Day 1 (Monday)

Tobit 4:1 – 21

Last time we saw Tobit and Sarah both pray to God in moments of deep sadness, asking for whatever mercy they might receive from Him, and we saw God send the Archangel Raphael to help them and bring them comfort and peace. This week we will see Tobit remember that he isn’t quite as destitute as he had been thinking, as the rest of the book is set in motion.

Tobit Instructs Tobias

1 On that day Tobit remembered the silver he had entrusted to Gabael at Rages of Media. 2 So he said to himself, “I requested death for myself. Why do I not call my son Tobias to make this known to him before I die?” 3 So he summoned him and said, “My son, if I die, bury me, but do not disregard your mother. Honor her all the days of your life. Do what is pleasing to her, but do not grieve her. 4 Remember, my son, that she experienced many dangers for you while you were in the womb. When she dies, bury her beside me in the same grave.

5 My son, remember the Lord our God all your days, and do not desire to sin or to disobey His commandments. Do righteousness all the days of your life, and do not walk in the ways of wrongdoing. 6 For if you walk in the truth, you will be successful in your works. 7 Do almsgiving from your possessions to all who do righteousness. When you do almsgiving, do not let your eye be envious. Do not turn your face away from any poor man, so the face of God will not be turned away from you. 8 Do almsgiving based on the quantity of your possessions. If you possess only a few, do not be afraid to give according to the little you have. 9 You are storing up a good treasure for yourself in the day of necessity. 10 For almsgiving delivers us from death and prevents us from entering into the darkness. 11 Indeed, almsgiving is a good gift for all who do it before the Most High.

12 “My son, guard yourself from all fornication, and above all take a wife from among the seed of your fathers. Do not take a foreign woman who is not from the tribe of your father, for we are sons of the prophets. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are our fathers from of old. Remember, my son, that all these took wives from among their brothers and were blessed in their children. Their seed will inherit the land. 13 So now, my son, love your brothers and do not be arrogant in your heart against your brothers, the sons and daughters of your people. Take a wife for yourself from them, for arrogance brings destruction and great disorder, and in such worthlessness there is loss and great defect. For worthlessness is the mother of famine. 14 “Do not keep overnight the wages of any man who works for you, but pay him immediately. If you serve God, He will pay you.

Give heed to yourself, my son, in all your works, and be disciplined in all your conduct. 15 What you yourself hate, do not do to anyone. Do not drink wine unto a state of drunkenness, and do not let drunkenness become your traveling companion. 16 From your bread, give to him who is hungry, and from your clothing, give to the naked. If you have more than you need, do almsgiving, and do not let your eye envy the almsgiving when you do it. 17 Spread out your bread on the grave of the righteous, but do not give it to sinners. 18 “Seek counsel from every sensible man, and do not treat any useful advice with contempt. 19 At every opportunity bless the Lord God, but more than this ask that your ways may become straight, and that all your paths and purposes may prosper. For not every nation has understanding. But the Lord Himself gives all that is good, and as He desires He humbles whomever He will.

Money Left in Trust with Gabael

Now my son, let none of my commandments be removed from your heart. 20 “Now let me point out to you the ten talents of silver I entrusted to Gabael the son of Gabrias, in Rages of Media. 21 Do not fear, my son, that we have become poor. For you are very rich if you fear God. Stay away from every sin, and do what is pleasing before Him.”

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note that this entire passage is a summary of how we should live our lives, in a very direct and practical way. It’s not theological or intellectual, but is deeply rooted in the truth of Who God is, and what He has created and called us to do. Tobit outlines in careful and essential detail what that means, on an every day level. There are a lot of these things that are hard for us to hear. We don’t like being told that we should limit who we marry, that it matters what faith they hold. We struggle with the insistence on generous almsgiving; it is extremely easy to come up with religious excuses to NOT be generous, far easier than it is to simply follow the commandment. What Tobit outlines, though, is ultimately very simple. If we wish to be faithful to God, then we need actually to live faithful lives, and set the fear and the love of God above every other desire and principle and love.)

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)

Letter of St. Ignatius to the Ephesians – 3

Last time we saw St. Ignatius urge the Christians in Ephesus to be careful to preserve their unity with their bishop, and to make sure not to abandon the gatherings of the Church to celebrate the Eucharist. We got some hints about what sort of problems the Church in Ephesus was experiencing, and in this coming passage, we will see still more, about false teachers who were there disrupting the unity of the Church and stirring up disagreements against the bishop and the Gospel.

Warnings about Teachers of Error

For there are some who are accustomed to carrying about the Name maliciously and deceitfully while doing other things unworthy of God. You must avoid them as wild beasts. For they are mad dogs that bite by stealth; you must be on your guard against them, for their bite is hard to heal. There is only one physician, who is both flesh and spirit, born and unborn, God in man, true life in death, both from Mary and from God, first subject to suffering and then beyond it, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Therefore let no one deceive you, just as you are not now deceived, seeing that you belong entirely to God. For when no dissension capable of tormenting you is established among you, then you indeed live God’s way. I am a humble sacrifice for you and I dedicate myself to you Ephesians, a church that is famous forever. Those who belong to the flesh cannot do spiritual things, nor can those who are spiritual do fleshly things, just as faith cannot do the things of unfaithfulness, nor unfaithfulness the things of faith. Moreover, even those things that you do according to the flesh are in fact spiritual, for you do everything in Jesus Christ.

But I have learned that certain people from elsewhere have passed your way with evil doctrine, but you did not allow them to sow it among you. You covered up your ears in order to avoid receiving the things being sown by them, because you are stones of a temple, prepared beforehand for the building of God the Father, hoisted up to the heights by the crane of Jesus Christ, which is the cross, using as a rope the Holy Spirit; your faith is what lifts you up, and love is the way that leads up to God. So you are all participants together in a shared worship, God-bearers and temple-bearers, Christ-bearers, bearers of holy things, adorned in every respect with the commandments of Jesus Christ. I too celebrate with you, since I have been judged worthy to speak with you through this letter, and to rejoice with you because you love nothing in human life, only God.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note that Ignatius is warning the Christians in Ephesus about a real danger, people who claim to be teaching about God, but are in fact wrong. The language he uses about them is strong: “mad dogs, whose bite is hard to heal.” The point is that, both then, and now, there are many people who claim to be preaching the truth about Jesus Christ, and many of the things they say will seem true, and right, and reasonable…or at least very appealing to us. But if they contradict the Faith we have received, we have to reject them, and hold fast to the Faith the Lord delivered to the Apostles, and take time to learn the truth about what we have heard. He is, in short, making a strong argument for Orthodoxy, the right and correct way of thinking and living and being, and for the dangers of being led astray by teaching that is not Orthodox. Besides this, if no one else has commented on it, the leader should make sure to make note of the metaphor of the building, with the Cross as the construction crane of Jesus Christ. It’s an unusual, but vivid, and beautiful image.)

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 16:1-31

These several chapters show Jesus as He is on the way to Jerusalem for His Passion, speaking with many people in the towns and on the roads along the way. Last time we heard the three parables of the lost coin, the lost sheep, and the prodigal son, showing us that God is loving and merciful, and desires earnestly to save those who have gone astray. This time we will see him return to speaking about those who are in authority, and the high standard to which they will be held.

The Parable of the Dishonest Manager

16 Then Jesus said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. 2 So he summoned him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.’ 3 Then the manager said to himself, ‘What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.’

5 So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 He answered, ‘A hundred jugs of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.’ 7 Then he asked another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘A hundred containers of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill and make it eighty.’ 8 And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes. 

10 “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. 11 If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? 13 No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

The Law and the Kingdom of God

14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they ridiculed him. 15 So he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of others; but God knows your hearts; for what is prized by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God.

16 “The law and the prophets were in effect until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone tries to enter it by force. 17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one stroke of a letter in the law to be dropped.

18 “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and whoever marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

The Rich Man and Lazarus

19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. 24 He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.’

25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 26 Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ 27 He said, ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ 30 He said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

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 there are effectively two distinct parables here. The first, the story of the dishonest manager, is a very weird story. It’s unusual that the “hero” of the parable is not a good person at all. He is an example only in that he knows how to use money to make friends; so Jesus is telling his disciples that they, who are not evil or dishonest, should still understand the right way to use money. In the case of the dishonest manager, and in the case of any disciples of the Lord who have money, the money belongs, in fact, to the Lord. If even a dishonest manager can figure out, when caught, that he should give that money to the poor, even if only to save his own skin, then certainly those who follow the Lord ought to be able to figure out what is the right thing to do with money.
The other story, of course, is the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, which gives us the clearest picture we have anywhere in Scripture of what happens after death. It’s fairly self-explanatory, but it can be noted that it doesn’t say who created the gulf between Abraham and the rich man in torment…it would be good to discuss who it is that is punishing the rich man, who it is that has created the separation between the place of torment and the place of peaceful rest. Myself, I believe that the rich man is punishing himself…he has rejected God all his life, and is unable to bridge that gulf that he himself has created, and his selfishness and unrepentant prevents anyone from helping him, even if they want to do so.)

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)

Tobit 2:1 – 3:17

Last time we read the first chapter of Tobit, and saw how he was taken into captivity when Israel was given over to the Assyrians, and how he remained faithful throughout every circumstance in his life, even when doing so brought consequences. He had to flee when the Assyrian king was trying to kill him for burying other Jews that had been killed and left lying in the streets or refuse heaps, and then was able to return when a new king took the throne. This is where our story picks up today.

The Charitable Tobit Becomes Blind

1 When I arrived at my house, my wife Anna and my son Tobias were given back to me. It was the Feast of Pentecost, which is the holy feast of the seven weeks. A good dinner was prepared for me, so I sat down at the table to eat. 2 When I saw the abundance of meat, I said to my son, “Go and bring whomever you may find of our needy brethren who are mindful of the Lord. Behold, I will wait for you.” 3 But he came back and said, “O father, one of our people was strangled and thrown into the marketplace.” 4 So before I even tasted anything, I jumped up and carried the corpse into a room until sunset. 5 Then I returned, bathed myself, and ate my bread in sorrow. 6 Then I remembered the prophecy of Amos, how he said,

“Your feasts will be turned into mourning,
And all your gladness into a song of grief.”

So I wept.

7 When the sun went down, I departed, and after digging a grave, I buried him. 8 My neighbors laughed at me and said, “He is no longer afraid to be put to death for doing such a thing. He ran away before, and now, behold, he is burying the dead again.” 9 On the same night that I buried him, I returned home. But since I was defiled, I slept by the wall of the courtyard with my face uncovered. 10 However, I did not see the sparrows on the wall, for while my eyes were open the sparrows discharged their droppings into my eyes, and they became white films in my eyes. I went to physicians, but they could not help me. Then Ahikar supported me until he left for Elymais.

11 Then my wife Anna worked for hire at what women do. 12 She would send her work to the owners and they would pay her. On one occasion they paid her wages and also gave her a small goat. 13 But when she returned to me, it began to bleat. So I said to her, “Where did this goat come from? Is it not stolen? Return it to the owners, for it is unlawful to eat what is stolen.” 14 But she replied, “It was given to me as a gift. It was in addition to my wages.” But I did not believe her, telling her to return it to its owners. I blushed in embarrassment for her sake. So she answered and said to me, “Are your acts of charity and righteous deeds lawful? Behold, you are a know-it-all!”

Tobit's Prayer

1 Then I wept in my sorrow, and with pain I prayed, saying: 2 “O Lord, You are righteous. So too are all Your works. All Your ways are mercy and truth. Your judgments are true and just forever. 3 Remember me and look upon me with favor. Do not punish me for my sins and my ignorance, nor those sins of my fathers which they committed against You. 4 Because they disobeyed Your commands, so You gave us as spoil, captivity and death. You made us a byword of disgrace among all the nations in which we were scattered.
5 Now Your judgments concerning my sins are many and they are true, because I did them, and so did my fathers. For we did not keep Your commandments. Indeed we did not walk in truth before You. 6 Now do with me as is best before You. Command that my spirit be taken up, so I may be released and become soil, since it is better for me to die than to live. For I have heard false insults, and there is much sorrow within me. Command that I be freed from distress to now enter into the eternal place. Do not turn Your face away from me.”

Sarah in Ecbatana

7 On the same day, in Ecbatana of Media, Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, happened to be insulted by her father's maids. 8 She was married to seven husbands, but before they could be with her as a wife, Asmodeus, the evil demon, killed them. So they said to her, “Do you not recollect that you strangled these husbands? You have already had seven husbands, but you received no profit from any of them. 9 Therefore, why punish us? If they are dead, go with them. May we never see a son or daughter of yours.” 10 When she heard this, she was so distressed that she considered hanging herself. But she said, “I am the only one of my father. If I do this, it will be a disgrace to him, and I will bring down his old age with sorrow into Hades.”11 So she prayed by her window and said:

Sarah's Prayer

“Blessed are You, O Lord my God. Blessed is Your holy and precious name unto the ages. May all Your works bless You forever. 12 Now, O Lord, I offer myself completely to You. 13 Command that I be released from the land, that I may not hear such disgrace any more. 14 O Lord, You know that I am innocent of any sin with a man. 15 I have not defiled my name nor the name of my father in the land of my captivity. I am my father's only offspring. He has no other child who will be his heir. Neither does he have a brother close at hand, nor an adopted son that I might keep myself as a wife to him. Seven of my husbands have already perished. What should I live for? But if it does not seem good to You to kill me, command that I be looked upon with favor, and that mercy be shown to me, so I may no longer hear disgrace.”

16 The prayer of both was heard in the presence of the great glory of Raphael, 17 and he was sent to heal the two of them: to remove the white films from Tobit; to give Sarah of Raguel to Tobias the son of Tobit as a wife; and to bind Asmodeus the evil demon, for it fell upon Tobias to inherit her. At that same time Tobit returned and entered his house, and Sarah of Raguel came down from her upstairs room.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note that we see two things here. The first is the further heightening of the tension we started to see last week. Tobit and Sarah are both righteous, and seem to be innocent of any great sin themselves…but they are suffering anyway. This is a common reality for us to see and experience in this world. The second point, and the more important point, is how they each respond to this suffering. Both of them pray, turning the matter over to God. They speak honestly, with a pain that is raw and evident, but they confess that the suffering they are receiving is just, both as a punishment for the sins of the people, and their own particular sins. Then they both entrust themselves to God, accepting the suffering, but asking for vindication, for mercy, or at least for an end. And it is therefore especially important that we see God acting immediately to answer their prayer. We can see an example of how we should pray here in their two prayers. First, by confession of sin. Second, by entrusting ourselves to God’s will. Third, by asking for mercy. This is what repentance looks like; this is what our relationship with God should look like. You may notice, too, that this is exactly how the prayers of the Church are written. Finally, we should note what the names mean. Asmodeus is uncertain, but may mean something like "the destroyer." Raphael means "God heals," and he is one of the seven archangels.)

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)

Letter of St. Ignatius to the Ephesians – 2

Last time we began to read the letter of St. Ignatius to the Ephesians. He wrote this letter from Smyrna, where he had been visited by a delegation from the Church in Ephesus, led by the bishop of Ephesus, Onesimus. He began his letter by congratulating the church in Ephesus on what a pious and faithful bishop they had, and continues here by urging them to obey him, to remain in active communion with their bishop.

Obedience to the Bishop

I am not commanding you, as though I were someone important. For even though I am in chains for the sake of the Name, I have not yet been perfected in Jesus Christ. For now I am only beginning to be a disciple, and I speak to you as my fellow students. For I need to be trained by you in faith, instruction, endurance, and patience. But since love does not allow me to be silent concerning you, I have therefore taken the initiative to encourage you, so that you may run together in harmony with the mind of God. For Jesus Christ, our inseparable life, is the mind of the Father, just as the bishops appointed throughout the world are in the mind of Christ.

Thus it is proper for you to run together in harmony with the mind of the bishop, as you are in fact doing. For your council of presbyters, which is worthy of its name and worthy of God, is attuned to the bishop as strings to a lyre. Therefore in your unanimity and harmonious love Jesus Christ is sung. You must join this chorus, every one of you, so that by being harmonious in unanimity and taking your pitch from God you may sing in unison with one voice through Jesus Christ to the Father, in order that he may both hear you and, on the basis of what you do well, acknowledge that you are members of his Son. It is, therefore, advantageous for you to be in perfect unity, in order that you may always have a share in God.

For if I in a short time experienced such fellowship with your bishop, which was not merely human but spiritual, how much more do I congratulate you who are united with him, as the church is with Jesus Christ and as Jesus Christ is with the Father, so that all things may be harmonious in unity. Let no one be misled: if anyone is not within the sanctuary, he lacks the bread of God. For if the prayer of one or two has such power, how much more that of the bishop together with the whole church! Therefore whoever does not meet with the congregation thereby demonstrates his arrogance and has separated himself, for it is written: “God opposes the arrogant.” Let us, therefore, be careful not to oppose the bishop, in order that we may be obedient to God.

Furthermore, the more anyone observes that the bishop is silent, the more one should fear him. For everyone whom the Master of the house sends to manage his own house we must welcome as we would the one who sent him. It is obvious, therefore, that we must regard the bishop as the Lord himself. Now Onesimus himself highly praises your orderly conduct in God, reporting that you all live in accordance with the truth and that no heresy has found a home among you. Indeed, you do not so much as listen to anyone unless he speaks truthfully about Jesus Christ.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note that Ignatius sees the active Communion of the Saints, each Christian’s participation in the communal and sacramental life of the Church, as the most important thing for a Christian to do…and that he sees it as impossible to do this without living in obedience to the bishop. He makes a few arguments to support this. The latter one is simply that the bishop is the direct representative of Christ, and that therefore, we need to treat the bishop like we would treat Christ Himself. The former is that the Church is called to operate like a musical chorus, and that a musical chorus requires a director, and the bishop is that director; so it is impossible for the Church to do and be what it is called to do and be unless everyone is in perfect harmony with the bishop. It is important to note, as well, that Ignatius doesn’t make this argument on the basis of his own authority…he speaks humbly, as one still learning, but also with certainty, as one describing something that is universally known to all. This reflects, then, a truth that was clearly established even at this early date, but also a struggle and challenge that has existed in the Church from the beginning.)

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 15:1-34

In Luke chapter 14, which we read last week, the Lord spoke in several different ways about the importance of being faithful to Him, of following Him and leaving every other loyalty behind, of making the Lord and the Gospel the highest priority of life. He didn’t sugarcoat what it meant to follow Him either, but urged everyone who was listening to Him to count the cost, to prepare themselves to trade earth for heaven, and to follow Him. This time we will see what happens when the religious authorities notice who has been listening to this preaching and putting it into action.

A Warning against Hypocrisy

15 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

3 So he told them this parable: 4 “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

8 “Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother

11 Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything.

17 But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’ 20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27 He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ 28 Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ 31 Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”

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 Jesus has been speaking so far to the conflict between what we tend to think is important in life – food, clothing, shelter, family, money, & power – and what is truly important, that is, the Kingdom of God. In these passages, He shifts gears, and begins to speak about the difference between how those who follow Him appear to the world – as a deplorable crowd of sinners and vagrants – and how God sees them, as precious vessels of grace once lost, but now restored to their proper place. In this shift, we are able to see that the reality of the Kingdom of God is not just that punishment is coming, and we need to act to be saved from it. More importantly, the love and glory of God is offered to us, and we need to act to receive it. The point is not just to be saved from judgment, although judgment will indeed come upon those who refuse the call of the Lord. Rather, the call of the Lord is to restoration and wholeness and love and everlasting life. This is what we see depicted in these parables of the Prodigal Son, and of the missing coin and the lost sheep.)

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)

Tobit 1:1-22

As we move into the summer, we will read one of the books from the so-called Apocrypha, books that we don’t read aloud in the Church, and which aren’t included in many English-language Bibles, but which have always been understood to be a part of the Old Testament in the Orthodox Church. The book of Tobit lets us see what happens to a family that is faithful to God in the northern nation of Israel, even after the sins of the kings and majority of the people result in God giving them into the hands of the Assyrian Empire. The nation of Israel is gone as we begin the book of Tobit, but God is still faithful to those who hold fast to Him.

Introduction

1 The book of the acts of Tobit the son of To′biel, son of Anan′iel, son of Ad′uel, son of Gab′ael, of the descendants of As′iel and the tribe of Naph′tali, 2 who in the days of Shalmane′ser, king of the Assyrians, was taken into captivity from Thisbe, which is to the south of Kedesh Naph′tali in Galilee above Asher.

Tobit’s Youth and Virtuous Life

3 I, Tobit, walked in the ways of truth and righteousness all the days of my life, and I performed many acts of charity to my brethren and countrymen who went with me into the land of the Assyrians, to Nin′eveh. 4 Now when I was in my own country, in the land of Israel, while I was still a young man, the whole tribe of Naph′tali my forefather deserted the house of Jerusalem. This was the place which had been chosen from among all the tribes of Israel, where all the tribes should sacrifice and where the temple of the dwelling of the Most High was consecrated and established for all generations for ever.

5 All the tribes that joined in apostasy used to sacrifice to the calf Ba′al, and so did the house of Naph′tali my forefather. 6 But I alone went often to Jerusalem for the feasts, as it is ordained for all Israel by an everlasting decree. Taking the first fruits and the tithes of my produce and the first shearings, I would give these to the priests, the sons of Aaron, at the altar. 7 Of all my produce I would give a tenth to the sons of Levi who ministered at Jerusalem; a second tenth I would sell, and I would go and spend the proceeds each year at Jerusalem; 8 the third tenth I would give to those to whom it was my duty, as Deb′orah my father’s mother had commanded me, for I was left an orphan by my father. 9 When I became a man I married Anna, a member of our family, and by her I became the father of Tobi′as.

Taken Captive to Nineveh

10 Now when I was carried away captive to Nin′eveh, all my brethren and my relatives ate the food of the Gentiles; 11 but I kept myself from eating it, 12 because I remembered God with all my heart. 13 Then the Most High gave me favor and good appearance in the sight of Shalmane′ser, and I was his buyer of provisions. 14 So I used to go into Media, and once at Rages in Media I left ten talents of silver in trust with Gab′ael, the brother of Gabri′as. 15 But when Shalmane′ser died, Sennach′erib his son reigned in his place; and under him the highways were unsafe, so that I could no longer go into Media.

Courage in Burying the Dead

16 In the days of Shalmane′ser I performed many acts of charity to my brethren. 17 I would give my bread to the hungry and my clothing to the naked; and if I saw any one of my people dead and thrown out behind the wall of Nin′eveh, I would bury him. 18 And if Sennach′erib the king put to death any who came fleeing from Judea, I buried them secretly. For in his anger he put many to death. When the bodies were sought by the king, they were not found. 19 Then one of the men of Nin′eveh went and informed the king about me, that I was burying them; so I hid myself. When I learned that I was being searched for, to be put to death, I left home in fear. 20 Then all my property was confiscated and nothing was left to me except my wife Anna and my son Tobi′as.

21 But not fifty days passed before two of Sennach′erib’s sons killed him, and they fled to the mountains of Ar′arat. Then Esarhad′don, his son, reigned in his place; and he appointed Ahi′kar, the son of my brother An′ael, over all the accounts of his kingdom and over the entire administration. 22 Ahi′kar interceded for me, and I returned to Nin′eveh. Now Ahi′kar was cupbearer, keeper of the signet, and in charge of administration of the accounts, for Esarhad′don had appointed him second to himself. He was my nephew.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note that we are seeing Tobit sum up the final result of the sins that Ahab and Jezebel led the nation of Israel into; the kingdom was conquered by the surrounding nations, bit by bit, until the Assyrian Empire completely overthrew the Hebrew kings of Israel, and led them into captivity. The Assyrians conquered many people, and what they did to pacify those peoples was a series of population exchanges, so that half of the people from any given region would be resettled elsewhere, throughout the Assyrian Empire, and replaced with people similarly displaced from other conquered areas. This is how, for instance, Tobit ends up in Ninevah, but Gabael ends up in Rages in Media. The other thing to point out is what Tobit does that shows his faithfulness. While he is still in Israel, he does not worship Jereboam’s golden calves, but instead goes to the Temple in Jerusalem, and gives three tithes of all his produce as commanded in the Law. After he goes into exile, he does not eat the food sacrificed to idols, and he cares for poor and needy Jews, and he buries those who are denied burial, at the risk of his own life and freedom and prosperity. In short – he remains faithful to God, even in exile.)

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)

Letter of St. Ignatius to the Ephesians – 1

Now that we have read the Didache, we’ll take the chance this summer to read another piece of early Christian writing, from the letters of St. Ignatios of Antioch. St. Ignatios was the bishop of Antioch in the period just after the Apostles; he was himself a disciple of St. John the Evangelist, and possibly of Sts. Peter and Paul as well. During the reign of the Emperor Trajan, between A.D. 98 and 117, he was arrested and tried, and when he refused to renounce Christ before the Emperor himself, he was condemned to death by wild beasts in Rome, since the emperor didn’t want to martyr him in his own city, but in a distant and humiliating obscurity far away. During the long journey to Rome, as he passed through the cities of Asia Minor, he was visited by delegations from several of the churches in that region, and in turn he wrote letters to several of them, as well as a letter to the Church in Rome. These letters have been preserved in the Church since that time, and give us a priceless glimpse of the life of the Church in the first decades of the 2nd century. We will be reading his letter to the Ephesians.

Salutation

Ignatius the God-bearer to the church at Ephesus in Asia, blessed with greatness through the fullness of God the Father, predestined before the ages for lasting and unchangeable glory forever, united and elect through genuine suffering by the will of the Father and of Jesus Christ our God, a church most worthy of blessing: heartiest greetings in Jesus Christ and in blameless joy.

Thanks for Visit and Assistance

I welcomed in God your well-beloved name, which you possess by reason of your righteous nature, characterized by faith in and love of Christ Jesus our Savior. Being imitators of God, once you took on new life through the blood of God you completed perfectly the task so natural to you. For when you heard that I was on my way from Syria in chains for the sake of our shared name and hope, and was hoping through your prayers to succeed in fighting with wild beasts in Rome – in order that by so succeeding I might be able to be a disciple – you hurried to visit me.

Since, therefore, I have received in God’s name your whole congregation in the person of Onesimus, a man of inexpressible love who is also your earthly bishop, I pray that you will love him in accordance with the standard set by Jesus Christ and that all of you will be like him. For blessed is the one who has graciously allowed you, worthy as you are, to have such a bishop.

Now concerning my fellow servant Burrhus, who is by God’s will your deacon, blessed in every respect, I pray that he may remain with me both for your honor and the bishop’s. And Crocus also, who is worthy of God and of you, whom I received as a living example of your love, has refreshed me in every way; may the Father of Jesus Christ likewise refresh him, together with Onesimus, Burrhus, Euplus, and Fronto, in whom I saw all of you with respect to love. May I always have joy in you – if, that is, I am worthy. It is proper, therefore, in every way to glorify Jesus Christ, who has glorified you, so that you, joined together in a united obedience and subject to the bishop and the council of presbyters, may be sanctified in every respect.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note that we see Ignatius present himself as a man facing death as a test, a trial, a completion of a life lived in faithfulness to Jesus Christ. He calls himself the God-bearer, and does not come across as a man who is afraid of death, but rather as a man who is intent on finishing his chosen course well, but also is concerned about the well-being of those he leaves behind. He is writing to this church to encourage them to be faithful themselves, and giving them specific instructions in how to do so. One final point – the bishop of Ephesus, Onesimus, is one of the many disciples of St. Paul that are named in the New Testament, which emphasizes for us the closeness of this time to that of the Apostles, as not only Ignatius himself, but many of the other leaders of the Church in Asia Minor and throughout the world, would have been themselves catechized and baptized by the Apostles.)

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 14:1-35

We have now read all of the Gospel of Luke, except for chapters 14 through 21 (we actually read the latter part of Luke 19, which describes Palm Sunday, but the rest of it has not been read yet). These chapters cover the final actions and teachings of the Lord before His Passion, both before He went to Jerusalem, and in the final days before the Last Supper. We will cover these remaining chapters over the course of the summer.

Jesus Heals the Man with Dropsy

14 On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. 2 Just then, in front of him, there was a man who had dropsy. 3 And Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees, “Is it lawful to cure people on the sabbath, or not?” 4 But they were silent. So Jesus took him and healed him, and sent him away. 5 Then he said to them, “If one of you has a child or an ox that has fallen into a well, will you not immediately pull it out on a sabbath day?” 6 And they could not reply to this.

Humility and Hospitality

7 When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; 9 and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11 For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

12 He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

The Parable of the Great Dinner

15 One of the dinner guests, on hearing this, said to him, “Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 Then Jesus said to him, “Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. 17 At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for everything is ready now.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please accept my regrets.’ 19 Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please accept my regrets.’ 20 Another said, ‘I have just been married, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his slave, ‘Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22 And the slave said, ‘Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.’ 23 Then the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those who were invited will taste my dinner.’”

The Cost of Discipleship

25 Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them, 26 “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. 33 So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.

About Salt

34 “Salt is good; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; they throw it away. Let anyone with ears to hear listen!”

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 Jesus is continuing to make the same points we have been seeing so far, that His coming is a critical moment for everyone there, and that they must not treat it as just another every day, but must choose to follow Him, or not. This is the particular point of the parable of the banquet; all of the excuses that the people give are, in general, normal, everyday life, good reasons to miss a party. That the excuses are not accepted does not show the master of the house to be strict or crazy, but indicates that the banquet is far, far more important than the people who are being invited realize, and that they are making a terrible mistake in treating it as just another party. Then he continues the point by speaking still more clearly to them about the cost of discipleship, and how those who follow Him need to choose Him above all other values, desires, and possessions.)

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)

Proverbs 1:20-35

As we begin the summer, we will start with another selection from the book of Proverbs. In this passage, the writer of Proverbs reflects on the nature of wisdom, how it is present everywhere, available for all, and yet how common and easy it is to turn away from wisdom to foolish desires and wrong actions. The repeated point of the book of Proverbs is the importance of attending regularly, with discipline and care, to the things of God, as a way of actively turning away from this world and turning towards the Lord.

The Call of Wisdom

20 Wisdom cries out in the street;
in the squares she raises her voice.
21 At the busiest corner she cries out;
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge?
23 Give heed to my reproof;
I will pour out my thoughts to you;
I will make my words known to you.

24 Because I have called and you refused,
have stretched out my hand and no one heeded,
25 and because you have ignored all my counsel
and would have none of my reproof,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when panic strikes you,
27 when panic strikes you like a storm,
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.

28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently, but will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 would have none of my counsel,
and despised all my reproof,
31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way
and be sated with their own devices.

32 For waywardness kills the simple,
and the complacency of fools destroys them;
33 but those who listen to me will be secure
and will live at ease, without dread of disaster.”

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note that Wisdom, in the Old Testament, and especially in the book of Proverbs and similar books, is associated with the Word of God Himself, with our Lord Jesus Christ. The book of Proverbs itself makes this explicit in chapter 8, that Wisdom here is not just the idea of wise-ness, but a Person, God Himself, Who speaks in wisdom and cries out to human beings that they should return to Him. If we think of these words being spoken by Jesus Christ as we see Him in the Gospels, we find, I think, that the tone and voice are much the same as we have been hearing from Him throughout the Gospel of Luke. It should also be noted that the word for Wisdom in both Hebrew and Greek is grammatically feminine, which is why the feminine pronoun “she” is used here; so we aren’t saying that Jesus is a woman, but that this title of His, Wisdom, is grammatically feminine in Greek (σοφία), just as the word for road in Greek (ὁδός) is feminine, and the word for world (κόσμος) is masculine, but that doesn’t mean that the road is a woman, or the world is a man.)

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) – 12

This week we finish with the Didache, the earliest text from the life of the Church outside of the New Testament. The Didache has two parts: the first describes the Way of Life and the Way of Death, and the second gives general instructions for the life of the Church. This final portion speaks of the Last Days, and warns the Faithful that there will be many troubles in the future, and that it will be a time of testing, but that at the end, the Lord will return. This tells us, then, of what the early Church expected to happen to the world, and to them, and what they were preparing for…it tells us, too, what we should expect, and how we should prepare.

Mini-Apocalypse

For in the last days the false prophets and corrupters will abound, and the sheep will be turned into wolves, and love will be turned into hate. For as lawlessness increases, they will hate and persecute and betray one another. And then the deceiver of the world will appear as a son of God and will perform signs and wonders, and the earth will be delivered into his hands, and he will commit abominations the likes of which have never happened before.

Then all humankind will come to the fiery test, and many will fall away and perish; but those who endure in their faith will be saved by the Accursed One Himself. And then there will appear the signs of the truth: first the sign of an opening in heaven, then the sign of the sound of a trumpet, and third, the resurrection of the dead – but not of all; rather, as it has been said, “The Lord will come, and all his saints with him.” Then the world will see the Lord coming upon the clouds of heaven.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note that what this describes is very intense, but we can break it down to a few central elements. First, the Apostles expected the troubles in the last days to reach inside the Church. This is the meaning of the “sheep will be turned into wolves, and love to hate.” Second, the “deceiver of the world” will appear as a son of God, which is to say, as an angel, a god, and will lead humanity into great sin; this is following the same pattern as we saw in the Old Testament readings with the giants, the demonized human beings, but the Apostles expect it to be worse than ever. Whether the deceiver of the world will be a human being, a demon, or an alliance between them, is not clear, but certainly an alliance between rebellious angels and rebellious humanity is what is being talked about. Third, the “Accursed One” who will save those who endure is Christ Himself, Who the world considers to be accursed because of His humiliation and death on the Cross, but Who saves us, even as we are suffering, through His own suffering. Finally, this text speaks clearly about the Resurrection of the Lord’s Faithful as the final sign of His coming, which matches with the final words of the Creed: “I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come.”)

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 23:36-53

We will continue to jump around the Gospel of Luke this week. On Thursday of this week we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, so we will read that passage today, along with the Lord’s appearance to His disciples before He ascended into heaven. This is the final passage of the Gospel of Luke, and comes immediately after the episode where Jesus revealed Himself to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and disappeared from their sight after blessing and breaking the bread, at which point they hurried back to Jerusalem and told the other disciples, who told them that He had appeared Simon Peter as well. As they were all talking, then, Jesus appeared to all of them together. Luke continues with a brief summary of the Ascension to conclude his account of the Gospel; a fuller account of the Ascension can be found at the beginning of the book of Acts (also written by St. Luke).

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

36 While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate in their presence.

44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

The Ascension of Jesus

50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53 and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

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 very important that Jesus eats in the presence of His disciples. St. Luke includes this to make very clear that the Lord really and truly rose from the dead. He wasn’t a ghost, He wasn’t an apparition, He wasn’t some sort of projection or a mass hallucination. He was really risen from the dead, in the flesh, and that He could eat food showed this more completely than any words can explain. Having established that Jesus was truly risen in the flesh, then St. Luke depicts Him ascending into heaven in their sight, showing them that He, being God and Man, risen from the dead, remains fully God and fully Man as He ascends into heaven. In Christ, then, human nature is fully united with divine nature, and remains so forever, so that we, if we remain in communion with the Lord, can also be partakers of divine nature in 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?