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cheeto1
Guest
Thank you! So it would be a good time to read them, and they are short, especially
Haggai…
January 24: Reflections On the Scripture Readings for This Sunday's Mass
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Haggai…
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cheeto1
Guest
small group
C
cheeto1
Guest
Conversion – private study continued growth – small group
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Jguerra
Guest
I have always liked this reading for a number of reasons.
The people weep when they hear the word of the Lord, the Law as read by Ezra. The people recognize they are the children of Abraham, recipients of the law of Moses and that as a community they have indeed strayed from the terms of the covenant. Theirs are tears of repentance. This tells me that despite their human efforts to reject the Lord entirely, his word will always remind them of their call to holiness.
When Ezra reads from the platform, it is he who interprets the word of God; it is he, the scribes and the Levites who comfort (and minister to) the people. This point is made against those who say we are all priests and ministers.
What comes next is comforting at least to me. Ezra tells the people to weep no more to go home and eat, drink sweet drinks, share with those who have none.
Nothing wrong with comfort food and say, Kool-Aid®, after a prolonged fast.
The community has been up since sunrise until noon and need refreshment to lift up its spirit. It is indeed a holy day, a cause for rejoicing.
The covenant will be renewed, the people of Israel will move forward.
My own two cents,
Joe
The people weep when they hear the word of the Lord, the Law as read by Ezra. The people recognize they are the children of Abraham, recipients of the law of Moses and that as a community they have indeed strayed from the terms of the covenant. Theirs are tears of repentance. This tells me that despite their human efforts to reject the Lord entirely, his word will always remind them of their call to holiness.
When Ezra reads from the platform, it is he who interprets the word of God; it is he, the scribes and the Levites who comfort (and minister to) the people. This point is made against those who say we are all priests and ministers.
What comes next is comforting at least to me. Ezra tells the people to weep no more to go home and eat, drink sweet drinks, share with those who have none.
Nothing wrong with comfort food and say, Kool-Aid®, after a prolonged fast.
The community has been up since sunrise until noon and need refreshment to lift up its spirit. It is indeed a holy day, a cause for rejoicing.
The covenant will be renewed, the people of Israel will move forward.
My own two cents,
Joe
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cheeto1
Guest
I am grateful for leaders in the church, and view them with great respect and
admiration. Their weak points are not for me to notice or care about, it is for
their strong points that God has appointed them, and it is these I focus on, to
make the most of the gift given to me today.
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cheeto1
Guest
I never heard of the “holy year”. Is it a particular year, or is it every year?
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cheeto1
Guest
I like it too. What if it hasn’t been read in 70 years? I love that they all pay
attention. I was thinking that they might not just be tears of repentance, but tears
of gratitude, like we would feel if we were separated from our beloved church for
many years. Like the feeling of 2 people who haven’t seen each other for many
years, and they are crying when they see each other finally. They never thought
they’d see each other again.
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cheeto1
Guest
“Then Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and Ezra the priest-scribe…”
“…most excellent Theophilus…”
– Nehemiah and Theophilus were both “His Excellency”
(well, Theophilus was too in my missal)
Wonder what kind of position of power Theophilus was in?
“…most excellent Theophilus…”
– Nehemiah and Theophilus were both “His Excellency”
(well, Theophilus was too in my missal)
Wonder what kind of position of power Theophilus was in?
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Fidelis
Guest
I’m thinking they were thrown for a loop since, they were expecting to hear about the Messiah — probably a popular subject at the time since, as a people under foreign occupation, they hoped the Messiah would come quickly-- and then they realized Jesus was interpreting this messianic passage in relation to himself. Jesus–who was known to many of these villagers since the time he was a small boy. At first they probably were non-plussed, then amused, then annoyed. In next week’s reading they turn downright ugly.
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Fidelis
Guest
The NAB phrase translated “rich foods” is literally “fat” foods, that is, the part of the sacrificed meat that was reserved for God alone and which was usually burned up in a holocaust. On this special occasion, the people were allowed to eat the juicy fat portions.
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Fidelis
Guest
In the Church, Holy Years are proclaimed by the Pope to mark or to emphasise a special occasion, often with a special theme, and often attached to special graces and indulgences. The last one was proclaimed by John Paul II in 2000.
Wikipedia has a good and short article (taken from the *Catholic Ecyclopedia *and updated) found here.
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Fidelis
Guest
I LOVE that description!
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Fidelis
Guest
Because Luke attaches this appellation (which was often a title) many Scripture Commentators feel Theophilus may have been a Roman official.
For example, in Acts 26:25, St. Paul refers to Festus, governor of Judea (after Pontius Pilate and Felix) as “most excellent Festus.”
The name “Theophilus” itself means “lover of God.”
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cheeto1
Guest
Wow, thanks. I didn’t realize what was happening in the year 2000. I thought
the pope just named it jubilee to emphasize that the church was taking a positive
view of the year, rather than fearing the worst like the rest of the world. I didn’t
know it meant something.
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Fidelis
Guest
Theophilus was something of a common name in Roman times. It is hypothesized that this particular Theophilus may have been a well-to-do new Christian who sponsored St. Luke as he undertook the expensive task of composing his Gospel. This would have enabled Luke to obtain the expensive writing materials, have food and shelter, and distribute the Gosel to other believers.
Another theory is that Theophilus may have been a Roman official involved in the trial of St. Paul. The Gospel of Luke, therefore may have been meant as a written defense (or apologia) to show Christians (including St. Paul) were not a subversive threat to the Roman Empire.
Finally, since Theophilus means “lover of God” some have surmised that, rather than this Gospel being addressed to an individual of this name; rather, it is addressed to ALL who consider themselve "lovers of God.’ That includes, hopefully, you and I.
Another theory is that Theophilus may have been a Roman official involved in the trial of St. Paul. The Gospel of Luke, therefore may have been meant as a written defense (or apologia) to show Christians (including St. Paul) were not a subversive threat to the Roman Empire.
Finally, since Theophilus means “lover of God” some have surmised that, rather than this Gospel being addressed to an individual of this name; rather, it is addressed to ALL who consider themselve "lovers of God.’ That includes, hopefully, you and I.
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cheeto1
Guest
All the theories sound so right.
And the 3rd one is like a secret message.
Yes sir, it includes you and I.
You worked hard on all this, and I appreciate it, may your week be blessed
And the 3rd one is like a secret message.
Yes sir, it includes you and I.
You worked hard on all this, and I appreciate it, may your week be blessed
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Fidelis
Guest
Thanks cheeto and thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut in this thread --it’s been fun and a blessing for me to be involved in it. 
There’s so much more that can be said on these passages (I would never pretend to have the final word on God’s Word), and I may add a comment in this thread here or there during the week --but I’ve got to start thinking about next week’s study!
There’s so much more that can be said on these passages (I would never pretend to have the final word on God’s Word), and I may add a comment in this thread here or there during the week --but I’ve got to start thinking about next week’s study!
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Fidelis
Guest
One neat thing I ran across in my research on the First Reading was that this passage:
is probably the basis for why we, as Catholics, stand up for the Gospel when it is read during the Mass.
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Fidelis
Guest
In his Bible Study on the Gospel of Luke, The Mission of the Messiah, Tim Gray spends a whole chapter on the implications of the Jubille year in the Old Testament as it relates to Jesus’ words in Sunday’s reading. He wrote a related article for the Catholics United For The Faith (CUF) magazine Lay Witness, which can be found in it’s entirety here.
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Fidelis
Guest
Correction: ALMOST a whole chapter. No need to exagerate.
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