Gospel Story of the Man Born Blind - An Interactive Scripture Activity

This activity comes from the online newsletter Awakening the Word.  It is a simple and effective way to help connect young people (of all ages) to the gospel for the Fourth Sunday of Lent. The questions provided at the end can lead to in-depth discussions of the Bible and Christian faith.

(Hint: To do this challenge, you'll need some room to spread out.) 

Preparation
    This activity is designed to simulate the two levels of blindness: physical and spiritual. Blindfolds will represent physical blindness while running backward will represent spiritual blindness. The idea is to let the activity bridge the two types of blindness in this Gospel.
    Preparation begins with choosing an appropriate site for a relay race (walking, running, in wheelchairs--adapt the race to suit participants). Mark a masking tape line as a starting line for Team One, and alongside that line mark an identical line for Team Two. Approximately 10 to 20 yards away, mark two lines parallel to the starting lines. This will serve as the midpoint line for each team.
    Gather four blindfolds and place two at the starting lines and two at the midpoint lines. During the first relay, only Team Two will be blindfolded.

Instructions
    Begin the activity by dividing participants into two teams. Invite half of each team to the starting line and the other half of each team to the midpoint line. Ask participants to line up in single file behind the masking tape lines. Explain that they will be competing in a relay race. The first person at each starting line will walk (or run or wheel) to the midpoint line and tag the first person at their team's midpoint line. That person will walk (or run, etc.) to the starting line and tag the next person. This pattern will continue until each member of the team has had the opportunity to participate. The first team that finishes is the winner. 
    Continue explaining that each team will be given special challenges during the relays. Team One must run backward the entire relay. Team Two will also run backward during the relay; however,

Registering for CBS 2011-12

Registration forms for Years 2, 3 and 4 of the Biblical School (and for St. Thomas Seminary courses CBS 200 and 400) are now available in class and online. Here is the schedule of classes for academic year 2011-12:

Year Two (RED Curriculum - New Testament)
Mondays, 7-9 pm at Epiphany Parish, Cheshire
Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 pm at Sacred Heart Parish, Bloomfield 
Thursdays, 7-9 pm at Christ the Redeemer Parish, Milford
Thursdays, 10-noon at St. Mark the Evangelist, W. Hartford

Advanced Years (ORANGE Curriculum - Post Exilic Writings)
Mondays, 7-9 pm at Epiphany Church, Cheshire 

Tuesdays, 7-9 pm at Caritas Christi Center, Hamden 

Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 pm at Sacred Heart Parish, Bloomfield

Fridays, 10-noon at St. Aloysius Parish, Plantsville

Click here and scroll down to the section "Registration Forms 2011-2012" to download registration forms, book lists, and summer reading assignments.

Praying the Sacrifice of Isaac—by Patti Cacciabaudo

"Here I am, Lord," is Abraham's response to Yahweh's calling. Not, "Yes, Lord?"; not "What is it, Lord?"; not "What do you want from me, Lord?" Before ever he knows what God will ask, Abraham says simply, "Here I am, Lord."

It is an opening to prayer I, myself, have offered on occasion. I would like to say that it is not coincidence that my response imitates that of Abraham. But I cannot make that claim. Abraham was completely open to the Lord. God's will was Abraham's will. Abraham believed his life and his family's life was completely in God's hands. And in Genesis 22, Abraham proves his complete trust in the Lord by his willingness to do whatever the Lord wills—even if it is the heart-wrenching sacrifice of his own beloved son, Isaac.

“Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and ... sacrifice him as a burnt offering."

So Abraham went. Early in the morning, he went. "Abraham got up and loaded his donkey.... When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out [with Isaac].... Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife.... When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son...." (NIV, Gen 22:2-10)

Reading the verses of Abraham's and Isaac's climb up the mountain of sacrifice is painful. It brings tears to my eyes and a thickness to my throat. Could I have made that journey? Can I make that journey? Do I trust the Lord as Abraham did?

I have known other "mountains"—some of them heart-wrenching. In my daily journey I ask now for Abraham's faith, to do the Lord's will, to be strong, to say, "Here I am Lord. I am completely in your hands."

Patti Cacciabaudo is a first-year student in the Hartford Catholic Biblical School at our Milford campus.

Last Call for "Living in the New Creation"

Friday, March 25, is your last opportunity to register for our Celebration of Sacred Scripture on April 3, 2011. Fr. Tom Stegman is always engaging and insightful, and his guidance through the gospels of Lent is sure to help us deepen our life in Christ.

Click here to get a registration form, which can be printed and faxed to the Office of Religious Education. Or call Jill Costa at (860) 243-9465 ext 2670 to provide us with the information we need to register you.

CBS Recommends—An Introduction to the Gospel of John

LIFE IN ABUNDANCE: The Gospel of John

Reflections and commentary will focus on key passages in the gospel of John, such as the wedding at Cana (Jn 2); the Samaritan woman at the well (Jn 4); the man born blind (Jn 9); the raising of Lazarus (Jn 11); and Jesus' gift of the Spirit (Jn 19).


Presenter: Mr. Paul Sansone
Location: St. Patrick-St. Anthony Parish, Hartford
Dates: Saturday, March 26 9:00-3:00 and Sunday, March 27 (1:00-3:00 p.m.)
Suggested Offering: $20.00 (includes lunch on Saturday)

This program is offered by St. Patrick-St. Anthony Parish, located at 285 Church Street, Hartford, CT. This event is not sponsored by the Catholic Biblical School, but is authorized as a "make-up" for certain missed requirements.

For details and to register, kindly contact Ms. Pat Curtis, Parish Pastoral Associate, at pcurtis@spsact.org or 860-756-4034.

The Pope on Biblical Literacy (and a free webinar link)

In the pope's recent encyclical, The Word of the Lord, the mission and vision of the Catholic Biblical School is affirmed:
 

"In order to achieve the goal set by the Synod [on the Word of God, Oct. 2008], namely, an increased emphasis on the Bible in the Church’s pastoral activity, all Christians, and catechists in particular, need to receive suitable training. Attention needs to be paid to the biblical apostolate, which is a very valuable means to that end, as the Church’s experience has shown. The Synod Fathers also recommended that ... centres of formation should be established where laity and missionaries can be trained to understand, live and proclaim the word of God." (Domini Verbum 75)

For a glimpse into the "ABC's" of biblical literacy, St. Mary's Press invites you to a free one-hour webinar on March 22, 2011. Click here to sign up.

CBS Registration—Years 2, 3 and 4

Registration forms will be available next week online and in classes. The registration deadline originally published (March 15) is incorrect. Registrations will be due by May 1, 2011, with tuition deposits ($125) due June 1.

Breaking News—Archaeology of the Bible

The Egyptian Revolution of 2011 unearthed more than just a new government. Truckloads full of missing archaeological artifacts came to light this week as a result of the regime change, including some rare ostraca (pottery inscribed with words and sketchings) that contain some of the oldest records of the Hebrew divine name, YHWH (Yahweh).

Photo by: Courtesy

The most interesting point for those who study the Bible, though, is the possibility that two of these ancient pottery vessels pair God's name with the name of what is (likely) the female goddess Asherah."One of the inscriptions refers to 'Yahweh of Samaria and his Asherah,'" writes Hershel Shank, Editor of Biblical Archaeology Review (BAR) in the Jerusalem Post. "Another inscription refers to 'Yahweh of Teman and his Asherah.'"

Did the ancient Israelites once imagine God as having a female partner?

The evidence must be studied carefully before reasonable hypotheses can be put forward about what this new evidence suggests.

In any case, we know that Ashtaroth (plural of Asherah) were wooden poles (or possibly trees) that seem to have represented either Yahweh or a female version of Yahweh (perhaps a consort). The word Asherah is decidedly feminine and is well-established as the name of the Canaanite mother-goddess in several ancient belief-systems during the biblical era.

In the Bible, the worship of Ashtaroth was fiercely condemned by 8th century prophets and other biblical authors, such as the Deuteronomistic Historian (a late editor of the Books of Deuteronomy through 2 Kings). Would these authors have sought to abolish the Ashtaroth so fiercely if they did not think it posed a serious threat to their faith?

In that sense, the pairing of Yahweh with Asherah may simply confirm the persistence of a popular belief, common in Canaanite religions, that leaders in Israel worked hard to abolish in Israel. Whether this belief included a female god in partnership with Yahweh is likely but uncertain.

How did these findings come to light this week? Originally, these artifacts were discovered in the mid-seventies in the Sinai peninsula. They were given to Egypt as part of the Camp David Peace Agreement of 1979 and haven't been seen since.

Biblical scholars can now study these pieces carefully and, it is to be hoped, shed new light on the faith of ancient Israel.

To learn more about this important re-discovery, click here.

How to Lead Little Rock Scripture Studies

Are you thinking about leading a parish Bible study, but aren't sure how to go about it? Then this workshop is for you!

On Saturday, April 30, 2011, 9:00 am- 3:00 pm, the creators of the Little Rock Scripture series will be at St. Thomas Seminary, Bloomfield, to lead a "how-to" workshop for Biblical School graduates, parish leaders, and other friends. All who seek to encounter Christ in Scripture are welcome.

The Little Rock series is an excellent tool for parish-based Bible studies. Workshop participants will actually use the Little Rock materials themselves so that they leave with first-hand experience as well as information.

This program is free-of-charge, and lunch is provided. Graduates of the Biblical School and anyone else who leads (or might like to lead) parish Bible studies will find in this hands-on workshop an indispensable tool for using the most widely used parish-based Catholic Bible Study in North America. Advanced registration is required by April 22. Click here for a flyer and registration form. Or go to our website (orehartford.org) or contact Jill Costa at the Office of Religious Education for more information.

Free Bible Resources for Lent

Loyola Press has free online tools for studying Scripture this Lent. They have programs designed specifically for youth, adults, and families in both English and Spanish. For more information, click here.

Words Made Flesh: Literary Forms in Genesis

"Reflecting on today's first reading from Genesis (2:7-9; 3:1-7), we must take into consideration the literary and theological form of the first pages of the Bible. Like many stories in the first eleven chapters of Genesis, the Eden tale is an etiology -- a story that helps to explain important questions about the major realities of our life. Why is there pain in childbirth? Why is the ground hard to till? Why do snakes crawl upon the earth, etc?

"Genesis 2-3 suggests that knowledge, a necessity for human life, is something that is acquired painfully. Ignorance may be bliss, but it is certainly not the mark of adult maturity. When human beings finally understand what it means to be fully human, when they have complete knowledge, then the realities of life come into full relief in all of their complexity and difficulty. Knowledge is both enlightening and painful."

Reprinted from:
The Single-Heartedness, Faithfulness and Loyalty of God's Son
Biblical Reflection for 1st Sunday of Lent, Year A
By Father Thomas Rosica, CSB

To access all Fr. Rosica's reflections in Zenit on this past week's Sunday readings, click here.

CBS in the Hartford Courant

Our Celebration of Sacred Scripture is nearly upon us, and the Hartford Courant has picked up the story. Click here to see the article by Maria Zone, Director of the Archdiocesan Communications Office.

Job Opening for Book Lovers

The Catholic Book Store is looking to hire a part-time sales associate for its store at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield. Approximately 20 hrs per week, some Saturdays included. Prior retail experience preferred. Must be able to bend and lift heavy boxes.

Contact: Jan Lemoine, Catholic Book Store, 467 Bloomfield Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002, (860) 246-5628.

Words Made Flesh: Do Catholics Believe in "Justification by Faith"?

Yes, yes, yes! Even though Catholics are often not familiar with the term "justification by faith," we absolutely affirm this New Testament teaching from St. Paul. Here is an excerpt on this past Sunday's readings, taken from Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB's weekly scripture commentary in ZENIT: The World Seen from Rome.

"Justification by Faith

"The Catholic Church proclaims that, just as the Bible indicates, justification and redemption come through the grace given by God because of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Human beings cannot earn redemption or salvation. Neither is it won through good works. Good works are done though God's grace in response to God's redemptive work in Christ. Accordingly, Christ is the unique mediator between God and human beings.

"[Sun]day's second reading from St. Paul's letter to the Romans (3:21-25, 28) provides a clear statement of Paul's 'gospel,' i.e., the principle of justification by faith in Christ. God has found a means of rescuing humanity from its desperate plight: Paul's general term for this divine initiative is the righteousness of God (Romans 3:21).

"Divine mercy declares the guilty innocent and makes them so. God does this not as a result of the law but apart from it, and not because of any merit in human beings but through forgiveness of their sins (3:24), in virtue of the redemption wrought in Christ Jesus for all who believe (3:22, 24-25). God has manifested his righteousness in the coming of Jesus Christ, whose saving activity inaugurates a new era in human history." (end quotation)

In other words, Christ's death and resurrection transforms the faithful as new creatures living in a new creation. True disciples of Christ live their lives rooted in Jesus, the Word of God incarnate.

This year, the archdiocesan Celebration of Sacred Scripture  explores this very theme: Living in the New Creation. All are welcome to attend. Pre-registration is required by March 25. Click here for details.

To access Fr. Rosica's reflections in Zenit on this past week's Sunday readings, click here.

CBS Recommends—Learning About Sacred Scripture

Looking for an opportunity to encounter God's Word this Lent?

St. Timothy Parish's Bible Series continues this week:

An Introduction to the Prophets
Presenter: Dr. Barbara Bozak, CSJ

Tuesday, Mar. 8, 2011, 7:00-8:30 pm

St. Timothy School, Milligan Hall

1116 North Main St., West Hartford

Advance reservations are appreciated.  For more information and registration please call Ms. Pat Piano, St. Timothy Pastoral Associate: 860-232-8594

2012 Celebration of Sacred Scripture—All Are Welcome

 

Sunday, April 3, 2011, 12:30-4:30 pm
Auditorium, Archdiocesan Center at St. Thomas Seminary

All Are Welcome!
Pre-Registration Required by March 25

In two sessions, Fr. Thomas Stegman will explore with us, through the Church’s Lenten Sunday readings, Christ’s invitation to prepare for the celebration of Easter life. We will first reflect on what Jesus’ experience of temptations and his glorious Transfiguration teach us about our humanity. Then we will meditate on Jesus’ offer to drink living water, to see more clearly, and to come forth in freedom to live more fully the Paschal Mystery.

This program is open to the public and is an ideal program for Scripture enthusiasts at all levels of study. It is also a required “Scripture Day” for students enrolled in Years 2, 3 and 4 of the Catholic Biblical School  (St. Thomas Seminary course numbers CBS 200 and 300).

Pre-registration by March 25 is required for all participants, including Catholic Biblical School and St. Thomas Seminary students. Download the registration form and complete brochure here. Registrations may be faxed to 860-243-9690, scanned and emailed to cbs@orehartford.org, or mailed \to the Office of Religious Education at 467 Bloomfield Ave., Bloomfield, CT 06002.

A free-will offering is requested at this event.

In case of inclement weather, please call (860) 243-9465 for cancellation notice.

Remembering Marianne Ockerbloom, CBS Class of 2006

The Hartford Catholic Biblical School community mourns the death of our sister in Christ, Marianne Ockerbloom, on February 21, 2011. She joins her husband Dean in the presence of our Lord less than a month after his death in January.

A resident of Avon for nearly forty years, Marianne was born in Arlington, Mass and was a graduate of Emmanuel and Radcliffe colleges, both in the greater Boston area. A faithful member of St. Ann parish in Avon, she was also a dedicated math teacher and the author of a mathematics textbook.

We will miss Marianne dearly and offer our sympathies to all her friends, her three children and their families.

Contributions in Marianne's honor may be made to the McLean Foundation, 75 Great Pond Rd., Simsbury, CT 06070. For condolences please visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com.