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God wants to renew our hope and help us put our faith and hope into action. Previous Next Jubilee Year 2025: Embrace God’s Hope and Extend It to All Introduction: Respond to the Invitation to Embrace God’s Hope God wants to renew our hope and help us put our faith and hope into action. Link to S pes Non Confundit Photo by Tom Faletti, Washington, DC, August 28, 2024. Tom Faletti November 16, 2024 You Are Invited to a Jubilee Year Experience! Suppose you received an invitation to a celebration – a celebration where potentially up to a billion people might participate. You might want to know more. The truth is: the invitation has been sent, and you can respond at any time. On behalf of the entire Church, Pope Francis is inviting you to join in the celebration of 2025 as a Jubilee Year of the Church. You don’t have to RSVP; you can just show up, and you can participate in many different ways. Where is my invitation: In May 2024, Pope Francis released the document Spes Non Confundit (Hope Does Not Disappoint), in which he invites us to join in the Roman Catholic Church’s celebration of Jubilee Year 2025 and to focus particularly on the hope we have in Christ. What is a Jubilee Year: The Roman Catholic Church has been celebrating Jubilee Years almost every 25 years since the year 1300, and additional Jubilee Years have occasionally been added. Drawing on Old Testament tradition, the Jubilee Year is meant to be a time to celebrate the grace, forgiveness, and mercy of God – a time of pardon, release, and remission of sins. Each Jubilee Year, the Church invites us to open our hearts in a special way to the grace of God, to receive forgiveness and freedom from sin. As a tangible manifestation of the invitation, the Church opens special holy doors in Rome during the Jubilee Year and invites us to go on a pilgrimage to one or more of those holy doors. We are invited to embrace the spirit of conversion and open the doors of our hearts to facilitate God’s work of renewal in our lives. However, a physical pilgrimage is not required. We can embrace the Jubilee Year in many different ways. We can go on a spiritual pilgrimage of the mind and heart. What all pilgrimages have in common, whether physical or spiritual, is that we take the time to consider where we are spiritually and where God is calling us to be, and then embrace the steps toward growth that the Holy Spirit is inspiring us to take. We want to extend to you Pope Francis’s invitation to join the journey! Through this study guide, we offer one approach that might strengthen your faith and renew your hope in God. Who is invited: Anyone seeking to grow closer to God is welcome. When: Officially, this Jubilee Year runs from approximately Christmas 2024 through Christmas 2025. But the door is never closed to experiencing the grace of God. You are welcome to take this journey with us any time, in whatever ways work best to support your faith. Where: Through this study, you can journey with us in an exploration of God’s hope and grace, guided by Pope Francis and the Sacred Scriptures. You can do this online, at home, or in your parish. You can do it on your own or with a small group. We also encourage those who are able to take a pilgrimage to Rome or join in your local diocese’s official celebrations and rituals. Theme: In Spes Non Confundit , Pope Francis invites us to explore the theme of hope – the reasons for hope, how we can embrace God’s hope and allow it to fill our hearts, and how we can extend God’s hope to all people, in every part of our society and every corner of the world. If you would like to respond to this invitation to hope, keep reading! First read the Overview, and then start your study. The Overview has separate suggestions for individuals studying on their own, small group members, and small group leaders. For More Information or Help If you have questions about anything in this study guide, please feel free to email Tom Faletti at tomfaletti@faithexplored.com or use the contact form at the bottom of FaithExplored.com . May you grow in hope and find new ways to put your hope into action, as you study Spes Non Confundit and celebrate the Jubilee Year. It is wonderful that we can say yes to God’s invitation to live in hope and to extend God’s hope to others by sharing the good news we have found in Jesus Christ and working to bring His justice and peace to the world around us! Your fellow pilgrim on the path to God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, Tom Faletti Dedication This study was developed at the suggestion of Father John Mudd, who has served the Archdiocese of Washington for more than 50 years with joy and an open heart for all God’s people. Thank you, Father Mudd, for your dedication and support. May God continue to bless your ministry! Bibliography See Jubilee Year 2025 - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/jubilee-2025/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Jubilee 2025 Contents Next

Are there any reasons why God would not make the prevention of suffering his highest priority? Previous Next Table of Contents If God Could Stop Suffering, Why Wouldn't He? Are there any reasons why God would not make the prevention of suffering his highest priority? Tom Faletti (to be continued) Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Table of Contents Next

Each of us will be judged by our treatment of the hungry, the stranger, the sick, those in prison, etc. What are you doing to find Jesus in those places? Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 25:31-46 Each of us will be judged by our treatment of the hungry, the stranger, the sick, those in prison, etc. What are you doing to find Jesus in those places? Separation of Sheep and Goats . Early 20th century reproduction of a Byzantine mosaic originally dated early 6th century. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY. CC0, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Separation_of_Sheep_and_Goats_MET_cdi24-144-4s1.jpg . Tom Faletti September 14, 2025 Matthew 25:31-46 in the final judgment, Jesus asks if you responded to those in need What is this passage about? Note that this story is not a parable. He is not saying the kingdom of heaven is “like” this. He is saying that this is what is going to happen. The only part of it that is like a parable is the use of the terms sheep and goats to picture Jesus separating people the way a shepherd would separate different creatures. The rest is a direct description of what Jesus says about how the final judgment will go. In verse 31, where is the Son of Man? Jesus has described himself as the “Son of Man” throughout Matthew’s Gospel. Here, for the first time, he takes to himself the title “king” (v. 34). The first title has messianic overtones but emphasizes his humanity. The second title offers a different perspective. What does his use of these two titles – Son of Man and king – tell us about Jesus and his relationship with the human race? Who is gathered before him (v. 32)? All the nations. Who do the sheep and the goats represent? Who is it that gets separated? He is not simply separating the nations for judgment; the language used makes it clear that this is a judgment of individual people – see the footnote below: Are individuals or nations judged? Note that the “sheep” and “goats” are used mainly as an illustration. Jesus isn’t asking us to draw conclusions here based on what we know about sheep and goats. In our day, he might have said: As a veterinarian separates the dogs from the cats. He used the image of separating sheep from goats because that was an image his audience was familiar with, an then he applied it to separating different types of people. In verse 34, what is the blessing given to those on his right hand – the sheep? What do you think it means to “inherit the kingdom”? In verses 35-36, what is it that they did, that led to this blessing? Do they understand what they did, or are they surprised by what he says? Explain. What is the king’s explanation of how they did these things to him? He says that when you did it to/for them, you did it to/for him. Different translations use “to” or “for” because in the Greek, the dative case used here indicates who receives the benefit of an action but does not specify a preposition. The point is that when we do these things, Jesus is the recipient of our actions: You did it to me. How do you think this passage applies to us today? How literally do you think we should take it? Do you think there are people who might be surprised to learn that when they were helping people in need, they were also doing those good things to/for Jesus? Explain. What does their surprise tell you about people who do good things, about God, and/or about our final judgment? It is probably unrealistic for any one person to do all these things with any frequency, so how do you think Jesus would want us to respond to this story? Those among us who like to-do lists (myself included) need to hear this caution: Jesus has not presented himself as the kind of person who would want us to turn this into a checklist and think that if you do each one of these things at least once we have earned salvation. That’s not what this is about. It is probably better to think about it as a way of life: responding to needs habitually and generously whenever needs present themselves. Now let’s look at the “goats.” In verses 41 and 45, what is the ultimate destination of the “goats”? What does the king say they failed to do, that has led to this outcome? Do they understand why they are receiving these consequences, or are they surprised? Explain. How does the king explain what he means by their failing to do these things to him? Note that these are what are called “sins of omission,” not “sins of commission.” It isn’t that they did something bad; it is that they failed to do something good that they could have done and should have done. Do you think there are people who might be surprised to learn that they are failing the test of the final judgment? If so, do you think it would be a situation where they should have known because they knew what Jesus taught in the Bible, and they willfully ignored what they should have known? Or do you think it would be a situation where, once it was pointed out to them, they would be able to say, “Yeah, you’re right; I should have known that and I failed”? Or do you think it would be a situation where they would be legitimately baffled to learn that this was Jesus’s criteria for judgment? Explain. What does their surprise tell you about people who fail to help others in need, about God, and/or about our final judgment? In verse 40, the king tells the first group that they did it to one of the “least” of these brothers of mine, and in verse 45 he tells the second group that they did not do it to one of the “least” of these. Who are these “least” ones? What do you think this passage says to us? As you read this, is there someone or some group of people that you think the Lord might be nudging you to do more for, or some action you feel he is calling you to take? What is this passage saying to you personally? Throughout Matthew’s Gospel, we have seen Jesus’s constant “ downside-up ” approach. Why do you think this is the perspective he has chosen to take: to place such an emphasis on our action to help the “least” among us? Do you count yourself among these “least”? If so, how does this passage make you feel? If you don’t, how do you feel about the fact that Jesus identifies himself with the “least”? Verse 34 is the first time in the Gospels that Jesus is explicitly referred to as a “king.” Why does our King care so much about what happens to the “least” among us? For the most part, people aren’t naked and in need of clothing in our day. But there might be some other needs that would not have made sense to mention in Jesus’s day but that he might have mentioned if he were speaking now. What are some other basic needs that Jesus might add to his list if he were making this point to our society today? There are many possibilities; for example: I was homeless and you helped me find shelter; I was pregnant and you gave me baby clothes and diapers; I was a victim of human trafficking and you rescued me; I was an immigrant and you welcomed me – oh, that one already is on his list when he says: I was a stranger, and you welcomed me. In our more complicated world, some social and economic problems can be addressed by the people collectively in far better ways than we can do individually – for example, helping the homeless, pregnant women, victims of trafficking, people with mental illnesses, etc. Sometimes, Christians and other people of good will take action collectively through nonprofit organizations or governments. Is working to help people through social organizations and governments a reasonable way of trying to respond to what Jesus is calling us to do in this passage? Explain. For people who live in democracies, is it reasonable to try to hold governments accountable to address the needs of the hungry, the sick, etc.? None of us can do it all. But we can work to live our lives with a mindset that the least among us need to be central to our focus. How can you do that better? Take a step back and consider this: Jesus clearly wants us to place a high priority on meeting the needs of the poor, the hungry, the stranger, the sick, and others who are the “least” among us. This concern meant so much to him that he equated himself with them when he said: “What you did it to them, you did to me.” How easy is it for you to see Jesus in those who are suffering on the fringes of our society? What can a Christian do to internalize this perspective? How do we grow in our ability to see Jesus in the least among us? If we take this passage seriously, it could lead us to worry about our salvation. Are we doing “enough” to join Jesus in heaven? He clearly wants us to feel challenged. But he does not want us to be afraid of him or to think that we can only make him care for us if we do the right things. He is not creating a new works-based legalism after having spent so much time trying to overcome the legalism of the Pharisees. He also is not offering “works” as an alternative to “faith.” We are saved by him, not by our fulfillment of a specific list of requirements, but our faith should be manifested in actions to help the least among us. See Is Jesus suggesting that we can earn our way to salvation by our works? for more on this how this passage relates to faith. Since we are sinners saved by grace and called to be conformed to Christ, it might be worth thinking about it this way: Can we be comfortable living with Jesus’s priorities and serving him whenever we encounter a person in need around us? That is our challenge. How comfortable are you with Jesus’s “downside-up” view of the world – his close identification with those who have the least? What can you do to become more comfortable with Jesus’s worldview? Mother Teresa of Calcutta said that “the poorest of the poor are . . . Christ under the guise of human suffering” ( Mother Teresa: In My Own Words , p. 24), and that she sought to “comfort Jesus in the distressing disguise of the poor” ( Mother Teresa: Where There is Love, There is God , p. 15). If we can find joy in looking to serve Jesus in the least among us, we are on the right path of adopting the priorities and worldview of Jesus. The question is not whether we have fulfilled Matthew 25 perfectly. The question is whether we have embraced Jesus’s worldview. He wants our hearts. If we embrace his priorities, he is both willing and able to mold us into the people he wants us to be, through the power of the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. If we allow the Holy Spirit to work his worldview ever more deeply into the fabric of our lives, we will become ever more like Jesus – our character following the mold of his character, our concerns reflecting his concerns, our actions manifesting his love to the world and responding to needs wherever he can be found. Am I willing to let the Holy Spirit mold me so that I take on the heart of Jesus and allow him to work his priorities into my actions? Am I willing to show forth his love to the poorest of the poor? If I’m willing, he is able. May it be so! Notes regarding 2 issues people find in this passage: Are individuals or nations judged? Some theologians claim that the final judgment story is talking about God’s judgment of nations, not individual people. They argue that in Matthew, “the nations” usually refers to nations other than Israel, and “brothers” usually means Christians, so they claim that Jesus is saying that the Gentile nations will be judged by how they treat Christians (see, for example, Father Daniel Harrington, p. 101). Both Catholic and Protestant theologians have rejected this argument. Father Benedict Viviano, O. P., points out ( The New Jerome Biblical Commentary , par. 145, p. 669) that in Matthew 24:9 and 14, and in Matthew 28:19, Jesus uses the term “all nations” in a way that includes Israel, not just the Gentile nations. Furthermore, Matthew often uses the word “brothers” to include all humans, not just Christians – for example, in the Sermon on the Mount. As a result, the idea that this is only a judgment about nations is not well supported. H. L. Ellison uses the grammar of the passage to show that argues that Jesus is talking about individual people, not just nations (Ellison, p. 1148). When Jesus says that the king separates “them” (Matt. 25:32), the Greek word for “them” is masculine, which indicates people. If he was referring to the nations, the neuter form of the word “them” would have been required. So this is an individual judgment, applying to each person. Myron Augsburger adds that, although Jesus uses the word “brothers” in verse 40, he does not use that word in verse 45. There, Jesus says the goats did not help the “least” ones – i.e., the needy in general, not specifically Christians (pp. 283-284). Jesus is warning us about how all individuals should treat all individuals who are in need. Is Jesus suggesting that we can earn our way to salvation by our works? Some people struggle with how to fit this passage into a “faith versus works” framework. Jesus never separated faith from helping others. We can’t save ourselves, but he made it very clear that he expects us to help the hungry, the stranger, the sick, those in prison, etc. If there is a “faith vs. works” contradiction between what Jesus says here and what modern-day preachers preach, we would have to choose Jesus’s own words over modern re-interpretations of the gospel, since Jesus is our Lord and God. However, there is no contradiction. Faith and service to those in need are both central teachings of Christ. See Faith Versus Works: What Does the Gospel of Matthew Say for a discussion of how faith and works come together rather than being in opposition to each other. Regarding this specific passage and the concern that it undermines a commitment to faith, evangelical scholar H. L. Ellison says that this passage “is intended to be a warning to us. Since from His brothers, He [Jesus] will expect more, not less, this can serve as a check on the reality of our profession” (Ellison, p. 1148). In other words, we can test the genuineness of our profession of faith by how we respond to the plain words of Jesus in this passage. On the other end of the spectrum, some people use this passage to argue that faith in Christ is not necessary – that how we treat the poor is all that matters. Catholic scholar Benedict T. Viviano, O.P., responds that the passage “is addressed to Christian disciples, and discipleship is understood, in a very bold way, as identical with care of the needy. This is not a denial of faith; it is of the essence of faith” ( The New Jerome Biblical Commentary , par. 145, p. 669). Jesus is not here rejecting his consistent call to faith; he is showing us one element of what faith looks like in action. If our understanding of the Christian faith does not include an understanding both of the centrality of service to those in need and of the centrality of faith in Christ, we do not understand Jesus as presented to us in the Scriptures upon which our faith is based. This passage presents the Word of God to us. What do you think Jesus would say to those who think the passage contradicts the gospel message about how we are “saved”? Bibliography See Matthew - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/matthew/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Matthew List Next

Paul’s concern for the Thessalonians is like the love of a mother or father for their children. [1 Thessalonians 2:1-12; 2:13-16] Previous 1 Thess. List Next 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16 Paul’s concern for the Thessalonians is like the love of a mother or father for their children. Image from Wix. Tom Faletti January 26, 2025 1 Thess. 2:1-12 Paul describes his ministry among the Thessalonians In chapter 1, Paul focused on the Thessalonians. In chapter 2, he turns the camera around and focuses on himself: What was he doing as he was ministering to them? What is your overall sense of Paul’s character, based on his self-description here? How would you describe him to someone who did not know him? Verses 1-7 Paul’s motivations are like that of a nursing mother In the first two verses, Paul recalls that when he came to Thessalonica, he had been severely beaten in Philippi. And then he encountered swift opposition in Thessalonica. What sustains him? Where does he get the courage or boldness to continue preaching? We don’t face the kind of opposition Paul did, but many of us hesitate to talk about our faith with others. Why is that? How can you draw courage from God to speak boldly about the good news of knowing Jesus? In verses 3-6, Paul offers a list of negatives where he describes many things that his preaching was not . In compiling this list of false motivations, Paul may be responding to charges that were leveled against him by those who opposed him, or he may be defending the gospel of Christ more generally. In verses 3-6, Paul lists a series of false motivations that are not the reason for his preaching. What is the meaning of each of these false motivations? His preaching was not motivated by what? Not from delusion/deceit/error (v. 3). In other words, his message was not factually false; he was speaking the truth. Not from impure motives (v. 3). He wasn’t trying to secretly get something for himself. Not from deception/trickery (v. 3). He was not withholding information to trick them. Not to please humans (v. 4). He wasn’t doing it so that they would feel good about him. Not with flattery (v. 5). He wasn’t giving them false praise in order to get something from them. Not as a pretext for greed (v. 5). He wasn’t trying to get rich off of them. Not seeking praise from them or others (v. 6). He wasn’t doing it for glory or to gain popularity or acclaim. Tucked in the middle of this list of negatives that his gospel was not , Paul identifies the one motivation that governed his preaching (verse 4). What was his motivation? To please God. This list of good and bad motivations is useful not just for evaluating our “preaching”; it can be used to evaluate everything we do in our lives. What are we called to have as our one true motivation in life, and how does it look when we are living that way? When we seek to please God as our sole motivation, then we (do what?). Which of the false motivations Paul lists is a risk for you as you live your life in a world that does not always share your faith and values? What can you do to keep your motivations pure? We see in our own times how people disparage those they disagree with and use unsubstantiated charges to try to destroy them. What can we do when we or others we know are falsely attacked? Paul notes that as apostles, he and his companions could have made demands (not that making demands of people who are just getting to know you gets you very far, but he could have tried that). But that is not how he approached them. Paul describes himself as being like a nursing mother. What do you think this looked like in practice? How can you be “like a mother” in your approach to people in your community, your workplace, your online presence, your church, your family? Verses 8-12 Paul’s behavior is like a father with his children In verse 8, Paul says that he and his companions shared “not only the gospel of God, but our very selves as well” (1 Thess. 2:8, NABRE). What is his reason for why they did that (verse 8)? How does sharing your whole self enhance the message you are trying to communicate? We tend to want to share only the good things about ourselves, and not our whole selves. How might being more vulnerable strengthen our relationships? Also, how might this kind of openness strengthen our effectiveness in sharing the gospel? What does verse 9 tell you about Paul’s work ethic? Why might it have been important to work for his keep and not expect the Thessalonians to meet his basic needs? In verse 10, Paul describes his personal conduct and behavior. How did he act among the Thessalonians? In verses 11-12, Paul compares his behavior to that of a father with his children. In what ways was he like a father? How can you be “like a father” in the sense Paul means it, in your approach to people in your community, your workplace, your online presence, your church, your family? 1 Thess. 2:13-16 Paul gives further thanks, and digresses Paul here returns to his early theme of thanksgiving (1:2-10). Why is he thankful? Judea is the portion of the former kingdom of the Jews that included the region around Jerusalem. In verse 14, how have the Thessalonians become imitators of the churches of God in Judea? The Christians in the churches in Judea suffered persecution from their fellow Jews – recall the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 7:54-8:2) and the persecution under Herod in which James, the brother of John, was killed (Acts 12:1-5). Similarly, Paul says, the Thessalonians suffered persecution from their fellow Thessalonians (although this came also from Jews even though the Thessalonian church was largely Gentile). At this point, Paul digresses to talk about the persecutions that some Jews were fomenting in his time. Because the tone suddenly becomes so harsh, some scholars argue that this was inserted later and not written by Paul. They point out that Paul was a Jew and held out fervent hope that the Jews would be saved. In Romans 9:3 he says he would undergo separation from Christ if it would bring his fellow Jews to Christ. In Romans 11:26, he asserts that “all Israel will be saved” (NRSV, NABRE, and other translations). Furthermore, this is the only place that Paul attributes the crucifixion to the Jews. For example, in 1 Corinthians 2:8, he says that “the rulers of this age” crucified the Lord. We might see this as Paul getting worked up and angry because of the mistreatment that he and these Thessalonians he loved had suffered at the hands of some Jews. An analogy might be a White person writing angrily about what “the Whites” did to African Americans in the South over the course of 300+ years of enslavement and oppression. Referring generically to “the Whites” would not mean all White people, only those who were directly responsible. Similarly, Paul’s denunciation of “the Jews” would not apply to all Jews. Verses 15-16 have been misinterpreted throughout the centuries to foment persecution against the Jewish people. Is Paul speaking about any Jews other than those who were persecuting Christians at that time he was writing? No. Paul’s words are directed only at those of his time who were persecuting Christians. This is not a statement about any Jews at any other time in history and should not be used to criticize or harass Jews in our time. Misusing this passage to justify attacks against Jews is a sign of anti-Semitism. We have seen previously the word “wrath” that appears in verse 16. It is Jewish shorthand for the final judgment of God. In verse 16, when Paul says that the wrath or judgment of God has (already) come, his specific meaning is unclear. There are several possibilities: He could be speaking apocalyptically about what Paul thinks is coming soon. He could be thinking of some specific event that had already happened shortly before he wrote the letter. In The New Jerome Biblical Commentary , Raymond F. Collins indicates that Paul could have been referring to “any of a number of tumultuous events about AD 49: the famine, the edict of Claudius expelling Jews from Rome, the massacre in the Temple courts at Passover” (Collins, “1 Thessalonians,” The New Jerome Biblical Commentary , par. 23, p. 776). He could be thinking about the idea that embracing evil means that a person is already living in a state of anticipatory judgment. As the footnotes to the NABRE put it: “Sinful conduct (1 Thes 2:16) is itself an anticipation of the ultimate wrath or judgment of God (Rom 1:18–2:5), whether or not it is perceived as such” ( New American Bible, revised edition , fn. to 1 Thess. 2:15-16, p. 315). Looking at this entire section of Paul’s letter (1 Thess. 2:1-16), what would you have valued about Paul if you had been in Paul's church? In what ways might you like to be an imitator of Paul? Take a step back and consider this: In verse 4, Paul says that he, Silas, and Timothy were “entrusted” with the gospel. Raymond F. Collins writes, “Paul’s language recalls that of the Athenian court. Public officials are first scrutinized before they are entrusted with political responsibility. In similar fashion, Paul and his companions have been scrutinized by God before being entrusted with the mission of proclaiming the gospel” (Collins, “1 Thessalonians,” The New Jerome Biblical Commentary , par. 19, p. 775). All believers, by virtue of their participation in the faith of Christ and the life of the Church, are entrusted with the task of sharing the gospel (in varying ways, of course, depending on our gifts, etc.). This is obvious to most Protestant believers. Catholics sometimes slip into thinking that the task of sharing the gospel belongs to the priests and religious. However, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states that “the faithful, who by Baptism are incorporated into Christ and integrated into the People of God, are made sharers in their particular way in the priestly, prophetic, and kingly office of Christ, and have their own part to play in the mission of the whole Christian people in the Church and in the World” ( Catechism of the Catholic Church. Second Edition , https://www.usccb.org/sites/default/files/flipbooks/catechism/238/ , par. 897, page 237, quoting from Pope Paul VI, Lumen Gentium, (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church) , 21 Nov. 1964, par. 31). The Catechism goes on to say: “Since, like all the faithful, lay Christians are entrusted by God with the apostolate by virtue of their Baptism and Confirmation, they have the right and duty, individually or grouped in associations, to work so that the divine message of salvation may be known and accepted by all men throughout the earth. This duty is the more pressing when it is only through them that men can hear the Gospel and know Christ.” ( Catechism of the Catholic Church. Second Edition , https://www.usccb.org/sites/default/files/flipbooks/catechism/240/ , par. 900, page 238) The priests and ministers can’t be everywhere and can’t know everyone; and even if they did, they wouldn’t have all the relationships we have. Some people may only hear the gospel through us. God has entrusted all of us with the work of spreading the message of salvation. All of us are called to share the good news, to encourage others to put their faith in Jesus Christ and accept the love God has for us. What do you need to do differently, if anything, in light of the fact that God has entrusted you with the gospel? Bibliography See 1 Thessalonians - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/1-thessalonians/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous 1 Thess. List Next

Paul is writing not just to individuals, but to a church that is standing together and living the Christian life together in faith, hope, and love. Previous 1 Thess. List Next 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 Paul is writing not just to individuals, but to a church that is standing together and living the Christian life together in faith, hope, and love. Image by Pedro Lima, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti January 26, 2025 1 Thess. 1:1 Paul writes to the church at Thessalonica This letter begins in the typical form of letters in the Greek and Roman world at that time: with who it is from, who it is to, and some sort of greeting. It is somewhat like the format of many of our emails: Introduction: From: ___, To: ___, and a greeting, which may include words of thanks. The body or “meat” of the email. Personal comments and/or final greetings. Who is the letter from? See Introduction to 1 Thessalonians for a discussion of who the letter is from. Who is the letter to? The letter is to the church of the Thessalonians. The Greek word for “church” is ekklésia , which means an assembly or gathering. It is used in the New Testament to refer both to a local assembly of God’s people (the church at ___) and to the whole of God’s people (the Church). Here, it means the body of Christians in Thessalonica. This means Paul is writing to the Christians there as a group, not just to the leaders or some other specific individuals. It is quite possible that he expected his letter would be read out loud to the whole assembly of gathered Christians on the next Sunday after his letter arrived. How does Paul describe the Thessalonians? Who are they “in”? Think about what it means to be “in” something – to be in a pool of water, in the ocean, in the rain, in the dark. When you are “in” something, you are in some sense surrounded. What does it mean to be in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 1:1)? In what ways do you experience being in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ? We are not in God alone, as isolated individuals. Paul is speaking to the church as a group. How might we be more faithful followers of Christ if we remembered more fully that we are all together, collectively, in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ? In his greeting, Paul makes changes to the standard secular greeting of the time. His word “grace” in Greek sounds a little bit like the word for “greetings” that Greeks or Romans would have used in his time ( New American Bible, revised edition , Rom. 1:1-7, fn.). He then adds the Greek word for the traditional Hebrew greeting shalom , which means “peace.” Thus, Paul has packed a lot of nuance into a simple five-word greeting. What would it mean to you, if someone wished you “grace” and “peace”? If you were among the Thessalonians to whom this letter was being read on a Sunday, what would Paul’s greeting say to you? 1 Thess. 1:2-10 Paul is thankful for the Thessalonians When Paul thinks of the Thessalonians, his primary reaction is thanksgiving. Why? Verses 2-4 Looking at verses 2-4, does Paul think about the Thessalonians very often? In verse 2, how does Paul put his thinking about them into action? What does he do? He prays for them. How often does he pray for them? Is there a hidden secret here? How might our lives be different if, when we think about people and the situations they face, our “thinking” takes the form of praying for them? What difference might that make (for them, but also for us)? In verse 3, what comes to mind about them when he thinks about them? Notice that in verse 3 we see, for the very first time in Christian writing, these three virtues together – faith, love (or charity), and hope – which later become known as the “theological virtues.” Most Christians are more familiar with them as they appear in Paul’s later letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 13:13),where love is listed last and identified as the greatest. The Church eventually joined these “theological” virtues with the four “cardinal” virtues that go back to Aristotle and other ancient Greek philosophers: prudence (or wisdom), justice, fortitude (or courage), and temperance (or moderation). Together, they are known as the 7 virtues. Although Paul refers to the virtues of faith, love, and hope, he does not refer to them in the abstract. He describes each one as an active force as he refers to their work of faith, their labor of love, and their endurance in hope (NABRE) or steadfastness of hope (NRSV). Let’s look at each one separately: What is the work of faith? One possibility is that this refers to the works we do because we believe: “the works resulting from faith (James 2:14-26)” (Peter E. Cousins, The International Bible Commentary , p. 1461). Our faith governs what we do in the present – if it doesn’t, is it really our faith? What does the work of faith look like in practice? What are you doing when you are doing it? What is the labor of love? What does the labor of love look like? How are you “laboring” when you are exhibiting the virtue of love? What is the point of emphasizing their endurance or steadfastness in hope? Why is endurance or the ability to be steadfast so important for hope? Hope is forward-looking. It involves having expectations about the future. Since we haven’t reached that future yet, we need endurance in the present to keep going, to “keep the faith,” in the expectation or hope that what we believe will come really will come. Paul says their hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ. How are each of these three words important in their own way for giving us hope: “Lord,” “Jesus,” and “Christ” (Christ = Messiah)? What do you think about the Thessalonians as you view them through the eyes of Paul? How can we be more like the Thessalonians in the virtues we embrace? As you think about these virtues the Thessalonians exhibited, what particular trait or virtue might God be inviting you to grow in right now? What might be a step you could take to embrace that growth? Paul had not spent much time with the Thessalonians – perhaps as little as three weeks if Luke’s compressed narrative is to be taken literally, but certainly not more than a few months. Yet in verse 4 he calls them “brothers.” What does this signal? How would you feel, to have the Apostle Paul call you a brother or sister? Actually, you are his brother or sister in Christ. How does being counted among the brothers and sisters in Christ make you want to live your life? In verse 4 Paul also tells the Thessalonians that they are loved, or beloved, by God. What does this tell you about your own relationship with God? Finally in verse 4, Paul calls them “chosen.” Who chose them, and what does that tell you about them or about God? In what ways are you chosen by God? Is there something you would like to be doing more, or more effectively, because you know you were chosen by God and are loved by God? How might you respond more fully? Verses 5-10 In verse 5, Paul says that it wasn’t his fancy words that made the gospel he preached effective. What are the three things he identifies as the marks or characteristics of his presentation of the gospel? How might the preaching of the gospel be presented “in power and in the Holy Spirit”? How can we allow the power of the Holy Spirit to come through as we tell others about our faith? In verse 6, Paul says that the Thessalonians became imitators of him and of the Lord. In what ways did they become imitators of Paul and the Lord? They imitated Paul and Jesus in adopting a life of faith and in taking on the sufferings (and joy) that Paul and Jesus experienced because of their faith. Paul says the Thessalonians not only imitated Paul and Jesus, they became a “model” (NABRE) or “example” (NRSV) for other believers. How is that so? Notice in verse 6 how they received the word of God with joy in the Holy Spirit. How and why is joy central to the Christian experience? Pope Francis said, “Christian joy is a gift of the Holy Spirit: it is having one’s heart ever joyful because the Lord has triumphed, the Lord reigns, the Lord is at the right hand of the Father, the Lord has looked at me and sent me and has given me his grace and has made me a child of the Father…. a Christian without joy isn’t Christian; a Christian who lives continuously in sadness is not a Christian ” (Pope Francis, “No Fear: Morning Meditation in the Chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae” , 15 May 2015). How can we embrace the joy of the Holy Spirit more fully in our lives? In verse 8, Paul says that what has happened in Thessalonica has “sounded forth” across the entire Greek peninsula and beyond. If the word were to be spread abroad about what is happening in your church, what would the message be? How would your parish or church be described? In verse 9, where Paul describes what the Thessalonians did, he is describing what repentance looks like. Repentance always involves a turning “from” and a turning “to.” What did they turn from and what did they turn to? Note: The “living and true God” echoes Old Testament verses that distinguish the one God from the multitude of dead idols. Paul’s description here can be seen as another set of 3 elements: turning from (the past), turning to (the present), and waiting for the return of Jesus and his deliverance (the future). The third element reinforces his reference to hope earlier. Is this kind of “turning” a one-time thing, or should we regularly look for how we can “turn” to God? In what way might God be calling you to turn “from” or “to” something right now? In verse 10, Paul refers to the “wrath” that is coming. The word “wrath” was used by Jews in Paul’s time as a shorthand for the coming of the Lord at the end of time to judge the living and the dead. The word “wrath” can be misunderstood in our time, because we associate it with human emotions such as uncontrolled fury that do not reflect the nature our divine God (Jesus talked about God’s judgment but never used the word “wrath” to describe it). Paul is saying that if we have made the turn toward God, we can wait for Jesus’s return without fear because he “delivers us” (NABRE) or “rescues us” (NRSV) from final judgment. Scholars point out that in verse 10, the word “delivers” or “rescues” is a present participle, not a future tense, meaning that Jesus has already begun the process and is already, now, in the process of delivering or rescuing us from final judgment. How is that so? Is there something about the Thessalonians that attracts you? How might they be an example for you or your local church? How might you emulate them? Take a step back and consider this: The words Paul uses to describe faith, hope, and love show that these virtues are active and practical. They make a difference in our daily lives. We work out our faith. We labor in love. We stick to it with endurance and perseverance in the present because we have a hope in the future that God is preparing. As the gospel of Christ takes root in our lives, these virtues are infused into us by God. But they are not solitary characteristics. They manifest themselves in, and shine forth in, the community – in us and others acting together as Christ’s Body. How does your work of faith support the church and community of which you are a part? How does your labor of love build up the church and community of which you are a part? How does your endurance in hope strength the church and community of which you are a part? What is God calling you to do in manifesting these virtues that He is working into you? Bibliography See 1 Thessalonians - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/1-thessalonians/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous 1 Thess. List Next

The poor; the goods of the earth, debt, economic priorities; synodality. (Paragraphs 15-17 of Spes Non Confundit) Previous Next Jubilee Year 2025: Embrace God’s Hope and Extend It to All Session 5: Where signs of hope are needed today, part 3, and broader appeals for hope The poor; the goods of the earth, debt, economic priorities; synodality. (Read paragraphs 15-17) Link to S pes Non Confundit Photo by Tom Faletti, Berlin, Germany, June 20, 2024. Tom Faletti November 16, 2024 Some of the greatest divisions in the world seem to revolve around economics and religion. In the paragraphs of Spes Non Confundit that we will explore in this session, Pope Francis first voices God’s special concern for the poor. He then offers proposals for responding to the divide between wealthy and poorer nations. Finally, he highlights the Church’s long history of synodality as part of a call for greater unity among God’s people in the Church. Our study guide questions will help us explore how we can live lives that show greater solidarity with the poor, how we might appeal to our leaders to place a greater priority on meeting the needs of the poor and providing justice for all, and how we can promote unity in the Church. Rather than shaking our heads in despair at the challenges around us, we are called to find ways to work for justice and unity in our world and in our Church. Our loving God stands on the side of responsive hope rather than idle despair. Read paragraphs 15-17 in preparation for this session. Paragraph 15 (the poor) 🔗 In paragraph 15, Pope Francis gives an impassioned plea on behalf of the poor. What are some of the ways he sees them being neglected and impoverished? Pope Francis says that when we see “the constant tide of new forms of impoverishment, we can easily grow inured and resigned” (par. 15). What does he mean? Why do we become “inured or resigned”? How does poverty drain people of hope? How can you live a life that is more fully identified with the poor as an act of solidarity? Read 1 John 3:16-17 According to 1 John 3:16, who is our example for how we should treat others, and what do you think it calls you to do as a follower of Christ? What does John tell us in 1 John 3:17? What are some concrete things you could do, on your own or with others, to respond to some of the poverty around you? If Christians engaged in more concerted efforts to help the poor, it naturally would lift the hopes of the poor. How might it also give greater hope to you or others who are doing the helping? Now return to what Pope Francis wrote in paragraph 15. Why does he say that it is “scandalous” that “the poor continue to be the majority of the planet’s population” (par. 15)? Pope Francis is not only concerned with our individual responses to the poor; he is also concerned about the actions of leaders in the international economy. Why does the world need more than just our individual responses? In what ways might it be said that, for world economic leaders, the problems of the world’s poor “are brought up as an afterthought” (par. 15)? How might political and economic leaders do a better job of addressing poverty? Suggested Activities: Explore the work of Catholic Relief Services , which provides developmental assistance to communities in need all over the world and provides opportunities for church members to advocate for governmental action to address poverty around the world. Consider a more frugal and earth-sustaining lifestyle. Distinguish between needs, wants, and luxuries when you are considering purchases. If you save money this way, consider giving some of it to organizations that serve the poor. (Section 4) Appeals for hope In this section, Pope Francis discusses some broader ways of thinking about the issues we face. Paragraph 16 (the goods of the earth, debt, and economic priorities) 🔗 Pope Francis says that the goods of the earth are for everyone, not for a privileged few. This runs contrary to the prevailing view that whatever you own is yours – period, end of story. In paragraph 16, Pope Francis make a specific request of the rich. What does he ask them to do? In the same paragraph, Pope Francis makes a specific request of governments. What does he ask them to do with the money spent on weapons? What do you think about Pope Francis’s requests? Pope Francis is raising questions about the priorities of those who have the greatest impact on how the world’s resources are used. Let’s look at this question of priorities on a personal level and on a societal level. Read Matthew 25:41-42 and 25:45 What does Jesus say about our failure to provide food and water to those who need it? There is enough food in the world to feed everyone, but the food is not distributed equitably enough to meet all people’s basic needs. What does this say about our priorities? What changes is Pope Francis asking us to make in our priorities, and what would your response be? What are one or two things you could do – either directly or as an advocate appealing to people in power – to try to reduce poverty and increase access to food and water? What could people in power do to increase access to food and water? Suggested Activity: Explore the work of Bread for the World , a Christian organization that is the leading anti-hunger voice in the halls of Congress. This group helps church members and other people of good will become advocates for action as it calls on our leaders to take the necessary steps to end malnutrition and hunger in our nation and our world. Read Leviticus 25:13-17,23-24 The Law of Moses prescribed that every 50th year (the jubilee year) all land would be returned to its original owner, so that families would not be indebted forever. Pope Francis quotes from Leviticus 25:23, where the Lord tells the Israelites that they are tenants on the land, not permanent owners, because the land belongs to God. If we viewed land this way in our society, how might that lead to changes in the situation of the poor? We might not be able to implement the full vision of Leviticus 25:23, but what might we do to move closer to a society where people are not mired in debt? In the second part of paragraph 16, Pope Francis raises the issue of debt relief for countries that cannot repay their loans. Debt relief can help address the lingering effects of past injustices related to colonization. Pope Francis notes that economic disparities can be exacerbated by the disproportionate use of the earth’s natural resources by wealthy countries. Would you be willing to support debt relief programs that try to help indebted countries get a fresh start? Why or why not? What might you do to learn more about the history of colonial practices that impoverished so many nations in Africa, South America, and South Asia and the economic imbalances that still affect them? Suggested Activity: Do some research to learn more about the history of colonization, the ways wealthy and powerful nations have extracted wealth from poorer and weaker nations, and how the power imbalances of the past continue to hold back the development of the nations of the global South today. Share what you learn with a friend or neighbor. Paragraph 17 (synodality) 🔗 In paragraph 17, Pope Francis notes that 2025 is the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, where bishops approved the bulk of the Nicene Creed that we proclaim at Mass every Sunday. The Pope does not mention this merely to remind us of Church history and doctrine, but to illustrate the value and importance of church synods in the life of the Church. Synodality is the idea that we must include all of the People of God as we journey together and discern what God is doing and wants to do in our Church. In paragraph 17, Pope Francis discusses the concept of synodality, which goes back to the early days of the Church. Why does Pope Francis say that synodality is important? How might a synodal approach to Church life help build unity? At the end of the third part of paragraph 17, Pope Francis quotes Jesus’s prayer for unity, which appears in John 17:21. What does Jesus’s call for unity say to us, and how should we respond? According to Jesus’s prayer, how can unity in the Church have an effect that goes beyond the Church itself? How can we support the Church’s efforts to express unity through synodality? Suggested Activity: Reach out to someone in your parish who thinks differently than you on issues related to the Church or politics. Invite them to get together with you for coffee so that you can listen to their perspective. Let the conversation proceed without any intention to convince the other person – just listen and learn. The very act of listening is part of what synodality is about. It helps build unity, even when we don’t agree. Closing question: In these paragraphs, Pope Francis is trying to build a unity of purpose that transcends economic differences, reaches out across national boundaries, and draws together the entire Church. What needs to change in people’s hearts in order for this unity of purpose to be fostered? What needs to change in your heart to help you more fully embrace this unity of purpose? Bibliography See Jubilee Year 2025 - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/jubilee-2025/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Jubilee 2025 Contents Next

Are you serving others and helping to lift their burdens, or seeking attention and honor for yourself? Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 23:1-12 Are you serving others and helping to lift their burdens, or seeking attention and honor for yourself? Image by Sai Madhav, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti August 19, 2025 Matthew 23:1-12 Don’t follow the example of the scribes and the Pharisees In the previous passages, Jesus dealt with challenges from the various leadership factions in Jerusalem. Now he turns to the crowds and his disciples. In this chapter, Jesus severely criticizes the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy and their heartless indifference to the burdens of others. But these groups did not come into existence for nefarious reasons. They started from a sincere desire to follow God’s Law completely, which is a cautionary tale for us. The scribes were the experts regarding the Old Testament scriptures – what they mean and how to apply them to life. We might compare them to the scholars and theologians of our time: people who have theology degrees or other forms of lengthy training in religious matters. Most scribes had a deep reverence for the Law and believed that it was the highest of all callings to spend one’s life studying the Law. They worked very hard to identify the 613 commands they found in the Law of Moses and to apply the God’s commands to every minute detail of life, because they loved the Law so much. The Pharisees were a deeply dedicated group of Jews who sought to follow every detail of those 613 commands in the most rigorous way possible. They sought to live every part of their lives, as fully as possible, according to their strict interpretation of the Scriptures. We might compare them in our time to the most devoted members of ecclesial organizations such as Opus Dei or Third Order Franciscans. Just as not all theologians are members of Opus Dei and not all members of Opus Dei are theologians, but some people are both, so too there was an overlap but also a distinction between the scribes and the Pharisees. Jesus zeroes in on the ways that they have obstinately resisted his good news and have remained stuck in narrow and often self-serving approaches to faith. In verse 2, the reference to Moses’s “seat” may be metaphorical or it may refer to the seat of honor reserved for the people who taught in the synagogues. Synagogues did not have ordained “ministers,” so many people were invited to teach and interpret the Scriptures. In verse 3, what does Jesus instruct the crowds and his followers to do? There are two halves to what Jesus says here: Do whatever they teach you, but don’t do as they do. The first half – to do what they teach you – doesn’t seem to fit, given that Jesus has pointed out so many errors in their teaching throughout this entire Gospel. He is implying that sometimes they get it right. What do you think are some of the things they taught that he wants the crowds to follow? What do you think Jesus means in the second half of his statement, when he says: Don’t do the things they do? He might be saying that when they start focusing on their extreme and sometimes heartless interpretations of the Law, emphasizing little details that maybe even they don’t always follow, and when they make an ostentatious production of their faith, then you should not follow their example. How might we apply this in our day? What might Jesus suggest in our day that we should not do? What do you think verse 4 means when Jesus makes a metaphorical reference to “heavy burdens”? How are they imposing “heavy burdens” on the people who follow them? Their endless multiplication of detailed laws makes life very hard for everyday people. Their laws are burdensome and don’t benefit people’s faith life. Are there ways that people today pile rules and laws onto ordinary Christians unnecessarily, and perhaps miss the core of the gospel? Jesus adds that they don’t lift a finger to help the people who are struggling under the burdens they have created. Read Matthew 11:28-30 . How does their indifference compare to how Jesus deals with our burdens? Beginning in verse 5, Jesus focuses on the ways they do things for show. He has already warned the disciples about this in Matthew 6:1-18 with regard to almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. What is wrong with wanting to be seen when you do things that follow God’s Law? In verse 6, Jesus says they wear bigger phylacteries and longer tassels. Here is an explanation: Phylacteries are small leather boxes containing a little scroll with Scripture verses on it, that Jews would strap to their arm or forehead . This practice was based on Exodus 13:9. It was intended to remind them to keep God’s teachings on their lips and to remember God’s saving hand that delivered them from Egypt. The command is repeated in Deuteronomy 6:4-9, right after the famous command to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and might, implying that this practice would help them do that. It is also repeated in Deuteronomy 11:18-21, where this practice is linked with keeping God’s commands in their heart and soul. Tassels were pieces of string that were sewn onto the four corners of a person’s cloak to fulfill the command prescribed in Numbers 15:37-41. They were meant to be a reminder to follow God’s commandments. (The command is repeated in Deuteronomy 22:12 without the explanation.) When the woman with a hemorrhage touched the “hem” or “fringe” of Jesus’s garment in Luke 8:44, she was probably touching the tassel on his cloak. Do you think we would be more likely to remember to follow God’s commands if we went through our day with a reminder strapped to our foreheads or arms? Explain. What were the Pharisees doing wrong with regard to their phylacteries? What were they doing wrong with their tassels? In verses 6 and 7, Jesus denounces more of their practices. What were they doing wrong at banquets, in the synagogues, and in the marketplaces? What ungodly attitudes were being shown by these Pharisees? Where are the temptations for you to become a “scribe” or “Pharisee” in this way? Where might you have to be careful to avoid these kinds of attitudes? Verses 8-10 talk about titles to avoid. It is probably not useful to apply this too simplistically or literally. Even the apostle Paul referred to himself as the “father” of other Christians in 1 Corinthians 4:15 and Philemon 10. What is the ungodly attitude that Jesus is challenging? Jesus is challenging the pride that wants to be honored and treated as greater or more important than others. Almost every Christian denomination identifies the people who are allowed to teach the truths of their faith in colleges and seminaries as “teachers” (or “doctors,” which is just a title for a high-level teacher). The Catholic Church and some other denominations call their ministers “Father,” and many denominations make a big deal about who gets to be called “Pastor” (which means “shepherd”) or Bishop (which means “overseer”). Do we handle these titles appropriately, or do they run afoul of Jesus’s reserve the honorifics for God? If we dropped all honorifics for our church leaders, would it still be possible for them to fall into the pride that wants to be honored and treated as greater than others? And if so, what is the deeper point here? In verses 11-12, Jesus sums up what he is saying by making a bigger point. What does he say? This statement echoes what Jesus said in Matthew 20:26-27. How do verses 11-12 apply to Christian leaders, regardless of what we call them? How do verses 11-12 apply to you personally, as you live your own life? What do you need to do to honor Jesus’s teaching here? It is easy to try to put myself ahead of others without even realizing it, and to exalt myself in big or small ways. How can I keep from falling into that trap? There is also a risk that we might find ourselves trying to call attention to how humble we are. How do we sometimes do that? And how can we avoid it? Take a step back and consider this: For every scribe or Pharisee who was strutting around, flaunting his phylacteries and tossing his tassels, there were probably 2 or 4 or 9 others who were simply trying to live their faith with all the devotion they could muster. The same is true in our day. It is easy to point our finger at the TV evangelist with gold rings and a Mercedes. It is harder to recognize the subtle ways we are tempted to buy into a culture that tells us, “You need more ‘likes.’ It’s your time. You deserve the best. Everyone needs a little bling. Bigger is better. You earned it; now flaunt it.” If I listen to the ads and the social media culture, I’ll start to think that I need all kinds of things, and a lot of attention, in order to be important, or fulfilled, or happy. Jesus says, “No. Stop thinking about yourself. Stop wasting time on what does not matter. God has much bigger purposes for you than this. Focus on what God is trying to do.” What are the messages embedded in our culture that are most likely to steer you off track or knock you off your game? What are the distractions that can take your eyes off of Jesus? What can you do to stay focused, so that when people see you, they say, “There is a servant of God who makes life a little bit easier for the people around them”? And in your life as a servant, what can you do to help lift the burdens of others? Bibliography See Matthew - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/matthew/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Matthew List Next

Jesus was found guilty because he told the truth. When should you speak the truth? And when should you speak out against injustices against others? Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 26:57-68 Jesus was found guilty because he told the truth. When should you speak the truth? And when should you speak out against injustices against others? José de Madrazo y Agudo (1781-1859). Jesus in the House of Annas . 1803. Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jes%C3%BAs_en_casa_de_An%C3%A1s_Museo_del_Prado_Jos%C3%A9_de_Madrazo.jpg . Tom Faletti September 17, 2025 Matthew 26:57-68 Jesus is subjected to interrogation, false testimony, and abuse Where do the people who arrested Jesus take him? Who and what group is he brought to? Caiaphas, the high priest, was appointed by the Roman authorities, so he was both the highest-ranking civil official and the head of the Temple. The council was the Sanhedrin, the Jewish political authority in Jerusalem. The Romans allowed the council to exercise judicial authority and make judgement in cases that were not capital cases – i.e., where the sentence could not be the death penalty ( New Oxford Annotated Bible, NRSV , Matthew 26:59 fn., p. 1787). Matthew calls the high priest’s place a “house,” but given that it could be a meeting place for the council, with guards and witnesses and so forth, we might picture the scene better if we thought of it as a mansion or compound. It turns out the Peter didn’t totally desert Jesus. Where did he go (verse 58)? The courtyard of a Jewish house. Who is Peter standing around with? Would it have taken courage for Peter to have gone there? What did the chief priests and council (the ruling elders) seek? Why do you think they sought false testimony? What charge was leveled against Jesus in verse 61 that the chief priests thought was conclusive evidence against him? Had Jesus actually said this? The high priest demands that Jesus answer the charge, but in verse 63, Jesus remains silent. Why do you think Jesus remains silent at this point? Throughout the centuries artists have contemplated how to portray Jesus during this show trial before Caiaphas. How do you think he should be portrayed? Is he stoic? defiant? cowed? confident? humble? steely? How do you envision Jesus here? The high priest then demands that Jesus answer under oath whether he is the Messiah, the Son of God (verse 63), and Jesus finally speaks up. Why do you think he decides to respond to this question? What would it have implied if he had remained silent to this question? There are times when we might get in trouble for speaking the truth but we can remain silent without causing problems, and there are times when silence would be wrong. Maybe the risk is not that you will lose your life, but there might be consequences. What are some examples of times when you should speak the truth even though you may suffer for it? How do you know when you should speak out and when you should be silent? In verse 64, Jesus says, “You have said so,” the same, seemingly enigmatic phrase he used with Judas in Matthew 26:25. When Judas asked, “Am I the one?”, if Jesus had responded with a “Yes” he would have had to quality the answer by adding, “If you persist in your plan; but you could change your mind.” Here, he had to say something more than just a simple “Yes” to avoid implying that he agreed with their mistaken ideas about the messiah. Have you experienced times when a simple “yes” or “no” is not sufficient in answer to a question? Jesus is not ducking Caiaphas’s question. After saying, “You have said so,” he follows it with a statement (verse 64) that is so clear that there will be no doubt in Caiaphas’s mind that Jesus should be executed. What does Jesus say about the Son of Man (i.e., himself), and what does it mean? What is he telling them? In verse 64, Jesus is partially quoting from Daniel’s apocalyptic vision in Daniel 7:13, in which a son of man comes with the clouds of heaven and is given dominion and kingship by God. But it also evokes Psalm 110:1, a verse Jesus used with the Pharisees in Matthew 22:44: “The LORD said to my lord, / ‘Sit at my right hand / until I make your enemies your footstool’” (NRSV). Both references make it very clear that he is stating that he is, indeed, the Messiah and the Son of God. Why is this statement so troubling to the members of the council? Why do you think Jesus decided at this point to speak so clearly and boldly? The high priest convinces the council to agree with him that Jesus has committed blasphemy and should be executed. The death sentence is based on Leviticus 24:16, which says that anyone “who blasphemes the name of the LORD shall be put to death” (NRSV). The Sanhedrin does not have the authority to execute anyone (the Romans had taken that power away from them), so they will have to hand him over to the Romans to try to achieve that goal. Once they have reached their conclusion – the conclusion they had already reached before the “trial” began – how do they treat Jesus (verses 67-68)? The Sanhedrin had 71 members, and a quorum of 23 was needed to conduct business. There is some uncertainly as to whether this was a trial or a preliminary investigation more like our grand juries, but either way, they violated their own rules of procedure. Criminal cases were required to be tried in the daytime, were not supposed to happen during Passover, and could not lead to a guilty verdict unless the case was held over for at least one day beyond the beginning of the proceeding. The Sanhedrin was required to meet for trials in its own meeting place, which was separate from the high priest’s house, and evidence could not be accepted unless it was provided separately by two different witnesses (Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 2 , pp. 389-391). Did the Sanhedrin follow proper procedures for properly determining guilt or innocence? How should they have conducted their investigation differently if they truly wanted the truth? Why do you think they did not follow their rules for a trial? They did not follow the rules because they had already decided Jesus’s guilt before they began and wanted to secure the outcome they had already decided was the right one. As you look back over the events from the arrest in the garden through this sham trial, who is in control? How does Jesus show that he is the one in control even as he submits himself to abuse? What does this tell you about how to think about difficult times in your own life? Once they had declared that Jesus is guilty of blasphemy, the members of the council subjected him to abuse. Why do you think they did this? Even people who are guilty of serious crimes retain their God-given human dignity, but they abused him. Are there ways that people in our society violate the human dignity of others by how they treat people who have been identified as guilty of some offense, whether in a court of law or the court of public opinion? How can we avoid, or even take a stand against, participating in such injustices and support efforts to treat with human dignity even people who have been accused of wrongdoing? Are there ways that we are at risk of joining in a bandwagon that declares people guilty of some criminal or social offense without giving them a fair hearing of the evidence? Are there ways that we are tempted or encouraged to join in the abuse of people who do things we don’t like, perhaps on social media? How can we make sure that our treatment of other people honors their God-given dignity, even if we think they have done wrong? Take a step back and consider this: Throughout history, Christians have placed an emphasis on the duty of governments and courts to act justly in their legal proceeding, and this concern has continued in our day. For example, the Catholic Church’s official compilation of social doctrine says: The activity of officers charged with establishing criminal responsibility, which is always personal in character, must strive to be a meticulous search for truth, and must be conducted in full respect for the dignity and rights of the human person ; this means guaranteeing the rights of the guilty as well as those of the innocent. The juridical principal by which punishment cannot be inflicted if a crime has not first been proven must be born in mind. (Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, paragraph 404, p. 174; italics in the original). Evangelical Christians have also been a voice for justice for the accused. For example, pastor T. D. Jakes is quoted in an article in Christianity Today , where he spoke out on behalf of a death row inmate who professed his innocence. Jakes said, “If Jesus acquitted the guilty, then surely he would advocate for the innocent” ( Randall ). The proceedings used against Jesus bear a similarity to biased trials in every age that convict innocent people to achieve political or religious ends. Knowing that this happened to our Lord and Savior has led many Christians to fight the unchecked exercise of judicial power and to be advocates for the rights of the accused. Jesus was falsely declared guilty and executed though innocent. The Old Testament stresses in many places the importance of standing for the truth in judicial proceedings. Are we doing enough to speak up for and ensure the rights of the accused in our own society? As of 2023, the National Registry of Exonerations had identified 575 cases of people in the United States being wrongly convicted since 1989 and later exonerated based on DNA tests, including 35 people who were on death row ( Shelby ). The Innocence Project has worked successfully to present DNA evidence leading to the exoneration of more than 200 people who were wrongly convicted. On average, these victims of judicial error and injustice served more than 17 years in prison before they were freed. The Innocence Project reports that 101 additional crimes were committed by the original attackers who had continued to roam free while innocent people were sent to prison in their place, and that 58% of the wrongful convictions were imposed on Black people, a percentage that is greatly disproportionate to their share of the population ( Innocence Project ). What might Christians do to honor their innocent Lord by being a voice for the protection of innocent people in our judicial systems? Bibliography See Matthew - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/matthew/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Matthew List Next

The sick; the young; migrants and refugees; the elderly. (Paragraphs 11-14 of Spes Non Confundit) Previous Next Jubilee Year 2025: Embrace God’s Hope and Extend It to All Session 4: Where signs of hope are needed today, part 2 The sick; the young; migrants and refugees; the elderly. (Read paragraphs 11-14) Link to S pes Non Confundit Sunset, Ephesus. Photo by Tom Faletti, Ephesus, Turkiye, October 27, 2023. Tom Faletti November 16, 2024 Everywhere we turn, we can find people who are discouraged. Jesus calls us to share God’s hope with those around us whose lives are not easy. In this session, we look at more of the groups Pope Francis identifies as having a special need for hope: the sick and disabled, the young, migrants and refugees, and the elderly. People in each of these groups face significant challenges that could sap their hope. Pope Francis suggests ways we can help give them hope. Our study guide will help us explore specific ways we might bring God’s hope to people in these situations. When we reach out to those who are overlooked, forgotten, or on the margins of society (what Pope Francis calls the “periphery”), we are recognizing God’s presence in them and welcoming them in as part of “us.” When we cross those barriers, we help make it clear that in God’s world there is no “us” versus “them”; there is only God and “us” – all of us. Read paragraphs 11-14 in preparation for this session. Paragraph 11 (the sick) 🔗 Why does Pope Francis care so much about the sick? Read Matthew 25:35-36,40 What does Jesus say about people who are sick and himself? How is visiting someone who is sick a way to foster hope? In paragraph 11, besides talking about the sick, Pope Francis also talks about healthcare workers. Why does he say we should show them gratitude? The pandemic showed just how precarious the conditions of healthcare workers can be. What concrete actions can we take as a society to increase their safety and hope? Suggested Activity: Think about a caring nurse, a cheerful medical receptionist, an upbeat optician or dental hygienist, a gentle phlebotomist, or another healthcare worker who has brightened your day by the way they have cared for you. Say a prayer of thanks for them and ask God to renew their hope in their profession. Then send them a thank-you message. You can also let their boss know how much you appreciate them. You can do the same for a doctor, but don’t leave out the assistants who make a huge difference but are so often unseen. What can we learn from healthcare workers and apply in how we care for others? Do you know someone who is sick and would appreciate a note, call, or visit? What is one step you can take to show them God’s love and your caring heart? Suggested Activity: Ask someone who is sick if you could bring them a meal, a loaf of bread, or just stop by for a visit. Check with them about their dietary needs and personal likes and dislikes before cooking something, and adjust accordingly. If they invite you to stay and eat with them, accept their offer – they may appreciate the company more than the food. In the second part of paragraph 11, Pope Francis expresses concern for people with disabilities. Read Leviticus 19:14 Leviticus 19:14 shows the bare minimum of how we should treat people with disabilities: don’t make things more difficult for them. Why would that even need to be said? Why do people with disabilities sometimes face unnecessary discrimination and mistreatment? Pope Francis calls for our whole society to join in a “song of hope” (par. 11) for people with disabilities through our care for them and respect for their human dignity. What are the concrete actions that might create a “song of hope” for people with disabilities? What are some specific things that you or your parish or your society’s institutions could do to help people with disabilities feel less restricted and, with a song in their heart, be more free to be independent participants in society? Suggested Activities: Check in on people you know are dealing with a chronic illness. For many, their ongoing challenges may take a long time to resolve, if ever, while the attention of those they know may have moved elsewhere. So try to keep in touch over time. Get to know a member of your parish who has a disability. Ask them if they would be willing to move through your church and parish facilities with you and show you the obstacles they encounter. Then work with them to explore with your parish leadership what might be done to help people with disabilities feel more welcome in your church. Invite people with disabilities to events and help make it possible for them to attend if they are interested, rather than assuming they will not be able to do so. Paragraph 12 (the young) 🔗 In this paragraph, Pope Francis is thinking primarily of teenagers and young adults. Why is he concerned about them? What are some of the signs that they are lacking in hope? Read Colossians 3:21 Although Colossians 3:21 is directed at fathers, it offers wisdom for society as a whole. What are some of the challenges young people face that may cause them to become discouraged or lose heart? What can your parish or community do with young people to support their hopes and dreams? Are there ways you can encourage young people in their desire to help people in need? Suggested Activity: Ask teens you see at church if they would be willing to share their perspective with you on how the Church could be more welcoming and supportive of teens. Or ask your parish youth group leader if you could bring a few adults to one of their meetings to meet with the youth group members and listen to their ideas. Be prepared to try to move forward on some of the ideas you hear, or you will become one more reason why teens are sometimes discouraged about the Church. Paragraph 13 (migrants and refugees) 🔗 In paragraph 13, Pope Francis lists some reasons why people become migrants or refugees. Why do migrants leave their homelands? Why are refugees forced to emigrate? Read Matthew 25:35 and 25:40 When Jesus refers to a “stranger” in Matthew 25:35, the Greek word is xenos , which means a foreigner or a person who is unfamiliar. What does this passage suggest to us about our treatment of migrants and refugees? How does our society currently treat migrants and refugees? Note: The Catholic Church teaches that nations have a right to control their borders, but that governments have an obligation to treat migrants and refugees with dignity and respect and to provide protection to those seeking refugee status while their claims are considered. How can we help make migrants and refugees more welcome in our society? Read Leviticus 19:33-34 How does God say “strangers” or “aliens” should be treated? How would things be different in our society if refugees and other immigrants were treated the same as native-born people, as Leviticus directs? In the second part of paragraph 13, Pope Francis calls on the Christian community to defend the rights of the vulnerable. How can we do this and how would it increase hope? Suggested Activities: Look for opportunities to be welcoming to immigrants or other people on the fringe of parish life. Introduce yourself to them after church. Chat with them at the coffee hour. Research what people in your community are doing to welcome immigrants and look for ways you can be supportive. Encourage others in your parish to join in helping when you see needs that can be met. Paragraph 14 (the elderly) 🔗 Why do you think Pope Francis says that elderly people often feel lonely and abandoned? What are some of the factors in modern society that contribute to the elderly being neglected rather than held close to us as a treasured part of the fabric of our communities? What can we do to keep the elderly connected to the life of our parishes and communities? What can we do to help the elderly live in hope all through their lives? Suggested Activities: Invite older people to events you are part of. Go beyond just people who are your age or have the same marital status as you. Say hello to the older people in your parish and draw them into conversations. Visit people you know who are home-bound. Send them a card or note letting them know you care about them. Let your parish know about them. Ask your parish priests whether they know of “shut-ins” who would appreciate a visit. The sick, teenagers, migrants, refugees, and the elderly all experience situations where they feel like they are being ignored by church and society. Why is that? Read Proverbs 31:8-9 Proverbs 31:8-9 tells us to be a voice for those who have no voice. How might you respond to this call? How can you be an advocate for people whose voices are not heard in society or in the halls of power? Verse 8 says to speak up for the rights of the destitute, and verse 9 says to defend the needy and the poor. Why is this kind of action necessary, and not just providing charity to them? Closing question: How can we shift the way we see people so that our default is to be welcoming to all, to be people who inspire hope in all who feel ignored or disconnected? Bibliography See Jubilee Year 2025 - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/jubilee-2025/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Jubilee 2025 Contents Next

As Jesus gathers disciples, they try to decide who he is. He invites them to “Come and see.” Jesus says that to us, too. What is he inviting you to see right now? Previous Next John List John 1:35-51 As Jesus gathers disciples, they try to decide who he is. He invites them to “Come and see.” Jesus says that to us, too. What is he inviting you to see right now? In the foreground, Simon Peter and Andrew kneel before Jesus; in the background, Jesus calls to James and John on the boat. Domenico Ghirlandaio. The Calling of the First Apostles . Sistine Chapel, The Vatican. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Domenico_Ghirlandaio_-_Llamada_a_los_primeros_ap%C3%B3stoles_(Capilla_Sixtina,_Roma,_1481-82).jpg . Tom Faletti October 31, 2025 Read John 1:35-51 Jesus’s first disciples In this section, John is giving us an abbreviated account of the calling of the disciples. A disciple is a follower of Jesus. (John never uses the word “apostles,” but he does refer to the Twelve in John 6:66-70.) John is telescoping into just a few “days” what took a longer period of time, as seen in the other Gospels. The reference to the “next day” in verse 35 is the first of a series of 3 days in which John shows Jesus gathering disciples and then going with them to the wedding feast at Cana (John 2:1-2), where, he says, Jesus first reveals his glory to them. Who calls whom to follow Jesus? Follow the linkages from person to person. Who issues the invitation and who responds in verses 35-36, 39, 40-41, 43, and 45-47? John the Baptist --> Andrew and someone else (could this be the Beloved Disciple?) Jesus --> Andrew and the other disciple of John Andrew --> his brother Simon (whom Jesus names Cephas/Peter) Jesus --> Philip --> Nathanael Notice the networking. The Bethsaida network was not unlike our alumni networks, LinkedIn and Facebook networks, etc. Notice that it is John the Baptist who first points people to Jesus. What does this tell us about John the Baptist? He is not possessive of his followers. He wants what is best for people, even if it means they leave him. What lesson might we learn from John the Baptist when we face situations where we might need to let a fellow believer move on from our circle so that he or she can go do something God wants them to do? What caused these people to follow Jesus? (Consider, for example, verses 31, 33, 39, 41-43.) This abbreviated story about who the calling of the disciples shows that Jesus calls people and people call people. What does this story suggest about our own potential role in encouraging people to become followers of Jesus? Think about how you became someone who follows Jesus. Who called you? (Jesus? Someone who was already involved in the Christian community? Both at different times?) What is your story of becoming a follower of Jesus? In verse 39, what is Jesus’s invitation? Jesus says, “Come and see.” Note that in verse 46, Philip also says, “Come and see.” Suppose you were there. If Jesus said to you, “Come and see,” would you have been willing to follow along and check him out? Why or why not? How can “come and see” be a useful way of inviting people to get to know Jesus? Is there someone in your life to whom you would like to say, “Come and see,” as a way of introducing them to your faith? If so, what would you invite them to “come and see”? Your Sunday worship? Your Bible Study? A service ministry you are involved in with other Christians? Something else? As our faith grows and develops, Jesus often has new things he wants us to “come and see.” In what ways is Jesus saying to you, “Come and see,” in your life today? In verse 41, Andrew tells his brother Simon Peter, “We have found the Messiah.” Earlier, in verse 21, John the evangelist (i.e., the Gospel writer) used the Greek word Christos for Messiah, but here he is quoting Andrew so he uses the Aramaic word for Messiah that Andrew would have used; and then, since he is writing in Greek, he explains by providing the corresponding Greek word Christos . The fact that John uses the Aramaic word here suggests that this story was preserved from the way the original eyewitness told the story orally – which appears to be John telling us what he himself actually heard – whereas in the earlier passage he was passing on the testimony of John the Baptist. In verse 42, Cephas and Peter are the Aramaic and Greek forms, respectively, of the name Jesus gives to Simon. In verses 45-46, John’s first mention of Nazareth is part of a derogatory comment Nathanael makes about Jesus’s hometown. How do we sometimes dismiss things without a fair consideration? Notice that Nathanael goes from skeptical (verse 46) to questioning (verse 48) to faith (verse 49). How does his transformation model the typical process of becoming a follower of Jesus? How can we honor the fact that coming to faith is usually a process in order to be effective in trying to help people come to faith in Jesus? Look at verses 50-51 and the “greater things” Jesus says they will see. The reference to angels ascending and descending comes from Genesis 28:10-17. Read Genesis 28:10-17 . What happens in this story about Jacob, and what does it say about the angels? When Jacob, in his dream, sees angels going back and forth between heaven and earth, he concludes that this place where he slept is the “gateway to heaven” (Gen. 3:17) – what people in our day might call a “portal.” In John 1:51, Jesus says that he is the portal, the staircase, the gateway to heaven. In what ways is Jesus a gateway to heaven? The reference to the “Son of Man” comes from Daniel 7:13-14. Read Daniel 7:13-14 . What does Daniel say, and who did the Jews think it was referring to? The Messiah. When you put it all together, what is Jesus saying about himself in John 1:51? In John 1:50-51, the first time Jesus uses the word “you,” the word is singular – i.e., spoken directly to Nathanael. But the other two times he uses the word “you” in these verses, it is in the plural: “you all” – i.e., everyone who is listening. Jesus’s claims about himself are not some kind of private revelation. They are meant for everyone, for every follower of his to hear – including you and me. How can we incorporate this understanding of Jesus into our lives? The Prologue (John 1:1-18) gave us many descriptions of Jesus. These passages add more: Verse 38: Rabbi, which is Hebrew for “teacher” (literally, great one or master). Verse 41: Messiah, which is Hebrew for “anointed one” – the word that in Greek is Christos or “Christ.” Verse 49: King of Israel. (And also, Son of God, but we already saw that in the Prologue.) Verse 51: Son of Man. Which of the descriptions of Jesus in verses 38-51 is most significant for you right now in your life? (Teacher? Messiah/Christ? King? Son of Man?) Explain. How are John 1:1-18 and John 1:19-51 different? How are they similar? What can you take away from these passages that might affect how you live your live this week or this year? Take a step back and consider this: In verse 47, Jesus says that Nathanael is a person in whom there is no “deceit” (NRSV) or “duplicity” (NABRE) or “guile” (RSV). Nathanael is genuine: What he shows you is really who he is. Let’s consider what this means on 2 levels: Spiritually, being genuine is a necessary component of coming to faith. We need to face up to who we are relative to who God is and be honest with God about our need for him. A lack of genuineness can hinder our growth in the faith. If we try to play games with God, pretend that we are holier or more faithful than we are, or put on an act of piousness, if what we reveal to God on the surface does not reflect what is underneath (of course, God see it all!), then spiritual growth is difficult if not impossible. And in our relationships, one of the things that most undermines a romantic relationship or a friendship or the opportunity to do good in the workplace is an unwillingness to be honest and transparent – to rely on deceit or guile to try to get what we want. When Jesus says that Nathanael is a person without deceit or duplicity, what does that tell you about the way he relates to other people? Why is Nathanael’s approach important for relationships? Jesus is also describing Nathanael’s lack of guile in his approach to God. How is that important? Would you like to be known as a person in whom there is no deceit? Explain. Nathanael was so honest that he even spoke aloud his negative opinion of Nazareth. Is it necessary to be brutally honest at all times in order to be a person with no deceit, or are there ways to keep some of our critical thoughts to ourselves and still be genuine? How do we find a balance that involves living without deceit but still being kind? Bibliography See John - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/john/bibliography . Copyright © 2026, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous John List Next

In the Bible, God tells us to speak out for those with no voice and defend the poor (Proverbs 31:8-9). Previous Justice Articles Next God Calls Us to Speak Out In the Bible, God tells us to speak out for those with no voice and defend the poor (Proverbs 31:8-9). Image by Juliana Romão, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti May 17, 2025 [A version of this article appeared in the February 2025 edition of St. Anthony Messenger and can be found on the Franciscan Media website at ‘Speak Out for Those Who Cannot Speak’ .] Have you ever thought of your voice as a gift from God that allows you to speak out for justice? Have you ever used your voice to ask your leaders to do the right thing on behalf of the poor and needy? Proverbs 31:8-9 tells us that God wants us to do exactly that: use our voice to speak out for those who might otherwise not be heard. I was a bit surprised when I encountered this call to advocacy recently. I have read through the Bible several times, and I didn’t think I had seen this before. So I checked the verse in multiple Bible translations, to make sure it wasn’t just a paraphrase. In almost every translation, the call to speak out is stated clearly. Here is Proverbs 31:8-9 in three popular Catholic Bibles: The New Revised Standard Version , favored by some scholars, reads: “Speak out for those who cannot speak, / for the rights of all the destitute. / Speak out; judge righteously; / defend the rights of the poor and needy.” The New American Bible, Revised Edition , published by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, reads: “Open your mouth in behalf of the mute, / and for the rights of the destitute; / Open your mouth, judge justly, / defend the needy and the poor!” And the New Catholic Bible , a recent translation that is gaining attention, says: “Speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves, / and defend the rights of the destitute. / Speak out and pronounce righteous judgments; / defend the rights of the wretched and the poor.” The point is clear in every case. We are called to be a voice – to speak out for those who have no voice and defend the rights of the poor and needy. Why does this verse get so little attention? Many people can quote Proverbs 3:5-6 by heart (“Trust in the Lord with all your heart. . .”), and they use it to encourage themselves and others to live fully for God. But who quotes Proverbs 31:8-9 by heart, or uses it to guide their lives? Why does Proverbs 3:5-6 get celebrity attention, while Proverbs 31:8-9 lies in some forgot corner of our faith? If we are going to take the whole Bible seriously, we can’t leave out verses like this. Therefore, it is worth exploring why Proverbs 31:8-9 is not a “go-to” verse. Why do we not use this proverb to encourage ourselves to speak out on behalf of those whose voices are not heard? Why do we not quote it to each other as a guide for Christian living? Perhaps this verse gets less attention because putting it into practice might move us outside our comfort zone. Speaking out for others is not as simple or easy as “trusting” God. We may feel like we don’t know how to do it. We may not think this is an important priority among God’s many commands. Yet we know that God doesn’t ask us to pick and choose from the Bible based on our comfort level. So let’s look at whether this is one of God’s priorities. God says this more than once The author of the Book of Proverbs collected sayings and words of wisdom from a variety of sources and compiled them into the book we know today. The commandment we are looking at is in a short section near the end of the book where he is quoting some wise teachings that a mother imparted to her son – a king named Lemuel who is unknown to us (Prov. 31:1-2). In Proverbs 31:8-9, she tells him to speak out for those with no voice and defend the needy. The books of the prophets also direct God’s people to defend the needy. Isaiah chides the people of Judah for their sinfulness and tell them to “learn to do good; / seek justice, / rescue the oppressed, / defend the orphan, / plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:17, NRSV). In the book of Jeremiah, God speak to the people of Judah about what they are doing wrong. He says of them: “They know no limits in deeds of wickedness; / they do not judge with justice / the cause of the orphan, to make it prosper, / and they do not defend the rights of the needy.” (Jeremiah 5:28, NRSV). This means that there are three different books of the Old Testament where God tells His people to speak up for or defend the needy and others who cannot speak for themselves. Being an advocate is part of obeying the commands of God. Who needs our voice? Proverbs 31:8 tells us to speak for those who cannot speak. In our society, whose voices are not heard? Too often, the poor, the needy, the homeless, and the destitute are not heard. Immigrants, refugees, and others treated as aliens are pushed away. Victims of trafficking and people at risk of being trafficked go unseen. People with disabilities or physical challenges and those suffering from mental illness are often ignored and left out. Others are held back by the persistence of discrimination. In short, there are many people whose voices are not heard. People whose concerns are ignored or discounted need a voice to defend their rights. Whose voice do they need? Ours. To whom shall we speak? Proverbs 31:8-9 begins as an instruction to a king, and our world would be a better place if more political leaders and people in authority followed its instruction. The Bible is full of verses showing God’s particular concern for the poor, the migrant, the defenseless, and the oppressed. In every age, those with power are called to use their power to defend and help those whose resources are limited. People in authority need to make sure that the rights of the poor are honored as zealously as the rights of the wealthy. Our leaders should spend at least as much time speaking out for those whose voice is not heard in the corridors of power as they spend arguing for the things that the wealthy and well-connected say to them. The needs of the destitute should be as high on their agenda as the needs of the middle class and wealthy. But the duty to speak does not end with our leaders. Their obligation to use their power justly does not absolve us of our responsibility to use our voice. To whom shall we speak? Our leaders need to hear this message. Our governmental leaders, our business leaders, our church leaders, and other social influencers need to hear from us that God expects them to speak up for the needy and those whose voices are not heard. When we speak to our leaders on behalf of the needy and voiceless, we are fulfilling God’s command in Proverbs and the prophetic books of the Old Testament. How many people of faith spend any significant amount of time doing this? It doesn’t take long to call or write to a governmental leader, to post a comment on the social media pages of a corporation or social influencer, or to share our concerns with leaders in our churches. We sometimes speak out on our own behalf regarding legislation or public policies that we think affect us personally. As followers of Christ, shouldn’t we be at least as willing to do so to defend the needy and provide a voice for those who are not being heard? How our politics might change if people of faith took this word from God seriously and pressed their leaders to do what God wants them to do: to defend the poor and speak out for those whose voices are being ignored! When we do this, we are obeying the Word of God, because when we use our voices to speak to our leaders on behalf of the poor and ignored, we are truly being a voice for them. What shall we say? Sometimes, we remain silent because we don’t think we know what to say. It helps to know what the issues and facts are, but you don’t need to be an expert to be helpful. There are many reputable groups who are already acting as voices for the poor and forgotten. They can give us the facts, and even the words to say. And our voices are more likely to be heard when we are working with others. Many groups that know what is going on have links on their websites where we can find opportunities to speak out. They can even give us the words to use. see Groups That Work for Justice for a partial list of groups that work from a perspective that is consistent with Catholic social teaching. Our voices are a gift from God. Often, we may think we cannot directly address the struggles of the poor, the voiceless, and others in need. But we can always use our voices to speak out on their behalf. When we do that, we are obeying God’s directive in Proverbs 31:8-9. And our effort might help move our world one step closer to God’s vision of a world where justice prevails. This week, who can you speak out for? How can you use your voice to defend the poor and needy, to be a voice for those who have no voice or whose voices are ignored in the halls of power? Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Justice Articles Next

How can we recognize when we are focusing on little things that are of less importance and missing the more important matters of justice, mercy, and faithfulness? Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 23:13-24 How can we recognize when we are focusing on little things that are of less importance and missing the more important matters of justice, mercy, and faithfulness? Image by Sheldon Kennedy, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti August 21, 2025 Matthew 23:13-24 (Part 1 of Matthew 23:13-36) Read Matthew 23:13-36 Jesus denounces the scribes and the Pharisees for their hypocrisy In Matthew 23:13-36, Jesus pronounces 7 woes upon the scribes and Pharisees. The word usually translated “woe” has a meaning that communicates sorrow as well as anger. Wiliam Barclay tells us, “There is righteous anger here, but it is the anger of the heart of love, broken by the stubborn blindness of men” (Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 2 , p. 318). Jesus is speaking these stern words of judgment with a heavy heart. Part 1 Verses 13-14 It is not surprising that, of all the groups that opposed Jesus, Matthew retains this denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees, because those were the two groups that lived on after the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 and opposed the work of Christian communities such as Matthew’s that included both Jews and Gentiles. What is the first thing Jesus denounces the scribes and Pharisees for? In what ways do you think they were doing that? Are there ways that we might unintentionally block people from entering the kingdom of heaven or be an obstacle to other people’s faith? How should we act to avoid being an obstacle to other people’s faith? Sometimes, the problem is a desire to try to push everyone to conform to one for how to live the faith, so it may be helpful to try to avoid being controlling or judgmental. Instead of trying to corral or force people, we can seek to love them into the kingdom of heaven. Note: Most modern translations leave out verse 14, in which Jesus accuses the scribes and Pharisees of devouring widows’ houses. It is not in the oldest and most reliable manuscripts of Matthew, but it is in the corresponding passage in Mark; so it may have been added by a copyist who pulled it from Mark 12:40 rather than being in the original version of Matthew. Verse 15 What do the scribes and Pharisees do that leads to the second woe? Judaism is not today thought of as a proselytizing religion. However, in the 1 st century, before the destruction of Jerusalem, Jews encouraged Gentiles to join them as “god-fearers" – people who accepted the Jewish moral law and belief in one God – and Pharisees sought to convince them to convert fully to Judaism through circumcision and acceptance of the full Law with all its detailed rules regarding foods, etc. In Matthew’s time, Pharisees wanted Christians to embrace the whole Jewish Law; so verse 15 might have resonated even more for Matthew’s readers than for Jesus’s original audience. Every Christian denomination seeks converts. What’s wrong with what the Pharisees were doing? Barclay says it well: “The sin of the Pharisees was that they were not really seeking to lead men to God, they were seeking to lead men to Pharisaism” (Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 2 , p. 321). In our time, how might Christians sometimes be more focused on converting people to their “side” or their flavor of Christianity than to God? How are we vulnerable to focusing more on winning people to our “party” – our part of the body of Christ or even our political party – than to God? One of the ways we see this happening in the United States is people putting politics before religion. Ryan Burge, a political science professor at Eastern Illinois University, author, and American Baptist pastor, says that between 2005 and 2020, political scientists observed a “pretty significant revolution” in people’s thinking. Previously, political scientists thought that “religion was the first lens and then politics lived downstream of religion” – i.e., that people chose their religion first and then decided how to vote based on their religious views. But now, he says, “we recognize that politics is the master identity, and . . . that people pick their religion [or denomination or local church] based on their politics. It’s not the other way around” (“ Faith and the Faithful in the 2024 Election ”). Given that our faith should be the primary guiding light for our worldview and everything else should come second to that, this finding is troubling. Verses 16-22 Recall from Matthew 5:33-37 (in the Sermon on the Mount) that Jews in Jesus’s time were casual about oaths, arguing that unless an oath directly invoked God it didn’t “count.” Here, Jesus may be quoting them, or he may be using exaggeration to show the foolishness of their hypocritical hair-splitting. What is the point of Jesus’s response to the Pharisees’ game-playing about which oaths “count” and must be honored? Jesus is pointing out that the things they say don’t “count” – the Temple, the altar – are more important than the things they say do count. Furthermore, in verses 20-21 he suggests that it all goes back to God, so all of it “counts.” Perhaps the real issue here is whether you should need to swear by anything in order to assure someone that you are telling the truth or will fulfill your word. When should people be able to count on your words being trustworthy? What does it say about us if we are focused on when we might be able to slip out of an oath based on a technicality? In Matthew 5:33-37, Jesus told his followers that they should never swear an oath by anything. Should you ever need to swear an oath, other than in a court of law or official document? Explain. Verses 23-24 Jews were directed in the Law of Moses to tithe from the produce they harvested (Lev. 27:30-32). Jesus indicates that the scribes and Pharisees are so zealous about collecting the whole tithe, or tithing of their entire gain, that they demand that people tithe even from their garden herbs (mint, dill, and cumin). If you have ever owned a basil plant, imagine if an advocate of tithing asked you to give to the church one-tenth of your “harvest” of basil, besides your tithe of your income. That’s what Jesus is criticizing here: they were trying to calculate the tithe down to the basil leaves, while ignoring more important matters. Is there anything wrong with tithing from even your smaller gains? In verse 23, what are the “weightier” matters of the Law that Jesus says they should be more focused on? Jesus identifies justice, mercy, and faithfulness as “weightier” matters than the tithing of mint. (The NABRE uses the word “judgment,” but “justice” may be a more appropriate translation that better captures the meaning of the word today.) What does it mean to practice “justice”? Justice means is to give to God what is due to God and to give to people what is due to them as people made in God’s image. What does that call us to do? What does it mean to practice “mercy”? One way to think about mercy in a modern context is to think about the use of discretion to balance the possible harshness of strict justice. Legal systems often ask judges to use discretion in deciding what is an appropriate way to deal with the circumstances of an individual case. What does it mean to practice “faithfulness”? (Note: Some translations say “faith” or “fidelity,” but in today’s language “faithfulness” probably better captures what Jesus is saying.) Why are justice, mercy, and faithfulness “weightier” than detailed tithing? Jesus does not reject tithing. He says that they should focus on the weightier matters “without neglecting the others” – i.e., without neglecting tithing. Does Jesus want us to tithe our mint and basil? How can we balance Matthew 22:21 – where Jesus tells us to “give back to God what is God’s” – with Jesus’s overall objection to the zeal with which the Pharisees focused on details? The Pharisees might say, “We haven’t neglected the weightier matters. We tithe of everything because of our faithfulness to God.” What point are they missing? In verse 24, Jesus refers to gnats and camels. Both are identified as “unclean” in the Law of Moses (Lev. 11:41-43 and Lev. 11:4), so Jews were supposed to avoid them. Pious Pharisees poured their drinks through a cloth to strain out any possible gnats. Jesus accuses them of straining the gnats out of their drinks while swallowing camels. What is the meaning of this metaphor? What are the “gnats” they we might become unnecessarily focused on in our day? In other words, what are the little things we might have a tendency to focus on that don’t really matter very much in the grand scheme of our faith, but that might draw our attention away from more important things? What are the “camels” – the big, important things – that we might be overlooking in our focus on gnats? This could be considered personally and also societally. Societally, we might fail to address weighty matters such as hunger, homelessness, racism, etc. Individually, we might fail to address issues such as paying fairly those who work for us, avoiding unkind or abusive words that hurt other people, doing our fair share of the chores, showing mercy to other people when they are not perfect, etc. You can probably add good examples of your own. Throughout this denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus repeatedly calls them “hypocrites” (see verses 13, 15, 23 ,25, 27, 29). What is a hypocrite? “Hypocrite” is actually a Greek word. That word was used to describe actors in the theatre. They play a part that is not who they really are, so they are pretending to be something they are not. The meaning of the word then expanded to the more general meaning we have for it today. How does their behavior make it appropriate to describe them as hypocrites? How are we at risk of falling into hypocrisy in our day? Take a step back and consider this: It is easy to become critical of the scribes and Pharisees and miss the ways we also put our focus in the wrong places. It is also possible to go to the other extreme and adopt a worldview that unconsciously says that no details matter – that anything goes. God calls us to find the balance that allows us to stay focused on justice, mercy, and faithfulness (Matt. 23:23). What are the big things that you think matter most? What can you do to make sure you stay focused on those big things and don’t get distracted by little matters that aren’t as important? Bibliography See Matthew - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/matthew/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Matthew List Next