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!