The mind of Christ - Psalm 118

If one reads carefully in chapters 19 and 20 of Dr. Luke's gospel, one finds several references to Psalm 118, including Jesus making a razor sharp explanation that concludes His parable of the vineyard.

But he looked at them and asked, "What then does this scripture passage mean:

The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone?

Everyone who falls on that stone will be dashed to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls."

YOUCH! The two-edged sword is sharp as sharp!

That being the case, it behooves us to dip backwards and take a short look at this mighty psalm, Psalm 118. Here are a few questions on this psalm:

1. In the first four verses, the psalmist exhorts
   1. Israel,
   2. the house of Aaron, and
   3. those who fear God
   tp give thanks to God. Is there a group of human beings that are permanently outside this set of three groups?
2. Is the psalmist in danger? Is he a weenie or is he brave? What kind of danger was Jesus heading into?
3. What was the thing about Jesus that most scandalized the Pharisees?
4. Was the Lord Jesus ever encircled during the betrayal and crucifixion? Did he ever cut anyone off?
5. Was the Lord Jesus chastised during the betrayal and crucifixion?
6. How did shouts of deliverance sound during the betrayal and crucifixion, if at all?
7. Can you see Jesus joyfully exclaiming, "Open for me the gates of righteousness! I shall enter them and thank God"?
8. How does this view of Jerusalem square with what Blessed John saw in the Revelation? Sneaky peek: Rev. 21.
9. What does the Church teach about the Lord’s Day? Which day is THE day that the Lord has made?

We will study this Thursday in Psalm 118, and, in that, seek to "learn him," seeking as always to become doers of the Word.

Postponed

I have to postpone the Psalm 118 session until next week, due to transportation difficulty. So session is cancelled, today only. Sorry!

Dr. Luke's record of the Lord's εξοδον, his Exodus

We concluded last week's discussion by looking into the question of Jesus following his interaction with IRS man Zacchaeus by the parable of the wicked king and his ten "minas." What did Jesus accomplish with this pair of teachings, side by side?

This week we will look into the answer: his mission in Jerusalem. Here are a few questions to think over:

1. 
   Jesus sees his place of torture and execution, Jerusalem, and he weeps, for Jerusalem? Not for himself? What is the subject of his sorrow in vv. 41-44?
2. Was Jesus actually in the line of David, king of Israel?
3. Has God ever raised praise from the very stones of Earth?
4. Previously many times Jesus admonished people not to blab about him, and he definitely discouraged people from proclaiming him a king... but not this time. Why is that?
5. At Mass, when do we repeat the exclamation of Jesus as Lord? What does that signify, geospatially?
6. Who was worse: the money-changing merchants in the Temple or the scribes and Pharisees everywhere else? How were the two groups similar?
7. In v. 48, Dr. Luke writes that the people hung upon Jesus' words. How does Luke back up that concept with the beginning story of Ch. 20?
8. Did Jesus ever reveal the source of his authority?
9. Does Jesus show salt in this beginning of his Jerusalem mission?

This exodus from Jerusalem is the center of all history. We do well to look into it and thereby find our feet, steady and sure, ready to become doers of the Word.

Mr. Zacchaeus and the sycamore tree

In Ch. 19 of Luke, we read about worthy Zacchaeus and the sycamore tree. Here are a few study questions to work on:

1. Jesus came to save the lost. But did Zacchaeus act as if he were lost?
2. How would you feel if you were hustling and bustling to find Jesus, and then you turn the corner and hear Jesus call out, "Aha! Just the man I was looking for?"
3. How dignified was it for the top IRS man in Jericho to hustle about and climb a sycamore tree?
4. Zacchaeus gave half of his belongings to the poor, then repaid victims fourfold. What was Zacchaeus' extortion rate?
5. Is fourfold repayment a true restitution?
6. Did the man who hid his gold in a handkerchief commit a sin or omit a righteous action? Sin of commission or sin of omission?
7. Is usury OK with Jesus?
8. The parable of a king and his three servants ends rather harshly. Is there any resemblance between this king and the Lord Jesus?
9. It is interesting to think about the contrast Jesus makes between how Zacchaeus handles money and how the ten servants of the parable handle their money. What did Jesus accomplish with this pair of teachings, side by side?

I think this last question, #9, will be the most helpful for us, as we seek to become doers of the Word.

Humility and arrogance in Luke 18

There is a slew of teaching in Luke's 18th chapter concerning humility and arrogance. Let's take it question by question:

1. Was the widow in v. 3 a humble person or an arrogant person?
2. Why is it appropriate to use the figure of an unrighteous judge in a parable to compare to God? What was Jesus thinking about the Twelve at that moment?
3. What could cause a person to lose heart concerning God's righteousness?
4. How does it appear: did the widow trust the unrighteous judge?
5. Had the unrighteous judge promised anything to the widow?
6. How would Father Abraham have reacted to this parable? WOuld he have seen it as applying to himself?
7. What unrighteous method could the widow have used to defeat the unrighteous judge?
8. When you arrive at Sunday Mass, are you thinking like the Pharisee in v. 10 or like the tax collector?
9. Why were the Pharisee and the tax collector praying? Why do we pray?

The Holy Spirit can help us decide these question this morning. Be ready!

Continuing in Luke 17, lepers and Samaritans

Some of our questions for today include four from last time:

1. Do you recall: What was the problem with Samaria?
2. How do you react to God's grace? Like the one Samaritan leper who was healed? Or like the other nine who were healed?
3. Where did the lepers have to go to show themselves to the priests?
4. In this chapter, Jesus teaches us to "return" and NOT to return? What?! How does Jesus get that sorted out?
New this week...
5. What does it mean that the kingdom of God is in our midst, within your, among you? The Greek word εντοσ is related to the Greek word for intestines!
6. Was it heartless for the Lord Jesus to make it so that some of those present would not see Him, in v. 22?
7. After reading Scott Hahn's mini-essay, Jesus, the Son of Man, you might wonder why the victorious figure of the Son of Man could easily be mistaken: "Where, Lord?" asked the Twelve. But the name, "Son of Man," is also connected to the coming betrayal in Jerusalem at Passover. Was there any uncertainty in the Egyptians that the Passover was happening?

It is good to study over these topics, because the Passover of the Lord Jesus is the center of our salvation, which we celebrate at every Mass in the Eucharist. Let's look into it today.

Toward Jerusalem in Luke 17

In the 17th chapter of Luke, there is a short set of mini-lessons from Jesus on his way to Jerusalem. There is a lot to learn here, so let's dig in with a few questions:

1. Of all the people you have had to forgive, who is the person you have forgiven the greatest number of times?
2. Is it possible to lose your faith?
3. Faith that makes its power felt in love -- is it sacrificial?
4. When does Luke first mention that Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem?
5. Do you recall: What was the problem with Samaria?
6. How do you react to God's grace? Like the one Samaritan leper who was healed? Or like the other nine who were healed?
7. Where did the lepers have to go to show themselves to the priests?
8. In this chapter, Jesus teaches us to "return" and NOT to return? What?! How does Jesus get that sorted out?

With God's grace, His message can penetrate our hard skulls, so we will pray and look for the Holy Spirit on the move today.

Lazarus

The 16th chapter of Dr. Luke's gospel is loaded with profound teachings, including the story of Lazarus. Here are some questions to get our brains in motion:

1. Is Lazarus in heaven now?
2. What was the first step here on Earth for a person who, eventually, dies and goes to heaven?
3. Is Abraham’s bosom the same as purgatory? Is it in Hell?
4. Why are there so many different abodes for souls after death? Shouldn’t there only be two, heaven and hell?
5. Why should a sinner like the rich man even get to see an instant of the reward of Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham?
6. Wasn’t it unfair that the rich man does not get a break, an extra chance?
7. Why didn’t the rich man treat Lazarus with kindness during his earthly life?
8. If we could, in our actions and words, live out the prayer of the Our Father, we would be really in God’s will. Do the actions of the rich man go against the Our Father?
9. Is there only one judgement after death, as seen with Lazarus and the rich man, or, in the case of the repentant thief, or is it that there are two judgements?

That is a huge amount to think over, but by God's grace, we can look into it.

Mysterious Parables

The 16th chapter of Luke's gospel contains some mysterious parables. Here are a few questions we can tackle:

1. What are we to make of the parable of the dishonest steward? Jesus recommending dishonesty? That cannot be it. But how do we understand it?
2. Is it wrong to give alms from ill gotten gains?
3. We are not physically taking care of an orchard or farm, most of us, yet we must consider ourselves stewards. Who are our debtors, what is the debt, and what does changing the promissory note mean for us?
4. When the unjust steward uses the fake promissory note trick, is that theft? From whom?
5. What was the unjust steward supposed to have been doing BEFORE the rich man fires him?

It is a lot to think over, but by the grace of the Holy Ghost we can find God's wisdom.

Breaking the ionic bond of good old sodium chloride, salt

Chemists and physicists will tell you that a sodium atom (Na) and a chlorine atom (Cl) form an ionic bond, becoming thereby a substance called salt.

In the previous chapter of Doctor Luke's gospel, Jesus also has plenty to say about salt, how one ought not to lose one's saltiness.

But what does saltiness mean, for a Christian?

The following questions will help us understand Jesus' teaching in Chapter 15 about not losing salt.

1. Jesus associates with sinners who want to listen to His teachings, but the Pharisees and scribes get burned up and accuse Jesus of being a hypocrite. Are they accusing Jesus of having lost his salt?
2. Jesus invites sinners to that conversion without which one cannot enter the kingdom, but shows them in word and deed his Father's boundless mercy. In the parable of vv. 4-7,
   1. what was NOT lost, and
   2. who was it that did NOT lose it?
3. In the parable of vv. 8-10,
   1. what was NOT lost, and
   2. who was it that did NOT lose it?
4. In the parable of the prodigal son, vv. 11-32,
   1. what was NOT lost, and
   2. who was it that did NOT lose it?
5. Looking back, does the Our Father appear to be a prayer of a Christian holding his salt?
6. It is most profitable to compare the answers to the three questions b, above. What do you make of the combination of persons who did NOT lose their saltiness?

As I have noted before, there is a lot to learn in these chapters of Luke. Let's get to it tomorrow morning, asking for God's grace.

Mysterious parables, curious teaching

We finished last week on the question concerning an unusual juxtaposition of Jesus' teaching with two somewhat contradictory parables. We will begin this week with that question, then continue deeper, viz.

1. Jesus directs us to renounce the earthly relationships and possessions. Does that square with the parables of counting the cost in verses 28-32, in which one carefully accounts for the things one has?
2. Again, Jesus cautions, what if salt itself loses its taste? Salt ought to retain its flavor, yet we ought to renounce our possessions? How does that square up?
Now a few additional questions:
3. Renouncing all earthly possessions -- did Jesus ever do that?
4. Is it okay to go through life without friends except for God?

We will continue into Chapter 15 today.

What we talk about frequently: QUAERITUR, Is Mass valid if the priest is in mortal sin?

Frequently in Thursday Morning Men's Bible Study, we discuss the power of the sacraments. Here is a blurb from another blogger, Fr. John Zuhlsdorf, concerning the power of the Messiah Jesus, viz.

QUAERITUR: Is Mass valid if the priest is in mortal sin?

The efficacy of our sacraments and rites do not depend on the holiness of the human priest.  Christ is the true actor in the liturgy.

Banquets, places

In chapter 14 of Dr. Luke's gospel, there is frequent discussion of banquets, especially the places where one sits in the banquet hall. All this is meant to teach most excellent Theophilus -- and us -- about the kingdom of God. Let's think over a few questions concerning this chapter, including these questions:

1. "But they kept silent." Verse 4 uses the Greek word ησυχασαν, meaning that the room fell silent. Why were the Pharisees and lawyers reduced to silence?
2. What is the most important banquet of all? How do you, a Christian, answer?
3. In v. 10, Jesus makes it clear that having everyone see you honored is a good thing, which he encourages. But doesn't that contradict His earlier sayings, in which he cautions against cultivating conspicuous honors in the streets and in the synagogue?
4. When is receiving honor righteous?
5. Verse 12 cautions the men at table with Jesus, avoid inviting those who can repay to lunches or dinners, as something never to be trapped into. Why should they flee this situation? How does this kind of invitation compare to the invitations Jesus does encourage?
6. In v. 15, a man exclaims the blessedness of one who dines in the kingdom of God, but in v. 24, Jesus turns the table on this man, it seems, saying, "... none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner." What effect would this admonition by Jesus have on the man who initially made the exclamation?
7. Jesus directs us to renounce the earthly relationships and possessions. Does that square with the parables of counting the cost in verses 28-32, in which one carefully accounts for the things one has?
8. Again, Jesus cautions, what if salt itself loses its taste? Salt ought to retain its flavor, yet we ought to renounce our possessions? How does that square up?

There is a lot to work out and learn in this chapter. Let's begin this morning and ask the Lord to invite us higher!

The king and his kingdom

We now look into chapter 13 of Dr. Luke's gospel, including parables of the kingdom of God. That being the case, we can ask a few questions to prepare for God's wisdom:

1. The two groups meeting sudden death, mentioned by Jesus in vv.1 and 4, are different. How did the suddenness arise for each group?
2. Is a human being likened to a fig tree or an orchard owner or a gardener?
3. If the fig tree bears fruit the following year, does it cut down then? Or is it allowed to continue? What does this tell you about heaven?
4. A king issues decrees for his kingdom. Can this king modify or expand his decree? Does he have the authority to do so?
5. Can a person without spinal weakness or infirmity still be bent down by the enemy? Or, to put it another way: is it proper for Jesus to help anyone to, in a spiritual sense, stand upright?
6. In the parables of the mustard seed and the leaven, where are the civilians, i.e., you and I?
7. Jesus is the king, but does He Himself also have a narrow door?
8. How does the sacrament of confession fit into these instructions of Jesus?

There is a lot to consider. Let's begin and see where the Holy Ghost leads us.

More questions about the faithful servant

We dive deeper into God's message in Luke 12 today. A few questions to help us think are:

1. Is a scheming politician indifferent? Indifferent to what?
2. Is a hypocritical person indifferent? Indifferent to what?
3. Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be The Suffering Servant. Is a suffering servant indifferent? Indifferent to what?
4. What times of night are the second and third watches? Why doesn't Jesus mention the fourth watch?
5. Can you ask God the Father to be included in His kingdom?
6. Jesus had already been baptized by John in the River Jordan. What baptism is this in v. 50?
7. How is it that the crucifixion and resurrection of the Messiah casts fire on the earth?

On to Ch. 12

We now look into the lengthy chapter 12 of Dr. Luke's gospel. Here are a few questions, along the lines of common sense and theological meaning, to see into God's message for us:

1. Is it possible to whisper something behind closed doors and in that be hypocritical?
2. Can fear of death, "of those who kill the body," lead to acts of hypocrisy?
3. Is it possible to do the corporal works of mercy and be hypocritical?
4. Are you as smart as the Holy Spirit? Only half as smart? 10% as smart?
5. Was the rich man with many barns hypocritical about something?

St. Thomas Aquinas notes that Jesus did not want to govern temporarily over an earthly kingdom, and therein did not offer to adjudicate the inheritance of the two brothers. That implies that we are to exercise judgement, and, hopefully, do so faithfully, not hypocritically!

Re-question

We followed a logical analysis of the Our Father last week, and we did not get to a single one of last week's questions! So we shall tackle them this week, with a few additions:

7. Is there a selfish aspect to the Our Father? Or, does it show signs of unselfishness?
8. How does the family obligation to honor our parents conflict with the Lord's direction in Our Father?

More tomorrow!

Our Father

In chapter 11 of Dr. Luke's gospel is the Our Father and the Messiah's spiritual direction concerning prayer. Here are a few questions concerning this:

1. How often do you ask Jesus to teach you to pray?
2. Who sends the Holy Spirit?
3. To whom does Jesus send his spirit at the moment of death?
4. Where in the gospel is there an example of a prayer answered by God the Father?
5. It is nice to recite the Our Father, but is your life a recitation of other parts of Jesus' life?
6. What is the finger of God? WHat does it do?

Now, a cup of coffee and some mental elbowgrease plus the grace of the Holy Spirit, and we can acquire more of God's wisdom concerning these matters.

The Good Samaritan

One of the most important parables, the Good Samaritan teaches us the works of mercy. Let's think over these questions, among the many we could possibly could ask:

1. St. Paul in Galatians 5 says that our actions are not so important, "For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything..." So why does the gospel here mention strength, i.e., the ability of our bodies to exert our will by doing?
2. A man's strength depends on his heart, so why does Luke add the words strength and soul to the manner by which we are to love God? Isn't loving from the heart sufficient?
3. What was important about the city of Jericho?
4. What business does a priest ordinarily have in Jericho? What business does a Levite ordinarily have in Jericho?
5. This mysterious neighbor, the Samaritan, who does he represent?
6. The scribe is a man dedicated to the Torah, and in the parable, the priest and the Levite are dedicated to the Torah. Does the scribe agree or disagree with Jesus?
7. Does this parable of Jesus expand the scribe's understanding of the Torah and of what God's will is?
8. Martha bosses Mary around the way a general bosses a foot soldier around, so is the active life superior to the contemplative life?

A second mission

An artist's view of Magnificat, deluxified

Moses selected seventy elders in Israel during a time of nagging and strife concerning manna but NO other food. Now Jesus selects seventy and sent them out with authority. Here are some questions to help us dig through the beginning of Luke 10 and the mission of the seventy?

1. What was similar in the two stories, Moses and his seventy elders compared to Jesus and his group of seventy?
2. Did Jesus follow his own directions? I.e., did he travel light, like the seventy?
3. What was the ultimate objective for the seventy? How would it all look if they had accomplished their mission?
4. How does the scholar's question relate to the mission that the seventy had just accomplished?
5. Review the Magnificat. How does Jesus' prayer of exultation in vv. 21, 22 compare to Mary's exclamation known as the Magnificat?

This is plenty to think about as we seek the Lord's heart through studying his scripture.

LET'S GO!