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Why Do We Study the Bible? Psalm 1 Luke 2:22‐39 the Feast of the Presentation

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Why Do We Study the Bible? Psalm 1 Luke 2:22‐39 the Feast of the Presentation 2/5/2019 Why do we study the bible? Psalm 1 Blessed indeed are those who Not so are the wicked, not so! follow not the counsel of the wicked, For they, like winnowed chaff, nor stand in the path with sinners, shall be driven away by the wind. nor abide in the company of scorners, When the wicked are judged but whose delight they shall not rise, is the law of the Lord, nor shall sinners in the council of the and who ponder God’s law righteous; day and night. for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, Such people are like trees but the way of the wicked will perish. (Please stand and let’s prayer this Psalm and Glory that are planted Be together. Mention the Glory Be.) beside the flowing waters, (Please bow) that yield their fruit in due season, Glory to the Father and to the Son, and whose leaves shall never fade; and to the Holy Spirit. and all that they do shall prosper. (Rise, pause & breathe) As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Luke 2:22‐39 The Feast of the Presentation When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord," and to offer the sacrifice of "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons," in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. (Luke is educating his non‐Jewish audience. Purification for whom? See Lev 12:6‐7) Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: "Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.“ (What audience is listed first?) The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted, and you yourself a sword will pierce, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.“ • Night prayer canticle (Song of Simeon) is found here. Many liturgical canticles come from Luke. • Divine Reversal is predicted by Simeon. 1 2/5/2019 Luke 2:22‐39 The Feast of the Presentation There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty‐four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. • Luke frequently balances male and female counterparts in this Gospel. • In the Presentation of Jesus, we see Simeon, male, and Anna, female. • Another example: Mary gives the Magnificat (sung at Evening Prayer) and Zechariah give the Benedictus (sung at Morning Prayer). Why the order? When does the Jewish day begin? • Reader for Reflection (on your table) by Mary Stommes on our prophetic call and waiting…Let us pray… St. Catherine of Siena Lenten Retreat • “Stewardship: Becoming Sons & Daughters of God” • Saturday, March 16 • 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. in Marian Hall, with lunch and child care. • Jay Landry will give two talks. One, the Encounter of Jesus & the Rich Young Man and two, the Encounter of Jesus & Zacchaeus. • The rest of the day includes quiet time in prayer and hearing testimonies from people who experienced conversion where they fell in love and it changed how they saw and stewarded their lives, property, and vocation. • This includes Marci McCarthy (St. Basil) and Fr. Ken Schmidt (St. Catherine). • Please RSVP to Jay [email protected] or 269‐978‐2331 if you wish to come by Thursday, March 14 and earlier if you need child care. 2 2/5/2019 Review ‐ Disciples & Apostles • What is a disciple? A disciple is one who follows. a. A disciple follows a teacher, master, or Rabbi and they imitate how they do everything: eat, speak, rest, teach, grow in holiness, etc. b. This is how Jesus forms disciples: they become his apprentices and they gradually learn by “observing” all that he does and then gradually doing it alongside him. • What is an apostle? An apostle is one who is sent. a. An apostle is one who is sent by a teacher, master, Rabbi, or Messiah to do the work of that person. b. Jesus forms followers as disciples before they can be sent out as apostles. c. Jesus sends out his disciples to proclaim the Reign of God, to teach, to heal, to raise the dead, to feed, to expel demons, etc. Luke 5:17‐26 One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence. But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. When he saw their faith, Jesus said, “Child, your sins are forgiven.“ Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?" Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, "What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"‐‐ he said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home." He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, "We have seen incredible things today.“ 3 2/5/2019 Luke 5:17‐26 • Lectio Divina – need 2 readers. • Jay Read it first – repeat words and phrases, watch video 2:05:13 • 3rd read – what strikes you? How do you interpret it? • Question: for what sin do you wish to be forgiven? • 85% of Catholics leave the Catholic Church by age 23. • 83% of our youth leave the Catholic Church after Confirmation. Why? • Are we inviting them into a love relationship with Jesus Christ where sin is freely forgiven like Jesus does with this paralyzed man? • The first great Divine Reversal: forgiveness is never something that we merit or earn. It is grace, freely given, of God’s love. • 4th time: “Look at Jesus in your heart and tell him what sin you want to be forgiven of.” After, partner, please pray for this. It is up to you if you want to share the sin with your partner. The Great Banquet at Levi’s House Luke 5:27‐32 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, "Follow me." And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus said to them in reply, "Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners." 4 2/5/2019 Jesus’ Approach of Inspiring People to Change • Let’s read the handouts on your tables by Richard Rohr, OFM about Jesus’ approach that inspires people to change. • And the handout on Meals & Encounters with Jesus in Luke. • Anytime Jesus encounters people or eats with them in Luke, I invite us to look for transformation through the encounter. • A result of transformation is gratitude or thankfulness, which inspires us to follow Jesus. • Thus, these encounters and meals with Jesus carry deep overtones of Eucharist, because people are usually overwhelmed with love for Jesus for his first loving us, which transforms us and sends us to be his followers. • This is his mission he announces in Luke 4:18‐19 and then lives it after announcing it.
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