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Our Father Course Week 1

Week 1: First Reading

Day 1 Our Father who art in Heaven

Reading Genesis 3:1-20 The Story of Paradise

Now the serpent was more subtle than any of the beasts of the earth which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman: Why hath God commanded you, that you should not eat of every tree of paradise?

And the woman answered him, saying: Of the fruit of the trees that are in paradise we do eat:

But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of paradise, God hath commanded us that we should not eat; and that we should not touch it, lest perhaps we die.

And the serpent said to the woman: No, you shall not die the death.

For God doth know that in what day soever you shall eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened: and you shall be as Gods, knowing good and evil. And the woman saw that the tree was good to eat, and fair to the eyes, and delightful to behold: and she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave to her husband who did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened: and when they perceived themselves to be naked, they sewed together fig leaves, and made themselves aprons. And when they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in paradise at the afternoon air, Adam and his wife hid themselves from the face of the Lord God, amidst the trees of paradise.

And the Lord God called Adam, and said to him: Where art thou?

And he said: I heard thy voice in paradise; and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.

And he said to him: And who hath told thee that thou wast naked, but that thou hast eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat?

And Adam said: The woman, whom thou gavest me to be my companion, gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

And the Lord God said to the woman: Why hast thou done this? And she answered: The serpent deceived me, and I did eat.

And the Lord God said to the serpent: Because thou hast done this thing, thou art cursed among all cattle, and beasts of the earth: upon thy breast shalt thou go, and earth shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.

To the woman also he said: I will multiply thy sorrows, and thy conceptions: in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children, and thou shalt be under thy husband’s power, and he shall have dominion over thee.

And to Adam he said: Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat, cursed is the earth in thy work; with labour and toil shalt thou eat thereof all the days of thy life. Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herbs of the earth. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return to the earth, out of which thou wast taken: for dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return.

And Adam called the name of his wife Eve: because she was the mother of all the living.

Day 2 Hallowed be thy name

Reading: The Nine Beatitudes

  1. Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mt 5:3, Lk 6:20)
  2. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. (Mt 5:4, Lk 6:20)
  3. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. (Mt 5:5, Lk 6:21)
  4. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. (Mt 5:6, Lk 6:21)
  5. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. (Mt 5:7.)
  6. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. (Mt 5:8)
  7. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (Mt 5:9)
  8. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mt 5:20, Lk 6:20
  9. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven. (Mt 5:11-12, Lk 6:22-23)

Day 3 Thy Kingdom Come

The seven stages of the Cross in John’s Gospel

Meditation: The seven steps of the Passion

  1. Washing of the Feet (Jn 13:1-20)
  2. Scourging (Jn 18:22, Jn 19:1-3)
  3. Crowning with Thorns (Jn 19:1-2)
  4. Bearing of the Cross (Jn 19:16-17)
  5. Crucifixion (Jn 19:18-19)
  6. Laying in the Tomb (Jn 19:40-42)
  7. Resurrection (Jn 20:1-18)

Day 4 Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven

Meditation: The last things

  • Mt 24:1-51
  • Mt 25:1-46
  • Mk 13: 1-37

Thus the first is also the last, and the “first day of creation” is the Last Day, the day of universal resurrection. Therefore the history of Christianity—moving in the direction of the Last Things, toward the future—is at the same time the history of the reawakening of the past, i.e., the resurrection of the total past, insofar as truth and love have dwelt therein. So gradually there will revive in Christendom the forgotten, deeply sleeping, and perished treasures of wisdom and sacrificial deeds of the past—right back to the primeval revelation and the paradisiacal state of humanity. Thus all truth and all love of all times will have their home in the Church of Christ, which will then be the all-embracing (catholic) unity of all things and all beings who are striving for timeless values—in the sense of realizing the ideal of one Shepherd and one flock. (Lazarus come forth)

Day 5 Give us this day our daily bread

Meditation: Institution of the Last Supper

Imagination

  • And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. (Mt 26:26-29)
  • And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. (Mk 14:22-25)
  • And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing. (Lk 22:14, 22:19-23)

Inspiration

I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?  Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him. For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor. He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night. (Jn 13:18-13)

The 3rd Temptation of Jesus: Turning stones into bread

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Mt 4:1-4)

Day 6 Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us

Meditation: The seven miracles in John’s Gospel

  1. Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11)
  2. Healing of nobleman’s son (John 4:46-54)
  3. Healing of sick man at pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-10)
  4. Feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-15)
  5. Jesus walks on the water (John 6:16-21)
  6. Healing of the man born blind (John 9:1-7)
  7. Raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-44)

The 2nd Temptation of Jesus: Casting down from the pinnacle of the temple

Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. (Mt 4:5-7)

Day 7 And lead us not into temptation

Meditation:

  • The transfiguration on Mount Tabor (Mt 17:1-9, Mk 9:2-28, Lk 9:28-36)
  • Healing of the sick child (Lk 9:37-43)

The 1st Temptation of Jesus: All the kingdoms of the world

Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him. (Mt 4:8-11)

Day 8 But deliver us from Evil

Meditation: The seven Words from the Cross

  1. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. (Lk 23:46)
  2. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Mt 27:45-46, Mk 15:34)
  3. I thirst! (Jn 19:28)
  4. Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Lk 23:43)
  5. Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. (Lk 23:34)
  6. Woman, behold thy son! (Jn 19:26-27)
  7. It is finished. (Jn 19:30)

Readings:

Revelation 12:

And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

Revelation 13:

And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.