Tagged: Bible Study

“The just man’s sacrifice is most pleasing, nor will it ever be forgotten.” –Sirach 35:6 All cultures throughout history have instinctively understood that they needed to make offerings and sacrifices to God. The people of these cultures accordingly offered crops, animals, and even people. The Lord revealed to the Jewish people that sacrifices entailed more than material things. He revealed the sacrifice of obedience. “To keep the law is a great oblation, and he who observes the commandments sacrifices a peace offering” (Sir 35:1). The Lord also revealed the sacrifice of charity. “In works of charity one offers fine flour,...

“He encourages those who are losing hope.” –Sirach 17:19 Hope in the Lord leads directly to strength. Those who hope in the Lord will never fail in strength (1 Mc 2:61) and actually renew their strength (Is 40:31). This is because “hope remains” after all else passes away (see 1 Cor 13:13). A people of hope is forever a people of strength. Since hope is so critical to strength, it follows that Satan would relentlessly attack people to prevent them from growing in hope. To beat down our hope, Satan bludgeons us with: a delaying game. “Hope deferred makes the...

“It was in one Spirit that all of us, whether Jew or Greek, slave or free, were baptized.” –1 Corinthians 12:13 On Pentecost, after praying for nine days (see Acts 1:14), we “receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn 20:22). In fact, we are “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4). Better than that, we are baptized in the Spirit (Acts 1:5), that is, we are immersed in the Spirit. We not only drink the waters of the Spirit but, in a spiritual sense, we are under and stay under these waters. Living under the waters of the Spirit is a new...

“Follow Me.” –John 21:22 The Holy Spirit comes to confirm us – to make us strong and faithful to the Lord. Before Pentecost, Jesus’ disciples were like chameleons. Their commitment to Jesus changed according to the circumstances. For example, they said they would never disown Christ (Mt 26:35), but they all deserted Him in the Garden of Gethsemani (Mt 26:56). Jesus commanded St. Peter to follow Him, but Peter was more concerned about what other people were doing or not doing (Jn 21:21). Only by the power of the Spirit can we be faithful to the Lord. St. Paul began...