Envy

In Mark's fifteenth chapter, verse 10, we read,

For he knew that it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed him over.

Why envy? Why does Mark feature this fault in the αρχιερειs, the chief priests, and not some other fault? Some of the insights from men:

1. Dave: the chief priests were envious because they were losing adherents.
2. Jim: they envied Jesus because Jesus had answers -- they didn't.
3. German: It was because God the Father was with Jesus. German compared the situation to the parable of the prodigal son, especially the elder, faithful son, who was envious of his father's generosity to the prodigal son. It is a good comparison, one shared by another German, Pope Benedict!
   
   And what of the elder brother? Is he not, in a certain sense, all men and women as well; perhaps particularly those who sadly distance themselves from the Church? ...Unable to think beyond the limits of natural justice, he remains trapped within envy and pride, detached from God, isolated from others and ill at ease with himself.
4. Sal: Envy goes along when pride starts to move. It is like the enemy falling through the sin of pride, compared to the Messiah who won the victory in humility.
   
   For God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him.
   But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world, and they who are in his possession experience it.

Questions for next time

When we dive into the fifteenth chapter of Mark's gospel, we can consider some of these questions.

1. Why does Mark immediately emphasize the time of day, early morning, in the very beginning of this section?
2. Why were the soldiers so careful to remove the purple garments from Jesus before leading him out of the Praetorium?
3. How does Pilate's questioning compare to the temptations of the enemy at the beginning of Jesus' open ministry?
4. What is the distinction of Simon of Cyrene on this day?
5. Why did Jesus stay hushed in the middle of this trial?

This is the way of the Cross. How we follow is the central question for early in the morning on Thursday.

Cyrene

One of the men we meet in Mark's gospel is Simon of Cyrene. The city of Cyrene was originally a Greek colony in the 7th century B.C., about the time of good King Josiah in Jerusalem. Later it became a Roman colony. It is near the Mediterranean coast, at an elevation of about 2000 feet, a little lower than Jerusalem, which has an elevation of about 2500 feet. Though Cyrene is not a going city now, its location on a plateau above the sea catches rainfall and even snow.

[Click the photo to view full size photo of snow on a city street about 8 miles from Cyrene's ruins.]

Many Jews lived in Cyrene. They travelled to Jerusalem to celebrate Jewish festivals, and this is how we meet Simon of Cyrene.

Peter and Jesus

We discussed the betrayal event again this morning, especially what Peter's actions mean for us in this day -- his sleeping, his denying Jesus, and later events.

1. Bob: This is the test of Peter, but he did pass the test. He must have thought, "What a coward I was!" But later on, BANG! He became the strong central apostle.
2. Sal: This is the time of building for Peter's character. God builds our character through our mistakes.
3. Joe: The Lord works it in such a manner because he knows that Peter will eventually become the man the Lord wants.
4. German: God is always ready to give us another chance.
5. Deacon Alfonsus Magnus: Peter's path is an example of God's love and mercy... especially mercy.

We discussed the prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, and the unusual state of God praying as a human for strength. In this, there were additional comments:

1. German: it was like a man going off to combat, worries but determination.
2. Scott: As men, we want to work and not rely on anybody. But Jesus trusted the Father.

We also talked about Joseph, faithfully working and teaching his son, yet every day trusting his life and the life of his family to God the Father. Good.

Questions for next time

Next time we will dive deep into Mark 14:43-72. Here are some questions to consider as you read and prepare:

1. Was Jesus surprised that the betrayer Judas and the crowd nabbed him this night?
2. What was it that Jesus said that caused the high priest to tear apart his clothes and cancel his subscription the Jerusalem Slantinel?
3. Was Peter's performance under questioning by the slave girl the same as or different from Jesus' response to the questioning of the high priest?
4. If this gospel is really Peter's gospel written up by Mark in Rome, as many commentators think, then what does Peter the bold apostle gain by blabbing up this sorry moment in his history? How does it help him build up the faith of the newcomers to his flock?
5. Who was the young man mentioned in verses 51 and 52?

This Thursday morning, we will look into these and other questions concerning our Messiah and his Twelve.

Our blessing cup

We studied the psalms that Jesus sang with the Twelve on that Passover evening, especially Psalm 116, "I will raise the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD."

The Church teaches that the obedience of Jesus in this Passover is all.

The obedience of Jesus has transformed the curse of death into a blessing.

CCC 1009

And to this day, we still sing Psalm 116 on Holy Thursday, just like the Messiah and the Twelve did.

The betrayal event

This morning, we discussed the emphasis on the cup of salvation in Mark 14:22-25, and how Mark devotes so many more words to it than he devotes to the one bread. After looking through Psalms 116 and 118, and re-examining the passages before and after Mark 14:22-25, we decided that Mark was emphasizing the cup in the middle of the betrayal event, all the betrayal and abandoning and the difficult prayer in Gethsemane.

It is curious that Jesus can sing the psalms of praise, the Hallel psalms, Psalms 113-118, in the midst of such a trap. Yet that is exactly what he does, the sacrifice of praise. The stone that was rejected became the cornerstone.

German describes an example in the life of St. Vincent de Paul, concerning a similar sacrifice in the midst of abandonment and betrayal.

Questions for this morning

Here are some questions we must tackle this morning, as we dig deeper into Mark's gospel, chapter 14:

1. Why does Mark record so many of Jesus' words about the cup, vv. 23-25, but not so many about the one bread?
2. At the passover meal, it was customary to sing Hallel psalms -- Psalms 113-118. How do these psalms relate to the actions of Jesus in Mark's fourteenth chapter?
3. What does it mean, to rise?

We will discuss these and other questions this morning in Men's Bible Study.

Jesus the Lamb

We discussed the plan of God the Father that the promised Lamb should be sacrificed in the Passover that year, recorded by Mark in his gospel. It was a promise long time coming.

Judas

Further reading is required for this unanswered question:

1. Was Judas present all the way through the Last Supper? Or did he go out before Jesus broke the bread and shared that last cup?

We did not get it sorted out this morning, though we tabbed through the book of Genesis and Isaiah for other questions.

So we have some homework for next week. Good.

Prepare for next time

We will dive into chapter 14 of Mark's gospel this Thursday morning. Here are some questions that can guide your reading.

1. Who wanted the death of Jesus to occur during the feast of unleavened bread?
2. Who wanted the death of Jesus to occur before the feast of unleavened bread?
3. Which of the Twelve wanted three hundred denarii for the poor and did not want Jesus to be anointed with the expensive Nardostachys grandiflora "spikenard" ointment?
4. Jesus had a plan for the first day of unleavened bread. How did his plan begin?
5. What is the significance of Jesus knowing who his betrayer is?

This is another area of Mark's gospel that is loaded with meaning. We pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us in our quest for wisdom and insight in this section of the gospel, even helping us tackle these simple questions on Thursday morning this week.

Keep watch.

We spent a long time discussing the meaning of keeping watch. Here are some words from Sal, Len, Joe and German.

Questions for next time

We will continue into chapter 13 of Mark's gospel with some of these questions:

1. No man knows the hour, only the Father, when the Son of Man comes in the clouds with great power and glory. Is it kosher for Jesus to not know this hour and day?
2. There is another comparison to a man away from home and the behaviors of the servants while the lord of the house is away. What other parables in Mark have used a similar story?
3. Through Mark's record, Jesus admonishes us to be alert, even in the night. How is it that each member of the Church can be alert? What is the meaning of this alertness? Or, what is the meaning of sleep, about which Jesus cautions us?

On Thursday morning this week, we will walk further up and further in to this message, using questions, including this short list.

What is the sign? What is the σημειον?

The section of Mark's Gospel 13:1-31 is loaded with meaning, since it is the reply of Jesus to the Twelve, who asked, "What is the sign that these things are about to come to an end?"

The meaning of some of these words comes into view if we look over the Greek words and how the Greeks used them, and if we find that they connect to any familiar words in English. Here is a list of a few of the vocabulary terms.

1. σημειον, semeion, has a variety of uses for an ancient Greek:
   1. mark by which something is known
   2. sign
   3. signal made of flags
   4. landmark for property boundaries etc.
   5. device upon a shield, like the shield held by the Greek soldier on the ancient Greek vase, at right.
   6. watchword
   7. in reasoning, it meant proof
   8. symptom
   9. in mathematics, a geometric point in time.
   Our English word semaphore comes from this Greek root.
   
2. εγω ειμ, ego eimi, literally, "I am." In v. 6, Jesus warns against those who say this, a phrase with intense meaning for the Jews. Cf. Exodus 3 for the story of Moses and the Lord at the burning bush, where the Lord reveals his name to Moses.
   
3. πλανησουσιν, planesousin, meaning to lead astray, wander. We have an English word, planet, based on this Greek word. The planets are not fixed in the night sky; they wander. E.g., Venus is sometimes visible as a morning star, sometimes as an evening star.
   
4. σεισμοι, seismoi, meaning earthquakes. We have an English word for earthquakes: seismic.
   
5. μαρτυριον, marturion, meaning witness, testify. Our language has the word martyr from this Greek usage.
   
6. βδελυγμα, bdelugma, meaning abomination, a Greek word for which I know no connecting English words. In Greek usage, it means nauseating, filth, or coarse, beastly behaviors.
   
7. ερημωσεωσ, eremoseos, meaning desolation. In Greek usage, it is a word for isolated, "of the desert," or "in the wilds." Mark uses this concept a few times in chapter 1, for instance. English derives hermit from this Greek root.

Many people attempt to nail down the identity of the nausea from the desert that stands where it ought not stand. Could it mean King Herod from Red Edom? Could it mean Adolf Hitler, Anwar Sadat, Michael Gorbachev or the eagle atop the standard of a Roman legion? We agreed that the main lesson in this regard is quite clear, the very first words spoken by Jesus here: "Take heed that no man deceive you!"

Get ready a little bit.

This morning we discussed the action of the Holy Spirit in time of trouble, starting in Mark 13:9-11, with our own examples including this one from German.

Questions for next time

At our next meeting, we will read the message in Mark 12:18-48. This part of the message is loaded with meaning for the mission of the Twelve and for our mission.

1. To disprove the resurrection of the body, the Sadducees try to trip up Jesus with a contrived example based on the Torah. Does Jesus answer by saying Moses and the Torah are wrong?
2. The wise scribe went toe-to-toe with Jesus about the heart of the Torah. Who won, Jesus or the wise scribe?
3. What else does Psalm 110 say about the Messiah?
4. Jesus and the Twelve observe a widow as she drops some coins into the treasury of the temple, for alms. How does her example jibe with the the message of the fig tree, the parable of the vineyard owner's son, and the overall message that the Twelve must eventually publish far and wide?

We will tackle the Temple activity of this part of Mark's gospel and consider our own actions through these and other questions on Thursday morning before sunrise.

Hic est hæres

There are several kinds of greetings to the Messiah, coming to Jerusalem, both actual greetings and greetings in a parable:

1. Bartimaeus, outside Jericho: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy upon me.
2. General crowds at the gates of Jerusalem: Hosanna!
3. Tenants in the parable of the vineyard: "Hic est hæres," Here is the heir, let's kill him.

It is a somber comparison, because we also know EXACTLY who this last one is, the only Son of the Father. Are we closer to good and faithful Bartimaeus or to the wicked tenants in the parable?

What are you looking for?

What is the center? Where is the center? As Nathanael the Apostle found out, the center is not a place or a thing.

"The Church. . . believes that the key, the centre and the purpose of the whole of man's history is to be found in its Lord and Master."

Questions for next time

We will study the Messiah's saying about authority and his parable about the vineyard. Here are some questions to think over.

1. What did Jesus do or say that lead the chief priests, scribes and elders to question the authority of Jesus?
2. Was there another incident in Mark's gospel where "the man" questions the authority of Jesus?
3. What does Isaiah 5:1-7 tell you about the heart of the Messiah?
4. Does the parable of the vineyard teach further along the same road as the fig tree?

We strive toward the Lord's heart, and seek the Lord's wisdom in Mark's gospel, through these and other questions on Thursday morning this week.

Rachel's Vineyard

There will be a Rachel's Vineyard workshop for women in about a month, Nov. 13-15. We plan to generate some more support for the healing program. Joe gives a run down on what they need. Good.

A lesson from the fig tree

Len works his way with us through the main lesson of the fig tree.

Faith, the Temple and a fig tree

We discussed the anomalous fig tree. Jesus cursed it, even though it was not in season for fruit. What does that signify for us as we study the lecture notes from Peter's School of Evangelism?

Grace to see

All through Mark's gospel, we see frequent healings by Jesus, and even his Twelve get an internship mission to heal and preach. Which is the best of all the healings?

I vote for the blind begger, Bartimaeus. "Son of David, have mercy on me," he cries out. "O Lord, I want to see."

Life, action, existence

O Lord of hosts, in you I live and move and have my being.

Change me, O heart of life, inspire every aspect of my being.

O Lord of hosts, in you I live and move and have my being.

Questions for next time

Some questions to think about in Mark 11.

1. Mark mentions the people who welcome Jesus to Jerusalem. Are these people of Jerusalem the first to mark him as Son of David?
2. Prophet Zechariah mentions the merchants in the house of the Lord. How does Jesus fulfill that prophecy?
3. The Lord gave Isaiah a word, "...my salvation is about to come, my justice, about to be revealed." (Isaiah:56:1). How else does that word to Isaiah relate to the happenings on these first two days of Jesus in Jerusalem?
4. Cephas points out the withered tree to Jesus. Why does Jesus use this as a moment to teach about faith?

There are a lot of questions to think over here in chapter 11 of Mark's gospel, and we will tackle them early on Thursday morning.

Salt

Here are some noteworthy comments from early Thursday morning last week, concerning the meaning of salt.

1. Len: salt thrown into a fire causes the flame to flare brightly.
2. Bob: it is the supreme test of faith, like the centurion at the Cross, who said, "This is the Son of God."
3. Joe: to keep peace and to have salt in oneself, one must keep honoring God, praying and living out the message.
4. German: Salt is your initial burning enthusiasm.

This last comment reminds me of an admonition of the Messiah, in Revelation,

Yet I hold this against you: you have lost the love you had at first. (Rev. 2:4)

Faith that makes its power felt

We look again at faith, Sept. 24, and how it makes its power felt.

What is the depth of your faith?

We discussed the prayer of the dad who interceded for his beloved son, "Help my unbelief!"



German also discusses faith transformation in our parish outreach, Christ Renews His Parish.

A few questions for next time

We will continue through the 9th chapter of Mark's gospel, looking especially at the lessons Jesus presents to the Twelve. Here are a few questions to think over if you want to read ahead.

1. Search your knowledge of history. Who is the greatest evangelist of all time?
2. Which of the great saints of God is famous for his or her humility?
3. A scientist defines salt as a chemical compound of two elements, explosive sodium and toxic chlorine. How does Jesus define salt?

We will get after these and a few other questions early this Thursday morning.

What is the mission of the Twelve?

We know that the Twelve are not functioning yet at genius levels with the gospel message. But what is the eventual mission of the Twelve?

Questions for this morning

Our wisdom harvesting plan today includes part of Mark chapter 9. Here are a few questions we will tackle:

1. Are the Twelve acting like gospel experts yet?
2. Does the cure of the epileptic boy point us toward more meaning of the Transfiguration?
3. We have noticed Jesus telling people not to blab up his healings and so forth. Where in this section does he explain his anti-blabbing plan?
4. What was Peter's reaction to the vision of Jesus with Moses and Elijah?

Comments from the men

In response to the reading of Mark 8:1-36, the men commented especially about the Twelve. Here are some of the comments:

1. Sal: They received help from the Holy Spirit within because they needed to get sight and to act.
2. Scott: They had recently fed 5000 and were now in the same situation and were STILL clueless.
3. Joe: Peter was still stuck in that double line of thought,
   1. Jesus is the Messiah, and
   2. he wants Jesus to kick the Romans out.

Peter only understands half of it. Let's keep reading Mark's gospel and see what we can see.

Make my day. Again.

It is interesting that as soon as Jesus finishes talking to the Pharisees and scribes about what is clean and why something is clean or unclean, Jesus immediately head out for the Tyre district.

Gentiles.

Pagans.

Probably bunches of herds of swine up there.

On the Unclean-O-Meter, the district of Tyre must have been about 8.9 on the Richter scale.

People dodging lightning bolts all over the place.

Yet, Jesus does a work of power for a Greek outlander, Syrophoenician by birth, a woman. He expels a demon from her daughter who is not present but in an undisclosed location somewhere else.

It looks like another "Make my day" kind of situation.

Thanks, Lord!

What we talked about

Joe and Ken made some important connections between the events in this part of Marks gospel.

1. Jesus teaches with authority about the Torah, the Law, and what is clean, because God is the author of the Torah.
2. Ben16 says that Jesus is, himself, God's living Torah, and as such the Torah was meant to be universal.
3. Joe connected the Syrophoenician woman and her daughter to the universality of the Torah.
4. We read through Peter's dream, Acts 10:9-17, about the sheet lowered down from heaven with clean and unclean animals.
5. Ken pointed out that Jesus uses signs, frequently with the humble things of Creation, so that everybody can see what is happening. He does not just send an email.
6. Joe sees the deaf, mute man as a parable for the Twelve and for all of us. How can we spread the Lord's message unless
   1. we hear the message and
   2. speak clearly to others about the message?

Questions for next time, September 10

This Thursday morning, we will look right into the heart of the matter, Jesus and the Torah, in Mark 7. As you get time, think over these questions:

1. Isaiah the prophet has something to say in this matter. What does God want instead of lip service from his people?
2. Are the Twelve acting like gospel experts yet?
3. Where is another place in the New Testament where the Lord gives Peter an experience that helps him to address the matter of clean and unclean?
4. Who initiates the parable of the children and the dogs? Who shows mastery of the parable?
5. What is unusual about Jesus touching the deaf man's ears and tongue?
6. John's gospel focuses on signs, but so does Mark. Why is this important?

You are not required to write down your answers, like a homework assignment, but you are required to think over the message from Mark and be ready for the Holy Spirit to help you early on Thursday morning.

What the men said

Some of the A+ comments this morning were right on the mark.

1. The meaning of the miracle of the loaves and fishes is like the Eucharist. God gives us nourishment.
2. "He is showing the Apostles how the Holy Spirit inside of them (who is knocking) will help them believe so profoundly as to carry the message to the masses of unbelievers. Jesus knows that, in His apostles, they cannot teach if they implicitly believe what they explicitly deny."

Good.

Father Abraham and the mountain where God provides

In this morning's meeting of Men's Bible Study, we talked at length on the meaning of the miracle of the loaves and fishes, Mark 6:32-44. To get a broad grasp of this miracle of Jesus, we also dipped into Genesis for the story of Abraham on the mountain with his son Isaac. It is good to pay attention to the two central questions in each passage:

1. Isaac continued, "Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the holocaust?"
2. But they said to him, "Are we to buy two hundred days' wages worth of food and give it to them to eat?"

Abraham answers his son, "God will provide the lamb." And Jesus answers the Twelve, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see."

St. Paul wrote of Abraham,

"By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son, of whom it was said, "Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name." He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead, and he received Isaac back as a παραβολη (symbol)."

That last word is also used by Mark and we translate it as parable.

God on that day did not provide the lamb to Abraham, and instead sent a ram, stuck in the thicket, for Abraham to see and use. Good.

But God did provide food for the crowd of 5000 men on the green grass, and we see this as prefiguring the Eucharist. The center of the Eucharist is Jesus himself, whom we know as the Lamb.

Great and wonderful are your works, Lord!

Reading ahead for next time

For the A students who would like to read forward, here are some things to have in mind as you read through Mark 6:30-56.

1. What does Jesus teach the Twelve about the Eucharist here?
2. We can consider Mark's gospel as if they are Mark's lecture notes from Peter's School of Evangelism. This being the case, how does the miracle of walking on water
   1. help the Twelve carry Jesus' message more effectively, and
   2. help them understand the Eucharist more profoundly?

Dante speaking to St. Peter in heaven:

"The mysteries of Heaven," I replied,
"Here manifested, as my sight perceives,
Are to our mortal eyes on earth denied;

Hence their existence faith alone conceives,
And hope's foundation thus doth represent,
Wherefore the name of substance it receives..."

    Paradiso XXIV

Questions for next time, Aug. 27

The plan for this Thursday morning is dip into Mark's gospel, chapter 6. Here are some questions to consider before we meet:

1. Jesus was amazed by lack of faith in his home town. Has the faith of anyone in the first five chapters of Mark gladdened his heart?
2. Did King Herod, from Red Edom, go down to the Jordan River to see John the Baptizer?
3. Scan Luke 9:1-9 and 10:1-23, as background on the mission of the Twelve. Can you see any good extra information from Dr. Luke's account?
4. The Twelve went out with Jesus' message to many villages. Was it all talk or did they act, too?
5. Is it reasonable to expect that we can also walk like the Twelve, sent out by Jesus?
6. Did Jesus pray with his Twelve in the lonely desert place?

We will discuss these and other questions early Thursday morning. Sharpen up your ears to listen for what the Spirit says to us through this gospel section.

Torah and a flesh-and-blood person

From Ben16's recent book, Jesus of Nazareth, p. 148 and p. 169.

The Decalogue is not, as we have seen, some burden imposed upon man from the outside. It is a revelation of the essence of God himself... and hence it is an exegesis of the truth of our being.

...Jesus, who is himself God's living Torah.

This reminds me of John's gospel, chapter 1, which we read in mid-July.

When are you ready to jump?

We spent time yesterday discussing the woman who touched the hem of Jesus' garment, and focused on her GO decision, when she cut through the crowd and without permission went to touch the hem of the Lord's clothes.

Deacon Alfonsus Magnus also discussed his decision to make the leap to the permanent diaconate.

Physical contact with the Messiah

We had a long discussion throughout this morning's session about physical contact with Jesus, starting with the record in Mark 5 of the woman who touched the hem of Jesus' garment. Then we applied it to our own lives.

A few comments from this morning

1. It is good to pray with faith like the woman who touched the hem of Jesus' clothes.
   Jesus hears the prayer of faith, expressed in words (the leper, Jairus, the Canaanite woman, the good thief) or in silence (the bearers of the paralytic, the woman with a hemorrhage who touches his clothes, the tears and ointment of the sinful woman)... Healing infirmities or forgiving sins, Jesus always responds to a prayer offered in faith: "Your faith has made you well; go in peace."
2. It is helpful to examine your conscience and the state of faith, asking "Where would I be?"
   1. In the synagogue criticizing Jesus?
   2. Touching the hem of his garment?
   3. Back at the rear of the crowd, observing but not getting too close?
   4. Hard-headed and oblivious like the Twelve?
   We talked a long time about our own hard-headed moments, like the Twelve.
3. When Jairus' daughter became so ill, the Lord got Jairus' attention like a 2×4. We discussed some of our own 2×4 experiences from the Lord.
4. Is it possible to get closer to the Lord than just touching the hem of his clothes?
5. Throughout the morning, we referred to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, from Isaiah 11:2ff:
   1. wisdom
   2. understanding
   3. counsel
   4. fortitude
   5. knowledge
   6. piety
   7. fear of the Lord
   Even though the individuals in Mark 5 -- the man loosed of demons, the woman cured of hemorrhage, Jairus -- did not have the baptism of the Holy Spirit yet, they still displayed wisdom and fortitude and fear of the Lord.
   

No doubt, these three individuals also came to see their Savior from their hearts burning with love, the best of all the gifts.

Rembrandt, supper at Emmaus (Luke 24)

Questions for next time, Aug. 20

On August 20, we will study the miracles in Mark 5. Here are some questions to think about:

1. Was the country of the Gerasenes a part of Israel?
2. Jesus gave a specific mission to the man who had been possessed by demons. How does it resemble our mission today?
3. What did the woman say to Jesus before she touched the hem of his garment?
4. Ought we pray like the woman who touched the hem of Jesus' garment?
5. Jairus, whose daughter was ill and died, was a ruler of a synagogue. Was Jesus treated in this synagogue like he had been treated in other synagogues, e.g., Mark 3:1-6?
6. Who was in the room with Jesus when he raised the little girl?
7. He instructs them to give the little girl something to eat. Does this remind you of a similar event in the Gospels?

We will discuss these and other questions early Thursday morning. Be ready to look into the Lord's heart.


Ruin of a synagogue in Galilee.

Blessed Maximilian Kolbe Day

August 14, 1941 was the day St. Maximilian Kolbe was killed in the Konzentrationslager Auschwitz/Oświęcim, having stood up for Francis Gajowniczek's life while the Holy Spirit rumbled the SS commandant Fritsch.


Gajowniczek (left) on October 17, 1971 with two other guys.

Francis Gajowniczek survived the death camp and lived many more years. He lived to see the canonization of our Blessed Maximilian Kolbe, good and faithful servant, martyr in Auschwitz/Oświęcim.

Gajowniczek in later years.

The unknown woman

In Mark 5 is the story of the woman who was healed by silently, clandestinely touching the hem of Jesus' garment. No words, but plenty of faith. Is this a fruitful attitude for us in 2009?

Comments from today's study

Among many comments in this morning's study, here are a few notable ones:

1. Jesus gave the Twelve this batch of parables. How does he intend the apostles to use the parables?

   Jesus intended them for teaching others, using images from everyday life. Ken offered that the parables were good because you can make them your own, meditate on them, and gradually see the wisdom and meaning of the parable as the Lord reveals it to you... a lot like seeds, out of sight but growing slowly, eventually yielding fruit!

2. Does the Church give us lay men a responsibility to be handy with parables, too?

   Our answer: YES!
   
   Even we civilians have a responsibility to spread the message. The Vatican II decree on the apostolate of the laity, part 3, says that all Christians hold "the preeminent responsibility of working to make the divine message of salvation known and accepted by all men throughout the world." Presumably this means we should even use parables if necessary!
   

3. Which parable could you have used recently in your family or in your job?

   Sal mentioned that when dealing with objections or difficulties from other individuals, you have to remember that seeds sometimes fall on rocky ground. His advice: keep an attitude of humility, for this is what defeats the pride of the Enemy.
   
   Len also mentioned that the calming of the seas is very helpful to remember when we are in times of trouble.

4. Was it a parable when Jesus rebuked the winds and calmed the Sea of Galilee?

   No, not a parable as such. However, it was definitely a strong, direct learning experience for the Twelve. Instead of following the logic of Jesus' parables, and instead of observing him work miracles for others, this time they were right smack dab in the middle of it, flesh and blood, no question about it.

Questions for next time, Aug. 13

On August 13, we will dig into the parables in Mark 4: the sower, the lamp, the sleeping sower, the sower of the mustard seed. Here are some questions to think about:

1. Jesus gave the Twelve this batch of parables. How does he intend the apostles to use the parables?
2. Does the Church give us lay men a responsibility to be handy with parables, too?
3. Which parable could you have used recently in your family or in your job?
4. Was it a parable when Jesus rebuked the winds and calmed the Sea of Galilee?
5. Have you ever been in physical danger?

We will discuss these and other questions early Thursday, so be ready for the Holy Ghost to breeze through.

Water for a parable and water for teaching

Len comments upon the water in the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus taught using parables:

1. why it is useful in the parable
2. why it is useful for Jesus as he teaches the parable.

About the Holy Spirit's power

Joe reads a footnote on the subject of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus binds the "strong man" and rescues US.

While studying Mark 3:20-30, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, we discussed the ideas of

1. final impenitence -- shutting the door in God's face -- and
2. the attribution of the Holy Spirit's action to the enemy.

Can these two ideas be self-consistent? Yes. It is good to remember what Pope John Paul II wrote in 1986, concerning the Lord and Giver of Life,

How should this blasphemy be understood? St. Thomas Aquinas replies that it is a question of a sin that is "unforgivable by its very nature, insofar as it excludes the elements through which the forgiveness of sin takes place."

According to such an exegesis, "blasphemy" does not properly consist in offending against the Holy Spirit in words; it consists rather in the refusal to accept the salvation which God offers to man through the Holy Spirit, working through the power of the Cross.

For the first action of the Holy Spirit in an individual is not expelling a demon per se, but it is the grace of repentance, and attributing it to the enemy is one mode of rejecting that grace.

Finally, we make take peace from the lead of Pope John Paul II, who wrote that those who convert are led by the Holy Spirit out of the range of this blasphemy. When we celebrate the sacrament of confession, we can be peaceful. Our Messiah, Jesus, has rescued US.

Questions for next time

On August 6, we will study a bit more in Mark 3 and then dip into the parables of Mark 4. Here are a some questions to think about, including two from last time:

1. Are the miracles of Jesus a sign of contradiction?
2. Jesus binds the strong man. What plunder does Jesus reclaim?
3. When Jesus talks about who his mother and brother and sister are, is this a violation of the fourth commendment?
4. Why is it important that the Twelve understand the parables, even if everybody else remains puzzled?

We will talk these over early Thursday and be ready for the Holy Spirit's wisdom.

The Twelve

Mark records the entire list of the twelve apostles, starting with Simon Peter and including Judas Iscariot. We discussed the main objectives that Jesus gave them:

1. preach the message and
2. exert authority over demons to cast them out.

The Church has many monikers for this group, including a very nice one: The College of the Twelve.

It is also good to compare the Twelve to David's groups of mighty men from 2 Samuel 23:

The Three: Ishbaal son of Hachamoni, Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, and Shammah son of Agee the Hararite

The Thirty, including Uriah the Hittite

It seems that these first three chapters are taken up by a lot of miracles and a lot of apostle-calling. Good.

We discussed the differences between main battle exorcism and minor exorcisms. Following Mark's gospel, the main battle exorcism is the operation of the bishop. The bishop is the ordinary one to operate the exorcism, plus the bishop can designate a priest of his diocese to the official work of exorcist. The main battle exorcism, or solemn exorcism, is a serious business which the bishop does not undertake lightly. The bishop will take care to determine if a person's troubles are from a psychological illness or not. In the case of a psychological infirmity, ordinary medical care is indicated, not solemn exorcism.

Simple exorcism is performed during the celebration of baptism, since the person to be baptized suffers the consequence of original sin. We recall this same thing during the Easter season, in our renewal of our baptismal vows, among which are rejection of the enemy and all his works.

Many adults in the RCIA also remember minor exorcisms in the form of prayers to God with the priest, deacon or catechist.

We will discuss a few more concepts under this topic next time.

Grace of repentance

What plunder does Jesus reclaim?

1. The enemy, "the strong man," cannot steal our chance for heaven.
2. Deacon Alfonsus Magnus reviewed Romans 8:38-39. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.
3. We discussed the process of repentance and Sal spoke up about the thief on the cross next to Jesus. Even at the last moment, God's power to save was 100% available to the "good" thief.
4. Sal also brought up an example from Bishop Fulton Sheen.

It makes one think: Just how powerful IS the Holy Spirit?

CCC 539

The evangelists indicate the salvific meaning of this mysterious event: Jesus is the new Adam who remained faithful just where the first Adam had given in to temptation. Jesus fulfils Israel's vocation perfectly: in contrast to those who had once provoked God during forty years in the desert, Christ reveals himself as God's Servant, totally obedient to the divine will. In this, Jesus is the devil's conqueror: he "binds the strong man" to take back his plunder. Jesus' victory over the tempter in the desert anticipates victory at the Passion, the supreme act of obedience of his filial love for the Father.

Questions for next time

On July 30, we will study into Mark 3. Here are a few questions to think about:

1. Are the miracles of Jesus a sign of contradiction?
2. Jesus binds the strong man. What plunder does Jesus reclaim?
3. Where does the efficacy of repentance come from?

These and other questions will be our objectives early Thursday morning.

Relatives

The Greek words of Marks gospel for the relatives of Jesus (Mark 3:31-35) are:

1. μητηρ, mother
2. αδελφοι, brothers
3. αδελφαι, sisters

Items 2 and 3 are like the "-adelphia" in Philadelphia.

The Church has always understood these passages as not referring to other children of the Virgin Mary. In fact James and Joseph, "brothers of Jesus", are the sons of another Mary, a disciple of Christ, whom St. Matthew significantly calls "the other Mary". They are close relations of Jesus, according to an Old Testament expression.

It is interesting that Jesus himself identifies kin by obedience to the Father.

About reading ahead for next Thursday

Have you peeked ahead into chapter 3 yet?

What do you make of the fact that Mark records another event on the Sabbath day? This we will have to talk over on Thursday, July 30.

Wrong message, right message

The concept we came back to several times was the distinction found in Jesus' admonition to tell no one. He wanted people to give out the right message, for the right reasons, not the wrong message for the wrong reasons, the new wine and new wine skins, not the old wineskins. We see this especially in Mark's message about baptism and repentance.

Make my day, Mark 2:8-11

Ken reads the "make my day" section, Mark 2:8-11, using the National Enquirer translation of the New Testament, which is popular in his old stomping grounds, Nordonia, Ohio.

Comments from today

Here are a few of the comments from the guys at this morning's Bible study session.

1. Why does Jesus undergo the baptism of John the Baptist?
   
   1. God the Father appears and verifies the Son.
   2. Jesus is showing us the way: he chooses to fulfill all righteousness in obedience to God the Father's plan, just as we ought to do. This is the foundation of the other questions.
   
   
2. Why does Jesus instruct so many NOT to tell others who he is?
   
   1. He does not want people to follow him so that he can become an earthly king or so that they can snag a free lunch.
   2. Instead of propagating the wrong message, he wants people to accept him on his own terms, or...
   3. New skins for new wine!
   4. As 1:38 says, "It is for this reason that I have come." He and his Abba have a reason.
   
   
3. If Jesus can heal leprosy, is it important to seek Him in the sacrament of confession?
   
   1. Afflictions, in old view, were because of sins or parents' transgressions.
   2. Are you going to confession for a free lunch or for love of God?
   3. Confession can be a stumbling block for some people. They accept the Church's teachings except for making confession.
   
   
4. In chapter 2, Jesus acts twice for a paralytic man. Why did he take the second action, healing the paralytic man's body?
   
   1. First off, this story is really about the 4 buddies who lowered the paralysed friend down from the roof.
   2. Never misunderestimate the power of prayer.
   3. Jesus has power and authority in both areas, so this is like Jesus saying, "Make my day."
   4. Man has body and soul, so Jesus heals both.
   5. The second healing visually confirms the unseen act of forgiveness.
   6. The "make my day" act is like Jesus saying, "This is the new wineskin!"
   
   
5. What was the price Jesus paid when he healed the paralytic man's body?
   
   1. Wrath of the Pharisees was the price he paid.
   2. Also, he continued to experience crowds and being jammed out into the wild places before he and his men could catch their breath or get 40 winks.
   3. Eventually, he would pay the ultimate price, at the Cross.
   
   
6. Why did Jesus openly have dinner with Levi and the other sinners and IRS agents?
   
   1. It was the reason he was on Earth: to call the sinners.
   2. He wanted to show his disciples how to be compassionate with sinners.
   3. It affirms that his forgiveness is true.
   4. This also connects to another famous dinner, the wedding at Cana.
   5. Another meal he has with us sinners is the Eucharist, the ultimate meal and act of worship, the source and summit of the Christian life.
   
   

Questions for next time

On July 23 we will finish up Mark 1 and push deeper into chapter 2. Here are some questions to think about for next time:

1. Why does Jesus undergo the baptism of John the Baptist?
   
2. Why does Jesus instruct so many NOT to tell others who He is?
   
3. If Jesus can heal leprosy, is it important to seek Him in the sacrament of confession?
   
4. In chapter 2, Jesus acts twice for a paralytic man. Why did take the second action, healing the paralytic man's body?
   
5. What was the price Jesus paid when he healed the paralytic man's body?
   

We will discuss these and other question on early this Thursday morning!

Notes and results from July 16, Mark 1

Our section of study was Mark's gospel chapter 1.

To set this first chapter of Mark into perspective, we also read John's gospel, chapter 1. The men made comments about Mark 1 compared to John 1, a few of which were:

1. Both gospels use the word "beginning."
   
2. Baptism of Jesus is in both.
   
3. In both, Jesus calls the first few of the disciples.
   
4. Neither cover the birth of the Messiah like Matthew and Luke.
   
5. John does not mention any healings yet, but Mark mentions several, including leprosy.
   
6. Mark details how-what-where-when information, but John discusses the meaning of the Word, especially in the first 18 verses.
   

We discussed several Greek words in the original text.

1. εξομολογουμενοι, confessing, which contains Greek roots we might recognize
   
   
   1. εξ, ex-, meaning out of
      
   2. ομο, homo-, meaning same as
      
   3. λογο, logo, meaning word
   
   
2. σχιζομενουs, being rent: notice the fragment σχιζ, which stands out as the root of our English word schism.
   
3. φωνη, voice, which is a root for our English words phone, phonetic etc.
   

We also discussed the Greek word in Mark 1:41, σπλαγχνισθειs, which literally means intestines, but which translates as compassion. Some of the men did not enjoy thinking about intestines. :) However, this word is only translated as real intestines in one place in the New Testament, and all other times as compassion. Philippians 2:1 contains another famous use of the word. We compared it to the English word balls which means one thing anatomically, but in many contexts means courage or gumption.

As a result of Jesus having compassion on the leper, He was forced to head for the hills with his men. He could not go openly into cities but had to rest up out in the lonely, desert places. This invites comparison to David, who also had to escape several times to the wild, desert places like Adullam.

Mark's gospel, chapter 1

We are studying Mark's gospel. We just finished several months' study through the story of David in 1st Samuel and 2nd Samuel.