 32 Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, in order that they may see the food with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” 33 And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the Lord, to be kept throughout your generations.” 34 As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the covenant, for safekeeping. 35 The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a habitable land; they ate manna, until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. 36 An omer is a tenth of an ephah.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should point out basic plot, that Israel ran short of water and food, complained to Moses & Aaron, that God provided both water and food and instructions about them, and the people kept disobeying His instructions)

2) What do we learn about God in this story? (Some answers might be that He takes care of His people, but that He expects His people to trust Him and obey Him).

3) What do we learn about human beings in this story? (Some answers might be that we have needs, and that we are very bad at trusting and obeying God).

4) What do you find difficult about this story? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (Sometimes we don’t like rules…and we especially don’t like it when we are called out for disobeying the rules. It may be worth pointing out that sometimes, even if we don’t understand the reason behind the rules, obeying the rules is an important way to show that we trust and love the person who makes the rules).

5) Does this story make you think that you need to change anything in your life? (This is an open question – but hopefully, for all ages, we are reminded of the importance of obedience and trust in God).

Day 2 (Wednesday)

St. Athanasios the Great on the Incarnation

During the controversy about whether Jesus Christ was fully God or not, which was a very big argument through most of the 4th century, St. Athanasios the Great (of Alexandria in Egypt) wrote an important book, “On the Incarnation,” talking about how and why Jesus Christ became a human being, and what He accomplished by so doing. We are reading a short excerpt from that book today.

“The Lord did not come to make a display or to show off. He came to heal and to teach suffering men. If He had wanted to make a display and show off, the thing to do would have been just to appear and dazzle the beholders with an impressive vision. But He came to heal and to teach, and the way to do that was not just to dwell here with us, but to put Himself at the disposal of those who needed Him, and to reveal Himself to them only as much as they could bear it, so that He didn’t destroy the value to them of His Divine appearing to them by exceeding their capacity to receive the gift.”

Discussion questions:

1) What strikes you about this passage? What do you notice about it? What do you think St. Athanasios is trying to say? (He is explaining why God came as a human being, and didn’t make a big show of lights and power).

2) What is St. Athanasios trying to tell us about God? (That there is a good reason that He didn’t come in a way that nobody could deny or argue with…because coming in the fullness of His power would be more than anyone could bear. There may be other answers as well.)

3) What does St. Athanasios think is true and important about human beings, as it relates to Jesus Christ becoming a human being? (He thinks that our ability to receive and understand God is extremely limited, and that that is part of why Jesus came as a human being. There’s more there, but that point should be emphasized)

4) What do you find difficult about this? Is there anything here that confuses or bothers you? (Open question – there doesn’t seem to be anything particularly difficult, although it is true that we human beings don’t like the idea of there being things that are beyond our capacity. We tend to barrel through warnings and rules and instructions to “not push that big red button” because we want to see what happens if we break the rules. Sometimes, when those rules are set by reality itself, we hurt ourselves badly by doing so.)

5) Is there any action that this passage makes you think you should take? Any changes in your life or way of thinking or living that taking this passage seriously would require? (Admitting that we need God’s healing and help is often difficult. Acting on that admission is still harder. If what St. Athanasios says is true, then a lot of how we live each day needs to change.)

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 8:1-21

Last week we read about the sinful woman who washed and anointed Jesus’ feet while he was eating at Simon the Pharisee’s house, and how Jesus saw what she had done and what Simon was thinking, and what He said to both of them, chastising Simon and forgiving the woman’s sins. We continue the story from that point, as He goes through the countryside preaching and healing and explaining about the Kingdom of God.

8 Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, 2 as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.

4 When a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6 Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture. 7 Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. 8 Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold.” As he said this, he called out, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!”

9 Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to others I speak in parables, so that
‘looking they may not perceive,
and listening they may not understand.’

11 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away. 14 As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.

16 “No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, nor is anything secret that will not become known and come to light. 18 Then pay attention to how you listen; for to those who have, more will be given; and from those who do not have, even what they seem to have will be taken away.”

19 Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. 20 And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” 21 But he said to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

Discussion Questions

1) What happens in this reading? What are the main events? (1 – Jesus goes out preaching with the twelve and with some of the women disciples as well; 2 – He tells and explains the Parable of the Sower; 3 – He talks about the lamp and lamp stand, and his mother and brothers come to see Him. All three of these can bear more discussion.)

2) What do these things mean? Do any of them represent or tell a lesson beyond just telling what happened? (Obviously the parables of the sower and the lamp and the lamp stand mean something more…it would be good to see what everyone thinks they mean. The parable of the Sower is explained by Jesus, and it’s good to consider exactly how He explains it, but the small parable of the lamp and lamp stand is worth looking at again to see what Jesus is getting at. It may be important to think about whether the lamp on the lamp stand is connected with the good seed in the parable of the Sower.)

3) Why do you think Jesus said what He said when they told Him that his mother and brothers were there? Is there a lesson about how we should live and what is more important there? (Jesus is saying that what makes people close to Him isn’t whether they are related to Him by blood or family, but whether they hear the word of God and act on it. That doesn’t mean He is saying that He doesn’t love His mother and brothers…He is telling everyone else, including us, what we need to do to be His family.)

4) What does this reading tell us about the future? What end does God intend for us and for this world? (This can be seen especially in the parable of the Sower, since with the seeds being planted, there is the intent that they will grow and bear fruit, and that fruit will be harvested. In the parable of the lamp, as well, there is a promise that everything that is hidden will be revealed; so now is the time to shine a light on our own sins and failings and seek healing from God, so that we not have anything to hide at the Last Judgment.)

Day 1 (Monday)

Exodus 15:1-21

Last week we saw the people of Israel saved from Egypt by the Lord, Who parted the Red Sea and led them across in safety, and then destroyed the armies of Egypt as they tried to follow them to bring them back into slavery. This week we see Moses and the children of Israel sing a song to the Lord to celebrate this deliverance and give thanks to God for His goodness to them.

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:

“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.
2 The Lord is my strength and my might,
and he has become my salvation;
this is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

3 The Lord is a warrior;
the Lord is his name.
4 “Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he cast into the sea;
his picked officers were sunk in the Red Sea.
5 The floods covered them;
they went down into the depths like a stone.

6 Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power—
your right hand, O Lord, shattered the enemy.
7 In the greatness of your majesty you overthrew your adversaries;
you sent out your fury, it consumed them like stubble.
8 At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up,
the floods stood up in a heap;
the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea.

9 The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them.
I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.’
10 You blew with your wind, the sea covered them;
they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

11 “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
awesome in splendor, doing wonders?
12 You stretched out your right hand,
the earth swallowed them.
13 “In your steadfast love you led the people whom you redeemed;
you guided them by your strength to your holy abode.

14 The peoples heard, they trembled;
pangs seized the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed;
trembling seized the leaders of Moab;
all the inhabitants of Canaan melted away.
16 Terror and dread fell upon them;
by the might of your arm, they became still as a stone
until your people, O Lord, passed by,
until the people whom you acquired passed by.

17 You brought them in and planted them on the mountain of your own possession,
the place, O Lord, that you made your abode,
the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hands have established.
18 The Lord will reign forever and ever.”
19 When the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his chariot drivers went into the sea, the Lord brought back the waters of the sea upon them; but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.

The Song of Miriam

20 Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing. 21 And Miriam sang to them:

“Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.”

Discussion questions:

1) What do you think of this song of triumph? What is Moses celebrating about God in this song? (This is an open question – obviously God’s victory is celebrated, as well as His faithfulness to His promises to Abraham and His loving care for His people. Also the destruction of His enemies is celebrated as well, without apology.)

2) What do you think of the fact that Moses celebrates the destruction of the Egyptians? (This may be a point of discomfort – but we have two choices when we see God judge people in the Bible. We can side with the people, and decide that God is unfair, although we don’t know all the details of their minds and hearts. Or we can conclude that, since God is punishing them, it must be just and right. Certainly in this story, with all the warnings and opportunities that God has given to Pharaoh and the Egyptians in the last several chapters of Exodus, it is clear that God has been entirely just and right, and at this point the people who are being destroyed are determined to be His enemies, no matter what.)

3) Who are God’s enemies in this passage? The Egyptians, or their gods? (The answer is given in verse 11, when Moses says, “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?” The fallen angels, the demons who were the gods of the Egyptians, had raised rebellion against their Creator and sought to turn humanity to their side, opposing God Himself. God has delivered His people, and anyone who was willing to come with them, from these evil gods, and has utterly defeated them, and those who refused to be delivered, here at the Red Sea.)

4) Do you know when we talk about this event in our Church services? (Most probably will not, but this song is the first of Nine Odes that we see throughout Scripture, which serve as the basis for the hymns of the Canons that are sung in the Orthros throughout the Church year. This First Ode talks about the Lord’s deliverance of His people at the Red Sea; the Ninth Ode is probably better known, as it is the Megalynarion, the song of the Virgin Mary after the Annunciation, which begins: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” The Katavasies, hymns that are based on these Nine Odes, are sung before the Gospel reading on most Sundays, and the Priest censes during the Ninth Ode, toward the end of the Orthros service and near the beginning of the Liturgy.)

Day 2 (Wednesday)

St. Basil on Prayer and Thanksgiving

We know that the Christian life is supposed to be a life of constant prayer (St. Paul says we should “Pray without ceasing and give thanks in all circumstances” in 1 Thessalonians 5:16), but it can be difficult to figure out what that would actually look like, and how we should begin to do so. To help us out, St. Basil gives a beautiful and detailed account of how we can and should think about this in the passage we read today.

“As you take your seat at table, pray. As you lift the bread, offer thanks to the One Who Gives it to you. When you sustain your bodily weakness with wine, remember Him Who supplies you with this gift, to make your heart glad and to comfort your infirmity. Has your need for eating food disappeared once you are full? Do not let the thought of your Benefactor disappear with it. As you are putting on your clothes, thank the One Who gave it to you. As you wrap your coat around you, feel yet greater love to God, Who both in summer and in winter has given us coverings convenient for us, at once to preserve our life, and to cover what is unseemly.

Is the day come to an end? Give thanks to Him Who has given us the sun for our daily work, and has provided for us a fire to light up the night, and to serve the rest of the needs of life. When night has come, take it as yet another opportunity for prayer. When you look up to heaven and gaze at the beauty of the stars, pray to the Lord of the visible world; pray to God the Maker of the universe, Who in wisdom has made them all. When you see all nature sunk in sleep, then again worship Him Who gives us release from the continuous strain of toil (even when we would rather not sleep), and by a short refreshment restores us once again to the fullness of our strength.

But do not allow sleep to possess the night completely. Do not allow half of your life to be useless through the senselessness of slumber. Divide the time of night between sleep and prayer. More than that, do all you can to make your sleeping itself an experience in piety; for it is only natural that our sleeping dreams should echo the cares of the day. Whatever our conduct and pursuits have been, our dreams will follow after them. In this way, then, your thought will pray without ceasing: if you direct your thought to God in prayer, not only in words, but by uniting yourself to God through all the course of life, with every action and pursuit. This is how your life will be made one ceaseless and uninterrupted prayer.”

+ St. Basil the Great, from Homily V. In martyrem Julittam, adapted from the translation quoted in the Prolegomena in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers Series II Volume 8. From https://orthodoxchurchquotes.wordpress.com.

Discussion questions:

1) What does St. Basil say about being thankful? (This covers most of the prayer – he gives specific examples about how we should actively give thanks to God for every good thing that we have each day).

2) What does it mean to be thankful? (This is a point for reflection and discussion – there are two points that are essential for thanksgiving, however. First, there must be a recognition that the good thing we are receiving comes from God. Second, we must actively give thanks to God for that good thing; we must encounter Him in the good thing we are receiving, allowing it to be a meeting between God and ourselves.)

3) What does St. Basil say we should be thankful for at night? (The sun as it sets, the stars and the entire creation, and the rest that we are given at night.)

4) What does he say we should do at night? (He says we should pray, and not just sleep).

5) How does he say we should make night a time of prayer? (Two ways – actively, by actually praying at night. This can be just our evening prayers before we go to sleep, but there is a long Christian tradition of taking some time to pray, perhaps reading a Psalm or two, or just saying the Lord’s Prayer or the Jesus Prayer, or simply “Lord, have mercy,” at any time we wake during the night. But he also urges that, if our thoughts and cares are directed toward the Lord during the day, then even in our dreams we will continue to be oriented toward Him, and even our sleep will be a prayer.)

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 7:36-50

Last week we jumped back to Luke chapter 3 to read about John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus Christ’s baptism by him in the Jordan River. Today we continue from where we were the previous week, in Luke 7. Our last reading saw John’s disciples come to Jesus to ask if He was the Messiah; this time we see Jesus forgive the sins of a sinful woman, as further confirmation that He is indeed the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One of God.

36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. 37 And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. 38 She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment.

39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he replied, “speak.” 41 “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

44 Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.

47 Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” 48 Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Discussion Questions

1) What does the Pharisee hosting the dinner think when the sinful woman comes in and starts to wash Jesus’ feet? (He thinks that Jesus must not actually be a prophet, because if He were a prophet, He would know what sort of woman was touching Him, and making Him unclean because of her great sinfulness.)

2) What does Jesus do? (He asks Simon a question, telling him a story about two debtors, and asking which of them would love his merciful master more, the one who was forgiven a small debt, or the one who had a large debt. In short, He knows what Simon is thinking, so He shows that He IS indeed a prophet, and more than a prophet, by answering Simon’s unspoken challenge.)

3) Who does Jesus think is closer to the Kingdom of God? Who does He say loves God more? (He says that the sinful woman, who has been forgiven much, loves more, and proceeds to tell her that her sins are indeed forgiven. As for Simon – we don’t know what ends up happening to him.)

4) What is more important to the Lord? Would He rather we be perfect, or is it better that we learn how to repent? (This is a discussion question – some of the kids might say that it would be better to be perfect. If it were possible for us to be perfect, they might be right…but we know that it is not possible for us to be perfect. We all are sinful and inclined to sin – so we must learn to repent, how to confess our sinfulness and turn to the Lord, seeking His mercy and putting our trust in Him, and not in ourselves.)

Day 1 (Monday)

Exodus 14:5-31

We return to our normal Old Testament readings this week, after looking at different passages for Christmas over the last two weeks. We left Moses on his way back to Egypt after God spoke to him at Mt. Sinai. In Egypt he spoke to Pharaoh several times, and when Pharaoh refused to let the people go, God brought several plagues upon the Egyptians, until finally Pharaoh let the people go. As we will see, Pharaoh decided to chase after them and try to bring them back, but the Lord delivered His people and utterly defeated Pharaoh. This reading is especially fitting for this week, since we celebrate the Lord’s Baptism on January 6th, and this occasion, when the Children of Israel are delivered from bondage in Egypt by a miracle, with the parting of the Red Sea and their passage through it, is one of the significant moments in the history of the people of Israel that anticipates the Lord’s baptism. On both occasions, the Lord saves His people by means of water.

5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the minds of Pharaoh and his officials were changed toward the people, and they said, “What have we done, letting Israel leave our service?” 6 So he had his chariot made ready, and took his army with him; 7 he took six hundred picked chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. 8 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt and he pursued the Israelites, who were going out boldly. 9 The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, his chariot drivers and his army; they overtook them camped by the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.
10 As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites looked back, and there were the Egyptians advancing on them. In great fear the Israelites cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, ‘Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” 13 But Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.”
15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. 16 But you lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites may go into the sea on dry ground. 17 Then I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and so I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his chariot drivers. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained glory for myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his chariot drivers.”
19 The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. 20 It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. 22 The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and chariot drivers. 24 At the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic. 25 He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the Israelites, for the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.”
26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the Lord tossed the Egyptians into the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. 29 But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.
30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great work that the Lord did against the Egyptians. So the people feared the Lord and believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.

Discussion questions:

1) How many chariots did Pharaoh send after the Israelites when he decided that he shouldn’t have let Israel go? (It says he sent 600 picked chariots and ALL the other chariots of Egypt…so this was a large army, led by the elite forces of the king).

2) What did the Israelites say to Moses (and to the Lord) when they saw the Egyptians coming? (They asked if Moses had brought them out of Egypt to die in the wilderness because there weren’t graves for them in Egypt…this is a sarcastic way of saying that leaving Egypt was stupid, and they shouldn’t have listened to Moses at all, and slavery was at least better than dying).

3) What did Moses tell them? (He told them to not be afraid, and to stand firm, and that the Lord would fight for them, and they wouldn’t have to fight at all, only watch and see God would do to save them.)

4) What did God do? (He told Moses to stretch his staff over the sea, and He drove the sea back with a strong wind, and divided the waters, so the Israelites could cross over on dry land).

5) Why didn’t the Egyptians attack the Israelites while they were waiting for the waters to divide and waiting to cross over? (The Angel of the Lord, Who had been leading them, moved and went behind them, and blocked the way between them and the Egyptians with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night – so the Son of God Himself protected them during the night, in the form of a pillar of cloud and fire).

6) What happened to the Egyptians after the Israelites crossed over? (They tried to cross over as well, but the Lord told Moses to stretch his hand over the sea, and the division in the waters went away, and the waters came back and drowned the army of Pharaoh. The hymns of the Church talk about how Moses divided the waters moving his staff vertically, and brought them back together moving his staff horizontally, making the sign of the Cross above the waters and in that way anticipating the Lord’s deliverance of His people by both His baptism in the Jordan and by His crucifixion).

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Prayer from the Great Blessing of the Waters on Theophany (January 6th)

Every year we bless the waters on January 6th, on the Feast of Theophany, when we celebrate the baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist in the Jordan. There is a special prayer that we only use on this feast-day, that talks about what happens when the Lord is baptized, and reflects on how all of Creation is changed and transformed in this moment. It was written by St. Sophronios of Jerusalem.

We glorify you, the Creator and Fashioner of the universe. We glorify you, only-begotten Son of God, without father from your Mother, without mother from your Father. For in the preceding feast we saw you as a babe, but in the present one we see you full and perfect man, our God, made manifest as perfect God from perfect God.

For today the moment of the feast is here for us and the choir of saints assembles here with us, and Angels keep festival with mortals. Today the grace of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove dwelt upon the waters. Today the Sun that never sets has dawned and the world is made radiant with the light of the Lord. Today the Moon with its radiant beams sheds light on the world. Today the stars formed of light make the inhabited world lovely with the brightness of their splendour. Today the clouds rain down from heaven the shower of justice for mankind.

Today the Uncreated by his own will accepts the laying on of hands by his own creature. Today the Prophet and Forerunner draws near, but stands by with fear seeing God’s condescension towards us. Today the streams of Jordan are changed into healing by the presence of the Lord. Today all creation is watered by mystical streams. Today the failings of mankind are being washed away by the waters of Jordan. Today Paradise is opened for mortals and the Sun of justice shines down on us. Today the bitter water is changed to sweetness by the presence of the Lord, as it once was for Moses’ people of old.

Today we have been delivered from the ancient grief, and saved as the new Israel. Today we have been redeemed from darkness and are filled with radiance by the light of the knowledge of God. Today the gloomy fog of the world is cleansed by the manifestation of our God. Today all creation shines with light from on high. Today error has been destroyed and the coming of the Master makes for us a way of salvation. Today things on high keep festival with those below, and things below commune with things on high. Today the sacred and triumphant festal assembly of the Orthodox exults.

Today the Master hastens towards baptism, that He may lead humanity to the heights. Today the One who does not bow bows down to His own servant, that He may free us from servitude. Today we have purchased the Kingdom of heaven, for the Kingdom of the Lord will have no end. Today earth and sea share the joy of the world, and the world has been filled with gladness. The waters saw you, O God, the waters saw you and were afraid.

The Jordan turned back when it saw the fire of the godhead descending in bodily form and entering it. The Jordan turned back as it contemplated the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, descending and flying about you. The Jordan turned back as it saw the Invisible made visible, the Creator made flesh, the Master in the form of a servant. The Jordan turned back and the mountains leapt as they saw God in the flesh, and the clouds uttered their voice, marveling at what had come to pass, seeing Light from Light, true God from true God, the Master’s festival today in Jordan; seeing him drowning the death from disobedience, the goad of error and the bond of Hell in Jordan and granting the Baptism of salvation to the world.

Therefore I too, a sinner and your unworthy servant, recount the greatness of your wonders and, seized with fear, in compunction cry out to you:

“Great are You, O Lord, and wondrous are Your works, and no word will suffice to hymn Your wonders!”

Discussion questions:

1) There are two things that are repeated in this prayer; what were they? (The prayer says “Today” several times, and it says “The Jordan turned back!” several times as well.

2) Why do you think it says “today!” when it talks about all of these things that happened a long time ago? (This is a question to encourage discussion, but there are two points that should be emphasized once the discussion has died down. First, we talk about these things as happening “today” because we share in the consequences, the blessings, that have come from the Lord’s active presence in this world. Second, we talk about them happening “today” because in celebrating the Lord’s baptism, we participate in the event ourselves through the mechanism of memory and liturgical celebration. The barriers of time fall away when we enter the Church; we step out of the normal stream of time and enter into God’s time, His “Kairos,” the time of salvation, of opportunity, of transformation. So when we celebrate the Lord’s Baptism, and every other event of His life, we celebrate as those who are present, participating with all the Saints of all ages in the joy of the Lord’s Incarnation, of His presence in our midst.)

3) Why do you think we repeat that “the Jordan turned back”? (Again, this is to encourage discussion, but the idea is that Creation itself, and all the parts of it, even the rivers, and the mountains, and the clouds, were amazed at the presence of their Creator present in the flesh, saving and healing and restoring and transforming all that was and is broken in what He has made).

4) What do you think Jesus’ baptism means? Why did He begin His ministry by being baptized? (This too is a question to encourage reflection and discussion, bu at its core, it should be pointed out that the Lord’s baptism is a sign and token and first fruit of His Incarnation. He immerses Himself in our created nature completely; and by being present in it, He heals it, and transforms it, and reconciles it with Himself, and all of us are called to participate in that reconciliation. Which is why we too are baptized).

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 3:1-23

This week we will go back to Luke chapter 3, to read the account of John the Baptist’s preaching in the wilderness, and what he said to the people, and the baptism of Jesus, since we are celebrating the Lord’s baptism this week, on the feast of Theophany, January 6th, and are also celebrating the feast of St. John the Baptist on the next day, January 7th. A blessed feast day to all who celebrate on either day – this includes those named Photios and Photini, Theophania (and Tiffany), and of course everyone named John or Joanna, or any of the many variations on those names.

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth;
6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

7 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 9 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” 11 In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” 12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” 13 He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16 John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. 19 But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added to them all by shutting up John in prison.

21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved;[g] with you I am well pleased."
23 Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his work.

Discussion Questions

1) Why do you think St. Luke talks about all the rulers at the beginning of this reading? (The obvious answer is that he’s telling exactly when it happened; the less obvious answer is that he’s making a point that it DID really happen, that it’s history, not just a nice story. He’s not saying “Once upon a time,” but instead, “In this exact year, when these other things were happening in the real world, not in story land.”)

2) What does the prophecy of Isaiah say that John came to do? (To prepare the way of the Lord, to get ready for the day when all flesh would see the salvation of God).

3) What did John preach to the people who came to see him? (He told them to repent, and not to think that they didn’t need to repent because they were God’s chosen people. He also gave some specific instructions to different people who wanted to know what practical things they should do differently.)

4) What were the people thinking about John? (They thought he might be the Messiah.)

5) What did he tell them about that? (He told them that he was only preparing the way for someone else Who was coming after him, who would baptize not only with water, but with the Holy Spirit and with fire.)

6) What happened when Jesus was baptized? (The Holy Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove, and a voice came from heaven, calling Jesus His Son, the Beloved.”