Day 1 (Monday)

Philippians 3:12-21; 4:1-23

Last time St. Paul talked rejecting false teachings, and especially any pride in the flesh or in advancement in this life, and makes an example of himself, how his life in Christ has been a life of struggle and suffering with Christ, and how through this suffering he is being united with the Lord in death, so that he can attain the Resurrection from the dead with the Lord. He continues this week from that point, saying that he hasn’t yet reached that point, but that that is the path he is on.

Pressing toward the Goal

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature be thus minded; and if in anything you are otherwise minded, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

17 Brethren, join in imitating me, and mark those who so live as you have an example in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our commonwealth is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power which enables him even to subject all things to himself.

4 Therefore, my brethren, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Exhortations

2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 And I ask you also, true yokefellow, help these women, for they have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. 6 Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.

Acknowledgment of the Philippians’ Gift

10 I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me; you were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I complain of want; for I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want. 13 I can do all things in him who strengthens me.

14 Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving except you only; 16 for even in Thessalonica you sent me help once and again. 17 Not that I seek the gift; but I seek the fruit which increases to your credit. 18 I have received full payment, and more; I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings and Benediction

21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you. 22 All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.

23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

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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 focus on verses 17-21 of chapter 3, at the beginning, and urge that the group consider what it might look like to glory in the flesh, to make one’s belly one’s god, to set the mind on earthly things. St. Paul is, in this letter, making very clear that the Christian understanding of life and its purpose and meaning is upside-down from what is thought normal in the world. Or rather, he is making the point that the way the world thinks about life is in fact upside down from what is the true reality of things, and urging the Faithful in Philippi to remember that and to live according to the truth that had been revealed to them by the Lord Jesus Christ through the preaching of St. Paul.)

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)

Feast of the Koimisis

Last week we read a selection of the hymns that were sung during the celebration of the Feast of Transfiguration on August 6th. This week, we will read a similar selection of the hymns that are sung for the feast of the Koimisis of the Theotokos on August 15th. This is the final feast of the Church year, and celebrates the Falling Asleep (what Koimisis means) of the Virgin Mary, which is to say, it is the celebration of her death and funeral. Because her tomb was found to be empty when the Apostle Thomas arrived and wished to venerate her body, the Church understands and confesses that her body has been raised and that she has taken her place in the Divine Council of the Lord, and already tastes the fullness of the Resurrection. Therefore this is a true and complete celebration, not mixed with sadness in the face of her death, because Christ has triumphed over death, and that victory is already revealed to us in her.

Ist Hymn of the Kekragaria

Marvel at the wondrous paradox! * Now the fount of our life has been laid within a tomb; * her tomb has become a ladder to heaven above. * Gethsemane, holy place, * the Theotokos reposed in you. Celebrate! * Believers, together sing, * having the Archangel Gabriel leading us. * “We salute you, Lady full of grace: O rejoice! For the Lord * is with you and is granting to the world great mercy through you.

Apolytikion

You gave birth yet preserved your virginity. You fell asleep in death yet did not desert the world, O Theotokos. You were transported to life, as you are Mother of Life and, by virtue of your intercessions, deliver our souls from death.

Heirmos of the 1st Ode of the 1st Canon

Adorned with glory divine, O Virgin, * is your most sacred and illustrious memorial, * gathering the faithful all together joyfully to sing * in processions led by Mariam, with timbrels and dancing, * to your Only-begotten Son. * For He has been greatly glorified.

Hymn 1 of the 1st Ode of the 1st Canon

Even as incorporeal orders * of heaven tended your divine body, O Virgin pure, * suddenly the multitude of the Apostles converged * from the ends of the earth, O Theotokos, in Zion, * and all stood before you. And with them * we glorify your solemn memory.

Hymn 2 of the 1st Ode of the 1st Canon

Trophies of victory over nature * did you, O virgin Maiden, raise in giving birth to God. * But in imitation now of your Creator and your Son, * you submit to nature’s laws in a way transcending nature. * And thus, though you die, you resurrect, * and with your Son you live eternally

Hymn 3 of the 1st Ode of the 2nd Canon

Divine and celestial dwellings received you befittingly, * since you are the animate heaven, O Lady pure. * And you stood adorned * and gorgeously appareled * as a wholly blameless bride * beside our King and God.

Hymn 1 of the 8th Ode of the 1st Canon

Clinging with words to the divine Ark * of the holiness, the multitude * of the Theologians cried aloud * unto her in Zion: * Where are you going now, O Tabernacle of the living God? * Cease not, we pray, from watching over those who sing out faithfully: * We who have been redeemed chant in praise of the only Creator, * exalting Him supremely unto all the ages

Hymn 2 of the 8th Ode of the 1st Canon

As the all-blameless one, departing, * lifted up her hands in orison — * hands with which she had embraced * the incarnate God — * she spoke with freedom as a mother, saying to her Son: * Keep them, whom You bequeathed to me, forever as they cry to You: * We who have been redeemed chant in praise of the only Creator, * exalting Him supremely unto all the ages.

Heirmos of the 9th Ode of the 1st Canon

In you the laws of nature are defeated,* O undefiled Virgin pure. * In virginity childbirth was accomplished, and death introduces life. * You, after bearing, are virgin, and after dying are living. * Mother of God, * ever save your inheritance.

Hymn 1 of the 9th Ode of the 1st Canon

Amazed were the angelic hosts of heaven * as they beheld their Lord himself * come to Zion receiving * with His own hands a woman’s departing soul. * For He addressed as a son should * her who had stainlessly borne Him: * O gracious one, * come be glorified with your Son and God.

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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 the basic themes. a) The Virgin Mary truly died. b) Her Death is not a sad occasion, but only a showcase of the power of God and the Resurrection from the dead. c) Not only has she been raised, but she has been elevated to a rank higher than the angels in the Lord’s Divine Council. d) In that place next to the throne of the Lord, she intercedes always for all of humankind. This feast, then, gives us a very clear understanding of what we are doing when we ask her and all the saints to pray for us. This year, all of the hymns that we have selected are short, so it’s worthwhile to think of them as little mini icons reflecting on a particular element of the Feast, each providing a keyhole view of the wondrous whole.)

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 21:20-38

This is our final reading from the Gospel of Luke. This concludes the Lord’s prophecy of the judgment and destruction that are coming upon Jerusalem, and sets up very clearly the stark choice between the kingdoms of this world and the Kingdom of God.

The Destruction of Jerusalem Foretold

20 “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. 21 Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those inside the city must leave it, and those out in the country must not enter it; 22 for these are days of vengeance, as a fulfillment of all that is written. 23 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress on the earth and wrath against this people; 24 they will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken away as captives among all nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

The Coming of the Son of Man

25 “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26 People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

29 Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; 30 as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Exhortation to Watch

34 “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, 35 like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

37 Every day he was teaching in the temple, and at night he would go out and spend the night on the Mount of Olives, as it was called. 38 And all the people would get up early in the morning to listen to him in the temple.

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 passage is where the Lord gives the clearest prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem, and that here, as in other places, He speaks about the destruction of Jerusalem together with prophecies of His coming and the last judgment; the clear reason is that the temptations and errors that led to the destruction of the Temple, choosing to build and fight for a kingdom in this world, must always be rejected. Christians are called to follow Christ in the wilderness, in suffering, and to the point of death; and in that suffering, when everything is falling apart, our redemption is near to us, as we participate in the Lord’s Death with our eyes fixed on His Resurrection. In short, what St. Paul says in our Day 1 reading interprets and explains this passage. )

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)

Philippians 2:12-30; 3:1-11

Last time we read the beginning of St. Paul’s letter to the Church at Philippi, and saw how he introduced himself, how he wrote to encourage them in the face of persecutions (both his own and theirs), and confirmed the essential divinity and humanity of the Lord as He preached Christ’s example of humility in lowering Himself and becoming human. This time he will urge them to continue to be faithful, and warn them especially against the false teachings that are currently present among them.

Shining as Lights in the World

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without grumbling or questioning, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even if I am to be poured as a libation upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I may be cheered by news of you. 20 I have no one like him, who will be genuinely anxious for your welfare. 21 They all look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But Timothy’s worth you know, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. 23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me; 24 and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself shall come also.

25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all, and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy; and honor such men, 30 for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete your service to me.

Breaking with the Past

3 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is not irksome to me, and is safe for you.

2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evil-workers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit, and glory in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh. 4 Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If any other man thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law a Pharisee, 6 as to zeal a persecutor of the church, as to righteousness under the law blameless.

7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith; 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

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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 can note two points. a) The first paragraph is a good example of what the Church calls synergeia, how our salvation is a matter of our will and work in cooperation with God’s work and will in us. The point is that we cannot save ourselves from sin and death; it is God Who saves us, but we have to cooperate with Him. b) The final two paragraphs are an example of what Paul means. He lists all the things that he had done himself that he might have thought were his own works to save himself, and then shows how none of those actually saved him, and what He must do is to trust in the Lord, and be faithful to Him, and follow Him in suffering, even to the point of death, so that He may follow Him even to the resurrection from the dead. This is the point for all of us…the Christian life isn’t about completing a checklist, but is a matter of living a life of faithfulness, entrusting our entire lives to the Lord, and following Him through the many sufferings of this life into everlasting life.)

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)

Feast of the Transfiguration – 7

We have been reading, but have now completed the sermon of St. Proclus on the Most-Holy Theotokos. Since we celebrated two great feasts of the Church earlier this month, we will take the final two weeks of this year to reflect on some elements of the services for the feast of Transfiguration (August 6th) and Koimisis (August 15th). For the Feast of Transfiguration, we should note that there are three readings from the Old Testament, all of which we read during this past year. Two of them are the encounters that Moses had with God on Mount Sinai, from the book of Exodus, and the third is the meeting that Elijah had with God on Mount Horeb, when God was not in the wind or the earthquake or the fire, but in the still small voice. These readings were selected because they showed us the previous times that Moses and Elijah had met the Lord on the mountain, and how those meetings were fulfilled when He was transfigured and revealed His glory to them and to His disciples on Mount Tabor.

Kekragaria 1
Before Your crucifixion, O Lord, the Mount became like heaven, the cloud was like the Tent. When You were transfigured and the Father bore witness to You, Peter, James and John were there, since they would also be with You when You were betrayed; so that by seeing these wonders of Yours now, they would not be frightened by Your sufferings later. Grant that we may venerate Your Passion in peace, because of Your great mercy.

Liti Idiomelon 3
Christ, the light that shined before the sun, like the sun moved over the earth in His body; and, before His Crucifixion, He executed His awesome plan for salvation in a manner fitting His divine majesty. And so, today on Mt. Tabor, He mystically reveals the image of the Trinity. He took His three select Disciples, Peter, James and John, and led them up with himself. And then He briefly concealed the flesh that He had assumed, and He was transfigured before them. In so doing, He showed them the majesty of His original beauty, although not completely, but just enough to inform them, as much as their physical eyes could bear, and still spare them, lest the full vision cause them to lose their life. Then He brought in the pinnacles of the Prophets, Moses and Elijah; and each in his own way testified that He is God, and that He is the true radiance of the Father’s essence, and that He is Lord of both the living and the dead. Then a cloud, like a tent, overshadowed them, and the voice of the Father on high came from the cloud, and audibly bore witness and said, “This is the One whom I begot without changing from the womb before the morning star, my beloved Son, whom I sent to save those who are baptized in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and who with faith confess that undivided is the one dominion of the Godhead. Listen to Him.” O humane Savior, Christ our God, we pray You to illumine us as well, with the light of Your unapproachable glory, and show us to be worthy recipients of your kingdom that has no end.

Hymn 3 from the 9th Ode of the 1st Canon
Having seen strange and marvelous wonders, * and having heard the voice of the Father * on Mount Tabor, the servants of the Word * cried out proclaiming unto the whole world: * He is our Savior and the impress of the Archetype.

Hymn 4 from the 9th Ode of the 1st Canon
Invariable image of the One who is, * the seal that is neither moved nor altered, * Son and Logos and Wisdom and Arm, * and Right Hand and Strength of the Most High, * we all extol you with the Father and the Spirit.

Hymn 1 from the 9th Ode of the 2nd Canon
That You might manifestly show * Your unutterable second descent to come, * how You the Most High God * will then be seen standing in the midst of gods, * You did ineffably shine forth * on Moses and Elias and * on the Apostles, O Lord, * on Mount Tabor. Hence we magnify You, O Christ.

Hymn 2 from the 9th Ode of the 2nd Canon
People, come listen to me. * Let us climb that mountain, holy and heavenly, and immaterially * stand in the city of the living God. * Let us noetically see * the immaterial Divinity * of the Father and the Spirit, * shining forth in the Only-begotten Son.

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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 the basic themes. a) Christ is the same One Who appeared to Moses and Elijah. b) At the Transfiguration, His Divinity is revealed in the human nature He assumed. c) Being Incarnate with us, He changes us and saves us. d) In showing forth His Divinity, He shows also that He is the Master and Lord of sin and death, and prefigures His triumph over them. The long hymn from the Liti, especially, sums up the entire story, and reflects on its meaning and significance.)

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 18:18-43 (Rich Ruler, Jesus Foretells His Passion a 3rd Time, Heals a Blind Beggar Near Jericho)

Last time we saw Jesus urging His disciples to pray, with fervent persistence like the widow, with humble repentance like the tax collector, and with the lowliness and simplicity of a child. This time, we will see Him continue to speak to those around Him as He makes His way toward Jerusalem and His Passion, Death, and Resurrection.

The Rich Ruler

18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these I have observed from my youth.” 22 And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich. 24 Jesus looking at him said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” 28 And Peter said, “Lo, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no man who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive manifold more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

A Third Time Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

31 And taking the twelve, he said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written of the Son of man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32 For he will be delivered to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon; 33 they will scourge him and kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” 34 But they understood none of these things; this saying was hid from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar Near Jericho

35 As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging; 36 and hearing a multitude going by, he inquired what this meant. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 And he cried, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 And Jesus stopped, and commanded him to be brought to him; and when he came near, he asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me receive my sight.” 42 And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43 And immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

Reading 39
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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 this passage follows immediately on the scene in which the disciples are keeping the children from the Lord, and He rebukes them, saying that the kingdom of God is for children, and unless one approaches the kingdom of God in the manner of a child, they will have no part in it. Remembering that, we can see the story of this rich young ruler as further explaining what it means to approach the kingdom of God like a child; following God is not just a matter of obeying the commandments and avoiding sin, but of actually becoming weak, and poor, and depending solely on the Lord for our life and salvation. In short, as an infant depends on its parents, so too we need to entrust ourselves to the Lord. The story of the Blind Beggar, whose persistent prayers for the Lord to have mercy on him are often cited as one of the origins of the Jesus Prayer, is another example of this sort of humble faith, illustrating in actual examples the points that the Lord has been making in parables and teachings.)

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)

Philippians 1:1-30; 2:1-11

Up to this point, for our Day 1 readings we have been reading from the Old Testament, covering the narrative from the Creation through the call of Israel, the problems once they entered the Promised Land, the evil kings and the prophets God sent to call the people to repentance, and finally the exile, which was where we found Tobit and his family, living in Ninevah after the fall of the nation of Israel. We’ve spent the Day 3 readings on the Gospel of Luke, and have seen what Jesus said and did during his ministry, as the fulfillment of the expectation of the Faithful of the Old Testament. For the last few weeks of this first year, then, we’ll use the Day 1 readings to see what happened after Jesus ascended into heaven, and get a glimpse of the life of the early Church through one of the letters of St. Paul. We should note that St. Paul began his life as a Pharisee, and an opponent of Jesus and His teachings. He was converted while in the act of persecuting the early Christians, and ended up establishing churches throughout the world, especially in the Greek world. For the final weeks of August, we will read his (short) letter to the Church in the city of Philippi, located near Thessaloniki in Greece. The Church there was the first Christian community established in Greece. At the time St. Paul wrote this, he was a prisoner under house arrest in Rome, writing to express pastoral care and concern for the churches he had founded.

Salutation

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul’s Prayer for the Philippians

3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 thankful for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

7 It is right for me to feel thus about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruits of righteousness which come through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Paul’s Present Circumstances

12 I want you to know, brethren, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ; 14 and most of the brethren have been made confident in the Lord because of my imprisonment, and are much more bold to speak the word of God without fear.

15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel; 17 the former proclaim Christ out of partisanship, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in that I rejoice.

19 Yes, and I shall rejoice. For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I shall not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If it is to be life in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear omen to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict which you saw and now hear to be mine.

Imitating Christ’s Humility

2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

885 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader can note a few things. First, Paul considers his imprisonment an advantage; he is using it to preach Christ to the soldiers guarding him, and even to the household of the emperor. Second, in verse 19 he talks about how his deliverance, but we need to understand that he isn’t talking about freedom from imprisonment, but that he complete his life faithfully. He sounds a lot like St. Ignatius talking about his death. Third, what he urges them to do is also similar: he wants them to be faithful, he wants them to maintain their unity with one another, and he wants them to imitate Christ, most especially in humility and suffering, understanding that victory for Christ was won by means of the Cross, by humiliation and suffering.)

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. Proclus On the Holy Virgin Theotokos – 4

This week we will conclude the sermon of St. Proclus on the holiness of the Theotokos, and the honor due to her, which he preached in the presence of Nestorius during the controversy which led to the 3rd Ecumenical Council at Ephesus, and the condemnation of Nestorianism.

Proclus of Constantinople
Homily 1: On the Holy Virgin Theotokos, Delivered while Nestorius was seated in the Great Church of Constantinople – 4

VIII
So he who bought us was no mere man, you Jew! For the nature of man was enslaved to sin. Nor was he solely God, without humanity. For he had a body, you Manichee! Had he not clothed himself in me, he would not have saved me. Rather, when he appeared in the Virgin’s womb he clothed himself in him who was condemned; there it was that the awesome contract was concluded. He gave spirit and took flesh. The same one was both with the Virgin and of the Virgin; by his “overshadowing” (cf. Lk. 1.35 ), he was with her; by becoming incarnate, he was of her.

If Christ is one (person) and God the Word another, then there is no longer a Trinity, but a quaternity. Do not rend the robe of the incarnation which was “woven from above” (cf. Jn. 19.23). Do not be the disciple of Arius, for he in his impiety divided the divine essence; you must take care not to sunder the union, lest you be sundered from God. Who was it that “shone on those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death” (Lk. 1.79)? A man? But how? For men dwelt in “darkness,” as Paul says: “He has delivered us from the power of darkness” (Col. 1.13), and again: “Once you were darkness” (Eph. 5.8). Then who was it who “shone”?

David teaches you when he says, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (Ps. 117.26)! Tell us plainly, David: “Cry with strength and spare not; lift up thy voice like a trumpet (Is. 58.1),” and tell us who this is. The Lord the God of hosts! “The Lord is God, and he has shined upon us” (Ps. 117.27)! For “the Word became flesh” (Jn. 1.14), the natures came together and the union remained unconfused.

IX
He came to save, but he also had to suffer. How were both possible? Mere man had no power to save. One who was solely God could not suffer. What happened then? He who was God became man. By what he was, he saved; and by what he became, he suffered. When therefore the church saw the synagogue crowning him with thorns, she bewailed the outrage in these words: “Daughters of Jerusalem, go forth and behold the crown with which his mother crowned him” (Song 3.11). For he both wore the crown of thorns and undid the sentence of the thorns (cf. Gen. 3.18–19).

For the same one was in the “Father’s bosom” (cf. Jn. 1.18) and in the Virgin’s womb, in his mother’s arms and on the “wings of the wind” (Ps. 103.3), adored by angels (Heb. 1.6 ) and “dining with tax collectors” (Mt. 9.10; Mk. 2.15). Seraphim would not look at him (cf. Is. 6.2), and “Pilate interrogated him” (Mk. 15.2, 4). A “servant struck him” (Jn. 18.22), and creation trembled. While nailed on the cross, he did not depart from his throne; while shut in the tomb, he was “stretching out the heavens like a curtain” (Ps. 103.2); while numbered with the dead, he was plundering Hades. Below he was accused as a “deceiver” (Mt. 27.63), above he was glorified as the Holy One.

What a mystery! Beholding his miracles, I extol his divinity; seeing the sufferings, I cannot deny his humanity. As man, Emmanuel opened the gates of human nature; as God, he left the bars of virginity unbroken. As he entered through the ear, so too did he come out from the womb; as he was conceived, so was he born. His entering in was altogether without passion, and his coming out was altogether beyond understanding—as the prophet Ezekiel said:

“The Lord brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces east; and it was shut. And the Lord said to me, ‘Son of man, this gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened. No one shall pass through it, but the Lord, the God of Israel, he alone shall enter and come out, and the gate shall be shut’ (Ezek. 44.1–2).”

There you have a clear testimony to the Holy and ‘God-bearing’ Mary. Let all contradiction now cease, and let us be enlightened by the teaching of the Scriptures, so that we may attain to the kingdom of heaven in Christ Jesus our Lord. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading 4
739 words

https://www.pappaspatristicinstitute.com/post/proclus-of-constantinople-and-his-homily-on-the-theotokos-delivered-in-the-presence-of-nestorius

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. Proclus’ words echo and reflect the iconography and the hymnography of the Church. We hear language such as this on all the feasts of the Lord’s Incarnation, at Pascha, and constantly and consistently in the Divine Liturgy. The Platytera icon in the Apse explicitly communicates the precise point. St. Proclus is deeply grounded in the worship of the Church, and stands as a relay point for that ancient tradition through this controversy into the subsequent centuries. As we encounter the challenges and questions of our present age, we should take him as a model for the task that falls to us, and answer according to the tradition delivered once for all to the Apostles.)

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 18:1-17 (Parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge, Pharisee & the Tax Collector, Jesus Blesses Little Children)

Last time Jesus warned His disciples about the many troubles that would come after His Passion, including the destruction of Jerusalem, and the need for them to flee when their fellow Jews proclaimed the coming of the Messiah and the time for a rebellion against the Romans. This time, He will offer them encouragement, and guide them in how to find strength in every trouble.

The Parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge

18 And he told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man; 3 and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Vindicate me against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will vindicate them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children

15 Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

Reading 38
390 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 in all three of these sayings, the two parables AND the response to the children, Jesus is making the same point. The remedy to trouble in the world is prayer, putting our trust in the Lord. The first parable reminds them that persistence in prayer pays off even when the judge is unjust, so how much more will it “work” when the judge is our Father, Who loves us. The second reminds them what sort of prayer is valuable; not the sort that congratulates themselves for their holiness, but rather the sort that confesses sin and places trust wholly in the Lord for salvation. The third point, with the children, further illustrates this point, that even when if we have not sinned greatly, we are always still small and weak and needy before the Lord, like children, and that if we cannot approach God with the humility of children, we can have no part in His Kingdom.)

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 14:2-15 (Tobit’s Final Words, Epilogue)

Last time we read the prayer Tobit prayed in thanksgiving and glory to God after the departure of the Archangel Raphael, how he urged the people in exile to repent and be faithful, how he assured them of God’s mercy, how he foretold the destruction and restoration of Jerusalem, and even prophesied about the entrance of the Gentiles into the covenant and the presence of God on earth in the heavenly Jerusalem. This time we will finish the book of Tobit, with an epilogue that tells how the story ends.

Tobit’s Final Words

2 Tobit was fifty-eight years old when he lost his sight, and eight years later he regained it. Tobit did almsgiving, and continued to fear the Lord God, and gave thanks to Him. 3 He grew very old, and called his son and his son’s sons, and said, “My son, take your sons. Behold, I have grown old, and I am departing from this life. 4 Depart to Media, my son, for I trust all the words Jonah the prophet spoke concerning Nineveh, that it will be overthrown. But in Media there will be more peace for a time. For our brethren in the land will be dispersed in the earth from the good land. Jerusalem shall be desolate, and the house of God therein will be burned up. It shall be desolate for a time.

5 “But God will again have mercy on them, and He will return them to the land. They will build the house, but not as it was before, until the times of the age are fulfilled. After this, they will return from the captivity and build Jerusalem honorably. The house of God within her will be built as a glorious building for every generation forever, as the prophets said concerning her. 6 All the Gentiles shall return to truly fear the Lord God. They shall bury their idols in the earth, and all the Gentiles will bless the Lord. 7 His people will offer thanks to God, and the Lord will exalt His people. All who love the Lord God in truth and righteousness will rejoice. They will show mercy to our brethren.

8 “So now, my son, depart from Nineveh, since what the prophet Jonah said will doubtless come to pass. 9 But keep the law and the ordinances. Be merciful and righteous, that it may be well with you. Bury me decently and your mother with me, but lodge no longer in Nineveh. 10 My son, observe what Aman did to Ahikar who reared him, how he led him from light into darkness, and how greatly he repaid him. Indeed Ahikar was saved, but as for that man, he was repaid with retribution and descended into the darkness. Manasseh did almsgiving and was saved from the trap of death that was set for him. But Aman fell into the trap and perished.

11 Now then, my children, observe what almsgiving does, and how righteousness delivers us.” After he said these things, his soul departed as he lay on his bed. He was one hundred and fifty-eight years old, and Tobias buried him gloriously. 12 When Anna died, he buried her with his father. Then Tobias departed with his wife and his children to Ecbatana, to Raguel his father-in-law.

13 He grew old honorably and buried the parents of his wife most respectfully. They inherited their estate and that of Tobit his father. 14 Tobias died at Ecbatana of Media when he was one hundred and twenty-seven years old. 15 Before he died, he heard of the destruction of Nineveh, taken by Nebuchadnezzar and Ahasuerus. Thus before his death he rejoiced over Nineveh.

523 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 Tobias foretells clearly here what he mentioned in his prayer, with the destruction of Jerusalem, its restoration, and the establishment in Jerusalem of a “house of God” that would last forever and be for all nations and all generations; what we have seen in the New Testament is that this refers not to the temple building itself, but to our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is Himself God, making His Dwelling with humankind forever. This is why Jesus said: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.” Regarding the reference to Aman and Ahikar, Ahikar is Tobit’s nephew who works for the king of Assyria, mentioned at the beginning of the book, and again as attending the celebration of Tobias & Sarah’s wedding. Aman was a student and heir of his who betrayed his master and tried to have him killed, but even the executioner refused to kill Ahikar because of his righteousness, and Aman ended up suffering execution himself. The point being made is that righteousness and almsgiving are always vindicated in the end.)

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. Proclus On the Holy Virgin Theotokos – 3

We have been reading a sermon from St. Proclus of Constantinople on the Theotokos, in the midst of the controversy over her role in the Lord’s economy of salvation, and specifically whether it was right to call her the Mother and Birthgiver of God. He preached this sermon in the presence of Nestorius, who was at that time the Patriarch of Constantinople, as Nestorius was preaching and teaching that she should NOT be called the Mother of God, but rather the Mother of Christ, in order to not demean God by claiming that He had a mother. St. Proclus is affirming strongly the ancient tradition of the Church that she did in fact give birth to God, and therefore must be called the Mother of God in order to proclaim that central truth of the Gospel. We will read the third part of the sermon today.

Proclus of Constantinople
Homily 1: On the Holy Virgin Theotokos, Delivered while Nestorius was seated in the Great Church of Constantinople – 3

VI
What happened then? The very one who brought every creature into existence and whose bounty never fails, he it was who for the condemned won life most sure and for death secured a fitting dissolution. He became man (he alone knows how—to explain the miracle is beyond the power of speech). By what he became he died; by what he was, he redeemed—as Paul says, “in him we have redemption through his blood, the remission of our trespasses (Eph. 1.7).”

What a transaction! It was for others that he procured immortality, since he himself was immortal. Another, able to do this work, there neither was nor has been nor is nor will be, beside him alone who was born of a virgin, God and man. His dignity was such as not only to outweigh the multitude of the condemned, but also to prevail against all sentences given against them.

For he was the Son, maintaining his unchangeable likeness to the Father; the creator, possessed of unfailing power; the merciful, revealing his unsurpassable compassion; the high priest, who was worthy to plead on our behalf (cf. Heb. 3.1). None of these qualities could ever be found in another, whether in equal or in similar degree. Behold his love! Freely accepting condemnation, he destroyed the death that was due to those who crucified him; and the transgression of those who killed him he turned into the salvation of the transgressors.

VII
A mere man could not save; for he would have needed a savior himself, since, as Paul said, “all have sinned (Rom. 3.23).” By sin we were delivered to the devil, and by the devil handed over to death. Our affairs were in utmost peril; there was no means of rescue. This was the verdict of the physicians who were sent to us. What happened then?

When the prophets saw that our wounds were beyond human resource, they cried for the heavenly physician. “Bow thy heavens and come down” (Ps. 143.5), says one. Another, “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed” (Jer. 17.14). One says, “Stir up thy might, and come to save us!” (Ps. 79.2). Another, “Will God indeed dwell with men?” (3 Kg. 8.27). One says, “Let thy mercies speedily overtake us, for we are brought into great poverty” (Ps. 78.8). And another, “Alas my soul, for the godly man has perished from the earth, and there is none upright among men” (Mic. 7.1–2).

Another says, “O God, come to my help; O Lord, make haste to help me” (Ps. 69.1). Another, “Yet a little while and the coming one shall come and not tarry” (Hab. 2.3; cf. Heb. 10.37). Another, “I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost; seek thy servant whose hope is in thee” (Ps. 118.176). And another, “God, even our God, shall come manifestly and shall not keep silence” (Ps. 49.3).

So our natural King did not allow our nature to remain for ever under tyranny. The merciful God did not permit us to remain subject to the devil to the end. He came, who was always present. He paid the ransom of his own blood. He gave to death in exchange for mankind the body taken from the virgin that he bore. And he redeemed the world from the curse of the law, by death destroying death—as Paul cries, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law” (Gal. 3.13).

Reading 3
575 words

https://www.pappaspatristicinstitute.com/post/proclus-of-constantinople-and-his-homily-on-the-theotokos-delivered-in-the-presence-of-nestorius

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note how completely St. Proclus is concerned with the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is spending this sermon effectively summing up everything that the Lord is and has done for our salvation. His point about the honor due to the Mother of God, the marvel that has been revealed in her, is wholly in pursuit of the affirmation of the truth of Gospel about our Lord Jesus Christ. As is evident elsewhere in the Orthodox Faith, so do we see here as well, that we honor the Virgin Mary in order to confess the One Whom she bore.)

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 17:11-37 (Jesus Cleanses Ten Lepers, Coming of the Kingdom)

Last time we saw Jesus preparing His disciples for their ministry and their eventual martyrdoms with the guidance He was giving to them. As He continues on His way to Jerusalem for His Passion, He encounters a group of Ten Lepers asking for His help, and after they depart cleansed, with only one returning to give thanks, He is approached by Pharisees who ask Him when He will establish the Kingdom of God. He will respond briefly to them, avoiding their trap, and then will speak in more detail to the Disciples about His actual coming, and also the horror that will result from the sort of kingdom that the Pharisees are looking for, prophesying the rebellion of the Jewish people against the Romans in the 60’s A.D., and the destruction and death that will result.

Jesus Cleanses Ten Lepers

11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samar′ia and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then said Jesus, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

The Coming of the Kingdom

20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; 21 nor will they say, ‘Lo, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”

22 And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and you will not see it. 23 And they will say to you, ‘Lo, there!’ or ‘Lo, here!’ Do not go, do not follow them. 24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of man be in his day. 25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

26 As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of man. 27 They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise as it was in the days of Lot—they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built, 29 but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom fire and brimstone rained from heaven and destroyed them all— 30 so will it be on the day when the Son of man is revealed.

31 On that day, let him who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away; and likewise let him who is in the field not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whoever seeks to gain his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it. 34 I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 35 There will be two women grinding together; one will be taken and the other left.” 37 And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.”

Reading 37
536 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 gives an answer to the question of “when the kingdom of God is coming” to both the Pharisees and to His disciples. To the Pharisees, He tells them that they’re looking for the wrong thing if they are looking for signs of the coming of the Kingdom…because He is already there, the King of glory in their midst, and they aren’t able to see Him. To His disciples, He addresses the question of when He will come to finally rule, and tells them that when that day comes, there will be no doubt…but that long before that happens, He will be rejected by “this generation,” which is to say, by the people who have just been talking to Him, by the Pharisees and the others with them. He then warns them that after that, there will come a day of judgment, the day of the Son of Man that Daniel foretold, when that same generation will CLAIM that the Messiah has come, and that that day will be a day of horror and judgment and death, and they are to flee the city immediately when they start to see people talking about how the Messiah is coming. We also know that this is exactly what the Christians in Jerusalem did in the 60’s A.D., when there was a proclamation of the Messiah’s coming, and a rebellion against the Romans; when this happened, all the Christians fled the city, and did not take part in the rebellion. As a result, the Christians survived, when everyone who remained in the city was starved, killed, or enslaved.)

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 13:1-18 (Tobit’s Prayer)

Last time we saw Tobias & Sarah, together with the Archangel Raphael, return to Ninevah, where Tobit’s blindness was healed, and Raphael revealed himself to be an archangel sent by the Lord. He urged them to remain faithful, to be diligent in almsgiving and all righteousness, to always give glory to God, and disappeared from their sight, having directed them to write down everything that had happened in a book. We are now coming to the end of the book of Tobit, with Tobit’s prayer of thanksgiving this week, and next week, an epilogue explaining what happened to everyone.

Tobit Exalts the Lord

1 Then Tobit with exceeding joy wrote a prayer, saying:
2 “Blessed is God Who lives unto the ages,
And blessed is His kingdom, for He scourges, and is merciful; He brings down into Hades, and leads up.
There is no one who will escape His hand.

3 Give thanks to Him before the nations, O children of Israel, for He scattered us among them.
4 Make known His greatness there; exalt Him in the presence of all the living, for He is our Lord and God; He is our Father unto all the ages.
5 He will scourge us for our wrongdoings, but He will again have mercy and gather us from all the nations, wherever you were dispersed among them.
6 If you return to Him with all your heart and with all your soul, to do the truth before Him, then He will turn to you and not hide His presence from you.

7 Behold for yourself what He will do for you, and give thanks to Him fully with the organ of speech.
Bless the Lord of righteousness, and exalt the King of the ages.
8 In the land of my captivity, I give thanks to Him, and make known His might and majesty to a nation of sinners.
Be converted, you sinners, and do righteousness before Him.
Who knows if He will desire you and have mercy on you?

9 I exalt my God, and my soul exalts the King of heaven and will rejoice exceedingly in His majesty.
10 Let all speak of His majesty and give thanks to Him in Jerusalem.
O Jerusalem, the holy city, He will scourge you for the deeds of your sons, but He will again show mercy to the sons of the righteous.
11 Give thanks to the Lord with goodness and bless the King of the ages, that His tabernacle may be restored again to you in joy.
12 May He rejoice in you, the captives, and may He love those who are distressed among you unto all generations forever.

13 Many Gentiles will come from afar to the name of the Lord God, bearing gifts in their hands and offerings to the King of heaven. Generations of generations will offer You joyful worship.
14 Cursed are all who hate You; blessed are all who love You forever.
15 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad for the children of the righteous, for they will be gathered together and will bless the Lord of the righteous.
Blessed are those who love You. They will rejoice in Your peace.
16 Blessed are the many who grieved over all Your scourges, for they will rejoice when they see all Your glory and will rejoice forever. Let my soul bless God the great King.

17 For Jerusalem will be built with sapphire and emerald, and her walls with precious stones, and her towers and battlements with pure gold.
The streets of Jerusalem will be paved with beryl, onyx, and stones from Ophir.
18 All her streets will proclaim, ‘Alleluia!’ and will give praise, saying, ‘Blessed is God, who exalted you unto all the ages.’”
14:1 Then Tobit ceased giving thanks.

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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 the basic thread of Tobit’s prayer. He begins by praising God for His power, as the one who punishes, and the one who has mercy. He then acknowledges the sin of his people, and God’s just judgment in exiling them; at this point he points out that, being exiled among the nations, they are able to do what was their purpose from the beginning, to proclaim the good works of the Lord to all the nations. He urges his people to repent, because God will have mercy on them and return them from exile, and to proclaim His name to their captors, because they may hear and be converted. He then speaks of Jerusalem, and how it too will be judged and exiled, but will be restored again, and then he begins to speak of the Gentiles, all the foreign nations, coming to worship God there, and ends with a vision of the heavenly Jerusalem, in words that we recognize from John’s vision of the Church as the Bride of Christ. So in all this, Tobit is seeing the big picture, and giving glory to God for His mercy and His justice and His wonderful works for the children of men.)

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. Proclus On the Holy Virgin Theotokos – 2

Last time, we began to read a sermon preached by St. Proclus of Constantinople during the Nestorian controversy in the lead-up to the Council of Ephesus. This sermon was a reflection on the Holy Theotokos and her role in the Church, and is notable in that it was preached in the presence of the heresiarch Nestorius during the period that he was the Bishop of Constantinople. St. Proclus is one of the preeminent defenders of the Orthodox understanding of the Incarnation, and an ally of St. Cyril of Alexandria in these matters. His words ultimately anticipate the decision of the Church at not just the council of Ephesus, but also of Chalcedon in 451.

Proclus of Constantinople
Homily 1: On the Holy Virgin Theotokos, Delivered while Nestorius was seated in the Great Church of Constantinople – 2

III
So do not be ashamed of the birth pangs, O man! For they were the beginning of our salvation. Had he not been born of a woman, he would not have died. Had he not died, he would not “through death have destroyed him who has the power of death, that is, the devil (Heb. 2.14).” A master builder is not dishonored if he dwells in buildings of his own design. Clay does not defile the potter who repairs what he himself had fashioned. Neither was the pure one defiled by coming forth from a virgin’s womb. From what he formed without pollution he came forth without defilement.

O womb, in which was drawn up the bond that gave us all liberty! O belly, in which was forged the sword that defeated death! O field, in which Christ, nature’s farmer, himself sprouted forth unsown as an ear of corn! O temple, in which God became a priest, not by changing his nature, but by his mercy clothing himself with him who was “according to the order of Melchizedek (cf. Heb. 6.20; 7.11; Ps. 109.4)”! “The Word became flesh” (Jn. 1.14), even if the Jews disbelieve the Lord who said so. God has put on the form of a human being (cf. Phil. 2.7), even if the Greeks ridicule the wonder. For this reason, the mystery is a “scandal to the Jews” and “folly to the Greeks (1 Cor. 1.23),” because the miracle transcends reason. Had the Word not dwelt in a womb, the flesh would never have sat on the throne. Were it a disgrace for God to have entered a womb, it would also be a disgrace for angels to serve a man (Mt. 4.11; cf. Heb. 1.14).

IV
So he who is by nature impassible became in mercy most passible. Christ did not by progress become God—heaven forbid!—but in mercy he became man, as we believe. We do not preach a divinized man, but instead we confess an incarnate God. His own handmaid he acknowledged as mother, he who in essence is without mother and in the incarnation is without father.

How otherwise could Paul speak of one and the same (Christ) as both “without mother” and “without father” (Heb. 7.3)? Were he merely man, he would not be without mother; and yet he has a mother. Were he solely God, he would not be without father, and yet he has a Father. But now the same one is both without mother, as Creator, and without father, as creature.

V
You should also pay attention to the name of the archangel. He who brought the glad tidings to Mary was called Gabriel (Lk. 1.26). What is the meaning of “Gabriel”? God and man. Now he of whom Gabriel was bringing these tidings was God and man, and thus his name was an anticipation of the miracle, given to assure us of the incarnation. Listen to the reason for his coming and glorify the power of the one who became flesh.

The human race was deep in debt and incapable of paying what it owed. By the hand of Adam we all signed a bond to sin. The devil held us all in slavery. He kept producing our bills, using our suffering body as his paper. There he stood, the wicked forger, threatening us with our debts and demanding satisfaction. One of two things had to happen: either the penalty of death had to be imposed on all, because “all had sinned” (Rom. 3.23), or else a substitute had to be provided who was fully entitled to plead on our behalf.

No man could save us; the debt would have been his liability too. No angel could buy us out, for such a ransom was beyond his powers. One who was sinless had to die for those who had sinned; that was the only way left by which to break the bonds of evil.

Reading 2
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https://www.pappaspatristicinstitute.com/post/proclus-of-constantinople-and-his-homily-on-the-theotokos-delivered-in-the-presence-of-nestorius

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note how direct St. Proclus is in affirming the reality of the Incarnation even in the womb of the Virgin Mary; this emphasis of his is directly connected to our calling her the “Theotokos,” the Mother/Birthgiver of God, because the One she bore was truly God Himself. The two quotes that are often drawn from this sermon (among others), are these: “Had the Word not dwelt in a womb, the flesh would never have sat on the throne.” And “We do not preach a divinized man, but instead we confess an incarnate God.” It is also worth discussing his understanding of the bond which humanity had signed to sin, and how the devil kept us enslaved to him by means of this. His understanding of the remedy is not identical to the common Western understanding that Christ paid a debt that we could not, and a large part of that is the question of to whom the debt was owed. We will see how he further develops this idea next week.)

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 16:19-31, 17:1-10 (Rich Man & Lazarus, Some Sayings of Jesus)

Last time we read the parable of the dishonest manager, as the Lord uses a scoundrel to show how the children of this world know better how to use money to gain favor than the children of the kingdom, who too often neglect the care of the poor and the needy. From that, he proceeded to indict the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. This time, we will Him speak a parable of those who neglect what is actually revealed and prophesied by Moses and the prophets, in the beautiful parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.

The Rich Man and Lazarus

19 “There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Laz′arus, full of sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Laz′arus in his bosom.

24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Laz′arus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Laz′arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’

27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.’”

Some Sayings of Jesus

17 And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him; 4 and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this sycamine tree, ‘Be rooted up, and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

7 “Will any one of you, who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep, say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down at table’? 8 Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and gird yourself and serve me, till I eat and drink; and afterward you shall eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

Reading 36
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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 here we have an important parable, that of the rich man and Lazarus, which gives us the clearest picture we have anywhere in Scripture of what happens after death. It’s fairly self-explanatory, but it can be noted that it doesn’t say who created the gulf between Abraham and the rich man in torment…it would be good to discuss who it is that is punishing the rich man, who it is that has created the separation between the place of torment and the place of peaceful rest. Myself, I believe that the rich man is punishing himself…he has rejected God all his life, and is unable to bridge that gulf that he himself has created, and his selfishness and unrepentant prevents anyone from helping him, even if they want to do so.)

For the second half of the reading, this selection is fairly self-explanatory, but difficult to follow. The Leader should point out about verse 3-4 that it is, in fact, tremendously difficult to implement both halves of the Lord’s instructions. Most of us are very uncomfortable rebuking sin in one another…but if we ever work up the courage to do so, we struggle still more to forgive them if they repent. But the Lord insists that we must do both, and not just once, but even seven times in a single day. The passage regarding the slave, in verses 7-10, is challenging, simply because it assumes the institution of slavery. The Lord is not saying that slavery is good, however; He is simply using a common example to make the point that doing the “bare minimum” required in a job is not worthy of praise…it’s just the bare minimum. We should not content ourselves with just “being good enough” or “being no worse than anyone else around us.” We are called to holiness and faithfulness, to Theosis, to become like the Lord. There is no room for half measures, for “good enough.” We need to be consistent, and we need to be faithful.)

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.)