Category: Bible Study

“Make no mistake about this: no fornicator, no unclean or lustful person – in effect an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” –Ephesians 5:5 Mass Readings: October 24 First: Ephesians 4:32–5:8; Resp: Psalm 1:1-4,6; Gospel: Luke 13:10-17 Years ago before there were electronic calculators, there were slide rules by which certain types of computations could be easily made. Today, possibly more than ever, we have a different kind of slide rule. Many people have let rules, laws, standards, convictions, and commandments slide. For example, Jesus told us to gouge out our eyes if...

Jesus “spoke this parable addressed to those who believed in their own self-righteousness…” –Luke 18:9 Mass Readings: October 23 First: Sirach 35:12-14,16-18; Resp: Psalm 34:2-3,17-19,23; Second: 2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18; Gospel: Luke 18:9-14 The Pharisee’s piety was admirable. He tithed ten percent of his gross income. He fasted two days a week, probably a very severe fast. How many of us tithe and fast to that extent? However, St. Luke points out specifically that his “prayer” was directed to himself, not to God (Lk 18:11, JB, RSV-CE). He compared his virtue to the standards of other people, not to the standards...

“Look here! For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree and found none. Cut it down. Why should it clutter up the ground?” –Luke 13:7 Mass Readings: October 22 First: Ephesians 4:7-16; Resp: Psalm 122:1-5 ; Gospel: Luke 13:1-9 We don’t hear of Jesus cursing straggly, leafless trees. Rather, He cursed good-looking trees with lots of foliage but no fruit (Mt 21:19). Likewise, in Jesus’ letters to the churches in Revelation, He does not threaten to close bad-looking churches but ones that have great reputations yet little fruit. For example, to the church...

“There is but one body and one Spirit.” –Ephesians 4:4 Mass Readings: October 21 First: Ephesians 4:1-6; Resp: Psalm 24:1-6; Gospel: Luke 12:54-59 We must “make every effort to preserve the unity which has the Spirit as its origin and peace as its binding force” (Eph 4:3). Without a deep, Trinitarian unity, the world will not have faith that Jesus has been sent by the Father (Jn 17:21). Without faith in Jesus, we will not let Jesus set us free (Jn 8:36). Thus, we will disqualify ourselves from receiving the graces of the Holy Spirit, the essence of which is...