Day 1 (Monday)
Exodus 7:8-25
Last time, Moses had questioned God because things were not going well, and God responded by assuring Moses that He would be true to His word and would indeed deliver the people of Israel, “multiplying signs and wonders” and showing His power to the Egyptians. This time, we will see the first fulfillment of this promise, as God begins to work wonders to show His power and divinity to Pharaoh. We need to remember that in these signs and wonders, and even in the plagues that begin with the water of the Nile River being turned into blood, God is being merciful to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians, giving them a warning and time to repent. We need to remember, as well, that even though Pharaoh refuses to repent, some of his people do, and become part of God’s people as they leave Egypt. In all this, God is merciful and patient, and gives every possible opportunity for repentance.
Aaron’s Miraculous Rod
8 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 9 “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Perform a wonder,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, and it will become a snake.’” 10 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did as the Lord had commanded; Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. 11 Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same by their secret arts. 12 Each one threw down his staff, and they became snakes; but Aaron’s staff swallowed up theirs. 13 Still Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
The First Plague: Water Turned to Blood
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go. 15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning, as he is going out to the water; stand by at the river bank to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that was turned into a snake. 16 Say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you to say, “Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness.” But until now you have not listened. 17 Thus says the Lord, “By this you shall know that I am the Lord.” See, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall be turned to blood. 18 The fish in the river shall die, the river itself shall stink, and the Egyptians shall be unable to drink water from the Nile.’”
19 The Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over its rivers, its canals, and its ponds, and all its pools of water—so that they may become blood; and there shall be blood throughout the whole land of Egypt, even in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’”
20 Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and of his officials he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the river, and all the water in the river was turned into blood, 21 and the fish in the river died. The river stank so that the Egyptians could not drink its water, and there was blood throughout the whole land of Egypt.
22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts; so Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. 23 Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not take even this to heart. 24 And all the Egyptians had to dig along the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the river. 25 Seven days passed after the Lord had struck the Nile.
Discussion questions:
1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should point out that both the miracle of Aaron’s walking stick becoming a snake and consuming the snakes produced by the Pharaoh’s magicians, and the river water becoming blood, are not just random miracles. They are targeted strikes against the slavery under which both the Egyptians and the Israelites were laboring. Snakes were a symbol of divinity and kingship for the Egyptians; Aaron’s rod becoming a snake, and then consuming the Egyptian snakes, is a demonstration of the power and true divinity of Yahweh, and the weakness of Pharaoh and the demon gods he served. As for the Nile, the river itself was considered to be a god by the Egyptians, and was worshipped and supplicated because it was the source of life and fertility for Egypt. The turning of the water into blood is therefore another demonstration of Yahweh’s absolute power over the false gods of Egypt. In making an open show of their humiliation, He gives an invitation to the Egyptians to be delivered from their power, and simultaneously gives a warning to Pharaoh that his refusal to let Israel go will not stand.)
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)
Prayer at the Second Antiphon
When we begin the Divine Liturgy Sunday morning, we start with the Great Litany (with all the Lord, have mercy’s), and then we sing either two Psalms and the Beatitudes, or selected verses from the Psalms, together with a refrain. These are called Antiphons, because they are sung back and forth by two choirs. While they are being sung, the Priest prays a series of three prayers on behalf of all the people, for the beginning of the Liturgy. We will read the second of these today.
Prayer at the Second Antiphon
Lord our God, save Your people and bless Your inheritance; protect the whole body of Your Church; sanctify those who love the beauty of Your house; glorify them in return by Your divine power; and do not forsake us who hope in You.
For Yours is the dominion, the kingdom, the power, and the glory of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.
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 prayer is spoken as a community; it is not an individual prayer, but one that recognizes that we are all part of a larger whole, as we gather together for the Divine Liturgy. Normally in prayer we are confessing who we are, and turning our eyes and our heart toward the Lord, inhabiting with purpose the true relationship between ourselves as weak and dependent human beings and God. In this prayer we do the same thing, except we are inhabiting our shared identity as the worshipping people of God, and together turning our eyes and hearts toward Him, asking for His salvation, blessing, protection, sanctification, glory, and ongoing presence with us.)
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)
Mark 6:45-56
Last time we saw Jesus feed the 5,000, using what the Apostles had to offer (five loaves and two fish) and making it sufficient for all those who were present. We noted how our responsibility in the face of the troubles we find in the world is not to come up with a solution ourselves, but simply to offer what we have to offer to God, and to entrust the final outcome to Him. This time we will see what happens after this miracle.
Jesus Walks on the Water
45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After saying farewell to them, he went up on the mountain to pray.
47 When evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 When he saw that they were straining at the oars against an adverse wind, he came towards them early in the morning, walking on the sea. He intended to pass them by. 49 But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” 51 Then he got into the boat with them and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
Healing the Sick in Gennesaret
53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. 54 When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, 55 and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.
Discussion questions:
1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should point out that in this passage, St. Mark tells us what he thinks the lesson of the loaves is, that it shows the power and divinity of Jesus Christ. He tells us this when he points out that the Apostles were amazed at Jesus walking on the water and calming the storm; if they had understood what happened with the loaves, they would not have been surprised. We may find this comforting; if the Apostles, who were living with Jesus and saw Him do miracles every day, could misunderstand Who He Is, then it is perhaps not surprising that we who live our lives in the Church so easily miss the point, take Him for granted, and fall into doubt. This is not to excuse ourselves, however; if the Apostles hearts were hardened, then this must mean that ours are as well, and we need to attend to softening our hearts. We do this through prayer, through reading, through acts of mercy, and above all through humility and repentance.)
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?