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Deuteronomy 11:18, 26
Moses told the people,
"I set
before you here, this day, a blessing and a curse:
·
a blessing for obeying
the commandments of the Lord your God,
which I enjoin on you today;
a curse if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your
God.”
Romans 3:21-25, 28
“For we
consider that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law .”
Matthew 7:21-27
Jesus
said to His disciples:
"Not
everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven.
Many will say
to Me on that day,
`Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name?
Did we not drive out demons in Your name?
Did we not do mighty deeds in Your name?'
Then I will declare to them solemnly, `I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.' “
Deuteronomy
5:12-15 - The Lord's Day
Thus says the Lord:
The Old Testament Sabbath Rest and Its Symbolism
"Take care to keep holy the Sabbath day as the Lord,
your God, commanded you.
Six days you may labor and do all your work;
but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord, your God.
No work may be done then, whether by you, or your son or
daughter,
or your male or female slave, or your ox or ass or any of
your beasts,
or the alien who lives with you.
Your male and female slave should rest as you do.
For remember that you too were once a slave in
brought you from there with his strong hand and outstretched
arm.
That is why the Lord, Your God, has commanded you to observe
the Sabbath day."
2
Corinthians 4:6-11: Christ's Life in Us
God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness,
has shone in our hearts to bring to light the knowledge of
the glory of God
on the face of Jesus Christ.
But we hold this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.
We are afflicted in every way,
but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not
destroyed;
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our
body.
For we who live are constantly being given up to death for
the sake of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal
flesh.
Mark
Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath
As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the Sabbath, His disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain.
At this the Pharisees said to him,
"Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"
He said to them,
"Have you never read what David did when he was in need
and he and his companions were hungry?
How he went into the house of God when Abiathar
was high priest and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully
eat, and shared it with his companions?"
Then He said to them, "
The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
That is why the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."
The Man with the Withered Hand
Again He entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand.
They watched him closely to see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand, "Come up here before us."
Then He said to them,
"Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to
do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?"
But they remained silent.
Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart,
He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand."
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him
to put Him to
death.]
Themes:
Tobit:
Tobit buries a murdered man
2 Peter:
Mark: the parable of
vineyard and the murder of the owner’s son.
YEAR 1 (2005)
Background
to the Book of Tobit
This book is traditionally listed with the historical books
of the Old Testament, but is really is a wisdom book. It may be based on historical persons and
events, and reads like an modern historical novel, but a closer examination of
the story make it clear that is was intended to teach us what is called
“wisdom.” Wisdom is a general term
referring to knowing God and knowing what He expects to do. Perhaps, the style is not as interesting to
the modern reader as it was to its original its original readers, but it is an
inspired book of the Bible.
Unfortunately it is not found in Protestant or even in Jewish Bibles.
But for Catholics, we learn of the golden rule, the
archangel Raphael, the importance of faithfulness amidst persecution, how we
should not be quick to judge others, how we should trust in God, how miraculous
healing is possible. We learn of a
spiritual attitude towards marriage, many other things.
The story is about the afflictions of a man named Tobit, of a woman named Sarah, and God’s intervention
through the angel Raphael.
During the odd numbered years, six segments of the Book of Tobit are read during Week 9.
Tobit 1:3,2:1a-8 - Part 1: the
trials of Tobit
Tobit
is mocked for defying the law and bury the body of a murdered Jew
“I, Tobit, have walked all the days of my life
on the paths of truth and righteousness.
I performed many charitable works for kinsmen and my people.”
“He is
still not afraid! Once before he was
hunted down for execution because of this very thing, yet, now that he has
scarcely escaped, here he is again
burying the dead.”
YEAR
2 (2006)
2 Peter 1:2-7 -
Grace and peace
“May grace and peace be yours in abundance, through knowledge of God and
of Jesus our Lord.”
Divinity
Through these, He has bestowed on us the precious and very great
promises, so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature,
after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire.
Faith to love
For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with
virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with
endurance, endurance with devotion, devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love.”
Mark
12: 1-12 - Tuesday of Holy Week
The Parable of the Vineyard and the Tenants
"A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge
around it, dug a wine press, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey."
Questions:
Tobit: Who was Tobit? Who was Tobiah? Where and what was
2 Peter: What is the greeting of Saint Peter’s letter? What does he say about divinity? About faith and love?
Mark: What is the parable of the vineyard owner whose son was
murdered? Why was he murdered? Why did the story infuriate the Pharisees,
the scribes, and the elders? Who were
these people?
Petitions:
Tobit: That we honor the dead, as
did Tobit, we pray to the Lord.
2 Peter: That we, who are baptized, realized that we share in the
divinity of Christ, we pray to the Lord.
Mark: That our courage be strengthened by the example and grace of
Christ, we pray to the Lord.
YEAR
1 (2005)
Tobit 2: 9-14 - 1: the
trials of Tobit
Tobit
is blinded; he falsely accuses Anna; she taunts him
"Where are our charitable deeds now? Where are your virtuous acts? See!
Your true character is finally showing itself!"
YEAR
2 (2006)
2 Peter 3:12-15a, 17-18
The Day of the Lord
“Beloved: Wait for and hasten the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be
dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire.
New
Heavens & Earth
But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in
which righteousness dwells.
Therefore
Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found
without spot or blemish before him, at peace.
And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation.
Mark
The Question Of Taxes
"'Why are you trying to trip me up? Bring Me a coin and let Me see it. ...
Whose head is this and whose inscription is
it?"
"Give to Caesar what is Caesar's but give
to God what is God's."
YEAR
1 (2005)
Themes:
Tobit:
and Sarah think of death; her seven husbands
Mark: the question of the
afterlife; the man with the seven wives
Tobit 3: 1-11. 16 - parts 1 and
2) the sorrow of Tobit & Sarah
The distraught Tobit prays for forgiveness
“Punish
me not for my sins, nor for my inadvertent offenses, nor for those of my
ancestors.”
“So now, deal with me as you please, and command
my life breath [sic] to be taken from me, that I may go from the face of the
earth into dust.”
Sarah, accused of killing her
seven husbands, prays
“Blessed are You, O Lord, merciful God, and
blessed is Your holy and honorable name.
Blessed are Your works forever.”
The Archangel Raphael is sent
"At that same time, the prayer of these two
suppliants was heard in the glorious presence of Almighty God.
So Raphael was sent to heal them both:
·
to remove the cataracts
from Tobit's eyes, so that he might again see God's
sunlight,
·
and to marry Raguel's daughter Sarah to Tobit's
son Tobiah,
and then drive the wicked demon Asmodeus from her."
YEAR
2 (2006)
2 Timothy 1:1-3, 6-12
Ordination
“For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that
you have through the imposition of my hands.
Courage
& Pride
For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and
self-control.
So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner
for his sake; but bear your share of
hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God.”
Mark
The dead man with seven wives; The resurrected are like
angels
"Are you not misled because you do not
know the Scriptures or the power of god?
When they rise from the dead, they neither
marry nor are given in marriage but live like angels in heaven.
The God of the Living
As to the dead being raised, have you not read
in the book of Moses in the passage about the burning bush, how God told him:
'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob?'
He is not of the dead but of the living. You are greatly misled."
YEAR
1 (2005)
Tobit 6: 11; 7, 1. 9-14; 8, 4-7 -
part 3: Raphael, and the marriage of Tobiah and Sarah
Tobiah’s
request to Raphael concerning Raguel’s daughter,
Sarah
”Brother Azariah, ask Raguel to let me marry my kinswoman Sarah.”
Raguel
understands
"Your marriage to her has been decided in
heaven! Take your kinswoman. From now on you are her love and she is your
beloved. She is yours today and ever
after."
The Prayer of Tobiah
"Now, Lord, you know that I take this wife
of mine not because of lust, but for a noble purpose. Call down your mercy on me and on her, and
allow us to live together to a happy old age."
YEAR
2 (2006)
2 Timothy 2:8-15
Dying with Christ
“If we have died with him, we shall also live with him; if we persevere,
we shall also reign with him. But if we
deny him he will deny us. If we are
unfaithful He remains faithful, for He cannot deny himself.
Needless Disputes
Remind people of these things and charge them before God to stop
disputing about words.
This serves no useful purpose since it harms those who listen.”
Mark
The First & Second Commandment
"This is the first: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone!
Therefore you shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your
strength.'
This is the second, 'You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.'
There is no other commandment greater than
these."
The
"You are not far from the
YEAR 1 (2005)
Tobit 11: 5-15 - part 3: Tobit is cured
Tobiah
returns; Tobit
cured
"I can see you, son, the
light of my eyes!"
YEAR 2 (2006)
2 Timothy 3:10‑
Persecution
“In fact, all who want to live religiously in Christ Jesus will be
persecuted.”
The Importance of Scripture
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for
refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who
belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
Mark 12: 35-37 - Tuesday of Holy Week
Jesus is David's son and God’s Son
"How do the Scribes claim that the Christ
is the son of David?
"David himself call Him 'Lord.' So how is he his son?
YEAR 1 (2005)
Tobit 12: 1, 5-15, 20 - part 3:
at the end of wedding feast
Raphael councils Tobit and Tobiah, and then
reveals his own identity
"I am Raphael, one of the
seven angels who enter and serve before the Glory and the Lord."
YEAR 2 (2006)
2 Timothy 4:1-8
Duty to Teach
“Proclaim the word .
Be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient .
Convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and
teaching .”
The Danger to the Truth
“For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound
doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will
accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted
to myths.”
Paul Awaits His Death
“For I am already being poured out like a
libation, and the time of my departure is at hand .
I have competed well . I have finished the race . I have kept the faith .”
Mark
True generosity: the “widow’s mite"
"Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put
in more than all the other contributors to the treasury, for they have all
contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has
contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.