I am your Catechist, Mr. Juan Rodriguez, Director of the Parish School of Religion at St. Patrick's in Bay Ridge. I would like to welcome you to our Scripture Studies on Acts of the Apostles. We will be meeting in person every Monday at 1:00PM, and at 6:30PM. We are planning an Online Study through Goto Meeting. Discussions and Notes will be posted here for your personal studies. Stay tuned for Calendar Dates and more.
Below, you will find both an Online Link to the Bible, and to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. You will find an ICON for Online Homework.
Now, are you excited as I am in joining the Apostles on this Spiritual High Adventure? I hope so!
1.Click here for online CATHOLIC BIBLE (NAB): Eng / Span
2.Click here for online CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH: Eng / Span
In your own words, “What is a Saint?”I - God works through those who love Him - St Peter encounter Jesus (CCC 2012)
1. In the Gospel of St John, Jesus asks St Peter three times if he loves Him. (John 21:15-17) There is always a response from St Peter, only that twice he is not truly serious about that love. Why? Read the John 21:1-19
John 21:1 - The Sea of Tiberius - The Second Roman Emperor Tiberius who ruled over the land of Israel at the time of St John the Baptist and Jesus. Here we see Jesus calling His disciples on the Sea of Tiberius, showing us by this call, His Good News will break the chains of Rome and conquer the world. (See Matt 16: 13-19. Jesus takes the Disciples to Caesarea-Phillipi and changes Simon's name to "Cephas", as Christ will Build His Church on the saint.)
John 21:2 - It was a group of friends and family who encountered Jesus.
John 21:3 - Peter wanted to fish, and his friends wanted to join in the work. Here we see a glimpse of the Church in Communion, working to capture fish not just for food, or for profit. The fish represent the Saints who would build the Church with the Disciples. Saints who reflect Christ. (For those who studied with us the Book of Tobit, remember the fish caught by Tobias? What did the Fish represent? (Tobit 6 & Tobit 11:7-13)
John 21:4-6 - They could not catch fish, but Jesus told them where they would be. What would a Carpenter know? Would you Trust His Word? With our own strength we cannot catch the fish, or shall we say, “we cannot bring those called to sainthood.” We need Jesus’ strength.
John 21:7 - St. Peter seemed to not recognize the Lord until one of his friends told him it was Jesus, after they caught so much fish. St. Peter did the extreme act, he jumped into the water. One who loves the Lord would do anything to reach their Savior. He needed to be close to the Lord. This is the Passion of the Saint. This is the true meaning of Communion of Saints - our desire for Christ.
John 21:8 The disciples brought the fish to the shore. If the fish be a metaphor to the Saints, are we bringing folks to the shore of our parish?
John 21:9-13 - Christ prepared the fire for them to eat supper. Jesus invites them to bring more fish to eat. It is another metaphor showing us that the fishes represent the role the disciples must do by bringing gifted folks to the Table of the Lord. St Peter is the Leader who brings the many fishes to Christ, only He uses a few to feed the disciples. (John 61-15)
John 21:14 - This was the third time Jesus revealed to them that Death has no power over Him. This is the Good News, promised by Christ.
John 21:15-19 Keep in mind these names and words:
A. Simon Peter - The name Simon in the Old Aramaic is Šimʻōn which means, a reed or plant that is moved. Peter is the new name given to Simon as ROCK - Cephas, which means in the Aramaic translation Gigantic Rock or Bolder. In Greek it is translated as Kepha, and in Latin it is translated as Petras. (Matt 16:18-20)
B. Son of John - The name John in Hebrew is Yôḥānān (יוֹחָנָן), which means God has bestowed favor upon you. The word "You" indicates the gift was to Simon's father.
C. Feed my lambs (12 months or younger). Tend my sheep. Feed my sheep (12 months or older). The work is from Peter to his bishops, priests, deacons, and the Church - The Communion of Saints.
2. St Paul teaches us in Romans 8:28-30
A. God works through those who love Him.
B. He confirmed in the Image of His Son. When folks see you, they see Christ - His First Born. Here is where we can see being set apart, which we get the Hebrew word Kadaursch. The word comes from the Kadash
C. His call to us was predestined, has justified us, and also gives us reason to be in His glory.
II - Called to Christian Life and to the perfection of Charity. (CCC 2013)
1. In Vatican II, the Document Lumen Gentium - Light to the World - the Church teaches us, All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity. LG 40 # 2
2. Jesus tell us, Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.Matt 5:48
3. What is Charity? It is love of God and of neighbor. It is one of the 3 Theological Virtues.
The authors of Lumen Gentium teach us, In order to reach this perfection the faithful should use the strength dealt out to them by Christ's gift, so that . . . doing the will of the Father in everything, they may wholeheartedly devote themselves to the glory of God and to the service of their neighbor. Thus the holiness of the People of God will grow in fruitful abundance, as is clearly shown in the history of the Church through the lives of so many saints. LG 40 # 2
1. Mystically, we are connected to God through Jesus by way of the sacraments. It is our spiritual journey towards Him. The Communion of Saints clings to the Life of the Trinity. He will always call us to stay close to Him.
2. Spiritual intimacy keeps us united to Him. No matter if we are given special gifts or none, we are promised and drawn to Communion.
IV - In order to be Holy, you must encounter the Cross. (CCC 2015)
1. We can never avoid His Cross. It is the spiritual instrument that gives us reason to be Holy. It is what helps us experience the Beatitudes: (Matthew 5:3-12 , & 2 Timothy 4
St. Gregory of Nyssa teaches us, He who climbs never stops going from beginning to beginning,
through beginnings that have no end. He never stops desiring what he already
knows. See this example of St Jose Sanchez Del Rios
1.The Spirit works through the Father and Son in
completing thePlan of our Salvation. 2. The Catechecism mentions, These End Times- The Church teaches us
that we do not know theEnd, but only the Father. It also points to our ownEndas we can see that future during our present journey. TIMEis
key to understanding our limitation, and only God can know.
A. Our experience is joined to Christ by way of His Incarnation - He becomes one of us to show the Value of our Life in
God. We are precious and awesome, yet fragile as we are in continuous need of Him.
B. The Spirit of God revealed by Christ is given to
us for our journey. We welcome Him into our own being to be our Guide and to
Protect us a long the journey towards Holiness.
3. The Spirit insures in our hearts and mind His
Divine Plan, accomplished in Christ that it is forever stamped on our very
being. As Jesus is theFirst Born, we become through Him, the an image of theFirst Born- an Imitator of Christ. A new
creation as we are meant to be, as He alone can insure this blessing by being our Example.
Holiness should not foreign to us. Jesus, by way of the Holy Spirit, assures us Sainthood can always be achieved through Him.
A. We become Christ to the World and the Spirit
shows it as we live as Church, in communion, in forgiving sins, in living out
His Resurrection, so that we may have ever lasting life. Our expression of faith in Him becomes infectious to whomever we encounter, animating ones soul at a time. Luke 1:39-45
In 1st Corinthians 2:11, St Paul teaches, No one
comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
1. One must understand the Spirit is who reveals
to us Christ as both HisWord and Living Utterance. He speaks by way of the
Prophets.
A. No one hears His Voice, but the Spirit is reveals Himself by
movements, which we can see through our faith.
B. Another way of seeing Him in ACTION is through
the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit. We see Him in acts of the Christian living for Christ.
The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit according Catholic Tradition are wisdom, understanding,
counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of God.
The Twelve Fruits of the Holy Spirit according to Catholic Tradition are charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity,
gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity.
With the Seven Gifts and Twelve Fruits in mind, we can consider Seven Works of the Holy Spirit
• The Holy Spirit Transforms our Lives. ... • The Holy Spirit Convicts Us of Sin. ... • The Holy Spirit Guides Us to the Truth. ... • The Holy Spirit Empowers Us to Proclaim Christ.
... • The Holy Spirit Gives Us Spiritual Gifts. ... • The Holy Spirit Empowers Us to Worship. ... • The Holy Spirit Leads Us.
C. The Spirit does not speak of Himself or for
Himself.John 16:13It is very difficult for those who live in the world cannot
see the Spirit works. Those who struggle with believing in the Holy Spirit grow angry when they cannot understand where He is. It is
the believer who know how the Spirit moves.John 14:17
III - The Church… A Communion living in the faith
of the Apostles. CCC 689
1. It is in the Church that Christ has given us, the Christian will know the Holy Spirits movements and works. The Catechism teaches us we will know Him...
Read Acts of the ApostlesChapter 9 & 10 - Answer
these Questions
1.Who spoke to Saul when he was lying on the ground? What did the Voice
say?
2. What was the street called that Ananias had to go to? Why?
3.What did the people say of Saul when he was preaching in the Synagogue in
Damascus?
4. What did Saul’s disciples do for him when he knew that the Jews were
plotting to kill him?
5. What did the churches of Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, experience?
6. Who was Aeneas?
7. What did St. Peter do for Tabitha?
8. Who was Cornelius? What did he want?
9. What was St. Peter’s Vision?
10.In Chapter 10:42-43, what did St. Peter say to Cornelius’
Family? Who were astounded by the Holy Spirit’s actions with Cornelius’
Family, who were preparing for Baptism?
Many of us struggle with Facing Obstacles in our lives. Here, the Disciples of Jesus, called Apostles, are challenged to bring Salvific Message of the Lord to both the Jewish People and the Gentile Nations.
What does the word of Apostle mean? It comes the Greek word, Apostolos, which has its connection to the word Apostellein. It means, "to send forth." It is used the Greek translation of the Book of 1st Kings 14:6 as commissioned in giving good or bitter news. For the disciples, their News was Good, and life changing.
Take for example the Healing of the Lame Beggar - the message he receives from St. Peter was at the gate called Beautiful. This gate was the place the no Gentile could pass into the courts, but only an Israelite, yet he was faithful to God's blessing and waiting. No different the Jacob (Genesis 32:23-33) who wanted God's Blessing, this beggar wanted it too. Was God teaching the Israelite's their experience of the father Jacob by way of pleading beggar? How many of us see our life as beautiful in the way God sees it? His obstacle of was his legs, but his desire to be cared for by God was greater than him walking. Something that Israelite's are losing during their occupation with Rome.
It's the Gaze that St. Peter gives that makes the message that real... Silver or Gold he did not have, but Christ in his heart - that will change his life. Silver and Gold are the very gifts given to Jesus after His birth (Matt 2:11).
a. Gold is a sign, given to Jesus for His Kingship over Jerusalem and the Nations.
b. Gold is the symbolism of Christ's Authority through St. Peter as the Prime Minister of His Kingdom (Matt 16:18-20). It is Christ who works through St. Peter to give the Beggar, the New Israel, the chance to Face his Obstacle. It would set off another major conversion in the Church.
St. Peter reminds them of their history, and to return to it as means of Salvation. Their proof is in what Jesus has done for them after they had put Him to death.
The Face off between the Rocks... As the Spirit worked through Sts. Peter & John, they brought five thousand people to Christ. The next day, the Sts. Peter & John, along with the Beggar were brought into the Sanhedrin to be questioned about the event. St. Peter goes to defense for the Good News of Christ - calling Him "the stone which was rejected by you builders, but which has become the cornerstone." St Peter declares that Jesus is the one who saved and healed the Beggar. It is later that the Council forces Sts Peter & John to never mention or speak about Jesus again. A New Rock has risen, and reverse the challenge to the old rock of experience of Jesus.
The Lame Beggar was forty years old... keep in mind the this number as it is a reminder of Christ who stayed in the desert for forty days, and when the Israelite's stayed in the desert for forty years. Truly, the Lame Beggar represented the People of Israel who needed God's Blessing through Jesus.
God continued to bless them to overcome their obstacles. If He can do that for them, why not for you!
Read Acts of the Apostles - Chapters 3 & 4 and Answer these Questions
1. What did St. Peter do to the Crippled Beggar? What name did he use?
2.In Chapter 3: 24-26, summarize in your own words what St. Peter said to the people?
3. What was the reaction of Caiaphas to Peter, when the Apostles were brought before the Sanhedrin?
4.What happened during the Prayer time with the Community (Chapter 4:23-31)?
5. What did the Apostles and Disciples of Jesus do for the community (Chap 4:32-37)
1. When
mentioning “[T]he first book”, St Luke is reminding his readers to remember his
Story (The Gospel of Luke). He speaks to his friend “Theophilus”, which means
in Greek, “Lover of God.” The name “Theophilus” also points to us, who are called to be “Lovers of God”. The one who loves
God, knows and trusts that He will conquer our fears, and most of all, uses us
to conquer fear that continues to imprison our world. It is the Spirit that
moves the disciples of Christ to bring the Good News, and it is the Spirit that
moves you and I, as the Church, to transform our community.
2. The
number 40 is mentioned as a sign of preparation, similar to the preparation we
made before Easter. Jesus’ appearance to the disciples was His proof for them
that True Love Triumphs over fear and death.
3.
Jesus commands His disciples not to leave Jerusalem – His Father’s
promise to them in receiving the Spirit will take a short time. It is important
to note that Jesus is telling them to stay in the “City of Peace” (Hebrew
translation: Jeru, “City of”, and Salem, “Peace”), which will prepare them for
the mission and the trials to come.
a. Note:
Our Lord Ascends into Heaven, which begins in Christian Tradition the First Novena to the Holy Spirit, which the disciples pray and prepare for the
Father’s Promise.
4. The
disciples ask about the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel. The name of Israel is mentioned in this question – In Hebrew, “Israel” means One who
wrestles with God. This was the name God gave to Jacob who wanted His
blessing, so Jacob wrestled with an Angel. Jacob would not let go even when the
Angel broke his hip. (Genesis 32:23-33) The disciples ask the question like
they were Jacob - they want that blessing. He reminds
them that the Father has the answer. Jesus assures them to focus on preparing
for the Spirit, because they were about to wrestle with the world to bring God’s
blessings with the Good News.
a. Witnesses
– Jesus tells His disciples they would be His witnesses throughout Jerusalem
and throughout the world. The Greek word for “Witness” is Martys. We get the
word, Martyr. Love that conquers fear is a total surrender to
the Christ on the Cross.
b. As
witnesses to Christ’s Love, the disciples also surrender to the work of the Spirit who chooses within community leadership to carry with them the Gospel Message. Their plans to place someone in succession
to Judas would inspire them to pray together, and to choose out of 120
disciples, only two. One of these men would be called to take up the Office. The word "Office" in Greek is Episkopo - it is translated in English asBishop, which means One who has oversight. (1 Timothy 3:1)
1. The
Feast of Pentecost, also called “The Feast of Good Fruits”, or “Harvest
Festival” was celebrated 50 days after Sabbath. (Leviticus 23:9-22) The Catholic Church, being the
daughter of the Jewish Faith, continues this celebration as we consider
ourselves connected to their Historical Celebrations. The Feast of Good Fruits
is celebrated in honoring God for allowing life to continue through the First
Born, and the First Harvest. Jewish families would offer these Gifts to God,
thanking Him for many blessings. For Catholic Christians, we continue this
practice, but we also offer our children to God to be strengthened by His
Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation.
The disciples will become a
symbolic reality of the 12 Sons of Israel, the new overseers of the People of
God, who carry the Message of the Good News. This is why the disciples were
told to wait together, as a community, a small parish that would become the
Church - the City of God.
a. A Mighty Wind -
The rush of the Mighty Wind did not come from outside the house, but from
within - the Spirit of the Lord does not have to conform
to our perceptions or understanding of how the natural order works, rather,
He comes to us in unexpected moments. Being in His Presence, the Spirit
of God urges us to reach for His Love, which in turn
will remove the fears that hold them back from proclaiming their
experience of Jesus. The Spirit of God also awaken gifts, vocations, and
so much more - the Christian becomes more Christ like, yet the
Spirit uses the Christian to be daring, and courageous.
b. Speak in other
Tongues - The Gift of Tongues is small gift by which
the Christian is given the grace to
learn a language or more. The Spirit also can give to His Faithful one an instant knowledge of
another language to speak to person
who He wants within His Community. (St Pio is a perfect of example
who was known to speak to people without knowing or studying their
language. Click here to see THE HEALING OF JOEY LOMANGINO)
I. When the
disciples received the Spirit, they left the room to meet the crowds who
have been moved by the Spirit. People from different cultures heard
the Good News.
II. Here, Peter speaks on behalf of the Christian Community. He is called the Prince of
the Apostles, because Christ made Him the Rock of the Church. (Matthew 16;18-20) Peter
has many titles, but the most important are Cephas (Aramaic for
Rock), Kephas (Greek for Bolder) - but the word closely connected to the name is translated from the Greek as Petras, which is the femine for "Bolder". It is argued by our Protestant Theologians that this would not be the word used for Peter since it would be masculine as Petros, meaning "stone". This would not be the intention of Jesus to call name Simon a "stone", so the reader must understand that the translation must go connect to the word "Cephas" as Rock, or Massive Rock. It is Peter who by the Spirit of the
Lord, guides the Church as the First Pope. The word Pope is the shortened
version of the Greek word, Patriarchēs, which we get the word,
"Patriarch", or "Father." As our Spiritual Father, Peter's teachings brings 3,000 people to Christ through Baptism.
2. It is written that "fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles." (Acts 2:43) This "Fear" is not one that enslaves the Christian with terror, rather it gives strength for a Christian to live for God. It is one of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit:
a. The Gift of the Fear of the Lord - Also known as the experience of Wonder and Awe, helps us to avoid any chances we may have in offending or displeasing God. This extends to those who are close to us: Family, friends, our neighbors (It includes our enemies - are they really?), even life on this world (the pets in your care, the land, our natural surroundings, etc).
I. The Fear of the Lord helps me to recognize the value of our relationship with God and Neighbor. (Matthew 5:27-30)
II. The woman who lived a sinful life, searches for the Lord in order to change her life. (Luke 7:36-50)
III. How do you search for the Lord? How do you value life, or the life of another? Do you see those you encounter as a Gift from God? Do you see yourself as a Gift of God?
3. "And all who believed were together..." (Acts 2:44) Fear that is crippling and not salvific can always be overcome by Love... Love of Christ who brings us together. Daily, we have an opportunity to encounter Christ in our homes, our parish, and in our community. When one is trapped in sin, it is very hard to see past its lures, and to find reason to find community. It is also hard when you live in the community, but your attitude does not reflect Christ. Here is an example of a coach who pushes his team to find their worth. The Coach is acting like God, pushing us to move forward. All see the struggle to keep going, but at the end of it, they win - this is the meaning of the Passion, Death, & Resurrection of Christ - in Baptism we are promised that by moving forward to His Call, we will win. Love will conquer our fears. The Community or Parish needs to see this to believe.
I.
Read Chapter 1 & 2 of Acts of the Apostles. Answer the
following question.
1. Who would be the Person giving instructions to the Apostles?
2. What did the Angel tell the Apostles after Jesus left them?
3. What did the First Community do when they stayed in the Upper Room?
4. Who was the Successor of Judas?
5. Which people were “astounded” by the Apostles proclamation of the Good news?
6. St. Peter quoted the Prophet Joel – What did Joel write in Chapter 2 verse
17?
