Embedded Files
Next class session is on Sunday, December 14th, at 9:15!
Session Summaries
Session Summaries
The Holy Bible
The Holy Bible
The Church
The Church
Discerning Your Gifts
Discerning Your Gifts
Sacraments - Fr. Ben - Part 1
Sacraments - Fr. Ben - Part 1
Sacraments - Fr. Ben - Part 2
Sacraments - Fr. Ben - Part 2
The Holy Spirit-Confirmation
The Holy Spirit-Confirmation
What is your mission?
What is your mission?
Retreat
Retreat
Confirmation
Confirmation
Reference Material
Reference Material
Session 3 - February 2nd, 2025
Session 3 - February 2nd, 2025
1.Opening Prayer
1.Opening Prayer
2. Report
2. Report
Did you bring clothing for the homeless? If not, please do so on the 11th.
Did you bring clothing for the homeless? If not, please do so on the 11th.
Questions from last session?
Questions from last session?
3. Housekeeping
3. Housekeeping
4. What is The Bible?
4. What is The Bible?
a) BIBLE = Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth
a) BIBLE = Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth
The name is derived from the Greek expression ta biblia (the books), which came into use in the early centuries of Christianity to designate the whole sacred volume.
In the Latin of the Middle Ages, the neuter plural form Biblia (gen. bibliorum) gradually came to be regarded as a feminine singular noun (biblia, gen. bibliae), in which singular form the word has passed into the languages of the Western world.
It means “The Book”, by way of eminence, and therefore well sets forth the sacred character of our inspired literature.
Its most important equivalents are: “the Divine Library” (Bibliotheca Divina), which was employed by St. Jerome in the fourth century; “the Scriptures”, “the Holy Scriptures—terms which are derived from expressions found in the Bible itself; and “the Old and New Testament“, in which collective title, “the Old Testament” designates the sacred books written before the coming of Our Lord, and “the New Testament” denotes the inspired writings composed since the coming of Christ.
b) Decision Point 5.2: Introduction to the Bible
b) Decision Point 5.2: Introduction to the Bible
Are you ready to learn the secret of the Bible?
Get ready to learn about the Bible. Discover what books it includes, where it came from, and how the Bible fits into your life.
St. Jerome
I interpret as I should, following the command of Christ: Search the Scriptures, and Seek and you shall find.
Christ will not say to me what he said to the Jews: You erred, not knowing the Scriptures and not knowing the power of God. For if, as Paul says, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God, and if the man who does not know Scripture does not know the power and wisdom of God, then ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.
d) Where did the Bible come from?
d) Where did the Bible come from?
Who Compiled the Bible and When?
Who Compiled the Bible and When?
The Old Testament books were written well before Jesus’ Incarnation
All of the New Testament books were written by roughly the end of the first century A.D.
The Catholic Church determined the canon—or list of books—of the Bible under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
The Bible is not a not a self-canonizing collection of books
there is no table of contents included in any of the books.
Although the New Testament canon was not determined until the late 300s,
books the Church deemed sacred were early on proclaimed at Mass, and read and preached about otherwise.
Early Christian writings outnumbered the 27 books that would become the canon of the New Testament.
The Council of Rome in 382
convened under Pope Damasus
promulgated the 73-book scriptural canon.
The biblical canon
reaffirmed by the regional councils of Hippo (393) and Carthage (397)
definitively reaffirmed by the ecumenical Council of Florence in 1442.
Finally, the ecumenical Council of Trent solemnly defined this same canon in 1546
after it came under attack by the first Protestant leaders, including Martin Luther.
From <https://www.catholic.com/qa/who-compiled-the-bible-and-when>
5. The Bible Timeline
5. The Bible Timeline
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Numbers
- Joshua
- Judges
- 1 Samuel
- 2 Samuel
- 1 Kings
- 2 Kings
- Ezra
- Nehemiah
- 1 Maccabees
- Luke
- Acts
The Periods
The Periods
- Early World
- Patriarch
- Egypt & Exodus
- Desert Wanderings
- Conquest & Judges
- Royal Kingdom
- Divided Kingdom
- Exile
- Return
- Maccabean Revolt
- Messianic Fulfillment
- The Church
The Covenants
The Covenants
- Adam -
Marriage Covenant
Marriage Covenant
- Noah -
Family Covenant
Family Covenant
- Abraham -
Tribal Covenant
Tribal Covenant
- Moses -
Nation Covenant
Nation Covenant
- David -
Kingdom Covenant
Kingdom Covenant
- Jesus -
Worldwide Church
Worldwide Church
- Jesus -
Final Consummation
Final Consummation
Bloodline of Jesus
Bloodline of Jesus
1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.[a]
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,[b] 4 and Ram[c] the father of Ammin′adab, and Ammin′adab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Bo′az by Rahab, and Bo′az the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uri′ah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehobo′am, and Rehobo′am the father of Abi′jah, and Abi′jah the father of Asa,[d] 8 and Asa[e] the father of Jehosh′aphat, and Jehosh′aphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzzi′ah, 9 and Uzzi′ah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezeki′ah, 10 and Hezeki′ah the father of Manas′seh, and Manas′seh the father of Amos,[f] and Amos[g] the father of Josi′ah, 11 and Josi′ah the father of Jechoni′ah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoni′ah was the father of She-al′ti-el,[h] and She-al′ti-el[i] the father of Zerub′babel, 13 and Zerub′babel the father of Abi′ud, and Abi′ud the father of Eli′akim, and Eli′akim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eli′ud, 15 and Eli′ud the father of Elea′zar, and Elea′zar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.[j]
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.
23 Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph,[a] the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jan′na-i, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathi′as, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Nag′ga-i, 26 the son of Ma′ath, the son of Mattathi′as, the son of Sem′e-in, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 the son of Jo-an′an, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerub′babel, the son of She-al′ti-el,[b] the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elma′dam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Joshua, the son of Elie′zer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eli′akim, 31 the son of Me′le-a, the son of Menna, the son of Mat′tatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Bo′az, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Ammin′adab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Re′u, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Ca-i′nan, the son of Arphax′ad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methu′selah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Maha′lale-el, the son of Ca-i′nan, 38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
If you could meet one person from the Bible who would it be?
If you could meet one person from the Bible who would it be?
6. How Should I use the Bible?
6. How Should I use the Bible?
The Bible helps us to know the heart of God. Where should I start?
Matthew Kelly recommends you start with three books:
The Gospel of Matthew – it will help you delve into the life and teachings of Jesus.
The Book of Genesis – it will give insight into the human condition and show what happens when we walk with God, but also what happens when we turn our backs on Him.
The Book of Psalms – it is a beautiful collection of prayers. You will find a prayer for every occasion and every emotion in your life.
Four simple steps:
1. Begin with a short prayer: “God please open my heart to hear what you are saying to me today.”
2. Read a chapter.
3. Pick out a word or phrase that is meaningful to you.
4. Talk to God about it.
Life is choices.
Make a choice often enough and it will become an ingrained habit.
Habits are incredibly powerful – for better or for worse.
You know the habits that will help you to become the best version of yourself.
Taking time to read the Bible every day is not usually convenient, but can have a profound effect on your life.
I read something from the Old Testament and the New Testament each day when I am eating breakfast.
It takes a couple minutes.
It is a great way to start each day.
Some favorite Bible passages:
Some favorite Bible passages:
“What does the Lord require of you? But to live justly, love tenderly, and to walk humbly with your God”
Micah 6:8
“For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe, plans to give you a future full of hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11
7. Superheroes of the Week
7. Superheroes of the Week
Saint Jerome was born around 342 AD in a town on the Eastern Adriatic coast, in the imperial territory the Romans called Dalmatia. He studied in Rome, where he was baptized, and eventually became a monk. St. Jerome learnt Hebrew while spending a few years in Syria as a hermit. After His ordination to the priesthood, he traveled to Rome where he served as the secretary of Pope Damasus from 382-385. After the Pope’s death, he settled in Bethlehem where he founded a monastery and dedicated himself to study and the translation of the Scriptures from the original languages into Latin. St. Jerome’s translation, known as the Vulgate, was used in the Latin rite of the Catholic Church for over 1,000 years. The biblical scholarship of St. Jerome was extraordinary, and he remains one of the greatest Scripture scholars, Fathers, and Doctors of the Catholic Church. He died ten years before St. Augustine, in 420 AD. For a more extensive biography of Jerome, see When the Church was Young: Voices of the Early Fathers by Marcellino D’Ambrosio (Dr. Italy). Biography by Dr. Italy.
Princess, the daughter of King Andrew of Hungary. Great-aunt of Saint Elizabeth of Portugal. She married Prince Louis of Thuringa at age 13. Built a hospital at the foot of the mountain on which her castle stood; tended to the sick herself. Her family and courtiers opposed this, but she insisted she could only follow Christ’s teachings, not theirs. Once when she was taking food to the poor and sick, Prince Louis stopped her and looked under her mantle to see what she was carrying; the food had been miraculously changed to roses. Upon the death of Louis, Elizabeth sold all that she had, and worked to support her four children. Her gifts of bread to the poor, and of a large gift of grain to a famine stricken Germany, led to her patronage of bakers and related fields.
From <https://catholicsaints.info/saint-elizabeth-of-hungary/>
8. Spiritual & Corporal Works of Mercy
8. Spiritual & Corporal Works of Mercy
Kindness Counts:
Kindness Counts:
Start each day with a prayer…
Start each day with a prayer…
Lord, let me be a blessing to someone today.
Lord, let me be a blessing to someone today.
Find someone to be a blessing to this week.
Find someone to be a blessing to this week.
8. Spiritual & Corporal Works of Mercy
8. Spiritual & Corporal Works of Mercy
9. Weekly Prayer
9. Weekly Prayer
Prayer Before Reading the Bible
Father, anoint me with your Holy Spirit,
so that as I read your eternal word,
your word may penetrate my whole being and transform me.
Grant me the blessing to be a faithful disciple
in believing the Word of God and that
I may be a light shining upon all who are in darkness.
Amen.
From <https://young-catholics.com/13518/prayer-before-reading-the-bible/>
11. Videos for this week
11. Videos for this week
The Bible in 10 Minutes (feat. Fr. Mike Schmitz)
The Bible in 10 Minutes (feat. Fr. Mike Schmitz)
The Bible is amazing... but sometimes confusing and hard to read. How can we understand the whole story?
From Ascension and Fr. Mike Schmitz—creators of the Bible in a Year podcast—comes a beautiful, clear, shareable summary of the story of salvation: the Bible in 10 Minutes. If you've never had the whole narrative summarized for you (or if you could use a refresher), this video will change your perspective on humanity's relationship with God.
Ready to dive in head-first? Sign up for the Bible in a Year reading plan: https://ascensionpress.com/biy
Decision Point 5.0: Unexpected Gifts
Decision Point 5.0: Unexpected Gifts
Do you value God's Word?
One of the most wonderful gifts God has given us is the Bible, but we don’t always see the Bible for what it really is. It’s time to truly experience the beauty of this gift.
Decision Point 5.1: A Map for a Journey
Decision Point 5.1: A Map for a Journey
The Bible is indispensable.
Whether you realize it or not, you are a pilgrim on a journey. The destination? Heaven. And the Bible is the guidebook to help you get there.
Decision Point 5.2: Introduction to The Bible
Decision Point 5.2: Introduction to The Bible
Do you value God's Word?
One of the most wonderful gifts God has given us is the Bible, but we don’t always see the Bible for what it really is. It’s time to truly experience the beauty of this gift.
Decision Point 5.3: How Should I Use The Bible
Decision Point 5.3: How Should I Use The Bible
Reading the Bible is simple!
Learn a 4-step approach to reading Scripture. Experience how simple it is to incorporate the Word of God into your life.
Decision Point 5.4: The Power of Habit
Decision Point 5.4: The Power of Habit
Are you ready for your life to change?
Our lives change when our habits change. Discover how reading the Bible can have a monumental impact on your life.
Decision Point 5.5: Decision Point
Decision Point 5.5: Decision Point
Do you want to hear the voice of God, loud and clear?
Did you know that reading the Bible is one of the best ways to hear the voice of God? Get yourself a Bible and try to read it everyday—it will change your life.
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