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June 22, 2007

June 23rd Holy Spirit Novena
Scripture selection is Day 8 Period II.

The Novena Rosary Mysteries  
for June 23rd are Joyful.

                   

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June 26, 2007 at 6:20pm
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Given June 21, 2007

                Last Bible Study by Fr. John at St. Jude's —
                    It was so good I am trying to record some of
                    it here for you.

                Bible Study Notes I recorded
                    during
                    June 20, 2007
                    from Bible Study given by Fr. John J. Pasquini

    

    

John 9: 1-40

As he went along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should have been born blind?’ ‘Neither he nor his parents sinned,’ Jesus answered, ‘he was born blind so that the works of God might be revealed in him.

'As long as day lasts
we must carry out the work of the one
  who sent me;
the night will soon be here
   when no one can work.
As long as I am in the world
I am the light of the world.’

    Having said this, he spat on the ground, made a paste with the spittle, put this over the eyes of the blind man, and said to him, ‘Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (the name means ‘one who has been sent’). So he went off and washed and came back able to see.

    His neighbours and the people who used to see him before (for he was a beggar) said, ‘Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some said, ‘Yes, it is the same one.' Others said, 'No, but he looks just like him.’ The man himself said, ‘Yes, I am the one.’ So they said to him, ‘Then how is it that your eyes were opened?' He answered, ‘The man called Jesus made a paste, daubed my eyes with it and said to me, "Go off and wash at Siloam"; so I went, and when I washed I gained my sight.’ They asked, ‘Where is he?’ He answered, ‘I don’t know.’

    They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. It had been a Sabbath day when Jesus made the paste and opened the man’s eyes, so when the Pharisees asked him how he had gained his sight, he said, ‘He put a paste on my eyes, and I washed, and I can see. Then some of the Pharisees said, ‘That man cannot be from God: he does not keep the Sabbath.’ Others said, ‘How can a sinner produce signs like this? And there was division among them. So they spoke to the blind man again, 'What have you to say about him yourself, now that he has opened your eyes?’ The man answered, ‘He is a prophet.’

    However, the Jews would not believe that the man had been blind without first sending for the parents of the man who had gained his sight and asking them, ‘Is this man really the son of yours who you say was born blind? If so, how is it that he is now able to see?’ His parents answered, ‘We know he is our son and we know he was born blind, but how he can see, we don’t know, nor who opened his eyes.

Ask him. He is old enough: let him speak for himself.’ His parents spoke like this out of fear of the Jews, who had already agreed to ban from the synagogue anyone who should acknowledge Jesus as the Christ. This was why his parents said, ‘He is old enough; ask him.'

So the Jews sent for the man again and said to him, ‘Give glory to God! We are satisfied that this man is a sinner.’ The man answered, ‘Whether he is a sinner I don’t know; all I know is that I was blind and now I can see.’ They said to him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?’ He replied, ‘I have told you once and you wouldn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it all again? Do you want to become his disciples yourselves?’ At this they hurled abuse at him, ‘It is you who are his disciple, we are disciples of Moses; we know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, we don’t know where he comes from.’ The man replied, ‘That is just what is so amazing! You don’t know where he comes from and he has opened my eyes! We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but God dos listen to people who are devout and do his will. Ever since the world began it is unheard of for anyone to open the eyes of someone born blind; if this man were not from God, he wouldn’t have been able to do anything.’ They retorted, ‘Are you trying to teach us, and you a sinner through and through ever since you were born!' And they ejected him.

    Jesus heard they had ejected him, and when he found him he said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of man?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘tell me who he is so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said, ‘You have seen him; he is speaking to you.’ The man said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and worshipped him.
                    Jesus said:

It is for judgement
that I have come into this world,
so that those without sight may see
and those with sight may become blind.

    Hearing this, some Pharisees who were present said to him, ‘So we are blind, are we?’ Jesus replied:

If you were blind,
you would not be guilty,
but since you say, ‘We can see,’
your guilt remains.

 

                Spiritual Blindness and an open heart
                    We see the physical blindness of this man
                        but the writing of John is going beyond
                        this so we ponder our spiritual blindness.

                    We are to be open to God so we can hear
                        what is being said — our hearts need
                        to be open — not closed.

                    We shouldn't be on the defensive with
                        a hardened heart, but open.

                    If we are bitter and angry we can close
                        our hearts down to this openness.

                    We are to remain attached to the vine —
                        Jesus is the vine
                        We are the branches
                        Let His life flow in us — be
                            alive - saturated with His grace.

                    Jesus heals the whole person
                        Jesus returns the person back to
                            abundant life.

                        Jesus heals more than the physical ailments
                        Jesus heals spiritually, physically and
                            helps restore us to abundant
                            living.

                    When we are doing evil we impair our
                        spiritual insight.

                    In the world today the good is made to look evil
                        and the evil look good.

                Young actresses
                    We can see with young actresses —
                    They look like they have everything the
                        world has to offer,
                    They have money
                    They have fame
                    They have power
                    They have looks

                    but they are empty —

                    Only God can fill the need we have and
                        really make us happy.

                    Only God's way leads to happiness

                    We can have spiritual blindness
                    We must see with the eyes of Christ.

                    June 24, 2007 is the Solemnity of the
                        Nativity of St. John the Baptist.

John 3: 30

He must grow greater,
I must grow less.

                    We must see like Christ
                    The more Christ increases in us the
                        more we see like Christ.

                    The less Christ is in us — the less we see.

                These things lead to spiritual blindness
                    (1) The World
                        evil is institutionalized
                        We may have been shocked long ago
                            if somebody was killed —
                            now we are less shocked —

                Years ago - gay marriages were shocking

                    now this evil is institutionalized —
                    accepted — so you are expected
                    to accept it now as okay by
                    the world's standards

                Abortion is wrong — by today's standards
                    in the world — we are expected to
                    accept it

                If we don't like this evil people
                    can say we are bigoted —

                It can become natural in the world —
                    we are to "go with the flow"

                When we were baptized we were
                    baptized to be prophetic
                    people —

                    to stand up for what is right
                        even when we aren't popular

                    not be people of the world that
                    "go with the flow"

                Christians are to see the evil in the
                    world —
                    have eyes to see evil

                John the Baptist cry was to "Repent"

                Some people come to church and
                    they are caught in the flow
                    of the world, they are misinformed —
                    they say

                    "Oh the world is perfect"

                Many errors are taught to our children
                    in elementary schools

                Children are born into these errors
                    in the world

                We all, human creatures, except for Mary
                    are subject to concupiscence
                    That is rebellion — an innate tendency
                        toward self, being self-centered

                It is by God's grace our rebellion can be
                    healed.

                Somebody can press our buttons —
                    wounds inside and we
                    react with anger

                (2) We can become spiritually blind
                    because of the devil

                    We can have competing ideas
                    The vision of the world is tainted

                    In the extent we grow in Christ
                        we see the world as it really is —

                        to know ourselves is to be humble —
                        we are not being prideful when
                            God wants us to recognize our
                            gifts and use them for His
                            honor and glory.

                If we don't know where we are
                If we don't know where we are going
                    then we have a problem

                We must put aside the hardened heart
                    and have a soft heart —
                    an open heart

                Confession is a gift from God
                    we receive grace
                    we reflect on ourselves
                    we grow in self-knowledge

                Confession is a chance to help conquer
                    our woundedness

                If a famous actor came, the Church and
                    parking lot would be packed

                It should be packed for Bible study
                We should be really excited for Bible study

                Concupiscence is this inborn rebellion,
                    the opposite of studying the
                    scriptures

                Ignorance of scriptures is ignorance
                    of Christ


                Ill - informed consciences

                There are many ill-informed consciences today —

                People just say — I acted this way because
                    it felt good

                A formed conscience is one that does what the
                    Church teaches

                    Obeying the commandments

                We live in a society where there are
                    many ill-informed consciences

                To be fully human is to be more like
                    Christ

                Christ was fully human —
                    a Divine Person - with 2 natures, a human nature
                    and a Divine nature.

                When we sin - we diminish our humanity

                The more we sin — the more our
                    inner conscience is not working
                    and we do not have a problem
                    sinning easily —

                    We can do many sins


                The more we get to this state life has
                    less and less value
                    It used to be if somebody got killed
                    we were shocked.

                    Now sin becomes more common place
                    not shocked in the world today
                        by many sins.

    

John 10: 11-15

I am the good shepherd:
the good shepherd lays down his life
   for his sheep.
The hired man,
   since he is not the shepherd
and the sheep do not belong to him,
abandons the sheep
as soon as he sees a wolf coming,
   and runs away,
and then the wolf attacks
   and scatters the sheep;
he runs away
   because he is only a hired man
and has no concern for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd;
I know my own
and my own know me,
just as the Father knows me
and I know the Father;
and I lay down my life for my sheep.

    

                    The Good Shepherd leads us to abundant
                        life

                    We hear the Good Shepherd in scripture

                    We are to be sacramental people

                    We need pictures of religious things
                        they act as reminders

                    Pictures of secular things all over
                        mold our minds in secular things

                We see in St. Paul the idea of conversion —
                    he talks about
                        "old self" and putting on "new self"

                We see the contrast between "blindness"

                                                    and "light"

                We need to be fed by

                (1) scripture
                (2) go to the liturgy
                (3) read spiritual writers
                        Fathers, Doctors of the Church

                St. Teresa of Avila
                St. John of the Cross

                were different but both united.

                St. Teresa focused on the humanity
                    of Christ —
                    suffering and tears

                St. John of the Cross

                    idea of God transcendent
                    God and how He is beyond

                St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross
                    were spiritual companions

                We need to study the Book of Creation

                    He believes geniuses believed in God

                        there was order in their thoughts,
                            first cause, prime order

                    Everything in creation bears the
                        handprint of God

                    God is mindful of us
                        God keeps us in existence

                    If God did not love us, we would cease
                        to exist

                    The more we are saturated with God's
                        grace in our life — the more
                        this has an impact

                    The Vikings were barbaric

                    Christ came into the world and this
                        had a profound impact
                   
                the Good Shepherd loves His sheep
                the Good Shepherd is trying to get
                    the lost sheep to return

                His flock hear His voice and follow
                    Him

                They are obedient to the Good Shepherd

                they do not follow an evil shepherd

                The sheep hear the voice of the Good
                    Shepherd and follow Him

                We are crying for meaning and purpose
                    in our lives

                If we hear the evil shepherd we
                    do not follow him

                Malcolm Muggeridge said he met
                    Jesus Christ when he met
                    Mother Teresa

   

Galatians 2: 19-20

...I have been crucified with Christ and yet I am alive; yet it is no longer I, but Christ living in me.

   

                People see Christ in a person
                    like Mother Teresa

                We are stewards of our body we
                    don't own our bodies

                Blaise Pascal was a genius
                    here was his wager

                    Pascal's Wager

                        best way to deal with people
                        in all ways of probability —
                        you should believe in God —
                        harmony with God and neighbor

                If you want a happy life —
                    you should live in harmony
                    as God desires by His design

                    We can have peace even among
                        negative conditions —

                        we can live life abundantly

                    We are miserable if we live not
                        believing in God —
                        desiring to fill our immediate
                        desires only

                Actresses
                    have everything the world can
                        give and yet their lives can
                        be falling apart.

                    they can be always chasing after
                        meaning in life, a sense
                        of purpose

                    people in nursing homes who were
                        bitter and angry their whole life
                        can be more bitter and angry
                        in old age and
                        can die being angry and despairing

                The pain of hell is eternity without
                    the presence of God

                It is to our advantage to believe
                    in Jesus — He is the Vine
                    we are the branches 

   

John 15: 1-8

I am the true vine,
and my Father is the vinedresser.
Every branch in me that bears no fruit
he cuts away,
and every branch that does bear fruit
     he prunes
to make it bear even more.
You are clean already,
by means of the word
     that I have spoken to you.
Remain in me, as I in you.
As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself,
unless it remains part of the vine,
neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine,
you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me, with me in him,
bears fruit in plenty;
for cut off from me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me
is thrown away like a branch
—and withers;
these branches are collected
     and thrown on the fire
and are burnt.
If you remain in me
and my words remain in you,
you may ask for whatever you please
and you will get it.
It is to the glory of my Father
      that you should bear much fruit
and be my disciples.
 

 

                The Father and Jesus are one

                Jesus cursed the withered fig tree

                We need to nourish our spiritual
                    life with

                        1) prayer
                        2) study
                        3) work

                We need Faith
                    Faith can lead us to good works

                    God prunes the branches

                    We are deeply rooted to the vine

                    We can be walking dead people
                        in the world

                    We must stay attached to the vine

                    We must stay deeply rooted to the
                        vine

                    We must stay attached to Christ

                The Father is the vine grower

                The more we will stay attached
                    to the vine the more
                    we will live a deeper
                    life in Him, we will
                    grow and we will flourish

                The more we stay one with God
                    the more we will flourish

                    Without God we die

   

Matthew 28-30

‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’

   

                Without God we are chasers

                    We can have the perfect spouse,
                        blissful life —
                        3 years down the line —
                        it wears off - we need God
                        in our lives

                God must be the center

                All we do is for the honor and glory
                    of God

                    The commandments are written

                on our souls.

                Commandments are the pathway

                    to happiness.

                Harmony is the road map to

                    holiness

                Love

                Jesus leads us down the path to
                    happiness, not the path to
                    destruction

                Jesus is how He is — people can't
                    do what they want and then say
                    its okay — we must see God how
                    He is.

 

               

 

 

   

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