Day 1 (Monday)

Numbers 13:1 – 14:10a

Last time we read in Exodus 40 about the completion and consecration of the Tabernacle, and how God came and dwelt in the Tabernacle, in the midst of the people of Israel, and how He showed them when it was time to travel and when it was time to stop again. That chapter was the end of the book of Exodus. The next book, Leviticus, describes the detailed guidelines for how the sacrifices and services are to be conducted. Throughout Leviticus, and the beginning of the book of Numbers, we see the Israelites implementing the sacrifices and the priesthood and everything God had commanded them, while they remained at Mt. Sinai. After a year there, they celebrated the Passover, the celebration of their deliverance from Egypt, for the first time after leaving Egypt, and then God led them from Sinai to the border of the Promised Land. When they got there, they sent spies into the land, and that is where we pick up the story, in Numbers chapter 13.

Spies Sent into Canaan

13 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites; from each of their ancestral tribes you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.” 3 So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran, according to the command of the Lord, all of them leading men among the Israelites. 4 These were their names: From the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur; 5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat son of Hori; 6 from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh; 7 from the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of Joseph; 8 from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun; 9 from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of Raphu; 10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel son of Sodi; 11 from the tribe of Joseph (that is, from the tribe of Manasseh), Gaddi son of Susi; 12 from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel son of Gemalli; 13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur son of Michael; 14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi son of Vophsi; 15 from the tribe of Gad, Geuel son of Machi. 16 These were the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses changed the name of Hoshea son of Nun to Joshua.

17 Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, “Go up there into the Negeb, and go up into the hill country, 18 and see what the land is like, and whether the people who live in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, 19 and whether the land they live in is good or bad, and whether the towns that they live in are unwalled or fortified, 20 and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be bold, and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now it was the season of the first ripe grapes.

21 So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, near Lebo-hamath. 22 They went up into the Negeb, and came to Hebron; and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the Anakites, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 And they came to the Wadi Eshcol, and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them. They also brought some pomegranates and figs. 24 That place was called the Wadi Eshcol,[a] because of the cluster that the Israelites cut down from there.

The Report of the Spies

25 At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. 26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the Israelites in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us; it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 Yet the people who live in the land are strong, and the towns are fortified and very large; and besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the land of the Negeb; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the sea, and along the Jordan.”

30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” 31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against this people, for they are stronger than we.” 32 So they brought to the Israelites an unfavorable report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land that we have gone through as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people that we saw in it are of great size. 33 There we saw the Nephilim (the Anakites come from the Nephilim); and to ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”

The People Rebel

14 Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron; the whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become booty; would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, “Let us choose a captain, and go back to Egypt.”

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the Israelites. 6 And Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to all the congregation of the Israelites, “The land that we went through as spies is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. 9 Only, do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they are no more than bread for us; their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” 10 But the whole congregation threatened to stone them.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note that God told them to send spies into the land, and of course part of what they looked for was how strong the people living there were. Part of that seems to be a test; God has promised them that He is with them and will give them victory; He is letting them see that they can’t expect to win without His help, that He isn’t sending them against weak nations, but strong ones. Sadly, they don’t pass the test; they do NOT trust God to bring them in, except for Joshua & Caleb. Note, as well, the appearance of the giants, the Nephilim; these are clans of demonized human beings who have given themselves over to unspeakable things, making unholy alliance with evil spirits, and gaining great strength from that alliance. Dealing with them is Israel’s particular task, given to them by God.)

2) What do we learn about God in this reading?

3) What do we learn about human beings in this reading?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Didache (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) -3

Didache (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) -3

Last time we read some more from the Didache, the earliest text from the life of the Church outside of the New Testament. We began with positive instructions for how Christians treat our neighbors, and last week we read several commandments of what NOT to do. This week our reading goes into more detail about what sins to avoid, and how to live instead.

To Do and Not Do

My child, flee from evil of every kind and from everything resembling it. Do not become angry, for anger leads to murder. Do not be jealous or quarrelsome or hot-tempered, for all these things breed murders. My child, do not be lustful, for lust leads to sexual immorality. Do not be foulmouthed or let your eyes roam, for all these things breed adultery. My child, do not be an augur, since it leads to idolatry. Do not be an enchanter or an astrologer or a magician, or even desire to see them, for all these things breed idolatry. My child, do not be a liar, since lying leads to theft. Do not be avaricious or conceited, for all these things breed thefts. My child, do not be a grumbler, since it leads to blasphemy. Do not be arrogant or evil-minded, for all these things breed blasphemies.

Instead, be humble, for the humble shall inherit the earth. Be patient and merciful and innocent and quiet and good, and revere always the words that you have heard. Do not exalt yourself or permit your soul to become arrogant. Your soul shall not associate with the lofty, but live with the righteous and the humble. Accept as good the things that happen to you, knowing that nothing transpires apart from God.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note how this passage connects what we might call “smaller” sins with the larger sins that they lead to, warning against even the small sins, and urging Christian people to always choose a different way from the way of the world. It would be worthwhile to consider in your conversations how some of these smaller sins might lead to the greater sins. Note as well that humility, patience, mercy, innocence, quiet, good, and meditation on holy words are presented as the positive remedy to these evils; these are the things that Christians do instead of playing around with “small” sins.)

2) What do we learn about God in this reading?

3) What do we learn about human beings in this reading?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 22:1-30

Last time we read from Luke 11, where Jesus was beginning to speak to the people, and especially to their religious leaders, of how their opportunity to receive the Gospel and accept the kingdom of God was almost at an end. From Luke 12 through Luke 18, we see several other miracles that Jesus did and parables that He told, as He moves toward Jerusalem and His passion. He enters Jerusalem in Luke 19, and Luke 20 & 21 show Him preaching there, and then in Luke 22 we start the final story of how He approached His death and resurrection. As we start to approach Holy Week and Pascha, we will skip ahead to that point in Luke, so as to arrive at the Crucifixion and Resurrection by Holy Week.

The Plot to Kill Jesus

22 Now the festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was near. 2 The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they were afraid of the people.

3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve; 4 he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray him to them. 5 They were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money. 6 So he consented and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present.

The Preparation of the Passover

7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it.” 9 They asked him, “Where do you want us to make preparations for it?” 10 “Listen,” he said to them, “when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters 11 and say to the owner of the house, ‘The teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ 12 He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.” 13 So they went and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.

The Institution of the Lord’s Supper

14 When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. 15 He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. 21 But see, the one who betrays me is with me, and his hand is on the table. 22 For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed!” 23 Then they began to ask one another which one of them it could be who would do this.

The Dispute about Greatness

24 A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25 But he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26 But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

28 “You are those who have stood by me in my trials; 29 and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

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 this celebration of Passover is where Jesus establishes the Eucharist; this is the celebration that God has been telling the children of Israel to celebrate faithfully every year in our readings from Exodus the last several weeks. When we as Christians celebrate the Eucharist each week, we are continuing to obey that ancient commandment of God, but on a weekly, rather than just a yearly, basis.)

2) What do we learn about God in this reading?

3) What do we learn about human beings in this reading?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always).

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 1 (Monday)

Exodus 40:1-33

Last time we read in chapter 35 about how the people of Israel made offerings of various materials to make the tabernacle and everything in it. Chapters 36-39 narrate the actual making of everything, and then in Chapter 40, which is what we will read here, they put it together, and dedicate it to God, and the God enters into it and dwells with them.

The Tabernacle Erected and Its Equipment Installed

40 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. 3 You shall put in it the ark of the covenant, and you shall screen the ark with the curtain. 4 You shall bring in the table, and arrange its setting; and you shall bring in the lampstand, and set up its lamps. 5 You shall put the golden altar for incense before the ark of the covenant, and set up the screen for the entrance of the tabernacle. 6 You shall set the altar of burnt offering before the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, 7 and place the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 8 You shall set up the court all around, and hang up the screen for the gate of the court.

9 Then you shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and consecrate it and all its furniture, so that it shall become holy. 10 You shall also anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar, so that the altar shall be most holy. 11 You shall also anoint the basin with its stand, and consecrate it. 12 Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and shall wash them with water, 13 and put on Aaron the sacred vestments, and you shall anoint him and consecrate him, so that he may serve me as priest. 14 You shall bring his sons also and put tunics on them, 15 and anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may serve me as priests: and their anointing shall admit them to a perpetual priesthood throughout all generations to come.

16 Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded him. 17 In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was set up.

(This next section can be skipped – it effectively repeats everything above, saying that Moses did everything that God commanded him to do)

18 Moses set up the tabernacle; he laid its bases, and set up its frames, and put in its poles, and raised up its pillars; 19 and he spread the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent over it; as the Lord had commanded Moses. 20 He took the covenant and put it into the ark, and put the poles on the ark, and set the mercy seat above the ark; 21 and he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the curtain for screening, and screened the ark of the covenant; as the Lord had commanded Moses. 22 He put the table in the tent of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the curtain, 23 and set the bread in order on it before the Lord; as the Lord had commanded Moses. 24 He put the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle, 25 and set up the lamps before the Lord; as the Lord had commanded Moses.

26 He put the golden altar in the tent of meeting before the curtain, 27 and offered fragrant incense on it; as the Lord had commanded Moses. 28 He also put in place the screen for the entrance of the tabernacle. 29 He set the altar of burnt offering at the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering as the Lord had commanded Moses. 30 He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it for washing, 31 with which Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet. 32 When they went into the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed; as the Lord had commanded Moses.

33 He set up the court around the tabernacle and the altar, and put up the screen at the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work.

The Cloud and the Glory

34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 Whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out on each stage of their journey; 37 but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, before the eyes of all the house of Israel at each stage of their journey.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note the fact that once the Tabernacle was set up, God Himself came and remained with His people. Through everything that follows for them, we need to remember that God was visibly present with them, and all of them knew that this was the case. This is important because God remained present with them for a long time, and accept the Temple in Jerusalem that Solomon built as a dwelling place, and remained with them there…but at a certain point, God leaves the Temple, and He does not return until Jesus is brought into the Temple on the 40th Day after His birth. So this story connects directly with the feasts of the Lord's Incarnation, Annunciation, Christmas, Theophany, the Meeting, and of course Palm Sunday and Pascha. And we ourselves come into the presence of God every time we enter the Church, and every time we receive Holy Communion.)

2) What do we learn about God in this story?

3) What do we learn about human beings in this story?

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. )

5) Does this story make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Didache (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) -2

Last time we read the beginning of the Didache, the earliest text from the life of the Church outside of the New Testament. What we read last week talked about the two essential commandments of the way of life, to love God, and to love our neighbor. It made the point that the way in which we love God is by loving our neighbor, and set a high standard of what we need to do, giving generously, accepting insults and attacks without fighting back, and even loving our enemies. This time we will see how the Didache continues with commandments of what NOT to do to our neighbor.

The Second Commandment of the Way of Life

The second commandment of the teaching is: You shall not murder; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not corrupt children; you shall not be sexually immoral; you shall not steal; you shall not practice magic; you shall not engage in sorcery; you shall not abort a child or commit infanticide. You shall not covet your neighbor’s possessions; you shall not commit perjury; you shall not give false testimony; you shall not speak evil; you shall not hold a grudge.

You shall not be double-minded or double-tongued, for the double tongue is a deadly snare. Your word must not be false or meaningless, but confirmed by action. You shall not be greedy or avaricious, or a hypocrite or malicious or arrogant. You shall not hatch evil plots against your neighbor. You shall not hate any one; instead you shall reprove some, and pray for some, and some you shall love more than your own life.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note how these commandments extend and explain the Ten Commandments; it may be helpful to connect these instructions to the Ten Commandments, to see how each Commandment is further explained and expanded here. For instance, it makes the point that not just technical adultery, but all sexual immorality, is forbidden, it connects magic and sorcery with the worship of false gods, clarifies that abortion and infanticide count as murder, etc. The final point, about how we SHOULD treat people, with prayer, with correction, and with selfless love, is a good point to end on. The main point of the Commandments, and the main point of the Gospel, is positive, not negative, about what we are supposed to do that is good and draws us closer to God, and not just what is bad and separates us from Him. Even so, the Didache is making sure we don’t “hide” behind technicalities when it comes to the Ten Commandments, and that we understand that we really do have to live in a radically different way if we intend to follow Jesus)

2) What do we learn about God in this story?

3) What do we learn about human beings in this story?

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. )

5) Does this story make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 11:29-54

Last time we saw Jesus teach His disciples to pray, and show them that He had the power over demons and evil spirits that only God Himself could have. This time He will begin to speak in a clear judgment of the people of the day, both the people at large, and especially those with power and authority. Things are beginning to move toward His Passion and death in Jerusalem.

The Sign of Jonah

29 When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation; it asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be to this generation. 31 The queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here! 32 The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah is here!

The Light of the Body

33 “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar, but on the lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light; but if it is not healthy, your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore consider whether the light in you is not darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be as full of light as when a lamp gives you light with its rays.”

Jesus Denounces Pharisees and Lawyers

37 While he was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to dine with him; so he went in and took his place at the table. 38 The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not first wash before dinner. 39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You fools! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 So give for alms those things that are within; and see, everything will be clean for you.

42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love to have the seat of honor in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it.”

45 One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us too.” 46 And he said, “Woe also to you lawyers! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not lift a finger to ease them. 47 Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors killed. 48 So you are witnesses and approve of the deeds of your ancestors; for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ 50 so that this generation may be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against this generation. 52 Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”

53 When he went outside, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile toward him and to cross-examine him about many things, 54 lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.

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 the way that Jesus is speaking makes clear that something has changed. There were hints as He was sending out the 12 and the 70 in the last few chapters that the preaching of the Gospel was a moment of crisis, presenting everyone who heard with a choice of whether to receive Him or reject Him. Now, He is speaking directly to both the people and to their religious leaders, making clear that this is the last chance before judgment will come. Reading this together with the Old Testament, we see that God has been patient with His people since He first revealed Himself to them on Mt. Sinai, but with the approach of His Passion, the opportunity for them to repent and avoid disaster is coming to an end. Ultimately, the disaster comes some 40 years after the Crucifixion, when the Temple is destroyed after a Jewish rebellion against the Romans. Those who embrace the Lord are saved, and the Church survives and thrives. But with the destruction of the Temple, everything changes for those who reject Him.)

2) What do we learn about God in this reading?

3) What do we learn about human beings in this reading?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always.).

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life? (This reading should make us think long and hard about ourselves, and whether we are responding to the preaching of the Gospel and following the Lord as we should. He is patient and forgiving and loving, but it is very possible for us to harden our hearts and destroy completely our desire to receive His grace.  If we become so hardened that we no longer want what God gives to us, then at a certain point it will not matter that God is loving and forgiving, because we will have destroyed the ability in ourselves to receive His love. For us, this reading is a call to beware, and to repent.)

Day 1 (Monday)

Exodus 35:1-29

Last time we read in chapters 33 & 34 about how Moses asked God’s forgiveness for the people, and God accepted his repentance and renewed the covenant, and sent Moses back down to the people after 40 days up on the mountain (yes, again!), and we saw how Moses’ face was shining after he was in the presence of God This chapter comes right after that, and shows Moses telling the people how to make the Tabernacle in which to worship God. It gives us a good summary of everything that we skipped in the last 15 chapters, and tells us also where they got the materials to make everything.

Sabbath Regulations

35 Moses assembled all the congregation of the Israelites and said to them: These are the things that the Lord has commanded you to do:

2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy sabbath of solemn rest to the Lord; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. 3 You shall kindle no fire in all your dwellings on the sabbath day.

Preparations for Making the Tabernacle

4 Moses said to all the congregation of the Israelites: This is the thing that the Lord has commanded: 5 Take from among you an offering to the Lord; let whoever is of a generous heart bring the Lord’s offering: gold, silver, and bronze; 6 blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and fine linen; goats’ hair, 7 tanned rams’ skins, and fine leather; acacia wood, 8 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 9 and onyx stones and gems to be set in the ephod and the breastpiece.

10 All who are skillful among you shall come and make all that the Lord has commanded: the tabernacle, 11 its tent and its covering, its clasps and its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; 12 the ark with its poles, the mercy seat, and the curtain for the screen; 13 the table with its poles and all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; 14 the lampstand also for the light, with its utensils and its lamps, and the oil for the light; 15 and the altar of incense, with its poles, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the entrance, the entrance of the tabernacle; 16 the altar of burnt offering, with its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils, the basin with its stand; 17 the hangings of the court, its pillars and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court; 18 the pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the court, and their cords; 19 the finely worked vestments for ministering in the holy place, the holy vestments for the priest Aaron, and the vestments of his sons, for their service as priests.

Offerings for the Tabernacle

20 Then all the congregation of the Israelites withdrew from the presence of Moses. 21 And they came, everyone whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and brought the Lord’s offering to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the sacred vestments. 22 So they came, both men and women; all who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and pendants, all sorts of gold objects, everyone bringing an offering of gold to the Lord. 23 And everyone who possessed blue or purple or crimson yarn or fine linen or goats’ hair or tanned rams’ skins or fine leather, brought them. 24 Everyone who could make an offering of silver or bronze brought it as the Lord’s offering; and everyone who possessed acacia wood of any use in the work, brought it.

25 All the skillful women spun with their hands, and brought what they had spun in blue and purple and crimson yarns and fine linen; 26 all the women whose hearts moved them to use their skill spun the goats’ hair. 27 And the leaders brought onyx stones and gems to be set in the ephod and the breastpiece, 28 and spices and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense. 29 All the Israelite men and women whose hearts made them willing to bring anything for the work that the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done, brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note the fact that the Tabernacle and everything that went in it, all the things that Moses had been told to make for the people to worship God on earth in reflection of the heavenly Liturgy…all these things were made with things that the people gave to God from their own possessions, and all of it was made by those of the people who had skill to make them. It’s a reminder that God wants us to give ourselves to Him…it’s not nearly so important that we give God the best that there is, as it is that we give Him the best that we have. We need to give Him ourselves.)

2) What do we learn about God in this story?

3) What do we learn about human beings in this story?

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. )

5) Does this story make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Didache (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles)

This is a short text that comes from either the end of the 1st century or the beginning of the 2nd century, and describes the Christian life for those who are preparing to be baptized. In the early Church, those preparing to be baptized spent a period of time before their baptism fasting and receiving instruction in the Christian Faith; and they were often baptized on the eve of Pascha. This time of preparation is the origin of Great Lent, so it makes sense for us to read from the Didache over the course of the Fast.

The teaching of the Lord to the Gentiles by the twelve apostles.

The Two Ways

There are two ways, one of life and one of death, and there is a great difference between these two ways.

The First Commandment of the Way of Life

Now this is the way of life: First, you shall love God, who made you. Second, you shall love your neighbor as yourself; but whatever you do not wish to happen to you, do not do to another. The teaching of these words is this: Bless those who curse you, and pray for your enemies, and fast for those who persecute you. For what credit is it if you love those who love you? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? But you must love those who hate you, and you will not have an enemy.

Abstain from fleshly and bodily cravings. If someone gives you a blow on your right cheek, turn to him the other as well and you will be perfect. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles; if someone takes your cloak, give him your tunic also; if someone takes from you what belongs to you, do not demand it back, for you cannot do so. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not demand it back, for the Father wants something from His own gifts to be given to everyone. Blessed is the one who gives according to the command, for such a person is innocent.

Woe to the one who receives: if, on the one hand, someone who is in need receives, this person is innocent, but the one who does not have need will have to explain why and for what purpose he received, and upon being imprisoned will be interrogated about what he has done, and will not be released from there until he has repaid every last cent. But it has also been said concerning this: “Let you gift sweat in your hands until you know to whom to give it.”

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note how much time is spent explaining how we should treat other people, especially people we don’t want to treat well, especially our enemies. We act in love toward God as we act in love toward our neighbor, even our enemy.)

2) What do we learn about God in this story?

3) What do we learn about human beings in this story?

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. )

5) Does this story make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 11:1-28

Last time we read the parable of the Good Samaritan and saw Jesus visit Martha and Mary. As we move forward in St. Luke’s Gospel, we leave that sequence behind and see Jesus and his disciples in what appear to be several unrelated “scenes” in this chapter. Broadly, however, this chapter deals with prayer and with the problem of demons.

The Lord’s Prayer
11 He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say:

Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
And do not bring us to the time of trial.”

Perseverance in Prayer

5 And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.’ 7 And he answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

9 “So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Jesus and Beelzebul

14 Now he was casting out a demon that was mute; when the demon had gone out, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 16 Others, to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a desert, and house falls on house. 18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? —for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. 22 But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his plunder. 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

The Return of the Unclean Spirit

24 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 When it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first.”

True Blessedness
27 While he was saying this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!” 28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey 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 the examples that Jesus gives of prayer, of people who pester and bother others to get what they need. The point isn’t that God doesn’t want to answer our prayers, but that we need to be persistent, and truly seek the mercy and grace of God, in order to be able to receive the good gifts that He gives to us. The final point about demons, the story about the “return of the unclean spirit,” explains clearly why, when we fast, we need to also pray and fill our minds and hearts with godly things. If we make a space in our lives, and don’t fill it with good things, other things will rush in to fill that vacuum. But if we fill our lives with the things of the Lord, we will always be safe from unclean spirits.)

2) What do we learn about God in this story?

3) What do we learn about human beings in this story?

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.)

5) Does this story make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 1 (Monday)

Exodus 33:4–23, 34:1-9, 27-35

Last time we read in chapter 32 about how the people made and worshipped the golden calf, and the punishment that they brought upon themselves through their sin. In the next two chapters, Moses pleads with God for mercy, and to remain with them as they go to the Promised Land. For God had said that He would not go with them. Let's see how the people and Moses respond.

33:4 When the people heard these harsh words, they mourned, and no one put on ornaments. 5 For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, and I will decide what to do to you.’” 6 Therefore the Israelites stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward.

The Tent outside the Camp

7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp; he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. 8 Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise and stand, each of them, at the entrance of their tents and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent. 9 When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. 10 When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise and bow down, all of them, at the entrance of their tent. 11 Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then he would return to the camp; but his young assistant, Joshua son of Nun, would not leave the tent.

Moses’ Intercession

12 Moses said to the Lord, “See, you have said to me, ‘Bring up this people’; but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ 13 Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” 14 He said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 And he said to him, “If your presence will not go, do not carry us up from here. 16 For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people, unless you go with us? In this way, we shall be distinct, I and your people, from every people on the face of the earth.”

17 The Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing that you have asked; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” 18 Moses said, “Show me your glory, I pray.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you the name, ‘The Lord’; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.” 21 And the Lord continued, “See, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock; 22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; 23 then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”

34 The Lord said to Moses, “Cut two tablets of stone like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets, which you broke. 2 Be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai and present yourself there to me, on the top of the mountain. 3 No one shall come up with you, and do not let anyone be seen throughout all the mountain; and do not let flocks or herds graze in front of that mountain.” 4 So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the former ones; and he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tablets of stone. 5 The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name, “The Lord.” 6 The Lord passed before him, and proclaimed,

“The Lord, the Lord,
a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger,
and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
7 keeping steadfast love for the thousandth generation,
forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,
yet by no means clearing the guilty,
but visiting the iniquity of the parents
upon the children
and the children’s children,
to the third and the fourth generation.”

8 And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped. 9 He said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

Then God agreed, and renewed the covenant, repeating the instructions to drive out the sinful people from the Promised Lan, and not to be corrupted by them, to keep the festivals, to dedicate and redeem all the firstborn, both of humans and of animals, to keep the Sabbath, and the other things we have already read.

27 The Lord said to Moses: Write these words; in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel. 28 He was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

The Shining Face of Moses

29 Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. 32 Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; 34 but whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note the fact that Moses talks to God face-to-face, but also asks to see God’s face. This is another place where we see plurality in Yahweh. It seems to indicate that Moses is talking with the the Son of God, but is not able to see the face of the Father; he can see the Son, but cannot see the Father and live. The way that Moses’ face shines when he has been in the presence of God is one of the sources for the “halo” that we see in the icons of the Saints. The glory of God is shining from their faces, and we depict that with the gold halo. Finally, since Lent begins this coming Monday, we should note that Moses goes outside the camp, and up the mountain when they are there, to meet with God. We can thinking of fasting as a means of leaving the camp and going up the mountain in our own lives; we are intentionally separating ourselves from the world around us and going out into the wilderness to meet with God. And again – Moses is up on the mountain with God for 40 days))

2) What do we learn about God in this story? (We see that He is merciful, and gives sinful people yet another chance, even after the Golden Calf)

3) What do we learn about human beings in this story?

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. )

5) Does this story make you think that you need to change anything in your life? (We need to seek God – this is why we fast – we hold fast to Him, and leave everything else behind)

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Metropolitan Anthony Bloom on the Christian Life

These last few weeks we have been reading excerpts from Metropolitan Anthony Bloom’s “Beginning to Pray.” This time he is talking more generally about what the Christian life looks like, and how Christians are separate from the world, not because we are crazy, but because we are the only ones who are truly sane.

As Christians we are always in tension – in anguish and at the same time in bliss. This is mad, ridiculous. But it is true – accepting the dark night just as we accept the brilliance of the day. We have to make an act of surrender – if I am in Christ, there are moments when I must share the cry of the Lord on the cross and the anguish in the garden of Gethsemane. There is a way of being defeated, even in our faith – and this is a way of sharing the anguish of the Lord. I don’t believe that we should ever say, ‘This cannot happen to you.’ If we are Christians we should go through this life, accepting the life and the world, not trying to create a falsified world.

But, on the other hand, the Christian is like someone who lives in three dimensions in a world in which the majority of people live in two. People who live freely and within a dimension of eternity will always find that something is wrong, they will always find themselves being the odd man out. The same problem was faced by the early Christians when they said that their only king was God. People turned round to them and said, ‘If you say that you are disloyal to our king’ and often persecuted them. But the only true way of being loyal to this two-dimensional world is to be loyal to the three-dimensional world, because in reality the world is three-dimensional. If you really live in three dimensions and do not simply live in two and imagine the third, then life will be full and meaningful. The early Christians were able to do it and Christians today are also able to do that.

Beginning to Pray – pg. 18-19

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note the idea that the revelation of Jesus Christ is the true reality; it makes no sense to those who choose to believe that only what they can see really exists. We might note, too, that this quickly becomes driven by what people choose to see. Christians allow the Lord to open their eyes, and then follow Him and are faithful to Him.)

2) What do we learn about God in this story?

3) What do we learn about human beings in this story?

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. )

5) Does this story make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 10:25-42

Last time we saw Jesus send out the 70 Apostles, and when they came back He talked to them about how God always chooses to reveal Himself and work through simple, weak, ignorant, and even foolish people, and how finally, what had been desired by all the great saints of the Old Testament was being revealed to them, those who were following Him and listening to Him. Let’s see what happens next.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27 He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”

29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Jesus Visits Martha and Mary

38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42 there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Discussion Questions

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should point out how these two stories illustrate the point Jesus was making before. The lawyer knows the right answer, but he struggles to live it; Jesus shows what it actually looks like to love God and to love our neighbor. Then, He shows Mary and Martha that the things the world thinks are important aren’t as important as listening to and following Him. In both cases, the “normal” rules of the world are turned upside down, as Metropolitan Anthony said in the reading on Day 2.)

2) What do we learn about God in this story? (He doesn’t work in the way that we expect, and He doesn’t care if we know the right answer if we don’t LIVE the right answer).

3) What do we learn about human beings in this story? (We have a very hard time not getting completely mixed up and confused in how we are supposed to follow 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, as always.).

5) Does this story make you think that you need to change anything in your life? (Hopefully everyone sees that Jesus isn’t just asking us to be “good people.” He wants us to actively and truly follow Him, to be radically changed, to be transformed. That involves doing “good things,” but will as often involve living in a way that drives the people around us nuts, not least because even in living in that way, it will condemn them for their failure to actually follow Jesus).