01.30.24 - Member Q Night
- tmaley
- Feb 6, 2024
- 19 min read
Northern Virginia Catholic Bible Study & Apologetics
Every Tuesday, 7PM-8PM
This meeting format is lecture and Q&A. It is free.
House rules/notes…
Our meeting/classes are In-Person at St. John Neumann Catholic Church 11900 Lawyers Road, Reston, VA 20191 https://saintjn.org/ (usually held downstairs in Room 5), or ONLINE via Zoom (see #2).
To sign up for Zoom notifications and to receive the Meeting Recaps, go to www.meetup.com/catholicbiblestudy and join us! The Zoom Logon is the same every week: Zoom ID: 861 1782 2081 Password: 406952.
After each meeting, I send out Meeting Recaps of what we discussed. Please remember these recaps are unedited and without the pictures. The edited version with pictures will be posted on our website before the next class on the Website – https://catholiccatacombs.wixsite.com/website. Taylor will notify everyone at that time and provide a link.
Questions encouraged. If you have questions, we ask that you keep them on topic and brief. You can ask in the chat box during the class, or email through Meetup.com, or email me at ron@hallagan.net afterwards.
Respectfulness. We will be discussing differences between religions and between Christian denominations, and we agree to be respectful at all times. Protestants especially are our friends and brothers-in-Christ; in fact, I personally owe part of my return to the faith to them!
No politics. It would be easy for us to self-destruct, but that’s not our goal. Our goal is to learn/understand/apply the Bible and our Catholic faith.
Catholic Prayer & Fellowship. Are you interested in praying the rosary, etc. with other Catholics during the week? Follow fellow member Jason Goldberg at https://www.meetup.com/online-catholic-prayer-fellowship-and-spirituality/. Daily/weekly prayer is saintly!
“The Chosen” TV series. All of us seek a relationship with Jesus Christ, which is not always easy. It can help if we have seen and heard Him. The Chosen captures Jesus better than any show I have ever seen. Highly recommended.
RSVP Reminder: Please RSVP whether you are attending the meeting or just reading the Recaps afterwards. The more RSVPs, the more Meetup will give exposure to “Catholic Bible Study” – a good thing!
Catholic Catacombs Website: https://catholiccatacombs.wixsite.com/website
Bible Study Format: Each week of the month has a repeating topic, as noted below.
Each meeting: 5 min greet, prayer, 10-15 min Catholic topic, 40-45 min main topic.
Week 1: Gospel Week
Week 2: Bible Week (Gen to Rev): We are in The Book of JUDGES.
Week 3: Survey Topics Voted on by Members:
x 1) Jesus’ Greatest Parables x 2) Hell, Purgatory, Heaven x 3) Comparative Religions
4) Great Women in the Bible 5) Book of Revelation 6) Major Heresies and Church Councils
Week 4: Member Questions:
Can you provide a brief review of the origin/meaning of the (12) statements in the Creed?
Angels & Demons – who are they, what do they do? Do we really have guardian angels? What about devils/demons? Please explain exorcisms. Do they happen, are they real?
How do I live my Christian faith at work when my faith is not accepted there?
What should our response be to those who ask us about priestly sex abuse?
What about the atheist who leads a good life? Can I be a person be good apart from God?
Miracles since the NT
What’s the difference between Charity and Love? What are the highest forms of charity?
How can I get more excited by the Mass?
Was King David good or bad? Was Emperor Constantine good or bad? Was he even Christian?
Why does God allow suffering?
What do you think a day in the life of God is like to Him?
What is a prophet?
Opening Prayer
Eucharistia: Thank you, Lord, I am grateful for your saving presence in my life.
Kenosis: Lord, I will try to empty my “self” as you did, to be present to others.
Metanoia: Today, Lord, I will yoke my mind, my heart, and my soul to You.
Maranatha: Come, Lord, enter, and make your home with me/us!
And as you taught us to pray…
Our Father
Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily Bread;
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Major upcoming holy days in the Liturgy of the Church:
February 14: Ash Wednesday, beginning of Lent – “next week, time to get our Lent on!”
Feb 14 – Mar 28: Lent (ends on Holy Thurs/Last Supper)
Today
Our Father, continued
Gospel Reading for this Sunday – Mark 1:29-39 – Jesus the Healer
The Creed – The 12 Articles of Faith
Angels & Demons
Quote of the Week:
A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. — Proverbs 11:25
We will review a different apologetics or exegesis term each week (below)...
Apologetics and Exegesis Terms
Apologetics – to defend a belief.
Catholic Apologetics– to defend the Catholic faith using reason, tradition, & Scripture.
Exegesis – the study and interpretation of Scripture (it’s what we do here every week; you are all exegetes).
Eschatology (Greek, eschaton=last/end): the study of the End Times – the Second Coming of Christ (also called
Parousia), Judgement Day, Heaven and Hell.
Bible = The OT = The Torah (Pentateuch, Books of Moses), the Prophets, the Writings (Wisdom, Novellas)
The NT = The Gospels and the Epistles (Epistles: New Test Letters (Paul), Catholic Letters, and Revelation).
Best Bibles – The Didache Bible, Ignatius Edition; Ignatius RSV 2nd Catholic edition; Augustine Bible; Douay Rheims (Jerome). Starters: Bible Basics for Catholics-Ave Maria press.
Church – Greek kyriakon house of the Lord: building for Christian worship; the whole body of Christian believers.
Ark of the Covenant: a) The golden chest holding the 10 Commandments; b) Mary’s womb holding the Word of God
Tabernacle - the portable sanctuary used by the Israelites in the wilderness during Exodus the from Egypt and then in the Temple in Jerusalem by Solomon (and again later by Herod). Latin tabernaculum – tent; temporary dwelling place.
Temple – Latin templum - space set aside for sacrifice/worship; replaced the Tabernacle; the Temple in Jerusalem.
Synagogue – Jewish house of worship often w/facilities for religious instruction. Greek synagogue: assembly/gathering.
Church Authority – The Church is the only authority given by Jesus Christ to interpret the Word of God: "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven" (Mt 18:18-20). Otherwise, there could be a different interpretation for every Scriptural passage for every person who ever read them, resulting in division vs unity (which is why there are 10,000 different Protestant churches and 17+ Eastern Orthodox churches). Catholic Church teachings are nothing more than the Church’s interpretation of that which has already been revealed by God, either through Scripture or what has been handed on from Apostolic Tradition. This body of the Church’s interpretation is called the “Magisterium” and it is not superior to the Word of God, but its servant. The Church cannot make up anything outside what has been handed to it, but rather guards and teaches it (CCC#86, 890). The Church believes that Divine Revelation ended with the Apostles. Church Doctrine refers to all of the official teachings of the Church. There are several levels of teachings:
“Theological Opinions” are teachings that express a pope’s views in a subject but are not doctrine/not binding. Encyclicals fall into this category.
Doctrine: Those that the Church teaches authoritatively but not infallibly. Elements within these can change.
“Ex cathedra” means when the pope “speaks from the chair of Peter.” Infallible doctrine, indirect revelation.
Dogma: Those teachings which the Church has infallibly taught to be divinely revealed.
Heresy is the rejection of dogma. If someone rejects a teaching belonging to the first or second categories of doctrine, it may be sinful, but it does not rise to the level of heresy.
Epiphany – Epiphany means a sudden appearance or manifestation from above. In Christianity, it refers to the manifestation of Jesus Christ being the Savior of the World to the gentiles (Magi) 12 days after Christmas. Often applies to knowledge.
Theophany means the appearance of God, such as Yahweh to Moses on Mt. Sinai, or at the Transfiguration. Note “phany” in both words, from the Greek phainein = to appear. [Theo=God + phany=appear]
Eucharist –the Lord’s Supper. The bread & wine become Jesus’ body/blood. From Greek eucharistia = thanksgiving.
Mass – the celebration of the Last Supper/Eucharist. “Mass” is from the Latin missa meaning “to send (out).”
Evangelize – to make the Kingdom of God present in our world.
Forgiveness – letting go of past harm to God or others; it presumes repentance, which presumes changes in behavior
Mercy – withholding harsh treatment or judgment that is justified.
God as Father/He/Him – scriptural tradition (God is not a gender); God does set the gold standard for fatherhood.
Man – generic for mankind, humanity. Man always believes, even if only in himself. Below are belief options.
Deism – belief in a supreme being/creator who does not intervene in the universe, or who is indifferent to it.
Theism – belief in the existence of God or gods, especially the believe in one God who is creator of the universe and is actively engaged in some way, intervening in it and sustaining a personal relationship with his creatures. Polytheism.
Atheism – relatively new in human history, the belief that gods of any kind do not exist.
Agnosticism – belief that God may or may not exist but we do not, or cannot, know.
Preternatural – means “outside the natural”; refers to the preternatural state of grace Adam & Eve were in before the Fall.
The “World” – as used in the Bible, this term pertains to the nonreligious, secular world, or our material, temporary lives. In fact, the word “secular” (Latin seaecularis) = worldly/temporal. Biblically, “this world" usually has a negative connotation, i.e., “The fall of man resulted from our choosing this world/ourselves over God.” This world is not intrinsically bad, as God made all things good. It is man that reduces it to something less. The earth is home to all our “worldly temptations” that seek to block the light of Heaven in our lives.
“A lie travels around the globe while the truth is still putting on its shoes.” – Mark Twain
Add: Concupiscence, Octave, Love, Justice, Mercy, Righteous, Patience, Kingdom, Righteous, Hyperbole, Soteriology, Apostolic Succession
The Our Father/Lord’s Prayer – Dialogue with inmate Zaire, cont’d.
Okay, we’ve discussed biological fathers and our eternal, spiritual Father who made our spiritual natures in His image, and who loves us so much that He will forgive anything we do as long as we keep coming to Him to ask for help, and making him a part of our lives. Zaire, you said a perfect father would care about you, be involved in your life, help you when you needed it, give you good advice, and be an example to you of how to treat other people. You nailed it! This is what Jesus did when he was here, and it’s the kind of Father God wants to be for you, if we let Him.
Zaire, why do you think the Our Father begins with the word, “Our”?
I don’t know – because He belongs to everyone? I would rather think of Him as MY Father. Is that bad?
That’s a great question. First, the goal is to have a relationship with God, and what better way than to be able to say, “My Father.” In fact, that personal relationship should be the foundation for everything, before anyone can get to the “Our.” But eventually, God expects to take the love he gives to us and give it away. He says if we do this, we will never run out of love, and our love will grow. Does that make sense?
Yeah! So it will grows from my to our, right?
Yep. Can we talk about why “Our” is used in the prayer?
Sure!
Okay, one reason it says “Our” is, like you said at first, because all humans are his children. Believe it or not, we are all supposed to be one family. I know humans aren’t doing very well at this and there’s a lot of hatred in the world, but that doesn’t mean we should be part of that. In fact, God tells us NOT to be a part of it. St. Paul had the same challenges 2000 years ago. He knew that the evil and selfishness in the world brings misery and misery loves company, but that we can choose a different path.
“Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may determine what is good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)
And, as bad as it seems sometimes, there still a whole lot of good people in the world. In fact, the good people are the majority but too often they are the “silent” majority, but then that’s primarily because miserable people have the biggest mouths and are the loudest, and because misery is always looking for company. They generally don’t like good people, either, because “goodness” makes their consciences guilty.
Gospel reading for Sunday, Feb 5 – Jesus the Physician, Mark 1:29-39
Context: So far in Mark, we saw the Baptism of Jesus, then Jesus beginning to preach the Kingdom of God, we saw him call the first Apostles, heal the man’s withered hand in the synagogue, and then perform the exorcism on the possessed man in the synagogue in Capernaum. Today, we meet Jesus the physician when he heals again – previously the man with the withered hand and today Peter’s mother-in-law.
Q: Was Peter married?
Usually when you have a mother-in-law, you get a wife along with that. It’s part of the deal. So yes. Many non-Catholics (and Catholics) point to this and ask why priests must be practice celibacy, so let’s dispense with this subject, first.
There are Protestants who have said that if only the Catholics knew Peter was married, they would never committed the grievous error of making priests be celibate.
Seriously? The Catholic Church determined what books belonged in the Bible a thousand years before Protestants existed. Do you really think the 500 saints and theologians that defended the Bible and the Church since the time of Christ somehow missed this reference to Peter’s mother-in-law?
First of all, Peter’s marriage is not a factor in the rule of celibacy for priests, but just to be clear, nobody is certain if Peter was married at the time he became a disciple. The majority of early Church fathers think he was a widow. They point out that there isn’t any mention of Peter’s wife in the story which would be expected – or elsewhere in the Gospels or Peter’s letters, so she may well have passed away by the time of Jesus’ visit to his mother-in-law. Surely, she would have been providing the hospitality when Jesus arrived, not the mother-in-law. Also, if Peter’s wife had passed, it would be expected that the mother-in-law would be living in Peter’s home. That said, there were other early fathers who thought Peter’s wife may have followed Peter during his 30 years of preaching the Gospel and may have even died a martyr just before Peter did in 64 AD. But we have no evidence, so we don’t know.
In the end, Peter’s being married does not bear one way or the other on the Church’s priestly rule of celibacy. The decision wasn’t based on Peter but on dedicating one’s entire life to Christ and the flock, rather than splitting your obligations with family life, and this was after 500 years of priestly “family experiences” before making the rule.
Non-Catholics often add that celibacy is unnatural and/or unbiblical. That is not true. A number of Old Testament figures were celibate (God ordered Jeremiah to stay celibate) as were New Testament disciples and many desert monks and martyrs in the centuries after Jesus. As for being unbiblical, let’s correct that misunderstanding:
In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul endorses celibacy for those capable of it, as he himself is. But, he says, if they cannot exercise self-control, then they should marry. (7:8-9).
“An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord; but a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world (and his family). I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.” – 1 Cor 7:32-33,35
After Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 19 on divorce and remarriage, the disciples exclaimed, “If such is the case between a man and his wife, it is better not to marry.” This remark prompted Jesus’ teaching on the value of celibacy “for the sake of the kingdom”: “Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom it is granted… because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of God.” – Matt. 19:11–12
Then Jesus adds, “At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven! – Mt 22:30
It’s pretty clear that chastity is biblical. (Regarding chastity for women and the religious life, read 1 Timothy 5:9-16.)
Some Protestants will even say that God commands ALL people in Genesis 1:28 to “be fruitful and multiply” and therefore this applies to priests. The Church correctly responds that “be fruitful and multiply” is not binding upon every individual but is rather a general precept for the human race. Otherwise, every unmarried man and woman of marrying age would be in a state of sin by remaining single, and that would include John the Baptist, Paul, most of the Apostles, and Jesus Christ, himself. Again, Paul, John the Baptist, most of the Apostles, and Jesus were all celibate.
We should further recognize that celibacy is forced no one. Nobody has to become a priest – it is a free-will choice one makes with their eyes wide open. It is a choice to be married to Christ and the Church, enabling them to serve their flock 100% of their time, not half their time with usual family distractions/issues as Paul mentioned above.
Finally, we should be aware that priestly celibacy is not a dogma of the Church that was somehow decided by Jesus. Priestly celibacy is just a rule/discipline of the Church, and there are exceptions. For example, married Lutheran or Anglican ministers and Eastern Orthodox priests who convert to Catholicism (there are many) to become Catholic priests remain married.
Enough on this topic. Let’s return to today’s reading!
Sickness vs Evil Spirits
One can’t help but note the distinction between the sick and the possessed in these Gospel stories. Many “moderns” assume that those who had demons were simply sick and people were dumb and thought they were demons. If one reads Aristotle (3BC) they know how smart people really where then, although admittedly with less medical knowledge.
Sure, there IS an overlap on sickness and possession – in fact, possession triggers all kinds of sicknesses – and remember, our Fallen condition enabled suffering of all kinds (Gen 3:17-19). But they were not the same thing.
As I also said before, it’s logical that there would have been many more possessions before Jesus came and “crushed the serpent’s head” (Gen 3:15).
But the exorcisms are relevant for a further reason: recall that Satan helped cause the Fall of Man and followed man out of Paradise. So, as long as the gates of Heaven were closed to mankind, humans were in one sense being held prisoner by Satan. Jesus came to rescue humans which necessarily means he must conquer Satan and evil. Thus, Jesus’ coming here was an act of war against Satan to claim back humans who were lost to him.
Now Satan is no wallflower – he won the first battle for human souls and was not about to give up what he considered rightfully his. For this reason, Jesus’ coming would have drawn the enemy out, which would explain why there are so many stories involving demons.
Q: We said Jesus came to conquer evil. What is the ultimate meaning of conquering evil?
Conquering death.
Q: Why?
Recall that God breathed spiritual natures into us (Gen 2:7), which included the gift of immortality. Our first parents lost that in the Fall. By God becoming a man to pay for our sins and reopen Heaven, you could say that we have been granted “pre-Fall status" again, meaning that we are now free to make that choice all over again – to either choose God and or Self. Jesus came to show us how to do this, which is why the first thing he did was get baptized – which represents the willingness to repent and start over with God – and then go to the desert to reject Satan’s temptations.
Jesus’ mission is off to the races and has begun to reach public awareness.
So far, what has happened in Jesus' ministry?
Baptism in the Jordan where the Exodus left off 1300 years before; the whole Trinity is present.
Jesus heads into the desert to give Satan formal notice and reject his temptations, beginning the reversal of the Fall.
Wedding at Cana where he listens to Mary and conducts his first public miracle.
Preaching in Galilee and calling his first apostles.
Exorcism in the synagogue
Healing of the man with the withered hand and Peter’s mother-in-law.
Jesus’ first exorcism and first healings sparks the onset of large crowds coming to him. He will hereafter be a public figure, sought after by all who are under the many debilitating effects of sin.
And immediately after leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.
That’s quite a recovery – from being stuck sick in bed to immediately serving guests – the hospitality that one would see in every Jewish household.
Immediately 2x. Some translations say, “As soon as…” but the word is the same as immediately. Mark is intent on conveying that Jesus has a lot to accomplish in his three years, wanting to share the Good News and his teachings to as many people as he can while he is in this world.
Speaking of 3 years … have you ever wondered why the Church splits the reading cycles for Mass services into 3-year? We are all following the life of Christ.
When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases,and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him.
Q: Why is “after sunset” notable?
Remember it was the Sabbath and the Sabbath starts at sundown on Friday night and ends sundown Saturday. They waited till after sundown for Sabbath to end, because no work is allowed on the Sabbath.
Now you know why our Sunday Mass obligations start Sat evening. The biblical day begins at sundown and ends the next sundown.
Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you."
What might we get out of this passage?
Jesus was so busy he hardly had time to rest. Yet, no matter how busy Jesus was, he made time for prayer. Often in the early morning, other times at the end of a long day, sometimes both.
He came here to show us how to be, how to live. This was as much for teaching us as it was for his communion with the Father.
He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come."So he went into their synagogues preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.
The world and nature are subject to Jesus because all things came into existence through him (John 1:1). So if nature is subject to him, he can command them and the obey. What is the point of Jesus doing miracles?
Jesus was not interested in fame; he was interested in undoing the Fall of Man and saving people. He planned to do this by showing how one lives a life of love and forgiveness, to leave teachings behind that would stand the test of time, train disciples who could become the New Israel-New Church to carry on his message, and then complete his job by dying on the cross for us.
Q: What exactly did our first free-will parents do?
They betrayed God for pride, then turned on each other (opposite of love), and failed to repent. To counteract this, Jesus had to refuse to use his powers for himself, and to love and forgive all the way to his death. This horrific punishment of the Son of God for which he was innocent allowed God to apply the punishment to our sins. All one has to do is repent.
Q: What did Jesus say to show this before he died on the cross?
“Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do.”
Q: How do the two criminals crucified on either side of Christ add to this message.
One repented, one didn’t.
THE CREED – Part I: A primer.
The word CREED comes from the Latin credere, “to believe,” and is a list of propositions to which a Christian believer assents in their mind and heart.
The reason for the Creed. The point of the Creed is to establish the most important foundations of the faith, which had two primary purposes:
As a tool to teach/catechize
To stop continual heretical movements that seek to change Christianity for a great variety of reasons.
As you will see when we get into it, the creed is not comprehensive list of everything that we believe. For example, a few things not mentioned in any of the standard creeds of the Church are the Eucharist, the primacy of the pope, Purgatory, or the life and ministry of Jesus! For these, one needs the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
“I believe in one God.” This first line is one of the most succinct and profound statements of faith in the history of the Church, and it is a line that immediately sets Christianity apart from so much that came before or has come since.
How did the creeds come to be?
The earliest creeds began organically as a part of the baptismal liturgy. As is still the case today, a candidate for baptism (or his parents and godparents) respond to a series of questions that give us the opportunity to agree to the teachings of the Church. The goal initially was to assemble the essential elements of faith into a clear, brief summary as “touchpoints” for catechumens to memorize, which was necessary in an age when illiteracy was the norm.
By the second century, there developed a need to respond to teaching errors throughout the Roman empire. One can see that happening already in the first century as most of Paul’s letters were written for this reason.
Here are four of the most common reasons for errors to develop:
It is easy to see how in a pagan world where 99% of people believe in pagan gods, that there would be a desire to combine, or co-mingle, people’s most cherished beliefs with Christianity. We all know how hard it is to change deeply held beliefs, especially those passed down from one’s parents.
Combine the above tendency with the many charismatic preachers everywhere in every age (including today) who are seeking followers for the sake of fame, money, or power (or all three). Christianity gave a whole new dimension of possibilities to the development of new cults and religions in that age.
Christianity was not an easy religion to understand or follow. It demands much from the believer in the way one lives and treats others – an entirely new way of life. It was desirable to replace the difficult parts and easy stuff.
Christians, by nature, were not violent people, so those who wanted to change something or create something new didn’t generally have to worry about being threatened by Christians. Christianity was an easy target.
There are Twelve Sections of the Creed called the 12 Articles of Faith. These fall into three categories:
God the Father and Creation 2) God the Son and Redemption 3) God the Holy Spirit and Sanctification
Article 1: I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
Article 2: And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
Article 3: Who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
Article 4: He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
Article 5: He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead.
Article 6: He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
Article 7: He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
Article 8: I believe in the Holy Spirit,
Article 9: The holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
Article 10: The forgiveness of sins,
Article 11: The resurrection of the body,
Article 12: And life everlasting.
Closing Prayer
Saint Michael the Archangel
Defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host,
by the power of God,
Thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who
wander through the world for the ruin of souls.
Amen.
Hail Mary
Full of grace, the Lord is with thee
blessed are thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
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