Day 1 (Monday)
1 Corinthians 15:1-58 – The Resurrection of Christ
So far, we have been reading only from the Old Testament on Day 1. This will remain the case, generally, but on some occasions, such as this one, and perhaps during the summer, we will read relevant passages from the Epistles in the New Testament. This week, we will read St. Paul explaining the centrality and importance of the Lord’s Resurrection to the Church in Corinth. It is a long passage, and some families may choose to read only selections. If you choose to do so, I urge you to skip the italicized sections, but make sure to read the end of the selection. I promise you that you won’t regret it.
The Resurrection of Christ
15 Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, 2 through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain.
3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.
The Resurrection of the Dead
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. 19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. 21 For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; 22 for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is plain that this does not include the one who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who put all things in subjection under him, so that God may be all in all.
29 Otherwise, what will those people do who receive baptism on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf?
30 And why are we putting ourselves in danger every hour? 31 I die every day! That is as certain, brothers and sisters, as my boasting of you—a boast that I make in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If with merely human hopes I fought with wild animals at Ephesus, what would I have gained by it? If the dead are not raised,
“Let us eat and drink,
for tomorrow we die.”
33 Do not be deceived:
“Bad company ruins good morals.”
34 Come to a sober and right mind, and sin no more; for some people have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
The Resurrection Body
35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And as for what you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39 Not all flesh is alike, but there is one flesh for human beings, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are both heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one thing, and that of the earthly is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; indeed, star differs from star in glory.
42 So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.
50 What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:
“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
1285 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 St. Paul is dealing with people who are questioning and doubting whether the Lord truly rose from the dead. He begins with evidence, the evidence not only of the other Apostles, such as we will read about on Day 3, but his own direct experience with the Risen Lord. He saw Jesus risen from the dead himself, with his own eyes, and is telling them so. The second major point he makes is that everything meaningful about the Christian Faith is founded on the truth of the Resurrection. He is basically asking them, if there is no resurrection, why are any of them bothering, and making the point that he himself is risking and suffering a great deal, and not getting anything out of being a Christian except for that suffering…so indirectly, he’s pointing out to them that it doesn’t make any sense for them to doubt his testimony. All of this is connected with his larger point to them, which is that they need to stop sinning and serve God faithfully, and the rest of the chapter, in which he describes the Resurrection that all of them anticipate, makes the point that they cannot receive the resurrection and communion with God to which they are called if they remain in slavery to the sins of the world. This is the point of the last italicized section: “flesh and blood” and “perishable” refer above all to the sins of this world. If they give their bodies over to such sins, then they will remain forever bound to what is perishable, but God calls them to rather receive the imperishability and immortality that Christ gives in the Resurrection, and to turn away from sin now.)
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)
Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos – For the Newly Illumined
During this Bright Week, we offer the following saying from Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos, of Nafpaktos, regarding the state of spiritual growth, especially relevant to the recently illumined.
“From Orthodox teaching, we know that there are three spiritual stages related to God’s grace. The first is the advent of uncreated grace within man’s heart. The second is the withdrawal of grace, for reasons known to God. Finally, the third is the return of grace into the heart. All people, at a certain moment, feel the advent of divine grace within the heart. They all lose it, because God wants their personal freedom to be activated; hence the spiritual struggle starts: pain and ascetic practice. Naturally, only a few people who manage to acquire divine grace gain and have it remain in their hearts permanently. Very discreet and wise guidance is needed during the withdrawal of divine grace.
This happens, mainly, to those who are catechised and baptized. If a traditional Catechism has taken place beforehand, then they feel the divine grace within themselves during the baptism. The prayer of the heart and nous grows within them and they have all the results of this condition, i.e. tears of repentance and joy, prayer, love for the whole world, zeal and inebriation for God and so on. The clergy must be aware of this course of divine grace, so that when the time comes, a few months or a few years later, and the newly baptized lose this divine grace, they will not be disappointed. Indeed, the clergy should guide them telling them that this is a natural condition, and in this way, their freedom is activated all the more. God withdraws the grace out of love; so that we can both learn of His love for man, and go on to make our own personal effort.
If the Catechumen does not learn about this delicate spiritual task, he may well become disappointed, give up, and wither, falling into immediate spiritual danger. Experience has shown that this is the greatest temptation that the newly baptized undergo. Following the Baptism they feel like they are ‘Drunk’; they are existentially glad, everything is pleasing and joyful. However, in the period of the withdrawal of divine grace they find themselves in a tragic condition. It is then possible for them to believe that their former condition was simply enthusiasm, a psychological feeling of well-being, or they may think that their current condition is proof that they have become psychologically ill. Sensible guidance and paternal care will help them understand that this is the road towards sanctification. All the saints passed through this stage in their spiritual lives. In this way, God’s gifts will become their permanent spiritual condition.”
Pages 197-199.
Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos. Entering the Orthodox Church: the Catechism and Baptism of Adults. Birth of Theotokos Monastery, Levadia, Greece. 2004, 2006, 2010.
Discussion questions:
1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note how this applies to our experience of the spiritual life, not only when we are first beginning our life in Christ, but as we progress. It is important to be patient, and to entrust ourselves to the Lord with humility, repentance, and dedicated diligence.)
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 3 (Friday)
Luke 24:1-35 (Resurrection, Road to Emmaus)
Last time we read Luke’s account of the crucifixion, death, and burial of the Lord. This week we will see the Resurrection announced to the Myrrh-bearing women by angels, and will see the Lord appear to two of his followers as they are walking to another town near Jerusalem.
The Resurrection of Jesus
24 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in they did not find the body. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; 5 and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. 6 Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise.”
8 And they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Mag′dalene and Jo-an′na and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles; 11 but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home wondering at what had happened.
The Walk to Emmaus
13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emma′us, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation which you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad.
18 Then one of them, named Cle′opas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.”
“Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since this happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning 23 and did not find his body; and they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb, and found it just as the women had said; but him they did not see.”
25 And he said to them, “O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He appeared to be going further, 29 but they constrained him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight.
32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven gathered together and those who were with them, 34 who said, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Reading 51
740 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 St. Luke tells the story of the walk to Emmaus in a very liturgical way. He shows Jesus first talking about the Scriptures with the two disciples, and then explaining the Scriptures to them, and finally blessing and breaking and giving bread to them. They begin to understand as Jesus talks to them about the Scriptures…but they do not actually recognize Him until He gives them the blessed and broken bread. This is, I think, why Luke emphasizes that “he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread;” he is emphasizing that we come near to the Lord not just with our minds and our comprehension, but we ultimately have to actually receive Him in the Eucharist, in the Bread and Wine that are His Body and Blood, in Holy Communion, if we actually desire to know Him.)
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.)
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