A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings
The prophet Isaiah offers a stern warning to God’s people. Those who choose to not wait upon the Lord will forever remain in darkness. They will never see the dawn. God exhorts them to bind up their testimony, seal the teachings that they have received, and wait patiently upon the Lord even when they feel that God is hiding his face from them. In the midst of their fear and anxiety, they are not to consult ghosts or other spirits for advice. Such advice is not trustworthy and will only lead them to greater hunger and thirst. The ways of the world will make them mad and cause them to be thrust into thick darkness. However, those who trust in the Lord, even though they anguish now, they will be made glorious.
What stern warning is God trying to communicate to us today?
Have you grown weary in waiting upon the Lord?
Are there times when some people might feel that giving up on life will lead them out of darkness and bring an end to their pain? Explain.
What does binding up your testimony and sealing the teachings of God mean in a practical sense?
Have you experienced times when you felt that God was hiding himself from you? Explain.
Why might we be tempted to turn to worldly advice instead of turning to God?
Is there a danger in procuring knowledge from worldly sources as opposed to seeking the wisdom of God? Explain.
Does trusting in the Lord mean that we will not experience anguish? Explain.
Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, writes to those who have received the Christian faith through the righteousness of God. He prays that grace and peace would fill his community as they lean on the knowledge of God revealed in Jesus Christ. He reminds them that God’s divine power has given them everything needed in order to live a holy life. He assures them that God’s promises will help them become participants in the divine nature of God and enable them to escape from corruption and the lust of the world. Therefore, the faithful must make every effort to support their faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. For if these things are obtained and are increasing among the community, they will keep the community from being ineffective and unfruitful. The absence of these things will leave the community blind and forgetful of their past sins. Therefore, the community must be all the more eager to confirm their call and election, for if it does this, the community will never stumble. In this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for all.
Reflect on the Christian faith that you have received. What does this faith entail?
What is the foundation of your faith?
What do we need in order to live a holy life?
Describe how you have personally struggled with being a participant in the divine nature of God while at the same time being pulled into the corruption and lust of the world. What does this tug of war feel like?
What are your thoughts about the support structure outlined in this passage: faith supported by goodness, goodness supported by knowledge, knowledge supported by self-control, self-control supported by endurance, endurance supported by godliness, godliness supported by mutual affection, and mutual affection supported by love. How are faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, mutual affection, and love each unique and diverse? How do they build upon one another?
What is the secret to an effective and fruitful community?
What can lead to a community’s downfall?
What is the goal of faith?
This passage unfolds in the garden of Gethsemane at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. It is there that Jesus requests his disciples to pray. We are told that he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, knelt down, and prayed. Jesus prayed to God the Father that if it was God’s will, then the cup of suffering should be removed from Jesus. Although Jesus openly expressed his human desire, he surrendered to the divine plan of God. This must have been agonizing for Jesus which is why we are told that an angel from heaven appeared to Jesus and gave him strength. In his anguish Jesus prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. When Jesus got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, and he said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial." Yet, while he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him; but Jesus said to him, "Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?" When those who were around him saw what was coming, they asked, "Lord, should we strike with the sword?" Then one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, "No more of this!" And he touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple police, and the elders who had come for him, "Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a bandit? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness!"
Why did Jesus need to pray?
Who have you requested to pray with you?
Why do you think Jesus withdrew from the disciples to pray? How might this give us insight into our own prayer life?
In your opinion, did Jesus want to die? Explain.
On one hand, Jesus did not want to suffer but, on the other hand, he wanted to commit to whatever God’s plan was for his life. How have you navigated between what you want and what you feel God is calling you to do - especially when the two do not align?
The scriptures tell us that Jesus prayed so earnestly that his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. Silently meditate on the depth of Jesus’ anguish, and then discern the feelings that come up for you. What situation have you experienced in life where you prayed with a similar emotion?
How might Jesus have felt when he got up from prayer and found the disciples sleeping? In what way do you resonate with Jesus? Has there been an experience in your life when you felt others fell asleep in the midst of a crisis that you were facing? Explain.
Jesus was betrayed with a kiss from his disciples Judas. Describe a time when you felt betrayed by a loved one.
Why do you think that Jesus prohibited the disciples from using their weapons to fight on his behalf? Have you ever asked those who supported you to refrain from coming to your defense? How do you make sense of this?
Jesus told those who came to arrest him that this was their hour and the power of darkness would rule for a moment. Has there been a period or season of your life where evil clearly ruled? What gave you confidence that the dark rule of evil was only for a season?
To God be the glory now and forever. Amen.
Fr. Thomas+
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