THE BREAD OF LIFE CATHOLIC BIBLE STUDY

By Deacon Ken and Marie Finn

BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

Pray and ask God to speak to you through His Holy Spirit.

“THE PARACLETE, THE HOLY SPIRIT WHOM THE FATHER WILL SEND IN MY NAME, WILL INSTRUCT YOU IN EVERYTHING, AND REMIND YOU OF ALL THAT I TOLD YOU.”  (JOHN 14:26)

FIRST DAY Reread last week’s readings.

1. What was a helpful or new thought from the readings or from the homily you heard on Sunday?

 

2. From what you learned, what personal application did you choose to apply to your life this week?

 

 

SECOND DAY READ WISDOM 9:13-18 FIRST READING

(“Or whoever knew your counsel, except you had given wisdom…”)

1.   Fill in the following blanks: For what man __________  ________  __________, or who can            ____________ what our ________ _______?  Wisdom 9:13

 

2. What are the deliberations of mortals, and of what are we unsure? Wisdom 9:14

 

3. What does the corruptible body do to the soul? Wisdom 9:15

 

4. What does the earthen shelter weigh down? Wisdom 9:15

 

5. What do we find with difficulty? Wisdom 9:16

 

6. What does Wisdom 9:16 say about things that are in heaven?

 

7. You had to be given ________ in order to know his counsel. Wisdom 9:17

 

8. What was sent from on high? Wisdom 9:17

 

9. By sending your Holy Spirit from on high, what would happen to the paths of those on earth? Wisdom 9:18

 

10. What did men learn and by what were they saved? Wisdom 9:18

 

11. What happens to the man who walks in wisdom?  Proverbs 28:26

 

Personal – In what way have you been following God’s wisdom and counsel in your everyday affairs, or have you not thought to seek it?

 

 

THIRD DAY  READ PHILEMON 9-10, 12-17  SECOND READING

(“I prefer to appeal in the name of love.”)

1. In the name of what does Paul prefer to appeal? Philemon 9

 

2. As what does Paul refer to himself? Philemon 9

 

3. For whom is Paul appealing to Philemon? Philemon 10-11.

 

4. Where was Paul when he had begotten him? Philemon 10

 

5. In sending Onesimus to Philemon what did that mean that Paul was really sending? Philemon 12

 

6. What reason did Paul want to keep Onesimus with him? Philemon 13

 

7. For what reason was Paul in prison? Philemon 13

 

8. How might kindness be bestowed? Philemon 14

 

9. Onesimus was separated from Philemon for what reason? Philemon 15-16

 

10. By regarding Paul as his partner how would Philemon welcome Onesimus? Philemon 17

 

Personal – In what way have you defended a brother or sister in the Lord this week?  In what way can you make an appeal for the unborn who is about to die at the hands of an abortionist?

 

 

FOURTH DAY READ LUKE 14:25-33 GOSPEL

(“Anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”)

1. To whom was Jesus speaking on one occasion? Luke 14:25

 

2. What must a person do to become Jesus’ follower? Luke 14:26

 

3. What two things must we do to become Jesus’ follower? Luke 9:23 and 14:27

 

4. How often must we take up our cross? Luke 9:23

 

5. How do we discover who we really are? Matthew 10:37-39

 

6. What would a person do if he decides to build a tower, and for what reason? Luke 14:28-29

 

7. What would people say if he could not finish the tower? Luke 14:30

 

8. What will a king who is about to do battle sit down and do first? Luke 14:31

 

9. If he cannot withstand the enemy while he is at a distance, what will he do? Luke 14:32

 

10. In the same way, if we want to be Jesus’ disciple, what must we do? Luke 14:33

 

Personal – What are you still possessing that is holding you back from completely dying to self in order to peacefully and joyfully follow Jesus?  How can you give up all of your possessions?

 

 

FIFTH DAY READ PSALM 90:3-6, 12-17

(“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart.”)

Read and meditate on Psalm 90:3-6, 12-17.

What is the Lord saying to you personally through the Psalm?

 

How can you apply this to your life?

 

 

SIXTH DAY READ ALL OF THE COMMENTARY

WISDOM 9:13-18

The book of Wisdom is addressed to Jews around 50 B.C. These people were so impressed by Hellenistic learning and civilization that their faith was in danger. The author combats their materialism, Hedonism, and idolatry by taking full aim at the renegade Jews. Wisdom is a gift of God; genuine wisdom means belief in the one God of Israel and fidelity to his Law.

Wisdom delivers the believer from all evil. This is illustrated by a review of the saving deeds of God for the patriarchs and for the Israelites in Egypt, the very country where Jews were beginning to abandon their faith. We are told that man’s counsel can never conceive the Lord’s counsel. We see in these passages thanksgiving for the excellence of wisdom. We experience folly when we trust in ourselves and our peers (Ps. 49:13).

Our plans can only be stable and successful when our source is the scriptures. We become eligible for salvation only through faith in Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 3:15). Our corruptible body is called an earthen tent and that is what weighs down our minds.  This idea of a body as a tent is found in Pythagoreanism and Platonism. In other words, it is a conception of stoicism. The Greeks look at wisdom as knowledge of natural science; the Hebrews looked at wisdom as the chief servant of the Creator. We have in the final verses the realization that only the wisdom of God can really grasp all that happens and is about to happen to the earth and all of its creatures (Ps. 104:24).

The Lord, through his grace, has given us the gift of faith which is born of a “Fear of the Lord.”  Wisdom is this fear of the Lord, and to those who have this wisdom, the Lord also gives knowledge and happiness (Ecc. 2:26). Let us look not to ourselves or to our peers for wisdom, rather let us yield to the healing power of Jesus Christ. Let us say, “Lord, come into my heart, renew my mind, and let me have a tongue that professes your glory.” Lord, I pray that you will give all of us wisdom, and I stand on your Word for this request.” (James 1:5).

 

PHILEMON 9-10, 12-17

Paul wrote this letter from Rome in about 60 A.D. when he was under house arrest (Acts 28:30, 31). Onesimus was a runaway slave of Philemon’s; he robbed his master and fled to Rome (verse 15). He then came under the influence of Paul and was converted into Christianity (verse 10). This letter to Philemon was a very exceptional one for Paul, for in it we see him asking a favor. He is asking a favor for Onesimus who had taken the wrong turn and whom Paul was helping to find the way back.

Paul could have demanded whatever he wished from Philemon, simply on his authority as an Apostle. His was a humble request and he realized that a gift must be given freely and with good will; if it is forced, it is not a gift at all. Paul based his request, not on his own authority, but on Philemon’s Christian commitment. We might ask ourselves the same question, “If when you know something is right and you have the power to demand it, do you appeal to your authority or the other person’s commitment?” Paul gives us a great example here of how to deal with a possible conflict between Christian friends.

Paul wrote this letter on behalf of Onesimus who feared for his life. A master had the legal right to kill a runaway slave, and Paul wanted to help him understand his new relationship with Onesimus. Paul calls Onesimus his child whom he has “begotten” in prison. To bring someone to Christ is like giving him a new birth, and that is exactly what Paul did to Onesimus.

Paul would like to have kept Onesimus with him but he would do nothing without the consent of Philemon. Paul was sending him back, not as a slave, but as a brother and partner in Christ. Paul tells Philemon that if he agreed that Paul is his partner in the work of Christ, he must receive Onesimus as he would receive himself.

The tone of this letter reflects against what was a common occurrence, and that was human slavery. Paul does not come right out against the unjust law; but through the power of Christian love, he presents to Philemon the obviousness of its injustice. The fact that Onesimus, the runaway slave, was returned as a brother to Philemon was a powerful statement against slavery. We need to reflect that all are equal in God’s family, and how we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ’s family reflects our own true Christian commitment to Christ.

 

LUKE 14:25-33

This passage is one of the strongest in the New Testament about the cost of discipleship. Jesus told them that nothing or no one can come between the love of a disciple and his master. To make this point even more pronounced, he then tells them that they have to carry their own cross every day and follow him. The people were very much aware of what that meant. They knew from the criminals who went to be crucified in their hometown that to carry one’s cross in public was an act of submission to Rome. This warned others that they had better submit and turn away from their rebellious actions.  

Jesus gave this message to the crowd so that they might reflect on what it really costs to follow him. You and I need to reflect on this message also. There is no room for a disciple who looks for “cheap grace” in the Kingdom of God.  “Cheap grace” is what we sometimes think our devotions and sacraments bring. They are not magical toys that prevent us from suffering and yet deliver us into glory. Following Christ calls for a total submission to him. This means letting everything go and putting him first. It could mean great financial, social, and even physical loss, even death itself. We are called to carry our cross every day, not just once in a while. We must count the cost of becoming a disciple so that we know what we are getting into and are not tempted to turn back.

As Christians, we are called to be “the salt of the earth.” We will be of no value if our flavor is lost or dried out. We must not just blend into the world and avoid the cost of standing for Christ. We are faced today, in our society, with the direct challenge of driving out the scourge of abortion. If we fail to do this, then our flavor of being the salt of the earth becomes worthless. Just as salt flavors and preserves foods, we are to preserve the good in the world. This calls from us a willingness to sacrifice everything for Christ. If we take up our cross and follow him daily, all that will change in our lives is everything.                  

 

APPLICATION

The first reading tells us that wisdom is the “fear of the Lord.” The second reading shows that a gift must be given freely and joyfully. The Gospel reveals that there is no “cheap grace” in the kingdom of God.

This week, let us be the salt of the earth to our families by taking up our cross and dying to ourselves by serving them and not judging them, even if we are rejected by them. To serve them as a Christian means to bring out the best in them, like salt brings out the flavor. Let them see that you care enough to give them your personal attention as well as your affirmation. We cannot expect to be the salt of the earth until we have become the salt for our families.

THE BREAD OF LIFE CATHOLIC BIBLE STUDY

By Deacon Ken and Marie Finn

BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

Pray and ask God to speak to you through His Holy Spirit.

“THE PARACLETE, THE HOLY SPIRIT WHOM THE FATHER WILL SEND IN MY NAME, WILL INSTRUCT YOU IN EVERYTHING, AND REMIND YOU OF ALL THAT I TOLD YOU.”  (JOHN 14:26)

FIRST DAY Reread last week’s readings.

1. What was a helpful or new thought from the readings or from the homily you heard on Sunday?

 

2. From what you learned, what personal application did you choose to apply to your life this week?

 

 

SECOND DAY READ SIRACH 3:17-18, 20, 28-29 FIRST READING

(“Conduct your affairs with humility.”)

1. How are we to conduct our affairs? Sirach 3:17

 

2. What will happen to us if we conduct ourselves this way? Sirach 3:17

 

3. What are we to do all the more, the greater we are? Sirach 3:18

 

4. With whom will we find favor? Sirach 3:18

 

5. For what are we not to seek or search? Sirach 3:20

 

6. What does the mind of a sage appreciate? Sirach 3:28

 

7. What is the wise man’s joy?  Sirach 3:28

 

8. What quenches a flaming fire and what atones for sin? Sirach 3:29

 

9. What makes a person great and what happens to the person who exalts himself? Matthew 23:11-12

 

10. What must we do to our soul and where do we put our hope? Psalm 131:1-3

 

Personal – In what way have you taken on a servant’s attitude at home, with family or friends, or at work? What is your attitude about being a servant to all with whom you come in contact?

 

 

THIRD DAY READ HEBREWS 12:18-19, 22-24 SECOND READING

(“Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant”)

1. To what have we not been drawn near, that those who heard begged that it not be addressed to them?  Hebrews 12:18-19

 

2. Where have we drawn near and whose city is it? Hebrews 12:22

 

3. Who is there and how are they gathered there? Hebrews 12:22

 

4. Of whom is it the assembly, where are they enrolled, and who is the judge of all? Hebrews 12:23

 

5. Who has been made perfect? Hebrews 12:23

 

6. How can we be made perfect? Matthew 5:43-48

 

7. Of what is Jesus mediator? Hebrews 12:24

 

8. What speaks more eloquently than that of Abel? Hebrews 12:24

 

9. What is the new covenant of which Jesus is mediator? Hebrews 8:6-12

 

10. How was this new covenant made? Hebrews 9:11-14

 

Personal – In what way have you accepted the new covenant of God? How has the shedding of Jesus’ blood washed you clean?

 

 

FOURTH DAY READ LUKE 14:1, 7-14 GOSPEL

(“Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.”)

1. What day did Jesus come to eat a meal, to whose house did he come, and who were they observing closely? Luke 14:1

 

2. What did Jesus go on to do to the guest, and what had he noticed happening? Luke 14:7

 

3. What did he say we are not to do if we are invited to a wedding, for what reason, and what might the host do? Luke 14:8,9

 

4. How would we proceed to the lowest place, and what should we do when invited so the host will say, “My friend, come up higher?” Luke 14:9-10

 

5. What will this do for us in the eyes of our fellow guest? Luke 14:10

 

6. What happens to everyone who exalts himself, and what happens to everyone who humbles himself? Luke 14:11

 

7. Who was humble and how did he humble himself? Philippians 2:5-8

 

8. What did Jesus say to the one who had invited him? Luke 14:12

 

9. What are we to do when we have a reception? Luke 14:13

 

10. About what should we be pleased,  and how will we be repaid? Luke 14:14

 

Personal – How have you demonstrated humility in your home, at work, or at social functions?  When is the last time you entertained someone who could not repay you the honor?  Be specific.

 

 

FIFTH DAY READ PSALM 68:4-7, 10-11

(“God gives a home for the forsaken.”)

Read and meditate on Psalm 68:4-7, 10-11.

What is the Lord saying to you personally through the Psalm?

 

How can you apply this to your life?

 

 

SIXTH DAY READ ALL OF THE COMMENTARY

SIRACH 3:17-18, 20, 28-29

 To have a clear picture of who you really are is to be humble.  Paul tells us in Romans 12:3 that we should not get too enthused about our own self-importance.  While a healthy self-esteem is important, we should not go too far in self-love.  Humility is the key to an honest and accurate evaluation of our self-worth, our own identity in Christ.  Being humble does not mean that we should put ourselves down, because we know that we are sinners, and are saved only by God’s grace.  We also know that we are saved and therefore have great value in his eyes and in his kingdom.  We must yield to him completely and put ourselves in his hands to be used as he wants, in order to spread his Word and share his love with others.

Our conduct speaks volumes about our humility.  Humility is the call to servanthood, it is totally opposite of one who is selfish.  A humble person is one who is selfless and thinks of others more than of himself. This is what Christ preached, believed, and lived.  Being humble is a guard against selfishness, prejudice, and jealousy.  Showing genuine interest in others is one way to strive actively to put on the “mind of Christ” (Philippians 2:5-11).  The attitude of humility was the kind that Jesus has shown to all mankind.  He didn’t demand or cling to his rights, or cry out for vengeance.  He called us out to love our enemies and forgive over and over.  Jesus was humble, he was God yet he took on the role of a servant.  He was willing to give up his rights in order to obey God and serve his people.

We must be just like Christ, in fact he calls us to do even greater things than he (John 14:12).  We can strive to be more like him by being more humble than we have ever been before.  Like Christ, we must serve out of love for God and for others, not out of guilt or fear.  Jesus humbled himself on a cross and to his death.  We are called to follow him by humbly going up on our own cross and dying to ourselves in his Holy Name.

 

HEBREWS 12:18-19, 22-24

Paul describes what it must have been like on that flaming Mount Sinai.  The people were probably terrified with all of the commotion going on the mountain.  A great ball of fire was present, then out of nowhere a great storm sprung up.  Paul told them that they did not have to face anything as terrifying as the people of Moses’ time did on that mountain.  He goes on to tell them about the incredible contrast to their being able to be on the special mountain and into the city of God.  This contrast between the old and new covenant was like pointing out the differences between a photograph of a person and the actual person.  The photograph is in reality a shadow of the real person, and the old covenant of God handing Moses the ten commandments was a shadow of the new covenant.

The old agreement was a covenant of Law between God and Israel.  The new and better way is the covenant of Grace.  The new covenant is Christ forgiving our sins and bringing us to God through his sacrificial death.  This covenant goes beyond Israel and Judah to all the gentile nations of the world.  Jesus is the source of this new agreement, and his blood was shed in forgiveness not in vengeance as was Abel’s.  This new covenant is written in our hearts and minds.  Our bodies have become the sacred temple of this Lamb of God.  This new covenant offers a new way to forgiveness, not through animal sacrifice, but through faith.  We need to reflect and ask  ourselves, “Have I entered into this new agreement and begun to walk in the better way.”

The invitation to partake in this new covenant is open to all of us.  Before Jesus came God seemed distant and threatening, as we can imagine on that night on Mount Sinai. Now God welcomes us through Christ into his presence.

 

LUKE 14:1, 7-14

Jesus accepted this invitation to a Pharisee’s home even though he knew they were trying to trap him into saying or doing something wrong.  He was criticized for defending the integrity of a woman who came uninvited to the home of the Pharisee who had invited Jesus. Their trap to get Jesus to do something wrong, so that they may get him arrested, did not scare him.

Jesus began to teach them about honor. He told the guest not to always be seeking places of honor, rather they should seek ways to be of service.  Today, just as it was then, service is more important in God’s kingdom than status.  He told them not to be so particular about who is invited because he knew that this select group of people would invite them to one of their special functions.

Jesus really hit a nerve with them when he told them that if they try to impress others with their own status and demand to sit up front, they might be terribly embarrassed if someone who has more status shows up and forces them to sit in the back. We might ask ourselves, “Does this apply to me?”. When you go out to some function, such as a dinner, do you demand quick service and complain if the service or food is not quite the best?  Do you expect people to cater to you because you are a religious person or maybe a professional person like a lawyer, doctor, teacher, etc.?

Jesus’ message to the Pharisees who lived two thousand years ago applies today to all of us.  We are all called to be humble, to defer to others.  We are called to die to ourselves, to think about meeting the needs of others and not just our own.  Jesus tells us to think about inviting someone to our house who will not be able to repay the invitation.  He tells us to serve someone who is not of any high status personally.  He is not asking us to join some organization or help out at a soup kitchen.  He is saying that we need to reach out in humility to someone who is poor in spirit.  To be poor in spirit is to have material things and yet be emotionally and spiritually hungry and looking for a personal relationship with Christ.

Spiritual leadership, which means taking on the humility of Christ and becoming a servant, is desperately needed in our own homes. It is certainly needed in our jobs, schools, and churches. God will reward us for inviting the uninvited, for loving the unlovable. He will say to us one day, “My loving friend, I have a better place for you; come, be here with me in heaven forever.”

 

Application

The first reading tells us that our conduct speaks volumes about our humility.  The second reading shows that the old agreement was a covenant of law between God and Israel.  The new and better way is the covenant of grace.  The Gospel reveals that we are all called to be humble.

This week, put on a heart of humility (Col.3:12) and be clothed in humility toward one another (1 Peter 5:5).  We can only love one another when we serve each other in Jesus’ holy name.

Let us begin at home by helping one another in simple chores around the house. Look around to see where you can serve instead of being served.  We really love one another when we serve one another.     

THE BREAD OF LIFE CATHOLIC BIBLE STUDY

By Deacon Ken and Marie Finn

BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

Pray and ask God to speak to you through His Holy Spirit.

“THE PARACLETE, THE HOLY SPIRIT WHOM THE FATHER WILL SEND IN MY NAME, WILL INSTRUCT YOU IN EVERYTHING, AND REMIND YOU OF ALL THAT I TOLD YOU.”  (JOHN 14:26)

FIRST DAY Reread last week’s readings.

1. What was a helpful or new thought from the readings or from the homily you heard on Sunday?

 

2. From what you learned, what personal application did you choose to apply to your life this week?

 

 

SECOND DAY READ ISAIAH 66:18-21 FIRST READING

(“As a mother comforts her son, so will I comfort you.”)

1. Who does the  Lord come to gather and what will they see? Isaiah 66:18

 

2. Who will we set among the nations? Isaiah 66:19

 

3. What does Matthew 24:30 say about a sign and the glory of the  Lord?

 

4. Who will he send to the Nations? Isaiah 66:19

 

5. What had the coastlands never heard, what had they never seen, and what shall the fugitives do? Isaiah 66:19

 

6. Who shall they bring from all the nations as an offering to the Lord and how will they bring them? Isaiah 66:20

 

7. Where will they bring them and what is this place called? Isaiah 66:20

 

8. How did the Israelites bring their offerings to the house of the Lord? Isaiah 66:20

 

9. What will the Lord do with some of them? Isaiah 66:21

 

Personal – As you approached the altar of the Lord this past week, in what way has your vessel (your body) been made clean, and in what way can you make it clean now?

 

 

THIRD DAY READ HEBREWS 12:5-7, 11-13 SECOND READING

(“For whom the Lord loves he disciplines;”)

1. What kind of words were addressed to you as sons and what were they? Hebrews 12:5-6

 

2. With what should you not disdain nor lose heart? Hebrews 12:5

 

3. Who does the Lord discipline and who does he scourge? Hebrews 12:6

 

4. What are you to endure as the discipline of God and how does he deal with you? Hebrews 12:7

 

5. At the time discipline is administered, what does it seem like? Hebrews 12:11

 

6. What does it bring forth later to those who are trained in  its school? Hebrews 12:11

 

7. Where do you find peace and how is peace made? John 16:31,33, Colossians 1:19-20

 

8. What are the fruits that come from the Holy Spirit? Galatians 5:22

 

9. How did God manifest his own justice? Romans 3:24-25

 

10. What must you strengthen? Hebrews 12:12

 

11. What are you to do with the paths on which you walk, and what will happen when you do this? Hebrews 12:13

 

Personal – In what way has God, who loves you, disciplined you this week?  In what way can you make straight the paths you walk on and what are you looking toward, according to this lesson?

 

 

FOURTH DAY READ LUKE 13:22-30 GOSPEL

(“Try to come in through the narrow door.”)

1. What was Jesus doing as he went through cities and towns and where was he going? Luke 13:22

 

2. What did someone ask him about being saved? Luke 13:23

 

3. What did Jesus say about the narrow door and what will happen to many? Luke 13:24

 

4. What did he say about the master of the house? Luke 13:25

 

5. Knocking on the door, what would you say to the master, and what will be his reply? Luke 13:25

 

6. What will they then begin to say and what will they say he did in the streets? Luke 13:26

 

7. What will he say about where they come from and then what does he say to them? Luke 13:27

 

8. What does he call these people? Luke 13:27

 

9. Who will enter the kingdom and how do you know if you will enter? Matthew 7:16-21

 

10. What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit? Galatians 5:22

 

Personal – On a daily basis, what fruits of the Holy Spirit are most evident in your life?  Which ones are not evident?  What can you do so that all of the fruits are evident in your life, especially to your family?

 

 

FIFTH DAY READ PSALM 117:1-2 PSALM

(“Steadfast is his kindness towards us.”)

Read and meditate on Psalm 117:1-2.

What is the Lord saying to you personally through the Psalm?

 

How can you apply this to your life?

 

 

SIXTH DAY READ ALL OF THE COMMENTARY

ISAIAH 66:18-21

The incredible gift of being able to participate and to see God’s glory is now granted to all nations and tongues.  Many nations and people will go against Jerusalem and God will bring his wrath against them and send those who escape as missionaries to all those foreign lands.  They will bring back to Jerusalem the good news and will behold the sign that the new heavens and the new earth have come.  The list of foreign people was symbolic of all the world: Tarshish in Southern Spain, Put and Lud in Africa, Tubal around the Black Sea, and Javan representing Greece.

These nations will bring back God’s people to the holy mount of Jerusalem.  We might reflect on this passage that as Israel brought the good news of salvation to tie nations, so will these nations in turn be responsible for Israel’s final conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Today we are one of those Gentile foreign nations. The question we might ask ourselves is: “Is our country an example of God’s holy nation?” If not, what must we do to become, once again, God’s holy people?

Today we see in our Gentile religion of Catholicism, priests, and deacons performing priestly functions; we need to pray for them, bless them, and above all love them.  The Israelites made their special offerings to the Lord in clean vessels.  We are called to make our offerings, which will be ourselves to the Lord and we have to be clean vessels.  We do this by loving God with all our mind, heart, and soul (Deut. 6:4-5) and then by loving others as he has loved us (John 15:12).

 

HEBREWS 12:5-7, 11-13

This passage from Hebrews exhorts us to pattern our lives after Jesus Christ and to allow God to discipline us as we are establishing this pattern.  It is never pleasant to be corrected and disciplined by God, but like a loving Father,  he does not want his child to do anything that will bring harm to himself.  Who loves his child more, the father who allows the child to do what will harm him, or the one who corrects, trains, and even disciplines the child to help him learn what is right?

A loving Father’s discipline is a sign of God’s deep love for us.  When we are being corrected by God, we need to see it as proof of his love and ask him what he is trying to teach us.  We can respond to discipline in several ways: (1) we can accept it with resignation; (2) we can go into self-pity, thinking we do not deserve it; (3) we can be angry, resentful, and bitter at God for it; or (4) we can accept it gratefully as a proper response from a loving Father.

God pushes us to our limits and requires of us a disciplined life.  We will be able to continue as we follow Christ and draw upon his strength.  It is then that we can use our strength to grow and to help those who are weak and struggling.  We must live our lives so that others will follow our example.  We have a responsibility to them if we claim to live by Christ.  We have to ask ourselves, “Does my example of life make it easier for others to believe, follow and mature in Christ?”  We also must be sure that our actions will not confuse and mislead others into following a life of sin.

Our daily response to prayer, scripture, and church fellowship will help us to establish the pattern of being a disciplined disciple of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

LUKE 13:22-30

This is the second time Luke has reminded us that Jesus was intentionally going to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51).  Jesus knew that he would be faced with persecution and death in Jerusalem, yet he pressed on toward the city.  His determination to follow the will of the Father should characterize our lives too.  When our Lord gives us a course of action, we must steadily move toward our goal, regardless of the obstacles along the way or the potential hazards that await us.  Even the prospect of death did not turn Jesus away from his mission.

The question, “Will only a few be saved?” (v.23) was asked by one of his followers.  This gave Jesus the opportunity to mention once again the many difficulties encountered in following him.  He does not directly answer the question, but he does say that many will not be saved.  Finding salvation requires more concentration and commitment than most people are willing to bear.  Salvation is not a doctrine or a set of rules, it is a person and his name is Jesus Christ.

It is obvious that we cannot save ourselves and it is not possible to work our way into God’s favor.  But, there are many who are under this illusion today, like the ones in this passage who were following Jesus but had no intimate fellowship with him.  They heard his teaching but did not accept it as the word of God to be put into practice.  The work Jesus referred to is the establishment of a deep personal relationship with him, whatever the cost is here on earth.  We need to have a hunger and thirst for his Holy Word, we need to establish a quiet time every day of our lives and learn to abide in him (John 15:7).  We dare not put off this work, the door will not stay open forever.

Jesus’ words, “away with you evildoers,” (v.27) are meant as a challenge to you and me to redirect our steps toward Jerusalem with Jesus while there is still time.  The people in this passage were eager to know who would be saved, and Jesus explained that while many people knew a lot about him, only a few had really accepted his forgiveness. Just listening to his Word, attending church services or admiring a few miracles is not enough.  We need to turn away from sin and turn to and trust in Jesus Christ to save us.

There will be many surprises in God’s kingdom.  Many great people here on earth (in God’s eyes) are virtually ignored by the rest of the world.  What matters to God is not one’s earthly popularity, status, wealth, or power, but one’s personal commitment to Jesus Christ. We need to make sure that we put God in first place so that we will join the people from all over the world who will find their places in the kingdom of heaven.

 

Application

The first reading tells us that God’s glory is available to all nations.  The second reading challenges us to pattern our lives after Jesus Christ.  The Gospel clearly reveals that we cannot save ourselves.

Let us take the incredible gift of faith and become disciplined in our response to that gift and develop a deeper personal relationship with Jesus by accepting his forgiveness of ourselves.  Then let others see the fruit of our faith by forgiving others, especially those who are close to us.

THE BREAD OF LIFE CATHOLIC BIBLE STUDY

By Deacon Ken and Marie Finn

BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

Pray and ask God to speak to you through His Holy Spirit.

“THE PARACLETE, THE HOLY SPIRIT WHOM THE FATHER WILL SEND IN MY NAME, WILL INSTRUCT YOU IN EVERYTHING, AND REMIND YOU OF ALL THAT I TOLD YOU.”  (JOHN 14:26)

FIRST DAY Reread last week’s readings.

1. What was a helpful or new thought from the readings or from the homily you heard on Sunday?

 

2. From what you learned, what personal application did you choose to apply to your life this week?

 

 

SECOND DAY READ JEREMIAH 38:4-6, 8-10 FIRST READING

(“King Zedekiah answered: ‘He is in your power.'”)

1. What did the princes say to the king? Jeremiah 38:4

 

2. What was it Jeremiah said that caused the princes to say this? Jeremiah 38:1-3

 

3. What did the princes say Jeremiah did to the soldiers and all the people and in what did they say was his interest? Jeremiah 38:4

 

4. Who was the king at that time, how did he answer them and for what reason?  Jeremiah 38:5

 

5. What did they do with Jeremiah?  Jeremiah 38:6

 

6. Who was Ebed-melech and what did he do?  Jeremiah 38:7-8

 

7. What did he tell the king about the men who had Jeremiah put in the cistern?  Jeremiah 38:9

 

8. What did he say would happen to Jeremiah and for what reason?  Jeremiah 38:9

 

9. What did the king order to be done?  Jeremiah 38:10

 

Personal – In what way are you influenced by the opinions of others?  This past week how have you obeyed God’s Word, which was against what others thought you should do.

 

 

THIRD DAY READ HEBREWS 12:1-4 SECOND READING

(“For whom the Lord loves, he disciplines;”)

1. By what are we surrounded? Hebrews 12:1

 

2. What are we to lay aside? Hebrews 12:1

 

3. In what are we to persevere? Hebrews 12:1

 

4. On whom are we to keep our eyes fixed, and what does he do for us? Hebrews 12:2

 

5. What lay before him and what did he endure, heedless of its shame? Hebrews 12:2

 

6. Where has he taken his seat? Hebrews 12:2

 

7. What are we to remember and what are we not to become? Hebrews 12:3

 

8. Who was it that opposed him? Hebrews 12:3

 

9. Who are the sinners? Romans 3:23

 

10. Where do we get our strength in the struggle against sin? Isaiah 40:28-31

 

11. What have we not yet done?  Hebrews 12:4

Personal – How have you resisted sin in your life?  What does it mean to you personally: “In your fight against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood?”

 

 

FOURTH DAY  READ LUKE 12:49-53 GOSPEL

(“I have come to set the world on fire,”)

1. What has Jesus come to do on the earth? Luke 12:49

 

2. What does he wish? Luke 12:49

 

3. What does he have to receive and what does he feel, until it is over? Luke 12:50

 

4. What is the baptism to which he is referring? Mark 10:38 and John 19:28-30

 

5. What question does Jesus ask and how does he answer it? Luke 12:51

 

6. Why did he come? Luke 12:51

 

7. What is the division to which he refers? Matthew 25:32-46, Ezekiel 34:17

 

8. What will happen to a household of five? Luke 12:52

 

9. What will happen to fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law? Luke 12:53

 

10. What will happen to you because of Jesus and when will this happen? Matthew 10:21-23

 

11. Who will be our enemies? Matthew 10:36

 

Personal – In what way has following Jesus separated you from family members? How have you dealt with the rejection? Meditate on Matthew 11:28-30.

 

 

FIFTH DAY READ PSALM 40:2-4, 18 PSALM

(“He put a new song into my mouth.”)

Read and meditate on Psalm 40:2-4, 18.

What is the Lord saying to you personally through the Psalm?

 

How can you apply this to your life?

 

 

SIXTH DAY READ ALL OF THE COMMENTARY

JEREMIAH 38:4-6, 8-10

King Zedekiah and his officials did not want to listen to Jeremiah’s words, but they were in need of blessing from his prayers.  The King went back and forth from surrender to resistance.  The King was in turmoil with everyone.  He was told by Jeremiah that if he accepted Egypt’s help and stayed in Jerusalem, he would be destroyed by the Babylonian army.  He asked Jeremiah to come secretly to the palace, hoping for some better news from God.  The King was in a panic, he wanted to hear God’s word but he had no desire to enter into a political conflict with some of his public officials.

King  Zedekiah was a leader who was incapable of making firm decisions. He agreed with everybody, which resulted in his nation’s being in turmoil.  He listened to Jeremiah (37:2); and then by another’s advice, he agreed that Jeremiah should be killed (38:5).  Finally, he had Jeremiah rescued by advice from yet a different person (38:10).  Jeremiah was not popular, his words were misinterpreted as being those of a traitor.  He was, in fact, stating God’s prophecy that Jerusalem was going to be destroyed because of its sins.  He warned the people to flee to Babylon but they refused to listen.  Jeremiah was proclaiming God’s word for 40 years and was rejected, persecuted, and had no followers encouraging him.  He finally was forced to leave his homeland, and even the pagan Babylonians treated him with more respect than did his own people.

Today, we need to recognize that God does not guarantee that his servants, even one with the stature of Jeremiah, will escape persecution, even when they are faithful. But God does promise us, as he promised them, that he will be with us and will give us the strength to endure. As you minister to people,  remember that your service is for God and not for man’s approval. Jerusalem had several gates, including the gate of Benjamin, where legal matters were handled. Ebed-melech, a public official, went immediately to the gate of Benjamin to protest to the King about the injustice being done to Jeremiah. This public official stood alone in his protest of the murder plot. His obedience could have cost him his life, but God spared him when Jerusalem fell (39:16-18).

You can either go along with the crowd or speak up for God when someone is treated unjustly. You may be the only one, and when you are being treated unjustly yourself be sure to thank the Lord when he sends an “Ebed-melech” your way.

 

HEBREWS 12:1-4

Living a Catholic Christian Life, or as they say in the street, not only talking the talk but also walking the walk, involves hard work. We are called to let go of anything or anyone who endangers our personal relationship with the Lord. We are to run patiently and to struggle against sin in our lives with the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 1:7). To live this type of life, we must constantly keep our vision on the Lord Jesus Christ. We stumble and eventually fall when we take our eyes off Jesus Christ and look at ourselves or the circumstances surrounding us. We need to remember that we are running Christ’s race and we must always keep him in sight. When hardship and discouragement come, it is easy, sometimes, to lose sight of the big picture.

Jesus is always with us, encouraging us in our struggle. We must not back away from suffering either, because suffering is the training for our Christian spiritual maturity. Jack LaLayne, the body builder, canned the phrase “no pain, no gain.” It is true that suffering develops our patience and makes our final victory sweeter. Jesus endured the ultimate suffering and it was for us all. He suffered to the point of shedding his blood, so that all mankind might be free.

Many of us face tremendous physical, emotional, or spiritual difficulties but it is in knowing that he is within each of us that makes the race endurable. Jesus sweat great drops of blood over the sin and temptation to which all are subject. Jesus did not give up his vision for our freedom, and neither should we give up our vision of running his race in the same manner as he did his.

Today we hear of many ways to run in the race of life. An athlete has to train diligently if he expects to be successful. You and I are called to look together to Jesus, and he will be in concert with us. His love will become obvious in the way we respond to the needs of others.

 

LUKE 12:49-53

Jesus warns that his coming to the earth was about to bring division between many close groups, including families. He tells us that he came to bring a fire to the earth and that, of course, was his Holy Spirit. We think of the coming of the Holy Spirit as little tongues of fire over the heads of the Apostles  (Acts 2:3).

Fire is used for cleansing and purifying precious metals. Fire strips and burns away all imperfections. Fire is powerful and painful.

Jesus’ terrible baptism was his coming crucifixion. He talked of the incredible physical, emotional, and spiritual pain of complete separation from God which was necessary to pay for the sins of the whole world. That’s right, he had to take on the pain of all the sins of the world. He died for you and me, while we yet were sinners (Romans 5:8). His death released all of us from our slavery to sin. It is easy for us to say we will suffer anything for Christ, and yet most of us complain every day when even little irritations come. If we say that we are willing to face suffering on a large scale for Christ, we must be willing to suffer in little ways for Christ.

Jesus had revealed that his coming would result in conflict even between family members. He demands a response, and many groups are torn apart when some choose to follow him and incur suffering in his name, while others refuse to do so. There is no middle ground with Jesus; you are either with him or against him. We need only look at places in our world where families are pitted against each other. We are called to declare our loyalty to Christ and make our commitment to him.  This might involve cutting off some relationships, possibly in our own family. Are you willing to risk the approval of your friends or even that of your families to gain eternal life?

 

Application

In the first reading we see Jeremiah being persecuted and rejected for forty years in his ministry.  The second reading tells us that we must keep our eyes on Christ as we run the race of life, especially when suffering comes our way.  The gospel tells us not to give up, that Christ is always with us even in our darkest moments of life.

This week, let us be especially aware of others, particularly our family members.  If we experience rejection and persecution because of our commitment to Christ, let us, through our prayers, and knowledge that Jesus is always with us, respond in a manner that will show others that nothing can separate us from God’s love.