Weekly Bible Study - Numbers 21:4-9

14 September 2014

Exaltation of the Holy Cross

“That’s the story of my life!” Isn't that what we say when someone’s misfortune resonates with our own? The Book of Numbers might as well be the story of our lives. Though it's not a book of Scripture that most people go to first for reading and reflection, we may be able to "find our selves" in its pages, at times.

Numbers continues the account of the Israelites' desert journey begun in Exodus. It is a time of discipline and instruction. It is also a time of grumbling and rebellion against both the leadership of Moses and the expectations of God.

In today's reading, the Israelites are disgusted with their "wretched food” and their patience is "worn out.” So God sets out to teach them, once again, how even suffering can become a blessing. The plague of serpents is seen as a punishment from God. But in a strange twist, God changes the seraph serpent from a symbol of punishment for sin to a source of healing! The symbol of their sinful rebellion becomes the source of their rebirth.

Scripture scholars look at this event as a “type” of the cross of Christ. The seraph serpent comes to represent the sinfulness of all humanity that Jesus took upon himself for our salvation.

Jesus assures us in today’s Gospel that he, too, will be lifted up that we might find life. When we behold the cross of Jesus, do we see the One who embraced his rebellious, ungrateful, unfaithful children to draw us to himself? Do we see the promise and hope of eternal life?

Isn't the exaltation of the cross the real “story of our lives”?

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.

Pope Francis on the Bible and Christian Life

The exegete perceives the Divine Word through a fervent spiritual life

On Sept. 12, 2014, Pope Francis addressed the 43rd National Biblical Week in Italy, where he said,

"Faith, to respond, and so as not to be suffocated, must be constantly nurtured by the Word of God....

"Since it is not possible for every Christian personally to carry out the research necessary to arrive at a good understanding of Biblical texts," he added, “this task is entrusted to exegetes.  ... Alongside academic competence, the Catholic exegete needs above all, faith: received from and shared with all believers."

It is the mission of the Catholic Biblical School, as part of the Office of Religious Education and Evangelization, to make the work of biblical scholarship available to everyone, following the directive of Dei Verbum: "Easy access to Sacred Scripture should be provided for all the Christian faithful." (Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, 22)

The pope's remarks inaugurate the 50th anniversary of Dei Verbum, which  in 1965 confirmed 20th century Church teaching that the Word of God is written in human language and therefore must be understood according to its original intent in order to access the fuller meaning of the text for the contemporary Christian community.

For more information, see the official Vatican news article: Biblical Interpretation: Help Faithful to Live in Communion With God by clicking here: http://www.news.va/en/news/the-exegete-perceives-the-divine-word-through-a-fe

Advanced Year Class Adjustment

Advanced-Year Students Take Note:

Dr. Leonard-Fleckman's class will be meeting on Mondays from 6:30 to 8:30 pm (not 7:00-9:00, as previously scheduled). Please note this change on your calendar materials, for future reference.

The rest of the logistics for that class remain the same: St. Thomas Seminary, Bloomfield, Room 3A (third floor).

Weekly Bible Study - All Readings

7 September 2014

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

We do not journey in life alone. As children of our heavenly Father, we are bound to one another in faith, hope and love (the “theological virtues”). Each of today’s readings illustrates one of these three virtues in a unique way as they are lived out in our relationships with others.

We turn first to today’s Gospel which reaffirms our bonds of faith. Jesus assures us that it is in the context of community that our prayers will be heard. This does not diminish the value of personal prayer, but adds another dimension. In the joining of hearts and minds in faith we are the Body of Christ where Jesus makes himself fully present. We have only to look around our congregation each Sunday to witness this unity.

Hope was all the priest-prophet Ezekiel could offer to the suffering, exiled people of 6th century Judah. Jerusalem, the heart and soul of the people's life and faith, was now destroyed, and the people were scattered. Ezekiel would be responsible for bringing them back to God. They would make this journey together, supporting one another as they returned to their homeland. The people’s shared sense of hope would guide them to a better place.

As Paul affirms in his letters, the greatest of the theological virtues is love. It seems simple enough in today’s excerpt from Romans: “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another.” If only we could divest ourselves of the baggage that distorts our ability to love fully! (That baggage is what we call sin!) Still, supported by our faith community and encouraged by its faith and hopefulness, love will grow and reveal its fruits in our relationships, will inspire us, encourage us, lift us up and carry us along the way.