Day 1 (Monday)
Daniel 7:1-28 (Vision of Four Beasts; Ancient of Days & the Son of Man)
Last time we saw Daniel remain faithful to God in the face of a threat to his life, when the Persian king Darius was deceived by his other courtiers into creating a law forbidding anyone to pray to or worship any god except himself, with the penalty of being thrown into a den of lions. Daniel was caught praying, and was indeed thrown to the lions, but God delivered him, and Darius confessed and proclaimed the glory of the Most-High God of Daniel. That passage, chapter 6 of the book of Daniel, is the last story of Daniel’s life; the rest of the book records several visions that Daniel saw. We will read one of them this week, and one next week.
Visions of the Four Beasts
7 In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head as he lay in bed. Then he wrote down the dream: 2 I, Daniel, saw in my vision by night the four winds of heaven stirring up the great sea, 3 and four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another. 4 The first was like a lion and had eagles’ wings. Then, as I watched, its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a human being; and a human mind was given to it.
5 Another beast appeared, a second one, that looked like a bear. It was raised up on one side, had three tusks in its mouth among its teeth and was told, “Arise, devour many bodies!” 6 After this, as I watched, another appeared, like a leopard. The beast had four wings of a bird on its back and four heads; and dominion was given to it. 7 After this I saw in the visions by night a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong.
It had great iron teeth and was devouring, breaking in pieces, and stamping what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that preceded it, and it had ten horns. 8 I was considering the horns, when another horn appeared, a little one coming up among them; to make room for it, three of the earlier horns were plucked up by the roots. There were eyes like human eyes in this horn, and a mouth speaking arrogantly.
Judgment before the Ancient of Days
9 As I watched,
thrones were set in place,
and one Ancient of Days took his throne,
his clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames,
and its wheels were burning fire.
10 A stream of fire issued
and flowed out from his presence.
A thousand thousands served him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him.
The court sat in judgment,
and the books were opened.
11 I watched then because of the noise of the arrogant words that the horn was speaking. And as I watched, the beast was put to death, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. 13 As I watched in the night visions,
I saw one like a Son of Man
coming with the clouds of heaven.
And he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
14 To him was given dominion
and glory and kingship,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not pass away,
and his kingship is one
that shall never be destroyed.
Daniel’s Visions Interpreted
15 As for me, Daniel, my spirit was troubled within me, and the visions of my head terrified me. 16 I approached one of the attendants to ask him the truth concerning all this. So he said that he would disclose to me the interpretation of the matter: 17 “As for these four great beasts, four kings shall arise out of the earth. 18 But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever—forever and ever.”
19 Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped what was left with its feet; 20 and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and concerning the other horn, which came up and to make room for which three of them fell out—the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke arrogantly, and that seemed greater than the others. 21 As I looked, this horn made war with the holy ones and was prevailing over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came; then judgment was given for the holy ones of the Most High, and the time arrived when the holy ones gained possession of the kingdom.
23 This is what he said: “As for the fourth beast,
there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth
that shall be different from all the other kingdoms;
it shall devour the whole earth,
and trample it down, and break it to pieces.
24 As for the ten horns,
out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise,
and another shall arise after them.
This one shall be different from the former ones,
and shall put down three kings.
25 He shall speak words against the Most High,
shall wear out the holy ones of the Most High,
and shall attempt to change the sacred seasons and the law;
and they shall be given into his power
for a time, two times, and half a time.26 Then the court shall sit in judgment,
and his dominion shall be taken away,
to be consumed and totally destroyed.
27 The kingship and dominion
and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven
shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High;
their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,
and all dominions shall serve and obey them.”
28 Here the account ends. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly terrified me, and my face turned pale; but I kept the matter in my mind.
955 words
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 we are going back in time; this vision comes before the Persians arrive, early on during the reign of Belshazzar’s father, and of Belshazzar as the heir to the throne. The second thing that we should notice, and perhaps the most important, is that we see here the appearance of the term “Son of Man” which Jesus uses for Himself; when the Lord uses this term, He is referring to this passage, and therefore is making an explicit claim that those who heard Him would have understood, even if we often miss it. The “Son of Man” is the son of the Ancient of Days, and is enthroned with Him to reign forever. This vision, then, is describing the Ascension of the Lord after His Resurrection, when He is enthroned at the right hand of the Father, remaining fully human, the “Son of Man” Who is also eternal God.)
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)
Irenaeus – Against Heresies 7
Last time we continued to read some excerpts from Book 4 of 5 from “Against Heresies,” in which Irenaeus expands upon the Lord’s words describing His relationship with the Father, and demonstrates how the Father sends the Son to us, so that the Son can reveal the Father to us, so that we come to know both the Father and the Son (and by the same principle, the Holy Spirit) through the revelation of the other Persons of the Holy Trinity, and thus, even in their distinction, they are shown to be one in essence. We are drawing these selections from a recent condensation of this very substantial work by an academic named James Payton; anyone who would like to purchase this book can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Irenaeus-Christian-Faith-Condensation-Heresies/dp/1608996247/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
St. Irenaeus of Lyons – Against Heresies – Book 4 (excerpts 2)
Book 4, Chapter 6
The Son, administering all things for the Father, works from the beginning of creation to the end of time. Without him no one can attain the knowledge of God. The Son is the knowledge of the Father, but the knowledge of the Son is in the Father and has been revealed through the Son. This was the reason why the Lord declared, “No one knows the Father except the Son, and no one knows the Son except the Father and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” [Matt 11:27].
“Chooses to reveal” refers not to the future alone, as if the Word had only begun to manifest the Father when he was born of Mary; rather, it applies throughout all time. The Son, present with his handiwork from the beginning, reveals the Father to all—to whom he wills, and when he wills, and as the Father wills. So, in all things and through all things, there is one God the Father, one Word the Son, and one Spirit—and one salvation for all who believe in Him. (4:6,7)
Book 4, Chapter 14
In the beginning, God formed Adam, not as if he needed humanity, but so that he might have someone upon whom to confer his benefits. Not only before Adam, but even before all the rest of creation, the Word glorified his Father, remaining in him—and he himself was glorified by the Father, as he later indicated when he prayed, “Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed” [John 17:5]. He did not need our service when he ordered us to follow him, but in this way he granted us salvation—for to follow the savior is to be a partaker of salvation, and to follow light is to receive light.
Those who are in light do not themselves illumine the light; they are illumined and revealed by it. They certainly contribute nothing to it; rather, receiving the benefit, they are illumined by the light. So also the service we render to God profits him nothing, and God does not need our obedience. He grants life and incorruption and eternal glory to those who follow and serve him, bestowing benefits on those who serve him because they serve him and on his followers because they follow him. He does not receive any benefit from them, though, for he is rich, perfect, and in need of nothing.
The reason God demands service from human beings is so that, since he is good and merciful, he may benefit those who continue in his service. While God needs nothing, humans need fellowship with God, and this is the glory of a human being, to continue and remain permanently in God’s service. The Lord said to his disciples, “You did not choose me but I chose you” [John 15:16].
This indicates that they did not glorify him when they followed him, but that in following the Son of God they were glorified by him. This is also why he prayed to his Father, “I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory” [John 17:24]; in this he did not vainly boast, for he desired his disciples to share in his glory.… (4:14,1)
The munificence of God is also the reason God formed humanity in the beginning: he chose the patriarchs for salvation; he prepared a people ahead of time, teaching the willful to follow God; he raised up prophets upon earth, so as to accustom human beings to bear his Spirit and to have communion with God—needing nothing himself, but granting communion with himself to those needed it; and he sketched out, like an architect, the plan of salvation for those who pleased him.
He himself furnished guidance to those who did not behold him in Egypt, while to those who became unruly in the desert he promulgated a suitable law. Then he granted a noble inheritance to the people who entered into the good land, and he killed the fatted calf for those who turned to the Father, and presented them with the finest robe [Luke 15:22–23]. Thus, in a variety of ways, he prepared the human race to agree to salvation.… (4:14,2)
He also thus had the Jewish people construct the tabernacle and build the temple, chose the Levites and appointed sacrifices, offerings, legal admonitions, and all the other service of the law. He certainly needs none of these things, for he is always full of all good and already had within himself all the odor of kindness and every perfume of sweet-smelling savors, long before Moses even existed. Furthermore, by repeated appeals he instructed the people who were prone to turn to idols instead to persevere and serve God.
In all this, he called them to what is of primary importance through those which are secondary—that is, to things that are real, by means of those that are typical; by things temporal, to eternal; by the carnal to the spiritual; and by the earthly to the heavenly. This was the reason he said to Moses, “See that you make them according to the pattern of what was shown you on the mountain” [Exod 25:40].… (4:14,3)
900 words
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 the two themes present here. The first, in the initial selection, continues the point that we saw St. Irenaeus making last week, that the Son and the Father reveal one another, so that no one comes to know God without God revealing Himself to them. The second theme, however, is the point that God does not need us, and therefore that everything that He does for us is for our sake, not for His own. If we can learn and understand this, then we can learn to trust God, and in obeying and submitting to His will, we can grow in the communion with Him for which we are created, and in which alone we find rest and peace and joy and hope and 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?
Day 3 (Friday)
John 13:21-35 (Jesus Foretells His Betrayal, New Commandment)
Last time, we saw the Lord and His disciples at the Mystical Supper, and saw the Lord assume the role of a slave, and wash the feet of His disciples. When Peter protested that this was not appropriate behavior for a king, for the Messiah, and that Jesus should not wash his feet, the Lord told him that, if he refused to have his feet washed by Him, then he, Peter, had no part in Him. At that point Peter changed his mind, and asked to be washed everywhere, but the Lord told him that his feet were enough. In this, the Lord has gently, but firmly, showed clearly that He does not come to dominate, but to serve and to save.
Jesus Foretells His Betrayal
21 After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. 23 One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him; 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.”
So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. 27 After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival”; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
The New Commandment
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33 Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Reading 35 – 337 words
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 how difficult it must have been for the disciples to hear Jesus refuse to seize power; it is this act of washing the feet of the disciples which comes immediately before Judas leaves to betray Jesus, and we may, I think rightly, conclude that Judas, seeing that Jesus really means what He has been saying about humility, service, and sacrifice, wants nothing more to do with this sort of leader. The other thing we should note is how St. John the Evangelist doesn’t talk about the Institution of the Eucharist; this should not be taken as a denial that it happened, but rather as something St. John omits because it’s been covered sufficiently in the other Gospels. St. John’s point is to provide things that the others did NOT cover, and thus he gives us far more of what Jesus says at the Last Supper than any of the other Evangelists.)
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?