Day 1 (Monday)
Tobit 14:2-15
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.
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?
Day 2 (Wednesday)
Letter of St. Ignatius to the Ephesians – 9
Last time, Ignatius warned the Christians in Ephesus against false teaching, and especially against the teaching of secret knowledge contrary to what had been already revealed to them. This time he explains to them that the great secrets of Christianity are mysteries indeed, but have been revealed for all who are willing to see. In this passage he develops further the idea he began a few weeks ago, talking about the silence of God, and how the Lord goes about preparing the salvation of the world.
The Mystery of Jesus’ Death
My spirit is a humble sacrifice for the cross, which is a stumbling block to unbelievers but salvation and eternal life to us. Where is the wise? Where is the debater? Where is the boasting of those who are thought to be intelligent? For our God, Jesus the Christ, was conceived by Mary according to God’s plan, both from the seed of David and of the Holy Spirit. He was born and was baptized in order that by his suffering he might cleanse the water.
Now the virginity of Mary and her giving birth were hidden from the ruler of this age, as was also the death of the Lord – three mysteries to be loudly proclaimed, yet which were accomplished in the silence of God. How, then, were they revealed to the ages? A star shone forth in heaven brighter than all the stars; its light was indescribable and its strangeness caused amazement. All the rest of the constellations, together with the sun and moon, formed a chorus around the star, yet the star itself far outshone them all, and there was perplexity about the origin of this strange phenomenon, which was so unlike the others. Consequently all magic and every kind of spell were dissolved, the ignorance so characteristic of wickedness vanished, and the ancient kingdom was abolished when God appeared in human form to bring the newness of eternal life; and what had been prepared by God began to take effect. As a result, all things were thrown into ferment, because the abolition of death was being carried out.
Discussion questions:
1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note that Ignatius begins this passage with a clear reference to the 1st Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians, where he says that “The message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the very power of God.” The idea developed here is that God is working salvation for the world in plain sight, for everyone to see, but those who are opposed to God can’t see what He is doing, because they don’t understand how God works, and what He values. God’s weakness, and suffering, accomplish the very destruction of death and the abolition of the dominion of demonic powers over humankind…but it happens both secretly, and in plain sight.)
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 20:1-26
Last time we read the first half of Luke 19, about what Jesus did and said in Jericho, at the house of Zacchaeus, right before he completed His journey to Jerusalem. In the second half of Luke 19, the story of the Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday is given. Since we read that just before Holy Week, we’ll continue today with Luke 20, showing Jesus teaching in the Temple after Palm Sunday, in the final days before His betrayal and crucifixion.
The Authority of Jesus Questioned
20 One day, as he was teaching the people in the temple and telling the good news, the chief priests and the scribes came with the elders 2 and said to him, “Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who is it who gave you this authority?” 3 He answered them, “I will also ask you a question, and you tell me: 4 Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” 5 They discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us; for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it came from. 8 Then Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
9 He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, and leased it to tenants, and went to another country for a long time. 10 When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants in order that they might give him his share of the produce of the vineyard; but the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 Next he sent another slave; that one also they beat and insulted and sent away empty-handed. 12 And he sent still a third; this one also they wounded and threw out. 13 Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ 14 But when the tenants saw him, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Heaven forbid!” 17 But he looked at them and said, “What then does this text mean:
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone’?
18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.” 19 When the scribes and chief priests realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to lay hands on him at that very hour, but they feared the people.
The Question about Paying Taxes
20 So they watched him and sent spies who pretended to be honest, in order to trap him by what he said, so as to hand him over to the jurisdiction and authority of the governor. 21 So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you are right in what you say and teach, and you show deference to no one, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. 22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” 23 But he perceived their craftiness and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose head and whose title does it bear?” They said, “The emperor’s.” 25 He said to them, “Then give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 26 And they were not able in the presence of the people to trap him by what he said; and being amazed by his answer, they became silent.
Discussion questions:
1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note that Jesus has basically taken over the Temple; after He entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, He went straight to the Temple and drove out the money-changers, purifying the House of God and making it His own. This is, in fact, exactly what Tobit foretold in our Day 1 reading this week; God is dwelling once more in the Temple, teaching and ministering to the people and calling them and all nations to follow Him. All three of the stories contained in today’s reading make this same point; in a barely veiled way, Jesus is telling anyone who will listen Who He is. He is the One Who Came from Heaven and had sent John, He is the Heir of the Master of the vineyard, come to claim back His inheritance from the evil tenants, and He is Himself prototype of humanity, the One in Whose image we are made, and therefore, if the coin, bearing Caesar’s image, belongs to Caesar, then all humanity, bearing Christ’s image, belongs to 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?