Weekly Bible Study - Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18

23 February 2014
7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The first five books of the Bible (called the Pentateuch or Torah) describe humanity's fundamental relationship to God, the introduction of sin into our relationships, and the choosing and shaping of God’s people, Israel. The Torah is the heart upon which the rest of the Old Testament rests and extends.

And at the center of the Torah stands the Book of Leviticus. Named for Levi, the priestly clan of the twelve tribes, the book deals mainly with “cultic” matters related to the priesthood, feast day observances, sanctuary maintenance, offerings, and laws for purity and holiness. The book also addresses behavioral, ethical and economic issues. It is a kind of “handbook” that outlined and shaped the Israelite’s relationship with God and with one another.

Today’s reading is from the center of Leviticus. So in a way, today's reading stands at the very heart of the heart of the Old Testament. In our reading, God "interrupts" the recital of obligations; God slows down the flow of the lists of dos and don'ts that occupy daily life to get to the heart of the matter: “Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.” This interruption in the text reminds them (and us) that there is more to living than daily activities and ritual observances.

Isn't that just like God? Doesn't God so often "call aloud in the streets," in the daily ebb and flow of our lives to be grace and presence in our midst?

Do we let that happen? Do we embrace God's presence, in our halting ways, in those graced moments? Or do we push aside the "distraction"?

Do we see our lives as more than an accumulation of projects and rituals? God is calling us to shift our focus so we can encounter the holiness of God. When we are able to encounter God, right in the middle of our own thoughts and projects, we give God the space and time to mold us into the shape of God's own holiness--even in the midst of our activity.  Especially in the midst of our activity.

At first, the very thought of our being “holy like God” seems impossible and even a bit presumptuous. But if we think of it as God's work--and ours only to cooperate by being present to God whenever we can, then perhaps we can entertain the possibility of holiness--and even embrace it as a fun, surprising adventure.

After all, we are made in God’s image and likeness. God's grace in our lives simply invites us to reflect that image and likeness in our lives and activities. Put more simply: God calls to be who we truly are, his children. And that is holy.

Weekly Bible Study - Sir 15 - 1 Cor 2 - Matt 5

16 February 2014
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

To whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand

The author of Sirach, a book from the Old Testament Wisdom literature, presents us with the greater choice: life over death, good over evil, God’s plans over humankind’s faulty designs. The choice we make will place us on the path of life or the path of destruction. In trust we stretch toward the light of God’s immense wisdom to guide us safely along the journey to salvation.

Paul offers us a greater wisdom. It is that of one who is spiritually mature who sees beyond the wisdom of this world or of its human rulers. It is the maturity of one who understands and embraces the Paschal mystery as central to their life in Christ.  In faith Christians are called by Paul to stretch beyond the limits of the “incomplete” wisdom of this age to the mystery at the heart of our salvation.

Jesus confronts us with a greater righteousness. He tells his listeners that he has not come to abolish the old law, but rather to fulfill it. Jesus challenges us to go beyond mere conformity to the basic requirements of our religious teachings. We are, rather, to live a “greater righteousness,” acting from love and forgiveness. We hear the voice of Jesus urging us: go the extra mile, do not count the cost, die to self for the sake of another. In love we stretch beyond the minimal confines of the law to embrace more fully our call to Christian discipleship.

To whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand

We stretch not only our hands, but our hearts and our very selves to become living offerings for one another and for God. And we look to the One who stretched himself on the cross for all of us, believer and nonbeliever alike, to bring about the greater victory, our salvation.

The author, Ms. Barbara Gawle, leads Bible studies at her parish,Incarnation Church of Wethersfield, CT. She is a CBS graduate and the 2012 recipient of the Biblical School's highest award, The Lawrence Boadt Memorial Medal.

"Overwhelmingly Life Changing," Says CBS Student

This 2nd year has been totally informative and educational. However, the spiritual connection and understanding of Christian discipleship has been overwhelmingly life changing for me and decisions I make and how I make them.

Learn more about how the Hartford Catholic Biblical School could enhance your own life of faith. Students are adults, ages 18 (post-High School) to 99.

An easy way to find out more, with no commitment: Our annual public lecture, the Celebration of Sacred Scripture, is scheduled for April 6, 2014, 12:30-4:30 at St. Thomas Seminary. Register ahead so we know to expect you, then come and check us out! Registration forms available online at http://www.orehartford.org (under "Catholic Biblical School Events").

We will be enrolling our twentieth anniversary class beginning May 1, 2014. Contact the Office of Religious Education and Evangelization (BJ or Jill) at catholic.biblical.school@aohct.org or 860-242-5573 ext. 2670. Or check out our web materials at www.orehartford.org.

Surprised? Not!

No CBS today.

Spring 2014 CBS Alumni Course Open to All CBS Grads

Here's the scoop:
Course Title: CBS 411 The Gospel Passion Narratives Part II

Description: In the last (fall) semester of the Passion Narratives of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John we studied in detail the extensive introduction in Raymond Brown's monumental work, The Death of the Messiah, From Gethsemane to the Grave: A Commentary on the Passion Narratives in the Four Gospels (Anchor Bible Reference Library; New York: Doubleday, 1994). In that introduction all the major issues which will arise in our episode-by-episode investigation of the four passion narratives are thoroughly covered. In the spring semester we will proceed with that episode-by-episode investigation of the passion narratives. Those joining the graduate division for the first time will be given the full text of all the classroom presentations of the previous semester, so that they will not be at a loss as they begin this semester.

Day and Time: Wednesdays, 7:00-9:00 pm with Dr. Tom Casey

Dates: March 12, 19, 26, April 2, 9, 23, 30, May 7, 14, 21 (10 weeks)

Location: St. Mark the Evangelist Parish Center, West Hartford (If enrollment exceeds location capacity, we reserve the right to move the course to a nearby facility.) 

Cost: $95 (checks only please)

Dr. Tom Casey (left) with Dr. Don Gray in 2008

Registration forms have been emailed to you and must be received, together with full payment, by March 1, 2014. Additional forms can be obtained by contacting Jill Costa in the OREE: 860-242-5573 ext. 2670 or jill.costa@aohct.org. 

As with all our graduate programs no news is good news. You will only be contacted if there is a problem with your registration.

Weekly Bible Study - Isaiah 58:7-10 and Matthew 5:13-16

9 February 2014
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Two Sundays ago, a very familiar passage from the prophet Isaiah reminded us that the “people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” Today’s readings from the Old Testament and from the Gospel of Matthew echo this familiar theme in new ways.

For the author of Matthew and for us, the Lord Jesus is the light of the world who has been shown to the nations. But today’s readings press us further along the path of faith in Jesus: We are called to be living manifestations of the Light of Christ.

And if we don’t know where to begin, today’s first reading gets right down to business! Isaiah teaches that, as reflections of God’s light, God's People must:

Share your bread with the hungry,
Shelter the oppressed and the homeless;
Clothe the naked when you see them,
And do not turn your back on our own.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn….(Is 58: 7-8, NAB)

Similarly, in the gospel, Jesus challenges us to give light to all in the house.

In 1989 a US president issued a similar challenge when he launched the “Thousand Points of Light” program. It was an invitation for individuals to “spread like stars throughout the nation, doing good.”

We do not need reminders of how much our world is submerged in the darkness of poverty, oppression, injustice and sinful behaviors. As Christians and citizens we have a mandate to be points of light for others. We need to heed the message of Isaiah and of Jesus to bring the light of healing and understanding to broken hearts and ruptured societies.

We can do this simply, without fuss or notice: an encouraging word, a simple gesture, a heartfelt embrace, a comforting hand, a listening heart, an act of kindness.

The author, Ms. Barbara Gawle, leads Bible studies at her parish,Incarnation Church of Wethersfield, CT. She is a CBS graduate and the 2012 recipient of the Biblical School's highest award, The Lawrence Boadt Memorial Medal.

May the Angels Lead to Paradise: Daniel J. Harrington, SJ

With the Society of Jesus and the Boston College community, we mourn the passing of Daniel J. Harrington, S.J. who, at the age of 73, lost his battle with cancer on February 7, 2014. In 1972, Fr. Harrington joined the faculty of Weston Jesuit School of Theology  (currently Boston College School of Theology and Ministry) and became editor of New Testament Abstracts, a role he held until his death.

In November 2013, Dan announced that 2013-14 was to be his final year of teaching.   James Martin, S.J. offered a tribute to Dan, posted in America.  

May Dan rest in peace and rise in glory with the saints at the coming of our Lord.

Note from BJ: Fr. Harrington was my teacher and friend. Much of what you hear in class comes from my studies with Dan. His books are treasures for the ages.

World Wide Web: "The New Areopagus"

Here's an enticing snippet from "The Word Made Digital," an article* that gives hands-on ideas about how to use the internet to study and pray the Bible.

The Internet can be likened to a cacophony of competing voices, loud, overwhelming and tumultuous, much like the Areopagus in Athens, where philosophers and teachers brought their teachings beneath the Parthenon. Yet, it was precisely this cacophony to which the Apostle Paul brought the Gospel according to Acts 17:16-34 and his message was received in a number of different ways, including rejection.

The Web is the new Areopagus, a place where every opinion is offered and considered.  Antonio Spadaro, S.J., in Cybergrace, also argues that it creates a ... space where we can create a network community for prayer and study. The Internet allows ... a place to reflect, pray and study the Bible, while at the same time reaching across space to create community with someone thousands of miles away. This means that the Web itself is also a spiritual place—it evokes in some ways the reality of the Holy Spirit, since it consists of millions of unseen points of connectivity, invisible but present, creating genuine connections among people.

To read more, click here: http://americamagazine.org/word-made-digital

*"The Digital Word," by John W. Martens in America Magazine's series The Living Word (honoring the fiftieth anniversary of Vatican II's landmark document Dei Verbum).

Attention Students in CBS 400

The St. Thomas Seminary Advanced Year class will meet from 6:00-9:00 on Monday, February 10, to
make up material missed this week. She will structure the class as follows: 6:00-7:00 - presentation on Lesson II.9 (Daniel, Part 2); 7:00-8:00 - small group discussion time; 8:00-9:00 - review of Unit 2 in preparation for "memory exercise."

Anyone in any section (location) of the Advanced Year is welcome to join the Bloomfield class on Monday night to make up a session missed due to the inclement weather.

Class Cancellation Alert - UPDATED

Wednesday, February 5, 2014: ALL CBS classes (morning  and evening) are cancelled, due to dangerous weather and road conditions. Take your time to dig out today and keep safe and warm!

Remember that when class is cancelled you are expected to prepare homework assignments for BOTH the lesson due this week AND the lesson due next week, to be handed in at next week's class.

Students may, of course, visit another section of class (CBS 100, 200 or 400) in another location, if they wish and weather permits, later in the week. A schedule of classes can be found at www.orehartford.org. (Be sure to ask the teacher of the class you're visiting to sign and date your homework, then turn it in to your home teacher when you return to your regular class.)

If you have questions, please contact the Office of Religious Education and Evangelization at (860) 242-5573 extension 2670, or contact your instructor directly.

Weekly Bible Study - Malachi 3:1-4 and Luke 2:22-40

2 February 2014
The Presentation of the Lord

And suddenly there will come to the temple the LORD whom you seek.... But who will endure the day of his coming?

There is a tension in these words. The coming of the LORD to the Jerusalem temple ought to be a wholly joyous occasion. But in the Bible the LORD's manifestation is also kind of ominous. In the Old Testament, prophets realized that, generally speaking, humanity is singularly ill-prepared for a direct encounter with our God.

The prophet Malachi, speaking some five hundred years before the birth of Jesus, shows deep insight into what Luke's gospel will call a “sign of contradiction.” Both Old Testament and New Testament here point to the joyous-but-overwhelming event of God's coming into human lives.

Is it any wonder, then, that when Simeon sees Jesus (God made human) coming into the temple, he recognizes Jesus as a source of contradiction?

Now, the Levites (priests) taking care of liturgical needs and  worshipers milling about the temple compound probably wouldn't even have noticed Jesus at his presentation. It would seem an every day kind of ordinary event: A young couple, like many before them, make the customary sin offering for their newborn child.

But we know that there is deeper meaning in this particular sin offering. This humble act will plunge Jesus (God) right into the plight of humanity in need of redemption. The author of Luke is getting the gospel readers (us) ready for the harsh, surprising reality of the cross of Christ: a sign of contradiction if ever there was one.

Luke shows us Simeon and Anna, two elderly individuals, guided by life-long faith, who come to recognize God's unique presence in this Holy Child. They are moved to recognize that the fulfillment of Israel’s deepest longing for God is not for the purpose of worldly power but is for the purpose of spiritual power: our redemption from sin. In this bittersweet moment Simeon's prediction points us toward the suffering of Jesus as the perfect offering that reconciles humanity with God for all time.

And it will be to those like Anna, the Lord’s anawim, poorest of the poor, that Jesus will bring healing, hope and the message of salvation.

This is the moment of the Lord’s presentation. As an infant in his mother’s arms, Jesus already embraces the work of our redemption.


The author, Ms. Barbara Gawle, leads Bible studies at her parish, Incarnation Church of Wethersfield, CT. She is a CBS graduate and the 2012 recipient of the Biblical School's highest award, The Lawrence Boadt Memorial Medal.

CBS Classes Cancelled February 3

Monday, February 3, 2014: ALL CBS Classes are cancelled tonight, due to snow accumulation and poor road conditions.

Remember that if your class is cancelled you are expected to prepare homework assignments for BOTH the lesson due this week AND the lesson due next week, to be handed in at next week's class (God willing!).

Students may, of course, visit another section of class (CBS 100, 200 or 400) in another location, if you wish and weather permits later in the week. A schedule of classes can be found at www.orehartford.org. Be sure to ask the teacher of the class you're visiting to sign and date your homework, then turn it in to your home teacher when you return to your regular class.

If you have questions, please contact the Office of Religious Education and Evangelization at (860) 242-5573 extension 2670, or contact your instructors directly.

Stay safe and warm!