Lesson 13 Worksheet

So Say We All


Click below for Lesson 13 Worksheet

Lesson 13 Worksheet

Lesson 13 - Zion and Babylon

Click below for Lesson 13

Lesson 13

Lesson 12 Suggested Responses

Click below for Lesson 12 Suggested Responses

Lesson 12 Suggested Responses

5th Annual Catholic Conference for Men

Eucharistic Adoration

March 24, AOD (Archdiocese of Detroit) is sponsoring the 5th annual men's conference. This year, Ralph Martin, Bishop Carlson (Saginaw), Fr. Riccardo, etc. will speak. Click below for more information.

Men's Conference

Revelation Chapter 13 Summary

Beast of Chapter 13?


The end of Chapter 12 tells us that the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring. Chapter 13 tells us how he does this war making. Satan launches his attack on us using beasts which he gives power. The beasts stand for those who have embodied powers of evil.

The first beast symbolizes political power taken to such an extreme that it pushes God out. The second beast symbolize those forces that justify these evil powers and spin it so that it seems acceptable.

These beasts are firstly a reference to the Roman Empire. But as it is with other themes in the book of Revelation, these beasts manifest throughout all of history and will become acute at the end of time.

Lesson 12 Suggested Responses

All-Twine Knitted Rosary


The first person who explains to the class on Thursday the Jewish Tradition on how Lucifer became the devil will win a handmade all-twine knotted rosary complete with instructions on how to say the rosary. The answer can be found on this blog (check the Archives section).

For the suggested answers for Lesson 12, click here

Lesson 12 Worksheet - Beasts from Land and Sea

Land Beast?

Click below for Lesson 12 Worksheet.

Lesson 12 Worksheet

Lesson 12 - Beasts from Sea and Land

Sea Beast?

Click below for Lesson 12.

Lesson 12

Lesson 11 Suggested Responses

Mary Queen of Heaven

Providing the Suggested Responses before class time was suggested last week. I thought we'd give it a try this week and see if y'all like it.

Lesson 11 Suggested Responses

Revelation Chapter 12 Summary

St. Michael
In an effort to respond to your requests for more teaching, I'll post a summary for each chapter we are studying.

Chapter 12

Section...The Woman and the Dragon
People Involved...The Woman Clothed with the Sun
The Male Child
Michael
Symbols...The Red Dragon
Mass Part...Liturgy of the Eucharist
Liturgical Significance...Intercession of saints and angels
Catholic Themes...Mary Mother of the Church
The Assumption of Mary

Mary, the Arc of the Covenant

This reflection is after Steve Ray's writings. In Revelation 11:19 John makes a surprise announcement: “And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the Ark of His covenant appeared in His temple. . . .”

At this point chapter 11 ends and chapter 12 begins, but the Bible was not written with chapter and verse divisions; they were added in the twelfth century. When John penned these words, there was no division between chapters 11 and 12.

So, immediately in the context of saying he saw the Ark of the Covenant in heaven, what is the next thing John says?

“A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child . . .” (Rev 12:1-2a). Who was the woman? Mary, the Ark of the Covenant was revealed by God and John saw it in heaven. She was seen bearing the child who would rule the world with a rod of iron (Rev 12:5). Mary was seen as the Ark and as a queen.

But does this passage really refer to Mary? Some say the woman represents Israel or the Church, and certainly she does. John’s use of rich symbolism is well known, but it is obvious from the Bible itself that the woman is Mary. The Bible begins with a real man (Adam), a real woman (Eve) and a real serpent (the devil) — and it also ends with a real man (Jesus, the Last Adam, 1 Cor 15:45), a real woman (Mary the New Eve , Rev 11:19—12:2) and a real serpent (the devil of old). All this was foretold in Genesis 3:15.

Later in the same chapter it says that the devil went out to persecute the woman’s other offspring — Christians — which certainly seems to indicate Mary is somehow the mother of the Church (Rev 12:17).

So, here again we see very good scriptural evidence of Mary being revealed by God in Scripture as the Ark of the New Covenant. Even if someone disagrees with Catholic teaching, they cannot argue that there is good and reasonable scriptural foundations for this teaching. And it is a teaching that has been taught by Christians from ancient times.

Lesson 11 Worskheet

The Woman and the Dragon


Lesson 11 Worksheet now available.

Just a reminder, the Lesson Worksheet provides all (most?) of the cross-references mentioned in each of the homework questions.

Lesson 11

Lesson 11 now available

St. Thomas a'Becket - A Saint for Today

Henry II
On December 29, CSS had a St. Thomas a'Becket Feast Day celebration at Toni's house. We watched the movie "Becket" which presented Thomas' adult life story. What was remarkable for me is how relevant our patron saint is for today. Although the movie reflects the 1960s, the problems that faced Thomas are relevant for today. Issues such as:

1. Separation of Church and State and how this separation protects the Church.
2. Sexual Abuse by Clergy and whether civil law or cannon law should be used.
3. Excommunication. Thomas excommunicates a public official for disobedience to Church teachings.

Revelation Chapter 12 and Satan

Fallen Angel

As discussed previously, Revelation depicts the struggle between good and evil from the beginning of time. Rev 12:7-9 talks about a war between the dragon (Satan/the devil/Lucifer) and Michael (the archangel). This passage reminds us of the origin of the devil which happened at the beginning of creation according to Jewish tradition (it's not in the Bible). Lucifer (a created angel) became a devil because when God created man in his own image and likeness, Lucifer refused to acknowledge the dignity granted to man. Michael obeyed, but Lucifer and some other angels rebelled against God because they regarded man as beneath them. As a result the devil and his angelic followers were cast down to earth to be imprisoned in hell, which is why they ceaselessly tempt man, trying to make him sin so as to deprive him of the glory of God.

Interpreting the Book of Revelation

These thoughts are taken from the Navarre Bible. Due to the wealth of symbolism in the book, it has been interpreted in many different ways over the centuries. The four main interpretations are as follows:

a. The book is a history of the Church, proclaiming the main events and epochs of the Church, past and future.
b. The Apocalypse has to do solely with events in St. John's own time...It sees the book as merely a symbolic description of first-century events.
c. The content of the Apocalypse is exclusively a proclamation of the last days. This interpretation is reflected in the "Left Behind" books popular among evangelical protestants today.
d. The Apocalypse is a theological vision of the entire panorama of history. This interpretation is reflected in our Catholic Scripture Study and is most favored by most Fathers of the Church.

John is describing the situation of the Church in his own time and also surveying the last times. But for John, the "last times" have already begun, they began at the Nativity - Jesus' birth to Mary in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. The book of Revelation depicts the cosmic struggle between good and evil from the beginning of time all the way through the end of time. But all the while, it takes for granted Christ's ultimate triumph.

Lesson 10 Suggested Responses

Click below for the Suggested Responses to Lesson 10.

Lesson 10 Suggested Responses

Lesson 10 Worksheet Now Available

Click below for the Lesson 10 Worksheet.

Lesson 10 Worksheet

Lesson 10 Now Available

CSS' server is up and running again. Click below for Lesson 10 and I'm working on the worksheet now.

Lesson 10

Lesson 10

Happy New Year everybody. It's a new year and time to get back into the Word of God. Unfortunately, Catholic Scripture Study's web server is down. This means that I cannot post the worksheets or Lessons right now. Sorry for the inconvenience.