Today was a bittersweet day--Winnie joined us again after her long absence since her surgery, but it was Rosemary's last day to be with us so that she can get ready for her big move this spring. Comings and goings are hard, but we have to remember to be grateful for the times we have together. We'll miss you Rosemary. I know we all wish we well in this new chapter of your life. Your daughter and her family are lucky that they will have both you and your husband so close by.
Since we ran a little late today and were saying good-bye to Rosemary, I forgot to mention that I would like everyone to make sure that they vote on the book they would like to read this summer. You have some time to check into the titles I have suggested before you make up your minds. (Descriptions for each of the titles can be found on Amazon.com.) You can place your vote by clicking on the appropriate title in the poll to the right of this copy.
One last thing, if you look at the calendar at the bottom of this page and scroll ahead you will be able to see the dates that I have chosen for our 2008-09 Bible Study schedule. Our first meeting is on September 11. Check them with your calendars, and if there are no objections, I will reserve the room for those dates--that is if anyone is interested in studying Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians with me.
Have a great week. I'll get the next lesson up as soon as I can.
Study Guide: Lesson Thirteen & Fourteen
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Lesson Thirteen & Fourteen
This is another two-lesson lesson this week, so don't wait until the last minute to crack open your books. You may find these lessons to be a little challenging because of all the OT references that Paul uses to make his point. So in addition to the ICSB text, you will probably want to grab a Bible when you sit down to do your lessons.
While you're here today, you may want to take a moment to check out an item that I have placed in the column to the right of this copy. I have come up with a list of possible books to read in the upcoming summer break. Take a look at the suggestions. If you are unfamiliar with these titles, you can go to Amazon.com and read about each of the books . Then come back to this site and place your vote for which book you would like to read. At the end of the allotted time, I will select the book that gets the most votes. If you don't like any of the books and have a suggestion of your own, please bring it up at our next meeting. There is one caveat, however, if we choose that book, the person who suggested it will be responsible for providing the group a study guide and for leading our discussion of the book in the fall.
Finally, don't forget. Each of you are responsible for printing out your own study guide unless you contact me before the morning of Wednesday, February 20th.
See you on the 21st!
Study guide for Lessons Thirteen & Fourteen
While you're here today, you may want to take a moment to check out an item that I have placed in the column to the right of this copy. I have come up with a list of possible books to read in the upcoming summer break. Take a look at the suggestions. If you are unfamiliar with these titles, you can go to Amazon.com and read about each of the books . Then come back to this site and place your vote for which book you would like to read. At the end of the allotted time, I will select the book that gets the most votes. If you don't like any of the books and have a suggestion of your own, please bring it up at our next meeting. There is one caveat, however, if we choose that book, the person who suggested it will be responsible for providing the group a study guide and for leading our discussion of the book in the fall.
Finally, don't forget. Each of you are responsible for printing out your own study guide unless you contact me before the morning of Wednesday, February 20th.
See you on the 21st!
Study guide for Lessons Thirteen & Fourteen
Monday, February 11, 2008
150th Anniversary of Lourdes
One hundred and fifty years ago today, the Blessed Virgin Mary first appeared to the young woman, Bernadette Soubirous, in the town of Lourdes in the south of France. There is an interesting story that was retold in this month's issue of the liturgical guide Magnificat that I thought I would share with you on this anniversary.
According to the story, after Bernadette had entered the convent--in part to escape the attention that the apparitions had brought her--she began to receive pictures and statues of Mary from all over the world, but she didn't want to keep them because she didn't think that any of them really looked like the Virgin Mary. Bernadette didn't want those inaccurate images around her. When the Mother Superior of her convent wrote about this to their bishop, he came to the convent with picture books of famous images of Mary, and as they paged through them together, Bernadette didn't recognize any of them until they came to the image of the icon know as Our Lady of Cambrai. At the moment she saw this image, she dropped to her knees and said that this image was the face that she had seen in the grotto.
Does this mean that this is what Mary really looks like? Who knows. Other accounts have been different. What it does say is that we can see the divine in things of earth--art, music, nature, and one another! If you would like to do some interesting reading on this special anniversary, Google "Lourdes" or "Our Lady of Cambrai."
This is the opening prayer for the Mass for the commemoration of Our Lady of Lourdes:
God of mercy, we celebrate the feast of Mary, the sinless mother of God. May her prayers help us to rise above our human weakness. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
According to the story, after Bernadette had entered the convent--in part to escape the attention that the apparitions had brought her--she began to receive pictures and statues of Mary from all over the world, but she didn't want to keep them because she didn't think that any of them really looked like the Virgin Mary. Bernadette didn't want those inaccurate images around her. When the Mother Superior of her convent wrote about this to their bishop, he came to the convent with picture books of famous images of Mary, and as they paged through them together, Bernadette didn't recognize any of them until they came to the image of the icon know as Our Lady of Cambrai. At the moment she saw this image, she dropped to her knees and said that this image was the face that she had seen in the grotto.Does this mean that this is what Mary really looks like? Who knows. Other accounts have been different. What it does say is that we can see the divine in things of earth--art, music, nature, and one another! If you would like to do some interesting reading on this special anniversary, Google "Lourdes" or "Our Lady of Cambrai."
This is the opening prayer for the Mass for the commemoration of Our Lady of Lourdes:
God of mercy, we celebrate the feast of Mary, the sinless mother of God. May her prayers help us to rise above our human weakness. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Lesson Eleven & Twelve Update
Wow, if you couldn't make it today, you really missed it, because this was the lesson that contained the secret of the meaning of life. It all makes sense now. Yea, right. Hopefully, a few more of us will get together at our next scheduled meeting on February 21. Once again, we will be covering two lessons, Lessons 13 & 14, so plan accordingly.
If you print out my notes from today, you'll notice that in addition to the lesson notes, there are a few messages for the group. First of all, from now on each member will be responsible for printing out their own guides for the meeting. If, for whatever reason, you cannot do that, it will be your responsibility to contact me (email or comment) before our meeting, and I will be happy to print a copy for you. Secondly, please continue to leave comments or send emails whenever you use the site. This helps me gauge what is used (and when) so that I can spend my time providing you with the information here that is most useful.
Finally, as much for myself as for all of you, I wrote a little about study habits. Maybe you don't have this problem, but sometimes when our schedules get hectic, I'm afraid Bible study may get the short shrift. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not talking about missing meetings. That happens sometimes. I like when we're all together, but I'm glad when there are other interesting things for us to do as well. Besides, the meetings aren't where the real work gets done anyway. I'm referring to the work we do at home. We all have weeks when we don't get to spend the time on our scripture study that we should, but if that gets to be a habit, we're really missing the point of the whole thing. Try and use the whole two weeks between our assignments to really internalize the message of the passages that we are studying. If we are reading and answering questions at the last minute just to "get it done", it won't have the impact on us that it should. I always have to keep telling myself, "Quit giving God your leftovers"--not squeezing God into my schedule last, but planning my schedule around my time with God. Still working on that.
Note on Lessons Eleven & Twelve
If you print out my notes from today, you'll notice that in addition to the lesson notes, there are a few messages for the group. First of all, from now on each member will be responsible for printing out their own guides for the meeting. If, for whatever reason, you cannot do that, it will be your responsibility to contact me (email or comment) before our meeting, and I will be happy to print a copy for you. Secondly, please continue to leave comments or send emails whenever you use the site. This helps me gauge what is used (and when) so that I can spend my time providing you with the information here that is most useful.
Finally, as much for myself as for all of you, I wrote a little about study habits. Maybe you don't have this problem, but sometimes when our schedules get hectic, I'm afraid Bible study may get the short shrift. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not talking about missing meetings. That happens sometimes. I like when we're all together, but I'm glad when there are other interesting things for us to do as well. Besides, the meetings aren't where the real work gets done anyway. I'm referring to the work we do at home. We all have weeks when we don't get to spend the time on our scripture study that we should, but if that gets to be a habit, we're really missing the point of the whole thing. Try and use the whole two weeks between our assignments to really internalize the message of the passages that we are studying. If we are reading and answering questions at the last minute just to "get it done", it won't have the impact on us that it should. I always have to keep telling myself, "Quit giving God your leftovers"--not squeezing God into my schedule last, but planning my schedule around my time with God. Still working on that.
Note on Lessons Eleven & Twelve
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)