#lectio devina

[lightman2120]

Privileges give us advantage over others. Receiving special treatment can mean much especially when one is quite tired of harassed. But it can also be quite dangerous. There lurks in being privileged the danger of undue sense of entitlement. the end result of this undue sense of entitlement is the withdrawal of the privilege. Such is the lesson of the readings in the Bible period Israel's pride results in the privilege being transferred to others more worthy period this is the meaning of the parable of the two sons of the Gospel. In Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13, it prophesizes the blessing of the pagans, non-Israwlites. And that prophecy includes us!

With privilege comes responsibility. John the Baptist prophesized right, that when the Lord would come the wicked-those who refuse to repent-shall get their Just desserts. Those who repent are those whom Jesus earlier referred to as the "least in the Kingdom of God"

[lesamisandlesmiserables]

An Exegesis of Les Miserables

Hi all, Mod Fantine here! I have been listening to the podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text and became inspired to do what Vanessa Zoltan and Casper ter Kuile do with Harry Potter. Their motto is “Reading fiction doesn’t help us escape the world, it helps us live in it.” I decided it might be interesting to look at Les Miserables in a similar way. 

Victor Hugo said that “To love another person is to see the face of God” and I take this to mean that meaning whether that be through God or other means can be found in what one loves both in a secular and religious sense. 

I want to treat Les Miserables as an academic and sacred text and look at it through various exegeses such as Lectio Devina and Pardes.

This exercise will in some ways be like Harry Potter and the Sacred Text. We will go chapter by chapter with a brief summary of each chapter (or maybe not depending on how Hugo wants to be). I will pick out one sentence either at random of purposefully and then use the given exegesis method for that week on that sentence. I hope we can all glean a little more from the text and musical that we all love so dearly.

I will be using this edition if you would like to follow along.

A little background about me is that I am an English major with a double minor in Film and Religious studies (the perfect brew to over-analyze everything!). I was introduced to these methods both through the podcast and my amazing professors. If I got something wrong with these methods, do tell me! I am seeking to learn. 

P.S If Vanessa Zoltan or Casper ter Kuile see this please know I admire your work!

[lightman2120]

John the Baptist is a figure we reckon within the season of Advent period he is the one who calls "Prepare ye the way of the lord!" He was the one who prepared Israel for the first coming of the Lord period his greatness precisely was in getting Israel prepared for the first coming. Does he succeed? Or did he fail? Always the prophet can only announce or alert people to forthcoming danger of blessing. It is always up to the hearers to either respond to the call or turn a deaf ear.

John the Baptist did not live long enough to witness the fulfillment of the promise of yahweh. He had, however, the privilege of experiencing the fruit of salvation that Christ would bring about by his death and Resurrection "in utero" or from the womb of when the pregnant Madonna (Mary) visited his mother elizabeth, he received the spirit and jumped for joy! This is why truly there is? No one greater than John the Baptist" among the sons of women.

Yet still "the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he!" Who can this least be? he who becomes a disciple of Jesus is greater than John period we can be the ones but we have hearers and doers of the word, like mary.

[lightman2120]

"The dwelling place of God."

In the second book of Samuel, David expressed his desire to build a Temple for God that would house the precious ark of the covenant, but God told him it would be his son who would build the temple. The real temple of God though will be mary, the mother of Jesus who is honored with the title "Ark of the covenant!" Thus, the Archangel Gabriel announced to marry the good news: "Hail full of grace, the Lord is with you...for you shall conceive the Son of God!"

The ark of the covenant of the Old testament was kept in the holy of holies. It contained The ten commandments, the rod of moses, the staff of aaron, and bread. Mary, chosen by God from eternity, will carry in her room the most holy Son of God! How awesome this mystery! The promise of God in the Old testament is fulfilled in the New testament with the cooperation of Mary, the true "Ark of the covenant!" The first Temple of God is none other than Mary!

One of the most beautiful prayers is certainly "The Hail Mary!" It's not only a very biblical prayer but it is the prayer of no less than the Archangel Gabriel who stands in the Holy presence of god. When, therefore, we pray the Ave Maria when I Rose repeats we pray like the angels and with the angels! How blessed and privileged are we!

The best contemplative prayer is the Rosary. Saint Padre Pio break the Rosary continuously. So much mercy and so many miracles flowed from praying the Rosary! Be a contemplative!

[lightman2120]

Following Jesus is not enough. It is just the beginning. Peter and the other disciples have to become another Jesus - or have to own Jesus. when they become another Jesus, they can already be sent - to the apostle's. This means that the reward for following Jesus is not a paying backward like a salary, position, or lifetime security. The reward lies and paint poured - to share two people the mission of Christ. For those who do not have the experience of genuine apostolic work, this is difficult to understand. Those who work for the poor, driven by Jesus' Love for the poor, do not see limits of time and resources. Very compassionate energy is bottomless. This is the energy of eternal life. One becomes unstoppable. There no such things as mission accomplished, goals achieved, or finish line for someone only Jesus' works and mission.

[lightman2120]

St Thomas Aquinas writes that to be an enemy, one has to know him period to overcome demons, one has to identify them. Oftentimes, however, we stop at just knowing the works of the devil, not try to beat him. We are loaded every day with information about acts of terror. There are massacres of innocent students in a broad daylight . We hear of men, woman, and children stacked in boats by human traffickers. There are drugs in the kids praying on poor and desperate druggies. There is wants and destruction of our environment. After watching these information on television, we switch off and have a good sleep. we have become accustomed to Sleeping with the enemy as long as he does not directly attack us. We cannot singularly beat the Devil as Jesus did. It takes a church or concerted vigilance and effort to drive the devil away.

[lightman2120]

Jesus had once encountered a Centurion who asked him to heal his I'll servant. It may have been in of the most beautiful encounters in scripture between Jesus and someone imploring him for aid. So, beautiful, in fact, that we utter it each time we are about to receive Jesus'body and blood at Mass. It shows the absolute confidence and trust in the loving mercy of Jesus, by someone who didn't even share his faith and religion. It shows not only the depth of God's love, but its all-expansive and all-embracing character. But it also shows the power of genuine faith.

[lightman2120]

Read: God asserts that His love and His goodness will always prevail over the threats of evil and destruction. A righteous disciple knows how to discern God's ways amid overwhelming lures in the world.

Reflect: Movies and television love to highlight the realities of hell and evil in people and societies. we agree that such realities are around us - people are killed, children are abandoned, countries are at War, and many more circumstances making us think that we are already in hell. In fact, it already shocks us when we hear of a taxi driver handing in lots of money left by a passenger or policeman being honest. Still, there are more acts of Good deed that do not come headlines. There is more heaven and goodness in people and this world.

Pray: Pray for those who have influence over other people's perception - political leaders, media people, educators, religious workers iPhone did they promote and work for the good in people and communities.

Act: Go to an institution like an orphanage, home for the disabled or the aged, or engage in prison ministries to see how charity is never a lost cause.