Day 1 (Monday)

Tobit 4:1-21 (Tobit Gives Advice to his Son)

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.”

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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) 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. Andrew of Crete on St. John the Forerunner – Part 1

St. Andrew of Crete was born in Damascus in the late 600’s A.D., and became a monastic at the monastery of St. Savvas in the Holy Land. There he began to compose canons for liturgical services, which poetic form eventually became normative for Orthodox worship services; the Canon remains one of the central elements of the Orthros service (although it is often omitted in parish practice for reasons of time). Because of his many talents, he was one of the representative sent from the Patriarchate of Jerusalem to the 6th Ecumenical Council in Constantinople in 680; after the council ended, he remained in Constantinople, and in ~700 he was elevated to be the Metropolitan bishop of Gortyna in Crete. He lived out his remaining days there, and fell asleep in the Lord some years later. His Great Canon of Repentance is a central feature of the Lenten services of the first week of the Great 40 Days of Lent. Today and next week, we will read a homily which he preached on St. John the Forerunner, the feast of whose Nativity we celebrated last Wednesday.

https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2020/01/epithets-of-saint-john-baptist-in.html

Homily on the Beheading of the Honorable Forerunner – Part 1

By St. Andrew of Crete

Many, excellent and great are the epithets and titles of the Honorable Forerunner, which he is called in the Gospels and by Christ Himself.

That which he is first called is “Son.” Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. (Lk. 1:13) When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. (Lk. 1:57)

The next is “Baby.” When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. (Lk. 1:41-44)

Another name is “Child.” And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High. (Lk. 1:76) And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel. (Lk. 1:80)

He was even called “Great.” He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. (Lk. 1:14-15)

And “John.” On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.” They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” (Lk. 1:59-63)

And of course, “Prophet.” What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. (Matt. 11:7,9,13)

The Lord called him “Elijah.” And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. (Matt. 11:14) And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah. (Lk. 1:17)

Many called him “Teacher.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” (Lk. 3:12)

They even called him “Prodromos.”* And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him. (Lk. 1:76)

And he was called a “Preacher.” And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And this was the message he preached: “After me comes the one more powerful than I.” (Lk. 1:4,7)

He described himself as a “Voice.” He was asked by men sent from the Pharisees: “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” (Jn. 1:22-23)

He is and was called a “Baptist.” Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. (Matt. 3:13) And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mk. 1:4)

Undoubtedly he is a “Martyr.” He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.** (Jn. 1:7,8) His testimony was sealed with the martyrdom of blood, when his honorable head was cut off, because he preached the truth, and rebuked all lawlessness.

He was also called “Righteous” and “Holy.” Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. (Mk. 6:20)

He called himself an “Apostle.” “You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’”*** (Jn. 3:28)

Another excellent name of his is “Evangelist.” And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.**** (Lk. 3:18)

He is even called a “Nymphagogos,”***** who leads souls to the Bridegroom Christ, as he once said: “The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must increase; I must decrease.” (Jn. 3:29-30)

He is also called a “Lamp.” John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. (Jn. 5:35)

He also had the title of “Rebuker of Herod.” For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” (Mk. 6:18) But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done. (Lk. 3:19)

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Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note how St. Andrew takes the opportunity of speaking about the Forerunner to recount what are effectively all of the Scriptural references to St. John the Baptist. This is a sermon intended for the Faithful; it is not for the highly educated, but for all of us together, to reflect on the person and the role of the Lord’s herald. It is accessible, but also lifts us up to honor the Baptist and to recognize him as one of the greats among the Saints.)

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?

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 13:18-35; 14:1-6 (Parables of Mustard Seed, Yeast, and Narrow Door, Lament over Jerusalem)

Last time we saw the Lord speaking with His followers about some tragedies that had occurred recently; they seem to be assuming that these bad things happened to them because they were worse sinners than everyone else; the Lord corrects the point and urges EVERYONE He encounters to repentance, to receive the Gospel and to follow Him. This time, He will continue with a parable about a mustard tree, to further explain how it is that grace and holiness grow in our lives).

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

18 He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”

The Parable of the Yeast

20 And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till it was all leavened.”

The Narrow Door

22 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 And some one said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24 “Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the householder has risen up and shut the door, you will begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us.’ He will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’”

27 “But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity!’ 28 There you will weep and gnash your teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves thrust out. 29 And men will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

The Lament over Jerusalem

31 At that very hour some Pharisees came, and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” 32 And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. 33 Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ 34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! 35 Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

Jesus Heals the Man with Dropsy

14 One sabbath when he went to dine at the house of a ruler who belonged to the Pharisees, they were watching him. 2 And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. 3 And Jesus spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath, or not?” 4 But they were silent. Then he took him and healed him, and let him go. 5 And he said to them, “Which of you, having an ass or an ox that has fallen into a well, will not immediately pull him out on a sabbath day?” 6 And they could not reply to this.

Reading 31
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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 several different parables and points here that Jesus makes, and all of them are getting at the same basic point, that the people to whom He is preaching are distracted by many unimportant, or even sinful things, and they need to repent and turn to God immediately. This is difficult for them to believe, because nothing in the world around them looks like it is changing, so He tells them the parable of the mustard seed and the yeast, two things that act so slowly that, if you sit and watch them, you would swear that nothing is happening…but in truth, from a tiny beginning, a huge change takes place. He is telling them that with His presence in the world, everything is changing, and they, and we, need to take part in the Lord’s transformation of the world, and not make ourselves God’s enemies in holding onto the world as it is.)

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)

Tobit 2:1 – 3:17  (Tobit Becomes Blind, Tobit & Sarah Pray to God)

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.”

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.

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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) 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)

Letter of St. Ignatius to the Ephesians – 6

Last time, Ignatius warned the Christians in Ephesus against false teaching, and especially against the teaching of secret knowledge contrary to what had been already revealed to them. This time he explains to them that the great secrets of Christianity are mysteries indeed, but have been revealed for all who are willing to see. In this passage he develops further the idea he began a few weeks ago, talking about the silence of God, and how the Lord goes about preparing the salvation of the world.

The Mystery of Jesus’ Death

My spirit is a humble sacrifice for the cross, which is a stumbling block to unbelievers but salvation and eternal life to us. Where is the wise? Where is the debater? Where is the boasting of those who are thought to be intelligent? For our God, Jesus the Christ, was conceived by Mary according to God’s plan, both from the seed of David and of the Holy Spirit. He was born and was baptized in order that by his suffering he might cleanse the water.

Now the virginity of Mary and her giving birth were hidden from the ruler of this age, as was also the death of the Lord – three mysteries to be loudly proclaimed, yet which were accomplished in the silence of God. How, then, were they revealed to the ages? A star shone forth in heaven brighter than all the stars; its light was indescribable and its strangeness caused amazement. All the rest of the constellations, together with the sun and moon, formed a chorus around the star, yet the star itself far outshone them all, and there was perplexity about the origin of this strange phenomenon, which was so unlike the others.

Consequently all magic and every kind of spell were dissolved, the ignorance so characteristic of wickedness vanished, and the ancient kingdom was abolished when God appeared in human form to bring the newness of eternal life; and what had been prepared by God began to take effect. As a result, all things were thrown into ferment, because the abolition of death was being carried out.

Promise of a Second Letter

If Jesus Christ, in response to your prayer, should reckon me worthy, and if it is his will, in a second letter that I intend to write to you I will further explain to you the subject about which I have begun to speak, namely, the divine plan with respect to the new man Jesus Christ, involving faith in him and love for him, his suffering and resurrection, especially if the Lord revels anything to me.

All of you, individually and collectively, gather together in grace, by name, in one faith and one Jesus Christ, who physically was a descendant of David, who is Son of Man and Son of God, in order that you may obey the bishop and the council of presbyters with an undisturbed mind, breaking one bread, which is the medicine of immortality, the antidote we take in order not to die but to live forever in Jesus Christ.

Personal Greetings and Parting Requests

I am devoted to you and to those whom for the honor of God you sent to Smyrna, from where I am writing to you, with thanksgiving to the Lord and love for Polycarp as well as for you. Remember me, as Jesus Christ remembers you. Pray for the church in Syria, from where I am being led to Rome in chains, as I – the very least of the faithful there – have been judged worthy of serving the glory of God. Farewell in God the Father and in Jesus Christ, our shared hope.

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 begins this passage with a clear reference to the 1st Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians, where he says that “The message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the very power of God.” The idea developed here is that God is working salvation for the world in plain sight, for everyone to see, but those who are opposed to God can’t see what He is doing, because they don’t understand how God works, and what He values. God’s weakness, and suffering, accomplish the very destruction of death and the abolition of the dominion of demonic powers over humankind…but it happens both secretly, and in plain sight.
Leader should also note that Ignatius is leaving them with what is most important, in case he never speaks to them again. He tells them to imitate Christ, to follow Him in humility and suffering, and in obedience to remain always in communion with the bishop and the presbyters and all the Faithful, celebrating the Eucharist for as long as they remain in this life, looking always to the life of the age to come. These points are indeed the core of what it means, practically, for all of us to follow Christ. We have to imitate Christ, and we need to be faithful to the Christian life within the communion of the Church.)

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?

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 13:1-17 (Repent or Perish, Parable of Barren Fig Tree, Jesus Heals a Crippled Woman)

Last time we saw Jesus tell His disciples to always be ready for His return, giving them several examples to help them understand that His Kingdom is the true reality, and that it is overtaking and transforming everything else, so that anyone who ignores the Kingdom, or lives as though anything else is more important, is opposing God, and coming under judgment. This time, He continues with the same point, preaching that change and transformation and judgment are coming, and coming quickly, and already at the door, so that it is time NOW to repent.

Repent or Perish

13 There were some present at that very time who told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered thus? 3 I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Silo′am fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

6 And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Lo, these three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down; why should it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, ‘Let it alone, sir, this year also, till I dig about it and put on manure. 9 And if it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

Jesus Heals a Crippled Woman

10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 11 And there was a woman who had had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. 12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your infirmity.” 13 And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. 14 But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.”

15 Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger, and lead it away to water it? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?” 17 As he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

Reading 30
424 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 a few items. First, this event that is referred to in the first paragraph is an important demonstration of the Roman governor’s character (and at this time it would indeed be Pontius Pilate), and helps us not to read his actions during the trial of the Lord correctly; historically, what seems to have happened was that there was a threat of a rebellion at Passover, so Pilate ordered a number of people to be arrested and crucified, effectively at random, in order to discourage any further violence. Second, the larger point that the Lord is making, in His first answer and in the subsequent parables, is that EVERYONE is called to repentance and faithfulness, not just those who are suffering or being punished. We are all called to bear fruit in keeping with repentance, whether we are being persecuted, or are in authority over others, or are crippled, or are in charge of the synagogue which that crippled woman attends. We are all either on the path of salvation or the path of destruction, and it is our choices, our actions in response to God’s call to us, which determine the path on which we walk.)

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)

Tobit 1:1-22 (Tobit’s Introduction)

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 no longer exists as we begin the book of Tobit, but God is still faithful to those who hold fast to Him.

Book of Tobit – Chapter 1

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.

752 words

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) 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)

Letter of St. Ignatius to the Ephesians – 5

Last time, Ignatius urged the Christians in Ephesus to devote themselves above all to the giving of thanks together, which is to say, to the celebration of the Eucharist (which means thanksgiving) as one body of Faithful. He said that this action, as often as possible, was the best and most appropriate response to evil in the world, and that the peace He gave to them, which they would receive within themselves and amongst themselves as they celebrated the Eucharist, would bring an end to all warfare. In short, he tells them not to try to fight the brokenness of the world, but to offer themselves to the Lord in thanksgiving, and to be reconciled to Him themselves, and that in so doing, they will become vessels of the Lord’s grace and action in the world to heal all that is broken. In these paragraphs that follow, he continues to develop this point.

Words versus Actions

None of these things escapes your notice, if you have perfect faith and love toward Jesus Christ. For these are the beginning and the end of life: faith is the beginning and love is the end, and the two, when they exist in unity, are God. Everything else that contributes to excellence follows from them. No one professing faith sins, nor does anyone possessing love hate. The tree is known by its fruit; thus those who profess to be Christ’s will be recognized by their actions. For the work is a matter not of what one promises now, but of persevering to the end in the power of faith.

It is better to be silent and be real than to talk and not be real. It is good to teach, if one does what one says. Now there is one Teacher, who spoke and it happened; indeed, even the things that He has done in silence are worthy of the Father. The one who truly possesses the word of Jesus is also able to hear His silence, so that he may be perfect, so that he may act through what he says and be known through his silence. Nothing is hidden from the Lord; even our secrets are close to Him. Therefore let us do everything with the knowledge that He dwells in us, in order that we may be His temples, and He may be in us as our God – as, in fact, He really is, as will be made clear in our sight by the love that we justly have for Him.

The Stench of Evil Teaching

Do not be misled, my brothers and sisters: those who adulterously corrupt households will not inherit the kingdom of God. Now if those who do such things physically are put to death, how much more if by evil teaching someone corrupts faith in God, for which Jesus Christ was crucified! Such a person, having polluted himself, will go to the unquenchable fire, as will also the one who listens to him.

The Lord accepted the ointment upon his head for this reason: that he might breathe incorruptibility upon the church. Do not be anointed with the stench of the teaching of the ruler of this age, lest he take you captive and rob you of the life set before you. Why do we not all become wise by receiving God’s knowledge, which is Jesus Christ? Why do we foolishly perish, ignoring the gracious gift that the Lord has truly sent?

442 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note that in this passage, we see Ignatius further developing the point that their life, and our life, as Christians, is not about what we do, but rather is about God’s action and life within us. The fruit that will be seen in our lives, then, is not something that we seek to take credit for; it is the fruit that the Lord will bring forth in us and through us when we offer ourselves truly to Him. We can see this difference more clearly if we notice what Ignatius is NOT saying. He’s not telling them to raise a ruckus, to knock on doors, to write letters or organize demonstrations or plan revolts or rally the oppressed. He’s telling them to devote themselves to worship, to faith, to love, to be silent and real, and to offer themselves to God in thanksgiving, and to then see what the Lord will accomplish. The point is God’s action, not ours; what we need to do is surrender ourselves to God.

Leader should also note that the evil teaching to which Ignatius refers may be either false teaching about God, what we might refer to as theological heresy, or false moral teaching, the sort of lax and permissive idea that we can partake of the pleasures and values of this world and still be faithful to God. It is important to hold fast to the essential truths of the Christian Faith, that Jesus is truly both God and Man, that He both died and rose, and that He calls us to holiness and transformation. It is also important to not be led astray by the many temptations of the world, the “teaching of the ruler of this age,” which tells us that we can follow our “natural” desires to happiness and fulfillment and self-actualization, rather than following Christ and taking up our cross. He is making the firm point that the Christian life and the “fulfillment” the world offers are mutually exclusive.)

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?

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 12:35-59 (Watchful Slaves, Faithfulness, Other Teachings)

Last time we saw the Lord talk to His disciples about the many things that the world thinks are important (the good opinion of others, safety, and possessions), and how what is truly important is the Kingdom of God, because all of the things of this world do not last; so He urged them to be faithful to Him, and to seek first His kingdom in all things. This time, He will continue to teach them (and us) how to live, being watchful and ready, and not being led astray by the many temptations of this world.

Watchful Slaves

35 “Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning, 36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the marriage feast, so that they may open to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes; truly, I say to you, he will gird himself and have them sit at table, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those servants! 39 But know this, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would have been awake and[e] would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

The Faithful or the Unfaithful Slave

41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. 44 Truly, I tell you, he will set him over all his possessions.”

45 “But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will punish him, and put him with the unfaithful.”

47 “And that servant who knew his master’s will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating. 48 But he who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light beating. Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more.

Jesus the Cause of Division

49 “I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; 52 for henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three; 53 they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

Interpreting the Time

54 He also said to the multitudes, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it happens. 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat’; and it happens. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky; but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

Settling with Your Opponent

57 “And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58 As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. 59 I tell you, you will never get out till you have paid the very last copper.”

Reading 29
624 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 Jesus is warning them that even though He is coming to preach and establish reconciliation between God and humanity, the result of this is not going to be peace within humanity. Rather, every one of us has to choose whether we are on the Lord’s side or not; and when we choose to be faithful to God, there will be many people who object, who think we should care more about them and their priorities than about the things of God. This is what creates division. The world at large cares about money, and power, and popularity, and pleasure, and any number of other things; and anyone who doesn’t care about these things, and hopes rather in God, is a threat and a disruption. So we need to be faithful to God, and we also need to understand that this will be difficult, that we will suffer for this…and also we need to understand that it is both the only right thing to do, and that God will not abandon us when we are faithful to Him, and that the Kingdom of God is worth losing the things of this world.)

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)

4 Kingdoms (2 Kings) 2:1-22 (Elijah Taken Up, Elisha Succeeds Him)

Last time we read in 3 Kingdoms/1 Kings 19 about how Elijah fled out into the desert when Jezebel was trying to kill him, and how God spoke to him, encouraged him, and gave him further instructions to anoint the next kings of Syria and Israel, and to anoint Elisha as the prophet to succeed him. In the several intervening chapters, things have gone from bad to worse in the kingdom of Israel, and Ahab has actually already died in battle. This time, we will see Elijah’s story come to an end (almost), and Elisha succeed him as God’s prophet and representative to the sinful nation of Israel, bringing help from God to those who were faithful, and judgment to those who rejected God.

Elijah Ascends to Heaven

2 Now when the Lord was about to take Eli′jah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Eli′jah and Eli′sha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 And Eli′jah said to Eli′sha, “Tarry here, I pray you; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Eli′sha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Eli′sha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; hold your peace.”

4 Eli′jah said to him, “Eli′sha, tarry here, I pray you; for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Eli′sha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; hold your peace.”

6 Then Eli′jah said to him, “Tarry here, I pray you; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Eli′jah took his mantle, and rolled it up, and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground.

9 When they had crossed, Eli′jah said to Eli′sha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Eli′sha said, “I pray you, let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Eli′jah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Eli′sha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more.

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

Then he took hold of his own clothes and rent them in two pieces. 13 And he took up the mantle of Eli′jah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the mantle of Eli′jah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, “Where is the Lord, the God of Eli′jah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other; and Eli′sha went over.

15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him over against them, they said, “The spirit of Eli′jah rests on Eli′sha.” And they came to meet him, and bowed to the ground before him. 16 And they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men; pray, let them go, and seek your master; it may be that the Spirit of the Lord has caught him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” 17 But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men; and for three days they sought him but did not find him. 18 And they came back to him, while he tarried at Jericho, and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, Do not go?”

Elisha Performs Miracles

19 Now the men of the city said to Eli′sha, “Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.” 20 He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went to the spring of water and threw salt in it, and said, “Thus says the Lord, I have made this water wholesome; henceforth neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.” 22 So the water has been wholesome to this day, according to the word which Eli′sha spoke.

814 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note that Elijah receives something almost unprecedented, to be brought up into heaven without dying. We see from this an indication that his questions to God that we read last time were not a sign of faithlessness, but simply of deep sorrow and uncertainty as he faced the costs of being faithful to God. We see him again, of course, once again on a mountain, in the New Testament, at the Transfiguration of the Lord, as Christ discusses with him and with Moses the final act of God’s work of salvation, His impending Crucifixion and Resurrection. In Elijah, we see what it means to be faithful to God, to be a citizen not of this world, but of the kingdom 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 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)

Letter of St. Ignatius to the Ephesians – 4

So far, St. Ignatius has been warning the Christians in Ephesus about how they should trust and submit to their bishop, and be wary of false teachers coming in to lead them astray. At this point in the letter, he turns to more practical matters, and gives guidance in how they should interact with those outside of the Church, especially when being mistreated by them. Since the Christians at this time were undergoing an active persecution, this is not just theoretical advice, but very real. Ignatius’ advice would have a strong authority on this subject, since he was himself DOING what he tells others to do here.

Response to Maltreatment

Pray continually for the rest of humankind as well, that they may find God, for there is in them hope for repentance. Therefore allow them to be instructed by you, at least by your deeds. In response to their anger, be gentle; in response to their boasts, be humble; in response to their slander, offer prayers; in response to their errors, be steadfast in the faith; in response to their cruelty, be civilized; do not be eager to imitate them. Let us show by our forbearance that we are their brothers and sisters, and let us be eager to be imitators of the Lord, to see who can be the more wronged, who the more cheated, who the more rejected, in order that no weed of the devil may be found among you, but that with complete purity and self-control you may abide in Christ Jesus physically and spiritually.

The Last Times: Both Cosmic and Personal

These are the last times. Therefore let us be reverent; let us fear the patience of God, lest it become a judgment against us. For let us either fear the wrath to come or love the grace that is present, one of the two; only let us be found in Christ Jesus, which leads to true life. Let nothing appeal to you apart from him, in whom I carry around these chains (my spiritual pearls!), by which I hope, through your prayers, to rise again. May I always share in them, in order that I may be found in the company of the Christians of Ephesus, who have always been in agreement with the apostles by the power of Jesus Christ.

Who Ignatius Is

I know who I am and to whom I am writing. I am a convict; you have received mercy. I am in danger; you are secure. You are the highway of those who are being killed for God’s sake; you are fellow initiates of Paul, who was sanctified, who was approved, who is deservedly blessed – may I be found in his footsteps when I reach God! – who in every letter remembers you in Christ Jesus.

Frequent and Harmonious Meetings

Therefore make every effort to come together more frequently to give thanks and glory to God. For when you meet together frequently, the powers of Satan are overthrown and his destructiveness is nullified by the unanimity of your faith. There is nothing better than peace, by which all warfare among those in heaven and those on earth is abolished.

421 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note that the way of living that St. Ignatius advises here is exceptionally difficult. It might be worth asking everyone to reflect on what this might look like in their own lives, if there is an example of a situation in which they are being mistreated or mocked in which they could follow this example of St. Ignatius, and bear witness to Christ and the transforming power of His love by patient endurance of mocking, mistreatment, and suffering. It doesn’t have to be on account of our Faith for us to bear witness to Christ, either…we are called to love our enemies, regardless of why they make themselves our enemies. This is an important discussion, so we purposely selected a shorter selection so as to allow for more time for this.)

Leader should also note how we are to treat even our enemies with love and graciousness, because these are the last times, and nothing matters except remaining faithful to the Lord. Certainly revenge and “fairness” and so forth are entirely irrelevant when weighed against the imminent coming of the Lord. As encouragement to ourselves to be faithful, then, we can choose either fear or love: fear of the judgment to come, or love and gratitude for the grace of the Lord. But we must choose one or the other, lest we instead give ourselves over to the many broken things that seem natural to us: anger, defensiveness, and hatred of those who wrong us. We must follow Christ, even to the Cross, even when, or rather especially when, it seems unnatural or impossible to do so.

Leader should also note that Ignatius is effectively telling them how they should go about combating the evil around them: by gathering more often to worship God. He says that when they gather for the Eucharist (since that is what it means to give thanks), the love of God in their midst overthrows and abolishes all destruction, all evil, all warfare, and brings peace to both heaven and earth. This is, in short, the same lesson that we see throughout Scripture, and that we will see in the book of Tobit that we will begin reading next week…thanksgiving and worship of God drive away sickness and demonic assaults and bring peace and wholeness where there had been death and brokenness before. The same remains true now…if we are troubled by anything that we see around us in the world, the remedy is to be faithful, to pray, and to gather for worship, celebrating the Eucharist, and reconciling ourselves with the Lord. This is the only certain way for us to make the world a better place.))

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?

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 12:13-34 (Parable of the Rich Fool, Do Not Worry)

Last time we saw the Lord denounce the Pharisees and exhort those following Him to walk in actual faithfulness, following Him truly, in heart and in action, and not simply in word and in show. This time, He will continue with a parable which expresses this same warning, and follow it up with an explanation of where true fullness and peace are to be found.

The Parable of the Rich Fool

13 One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Do Not Worry

22 And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat, nor about your body, what you shall put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his span of life?26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?

27 Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin;[c] yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass which is alive in the field today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O men of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be of anxious mind. 30 For all the nations of the world seek these things; and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his[d] kingdom, and these things shall be yours as well.

32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give alms; provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Reading 28
493 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 how Jesus is talking about what is truly our source of security and peace in this world. We tend to chase after wealth and possessions in this world, but the Lord tells us that these serve only to distract from what is real and true. He shows how one can gain great wealth in this life, and still have nothing that matters when death comes, and assures His disciples that, if they serve God faithfully, He will take care of them. We should note that that doesn’t mean we can be lazy and God will take care of us…just that we should not chase after possessions, but should seek God and His kingdom in all that we do, doing the work of each day with prayer and with love and with our eyes fixed on the Lord, not on the things of this world that don’t last.)

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.)