Readings for Sunday July 3, 2011
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Do you ever wonder if the ‘little guy’, the guy that gets pushed around in life and that doesn’t get a break, will ever get justice? Let’s face it, if we look at the world, it seems to be the rich and the educated that are in control, often because they ripped-off someone else. In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus answers this problem by giving hope to the little guy. As we look at our world, we would tend to believe that those who are successful, powerful, famous and rich are the people who have it together. Who wouldn’t want complete financial independence? Who wouldn’t want to have millions of adoring fans? Who wouldn’t want to have all the pleasures in life and no pain? Yet God has purposely hidden Himself from those who think that they don’t need Him. God is looking out for those who turn to Him in humility, while literally hiding Himself from those who think that they don’t need Him. Knowing God and His will does not come to those who receive advanced education, who are popular, or who have a big bank account, but it comes rather to those with whom the Father shares Himself. The Father is looking for those with humility and with meekness (being slow to anger), who turn to Him and depend on Him for all their needs. Many think that they stand for God, many think that they are doing God’s will, and many think that they have the inside track on the Lord’s will, when the reality is that they are distant from Him. They pride themselves on their advanced opinions, all the while looking down upon those with simple faith as ‘uncultured’ or ‘happily ignorant’. Even in the Church, those who have all the degrees and all the knowledge can use their positions for personal comfort, rather than to spread the Gospel. The Gospel is not meant to make us ‘feel’ good; rather, the Gospel is meant to make us ‘be’ good. Let us read this passage with the clear understanding that God calls us to be humble, no matter what we do in life. What makes, for example, St. Therese of the Little Flower such a powerful saint? Was it because she had ‘Master’s Degree’ after her name? No, it was because she chose holiness and the ‘little way’ to God as the way to know the truth. The truth set her free (so much so that she was named a ‘Doctor of the Church’, yet she had little formal education). Why does God let the people of this world dominate, and seemingly get away with things? We must remember that Jesus’ timeline and our timelines are different. While we focus on the here and now, what needs to happen for our lives here on earth to be better, Jesus looks at the here, the now, and the eternal. Many of the wrongs we see in this world may not be made right until the next world, but know without a doubt that God guarantees that things will be made right in the end. Above and beyond any talents we have, God calls us to be faithful to Him at all times and all places. We all have unique callings that God has given us: Let us ask God for the grace to be faithful to it, turning to Him with loving humility and trust.
Jesus says that His ‘yoke is easy’ and His ‘burden is light’, but at times it seems like being a strong Catholic is the most difficult thing to be. Was He lying? What did He mean by those words? How is living a non-Catholic life more of a burden than living a Catholic life in Christ? Describe.
Summary of the Gospel by YM Central
Reading 1 Zechariah 9:9-10
9 Thus says the LORD: Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion, shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! See, your king shall come to you; a just savior is he, meek, and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass.10 He shall banish the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; the warrior’s bow shall be banished, and he shall proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.
Questions for Discussion:
1.What would be the three top qualities you would look for in a leader?
2.What qualities will Zion’s King possess?
3.Why the ass (v9) instead of the horse (v10) see Matthew 21:5
Reading II Romans 8:9, 11-13
9 Brothers and sisters: You are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, 11 if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you. 12 Consequently, brothers and sisters, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Questions for Discussion:
1. What must one have to be Christ's?
2. What is the Spirit's work in this conflict with the flesh?
3. How are we to deal with our sinful nature?
Gospel Matthew 11:25-30
25 At that time Jesus exclaimed: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones. 26 Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.” 28 “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
Questions for Discussion:
1. Jesus says that His ‘yoke is easy’ and His ‘burden is light’, but at times it seems like being a strong Catholic is the most difficult thing to be. Was He lying? What did He mean by those words? How is living a non-Catholic life more of a burden than living a Catholic life in Christ? Describe.
2. Describe a time in your life when you were rejected, letdown, or treated unjustly because you were the ‘little guy’. How did you handle that situation? Did you seek revenge? Describe. Given Christ’s words in this passage, how does God call you to handle these kinds of situations?
3. St. Therese of Lisieux said, “My desire is to be small and become even smaller.” How can you adopt that philosophy in your daily life? Come up with at least three things you can do to better live that way.
4. Do you make any regular choices that could develop into bad habits or addictions that could hurt you or others?
Lord, thank you for being so real to me and for revealing your wonderful love to us. There are people in our lives who don’t know you, some who even resist your call. Yet we know how much you love them and how much you want them to know your love. Lord, please put in our minds the names of people you would like us to reach with your love. And, Lord, with those names, we ask you to give us wisdom about how to “fertilize” their hearts so they may bear abundant fruit. Amen
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Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Christ is Really Here -- Are You?
Readings for Sunday June 26th 2011
Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Occasionally I take out my dad’s “Letters from War,” these were letters he had written to my mom during World War 2. I enjoy reading these letters because they remind me of my mom and dad and how much they cared for each other.
Don’t we all have letters or pictures that we keep nearby, especially when we feel lonely or on those painful days? We find them when we need a reminder that people really do care. I don’t know about you, but the people I love seem really present when I see them in a picture or read letters they had written.
If that makes sense to you, then you are on your way to understanding Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist. Early Christians scared some people because they talked about eating someone’s body and blood. Obviously that is not what Christians do. But, Christ is fully present in the forms of bread and wine, even though you cannot physically observe it.
Remembering a close friend who isn’t physically present can remind you that you are loved and cared for. Your friend’s presence can still be very real at those times. How much more can Jesus Christ- who is truly present in the Eucharist – offer us comfort, strength, and challenge when we eat and drink at the Eucharistic table.
Here is something else to think about. This week don’t ask whether Christ is really present during the Mass. Ask yourself whether you are really present. Let’s say you call a friend on the phone for help. He or she can be really present as a good listener and adviser. But if you aren’t really present-if you don’t pay attention or open your mind- then you’ll likely to miss the support your friend is offering. The same is true during the Eucharist. Focus in the coming weeks about being really present at the Mass. Greet the people sitting next to you. Listen and respond to the prayers and readings. Sing the songs. As you receive the body and blood, pray for strength and guidance in problems you face. I guarantee you’ll find a great friend there just waiting for you.
Reading 1 Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a
2 Moses said to the people: "Remember how for forty years now the LORD, your God, has directed all your journeying in the desert, so as to test you by affliction and find out whether or not it was your intention to keep his commandments. 3 He therefore let you be afflicted with hunger, and then fed you with manna, a food unknown to you and your fathers, in order to show you that not by bread alone does one live, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the LORD. 14b "Do not forget the LORD, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery; 15 who guided you through the vast and terrible desert with its saraph serpents and scorpions, its parched and waterless ground; who brought forth water for you from the flinty rock 16 and fed you in the desert with manna, a food unknown to your fathers."
Questions for Discussion:
1. The first reading tells us to “remember” what the Lord has done for us and not to “forget” him. And yet we can often receive the Eucharist in a blank or unfocused manner. How would you describe what Jesus did for you on the Cross? How can you better use your memory of the Lord’s great love for you, and what he has done for you through his death and resurrection, in preparing to receive Christ in the Eucharist?
2. What kind of promises have you made to God? Have you found it difficult to keep these promises?
3. We are also told we are to be fed by “every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” What steps can you take to better incorporate Scripture reading in your day?
Reading II 1 Corinthians 10:16-17
16 Brothers and sisters: The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.
Questions for Discussion:
1. What is one thing that I can do this week to make my participation during Mass more meaningful to me and to my friends?
2. Who are the people in your life with whom you need to be reconciled? How might you begin to break down the walls of division and unforgiveness, and start the process of reconciliation?
3. Why does Christ sacrifice have an everlasting result?
Gospel John 6:51-58
51 Jesus said to the Jewish crowds: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." 52 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 53 Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.
Questions for Discussion:
1. In the Gospel reading, Jesus tells us that “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” What are the little things you can do during the day to make yourself more aware of Jesus’ presence in you?
2. What vow did Jesus make?
3. How would you have felt if you had been at that meal?
4. What do you think the Disciples were thinking when Jesus said “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” ?
5. The devil knows Jesus. Do you?
Eucharistic Miracle Lanciano, Italy 8th Century A.D.
Ancient Anxanum, the city of the Frentanese, has contained for over twelve centuries the first and greatest Eucharistic Miracle of the Catholic Church. This wondrous Event took place in the 8th century A.D. in the little Church of St. Legontian, as a divine response to a Basilian monk's doubt about Jesus' Real Presence in the Eucharist.
During Holy Mass, after the two-fold consecration, the host was changed into live Flesh and the wine was changed into live Blood, which coagulated into five globules, irregular and differing in shape and size.
The Host-Flesh, as can be very distinctly observed today, has the same dimensions as the large host used today in the Latin Church; it is light brown and appears rose-colored when lighted from the back.
The Blood is coagulated and has an earthy color resembling the yellow of ochre.
Various ecclesiastical investigation ("Recognitions") were conducted since 1574.
In 1970-'71 and taken up again partly in 1981 there took place a scientific investigation by the most illustrious scientist Prof. Odoardo Linoli, eminent Professor in Anatomy and Pathological Histology and in Chemistry and Clinical Microscopy. He was assisted by Prof. Ruggero Bertelli of the University of Siena.
The analyses were conducted with absolute and unquestionable scientific precision and they were documented with a series of microscopic photographs.
These analyses sustained the following conclusions:
• The Flesh is real Flesh. The Blood is real Blood.
• The Flesh and the Blood belong to the human species.
• The Flesh consists of the muscular tissue of the heart.
• In the Flesh we see present in section: the myocardium, the endocardium, the vagus nerve and also the left ventricle of the heart for the large thickness of the myocardium.
• The Flesh is a "HEART" complete in its essential structure.
• The Flesh and the Blood have the same blood-type: AB (Blood-type identical to that which Prof. Baima Bollone uncovered in the Holy Shroud of Turin).
• In the Blood there were found proteins in the same normal proportions (percentage-wise) as are found in the sero-proteic make-up of the fresh normal blood.
• In the Blood there were also found these minerals: chlorides, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium and calcium.
• The preservation of the Flesh and of the Blood, which were left in their natural state for twelvecenturies and exposed to the action of atmospheric and biological agents, remains an extraordinary phenomenon.
Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Occasionally I take out my dad’s “Letters from War,” these were letters he had written to my mom during World War 2. I enjoy reading these letters because they remind me of my mom and dad and how much they cared for each other.
Don’t we all have letters or pictures that we keep nearby, especially when we feel lonely or on those painful days? We find them when we need a reminder that people really do care. I don’t know about you, but the people I love seem really present when I see them in a picture or read letters they had written.
If that makes sense to you, then you are on your way to understanding Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist. Early Christians scared some people because they talked about eating someone’s body and blood. Obviously that is not what Christians do. But, Christ is fully present in the forms of bread and wine, even though you cannot physically observe it.
Remembering a close friend who isn’t physically present can remind you that you are loved and cared for. Your friend’s presence can still be very real at those times. How much more can Jesus Christ- who is truly present in the Eucharist – offer us comfort, strength, and challenge when we eat and drink at the Eucharistic table.
Here is something else to think about. This week don’t ask whether Christ is really present during the Mass. Ask yourself whether you are really present. Let’s say you call a friend on the phone for help. He or she can be really present as a good listener and adviser. But if you aren’t really present-if you don’t pay attention or open your mind- then you’ll likely to miss the support your friend is offering. The same is true during the Eucharist. Focus in the coming weeks about being really present at the Mass. Greet the people sitting next to you. Listen and respond to the prayers and readings. Sing the songs. As you receive the body and blood, pray for strength and guidance in problems you face. I guarantee you’ll find a great friend there just waiting for you.
Reading 1 Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a
2 Moses said to the people: "Remember how for forty years now the LORD, your God, has directed all your journeying in the desert, so as to test you by affliction and find out whether or not it was your intention to keep his commandments. 3 He therefore let you be afflicted with hunger, and then fed you with manna, a food unknown to you and your fathers, in order to show you that not by bread alone does one live, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the LORD. 14b "Do not forget the LORD, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery; 15 who guided you through the vast and terrible desert with its saraph serpents and scorpions, its parched and waterless ground; who brought forth water for you from the flinty rock 16 and fed you in the desert with manna, a food unknown to your fathers."
Questions for Discussion:
1. The first reading tells us to “remember” what the Lord has done for us and not to “forget” him. And yet we can often receive the Eucharist in a blank or unfocused manner. How would you describe what Jesus did for you on the Cross? How can you better use your memory of the Lord’s great love for you, and what he has done for you through his death and resurrection, in preparing to receive Christ in the Eucharist?
2. What kind of promises have you made to God? Have you found it difficult to keep these promises?
3. We are also told we are to be fed by “every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” What steps can you take to better incorporate Scripture reading in your day?
Reading II 1 Corinthians 10:16-17
16 Brothers and sisters: The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.
Questions for Discussion:
1. What is one thing that I can do this week to make my participation during Mass more meaningful to me and to my friends?
2. Who are the people in your life with whom you need to be reconciled? How might you begin to break down the walls of division and unforgiveness, and start the process of reconciliation?
3. Why does Christ sacrifice have an everlasting result?
Gospel John 6:51-58
51 Jesus said to the Jewish crowds: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." 52 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 53 Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.
Questions for Discussion:
1. In the Gospel reading, Jesus tells us that “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” What are the little things you can do during the day to make yourself more aware of Jesus’ presence in you?
2. What vow did Jesus make?
3. How would you have felt if you had been at that meal?
4. What do you think the Disciples were thinking when Jesus said “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” ?
5. The devil knows Jesus. Do you?
Eucharistic Miracle Lanciano, Italy 8th Century A.D.
Ancient Anxanum, the city of the Frentanese, has contained for over twelve centuries the first and greatest Eucharistic Miracle of the Catholic Church. This wondrous Event took place in the 8th century A.D. in the little Church of St. Legontian, as a divine response to a Basilian monk's doubt about Jesus' Real Presence in the Eucharist.
During Holy Mass, after the two-fold consecration, the host was changed into live Flesh and the wine was changed into live Blood, which coagulated into five globules, irregular and differing in shape and size.
The Host-Flesh, as can be very distinctly observed today, has the same dimensions as the large host used today in the Latin Church; it is light brown and appears rose-colored when lighted from the back.
The Blood is coagulated and has an earthy color resembling the yellow of ochre.
Various ecclesiastical investigation ("Recognitions") were conducted since 1574.
In 1970-'71 and taken up again partly in 1981 there took place a scientific investigation by the most illustrious scientist Prof. Odoardo Linoli, eminent Professor in Anatomy and Pathological Histology and in Chemistry and Clinical Microscopy. He was assisted by Prof. Ruggero Bertelli of the University of Siena.
The analyses were conducted with absolute and unquestionable scientific precision and they were documented with a series of microscopic photographs.
These analyses sustained the following conclusions:
• The Flesh is real Flesh. The Blood is real Blood.
• The Flesh and the Blood belong to the human species.
• The Flesh consists of the muscular tissue of the heart.
• In the Flesh we see present in section: the myocardium, the endocardium, the vagus nerve and also the left ventricle of the heart for the large thickness of the myocardium.
• The Flesh is a "HEART" complete in its essential structure.
• The Flesh and the Blood have the same blood-type: AB (Blood-type identical to that which Prof. Baima Bollone uncovered in the Holy Shroud of Turin).
• In the Blood there were found proteins in the same normal proportions (percentage-wise) as are found in the sero-proteic make-up of the fresh normal blood.
• In the Blood there were also found these minerals: chlorides, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium and calcium.
• The preservation of the Flesh and of the Blood, which were left in their natural state for twelvecenturies and exposed to the action of atmospheric and biological agents, remains an extraordinary phenomenon.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity †
†Readings for Sunday June 19th 2011
I think that this Sunday (Trinity Sunday) we should all think about what it means to be guided in the truth. Do we believe that because we are being led by this awesome truth, that we can just take things for granted? Or should each one of us take a look at our lives and realize that we cannot go on without trusting God.
I recently read an excerpt from a music album by Aaron Shust, in it he talks about how when we have a good day. We say. "God, Thank you. You are really blessing me." Blessing is a word that I only hear Christians use. I have heard it means to "speak well about a thing,” but I think it's used more often in the sense of I need a raise, or a gift, or something specific. "God, Bless Me.” in this context means: I want straight AAA's in school, or I want to buy lots of new clothes, please get me a new car.
When I am having a bad day, I say, "God, don't forget me, please hear my prayers", as if He may have forgotten about me. Aaron tells the story of a man who, through a series of events, misses his flight and, when the plane crashes and everyone dies, an article is written in a Christian publication saying, "God was watching out for him." Not long after that article appeared, another article is written by the wife of a man who, by a series of seemingly miraculous events, made it onto that flight, and the last communication that they had was waving goodbye to each other with joy in their hearts at how God had orchestrated events that allowed him to make his flight… that would take him to his death. So who was God really looking out for? Was God working in one man's life and not the others?
Some people or healed of cancer after much prayer. Many people die of cancer, even after much prayer. Some people are born physically beautiful, and with robust health; other people are born with physical deformities and terrible diseases. Who is God looking out for in these situations? The answer is that it is not in our capacity to understand.
Too often, our perception of how God should operate is focused on how He should make our lives better- according to us. But one of the reasons His name is "God" is because He is smart, wiser, and infinitely better (perfect actually) than we are in all areas. We can't figure out the reasoning behind all that God does (just as we cannot figure out the mystery of the Trinity) But we know that we are really loved by Him, because we FEEL it! We know in our hearts that the promises written in the Bible are true. Is this an act of faith? Absolutely. But it is like feeling the warmth of the sun on our skin; there can be no question that there is really a ball of fire in the sky.
Enjoy the readings, pass them on
Reading 1 Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9
4b Early in the morning Moses went up Mount Sinai as the LORD had commanded him, taking along the two stone tablets. 5 Having come down in a cloud, the LORD stood with Moses there
and proclaimed his name, "LORD." 6 Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out,
"The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity." 8 Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship. 9 Then he said, "If I find favor with you, O Lord, do come along in our company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and receive us as your own."
Questions for Discussion:
1. Besides his name, what did God reveal about himself to Moses on Mount Sinai? What was Moses’ response to this revelation? What is your response to knowledge of God’s love?
2. If the Lord were to come along in our company, would it mean that God loves us every moment exactly as we are, even though we are “stiff-necked” sometimes? Do you forgive others when they are harsh to you? Can you accept them as they are?
3. This is a good time to ask how does our own image of God and our actions, measure up to the revelation of God the Scriptures present to us today and throughout both the Hebrew texts in the New Testament?
Reading II 2 Corinthians 13:11-13
11 Brothers and sisters, rejoice. Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the holy ones greet you. 13 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
Questions for Discussion:
1. What were his final instructions and greetings? (13:11-13) B. How did he bless them? (13:14)
2. What do you know about the Trinity from the following lines of the reading? ”The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.” If God’s nature is love, then has he invited us to come along in his company? What are the implications for our community?
3. We can all agree with and/or encourage each other in order to live in peace. How important is this to you? Can you agree with most people? Do you feel the tone of this reading is comforting or admonishing?
Gospel John 3:16-18
16 God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
Questions for Discussion:
1. What did the Father do that tells you he “loved the world”? What did the Son do? What have you done as a response to God’s immense love for the world and for you personally?
2. What might this gift of "eternal life" look like in our lives?
3. Do you love God above all else? Does he take first place in your life, in your thoughts, and actions?
4. From this reading, what stands out to you about God? About what he wants you to do? About
5. how a person is saved? About how a person is condemned? What does it mean to “believe”
6. What does Jesus mean when he talks about eternal life? What does it call to mind for you?
7. What does eternal life mean to you in regards to duration? Quality? Activity?
8. What does it mean to be “saved? From what? For what? What is the alternative? When did you begin to see God as saving you, rather than condemning you?
This Sunday is Trinity Sunday; here our belief in the one God who is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is the central truth of all Christian faith. Early in the history of the Church various controversies arose over the nature of the Trinity. The most prominent of these concerned the heresy of Arianism in the fourth century. Arias and his followers insisted that the Son of God was created and not eternal. This heresy found many followers, especially in the Eastern Church.
The Council of Nicea in A.D. 325 settled the controversy by defining the nature of the Trinity. Belief in the Trinity had been central to the Church since the time of the Apostles. As a response to Arianism, however, that belief was given a formal definition. The Church’s understanding was crystallized in what we now know as the Nicene Creed, which states: The Council of Nicea explained that there were three persons in the Trinity, but only one being. The three persons are equal and of the same substance. All three persons are eternal and are to be worshiped.
The Council provided definition and clarity in the midst of controversy. However, the Trinity remains a mystery beyond the ability of the human mind to fathom.
Sunday's Mass invites us to enter into the mystery and partake of the grace God offers. One of the prayers for Trinity Sunday speaks in these words to God: "You reveal yourself in the depths of our being, drawing us to share in your life and love."
The love between Father and Son is so strong that it is itself a person, the Holy Spirit. The love shared between the Three Persons of the Trinity is so strong that God created life to share with us, His children. God has created us out of love, and His goal for us is to teach us what it means to love perfectly, to love as He loves. God wants our love for Him to be so devoted to Him that it calls us to put nothing ahead of Him. It is a love that is so valuable that we would be willing to love God completely, totally – even if we can’t see Him. It is a love that is so important to us that we would rather suffer and die than to lose that love.
In short, God’s love is the greatest possession we will ever have. (Think of this idea in light of the Second Reading from this Sunday, Romans 5:1-5. Look it up now.) God’s love is our true treasure. The Trinity is not only the source of our lives, but it is the goal of who we are. When we die, our hope and prayer is that we will enter into the life of the Trinity for all eternity. Our hope is that we will become members of the family of God, free from the effects of sin, free from all suffering and death. While we may be tempted to just accept God as Trinity on blind faith, allow yourself to meditate on this Reality. Reflect upon God’s great love, and let God Himself, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to transform all your actions into an offering of love.
I think that this Sunday (Trinity Sunday) we should all think about what it means to be guided in the truth. Do we believe that because we are being led by this awesome truth, that we can just take things for granted? Or should each one of us take a look at our lives and realize that we cannot go on without trusting God.
I recently read an excerpt from a music album by Aaron Shust, in it he talks about how when we have a good day. We say. "God, Thank you. You are really blessing me." Blessing is a word that I only hear Christians use. I have heard it means to "speak well about a thing,” but I think it's used more often in the sense of I need a raise, or a gift, or something specific. "God, Bless Me.” in this context means: I want straight AAA's in school, or I want to buy lots of new clothes, please get me a new car.
When I am having a bad day, I say, "God, don't forget me, please hear my prayers", as if He may have forgotten about me. Aaron tells the story of a man who, through a series of events, misses his flight and, when the plane crashes and everyone dies, an article is written in a Christian publication saying, "God was watching out for him." Not long after that article appeared, another article is written by the wife of a man who, by a series of seemingly miraculous events, made it onto that flight, and the last communication that they had was waving goodbye to each other with joy in their hearts at how God had orchestrated events that allowed him to make his flight… that would take him to his death. So who was God really looking out for? Was God working in one man's life and not the others?
Some people or healed of cancer after much prayer. Many people die of cancer, even after much prayer. Some people are born physically beautiful, and with robust health; other people are born with physical deformities and terrible diseases. Who is God looking out for in these situations? The answer is that it is not in our capacity to understand.
Too often, our perception of how God should operate is focused on how He should make our lives better- according to us. But one of the reasons His name is "God" is because He is smart, wiser, and infinitely better (perfect actually) than we are in all areas. We can't figure out the reasoning behind all that God does (just as we cannot figure out the mystery of the Trinity) But we know that we are really loved by Him, because we FEEL it! We know in our hearts that the promises written in the Bible are true. Is this an act of faith? Absolutely. But it is like feeling the warmth of the sun on our skin; there can be no question that there is really a ball of fire in the sky.
Enjoy the readings, pass them on
Reading 1 Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9
4b Early in the morning Moses went up Mount Sinai as the LORD had commanded him, taking along the two stone tablets. 5 Having come down in a cloud, the LORD stood with Moses there
and proclaimed his name, "LORD." 6 Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out,
"The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity." 8 Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship. 9 Then he said, "If I find favor with you, O Lord, do come along in our company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and receive us as your own."
Questions for Discussion:
1. Besides his name, what did God reveal about himself to Moses on Mount Sinai? What was Moses’ response to this revelation? What is your response to knowledge of God’s love?
2. If the Lord were to come along in our company, would it mean that God loves us every moment exactly as we are, even though we are “stiff-necked” sometimes? Do you forgive others when they are harsh to you? Can you accept them as they are?
3. This is a good time to ask how does our own image of God and our actions, measure up to the revelation of God the Scriptures present to us today and throughout both the Hebrew texts in the New Testament?
Reading II 2 Corinthians 13:11-13
11 Brothers and sisters, rejoice. Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the holy ones greet you. 13 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
Questions for Discussion:
1. What were his final instructions and greetings? (13:11-13) B. How did he bless them? (13:14)
2. What do you know about the Trinity from the following lines of the reading? ”The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.” If God’s nature is love, then has he invited us to come along in his company? What are the implications for our community?
3. We can all agree with and/or encourage each other in order to live in peace. How important is this to you? Can you agree with most people? Do you feel the tone of this reading is comforting or admonishing?
Gospel John 3:16-18
16 God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
Questions for Discussion:
1. What did the Father do that tells you he “loved the world”? What did the Son do? What have you done as a response to God’s immense love for the world and for you personally?
2. What might this gift of "eternal life" look like in our lives?
3. Do you love God above all else? Does he take first place in your life, in your thoughts, and actions?
4. From this reading, what stands out to you about God? About what he wants you to do? About
5. how a person is saved? About how a person is condemned? What does it mean to “believe”
6. What does Jesus mean when he talks about eternal life? What does it call to mind for you?
7. What does eternal life mean to you in regards to duration? Quality? Activity?
8. What does it mean to be “saved? From what? For what? What is the alternative? When did you begin to see God as saving you, rather than condemning you?
This Sunday is Trinity Sunday; here our belief in the one God who is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is the central truth of all Christian faith. Early in the history of the Church various controversies arose over the nature of the Trinity. The most prominent of these concerned the heresy of Arianism in the fourth century. Arias and his followers insisted that the Son of God was created and not eternal. This heresy found many followers, especially in the Eastern Church.
The Council of Nicea in A.D. 325 settled the controversy by defining the nature of the Trinity. Belief in the Trinity had been central to the Church since the time of the Apostles. As a response to Arianism, however, that belief was given a formal definition. The Church’s understanding was crystallized in what we now know as the Nicene Creed, which states: The Council of Nicea explained that there were three persons in the Trinity, but only one being. The three persons are equal and of the same substance. All three persons are eternal and are to be worshiped.
The Council provided definition and clarity in the midst of controversy. However, the Trinity remains a mystery beyond the ability of the human mind to fathom.
Sunday's Mass invites us to enter into the mystery and partake of the grace God offers. One of the prayers for Trinity Sunday speaks in these words to God: "You reveal yourself in the depths of our being, drawing us to share in your life and love."
The love between Father and Son is so strong that it is itself a person, the Holy Spirit. The love shared between the Three Persons of the Trinity is so strong that God created life to share with us, His children. God has created us out of love, and His goal for us is to teach us what it means to love perfectly, to love as He loves. God wants our love for Him to be so devoted to Him that it calls us to put nothing ahead of Him. It is a love that is so valuable that we would be willing to love God completely, totally – even if we can’t see Him. It is a love that is so important to us that we would rather suffer and die than to lose that love.
In short, God’s love is the greatest possession we will ever have. (Think of this idea in light of the Second Reading from this Sunday, Romans 5:1-5. Look it up now.) God’s love is our true treasure. The Trinity is not only the source of our lives, but it is the goal of who we are. When we die, our hope and prayer is that we will enter into the life of the Trinity for all eternity. Our hope is that we will become members of the family of God, free from the effects of sin, free from all suffering and death. While we may be tempted to just accept God as Trinity on blind faith, allow yourself to meditate on this Reality. Reflect upon God’s great love, and let God Himself, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to transform all your actions into an offering of love.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Spirit Power
Readings for Pentecost Sunday
June 12th 2011
Then afterward I will pour out my spirit upon all mankind. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions; Even upon the servants and the handmaids, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. Joel 3:1-2(from the Pentecost Vigil)
Like the believers on Pentecost Sunday, I‘ve been accused of talking and no-one understanding what I was saying. Although it has nothing to do with the Holy Spirit, and more to do with the Brooklyn accent.
As I read about the Holy Spirit coming upon the believers I thought about the awesomeness of “Speaking in Tongues” can you imagine speaking to someone (who knows no English) and they understanding everything you say to them
Can you imagine how the first believers must have felt as they sat in that room praying for a sign, fearful of the unknown? They really were in many ways a bunch of misfits and in today’s world none of them would have the things that we think are necessary for success- homes, money, political influence, social status and yet they turned the world upside down and won multitudes for Christ. How did they do this? They were able to do this because they were a community of believers ignited by the Spirit of God.
2,000- Years later and we are still the same community of believers- the difference; we are not waiting for the Holy Spirit to come upon us. Why? Because the Holy Spirit already dwells in us and His presence will be permanent as Jesus promised. (John 14:16)
When I think of the Holy Spirit I remember something I read some time ago.
When you go home this evening, try fixing your dinner, doing your homework, playing your iPod, watching a ballgame, or your favorite TV show, Facebook, Twitter- all without any electricity. You won’t get very far. Every appliance, every light bulb, every electronic gadget relies on that electrical current to come alive. Without it, they are worthless.
That’s how it is with us and the Holy Spirit. Without the power of Gods Spirit flowing through us we would be lifeless blobs. We depend on God for everything: our mind, our body, our soul, our very breath.
Now the Holy Spirit is available to all people through a relationship with Jesus Christ, Jesus is the socket we can “plug into” to access the power of the Holy Spirit.
Enjoy the readings, pass them on….. IHN, tommyk
Reading 1 Acts 2:1-11
2:1When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together.2- And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. 3-Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. 4-And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. 5-Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. 6-At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language.7- They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, "Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? 8-Then how does each of us hear them in his native language? 9-We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,10- Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome,11- both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God."
Questions for discussion:
1. Have you ever traveled where you did not speak the language? What happened?
2. Would you respond more like those in verse 12 or those in verse 13?
3. Have you ever seen the gift of tongues in any way?
Reading II 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13
3b- Brothers and sisters: No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. 4- There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; 5- there are different forms of service but the same Lord; 6- there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. 7- To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. 12- As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. 13-For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
Questions for discussion:
1. How can others tell that “Jesus is Lord” of your life?
2. Have you discovered your Spiritual gifts? If so, what are they?
3. How have you used your gift for the common good?
4. What is on skill you secretly possess?
Gospel John 20:19-23
19-On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." 20-When he had said this; he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.21- Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." 22-And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23-Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."
Questions for discussion:
1. Have you ever gone into your room and locked the door? Why?
2. Why are the disciples fearful now?
3. Where could you use Jesus’ peace right now?
4. What is the evidence that Jesus is alive in your life today?
Summary of the Gospel from YM Central
Ever feel like Jesus has left you alone, without any help? Sometimes life can feel like that, especially when we can’t see Jesus. Many people accuse God of not caring and being distant from us. The reality is that Jesus wants to get closer to us than we are to ourselves. This Sunday’s feast day is meant to show us that Jesus loves us so much that He wants to live within us. This Gospel takes us back to the first Resurrection appearance of Jesus to the Apostles.
Here, Jesus is trying to teach us some important facts about the Resurrection, and how He is present to us. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus still got inside. Perhaps He had a spare key? Maybe He "jimmied" the door and snuck in? The doors would have been greatly secured because the disciples were in fear for their lives. St. John wants to show us that the only way Jesus could get in was to supernaturally enter the room.
Yes, He has a body, but it is not bound to the laws of nature the way our bodies are physically limited. Although Jesus enters and says "peace" to the disciples, they must have been terrified when they saw Him alive in their presence. Jesus' entire ministry is about peace, not political peace, but bringing peace in our hearts. The disciples saw His hands and side - although the Gospel describes them as rejoicing, could words ever describe the elation they must have felt? Then we read that Jesus then sends His disciples to forgive sins.
The Church has always seen this event as the beginning of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, where the Apostles (and their successors, the bishops), are given the authority to forgive sins. This should be a cause of joy to all of us, because no matter the depths of our sins, God is eagerly looking to forgive us. The point of all of this is that Jesus, our God and Lord, cares so much about us that He wants to be with us and offer us His life. His life is unlike anything we can experience on earth, for His life is so powerful that it can conquer even death.
We can share in His resurrected life by receiving His Holy Spirit and having our sins forgiven. God wants us to be pure before Him, without sin, and so He will literally come into our lives and make us His Temple. Our feast of Pentecost reminds us that Jesus wants to be with us so much that He has chosen to live within us, giving us His Spirit in Baptism. No longer can we say that God is distant, but rather He is so close to us that He wants to be part of our every moment. We may not be able to see Him, and we might not be able to feel Him, but He has promised us that He is with us…and we can trust His promise completely, even in the midst of our strongest doubts.
June 12th 2011
Then afterward I will pour out my spirit upon all mankind. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions; Even upon the servants and the handmaids, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. Joel 3:1-2(from the Pentecost Vigil)
Like the believers on Pentecost Sunday, I‘ve been accused of talking and no-one understanding what I was saying. Although it has nothing to do with the Holy Spirit, and more to do with the Brooklyn accent.
As I read about the Holy Spirit coming upon the believers I thought about the awesomeness of “Speaking in Tongues” can you imagine speaking to someone (who knows no English) and they understanding everything you say to them
Can you imagine how the first believers must have felt as they sat in that room praying for a sign, fearful of the unknown? They really were in many ways a bunch of misfits and in today’s world none of them would have the things that we think are necessary for success- homes, money, political influence, social status and yet they turned the world upside down and won multitudes for Christ. How did they do this? They were able to do this because they were a community of believers ignited by the Spirit of God.
2,000- Years later and we are still the same community of believers- the difference; we are not waiting for the Holy Spirit to come upon us. Why? Because the Holy Spirit already dwells in us and His presence will be permanent as Jesus promised. (John 14:16)
When I think of the Holy Spirit I remember something I read some time ago.
When you go home this evening, try fixing your dinner, doing your homework, playing your iPod, watching a ballgame, or your favorite TV show, Facebook, Twitter- all without any electricity. You won’t get very far. Every appliance, every light bulb, every electronic gadget relies on that electrical current to come alive. Without it, they are worthless.
That’s how it is with us and the Holy Spirit. Without the power of Gods Spirit flowing through us we would be lifeless blobs. We depend on God for everything: our mind, our body, our soul, our very breath.
Now the Holy Spirit is available to all people through a relationship with Jesus Christ, Jesus is the socket we can “plug into” to access the power of the Holy Spirit.
Enjoy the readings, pass them on….. IHN, tommyk
Reading 1 Acts 2:1-11
2:1When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together.2- And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. 3-Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. 4-And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. 5-Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. 6-At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language.7- They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, "Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? 8-Then how does each of us hear them in his native language? 9-We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,10- Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome,11- both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God."
Questions for discussion:
1. Have you ever traveled where you did not speak the language? What happened?
2. Would you respond more like those in verse 12 or those in verse 13?
3. Have you ever seen the gift of tongues in any way?
Reading II 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13
3b- Brothers and sisters: No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. 4- There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; 5- there are different forms of service but the same Lord; 6- there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. 7- To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. 12- As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. 13-For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
Questions for discussion:
1. How can others tell that “Jesus is Lord” of your life?
2. Have you discovered your Spiritual gifts? If so, what are they?
3. How have you used your gift for the common good?
4. What is on skill you secretly possess?
Gospel John 20:19-23
19-On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." 20-When he had said this; he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.21- Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." 22-And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23-Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."
Questions for discussion:
1. Have you ever gone into your room and locked the door? Why?
2. Why are the disciples fearful now?
3. Where could you use Jesus’ peace right now?
4. What is the evidence that Jesus is alive in your life today?
Summary of the Gospel from YM Central
Ever feel like Jesus has left you alone, without any help? Sometimes life can feel like that, especially when we can’t see Jesus. Many people accuse God of not caring and being distant from us. The reality is that Jesus wants to get closer to us than we are to ourselves. This Sunday’s feast day is meant to show us that Jesus loves us so much that He wants to live within us. This Gospel takes us back to the first Resurrection appearance of Jesus to the Apostles.
Here, Jesus is trying to teach us some important facts about the Resurrection, and how He is present to us. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus still got inside. Perhaps He had a spare key? Maybe He "jimmied" the door and snuck in? The doors would have been greatly secured because the disciples were in fear for their lives. St. John wants to show us that the only way Jesus could get in was to supernaturally enter the room.
Yes, He has a body, but it is not bound to the laws of nature the way our bodies are physically limited. Although Jesus enters and says "peace" to the disciples, they must have been terrified when they saw Him alive in their presence. Jesus' entire ministry is about peace, not political peace, but bringing peace in our hearts. The disciples saw His hands and side - although the Gospel describes them as rejoicing, could words ever describe the elation they must have felt? Then we read that Jesus then sends His disciples to forgive sins.
The Church has always seen this event as the beginning of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, where the Apostles (and their successors, the bishops), are given the authority to forgive sins. This should be a cause of joy to all of us, because no matter the depths of our sins, God is eagerly looking to forgive us. The point of all of this is that Jesus, our God and Lord, cares so much about us that He wants to be with us and offer us His life. His life is unlike anything we can experience on earth, for His life is so powerful that it can conquer even death.
We can share in His resurrected life by receiving His Holy Spirit and having our sins forgiven. God wants us to be pure before Him, without sin, and so He will literally come into our lives and make us His Temple. Our feast of Pentecost reminds us that Jesus wants to be with us so much that He has chosen to live within us, giving us His Spirit in Baptism. No longer can we say that God is distant, but rather He is so close to us that He wants to be part of our every moment. We may not be able to see Him, and we might not be able to feel Him, but He has promised us that He is with us…and we can trust His promise completely, even in the midst of our strongest doubts.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
The Ascension of Jesus
Seventh Sunday of Easter
June 5th 2011
It may seem quite strange to us that we would want to celebrate Jesus’ Ascension. Why? Because it’s all about an ending. A sad ending? Yes, goodbyes are difficult and sad. Jesus’ Ascension means the end of a beautiful relationship between Jesus and those who loved Him. So why should we celebrate this day?
Try to imagine yourself in the position of an early disciple of Jesus. You, along with the rest of the disciples, walk with Jesus; you hear His inspiring message proclaimed from the synagogues and hillsides; you touch him and are touched by him; and you witnessed the marvelous effect he has on everyone he meets. Gradually, you find yourself captivated by this man and his message. You find in him the answer to all your hopes and dreams, and you are certain that in this man from Nazareth you have discovered true freedom, joy, peace, love, and fullness of life.
But then you see the horror of Calvary: Jesus, whom you so deeply loved, stretched out against the sky, nailed to a beam of wood, carrying all your dreams and hopes along with him to his death. You and so many who believed in Him run away in fear -- shattered, hopeless, convinced that all He promised was a sham, a lie, or at the very least a terrible mistake.
But then comes Easter. Suddenly you have the overwhelming experience of Jesus present again, alive and truly with you -- in fact, even more truly with you than He was before. He is risen! Even death is conquered in this man! Incredible joy and peace surge into your heart, and you run from your place of hiding, shouting from the rooftops: "He's alive! Everything He told us is true!"
But only a short while later, that feeling of joy and peace is gone, as you watch our Lord rising up through the clouds. What will you do now? He is gone! But, did He have to go? Jesus’ ascension into heaven was an important part of his ministry, for if he had not returned to the Father, he could not have sent the promise gift of the Holy Spirit (John 16:5-15)
This is why we celebrate His departure, because His return to the Father establishes a new bond between heaven and earth and by sending the Holy Spirit, Jesus fulfils his promise to remain with us always. So the choice is yours, will you just stand there staring at the sky, dumbfounded, or will you become witnesses to the good news of Jesus Christ?
Reading 1 Acts 1:1-11
1 In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught 2 until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for "the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; 5 for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." 6 When they had gathered together they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He answered them, "It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 9 When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. 10 While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. 11 They said, "Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven."
Question for Discussion:
How important to you is Jesus’ second coming? How important should it be? Why?
Reading II Ephesians 1:17-23
17 Brothers and sisters: May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him. 18 May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his great might, 20 which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens, 21 far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.
Question for Discussion:
1. But what three things did they seem to be weak on which were the focus of his prayer?
2. What does Paul specifically mean by HOPE, RICHES, and POWER?
3. What does this prayer mean to you? Continue praying this prayer between now and your next meeting and share the fruits of doing so.
Gospel Matthew 28: 16-20
16 The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
17 When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. 18 Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Questions for Discussion:
The Gospel reading ends with the words that are the very last words of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew: “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
1. Why should these words fill us with joy, no matter what our current circumstances are? What steps can you take to be more open to Jesus’ presence during the day?
2. If you were one of the disciples, how would you have felt about Jesus leaving?
1) Terrified 2) confused 3) abandoned 4) angry 5) excited about what was ahead
3. What chance would you have given the followers of Jesus at this point, to change the world?
1) a lot 2) a little 3) some 4) none
4.What holds you back from spreading the word about Jesus?
1) Lack of knowledge 2) Lack of concern 3) Lack of courage 4) Nothing, I plan on doing it
5. How has your spiritual life been going lately?
1) I've been in the pits. 2) I've been questioning Jesus. 3) I've been looking heavenward
4) I’ve been in a cloud (on a high).
June 5th 2011
It may seem quite strange to us that we would want to celebrate Jesus’ Ascension. Why? Because it’s all about an ending. A sad ending? Yes, goodbyes are difficult and sad. Jesus’ Ascension means the end of a beautiful relationship between Jesus and those who loved Him. So why should we celebrate this day?
Try to imagine yourself in the position of an early disciple of Jesus. You, along with the rest of the disciples, walk with Jesus; you hear His inspiring message proclaimed from the synagogues and hillsides; you touch him and are touched by him; and you witnessed the marvelous effect he has on everyone he meets. Gradually, you find yourself captivated by this man and his message. You find in him the answer to all your hopes and dreams, and you are certain that in this man from Nazareth you have discovered true freedom, joy, peace, love, and fullness of life.
But then you see the horror of Calvary: Jesus, whom you so deeply loved, stretched out against the sky, nailed to a beam of wood, carrying all your dreams and hopes along with him to his death. You and so many who believed in Him run away in fear -- shattered, hopeless, convinced that all He promised was a sham, a lie, or at the very least a terrible mistake.
But then comes Easter. Suddenly you have the overwhelming experience of Jesus present again, alive and truly with you -- in fact, even more truly with you than He was before. He is risen! Even death is conquered in this man! Incredible joy and peace surge into your heart, and you run from your place of hiding, shouting from the rooftops: "He's alive! Everything He told us is true!"
But only a short while later, that feeling of joy and peace is gone, as you watch our Lord rising up through the clouds. What will you do now? He is gone! But, did He have to go? Jesus’ ascension into heaven was an important part of his ministry, for if he had not returned to the Father, he could not have sent the promise gift of the Holy Spirit (John 16:5-15)
This is why we celebrate His departure, because His return to the Father establishes a new bond between heaven and earth and by sending the Holy Spirit, Jesus fulfils his promise to remain with us always. So the choice is yours, will you just stand there staring at the sky, dumbfounded, or will you become witnesses to the good news of Jesus Christ?
Reading 1 Acts 1:1-11
1 In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught 2 until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for "the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; 5 for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." 6 When they had gathered together they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He answered them, "It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 9 When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. 10 While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. 11 They said, "Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven."
Question for Discussion:
How important to you is Jesus’ second coming? How important should it be? Why?
Reading II Ephesians 1:17-23
17 Brothers and sisters: May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him. 18 May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his great might, 20 which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens, 21 far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.
Question for Discussion:
1. But what three things did they seem to be weak on which were the focus of his prayer?
2. What does Paul specifically mean by HOPE, RICHES, and POWER?
3. What does this prayer mean to you? Continue praying this prayer between now and your next meeting and share the fruits of doing so.
Gospel Matthew 28: 16-20
16 The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
17 When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. 18 Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Questions for Discussion:
The Gospel reading ends with the words that are the very last words of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew: “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
1. Why should these words fill us with joy, no matter what our current circumstances are? What steps can you take to be more open to Jesus’ presence during the day?
2. If you were one of the disciples, how would you have felt about Jesus leaving?
1) Terrified 2) confused 3) abandoned 4) angry 5) excited about what was ahead
3. What chance would you have given the followers of Jesus at this point, to change the world?
1) a lot 2) a little 3) some 4) none
4.What holds you back from spreading the word about Jesus?
1) Lack of knowledge 2) Lack of concern 3) Lack of courage 4) Nothing, I plan on doing it
5. How has your spiritual life been going lately?
1) I've been in the pits. 2) I've been questioning Jesus. 3) I've been looking heavenward
4) I’ve been in a cloud (on a high).
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