The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) - Day 342: Generous Hearts (2022)

Episode Date: December 8, 2022

Fr. Mike comments on the growing divide between Judaism and Christianity that Paul experiences on mission in Acts 21. In 2 Corinthians, Fr. Mike explains the difference between Godly grief that brings us to repentance, and worldly grief that leads us to destruction. We also learn about the importance of imitating the generosity of Christ. Today's readings are Acts 21, 2 Corinthians 6-8, and Proverbs 29:1-4. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz, and you're listening to the Bible in a Year podcast, where we encounter God's voice and live life through the lens of Scripture. The Bible in a Year podcast is brought to you by Ascension. Using the Great Adventure Bible timeline, we'll read all the way from Genesis to Revelation, discovering how the story of salvation unfolded. And we fit into that story today. It is day 342, and we are reading from Acts of the Apostles, chapter 21, second letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, chapters 6, 7, and 8,

as well as Proverbs, chapter 29, verses 1 through 4. As always, the Bible translation I'm reading from is the Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition. I'm using the Great Adventure Bible from Ascension. If you want to download your own Bible in a year reading plan, you can visit ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a year. You can also subscribe to this podcast to receive daily episodes and daily updates and, I don't know, all sorts of stuff.

But today is day 342. We're reading Acts chapter 21, 2 Corinthians chapters 6, 7, and 8, as well as Proverbs chapter 29, verses 1 through 4. The Acts of the Apostles, chapter 21, Paul's journey to Jerusalem. And when he had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Kos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Petara. And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left, we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo.

And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. Through the Spirit, they told Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. And when our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, brought us on our way till we were outside the city, and kneeling down on the beach, we prayed and bade one another farewell. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home. When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemaeus and we greeted the brethren and stayed with them for one day. The next day, we departed and came to Caesarea and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist

who was one of the seven and stayed with him. And he had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. While we were staying for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea and coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, Thus says the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. When we heard this, we and the people there begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, What are you doing,

weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned, but even to die at Then Paul answered, of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple with whom we should lodge. Paul visits James at Jerusalem. When we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. On the following day, Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law, and they have been told about you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or observe the customs. What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under

a vow. Take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself live in observance of the law. But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from unchastity. Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself with them, and went into the temple, to give notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled, and the offering presented for every one of them. Paul arrested in the temple. When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia,

who had seen him in the temple, stirred up all the crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching men everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he also brought Greeks into the temple, and he has defiled this holy place. For they had previously seen Trophimus, the Ephesian, with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. Then all the city was aroused, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. And as they were trying to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was

in confusion. He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them, and when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. Some in the crowd shouted one thing, some another, and as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd. For the mob of the people followed, crying, away with him. Paul defends himself. As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, may I say something to you? And he said, do you know Greek? Are you not the Egyptian then

who recently stirred up a revolt and led the 4,000 men of the assassins out into the wilderness? Paul replied, I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city. I beg you, let me speak to the people. And when he had given him leave, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying, The second letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, chapter 6. Working together with him then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, at the acceptable time,

I have listened to you and helped you on the day of salvation. Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in anyone's way so that no fault may be found with our ministry. But as servants of God, we commend ourselves in every way, through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, hunger. By purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God, with weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left, in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as imposters and yet are true, as unknown and yet well known, as dying and behold we live, as punished and yet not killed, as sorrowful yet Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians. Our heart is wide. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections.

In return, I speak as to children, widen your hearts also. The Temple of the Living God Do not be mismated with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols?

For we are the temple of the living God. As God said, I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore, come out from them and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean. Then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. Chapter 7. Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit and make holiness perfect in the fear of God.

Paul's joy at the Corinthians' repentance and zeal. Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one. We have corrupted no one. We have taken advantage of no one. I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts to die together and to live together. I have great confidence in you. I have great pride in you. I am filled with comfort. With all our affliction, I am overjoyed. For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn, fighting without and fear within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,

and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. For even if I'd made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it. For I see that the letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting.

For you felt a godly grief so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret. But worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what punishment. At every point you have proved yourselves guiltless in the matter. So although I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong, nor on account of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your zeal for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God. Therefore we are comforted.

And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus because his mind has been set at rest by you all. For if I have expressed to him some pride in you, I was not put to shame. But just as everything we said to you is true, so our boasting before Titus has proved true. And his heart goes out all the more to you as he remembers the obedience of you all

and the fear and trembling with which you received him. I rejoice because I have perfect confidence in you. Chapter 8. Encouragement to be generous. We want you to know, brethren, about the grace of God which has been shown in the churches of Macedonia. For in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of liberality on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means of their own free will, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints. And this, not as we expected, but first they gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. Accordingly, we have urged Titus that as he has already made a beginning, he should also complete among you this gracious work.

Now, as you excel in everything, in faith, in utterance, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in your love for us, see that you excel in this gracious work also. I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. And in this matter

I give my advice. It is best for you now to complete what a year ago you began not only to do, but to desire, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a man has, not according to what he has not. I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of equality, your abundance at the present time should supply their want, so that their abundance may supply your want,

that there may be equality. As it is written, he who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Commendation of Titus. But thanks be to God, who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest,

he is going to you of his own accord. With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel, and not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work which we are carrying on, for the glory of the Lord and to show our goodwill. We intend that no one should blame us about this liberal gift which we are administering, for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight, but also in the sight of men. And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many

matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker in your service. And as for our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men. The book of Proverbs chapter 29 verses 1 through 4. He who is often reproved yet stiffens his neck will suddenly be broken beyond healing. When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.

He who loves wisdom makes his father glad, but one who keeps company with harlots squanders his substance. By justice, a king gives stability to the land, but one who exacts gifts ruins it. Father in heaven, we give you praise and glory. We thank you so much. Thank you for having, giving us older siblings in Christ who have been willing to suffer for your name, who have been willing to give of their lives, to give everything so that years later, we can hear your word. Years later, we can know who you are. We can know your heart and we can

become part of your family. Thank you, Lord, for those people who are named in today's readings. Thank you for Paul, of course. And also thank you for all of those Ephesians. Thank you for all of those people who supported Paul, all those Corinthians who repented at his letter. We thank you for the people who brought us to you in our lives. If we had Sunday school teachers, thank you for them, Lord God. If we had people who taught us religious education or people who taught us how to read the Bible or people who taught us how to say the Lord's prayer, they are Father. Thank you, Lord. Thank you for our parents. If we have parents, Lord God, that showed us who you are, thank you for them. Helped us take one step closer to you,

maybe many steps closer to you. And for those who maybe it was their job to do that and they didn't do it, they did it poorly or they didn't do it at all, they worked against it, Lord God, we ask you to please meet them with your love. Let this moment be a moment for them where they can come to know you. And we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Okay. We have

a lot of readings these last couple of days. It was kind of easy, smooth sailing for a while. There were only a couple of chapters. And now these days, four chapters a day. Sheesh. But it's been good. And one of the things we see here, of course, in the Acts of the Apostles is Paul continues to be on mission. Paul continues to move around. He arrives at Jerusalem. And remember, Paul said he knew that the Lord keeps telling him that he was going to meet

with afflictions and imprisonment when he got to Jerusalem. And hey, guess what? He's met with a lot of opposition. One of the things we see here is we see this growing division between the source of Christianity, which is Judaism, and Christianity. You know what I'm saying? Basically, between the fact that Christianity begins as the fulfillment of Judaism, but now we see a growing divide. And that growing divide is basically necessary because of the fact that Christians, the church has discerned that Greeks are able to be part,

full-fledged members of the body of Christ without circumcision, without observing the Jewish laws. And we see this divide growing wider and wider, which is one of the reasons why here, even in chapter 21, we have Paul visiting the temple and he's doing all the external things. He's doing all of the purification rituals. He's doing everything that needs to be done in order to like show himself. No, no, I still am a good Jew. Like I'm still, you know, you don't have to be mad at me essentially, but he's falsely accused, right? Of bringing this Greek, this Gentile into the temple. And so this mob comes

after him. But one of the things we just take away from this whole scenario here in chapter 21 is this growing divide between Judaism and Christianity, which is of course horrible because Jesus came first to the Jews. First he came to the covenant people of God. Now, the good news is that there were many Jews, thousands of Jews who came to Christ. We know that is completely true. At the same time, our Lord wants every one of his people to belong to him fully. And so we continue to pray, especially for all the history that we have, you know, history of 2000 years of Christians and versus Jews, and that becomes a deadly and tragic history. So we pray in repentance of those things, but we also continue to pray for the fact that those who are people of the old covenant, that they realize and encounter Jesus,

who is the fulfillment of everything that they long for, as he is for us, the fulfillment of everything we long for. We pray for our brothers and sisters, the Jewish people. Yeah, right? Okay, moving on to 2 Corinthians. We have in 2 Corinthians, I just, there's something so powerful about, here is St. Paul talking about how he has lived. He's talking about how he, I love this section where he says in chapter six, he says, we commend ourselves in every way through great endurance and afflictions and hardships, calamities, all these things, also positive things by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy Spirit, even more. He goes with with weapons of righteousness, in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute.

Here is St. Paul who's just saying, basically, our mouth is open to you, Corinthians, our heart is wide. And it's just, there's something so powerful about St. Paul. He's rejoicing in the Corinthians because, as he notes in chapter 7, they responded to his last letter, the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, which was kind of him throwing the smack down, putting it down and saying, okay, listen, you have to stop doing this. You have to start doing this in here are all the ways in which you are not living up to your high call of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. In chapter seven, he, he says that, ah, chapter seven, verse eight, he says, for even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it. And then he puts in parentheses, though I did regret it for,

I see that the letter grieved you the only for a while. I know that experience of saying a word. I'm like, I don't know. I feel like I have to say this word because it's, it's a hard word. I don't want to say it, but I have to say it. I regret it because I'm making you feel bad. But he goes on to say, as it is, I rejoice not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. And that's, that's the key. It's like, you know, I don't know anyone who likes making someone sad. I don't know anyone who likes, you know, correcting people. Maybe actually, I take that back. I know there's some people who really enjoy correcting people. But most of us, we don't want to grieve people. We don't want to make people sad. But he says, I rejoice, not because you were grieved,

but because you were grieved into repenting for you felt a godly grief so that you suffered no loss through us. And he has this principle. Then he says in verse 10, for godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death. And that's one of the reasons why, you know, I'm sometimes torn by the idea that people say, you know, hey, live with no regrets because whatever you went through is brought you to this place, you know, made you the person you are today. Sometimes I think, well, that's fine. That's true.

But maybe the person you are today is worse, right? Maybe we should regret some of these things. But in Christ, here's St. Paul is saying, but in Christ, godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret. That makes sense. Because if I placed all those things in my past, all those even horrible things that I've done under God's dominion, under his lordship, allowing him to not only forgive me, but also to transform me. Well, then yes, all of those things have contributed to this transformation, but that doesn't mean

that those were all good. And like, if I could go back again, I probably would not want to do those things. Does that make sense? I hope it makes sense. But St. Paul goes on to say, he wants the Corinthians to be generous. And he wants them to be generous, not because he's guilting them into this,

and he even says that, but because he wants them to be like Jesus. Remember, we talked about how he wants them to be transformed from glory to glory, bit by bit, more glory and more glory, to be like Jesus. And so he's saying in chapter eight, he's saying, basically,

you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake, he became poor so that by his poverty, you might become rich. And he's saying, just do the same thing. Be like Jesus. And that's the whole goal of the spiritual life. The whole goal of the Christian life

is not to just live decent lives or be decent people or be nicer, you know, pay your taxes on time and stay out of jail and wipe your nose. The point is to be like Jesus. So here's St. Paul saying, I need you to be generous, but not because I need you to be generous, but because you need to be like Jesus who himself was so generous. Ah, what a gift it is. It's a massive gift. Here we are on day 342,

and it has been an incredible gift to be on this incredible journey with this incredible community. I know, I know that you're praying for each other because I get letters every single day that reveal miracles, like true miracles. Everything from someone just being grateful that they've been able to get this far through the Bible

and their hearts have been changed to people going to confession for the first time in years and years, to people going back to mass, to people actually achieving pregnancy when that was thought to be impossible. All of these things have been happening because of God's grace and because of your prayers for each other.

So please keep praying for each other. I am praying for you. Please pray for me. My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.