TrulyGrace

Monday, Tuesday, and Good Old Wednesday in mid-July 2016

Monday and Tuesday were typical boot/ aircast days, resting with my foot elevated for most of the day and crutching about for the rest of the time.

Tuesday Dad took mom to the doctor's office for a check-in.

Today (Wednesday) all three of us went to Bible Study led by Fr. Paul W with Fr Mike.  There were eighteen of us in all, including the two priests.  We read the first reading and Gospel for the seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (cycle C).

First Reading:  Genesis 18: 20-32
Gospel Reading:  Luke 11: 1-13

After reading the first reading, I asked if these events took place before or after Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac...his relationship with God seemed rather (as Fr Mike said, "supplicating [himself],  as to a pagan God,"  because Abram was used to worship in that fashion before.  A new attendee, Fr. Mike, and myself mentioned that the passage was very much aligned in "the Jewish oral storytelling, which is how the Bible was handed down before it was [recorded for] written [history] (GMA)."   Fr. Mike mentioned a "dramatic quality" that the selection has, continuing that the Bible mentions various "protected classes, including:  The widow, orphan, and sojourner....There is a tendency to 'unite' against these types of marginalized groups," whereas we should "prevent further atrocities against the innocent (Fr. Mike)."  The new attendee mentioned, that one can have faith and do good deeds, and still be considered part of a community that commits sins and thus, not to be held to justice by God.  I reminded us that those things are not enough if we do not speak up or "act as good citizens" to protect the innocents...there is such a thing as the "sin of omission (GMA)."

The Gospel reading was chock full of insights.  High points in it were the Lord's Prayer/ Pater Noster, and the "knock and the door will be opened to  you" part of the passage.  I noted that the first reading was about "gifts [of living being removed from a] community [that sinned], and "the Gospel reading being about gifts deigned within a community and gifts deigned by God (GMA)."  Another theme included "Ways to talk to [communicate with] God:  Pleading in the first reading vs. the Gospel reading, which introduces ways to talk to/ ask from God.  A third theme is "God is Just?"  The Gospel at the end is the message that God is reliable.  Dad brought up about the Lord's Prayer passage:  At first, the prayer is about praising the Lord.  It then becomes a daily request/ a reminder to pray daily.  A latecomer mentioned how God did not answer her (rather creative) thirty-year-long [rather creative and specific prayer] request from God.  It was clear that she was struggling with her faith because of personal problems and crosses.  Our hearts and prayers go out to her.

I received my knee walker ("knee getalong") today and practiced with it twice:  To meet Debbie after her work for frozen yogurt (salted caramel pretzel with toppings!) and to give her her belated birthday gift; and (2) to attend the Novena for Our Lady of Perpetual Help at St. Paul Cathedral.  Fr. Kris and Seminarian Tom G presented the Novena. Fr. Kris mentioned that John DeF is ill in the hospital now.  We prayed the second novena prayer, and after veneration, we prayed the prayer for the sick.

Time to watch America's Got Talent, for the National Convention that is going on now has flavors of a circus/ chants and content of a witch hunt.

posted by Grace @ 7/20/2016 09:21:00 PM