Day 1 (Monday)

Exodus 12:29-51 (10th Plague, Death of the Firstborn, The Exodus within Egypt, Directions for the Passover)

Last time we saw Yahweh give extremely precise instructions to the people of Israel regarding how they were to celebrate the Passover, and how their obedience would establish a distinction between them and the Egyptians, making everyone who took part in the Passover a member of God’s people of Israel, a partaker in His covenant. This time, we will finally see the tenth plague, the justice of Yahweh upon Pharaoh and all those who held to Pharaoh despite the warnings of Moses and the nine plagues that had preceded it, as demonstrations of the power of Yahweh and the vanity of the gods of Egypt. In this final plague, those gods, from Pharaoh to the many demon gods he served, are overthrown and made a mockery, and justice is given for the 400 years of slavery in which Israel had served, and most especially for the slaughter of the infant children of Israel by Pharaoh.

The Tenth Plague: Death of the Firstborn

29 At midnight the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the first-born of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the first-born of the cattle. 30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where one was not dead. 31 And he summoned Moses and Aaron by night, and said, “Rise up, go forth from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as you have said. 32 Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also!”

The Exodus: From Rameses to Succoth

33 And the Egyptians were urgent with the people, to send them out of the land in haste; for they said, “We are all dead men.” 34 So the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading bowls being bound up in their mantles on their shoulders. 35 The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked of the Egyptians jewelry of silver and of gold, and clothing; 36 and the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they despoiled the Egyptians.

37 And the people of Israel journeyed from Ram′eses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. 38 A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very many cattle, both flocks and herds. 39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any provisions.

40 The time that the people of Israel dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. 41 And at the end of four hundred and thirty years, on that very day, all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. 42 It was a night of watching by the Lord, to bring them out of the land of Egypt; so this same night is a night of watching kept to the Lord by all the people of Israel throughout their generations.

Directions for the Passover

43 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the passover: no foreigner shall eat of it; 44 but every slave that is bought for money may eat of it after you have circumcised him. 45 No sojourner or hired servant may eat of it. 46 In one house shall it be eaten; you shall not carry forth any of the flesh outside the house; and you shall not break a bone of it. 47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. 48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. 49 There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.”

50 Thus did all the people of Israel; as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. 51 And on that very day the Lord brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.

Reading 14
612 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (There are many things that the Leader can point out here, but perhaps the most surprising element is that, although verse 43 says that no foreigner is permitted to take part in the Passover…but then verse 48 gives clear instructions for how a foreigner, someone who is not a descendant of Abraham, is to become a part of Israel, but undergoing circumcision and then taking part in the Passover. This is an essential thing for us to understand, that Yahweh was indeed inviting all nations to become a part of Israel, but that in order to do so, they needed to become part of the covenant He had established with Abraham through circumcision, and then to take part in the Passover, which makes Israel His particular people. We see this continue in the Church, with the process of catechesis, which begins with exorcisms, continuing with Baptism, and concluding with Chrismation, with these three actions corresponding with circumcision, with the Passover, and with the covenant at Mt. Sinai which is commemorated at the Jewish feast of Pentecost.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

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?

6) “What is the a) literal, b) allegorical, c) moral/ethical, d) anagogical/eschatological meaning of this text? (Think of these questions as a mountain which we can ascend, or as layers of meaning upon which we can reflect. Oftentimes, as we reflect upon a text in this way, we may find that the highest level, the anagogical reading (in which we see the text as revealing the glory of God and His kingdom in a deeper manner, opening up to us the grand scope of God’s great work of salvation in and for us) sheds new insights on the lower levels of interpretation.)

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Prayers before Communion

When we are approaching the Lord, it is very important that we do what we can to prepare ourselves, to confess that we are unworthy, but to seek the mercy and grace and presence of the Lord anyway. The Church gives us many prayers that we can use to prepare to receive Holy Communion; in some prayer books, you can even find an entire Canon with hymns and prayers of preparation, and it is right and proper that all of us should make use of them to some degree, and prepare ourselves carefully to encounter the Lord.

With that said, there are seven prayers in particular that the clergy say before they receive Communion in the Liturgy, and the people can and should use these prayers as well. These are especially appropriate for us to reflect upon now, as we are just about to read the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee in Church this coming Sunday, and will see there the importance of repentance and humility in approaching God. We might say that these prayers are an expansion upon the prayer of the Publican: “Oh God, be gracious on me, the sinner, and have mercy on me!”

Prayers before Communion

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

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

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

You have smitten me with yearning, O Christ, and with Your Divine love, You have changed me; but burn away with spiritual fire my sins, and make me worthy to be filled with the joy of You; that rejoicing in Your goodness, I may magnify Your two Presences.

How shall I, who am unworthy, enter into the splendor of Your saints? If I dare to enter into the bridal chamber, my clothing will accuse me, since it is not a wedding garment; and being bound up, I shall be cast out by the angels. In Your love, Lord, cleanse my soul and save me.

Loving Master, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, let not these holy Gifts be to my condemnation because of my unworthiness, but for the cleansing and sanctification of soul and body and the pledge of the future life and kingdom. It is good for me to cling to God and to place in Him the hope of my salvation.

Receive me today, Son of God, as a partaker of Your mystical Supper. I will not reveal Your mystery to Your adversaries. Nor will I give You a kiss as did Judas. But as the thief I confess to You: Lord, remember me in Your kingdom. Master, remember me in Your kingdom. Holy One, remember me in Your kingdom.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (For these prayers, I suggest that the Leader urge the group to identify and to sum up the point of each of these prayers, and how they express our true relationship to the Lord as we approach Him in the Eucharist. The Leader may wish to note that the Greek word that is translated as “yearning” in the fourth of these prayers is a word that means fervent and burning desire; we are saying that we know that we should and therefore that we are committed to seeking the Lord above every other thing that we might desire or crave, because we cannot find any lasting peace or joy in any created thing, but only in Him. As St. Augustine says: “My heart is restless until it rests in You.”

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

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?

Additional Discussion questions (When we read prayers, we should consider different questions:

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

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

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

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

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

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 19:1-27 (Jesus and Zacchaeus, Parable of the Ten Talents)

Last time we read from Luke 9, where Peter had just confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God, after which Jesus told His disciples for the first time about His coming Passion. After this, we saw the Lord bring Peter, James and John up Mt. Tabor, where they saw Him transfigured before them, and then when they came down the mountain, He healed the young man troubled by a demon, at his father’s request. From that point through Luke 18, Jesus does many other miracles and told many other parables, as He moves toward Jerusalem and His Passion. As we prepare for the beginning of Triodion with the Sunday of Zacchaeus this past Sunday, we will skip ahead to the point in Luke where the Lord enters Jericho and meets Zacchaeus, so as to arrive at the Crucifixion and Resurrection by Holy Week.

Jesus and Zacchaeus

19 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And there was a man named Zacchae′us; he was a chief tax collector, and rich. 3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchae′us, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today.”

6 So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it they all murmured, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchae′us stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.”

The Parable of the Ten Talents

11 As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12 He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive kingly power[a] and then return. 13 Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten talents,[b] and said to them, ‘Trade with these till I come.’ 14 But his citizens hated him and sent an embassy after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 15 When he returned, having received the kingly power,[c] he commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by trading.

16 The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your talent has made ten talents more.’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ 18 And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your talent has made five talents.’ 19 And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20 Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your talent, which I kept laid away in a napkin; 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man; you take up what you did not lay down, and reap what you did not sow.’

22 He said to him, ‘I will condemn you out of your own mouth, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then did you not put my money into the bank, and at my coming I should have collected it with interest?’ 24 And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talent.’ 25 (And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten talent!’) 26 ‘I tell you, that to every one who has will more be given; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them before me.’”

Reading 40
613 words

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 Zacchaeus provides another example of what it looks like to turn to Christ and follow Him. Because he is a wealthy man, whose wealth was gained by evil deeds, his path is different from that of the blind man, who needed only to be persistent; he needs to repent, and make right what he has done wrong, and yes, become much less rich in order to be saved. We can therefore see him as a surprising counterpart to the rich young ruler who the Lord encounters in chapter 18, who had kept the Law all his life, but was unable to part with his money. For the second part, the parable, we should note that the slaves of the nobleman in this case represent those who follow Him, and those who are the enemies of the nobleman represent those who reject Christ. This parable therefore fulfill a dual purpose. First, it makes clear that Jesus is not coming to establish a Jewish empire in place of the Roman empire, and that His visible kingdom is not going to be established soon. Second, it makes clear that those who follow Him in the meantime have a responsibility to bear fruit, to work with the grace that He has given to them. To simply sit still and hold what we have been given without working actively to see that grace grow in our lives is to invite judgment upon ourselves. We should note, as well, that the next episode in the narrative, immediately following this reading, is the entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, where He is greeted as the Messiah, and His entrance into the Temple, where He drives out the money-changers and begins to preach there.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

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?

6) “What is the a) literal, b) allegorical, c) moral/ethical, d) anagogical/eschatological meaning of this text? (Think of these questions as a mountain which we can ascend, or as layers of meaning upon which we can reflect. Oftentimes, as we reflect upon a text in this way, we may find that the anagogical reading, in which we see the text as revealing the glory of God and His kingdom in a deeper manner, sheds new insights on the lower levels of interpretation.)

Day 1 (Monday)

Exodus 12:1-28 (Passover Instituted)

Last time we saw the warning of the final plague, the death of the firstborn, given to Pharaoh, and Moses left his presence for the last time. This time, God will give instructions to the people for how they are to celebrate the Passover, which becomes the foundation and formation of the Lord’s People as they leave slavery and enter into the Yahweh’s purpose for them.

The First Passover Instituted

12 [a]The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 2 “This month shall be for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. 3 Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month they shall take every man a lamb according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household; 4 and if the household is too small for a lamb, then a man and his neighbor next to his house shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old; you shall take it from the sheep or from the goats; 6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs in the evening.[b] 7 Then they shall take some of the blood, and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat them. 8 They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled with water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. 10 And you shall let none of it remain until the morning, anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. 11 In this manner you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s passover. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. 13 The blood shall be a sign for you, upon the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall fall upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

14 “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations you shall observe it as an ordinance for ever. 15 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; on the first day you shall put away leaven out of your houses, for if any one eats what is leavened, from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. 16 On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly; no work shall be done on those days; but what every one must eat, that only may be prepared by you. 17 And you shall observe the feast of unleavened bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt: therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as an ordinance for ever. 18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, and so until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. 19 For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses; for if any one eats what is leavened, that person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land. 20 You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.”

21 Then Moses called all the elders of Israel, and said to them, “Select lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the passover lamb. 22 Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood which is in the basin; and none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. 23 For the Lord will pass through to slay the Egyptians; and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to slay you. 24 You shall observe this rite as an ordinance for you and for your sons for ever. 25 And when you come to the land which the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. 26 And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he slew the Egyptians but spared our houses.’” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.

28 Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.

Reading 13
860 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (There are many things to note in this passage. Primary among them, I think, is this: the entire purpose of the ten plagues has been to warn, and ultimately, to judge Egypt, but the broader purpose is for the children of Israel to be freed from slavery. Up to this point, they have simply been protected from the plagues that the Egyptians experienced. Here, however, God gives to THEM a specific instruction, that they must obey in order to be delivered. This moment, then, establishes anew who is and is not a part of the Lord’s people; those who obey, who take part in the Passover, are the nation of Israel from this time forward. They are not saved on the basis of their blood or ancestry, but on the basis of their obedience. Beyond that, we can see many things that we recognize; Holy Week is mirrored here, with two great assemblies at the beginning and at the end. We should also note that everything about the celebration of the Passover is one-time-only. There are no leftovers; everything is done in readiness to depart, for in eating the Lord’s Passover, the children of Israel, and we ourselves, become strangers to the kingdoms of this world, wanderers on the earth, following a higher calling, becoming citizens rather of the kingdom of God. We are not to settle down permanently, for our dwelling place is with the Lord.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

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?

6) “What is the a) literal, b) allegorical, c) moral/ethical, d) anagogical/eschatological meaning of this text? (Think of these questions as a mountain which we can ascend, or as layers of meaning upon which we can reflect. Oftentimes, as we reflect upon a text in this way, we may find that the highest level, the anagogical reading (in which we see the text as revealing the glory of God and His kingdom in a deeper manner, opening up to us the grand scope of God’s great work of salvation in and for us) sheds new insights on the lower levels of interpretation.)

Day 2 (Wednesday)

St. Athanasios the Great on the Incarnation

During the controversy about whether Jesus Christ was fully God or not, which was a very big argument through most of the 4th century, St. Athanasios the Great (of Alexandria in Egypt) wrote an important book, “On the Incarnation,” talking about how and why Jesus Christ became a human being, and what He accomplished by so doing. We are reading a short excerpt from that book today, from Chapter 7, a refutation of the Gentiles and their unbelief in the Incarnation of the Lord. He addresses first their arguments that the Incarnation is ridiculous by pointing out that, if they are willing to believe in a Word/Logos of God, and that the Word is active and knowable in the world, then it is silly for them to deny that He could take a body, and then continues by addressing the idea that the Word could/should have chosen a higher nature in Creation than that of man.

On the Incarnation Chapter 7:43

(43) Some may then ask, why did He not manifest Himself by means of other and nobler parts of creation, and use some nobler instrument, such as sun or moon or stars or fire or air, instead of mere man? The answer is this. The Lord did not come to make a display or to show off. He came to heal and to teach suffering men. If He had wanted to make a display and show off, the thing to do would have been just to appear and dazzle the beholders with an impressive vision. But He came to heal and to teach, and the way to do that was not just to dwell here with us, but to put Himself at the disposal of those who needed Him, and to reveal Himself to them only as much as they could bear it, so that He didn’t destroy the value to them of His Divine appearing to them by exceeding their capacity to receive the gift.

Moreover, nothing in creation had erred from the path of God’s purpose for it, save only man. Sun, moon, heaven, stars, water, air, none of these had swerved from their order, but, knowing the Word as their Maker and their King, remained as they were made. Men alone having rejected what is good, have invented nothings instead of the truth, and have ascribed the honor due to God and the knowledge concerning Him to demons and men in the form of stones. Obviously the Divine goodness could not overlook so grave a matter as this. But men could not recognize Him as ordering and ruling creation as a whole.

So what does He do? He takes to Himself for instrument a part of the whole, namely a human body, and enters into that. Thus He ensured that men should recognize Him in the part who could not do so in the whole, and that those who could not lift their eyes to His unseen power might recognize and behold Him in the likeness of themselves. For, being men, they would naturally learn to know His Father more quickly and directly by means of a body that corresponded to their own and by the Divine works done through it; for by comparing His works with their own they would judge His to be not human but Divine. And if, as they say, it were unsuitable for the Word to reveal Himself through bodily acts, it would be equally so for Him to do so through the works of the universe. His being in creation does not mean that He shares its nature; on the contrary, all created things partake of His power.

Similarly, though He used the body as His instrument, He shared nothing of its defect,62 but rather sanctified it by His indwelling. Does not even Plato, of whom the Greeks think so much, say that the Author of the Universe, seeing it storm-tossed and in danger of sinking into the state of dissolution, takes his seat at the helm of the Life-force of the universe, and comes to the rescue and puts everything right? What, then, is there incredible in our saying that, mankind having gone astray, the Word descended upon it and was manifest as man, so that by His intrinsic goodness and His steersmanship He might save it from the storm?

567 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should note that St. Athanasios is explaining why God came as a human being, and didn’t make a big show of lights and power)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here? (St. Athanasios is saying that there is a good reason that He didn’t come in a way that nobody could deny or argue with…because coming in the fullness of His power would be more than anyone could bear. There may be other answers as well.)

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us? (St. Athanasios is making a point about humanity itself, that our ability to receive and understand God is extremely limited, and that that is part of why Jesus came as a human being. There’s more there, but that point should be emphasized)

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

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life? (Admitting that we need God’s healing and help is often difficult. Acting on that admission is still harder. If what St. Athanasios says is true, then a lot of how we live each day needs to change.)

6) “What is the a) literal, b) allegorical, c) moral/ethical, d) anagogical/eschatological meaning of this text? (Think of these questions as a mountain which we can ascend, or as layers of meaning upon which we can reflect. Oftentimes, as we reflect upon a text in this way, we may find that the highest level, the anagogical reading (in which we see the text as revealing the glory of God and His kingdom in a deeper manner, opening up to us the grand scope of God’s great work of salvation in and for us) sheds new insights on the lower levels of interpretation.)

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 9:18-43 (Peter’s Confession, Transfiguration, Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon)

Last week we saw the Lord effectively ordain the twelve apostles and send them out to preach. When they returned, a crowd followed Jesus, and we then saw Him feed 5,000 people. This week, Jesus will see Him speaking with the twelve before He takes three of His disciples up a mountain to pray, and show them His Divinity.

Peter’s Declaration about Jesus

18 Now it happened that as he was praying alone the disciples were with him; and he asked them, “Who do the people say that I am?” 19 And they answered, “John the Baptist; but others say, Eli′jah; and others, that one of the old prophets has risen.” 20 And he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” 21 But he charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

23 And he said to all, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

The Transfiguration

28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men talked with him, Moses and Eli′jah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep but kept awake, and they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli′jah”—not knowing what he said. 34 As he said this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen;[a] listen to him!” 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silence and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.

Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon

37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38 And behold, a man from the crowd cried, “Teacher, I beg you to look upon my son, for he is my only child; 39 and behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him till he foams, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. 40 And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 While he was coming, the demon tore him and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43 And all were astonished at the majesty of God.

Reading 21
612 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should note how the Lord invites Peter’s confession that He is the Messiah, which means Anointed One, and that the Greek for this word is Christos, which we have borrowed into English as Christ. Anointing means to have oil poured or dabbed on one’s head. It was a sign that God had called and given authority and responsibility to a person, like a king or a priest. The Leader can also point out that Jesus reveals Himself as God to the three disciples on the mountain in the same chapter as He foretells His death to them. This is not a coincidence – He tells them about it both before the Transfiguration and afterward.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here? (We see clearly that Jesus is indeed God Himself, and that He comes to suffer and to die of His own will, even though He has power and authority over death and demons and all enemies).

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us? (We see again how much we struggle with faithlessness and a lack of understanding of Who Jesus Is, and what He comes to do).

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. Some may wonder why the disciples couldn’t cast the demons out, or why Peter was talking about “dwellings” on the mountain for Jesus and Moses and Elijah. Regarding the demons, Jesus says in this episode in one of the other Gospels that some demons don’t come out without prayer and fasting; as for the “dwellings,” there was an old tradition of that mountain being the place where God was enthroned in a heavenly tabernacle together, worshiped and surrounded by angels and saints. Peter is recognizing Christ’s divinity, which He has just confessed previously, by suggesting that they should build a tabernacle for Him and for the OT saints. See here for more information. https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/wholecounsel/2019/08/05/tabor-and-hermon/))

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life? (It is easy to celebrate the power and glory of the Lord; it is much harder to walk the way of the Cross that Christ calls us to walk in imitation of Him.)

6) “What is the a) literal, b) allegorical, c) moral/ethical, d) anagogical/eschatological meaning of this text? (Think of these questions as a mountain which we can ascend, or as layers of meaning upon which we can reflect. Oftentimes, as we reflect upon a text in this way, we may find that the anagogical reading, in which we see the text as revealing the glory of God and His kingdom in a deeper manner, sheds new insights on the lower levels of interpretation.)

Day 1 (Monday)

Exodus 10:21-29, 11:1-10 (9th Plague – Darkness, Warning of the 10th Plague)

Last time we saw the 8th plague come upon Egypt when Pharaoh still refused to let the people of Israel go. It came as a plague of locusts that covered the land and consumed everything green that was left. For the first time, Pharaoh confessed that he had sinned, and asked Moses to pray to the Lord for mercy for him and his people. Yet again, however, once Yahweh took the locusts away, Pharaoh refused to let the people go. We can see this process is winding down towards the end that God foretold to Moses, as the 9th plague, the Darkness that could be felt, comes upon Egypt. We will see Pharaoh make one more offer of a “bargain” with Yahweh, to let the Israelites go, but to require them to leave their livestock behind. When Moses replies that this is unacceptable, Pharaoh will tell him to leave his presence and never come back again. Moses will agree that this is indeed the last time Pharaoh would see his face, and from this we understand that the time of warnings is over, and the moment of the judgment of Pharaoh for the enslavement of Israel and the murder of their children has now arrived. So today we will also see what God tells Moses to say to Pharaoh as he leaves his presence, as the 10th plague is announced.

The Ninth Plague: Darkness

21 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.” 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days; 23 they did not see one another, nor did any rise from his place for three days; but all the people of Israel had light where they dwelt.

24 Then Pharaoh called Moses, and said, “Go, serve the Lord; your children also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind.” 25 But Moses said, “You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. 26 Our cattle also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take of them to serve the Lord our God, and we do not know with what we must serve the Lord until we arrive there.”

27 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. 28 Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me; take heed to yourself; never see my face again; for in the day you see my face you shall die.” 29 Moses said, “As you say! I will not see your face again.”

Warning of the Final Plague

11 The Lord said to Moses, “Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence; when he lets you go, he will drive you away completely. 2 Speak now in the hearing of the people, that they ask, every man of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor, jewelry of silver and of gold.” 3 And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.

4 And Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: About midnight I will go forth in the midst of Egypt; 5 and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh who sits upon his throne, even to the first-born of the maidservant who is behind the mill; and all the first-born of the cattle. 6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever shall be again.”

7 “But against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, not a dog shall growl; that you may know that the Lord makes a distinction between the Egyptians and Israel. 8 And all these your servants shall come down to me, and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get you out, and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. 9 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”

10 Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.

Reading 12
556 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should point out that, even though, Pharaoh has begun to humble himself somewhat, he has only done so when forced to, and is struggling to hold on to some sort of consolation prize at every stage. Unfortunately for him, this is not repentance, but only a grudging capitulation. He remains a false god and oppressor to the Israelites and to all his people; therefore, Yahweh will overthrow and humiliate his power, and the power of the gods he serves, and from him he claims to have his power. The darkening of the sun, the chief of the Egyptian gods and the one Pharaoh claims to represent, is precisely this, a destruction and humiliation of the power of these false gods. The final plague, then, will strike both for justice, as a recompense for the slaughter of the Hebrew children, and as a blow against the dynasty of the Pharaoh, and his claim to immortality in his heir. He should also point out that this reading shows us Moses as he is still with Pharaoh, and tells us what God says to Moses there. Moses then warns Pharaoh of the impending death of the firstborn, and then, when Pharaoh does not relent, he leaves his presence. Then God makes clear to Moses that the purpose of all this is to show to all of Egypt, and to all nations, the glory and the wonders of Yahweh. Thus, in Egypt, a place dedicated to the demon gods who had raised rebellion against their Creator, in a place of darkness and horror, the Lord stands up and abolishes every other power, and delivers His people, and all who are willing to hear Him, from the power of Hell. We should definitely see in all this a prefigurement of the Lord’s Descent into Hades after His crucifixion.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

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?

6) “What is the a) literal, b) allegorical, c) moral/ethical, d) anagogical/eschatological meaning of this text? (Think of these questions as a mountain which we can ascend, or as layers of meaning upon which we can reflect. Oftentimes, as we reflect upon a text in this way, we may find that the anagogical reading, in which we see the text as revealing the glory of God and His kingdom in a deeper manner, sheds new insights on the lower levels of interpretation. But often these insights are only gained after long and deep reflection upon the text and its various other meanings at the lower levels of interpretation.)

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Prayer of the Hours and St. Basil on Prayer and Thanksgiving

We know that the Christian life is supposed to be a life of constant prayer (St. Paul says we should “Pray without ceasing and give thanks in all circumstances” in 1 Thessalonians 5:16), but it can be difficult to figure out what that would actually look like, and how we should begin to do so. To help us out, we look at two resources today. The first is the Prayer of the Hours, which is repeated at Compline, at the Midnight Office, and at the services of the 1st, 3rd, 6th, and 9th Hour, which means that we actually pray this particular prayer four times at the service of Royal Hours on the Eve of both Christmas and Theophany, as well as on Great & Holy Friday. It is also commonly used in the private evening prayers of an Orthodox Christian in the home. The second selection is an excerpt from a homily of St. Basil, in which he provides us with a beautiful and detailed account of how we can and should think about prayer throughout our daily life.

Prayer of the Hours

O Christ our God, who at all times and at every hour, both in heaven and on earth, are worshipped and glorified, long suffering and plenteous in mercy and compassion; who love the just and show mercy to the sinners; who call all men to salvation through the promise of the blessings to come: Do you, the same Lord, receive also our supplications at this present time, and direct our lives according to your commandments. Sanctify our souls; purify our bodies; set our minds right; clear up our thoughts, and deliver us from every sorrow, evil and distress. Surround us with your holy Angels so that being guarded and guided by their presence, we may arrive at the unity of the faith and the knowledge of your ineffable glory; for blessed are you unto the ages of ages. Amen.

St. Basil on Prayer and Thanksgiving

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

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

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

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

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should note the following points about the Prayer of the Hours:

a) Which Person of the Holy Trinity do we address in this prayer? (We are talking specifically to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the 2nd Person of the Holy Trinity).

b) What do we say about God in this prayer? (We say that He is worshiped all the time both in heaven and earth, that He loves people who do well and is merciful to those who don’t, and that He calls everyone to salvation.)

c) What do we ask God to do in this prayer? (We ask Him to accept our requests and to guide us according to His instructions).

d) What parts of ourselves do we ask the Lord to help? (Our souls, bodies, minds, & thoughts).

e) Who do we ask the Lord to send to help us? (The Angels – we ask the Lord to surround us with the Angels, so that their protection and guidance can help us reach the unity of the Faith and the knowledge of the glory of God.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

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?

6) “What is the a) literal, b) allegorical, c) moral/ethical, d) anagogical/eschatological meaning of this text? (Think of these questions as a mountain which we can ascend, or as layers of meaning upon which we can reflect. Oftentimes, as we reflect upon a text in this way, we may find that the anagogical reading, in which we see the text as revealing the glory of God and His kingdom in a deeper manner, sheds new insights on the lower levels of interpretation.)

Additional Discussion questions:

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

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

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

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

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

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 9:1-17 (Apostles Sent Out, Herod’s Perplexity, Feeding 5000)

We talked last week about how Jesus healed the woman with the flow of blood and raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead. In this chapter, we will see Him send the twelve disciples out to preach and heal and cast out demons. Let’s see what happens next!

The Mission of the Twelve

9 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal. 3 And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. 4 And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Herod’s Perplexity

7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, 8 by some that Eli′jah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen. 9 Herod said, “John I beheaded; but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see him.

Feeding the Five Thousand

10 On their return the apostles told him what they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a city called Beth-sa′ida. 11 When the crowds learned it, they followed him; and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God, and cured those who had need of healing. 12 Now the day began to wear away; and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away, to go into the villages and country round about, to lodge and get provisions; for we are here in a lonely place.” 13 But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” 14 For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Make them sit down in companies, about fifty each.” 15 And they did so, and made them all sit down. 16 And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 And all ate and were satisfied. And they took up what was left over, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

Reading 20
411 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should note that when Jesus sends the twelve out, it is effectively their ordination. They were just His followers before, but now they are acting as ministers of His love and His power, and when they return, they are called Apostles, not just disciples. Herod’s confusion of Jesus with John the Baptist, or the feeding of the 5,000, are also worth highlighting. The leader can pick which aspect they want to focus on, of course, if the group doesn’t take the conversation in a different direction.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here? (We see that He chooses to act through human beings, through His Apostles, and that that even applies in the feeding of the 5,000; Jesus multiplies the food, but He begins with what the Apostles have to offer, with the 5 loaves and 2 fish).

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us? (We see the problems that we have that Jesus comes to heal, for one thing: sickness, hunger, demon possession. And we see their potential; human beings are created to be like Jesus, and we see the Apostles beginning to grow and be transformed by the Lord in this passage.).

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, but the shaking of the dust as a testimony against towns that reject the Apostles is a potentially challenging aspect. The reality that even receiving the Good News of the Gospel is an occasion for judgment, if we fail to receive it, is challenging, but profoundly important, since this is generally how God’s judgment operates. He doesn’t come and condemn us for our sins; first, He comes and calls us to repentance, offers us a better way. But if we reject that call and that offer, then He accepts our decision, and we are left outside the Kingdom.)

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life? (This passage reminds us that we are also called to be the vessels and ministers of the love of Jesus Christ; and also that, as we hear the Word of God, it is important that we respond with a good will and a willing heart.)

6) “What is the a) literal, b) allegorical, c) moral/ethical, d) anagogical/eschatological meaning of this text? (Think of these questions as a mountain which we can ascend, or as layers of meaning upon which we can reflect. Oftentimes, as we reflect upon a text in this way, we may find that the anagogical reading, in which we see the text as revealing the glory of God and His kingdom in a deeper manner, sheds new insights on the lower levels of interpretation.)

Day 1 (Monday)

Exodus 10:1-20 (8th Plague – Locusts)

We return to our normal Old Testament readings this week, after looking at different passages for Christmas, and at the book of Proverbs, over the last three weeks. We left Moses, Aaron, Pharaoh, and the people of Israel and Egypt in the midst of the ten plagues, as the Lord strives with Pharaoh and the demon gods of Egypt for the lives and salvation of the people in the land. When we last saw them, we saw the heavens themselves turned against Pharaoh and the people of Egypt, as God sent thunder and hail to destroy the crops that were in the field. We saw how Yahweh was still merciful, even at this moment of judgment, and gave warning in advance so that anyone who listened to the warning could keep their people and their livestock under shelter, and how not all the crops were destroyed at once, leaving some food for the people of Egypt. We also saw Pharaoh bargain once more for mercy, and promise to let the people go if God brought an end to the hail, and once again we saw him turn to treachery and refuse to let them go once the hail stopped. This time, we will see the Lord explain His purpose in more detail to Moses as He sends him once more to warn Pharaoh that the 8th plague is coming.

The Eighth Plague: Locusts

10 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them, 2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your son’s son how I have made sport of the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them; that you may know that I am the Lord.”

3 So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me. 4 For if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country, 5 and they shall cover the face of the land, so that no one can see the land; and they shall eat what is left to you after the hail, and they shall eat every tree of yours which grows in the field, 6 and they shall fill your houses, and the houses of all your servants and of all the Egyptians; as neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen, from the day they came on earth to this day.’” Then he turned and went out from Pharaoh.

7 And Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God; do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?” 8 So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh; and he said to them, “Go, serve the Lord your God; but who are to go?”

9 And Moses said, “We will go with our young and our old; we will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds, for we must hold a feast to the Lord.” 10 And he said to them, “The Lord be with you, if ever I let you and your little ones go! Look, you have some evil purpose in mind. 11 No! Go, the men among you, and serve the Lord, for that is what you desire.” And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.

12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt, and eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left.” 13 So Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night; and when it was morning the east wind had brought the locusts.

14 And the locusts came up over all the land of Egypt, and settled on the whole country of Egypt, such a dense swarm of locusts as had never been before, nor ever shall be again. 15 For they covered the face of the whole land, so that the land was darkened, and they ate all the plants in the land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left; not a green thing remained, neither tree nor plant of the field, through all the land of Egypt.

16 Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron in haste, and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you. 17 Now therefore, forgive my sin, I pray you, only this once, and entreat the Lord your God only to remove this death from me.” 18 So he went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the Lord. 19 And the Lord turned a very strong west wind, which lifted the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea; not a single locust was left in all the country of Egypt. 20 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.

Reading 11
664 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should point out that at least one way in which God is hardening Pharaoh’s heart is by requiring not just compliance, but humility from him. Pharaoh might be willing to let the people go, or to bargain for some better settlement, in which he could keep his pride or his standing. Indeed, Yahweh offered just such a thing earlier on, but we will remember that earlier on, Pharaoh wasn’t willing even to recognize Yahweh as a real being, much less as one worthy of dealing with “the mighty Pharaoh.” Now, Yahweh is requiring that Pharaoh humble himself and acknowledge his weakness; and this is the one thing Pharaoh is most unwilling to do, even though it is the only way he can be saved. Therefore the judgment that Yahweh sends upon him here is both terrifying, since it brings the famine that the hail did not (in Yahweh’s mercy) bring, and also humiliating, since the Pharaoh is being shown helpless before mere insects, and the power of his gods, which had claimed to have power to keep locusts away, is shown to be utterly vain as well.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

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?

6) “What is the a) literal, b) allegorical, c) moral/ethical, d) anagogical/eschatological meaning of this text? (Think of these questions as a mountain which we can ascend, or as layers of meaning upon which we can reflect. Oftentimes, as we reflect upon a text in this way, we may find that the anagogical reading, in which we see the text as revealing the glory of God and His kingdom in a deeper manner, sheds new insights on the lower levels of interpretation.)

Day 2 (Wednesday)

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

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

Prayer from the Great Blessing of the Waters on Theophany

Trinity beyond all being, beyond all goodness, beyond all godhead, all-powerful, all-vigilant, invisible, incomprehensible; Creator of the spiritual beings and rational natures, innate goodness, unapproachable Light that enlightens everyone coming into the world, shine also in me your unworthy servant. Enlighten the eyes of my mind that I may dare to sing the praise of your measureless benevolence and power. May my supplication for the people here present be acceptable, so that my offences may not prevent the Holy Spirit from being present here; but permit me now without condemnation to cry out to you, O Master, lover of mankind, beyond all goodness, Almighty and eternal King, and to say:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

639 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should note the various elements from the additional discussion questions below. He should also note that this prayer is, effectively, an anagogical reading of the Lord’s Baptism in the Jordan River.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

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?

6) “What is the a) literal, b) allegorical, c) moral/ethical, d) anagogical/eschatological meaning of this text? (Think of these questions as a mountain which we can ascend, or as layers of meaning upon which we can reflect. Oftentimes, as we reflect upon a text in this way, we may find that the anagogical reading, in which we see the text as revealing the glory of God and His kingdom in a deeper manner, sheds new insights on the lower levels of interpretation.)

Additional discussion questions:

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

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

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

4) What do you think Jesus’ baptism means? Why did He begin His ministry by being baptized? (We’ll talk about this more on Friday, but at its core, the Lord’s baptism is a sign and token and first fruit of His Incarnation. He immerses Himself in our created nature completely; and by being present in it, He heals it, and transforms it, and reconciles it with Himself, and all of us are called to participate in that reconciliation. Which is why we too are baptized).

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 8:40-56 (A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed)

Last week we read about Jesus & the disciples crossing the lake and how the Lord delivered the man who was possessed by many demons. After He had done so, they crossed back over the lake, so that the cleansing of the demon-possessed man was the only thing that the Lord did in the course of that entire laborious crossing. As he returns to the Galilean side of the sea, the crowd will already be waiting for Him, and among them a father in the last extreme of desperation.

A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed

40 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 And there came a man named Ja′irus, who was a ruler of the synagogue; and falling at Jesus’ feet he besought him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

As he went, the people pressed round him. 43 And a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years and had spent all her living upon physicians[f] and could not be healed by any one, 44 came up behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter[g] said, “Master, the multitudes surround you and press upon you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Some one touched me; for I perceive that power has gone forth from me.” 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

49 While he was still speaking, a man from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” 50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she shall be well.” 51 And when he came to the house, he permitted no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 52 And all were weeping and bewailing her; but he said, “Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.” 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up at once; and he directed that something should be given her to eat. 56 And her parents were amazed; but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.

Reading 19
384 words

Discussion questions:

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

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here? (We learn that He is compassionate, and comforting, and how power over sickness and even death.).

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us? (We see the sort of problems that we tend to have: chronic sickness, death, and grief.).

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. Some may wonder why the woman was healed without actually asking, or why Jesus told the parents not to tell anyone what happened with the girl who was dead. The Scripture doesn’t provide clear answers, so these are a good opportunity for discussion, to see what kind of answers the group comes up with.).

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

6) “What is the a) literal, b) allegorical, c) moral/ethical, d) anagogical/eschatological meaning of this text? (Think of these questions as a mountain which we can ascend, or as layers of meaning upon which we can reflect. Oftentimes, as we reflect upon a text in this way, we may find that the anagogical reading, in which we see the text as revealing the glory of God and His kingdom in a deeper manner, sheds new insights on the lower levels of interpretation.)