Life Giving Bread

Blessings everyone,

This is our last week studying the Gospel of Luke.  What a way to end . . . on a glorious note – Jesus’ Resurrection!

There are many ups and downs to life.  However, what never changes is the fact that God’s kingdom awaits for us.  Jesus gave up his life for us and then sent forth his disciples to spread the word of his resurrection and of God’s love.

There are days that I find solace in knowing that the Kingdom of God awaits.  What joy!  No matter what happens, I must continue on my quest to enter the Kingdom.  I can have a bad day – car tire blows, missed an appointment, kids have the stomach bug – but all that doesn’t matter.  What matters is that GOD LOVES ME!  He sent his only son to show me the way.  MY job is to follow and to help others on their journey too.

May God bless you in many ways and be in your heart always,

Angie

May God’s grace be upon each of you,

Pain and sorrow are not a new thing.  We have all either witnessed it first-hand or have seen it through the eyes of others.  Our readings for this week (Week 13 – Luke 22:1-23:56) is an example of the best known tale of pain and sorrow. . . Jesus’ Passion.  Through this tale, we are able to get a glimpse of the suffering Jesus and his friends went through.

We were not there to witness it first-hand.  We cannot be there to bring solace to Jesus or to the grieving.  However, we can learn a lot from it.  We learn a lot about the man Jesus was; we learn about the politics and customs of that time; and we learn through Jesus’ example and the example of those who chose to follow him.  We can then use that knowledge to strengthen our relationship with the Holy Trinity and to spread the news of the power in trusting God.

We have only one week remaining in our study of Luke’s Gospel.  Please continue your study and feel free to let me know how you are doing, what advice you have regarding our next study (the Gospel of Matthew), and any comments you would like to share regarding your experience with Bible Study, using the Life Giving Bread website, etc.

Your friend in Christ,

Angie

THE END IS NEAR!

You are walking down the street, or maybe out taking a drive, when you see a person who appears to be homeless carrying a sign that reads “THE END IS NEAR!”   What thoughts enter your mind?  Are you thinking “This person is crazy!” or  “Poor soul.  He must be mentally disabled.”?   Do you even give a second to ponder the man and his sign?  What if, now, you see this same sign posted in your church, right up front, maybe behind the altar?  What are your thoughts now?

The readings this week (Luke 19:28-21:38) begin with Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.  The people rejoice as he descends the Mount of Olives.  However, the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders reject Jesus.  The latter are upset or maybe even frightened of Jesus.  They do not see him for who is really is, the true Son of God.  If they did, they would have been more worried about their own actions, preparing themselves for what is to come next.  They would have heeded Jesus’ predictions of the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of time.   Instead, they crucify him, Jerusalem is eventually destroyed, and the end will come to all humanity.

Now, back to my story.  What if the sign you read, the one that says “THE END IS NEAR!” is being held by Jesus?  For those who believe that he is Jesus and that he is the Son of God, I would expect that they will take the sign seriously and hopefully make changes to their lives to prepare for the end of time.  However, for those who do not believe that the man holding the sign is Jesus, they may just chalk it up to a crazy or mentality challenged individual.  They would probably not take the sign seriously, and may not prepare themselves for the Kingdom of God.

Guess what . . . Jesus did hold up that sign, just not literally.  Furthermore, some people did not take him seriously and still do not today.  As we read this week’s readings (Week 12), we read that Jesus does warn us that the end of time will come.  He warns us to be mindful of our character.  Are we righteous or are we self-righteous? Are we taking care of those less fortunate and giving all that we can?  He warns us that the end is near and what we do in this life will affect what becomes of us.  What can you do to ensure that you are prepared for the end?

Next time you see someone holding a sign that reads “THE END IS NEAR,” remember that God gives us many signs.  That sign could be from Him.  Prepare yourself!

Your friend in Christ,

Angie

Hello to you all!

Things happen sometimes that cause me to wonder, “Is God telling me something?”  For example, just yesterday I found that the kids left out an open bag of chips at snack time after school.  I must confess, I have a hard time passing up chips if they are right in front of me.  So, before closing up the bag and putting it away, I took a chip out.  To my astonishment, and to the thrill of my kids, the chip had a hole in it in the shape of a cross!  “Cool!,” I thought.  Then, I thought, “Does this mean something?”

I tried to remember if I recently asked God for any signs.  No, I don’t remember asking him to remind me to watch what I eat.  Maybe I am just putting too much emphasis on a chip with a hole in it that was probably caused from a bad potato.  Then again, I am happy to know that my kids’ first reaction, as well as my own, was that the hole was a cross.  We didn’t say, “Yuk! This chip is burnt” or “this chip is a bad one.”  Instead, we automatically saw the good in the chip.

I don’t think seeing the good in things is ever a bad thing.  Jesus always saw the good in people, despite what society saw in them.  Take for instance the tax collectors in the readings this week.  Despite what others thought of them, Jesus used them as examples of how to be a Child of God.  He saw their goodness.

May we all see the good, like Jesus did.

We are now halfway through our 8-week study session.  Only four weeks left.  Is everyone doing okay?  Please let me know if you have any comments, questions, advice, or concerns about the study material, LGB website, etc.  And don’t forget to share your thoughts on the Week 11 page.

Blessings to you all,

Angie

Behave!

That is undoubtedly a word that is spouted out by parents everywhere.  “Behave!”  But, how are we to behave?  What actions must we take to constitute good behavior?

Good news!  Jesus gives us some guidelines to follow, which are evident in this week’s readings (Week 10):

1. Trust in God, and only God. (Luke 16:1-13)   – Money is not what will “save” you.  Neither will that new big screen TV, promotion, or fancy clothes.  Put your trust in God.
2. Don’t do good just for others’ praise. Do good for goodness sake!  (Luke 16:14-15; 17:7-10)  – Don’t be nice only when you think someone is watching.  Actually, someone IS always watching, and I don’t mean your mother with her eyes in the back of her head. God is always present.
3. Take care of your fellow man.  What we do in this life will determine our future in the next.  So, be careful how you act. (Luke 16:19-31) – Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and invite even the other team’s fans to your game party.
4. Have an unlimited supply of forgiveness.  (Luke 17:1-4) – No matter how many times you are cut off while driving, you are not allowed to flip your lid and drive like a maniac.
5. Have faith in God. (Luke 17:5-6; 17:11-19) – The “sun will come up tomorrow.”
6. Choose to do God’s will, which is to take care of each other and to do the steps above. (Luke 17:20-37) – Your actions are YOUR choice.  In other words, you cannot blame others for your choice to be rude, self-centered, or self-righteous.

Reading scripture is a way to remind us how to behave, and it is a way to help us know when we need a behavior adjustment.  May the Spirit be with you during your bible study so that you may discern for yourself God’s message to you . . . Behave!

Your friend in Christ,

Angie

Blessings everyone!

Fall is in the air.  Football season is here.  Leaves will be turning and falling soon.  Halloween costumes need to be decided and purchased or made.  Coming soon are trips to the pumpkin patch, hay rides, and warm apple cider.  However, as we read the verses for this week (Luke 14:1-15:32), we are reminded that these things are not the most important things in our lives.  Instead, our main focus in life needs to be preparing ourselves for our eternal life.

Preparing our soul means strengthening our spirit so that we can pass into Heaven.  It also means remembering what is really important in life – not the materialistic things, not our status, not how we look or what we have.  It isn’t about what our children or grandchildren will wear for Halloween, which team will win the next big game, or making sure our house is decorated for Fall.  As we read this week, we are reminded that God loves us and cherishes each one of us.  However, it is our responsibility to follow God, at all cost, and prepare our soul for Heaven.  God wants us to join him.  Let’s continue our work so that we can make the journey.

It was wonderful to hear from some of you this week.  I am happy to know that you are on this journey with me through Luke’s Gospel.  Please continue with your study and share your thoughts on the Week 9 page!

May the Spirit guide you and your soul be strengthened!

Your friend in Christ,

Angie

Blessings everyone,

Praise God for another glorious week!

How did it go last week?  Everyone ready for Week 8?  For this week, read Luke 12:1-13:35.  Questions are located on the Week 8 page.  Please review these questions and those in your study guide.  Plus, please share your thoughts!

Last week started off nicely.  My family and I had a lovely time with relatives on Labor Day.  Bill had the chance to share the rewards of his new smoker (he smoked a pork loin).   We had a good time hosting family and enjoying the food everyone brought.  However, by Tuesday, I started to feel tired and achy.  By that evening, I was in bed with a fever, sore throat, and aches all over.  It hit me pretty hard and it took a few days for me to recover.  I still tire easily and am now in what I like to call the “coughing phase.”  Typically, after this phase I will be well again.

There were several things that did not get done last week that I would typically have done if not sick, like errands and housework.  In turn, my illness helped me to focus only on the most important things, my recovery and keeping others in my family well. Furthermore, it allowed more time for me to contemplate on God and my spiritual growth.  I felt very close to God and offered up my suffering to him several times.  It made me feel so blessed how healthy my family and I normally are in a year.  I was grateful knowing that this illness will pass.

Sometimes, God has to knock me off my feet to get me to reevaluate my priorities.  This week’s readings are about that same thing.  We must all focus on what’s most important  – God – and we must not focus on what isn’t important – worldly things.  By doing this, we will help strengthen our spirit so that we will be prepared to enter Heaven when our time comes.

I pray that each of you find strength in your study this week!

On a side note, I am contemplating the idea of maybe moving this study group to Facebook in the future.   It would eliminate most of the pages (i.e. Getting Started, Schedule, Gospel Info., Member Corner, Prayer Requests) as well as my list of questions to the group.  Instead, it would just be a stream of comments and/or questions posted by me and the group members.  Any thoughts?  Anyone for or against this move?

May God bless you all,

Angie

Greetings to you all!

After talking about it so much for the last few weeks, it is hard to believe that the day is finally here.  We are now officially on day one of our Week 7 study of Luke’s Gospel.  During this week, please read Luke 9:51-11:54.  Also, please see the Week 7 page for questions to ponder while you study and to post any thoughts you may have (i.e. regarding the questions, regarding a verse that touched you, etc.).  There are additional questions in most study guides.  The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible (ICSB) that I recommend for the group has questions in the back of the book for Understanding as well as for Application.

Today, I went to St. Bernard for mass.  My husband was recently diagnosed with pneumonia, and two of my sons have been ill (one with pink eye).  Instead of going to my regular church, since I was by myself, I  took this opportunity to celebrate mass with my mother, a St. Bernard parishioner.  Times like this, it is nice to break from the normal weekly routine.  It reminds how connected we all are as Christians.  Our churches may look different and the songs we sing my at times be unfamiliar to others, but the mass itself is the same.

Bible study too is something that we each may do differently.  However, the act of allowing some time for God’s word and the yearning to know more about God and to see Him in our lives is universal.  Thank you for being a part of the Life Giving Bread bible study group.  I hope that you will find fulfillment within the Word and a renewal of your spirit.

God bless you,

Angie

Our Gospel of Luke study begins on Sunday, September 1st.

For anyone who would like to get a head-start on their studying, I have posted the questions for Week 7 on the LGB website.  Click the link located on the Schedule to view or click this link:  Week 7.

Any questions or comments, please contact me.

God bless,

Angie