When people first pick up a Bible, they think they are getting one book that they can read from cover to cover, in order, and understand everything. What they don't realize is that there are 73 books and many different "genres" within the Bible. There is Law, Historical Narrative, Allegory, Apocalyptic and Wisdom literature. While it might be wrong to pick a favorite genre, if I had to it would definitely be the Wisdom books, which are comprised of Proverbs, Wisdom, Sirach, and Ecclesiastes. There is just something about reading a chapter or even a few verses a day from these four books that puts your day on the right path and helps make you spiritually smarter. Ascension Press realizes the value of these books too, and that's why one of their latest studies focuses on them. It's called Wisdom: God's Vision for Life and features Ascension Press veteran Jeff Cavins paired with Thomas Smith. This DVD series is divided into the following eight sessions:
1. Introduction
2. Wisdom in Decision-Making
3. Wisdom in Finances
4. Wisdom in Relationships
5. Wisdom for Peace of Mind
6. Wisdom in Speech
7. Wisdom in Age
8. Wisdom in Christ
The study is done in Lectio Divina format. You will read, reflect, relate and rest. There will home preparation which you will do individually, a video presentation everyone will watch together, a small group discussion, and lastly a review of everyone's responses. In addition to focusing on the four Old Testament Wisdom books mentioned above, there are also selections from Psalms, Tobit, Philippians, 1 Timothy, Titus, and Ephesians to name a few. What I like best about this program is the practical approach it takes to wisdom literature. It would be very easy to make a series that examines one book of the Bible and go through it verse-by-verse. Instead, the creators looked for common themes found in all the books and focused on different areas where people need the most help, i.e., finances, relationships, speech, etc. So why should you or your parish invest in this program? Wisdom 7 says the following:
In Wisdom is a spirit
intelligent, holy, unique,
Manifold, subtle, agile,
clear, unstained, certain,
Not baneful, loving the good, keen,
unhampered, beneficent, kindly,
Firm, secure, tranquil,
all-powerful, all-seeing,
And pervading all spirits,
though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle.
For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion,
and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity.
For she is an aura of the might of God
and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty;
therefore nought that is sullied enters into her.
For she is the refulgence of eternal light,
the spotless mirror of the power of God,
the image of his goodness.
And she, who is one, can do all things,
and renews everything while herself perduring;
And passing into holy souls from age to age,
she produces friends of God and prophets.
For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom.
For she is fairer than the sun
and surpasses every constellation of the stars.
Compared to light, she takes precedence;
for that, indeed, night supplants,
but wickedness prevails not over Wisdom.
The Holy Spirit is the latest in a series of Bible study books from Fr. Mitch Pacwa with other topics being St. Paul, Mary, and the Eucharist. The book is divided into seven sessions:
1. The Holy Spirit in Creation
2. Authority and Power Come by the Holy Spirit
3. Prophets and the Spirit of God
4. Giver of Wisdom, Guidance, and Truth
5. Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Trinity
6. Empowerment in the New Testament
7. The Spirit and the Spiritual Life
Within each chapter, there are multiple sections of Study, Consider, and Investigate. These sections not only give you Scripture passages to read, but also provide summaries and historical context on what you are reading. You are also encouraged to take notes in the book on certain biblical passages. At the end of each session are discussion questions and advice on how to put what you learned this session into practice. Though all the sessions are important and well written, the session which stood out to me most was the first one on Creation. In addition to focusing on Genesis 1 and John 1, we see references to creation in Psalm, Ezekiel, Judith, and Wisdom. Fr. Pacwa also provided an interesting contrast between the Creation story we know and the Babylonian creation myth. Other interesting points from the different sessions are how the Holy Spirit spoke through the Prophets, his empowering presence in New Testament figures, and the role he currently plays in our lives.
I've said it before, but it bears repeating. The Holy Spirit is the overlooked and often forgotten member of the Holy Trinity. This book will open your eyes to the important role that the Holy Spirit has played throughout salvation history, but the continued role He plays in our everyday lives. As always, Fr. Pacwa does a masterful job of taking a core part of the Catholic faith and explaining it in a way that anyone can understand, without dumbing it down.
This book was provided to me for free by Our Sunday Visitor in exchange for an honest review.
If you had to use one word to describe Pope Francis' papacy thus far, it would be mercy. The man is a living embodiment of this word, and believes in it so much that he declared an Extraordinary Jubilee Year with the focus being on mercy. Since the beginning of his papacy, numerous books and even a Bible Study (Doors of Mercy) have been written on him and the subject. Recently, Saint Benedict Press and Catholic Scripture Study released a Bible Study program called Luke: The Gospel of Mercy, which I don't believe to be a mere coincidence. I would like to tell you a little bit about that study program today. The program begins with a guide on how to use your study guide book, an overview of what a typical group session should look like, and a personal checklist of benefits you will receive from this study.
The program is then divided into eighteen lessons - An Introduction to Luke; Annunciation and Visitation; Birth and Childhood; Baptism and Temptation; Mission of Mercy; Call of the Apostles; The Sinful Woman; Child, Arise!; The Good Samaritan; The Rich Fool; The Cure on the Sabbath; The Prodigal Son; Lazarus and the Rich Man; The Pharisee and the Tax Collector; Zacchaeus; The New Covenant; The Good Thief; and the Road to Emmaus. The lessons are a blend of self and group study, and as you can see, not everything from The Gospel of Luke is covered, just the parts that focus heavily on mercy.
Each session is masterfully laid out and flows in a way that keeps the participants engaged and not just sitting idly, watching someone talk. They begin with an introduction and a prayer to give the participants context and firm grounding. There is then a section of study notes to help understand and reflect on the Scriptural passage. These notes are copious in amount, but are divided nicely to prevent confusion. There are then video prompts and question and answer portions for the video selections. The section closes with practical tips on how to live the Gospel, a glossary of words to know, and a closing prayer.
Overall, I found this program to be a very rich and fulfilling study of Luke, specifically the parables of Jesus. The commentary level was extensive, without being overwhelming. The videos were presented in an engaging manner and invited you deeper into the Gospel. I really liked the videos, which were shot in Rome and Assisi, as those are places I have never been but hope to go some day. What I like best about the program is that it doesn't let you be a passive observer. It invites and challenges you to change your life for the better. I have done Bible Study programs before from Saint Benedict Press and Catholic Scripture Study and they have always been solid in content but needed a little help in presentation. They have stepped up their presentation level with this study (both videos and workbook), without sacrificing content, and have given us a definitive study on the Gospel of Luke.
The Gospel of John is arguably the toughest of the four Gospels to study. The reason for this is because it is so much more different than the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). There is no Nativity, no temptation, no Transfiguration, and no Sermon on the Mount. Instead, we are treated to a Gospel that is a bit higher in theology than the other three. Because of the uniqueness of this Gospel, there have been many books written on it to try and help us understand it. Ascension Press has joined the mix by creating a Bible Study DVD program called Follow Me: Meeting Jesus in the Gospel of John. Follow Me is an eight-session program led by Dr. Edward Sri. The lessons are as follows:
1. "In the Beginning": Jesus at the Center
2. "Come and See": Becoming Disciples
3. At the Well: Our Deepest Thirst
4. "Believe in Me": Trust and Surrender
5. Encountering Mercy
6. The Law of Self-Giving
7. The New Commandment and Life in the Spirit
8. "It is Finished": A Dying and Rising Love
The last session is obviously the most powerful one, as it deals with the Passion, the Crucifixion, and Resurrection. The session begins with the betrayal in the Garden of Gethsemane and ends with Jesus questioning Peter after the Resurrection. In this session, we see Jesus' self-sacrificing love, which was freely given. Despite this being the most powerful session, Session Three was the one that spoke to me the most. In this session, we encounter two people that Jesus not only encountered, but changed forever. Those people are Nicodemus and the Woman at the Well. In this lesson, we learn several important lessons. The first one is that only God can satisfy the longing in our heart, a lesson it took some time for St. Augustine to learn.The second lesson is that God will always seek us out, no matter how far away from Him we have ran, and He will always forgive us too, if we but ask.
Like all of the Study Programs from Ascension Press, Follow Me is high quality. Dr. Edward Sri is a top-notch teacher and brilliant man when it comes to Scripture. The material is inviting enough for the newest Bible student, but profound enough to challenge the experienced student. The entire presentation of materials is of high quality as well, from the professional videos all the way to the full-color leader guide and student workbooks. Here's the kicker though...you can get the whole set of materials for $100! For all that you get, that is a steal of a price. With all these factors, Ascension Press continues to prove that it is the leader for Catholic Study Programs. If you would like to lead a program, consider this one or one of many others. Share this company with your pastor and DRE as well, because they have great programs for adults and children as well.
This program was provided to me for free by Ascension Press in exchange for an honest review.
There are many different Bible study programs out there, and I have read, watched, and used many of them. However, until recently, I have not had the opportunity to try Emmaus Road Publishing's Come and See Bible Study programs. That has been remedied, and I would like to tell you about two of their recent study programs.
The Rise and Fall of Ancient Israel is a DVD and workbook program that covers the Old Testament books of Joshua, Judges, 1st and 2nd Kings, 1st and 2nd Chronicles, Amos, Hosea, and Jeremiah. It is divided into 21 lessons with each lesson covering approximately 10-15 chapters of one of the above mentioned books. The program covers a period of time that is approximately 600 years in length (1208 B.C. to 587 B.C.) The study begins by examining Joshua the man, the significance of his name, and his ultimate task of leading his people into the Promised Land. We then progress to the time of the Judges with specific emphasis given to Gideon and Samson. The books of Chronicles begin to focus on the King Saul, King David, and King Solomon and the building of Jerusalem. We then enter a time of the prophets, like Elijah, Elisha, Amos, and Hosea. The study then ends with chapters devoted to the lesser known kings and Jeremiah's message during the fall of Israel.
The Gospel of Luke is another DVD and workbook Bible Study program. However, unlike others that tend to focus on multiple books of the Bible, this one focuses solely on Luke. It is divided into 21 lessons, which is nearly as many chapters as there are in Luke's Gospel. With this many lessons, you get a deeper and richer study, which is necessary, because Luke has some pretty long chapters. Subjects covered include the Annunciations (John the Baptist and Jesus); the Nativity; Jesus' ministry, parables, and miracles; and His Passion and Resurrection. This study highlights key aspects of Luke that make his Gospel different from the other three. For starters, his formal education, meant he used method like research and firsthand accounts. He also emphasized prayer, the importance of women, and the poor.
I cannot speak for the DVDs as I only studied the books, but these study programs are solid in message and delivery. In addition to using the Scripture you are studying, these programs pull from the Catechism, Church Fathers, and other related Scripture passages to provide you with a fully orthodox and fully comprehensive lesson. As someone who has led Bible studies in the past, one of the worst things is coming up with questions to spur conversation. The Come and See Bible Study programs provide you ample questions as well as other study tools, like outlining what you read, prayers, and helpful tables and charts. Working through these workbooks, I gained wisdom on Scripture passages that I have read multiple times, but overlooked or just didn't understand. There are many programs in this series and even several designed for kids, so find a subject that interests you and start studying!
These books were provided to me for free by Emmaus Road Publishing in exchange for an honest review. If you found these reviews helpful, please click here and/or here and hit Yes!
A Biblical Walk Through the Mass is one of the shortest study programs offered by Ascension Press, weighing in at five lessons. However, don't let the length of this study fool you. It is also one of their most important and powerful study programs. The program is led by Dr. Edward Sri, who also did the study programs Mary; A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother and the upcoming Follow Me: Meeting Jesus in the Gospel of John. In the beginning of the Leader's Guide, there is some background information on the course and a method on how to effectively lead people through this study. The lessons are then as follows:
Week 1 - Introduction
Week 2 - The Introductory Rites
Week 3 - The Liturgy of the Word
Week 4 - The Liturgy of the Eucharist: Preparation of the Gifts and Eucharistic Prayer
Week 5 - The Liturgy of the Eucharist: Communion Rite; The Concluding Rites
The Introduction begins with the question, "Do you ever wish you could 'get more' out of Mass?" I'm not sure if everyone has wondered this before, but I sadly have. We then are provided with what the Mass is, why it is so important, and an overview/outline of the Mass. The rest of the lessons walk us through the different parts of the Mass, including the Sign of the Cross, Opening Greeting, Act of Penance, the Kyrie, the Gloria, The Collect, the Readings, the Homily, and all the parts of the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Apart from just explaining to us each part on a basic level, Dr. Sri dives deep into the Bible to show us exactly where to find each part of the Mass. There is an optional lesson, which takes place after the above mentioned five where the group goes to Mass together and then meets for a meal afterwards to discuss how their view of the Mass has changed after this program. I highly recommend getting your group to do this, because it ties a nice bow on the package.
I have read a lot of books by Dr. Sri and also taken another study of his. He is an excellent teacher, who makes difficult concepts accessible and makes you want to learn more about your faith. You walk away from a lesson not realizing how quickly the time passed and wishing that the lesson was not over. If you have never attended or even led a study program, I highly recommend this one for both the length and affordability of it. At $79, it's a steal, and with only five lessons you could cover this in just over a month. The length is just enough to get people used to the idea of a study program without feeling like they have to commit a quarter of the year to one. It also lets you see if you want to attend more studies, and if you do, Ascension Press has a lot of great ones. I highly recommend it. If you'd like to see a little sample, check out the video below.
This program was provided to me for free by Ascension Press in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!
If you have ever tried to read the Bible in a year, you know what a daunting task it can be. There are many different methods people recommend for doing so. Some say to just read ten minutes a day, and it will be super easy. Others tell you to read one Old Testament chapter, one New Testament chapter, and one book from Psalms. And still others say to read four or five chapters a day. No matter what route you go, as soon as you hit the books of Leviticus and Numbers, it's like hitting a brick wall. All those laws and all those numbers can really wear you down. Even now that I know their significance, they still cause dread in me when I approach them. Therefore, when I learned that Origen wrote a series of homilies on Numbers, I knew I had to give it a read.
Published by InterVarsity Press, Homilies on Numbers is part of the Ancient Christian Texts series. It contains 28 homilies by Origen, a man I believe has gotten a bum rap, and is widely regarded as one of the most influential and prolific writers before the Council of Nicaea. The book begins with an introduction by the translator, which gives a brief biography of Origen; speaks of Origen's exegetical method and surviving works; and tells us about Rufinus of Aquileia, the man responsible for translating Origen from Greek to Latin. The actual text then begins with an introduction by Rufinus and then dives into commentaries starting of course with Numbers 1.
The first few chapters of Numbers talk about the census that is taking place. In this book, we learn that only certain people are to be counted. Women aren't counted. Slaves aren't counted. The Levites aren't counted. The role of the Levites and their priestly office is then discussed at length. Some of the most interesting sections of Numbers to me dealt with the Israelites' time in the desert, Aaron and Miriam's jealousy of Moses, and the scouting of the Promised Land. Unfortunately in these homilies, Numbers 5 through 10 are missing. However, the most interesting story in Numbers and one of the most interesting in the whole Bible has to do with Balaam and his talking donkey. I believe Origen would agree wholeheartedly with this assessment as he devoted numerous pages and homilies to this very subject.
Overall, I found this book to be very edifying. It isn't really a book that you use for a Bible reading plan as I spoke of above. Instead, I recommend taking some time, reading a chapter of Numbers and then seeing what Origen said about that particular chapter. Remember,this is a book of homilies, not a verse by verse commentary. You will be provided with a broad, but enlightening view of what the chapter or passage means, but it won't be dissected word-by-word or even verse-by verse. So if you are looking for a better understanding of one of the toughest books to read in the Bible, don't look to modern authors, but turn instead to antiquity and see what one of the greatest minds of the Church had to say on the subject.
This book was provided to me for free by InterVarsity Press in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!
Another year is winding down and in addition to making secular resolutions like getting in better shape, etc. I always think it's a good time to make spiritual resolutions too. My spiritual resolutions are to try and pray more/better, read more slowly (something I struggle with), and/or dive more deeply into Scripture. There are many great books, commentaries, and Bibles that help you to study Scripture better, but sometimes books are no substitute for a DVD study program. Catholic Scripture Study International has a great number of choices, and today I am going to tell you about one of their latest - The Book of Isaiah.
The Book of Isaiah is the second-longest book in the Bible in terms of chapters at a robust 66. It is second only to Psalms, which is 150 (or 151 if you're Orthodox). I have always heard the theory that Isaiah had multiple authors, but I thought it was only three. The introduction to this study suggests that there were six authors in five different time periods. Three of the authors are referred to as Proto-Isaiah, Deutero-Isaiah, and Trito-Isaiah. The other sections of Isaiah are classified as Historical Narratives and Apocalypse. The study gives a few theories on the multiple authors, but one book. The two plausible ones are 1. the ancient custom of attaching your work to a more recognized work to lend credibility to your writing and 2. a school of thought with Isaiah as the master teacher and his students/"children" adding to his work.
The study then dives into the book of Isaiah spanning 26 lessons. The lessons are arranged by author, which for the most part leaves them in chapter order. The exceptions to this are Lesson 19: Apocalypse 24-25, Lesson 20: Isaiah Apocalypse 26-27, and Lesson 21 Isaiah 34-35. Each lesson contains an introductory section, verse-by-verse commentary, study questions, and reflections for group discussion. In the leader's guide, there is a section at the end for suggested responses to the study questions. Also included in the lessons are Catechism references to enhance the material and a section called "Rome to Home," which contains an extensive quote from a pope (past or present).
If one were to do a lesson a week with their small group, this series would take six months to complete. I know that is intimidating, but the time actually flew by for me. Working my way through this study, I learned just how important the book of Isaiah is both in understanding the Bible and in the liturgical cycle of the Church. We see so many references to the coming Messiah's birth and also his death. I admit, I skipped ahead a couple of times, just because I couldn't wait to get to specific sections. I particularly was interested in Isaiah 53, which is commonly known as the Suffering Servant. The lesson did not disappoint! If you are looking for an in-depth guide to an intimidating book of Scripture, I highly recommend this study for your small group.
This Bible Study was provided to me for free by TAN Books in exchange for an honest review. Be sure to check out their other studies, including Doors of Mercy, which will help you through your Jubilee Year!
When we think of Epistles in the New Testament, we tend to focus on the major ones credited to St. Paul - Romans, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians, etc. What tends to get overlooked is the seven right before Revelation - James; 1 and 2 Peter; 1, 2, and 3 John; and Jude. None of these books contain more than five chapters, and because of their length, Fr. William A. Anderson was able to group them all together in one book called Universal Letters.
The book begins like all books in the Liguori Catholic Bible Study series in that it includes an introduction to the series, a brief explanation on what Lectio Divina is, and a how-to guide for using these books. The book itself is then divided into six lessons, which contain parts for group and individual study. The first two lessons cover the Epistle of James. The middle two lessons cover the Epistles of Peter, and the final two lessons cover the Epistles of John and Jude. Each lesson breaks up the Bible chapters/books by days, so you don't overwhelm yourself one day trying to do it all at once. At the end of every lesson are Lectio Divina guides and questions for review to also aid in your study.
I particularly enjoyed the two lessons on the Epistle of James, as it is one of the most practical books in the Bible that every Christian should read. In these two lessons, we learn about such topics as faith and works, keeping our tongue in check, and helping out those less fortunate than us. At less than 130 pages, this book is a good study for the individual or small group to explore and learn about a neglected section of the New Testament. After studying through this book, I would encourage the reader/student to continue with their studies and move on to The Book of Revelation, which is also in this same series and by the same author.
This book was provided to me for free by Liguori Publications in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!
The Year of Mercy will begin before we know it. It begins on December 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, for those who didn't know. Announcing a special theme for a year is nothing remarkable, as we have had The Year of the Family, The Year of Saint Paul, and The Year of Faith to name only a few in the past decade. So what makes this year so special? In a nutshell, it's an Extraordinary Jubilee Year! The last one was promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1983. That was over 32 years ago, so this is truly an exciting time in the Church! If you want to prepare yourself for this Year of Mercy, then I have several book recommendations for you.
The Face of Mercy is the Bull of Indiction (formal proclamation in layman's terms), which Pope Francis issued about The Jubilee Year of Mercy. Pauline Books and Media is the only publisher I know of to print this document, and it is a brief 32-page one at that. In it, he begins by explaining that Jesus is the face of God's mercy. He then goes on to explain what mercy is and why our salvation depends on it. He also tells us that there are times we must focus on mercy more, and that is the reason for his proclaiming this upcoming year The Year of Mercy. The rest of the document explains procedure of when the year starts and opening the doors; Scriptural passages related to mercy to enlighten us on how to be merciful like Christ and God the Father; the importance of a pilgrimage during a Holy Year; and under what circumstances indulgences will be granted.
1. Human Mercy
2. Withholding and Granting Mercy
3. An Overview of God's Mercy
4. Mercy and Covenant Love
5. Lord, Have Mercy
6. Mercy as a Saving Act
The book's focus is on Israel's experience of mercy and closes with Jesus and His sacrifice as the ultimate example of mercy. Each chapter is full of Scripture to read, sections to make notes on specific Scripture verses, discussion questions, and practical ways to apply what you learned in the chapter. "Withholding and Granting Mercy" was the most interesting and enlightening chapter to me. In this chapter, we are presented with examples of God withholding mercy (primarily against nations who opposed the Israelites) and God granting mercy. One of the discussion questions dealt with the phrasing of God hardening a particular leader's heart and what we think it means. It is definitely a troubling phrase, but I have recently come to see it as human authors trying to explain a Divine Being, which is like trying to gather the ocean into a thimble. God is not responsible for making these leaders have hardened hearts. Instead, it is the leaders willfully rejecting God on their own and to their own demise.
Like the many Bible Studies from Our Sunday Visitor that Fr. Mitch Pacwa has penned before, he has once again delivered a solid Bible Study for the reader to use individually or in a small group setting. By working us through a historical view of mercy, he leads us to the importance of us extending God's mercy to everyone around us. I recommend picking up a copy and studying it either before or during The Year of Mercy!
Do you want to study the Bible, but don't know where to start? Or perhaps the idea of embarking on a journey is daunting because you think it will take you years and you don't know if you have the time to commit to it? Never fear! Ascension Press has thought of you and has a study designed just for you. It is called Unlocking the Mystery of the Bible, and it is a completely revised and updated version of their previous program A Quick Journey Through the Bible! Jeff Cavins is still leading this study, thankfully, as he is a wonderful speaker, and the Starter Pack comes with the DVDs, Leader's Guide, Student Workbook, a Bible Timeline Chart, and a Bookmark. The eight lessons in the program are as follows:
1. Introduction
2. Early World
3. Patriarchs
4. Egypt and Exodus, Desert Wanderings
5. Conquest and Judges, Royal Kingdom
6. Divided Kingdom, Exile, Return
7. Maccabean Revolt, Messianic Fulfillment - Part 1
8. Messianic Fulfillment - Part 1, The Church, Continuing the Journey
The Introduction begins by telling us what we will learn in this study, and introduces us to the color code, which is essential to all the study programs in "The Bible Timeline." There are twelve colors in all, and I know without the helpful bookmark, I would not remember half of them. For example, Egypt and Exodus is the color red, which corresponds with the Red Sea. Desert Wanderings is tan, because that's what color the desert is. The color code is a great tool and one that makes sense with the associations. It's just that my memory isn't as sharp as it used to be. It also introduces us to the fourteen books of the Bible that will be studied in this series. Fourteen books might sound like a lot, but when you consider that there are 73 books in total, you are only getting a concise narrative of the Bible.
The DVD sessions are approximately 30 minutes each and each session is brilliantly outlined in the workbook. Additionally, there are discussion questions for small groups to answer. Thankfully, the Leader's Guide provides suggested answers, because Bible Study leaders (rookies and pros) sometimes need all the help they can get. What I really like about the workbook are the maps, graphs, and charts. Visual aids always help materials stick and seeing maps of Israels progression from north to south and back north really made some things make sense that hadn't before. This study does a wonderful job of explaining how the Old and New Testaments relate as well as the different covenants through salvation history. I particularly enjoyed the session on Egypt and Exodus, but I'm just a fan of that section in the Bible, so what's not to love? At the end of the workbook is a 90 day reading plan for the fourteen narrative books that this study was based on, so I highly recommend you commit to that reading guide either while you're doing the study or afterward.
So why should you get Unlocking the Mystery of the Bible? For starters, it is affordable at only $99.95 for the entire starter pack. Secondly, it is brief at only eight 30 minute lessons. These two aspects make it the perfect program for someone at a beginner's level of Biblical knowledge looking to advance to intermediate level. There's also a great promotion currently going on at Ascension Press, At the parish-level, you can run this study program for free. Yes, you read that right...FREE! Go to this link, and follow the instructions. Participants in the program will have to buy their own workbook, but this is a great way to introduce your parish to the Bible and help them progress from spiritual milk to spiritual meat! Imagine if every parish took advantage of this, we could set the world on fire with the Gospel. Then, after you complete this study, I encourage you to study another and another! If you are looking to go deeper in your Bible study, then I recommend The Bible Timeline for a more in-depth look at what you just studied. But if you are interested in a different topic of similar length to Unlocking the Mystery of the Bible then A Biblical Walk Through the Mass or Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother are also great choices!
This study was provided to me for free by Ascension Press in exchange for an honest review.
If you're looking for a solid Catholic study program, you used to have to either use a book in the small group format or find someone with the right mixture of qualifications, free time, and willingness to lead the program. Thankfully, we are living in a golden age of Catholic media. Great companies like Word on Fire, Catholic Scripture Study International, and my personal favorite Ascension Press are bringing great teachers/scholars like Dr. Edward Sri, Tim Gray, Fr. Robert Barron, Fr. Mitch Pacwa, etc. into our living rooms or parishes via modern technology. Today, I am reviewing one of the latest programs from Ascension Press called The Prophets: Messengers of God's Mercy.
The Prophets is led by Thomas Smith, who helped co-author another Ascension Press series called Revelation: The Kingdom Yet to Come. Smith is a convert, serves on the Curriculum Advisory Body for FOCUS, and co-founded the Philippine Catholic Biblical Mission Foundation. His presentation style can be described as knowledgeable with some lighthearted humor sprinkled in. What I really appreciate is that he starts and ends each talk with a prayer. It's something so simple, but so crucial when studying Scripture. There are ten sessions total, and they are as follows:
1. Introduction to The Prophets
2. Hosea: Living God's Love Story
3. Jonah: God's Reluctant Messenger
4. Isaiah Part 1: Prophet of Woe
5. Isaiah Part 2: Prophet of Consolation
6. Jeremiah: The Broken-Hearted Prophet
7. Ezekiel: God's Watchman on the Wall
8. Daniel: Faithful to the End
9. Haggai and Malachi: Messengers of Hope
10. New Testament and Modern Prophets: Messengers of the New Covenant
As you can see from the topics above, Mr. Smith focuses on prophets who left a written record, so that rules out prophets like Elijah and Elisha. You will also notice that he takes the time to cover all the Major Prophets - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. There are two sessions dedicated to Isaiah, and he could have easily done a ten session series on Isaiah alone. But what will you specifically learn from this series? You will learn:
1. What a prophet is
2. Who they were individually
3. Where they were coming from and where were they speaking to
4. When did they speak
5. Who did they speak to
6. What did they say when they spoke
7. How did they say it as prophets
With so many great lessons, I had a hard time picking one that I enjoyed the most. The one on Daniel was very interesting. I grew up Southern Baptist, and for them the Book of Daniel is all about the end times, so it was interesting to hear the Catholic explanation. However, the one on Hosea was very interesting. I have read all the way through the Bible before, and I know I read this book. However, I couldn't tell you a thing about it. Thomas Smith laid it out in beautiful detail, explained the significance of Hosea's wife, the names of their sons, and explained how Hosea's life, his wife, and his sons mirrored Israel at the time. Mind blown!
There are a couple big takeaways from this series. First, as said at the beginning of this series, "A great prophet is one who afflicts the comfortable and comforts the afflicted." This is true not only for prophets, but priests and parents as well. Second, prophets always point us toward Jesus. That was true in the days of the Old Testament. It was true of John the Baptist. And it is especially true in the present day where we still have prophets, like Pope Paul VI. If you are looking for a great Bible study for your parish or small group, I highly recommend this one!
This study was provided to me for free by Ascension Press in exchange for an honest review. Check out this preview of it below!
Every year; sometimes twice a year Our Sunday Visitor publishes a Bible study book by Fr. Mitch Pacwa. Today, I will be reviewing two of those books. They are entitled Mary: Virgin, Queen, and Mother and Growing in Faith. I won't hem around since this is a two review day, and we'll just get straight to the reviews.
Mary: Virgin, Queen, and Mother is one of Fr. Pacwa's thicker Bible study books, sitting at 160 pages. Most of his other studies are approximately 100 pages. Topics touched on in this book include early events in the Gospels like The Annunciation and The Visitation; and later events like Mary during Christ's public ministry and after His public ministry. I realize this is a Bible study, and Fr. Pacwa is sticking to the Canon of Scripture, but I wish he would have touched on Tradition a bit more and talked about Mary's early life.
The most interesting chapter or session to me was Session One: Old Testament Background. Fr. Pacwa limits his Old Testament prophecies to those that tie Mary and Jesus together, i.e., Mary as the New Eve, Mary as the Burning Bush, and Mary as the Ark of Covenant. As someone who has read a lot on Mary before, this Old Testament allusions to Mary are not new to me. However, if you don't know a lot of Old Testament, this is a great chapter that will teach you a lot.
No surprise, but this was an excellent study by Fr. Pacwa. Whether you are looking for an individual study book or one that you can do in a small group setting, this book will not disappoint. It is at a basic enough level that anyone can understand it, and the tools you need for this study (the book and a Bible) are minimal so there is no high start up cost to lead a study if you wanted to. If you are looking for a good starting point to understanding Mary this serves as a good beginner. You could even loan it to a Protestant friend or family member, so they might finally understand Mary better. Five stars.
When I first received, Growing in Faith, I noted that it looked a lot like The Year of Faith. The cover color was different, but it had the same images otherwise. Therefore, I thought this was a sequel or follow-up Bible Study. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Growing in Faith is almost identical to The Year of Faith. The biggest difference is that anywhere Pope Benedict XVI's words were, Pope Francis' words now have replaced them. Where Porta Fidei excerpts once were, we now see excerpts from Evangelii Gaudium. I won't be overly reviewing this book as I already have here, but I will say that it is a good study. If you are a Pope Benedict fan, get The Year of Faith. If a fan of Pope Francis, then get Growing in Faith. I would have preferred this more if it was a follow-up, and not just a revision, but since it is a revision, I think it would have been better served to include both Pope Benedict's and Pope Francis' words in the revision. For that reason, I am giving this 4 out of 5 stars.
These books were provided to me for free by Our Sunday Visitor in exchange for an honest review. If you found these reviews helpful, click here and/or here and hit Yes!
Bringing the Gospel of Matthew to Life is the third commentary in the Opening the Scriptures series. George Martin's other two in this series include one on Mark and another on Luke. Alas, I do not believe there is a volume on John's Gospel. The book is laid out in a format where it gives a Scripture passage first to read. Then, it breaks up the passage into individual verses with a commentary for each verse. In addition to commentary, there are hundreds of questions for personal or group reflection, which are designed to make you think and grow in your understanding of Scripture. The sections that provide background information on the world Jesus lived in or the audience to which Matthew wrote his Gospel are invaluable if you are looking to dive deeper into the Gospel.
It would be impossible for me to touch on every passage in this book, so I am going to focus on the first chapter of Matthew, which details the genealogy of Jesus. A lot of commentators will make mention of a couple of big names in this genealogy, i.e., Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but gloss over the genealogy as a whole. Mr. Martin, however, walks us through person by person, pointing out significant figures and also anomalies in the genealogy. The main anomalies are the women, Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth. The first two women were not women of great moral fiber, yet they are part of Jesus' genealogy, and it shows us that God can bring about salvation through imperfect people.
The depth Mr. Martin dives in these books is astounding. I led a Bible Study on Luke last year, and, used his volume on Luke as my primary source. It was an immense help, and made me feel wiser and able to answer questions with certainty. The beauty of there being three volumes in this series is that each one corresponds with a specific Year in the Church (A = Matthew, B = Mark, C = Luke). Since next year is Year B, I would recommend purchasing the volume on Mark first. However, whichever one you choose to purchase first, you will not be disappointed and will want to own all three eventually. Five Stars!
This book was provided to me for free by Our Sunday Visitor in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!
As a former Protestant, a Southern Baptist to be exact, Mary one was of my biggest hurdles coming into the Catholic Church. Looking back on it, I feel really stupid having such a hard time accepting her. It's not like she was any less in my Protestant New Testament than in the Catholic New Testament. In fact, the Protestant New Testament has the same number of books as the Catholic New Testament. It is their Old Testament that is lacking sadly, but I digress. Despite my acceptance of Mary as my mother, I unfortunately am not as close to her as I would like to be. The knowledge is there. The prayers are there. But through no fault of hers, the emotional connection and reliance is still lacking. That's why I was very pleased to receive the opportunity to review the latest Ascension Press study program called Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother.
Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother is a 4 disc/8 lesson program led by Dr. Edward Sri. The Catholic Church has a lot of great theologians at the moment. Pope Benedict XVI is par excellence in my mind, but other great ones include Dr. Scott Hahn, Dr. Peter Kreeft, and Dr. Edward Sri. I've only discovered Dr. Sri in the past few years, but he is very approachable in the way he teaches, and I quickly learned that if you want to learn about Mary, he's one of the top sources to go to. This study is based on his 2013 book Walking with Mary. The contents of the 8 lessons are as follows:
Introduction
The Annunciation
The Visitation
The Nativity
The Presentation and The Finding in the Temple
The Wedding at Cana
Mary at the Cross
Mary Crowned with Glory
Each lesson is approximately 30 minutes long and is filmed on site with the exception of her being crowned in glory in Heaven. If that was in this study program, it'd carry a much higher price tag. :) What you do get to see are the place Mary lived before Joseph, the cave where Jesus was born, the place where Jesus was crucified. These aren't grainy videos or videos shot far away behind a chain-link fence. They are high quality, up-close access videos that if you haven't been to the Holy Land (like myself) will take your breath away. They remind me a lot of the Catholicism series in terms of visual beauty, which is the recent gold standard in Catholic DVD study programs. I would argue the material is better, but perhaps I'm biased. The presentation quality also shows how much effort we have made in keeping up with the latest in technology, even in the last 5-10 years, to help with the New Evangelization and spreading the Faith to all corners of the world. You can see the official trailer below.
The material in the DVDs and the Study Binder is top-notch. When you have a brilliant mind, like Dr. Sri, presenting on a topic they are an expert on, you run the risk as a presenter to only reach 1%. By this I mean, you run the risk of alienating 99% of your audience and only the top 1% grasp what you are saying. I had this problem in college with a professor or two. Fortunately, Dr. Sri is not that type of teacher. He is engaging and approachable. He takes you on a journey and shows that he not only has a brilliant mind when it comes to Mary, but a deep devotion to her as well. The binder is very well-organized. The questions in it lends themselves to discussion easily, and it is a perfect complement to the DVD series.
I was highly impressed with this series, and cannot recommend it to you enough. It definitely made me feel closer to the Blessed Mother after completing it, and I hope to continue to grow closer to her still. It also had a grand scale pilgrimage feel to it. Many of us either can't afford to go on one or don't have the time. This was not an exact substitute for one, but it was the next best thing. Looking back at all the topics, it was like walking through the Rosary in some ways, so I have also developed a new appreciation for the Rosary as well. On a scale of 1-10, I give this series an 11, and advise all Bible Study leaders, Pastors, and Directors or Religious Education to purchase this.
This program was provided to me for free by Ascension Press in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!
Luke Chapter 2
2:1-14 – The Nativity of Jesus
2:15-20 – The Visit of the Shepherds
2:21 – The Circumcision of Jesus
2:22-38 – The Presentation in the Temple
2:39-40 – The Return to Nazareth
2:41-52 – The Finding in the Temple
Instructions
Answer as many questions as you can. Write down other questions you might have, or interesting things you learned and read that are not covered in the questions.
Questions for Interpretation
1. Verse 4 – What does the name Bethlehem mean? Where else do we find Bethlehem mentioned in the Bible?
Bethlehem means "House of Bread." Jesus is the Bread of Life.
We see Bethlehem elsewhere in the Bible in the following places:
When Jacob buried Rachel (Genesis 48:7)
Most of the Book of Ruth
It is the home of Jesse, David's father, and where David was anointed by Samuel.
2. Verse 7 – What are the swaddling clothes a prefigurement for? What is significant about laying Jesus in a manger?
The swaddling clothes are a prefigurement for the burial cloths of Jesus in the tomb.
A manger is a feeding trough for animals. Jesus one day will become food for us all in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
Interesting note: Nativity sets get it all wrong when they put Jesus in a stable. Jesus was in fact born in a cave, which would have been an extension of the inn or lodging house. There is now a church built over this very spot!
3. Verses 8-14 – Why does St. Luke make note about it being nighttime when Jesus was born? See John 1:1-5.
Jesus was born at nighttime when most people were asleep. This darkness, however, is not just physical but spiritual. The world is in a state of sin, and it needs The Light to come and illuminate it. Jesus is The Light. Unfortunately, as pointed out in John's Gospel, many will not recognize The Light, and even sadder, more will reject The Light and choose the darkness of their sins.
4. Verse 8 – Why do you think God chose to reveal the birth of Jesus to shepherds first? Can you think of other Biblical shepherds?
This is just my opinion, but I think Jesus chose them because He is the Good Shepherd. Also, shepherds were lowly. They worked out in the fields, smelled badly, and not many people cared about them. Jesus chooses to reveal Himself not to the high and mighty of His time, but the lowly.
Other important Biblical shepherds include Abel, Jacob, Moses, and David!
5. Verses 21-24 – Read Leviticus 12:1-8. What does their sacrifice say of their financial situation?
According to Jewish law, in order for a woman to be made clean after birthing a child, she must offer a lamb as sacrifice, unless she could not afford one. If she could not afford a lamb, then two turtledoves or two pigeons were given as the sacrifice. Since Mary and Joseph did not sacrifice a lamb, it shows that they were of the poorer part of society. Jesus could have been born to a wealthy family and come into this world in glory. Instead, He humbled Himself and came to a poor family.
Interesting note: According to Numbers 18:16, the firstborn son belongs to God unless his parents pay a ransom price of five shekels. There is no mention of Joseph and Mary paying a ransom for Jesus, so St. Luke either omitted this detail, or Jesus always belonged to God, and this is foreshadowing of His eventual death.
6. Verse 34 – What does Simeon's prophecy of the "fall and rise of many in Israel" mean?
Notice that the fall comes before the rise. Many Jewish people will reject the New Covenant of Jesus, ultimately losing their chance at salvation. However, those who ultimately followed Jesus and accepted his gift of salvation will rise.
7. Verse 35 – What does "and you yourself a sword will pierce" mean?
The path of salvation is not an easy path. There will be times of suffering, but how we view and use this suffering can make it redemptive. No one understood this better than Mary, as she had to watch her only Son die on the Cross..
8. Verse 46a – What is significant about the amount of time it took before they found Jesus in the Temple?
The three days foreshadow the time between Jesus' death and Resurrection. Just as His Blessed Mother was worried and distraught over losing Him as a child, she will be even more distraught losing Him to death.
9. Verse 46b – What is significant about Jesus being "in the midst of the teachers?"
Jesus is not off to the side of the elders casually listening. He is in the middle of the great teachers; actively listening, fully participating, and teaching.
Questions for Reflection
1. Verse 11 – What do I have in mind when I acknowledge Jesus as Lord?
2. Verses 13-14 – How have I experienced God’s favor and peace?
3. Verses 15-16 – How quickly have I responded to God’s invitations and instructions?
4. Verses 17-19 – How often do I meditate on Scripture? On what God is doing for and through me?
5. Verses 21-23 – What is my idea of holiness? How am I striving to be holy?
6. Verse 24 – What example do Joseph and Mary set for me?
7. Verses 28-29 – What is the chief service God has assigned me?
8. Verse 30 – Where am I most in need of Jesus’ rescue?
9. Verses 31-33 – How have I grown in my understanding of Jesus? What about Him most amazes me?
10. Verses 49-51 – What about Jesus is most a mystery for me?
11. Verse 51a – Have I ever adjusted my behavior when I realized the grief I was causing others? What changes did I make?
12. Verse 51b – What do I imagine Mary’s thoughts and ponderings to be at this point in Jesus’ life?
The reflection questions were taken from Bringing the Gospel of Luke to Life by George Martin and used with permission from Our Sunday Visitor. For commentary and more reflection questions, purchase the book. It's great!
Luke Chapter 1
1:1-4 – Prologue
1:5-25 – The Annunciation of John
1:26-38 – The Annunciation of Jesus
1:39-45 – The Visitation
1:46-56 – The Canticle of Mary
1:57-66 – The Nativity of John
1:67-80 – The Canticle of Zechariah
Instructions
Answer as many questions as you can. Write down other questions you might have, or interesting things you learned and read that are not covered in the questions.
Questions for Interpretation
1. Verse 5 – What does the name Zechariah mean? What does the name Elizabeth mean? What is significant about them being from the tribe of Aaron?
Zechariah means Yahweh remembers. Elizabeth means my God is an oath. God has not forgotten his righteous servants. It is significant that they are from the tribe of Aaron because they are of the priestly tribe. Since Mary is their kinswoman, she too is from this priestly tribe.
2. Verses 6-7 – What other important women in the Bible were barren? Barrenness was regarded as punishment for sin according to Jewish people. Why did God allow righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth to be barren?
Sarah – Abraham's wife, Rebekah – Isaac's wife, Rachel – Jacob's wife, Manoah's wife – Mother of Samson, Ruth – Boaz's wife, Hannah – Elkanah's wife, and the Mother of Samuel
Interesting note: Being chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord was something that could only happen to you once in your life, if ever. Therefore, it was not mere chance or coincidence that Zechariah was chosen, but Divine Providence.
3. Verses 8-11 – Compare these verses with Revelation 8:3-4.
Zechariah was offering the prayers of the people of God at the altar of incense. Is Gabriel the angel in Revelation who takes up the prayers of the people to the altar in Heaven?
Interesting note: It must be terrifying to see an angel, because the first thing they always tell the people is to not be afraid.
4. Verses 13-15a – What does the name John mean? What is significant about John not drinking wine or strong drink? What other Old Testament figures took this vow?
John means Yahweh is merciful or gracious. God finally granted his two parents a child. He was consecrated from the womb, like Nazirites Samson and Samuel, mentioned above.
5. Verses 15b-17 – Compare these verses to Malachi 3:1a and 3:23-24.
In Malachi, we see mention of a messenger coming before Jesus to prepare the way for Jesus. John the Baptist, will be a great prophet like Elijah, and will be the last prophet in fact.
Interesting note: John the Baptist and Elijah even dressed alike wearing a hairy garment and leather belt. See 2 Kings 1:7-8 and Matthew 3:4. They both had the same mission to of trying to get the people to repent and turn to God.
6. Verses 18-20 – Besides the answer to his prayers, what gift did Gabriel offer to Zechariah, which he was oblivious to? Why did Gabriel make Zechariah mute?
Gabriel told Zechariah his name and that he was sent to share the Good News of the coming Messiah. But Zechariah wanted a better sign than an angel coming down and talking to him, so he was made mute for his disbelief.
Interesting note: The people were amazed at how long he stayed in the sanctuary, because they thought he had offended God, and God struck him dead. Also, we have to assume that Gabriel visited Elizabeth as well and told her of God's plans. Otherwise, it would have been an interesting note Zechariah wrote to Elizabeth telling her why he can't talk and that they are to have a son.
7. Verse 26 – What is the six month referring to?
The sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy.
8. Verse 27 – What is significant about Joseph being from the house of David?
It means that Jesus is born into a kingly line.
9. Verses 26-38 – How is Mary’s questioning of Gabriel different than Zechariah’s? Compare and contrast the two annunciations. (Luke 1:11-20 and Luke 1:26-38)
9Mary’s questioning is more innocent and wonder than doubt and skepticism. Comparison of two annunciations
• Gabriel appears
• Parent shows worry and concern at sight of angel
• Angel’s command to not be afraid
• Message of a future birth of a son
• Name of Child
• Child’s purpose/mission
o John – Turn children of Israel to God
o Jesus – Establish kingdom of which there will be no end
• Role of the Holy Spirit
o John – Filled with Holy Spirit in mother’s womb
o Jesus – Holy Spirit will come upon Mary and God will overshadow her
10. Verse 41 – How was John able to identify that Mary was filled with the Messiah?
He was filled with the Holy Spirit from his conception.
11. Verses 42-45 – Compare these verses to 2 Samuel 6:9-11, 14-16. What item pre-figures Mary in this passage? Why is this significant?
Ark of the Covenant. The Holy Spirit overshadowed both. David and John the Baptist both leapt in front of the Ark of the Covenant. They both were the dwelling place of God.
Interesting note: The old Ark of the Covenant contained the 10 Commandments (the word of God inscribed in stone), Aaron's rod, and manna. The new Ark of the Covenant contained Jesus who is the Word of God in flesh, the true High Priest, and the Bread of Life. No one knows what happened to the Ark of the Covenant after Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and the First Temple. However, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church claims to possess it. That is why you will find a replica of the original ark in every Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
12. Verses 46-56 – Mary’s gives God praise for three things. What are they? Read 1 Samuel 2:1-10, and see how Hannah’s song is similar to Mary’s.
She gives God praise for what he has done personally for her, for his mercy toward the poor, and for his faithfulness to the people of Israel. Mary's canticle is very similar to Hannah's prayer and shows that she is a good Jewish girl who knows her Scripture.
13. Verse 59 – According to Jewish numerology, the number 8 symbolizes salvation and new beginnings. What does the number 8 mean to Catholics? (See Catechism 2174.)
CCC 2174 states. “Jesus rose from the dead "on the first day of the week." Because it is the "first day," the day of Christ's Resurrection recalls the first creation. Because it is the "eighth day" following the Sabbath, it symbolizes the new creation ushered in by Christ's Resurrection.” Significant 8s in the Bible are 8 people on Noah’s ark when the world was re-born after the Great Flood. David was the 8th son of Jesse. Abijah mentioned earlier was also of the 8th priestly division.
14. Verses 60-64 –Why was Zechariah’s voice restored?
Zechariah's voice was restored, because he listened to Gabriel and God and called his son John.
Interesting note: Why didn't Elizabeth just tell the people that God said to call him John or that Zechariah said to call him such? Why were they amazed that Zechariah also wanted to call his son John?
15. Verses 68-79 – What images stand out to you as significant in Zechariah’s canticle?
Horn of salvation: Horns were considered a sign of power.
Covenant: God has a long line of covenants with the people of Israel, which they have never been faithful in keeping. God is establishing His final covenant with Israel through His Son Jesus, which the people ultimately reject.
Salvation from enemies: Jesus is coming to provide ultimate salvation from Satan, not just worldly enemies like the Romans.
16. Verse 80 – Read Isaiah 40:3. Why do you think John went to go live in the desert until his ministry?
Fulfills the Old Testament prophecy in Isaiah of a voice crying out in the desert to “Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!”
Interesting note: John the Baptist would have also been one of the male children Herod ordered to be killed (the Holy Innocents). According to tradition, Elizabeth and John fled to the desert and a mountain opened revealing a cave to hide them in. Herod’s soldiers came to Zechariah looking for John, but he refused to give up their location, so they killed him at the Temple altar (Luke 11:51). Elizabeth died while John was still a child, and it was said that an angel ministered to him until the time of his ministry.
Questions for Reflection
1. Verses 11-13 – Have I ever had prayer answered after I had given up hope and stopped praying?
2. Verses 14-15 – When did God select me for his service? How have I been equipped to carry out my service?
3. Verse 29 – How have I reacted when I have experienced God’s special favor or call? How did it change the way I think of myself?
4. Verse 35 – What does it mean to me that Jesus is the Son of God?
5. Verses 36-37 – When or how do I place limits on what God can do? Or what God can do for me?
6. Verse 45 – How eager am I to embrace the word of God? How is Mary a model for me?
7. Verses 46-55 – How can Mary’s prayer serve as a model for my prayers?
8. Verses 70-72 – How have I experienced God’s mercy and love?
The reflection questions were taken from Bringing the Gospel of Luke to Life by George Martin and used with permission from Our Sunday Visitor. For commentary and more reflection questions, purchase the book. It's great!
Studies included Greek philosophy, medicine, and art
Became a professional physician
Preached with St. Paul in Rome
After St. Paul's martyrdom, he preached throughout Italy, Dalmatia, Macedonia, and other regions.
He wrote both a Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles.
His patron was probably Theophilus, the governor of Achaia
Some give him credit for contributing to the Epistles to the Hebrews.
Is credited with being the first Christian iconographer. His first icon was of the Mary the Directress. (See below for what a 16th Century icon looks modeled after the original)
In his old age, he visited Libya, Egypt, and then returned to Greece.
He was hanged at age 84 from an olive tree in the town of Thebes.
His relics are divided into three places
His tomb is located next to the tree and it has the rib closest to his heart there.
The tomb still works miracles, with myrrh appearing on tomb on 12/22/97.
His body is in the Abbey of Santa Giustina in Padua
His head is in the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague
His feast day is October 18th.
If you found this interesting, and would like to read more of the notes from my introductory lesson, send me an email by clicking the button below, and I'll be glad to forward you my notes. I won't make you do this for every lesson. It's just that the rest of my lesson involves tables and charts that I couldn't copy over prettily into Blogger.
There are some days where I feel completely lazy - that I accomplish nothing for the entire day. Then there are other days where I wonder if I have bitten off more than I can chew. For example, I have volunteered to lead a Bible study on the Gospel of Luke this year, without a DVD to do most of the work for me. Thankfully, there are great Bibles and books on the market that can help me in my preparation. One of the main books I will be using to help lead my study is called Bringing the Gospel of Luke to Life by George Martin, and it is available at Our Sunday Visitor.
Bringing the Gospel of Luke to Life is a nearly 700 page tome in which George Martin takes the Gospel of Luke and breaks down its meaning, verse-by-verse. Why 700 pages? Well, Luke wasn't exactly short of words either, as he recorded some of the longest chapters in the Bible. In this book, Mr. Martin uses the NAB translation of Luke and places it in his book prior to the commentary.
In addition to providing commentary in his book, Mr. Martin includes several other useful resources in this book. He provides references to complementary Scripture passages. This is especially helpful when comparing passages across Gospels and seeing how they differ. It is also helpful if you want to flip to the Old Testament passage to which Luke refers. The provided reflection questions are also very useful when studying Luke. There are 32 reflections for the first chapter of Luke alone! This is especially helpful for individual or group Bible study. The last resource I mention is also my favorite, the "Background" sections. These sections provide great information for understanding the culture and history during Jesus' day.
Unlike some commentaries, which can get so deep that you feel like you are drowning in theology, this one is very readable. Even though I have not read every page in this book, I can say without a doubt that it is a 5-star book. I plan on using it as one of the main texts to lead my Bible study this year, and feel free to stop by my blog every other Wednesday for notes from my Bible study. If you don't have time to use this as a group study, make a resolution to read Luke this year, and use this book to help you understand it better. At least pick up a copy for when Year C rolls around. After you work your way through this book, you could also pick up its companion book, Bringing the Gospel of Mark to Life.
This book was provided to me for by Our Sunday Visitor in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click the link and hit Yes!
Welcome back to Stuart's Study and my first review of 2014. On January 1st, I issued a challenge to my readers to use this year to grow closer to God. There are many ways to accomplish this this, including reading the Bible, praying the Rosary, and reading Catholic books. I would also suggest joining a local Catholic study group or forming one if there isn't one close to where you live. Today, I will be reviewing a great study from THE source for Catholic studies, Ascension Press. It is called Pillar II: Sacraments from their Pillars series, which is a series of studies on the Catechism.
In Pillar II: Sacraments, Dr. Sean Innerst picks up where he left off from the previous study, Pillar I: The Creed. The focus of this second installation is on the liturgy and the sacraments. We learn that God created the world for worship. That's not to say that we are supposed to ignore the unfortunate or ignore evangelization; these two things have their place. However, our ultimate purpose as Creation is to love and worship God our Creator. After establishing the primacy of worship, Dr. Innerst then focuses on the significance of the number seven in the history of Israel and its status as a covenantal number. This leads us to an introduction of the Mass and Sacraments as covenant fulfilments, which memorialize Christ's saving work.
Sessions Two and Three focus on Liturgy, both the history and the actual celebration of it. Sessions Four through Eleven are where we dive into the Sacraments individually. Lastly, Session Twelve discusses sacramentals and funerals. It's hard to pick one section that was the most useful or interesting, as each section builds off the other and proves to be edifying. However, if forced to pick a session, I would cheat and pick the two sessions on the Eucharist. The outlines of the Liturgy of the Word and Liturgy of the Eucharist were illuminating, and the comparison that shows the Jewish Temple fulfilled in the Mass was astounding!
Dr. Innerst is a superb teacher for this series. His mix of knowledge and presentation make it feel like you are receiving instruction from a trusted elder in the Church, like they did in the days of the New Testament. This is an A+ study on the Catechism, but like Pillar I in this series, it is not one you enter into lightly. There will be a lot of reading and a lot of praying with this study. You can choose to halfway participate and just show up for the DVD sessions, but you will not get even half the benefit you would get from doing the readings as well. Now, I have the hard part of waiting for Pillar III to be released! I can't wait to see what Ascension Press has in store for 2014, but I know it will be awesome!
I received this study for free from Ascension Press in exchange for an honest review.
