Day 1 (Monday)
Tobit 7:1-17; 8:1-21 (Tobias Gets Married)
Last time we saw Tobias catch a fish, and then Raphael told him about Sarah, and urged him to go and marry her. When Tobias expressed concern about being dead husband #8, Raphael told him how to chase the demon away…so this time, we’ll see what a wedding looked like for faithful Jews in exile, and how Tobias and Sarah manage their wedding night.
At the House of Raguel
7:1 Then they went to Ecbatana and came to the house of Raguel. Sarah went ahead to meet them, and after they greeted one another, she escorted them into the house. 2 Raguel said to Edna his wife, “How the young man resembles my cousin Tobit!” 3 Then Raguel asked them, “Where are you from, brothers?” They answered, “We are from the sons of Naphtali who are captives in Nineveh.” 4 Then he said to them, “Do you know Tobit our brother?” They responded, “We know him.” 5 Then he asked, “Is he in good health?” They answered, “He is alive and in good health.” Tobias then added, “He is my father.”
6 Raguel jumped up and kissed him and wept. He blessed him and said to him, “You are the son of a good and noble man!” But when he heard that Tobit had lost his eyesight, he was grieved and wept. 7 Edna his wife and Sarah his daughter also wept, and they received them eagerly. 8 And they killed a ram from the sheep and set many dishes before them.
9 Then Tobias said to Raphael, “Brother Azarias, speak about what you said on the way, and let the matter be completed.” 10 So he told Raguel what he said, and Raguel said to Tobias, “Eat, drink, and be glad, for it is fitting for you to marry my child. However, I must tell you the truth. 11 I gave my daughter to seven men, and when they went in to her, they died during the night. But for now, be glad!” 12 But Tobias said, “I will not eat anything until after you establish an agreement with me.” So Raguel said, “Receive her according to the decree, for you are her relative and she is yours. The merciful God will prosper you in what is good.”
Tobias and Sarah Are Wed
13 So he called Sarah his daughter, and taking her by the hand, he gave her to be a wife for Tobias. Then he said, “Behold, receive her according to the decree of Moses, and bring her before your father.” He then blessed them 14 and summoned his wife Edna. She took a scroll and wrote out the agreement. They sealed it, and then they began to eat.
15 After this, Raguel called his wife Edna and said to her, “Sister, prepare the other room and lead her into it.” 16 She did as he said and led her there. Then Sarah wept, but Edna understood the tears of her daughter and said to her, 17 “Be courageous, my child. May the Lord of heaven and earth give you grace instead of this sorrow of yours. Be courageous, my daughter.”
8:1 When they finished dining, they led Tobias to her. 2 As he went, he remembered the words of Raphael, and put the heart and the liver of the fish upon the embers of the incense and made smoke. 3 When the demon smelled the fragrant scent, he fled to the upper parts of Egypt, and there the angel bound him. 4 While both were enclosed in the room, Tobias rose up from the bed and said, “Arise, sister, and let us pray that the Lord will have mercy upon us.” 5 So Tobias began to pray, saying:
“Blessed are You, O God of our fathers, and blessed is Your holy and glorious name unto the ages. The heavens and all Your creatures bless You.
6 You made Adam and gave him Eve as a helper, his wife as a support. From them the seed of mankind came to be. You said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. Let Us make a helper for him like himself.’
7 O Lord, I now take this my sister as my wife, not on account of fornication, but in truth. Command that she and I may have mercy, and in this grow old together.”
8 And with him she said, “Amen.” 9 Then both fell asleep for the night.
10 But Raguel rose up and went outside and dug a grave, saying, “He, too, may have died.” 11 Raguel then went back into his house 12 and said to his wife Edna, “Send one of the maids and let her see if indeed Tobias is alive. If he is not, let us bury him that no one may know.” 13 So the maid went to the door, and when she opened it she found both of them sleeping. 14 She came out and told the two of them that he was alive.
15 Then Raguel blessed God, saying: “Blessed are You, the God, with every pure and holy blessing. Your holy ones and all Your creatures bless You. All Your angels and Your chosen ones bless You unto all the ages. 16 Blessed are You, for You have made me glad, and it did not turn out for me as I suspected. Rather, You did with us according to Your abundant mercy. 17 Blessed are You, for You had mercy on our two only children. O Lord, show them mercy, and complete their life in health and with gladness and mercy.”
18 Then he ordered his household servants to fill in the grave.
19 After this he provided a wedding feast for them lasting fourteen days. 20 Before the time of the wedding feast was over, Raguel swore an oath and said to Tobias, “You are not to leave from here unless the two of you stay the fourteen days of the wedding feast. 21 At that time take half of my belongings and go in good health to your father. The remainder will be yours when I and my wife die.”
965 words
Discussion questions:
1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note that we see the demon flee even the hint of the Lord’s coming that is present in the smoke from the fish heart and liver, and therefore we may be assured that, when we are faithful to God, we do not need to be afraid of the attacks of the demons. More importantly, we see how Tobias and Sarah begin their marriage in faithfulness to God, with a prayer, affirming their commitment to the Lord and to one another. The final words of the prayer are what they ask for, and it is a good summary of what Christian marriage is: not for fornication, that is, not to use one another, but to be devoted to each other, and to seek and receive mercy from God, and to grow old in that mercy, in the love of the Lord.)
2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?
3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?
4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )
5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?
6) “What is the a) literal, b) allegorical, c) moral/ethical, d) anagogical/eschatological meaning of this text? (Think of these questions as a mountain which we can ascend, or as layers of meaning upon which we can reflect. Oftentimes, as we reflect upon a text in this way, we may find that the highest level, the anagogical reading (in which we see the text as revealing the glory of God and His kingdom in a deeper manner, opening up to us the grand scope of God’s great work of salvation in and for us) sheds new insights on the lower levels of interpretation.)
Day 2 (Wednesday)
St. Silouan – Two Sayings on the Christian Life
Saint Silouan was born Simeon Ivanovich Antonov in 1866 to Orthodox parents in Russia’s Tambov region, somewhat to the northeast of Ukraine. At the age of twenty-seven, after a time of military service, he left his native Russia and came to Mount Athos, where he became a monk at the Monastery of St. Panteleimon and was given the name Silouan, the Russian version of the Biblical name Silvanus, or Silas.
An ardent ascetic, he received the grace of unceasing prayer and saw Christ in a vision. After long years of spiritual trial, he acquired great humility and inner stillness. He prayed and wept for the whole world as for himself, and he put the highest value on love for enemies. Even Thomas Merton, a twentieth-century Catholic monk, described Silouan as “the most authentic monk of the twentieth century.” St Silouan fell asleep in the Lord on September 24, 1938. He was glorified by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1987, and his feast is celebrated on September 24th.
Though barely literate, he was sought out by pilgrims for his wise counsel. His writings were edited by his disciple and pupil, Archimandrite Sophrony. Father Sophrony has written the life of the saint along with a record of St. Silouan’s teachings in the book Saint Silouan the Athonite.
St. Silouan on the Christian Life – Two Sayings
“God helps us in what is good, while the enemy incites us to evil, but this depends also on our own wills: we must constrain ourselves to what is good, but with moderation and knowing the measure of our strength. We must study our souls to know what is salutary for us: it may be more profitable to one man to pray, for another to read or write. It is a good thing to read but it is better to pray without distraction, and better still to weep: to each as it is given to him by the Lord. To be sure, when we rise from sleep we must render thanks to God, then repent and pray our fill. Next, we should read to rest the mind, and after that pray again, and work. Grace proceeds from everything that is good, but above all from brotherly love.“
Pages 31-32
Archimandrite Sophrony. Wisdom from Mount Athos: The Writings of Staretz Siloan. St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press. Crestwood, NY. 1974.
“If we wish to love God we must observe all that the Lord commanded us in the Gospels. Our hearts must brim with compassion and not only feel love for our fellow-men but pity for every creature – for everything created of God.
That green leaf on the tree which you needlessly plucked: it was not wrong, only rather a pity for the little leaf. The heart that has learned to love feels sorry for every created thing. But man is a supreme creation, and therefore if you see that he has gone astray and is bringing destruction on himself pray for him and weep for him if you are able, or at least sigh before God for him. And the soul that acts after this fashion is loved of the Lord, for she is like unto him.
If you think evil of people, it means you have an evil spirit in you whispering evil thoughts about others. And if a man dies without repenting, without having forgive his brother, his soul will go to the place where lives the evil spirit which possessed his soul. This is the law we have: if you forgive others, it is a sign that the Lord has forgiven you. But if you refuse to forgive, then your own sin remains with you.
The Lord wants us to love our fellow-man; and if you reflect that the Lord loves him, that is a sign of the Lord’s love in you. And if you consider how greatly the Lord loves His creature, and you yourself have compassion on all creation, and love your enemies, counting yourself the vilest of men, this is a sign of the abundant grace of the Holy Spirit in you.”
Pages 32-33
Archimandrite Sophrony. Wisdom from Mount Athos: The Writings of Staretz Siloan. St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press. Crestwood, NY. 1974.
475 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 the particular character in the sayings of St. Silouan. There is a deep humility and compassion in his words, reflecting the utter difference of the life to which we are called in our Lord Jesus Christ from the way of existence that we encounter elsewhere in the world. The gentleness and love that comes through in every word of St. Silouan call us to reflect on our every thought, and submit all that we are to the will and the call of the Lord.)
2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?
3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?
4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )
5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?
Day 3 (Friday)
Luke 15:11-32 (Prodigal Son)
In Luke chapter 14, which we read last week, the Lord spoke in several different ways about the importance of being faithful to Him, of following Him and leaving every other loyalty behind, of making the Lord and the Gospel the highest priority of life. He didn’t sugarcoat what it meant to follow Him either, but urged everyone who was listening to Him to count the cost, to prepare themselves to trade earth for heaven, and to follow Him. When the religious authorities noticed who has been listening to this preaching and putting it into action, He told parables of how much joy there is when those who have been lost are restored once again, the parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin. This week, we see Him make the message explicit with the greatly beloved parable of the Prodigal Son.
The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother
11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons; 12 and the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.’ And he divided his living between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living.
14 And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. 15 So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.”’
20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; 23 and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; 24 for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to make merry.
25 “Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father,
‘Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
Reading 34
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 Jesus has been speaking so far to the conflict between what we tend to think is important in life – food, clothing, shelter, family, money, & power – and what is truly important, that is, the Kingdom of God. In these passages, He shifts gears, and begins to speak about the difference between how those who follow Him appear to the world – as a deplorable crowd of sinners and vagrants – and how God sees them, as precious vessels of grace once lost, but now restored to their proper place. In this shift, we are able to see that the reality of the Kingdom of God is not just that punishment is coming, and we need to act to be saved from it. More importantly, the love and glory of God is offered to us, and we need to act to receive it. The point is not just to be saved from judgment, although judgment will indeed come upon those who refuse the call of the Lord. Rather, the call of the Lord is to restoration and wholeness and love and everlasting life. This is what we see depicted in this parable of the Prodigal Son, and also of the missing coin and the lost sheep from the previous 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?
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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