Friday, February 23, 2007

Lenten Bible Study of the Gospel of Mark (2)

Chapter 1:14-45

After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew castings their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, "Come after men, and I will make you fishers of men." Then they left their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the sone of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The peopel were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!" Jesus rebuked him and said "Quiet! Come out of him!" The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, "What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him." His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

On leaving the synagoge he enter the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town gathered at teh door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him.

Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you." He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages tha I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come." So he went into their synagogoes, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.

A leper came to him [and kneeling down] begged him and said, "If you wish, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, "I do will it. Be made clean." The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning hime sternly, he dimissed him at once. Then he said to him, "See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleasing what Moses prescribeds; that will be proof for them." The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

Amen.

Verse 14: After John the Baptist was arrested did Christ "come onto the scene." John the Baptist's work/mission was completed.Verse 15: "gospel" What does it mean?

Verses 16-20: All of the first four apostles called were fishermen and two sets of brothers.

Verse 24: The demon says "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? ... I know who you are, the Holy One of God!" A confused demon about the differences of singular and plural usages?

Verse 30: Simon (Called Peter) has a mother-in-law (i.e., he is married).

Verse 31: She was cured and then began to serve them; a contrast to the lesson of Martha and Mary?

Verse 35: He prays in a deserted place so that people start searching for Him.

Verse 40: "If you wish, you can make me clean." God's Will always precedes us and our desires.

Verse 45: He stayed out in deserted places away from the crowds and people came to Him. We have to actively seek Him.

Lenten Bible Study of the Gospel of Mark (1)

The Gospel According to Mark
Chapter 1: 1-13
Lenten Bible Study

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ [the Son of God].

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“Behold, I a sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way.
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
‘Prepare the way of the LORD,
make
straight his paths.’”


John [the] Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the holy Spirit.”

It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, “you are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

At once the Spirit drove him out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.

Amen.

Verse 5: people came from the countryside and the city of Jerusalem. I cannot begin to understand how many people that was, but I think I can begin to understand the worries the Pharisees had about the popularity of Christ.

Verse 8: Christ alludes later in the Gospel to John the Baptist being Elijah. Is John the Baptist Elijah? More importantly, who is Elijah?

Verse 10: The holy Spirit descends like a dove. Hawks and other birds of prey dive in, whereas doves? According to the WBFI Research Foundation Bird database, the flight of a dove is “swift, strong direct flight.” Secondly, the heavens are torn open. They are not gently pulled aside, but torn open. What does that look like? Sound like? What glory the Baptist and all others gathered that day when Christ was baptized in the Jordan River must have seen and experienced!

Verse 12: Why forty days? Is this symbolically linked to Noah’s 40 days adrift? Noah is a story about God’s disgust for mankind, His retaliatory actions, and His covenant. It is a rebirth. Do these 40 days in the desert endured by Christ resemble rebirth. We know through the redemptive and glorious Crucifixion that it does indeed precede a rebirth. How does Satan tempt the Son of God? What is the importance of mentioning that Christ is among wild beasts in the desert? In Exodus, the desert is a place of feeling lost, abandoned, and rebellion against the LORD; does Christ’s retreat into the desert symbolize … obedience, perhaps? He was pushed into the desert by the holy Spirit; did the Father know something about Satan's temptations and Christ's need to resist them that we mortals are not aware of?

Modest dress & Lust

If anyone has seen me on campus for the past two weeks, and many have, you've probably noticed that I am wearing skirts. I have now worn skirts each day of the week including weekends and the rain for the last two weeks.

I didn't understand my own behavior until yesterday, during the 3:30 pm downpour I covered my head with my scarf to "stay" dry. It was made clear to me that I am very aware of sexual sin, especially those sins where a man lusts after a woman, and just by thinking about her in lewd ways has committed adultery WITH her. As I was walking yesterday afternoon to class, I felt disgraceful and ashamed, becuase I know men look at me like that; I do not encourage it by not wearing makeup, low-cut tops, short skirts, &c. Yet, they still look. No matter how much I cover up my body, they look at me as skinny and pretty and they lust after me.

Isaiah 54:4, 9

Fear not, you shall not be put to shame;
you need not blush, for you shall not be disgraced.
The shame of your youth you shall forget,
the reproach of your widowhood no longer remember.

This is for me like the days of Noah,
when I swore that the waters of Noah
should never again deluge the earth;
So I have sworn not to be angry with you,
or to rebuke you.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Lent is upon us

Goals set for Lent
  • maintain daily Divine Mercy
  • resume daily Rosary
  • read the Gospel of Mark
  • begin weekly Eucharistic Adoration

In all, good habits to develope in 40 days, that hopefully will cement and become lifelong habits that bear great fruit.

***

I am currently trying to decide when and how I will break fast. I could do it extremely late at night like I have planned all along, or I could go grab something minor like a yougurt to make sure I don't get woozy and looney. My stomach and mental faculties like the later. My stubborness like the former.

***

Isaiah 40:3-4
A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; The rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley.

Malachi 3:1
Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; And suddenly there will come to the temple the LORD whom you seek, And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, say the LORD of hosts.

Exodus 23:20-22
"See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared. Be attentive to him and heed his voice. Do not rebel against him, for he will not forgive your sin. My authority resides in him. If you heed his voice and carry out all I tell you, I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes.