Sisters and Brothers,
Thanks to Arthur opening their house to host the video watching activity last week. And thanks to Ming-Su providing this wonderful video. We are not knowing more about St. Joseph's life, but understanding the purity of loving God that really does the wonder.
But make no mistake, get to know the scripture is still the first step of understand God's command. Surly, we don't want to over emphasize on memorizing the wording instead of understanding and following Gods' will. With the help of prayer and with our dedication through Bible study, we would get closer to Jesus' true disciples, one day hopefully.
This week, we will continue our journey of St. Paul's first letter to Corinthians. In Chapter 7, Paul provided the advice both to the married and unmarried or widowed. Paul clearly explained what we should do and what we should not. The passage is ever more important in today's society. With all the wishy-washy civil movement, we tend to get lost unknowingly make wrong choices/decisions. Paul's letter, like the light tower in the stormy night, gives us a concrete instruction and guidance.
In addition, Paul also addresses the asceticism. Instead of promoting asceticism to combat the materialism, Paul call us to a more correct perspective and a better sense of our own limitations. Right after advising us not over indulge in sexual-ism, Paul pointed out the wrongfulness of exaggerated or distorted asceticism in sexual matter.
God create this world in such a balance and beauty. Apparently, overdoing in anything may well deviate from God's original intend. May we all be aware not breaking the balance and keep world in such a harmony. Let's pray to the Lord give us wisdom to follow thy in the right way.
in Christ,
Dan
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
1/14 , 1 Corinthians CH5
Sisters and Brothers,
We started our first 2011 Bible study last Friday. We are continuing our journey on St. Paul's first letter to Corinthians.
This week, we will be studying chapter 5. In this chapter, St. Paul urge us to clear out the old yeast. Let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness. This section fits our new year perfectly. Lets have a fresh start, clear out bad habits and renew our baptismal promises.
As a matter of fact, Fr. Marvin sent us his first homily of the year. I am posting his homily on the blog below. So we can all read and reflect on getting out the old me and starting a new me that follows Jesus' footstep.
in Christ,
Dan
Homily from Fr. Marvin Deutsch
Jesus Begins His Public Life
Monday, Week one Ordinary Time
Mark 1:14 - 20
After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God: "This is the time of fulfillment, the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel." As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, "Come after me and I will make you fishers of men." Then they left their nets and followed him. He walked along a little further and saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.
The Gospel from Mark today tells us of the transition that had taken place in the life of Jesus. He began his public life after John the Baptist had been arrested by Herod. Before John had been arrested, he had baptized Jesus.(Yesterday's gospel). I would like to say a few words about the role of John the Baptist in bringing this transition about and what that transition meant..
From the gospels we all know who John the Baptist was. We see in Luke chapter 1, the Angel Gabriel in his appearance to Mary speaks of John being conceived 6 months previously in the womb of Elisabeth, Mary's cousin. Thus, many years later when Jesus was baptized by John at the Jordan both John and Jesus were about 30 years old. Before his arrest, John had been living and preaching in the desert near the Jordan River. Many people went out to see him and to listen to his words of repentance in preparation for the immanent coming of the Anointed One. John is considered the last of the Old Testament prophets. He was the link that closed out the old and ushered in the new.
When Jesus had left his home in Nazareth where he had lived in quietude with his mother, Mary, he went to the Jordan River to be baptized by his cousin, John. At first John, feeling his unworthiness resists Jesus' request to be baptized, but when Jesus insists, he does. It seems that John did not realize the full significance of his act. Jesus was not seeking the forgiveness of his sins because he had none. Jesus needed to be anointed by the Holy Spirit through John's hands and approved by his Father who commissioned him to begin his public life. In doing so, the prophecies in scriptures would be fulfilled. Jesus could not begin his public life by his own authority. Like the kings of old, he had to be anointed by a prophet and this prophet, of course, was John the Baptist. And the voice of the Father was heard in approval: "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." ((Luke 3:22)
In God's plan it was John's role through the power of the Holy Spirit, to anoint Jesus as the Messiah, the expectation of the ages, and after that to introduce him to his own followers. John said to them: "Behold the Lamb of God" (John 1:16) One of these was Andrew who went and got his brother Simon (Peter) and brought him to Jesus. Shortly after this episode, John was arrested by King Herod. John was not concerned for he knew his mission was over. He had said, "I must decrease and he must increase." With perfect humility he faded from the scene.
In today's gospel we see that Jesus in beginning his public life, wastes no time. He begins immediately to choose his apostles. He also returns to his home town of Nazareth to tell his countrymen of his transition. A few days ago we had the gospel reading from chapter 4 of Luke describing Jesus return to his home town. This episode explains very well what changes had taken place in Jesus and his life in the short period of time since he had left them. Jesus goes into the synagogue on the Sabbath and reads from Isaiah (Isaiah 61 in our bible) before the hometown people; he reads: "The spirit of the Lord is upon me and the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor etc. Today this reading is fulfilled in your hearing." In other words, I am the anointed one predicted by the prophets. The people are amazed at the change that has taken place in him…He has worked miracles and is attracting large crowds. Unbeknown to them, the change was brought about through the anointing of the Holy Spirit in his baptism at the Jordan. Now we see why that baptism was so important. Jesus had to receive the Holy Spirit in a new way in his humanity and he had to fulfill the scriptures. St. Paul (1 Cor 15:45) says that Jesus in his humanity became the "Life Giving Spirit" for us. We would receive the Holy Spirit through him. And thus today we have some great insights into what we will be reading and meditating upon as we continue throughout the Church year.
Fr. Marvin Deutsch, M.M.
We started our first 2011 Bible study last Friday. We are continuing our journey on St. Paul's first letter to Corinthians.
This week, we will be studying chapter 5. In this chapter, St. Paul urge us to clear out the old yeast. Let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness. This section fits our new year perfectly. Lets have a fresh start, clear out bad habits and renew our baptismal promises.
As a matter of fact, Fr. Marvin sent us his first homily of the year. I am posting his homily on the blog below. So we can all read and reflect on getting out the old me and starting a new me that follows Jesus' footstep.
in Christ,
Dan
Homily from Fr. Marvin Deutsch
Jesus Begins His Public Life
Monday, Week one Ordinary Time
Mark 1:14 - 20
After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God: "This is the time of fulfillment, the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel." As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, "Come after me and I will make you fishers of men." Then they left their nets and followed him. He walked along a little further and saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.
The Gospel from Mark today tells us of the transition that had taken place in the life of Jesus. He began his public life after John the Baptist had been arrested by Herod. Before John had been arrested, he had baptized Jesus.(Yesterday's gospel). I would like to say a few words about the role of John the Baptist in bringing this transition about and what that transition meant..
From the gospels we all know who John the Baptist was. We see in Luke chapter 1, the Angel Gabriel in his appearance to Mary speaks of John being conceived 6 months previously in the womb of Elisabeth, Mary's cousin. Thus, many years later when Jesus was baptized by John at the Jordan both John and Jesus were about 30 years old. Before his arrest, John had been living and preaching in the desert near the Jordan River. Many people went out to see him and to listen to his words of repentance in preparation for the immanent coming of the Anointed One. John is considered the last of the Old Testament prophets. He was the link that closed out the old and ushered in the new.
When Jesus had left his home in Nazareth where he had lived in quietude with his mother, Mary, he went to the Jordan River to be baptized by his cousin, John. At first John, feeling his unworthiness resists Jesus' request to be baptized, but when Jesus insists, he does. It seems that John did not realize the full significance of his act. Jesus was not seeking the forgiveness of his sins because he had none. Jesus needed to be anointed by the Holy Spirit through John's hands and approved by his Father who commissioned him to begin his public life. In doing so, the prophecies in scriptures would be fulfilled. Jesus could not begin his public life by his own authority. Like the kings of old, he had to be anointed by a prophet and this prophet, of course, was John the Baptist. And the voice of the Father was heard in approval: "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." ((Luke 3:22)
In God's plan it was John's role through the power of the Holy Spirit, to anoint Jesus as the Messiah, the expectation of the ages, and after that to introduce him to his own followers. John said to them: "Behold the Lamb of God" (John 1:16) One of these was Andrew who went and got his brother Simon (Peter) and brought him to Jesus. Shortly after this episode, John was arrested by King Herod. John was not concerned for he knew his mission was over. He had said, "I must decrease and he must increase." With perfect humility he faded from the scene.
In today's gospel we see that Jesus in beginning his public life, wastes no time. He begins immediately to choose his apostles. He also returns to his home town of Nazareth to tell his countrymen of his transition. A few days ago we had the gospel reading from chapter 4 of Luke describing Jesus return to his home town. This episode explains very well what changes had taken place in Jesus and his life in the short period of time since he had left them. Jesus goes into the synagogue on the Sabbath and reads from Isaiah (Isaiah 61 in our bible) before the hometown people; he reads: "The spirit of the Lord is upon me and the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor etc. Today this reading is fulfilled in your hearing." In other words, I am the anointed one predicted by the prophets. The people are amazed at the change that has taken place in him…He has worked miracles and is attracting large crowds. Unbeknown to them, the change was brought about through the anointing of the Holy Spirit in his baptism at the Jordan. Now we see why that baptism was so important. Jesus had to receive the Holy Spirit in a new way in his humanity and he had to fulfill the scriptures. St. Paul (1 Cor 15:45) says that Jesus in his humanity became the "Life Giving Spirit" for us. We would receive the Holy Spirit through him. And thus today we have some great insights into what we will be reading and meditating upon as we continue throughout the Church year.
Fr. Marvin Deutsch, M.M.
Saturday, January 01, 2011
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