Description

Contents-Those Who Devour: The Widows’ Houses and the Widow’s Mite

Introduction

1
Is God Jealous?

The Word “Jealous” and its Many Meanings
The Intolerant God
The Zealous God
Evil Side of True Jealousy
To Sum it Up
A Note to the Reader

2

“You Cannot See My Face”

The Beatific Vision
Sinful Man Cannot See God
God Reveals Himself
God’s Face is Jesus
To Sum Up

3

Moses Was Not to Enter the Promised Land

Moses the Greatest Prophet
Failings of Moses
Key Lessons
To Sum Up

4

God Who Hears the Prayer

Power of Personal Prayer
Meaning of Prayer
Experiencing God’s Love
To Sum Up

5
The Creed

Why Two Different Creeds?
The Creed
Netherworld and Hell
To Sum Up

6

What are the Dead Doing?

Temporary Sleep
Resurrection
A Wait for the Resurrection
To Sum Up

7

PIETA and the Way of the Cross

The Making of PIETA
Is PIETA a Real Event?
The Portrayal of Jesus
Way of the Cross
St John Paul II and the Way of the Cross
To Sum Up

8

The Sin Never Forgiven

Seriousness of the Sin
Wilful Act
Rejection of the Faith
To Sum Up

9

Account for Every Careless Word

Careless – Meaning
Words – Internal State of a Person
Background of the Warning
What is the Warning about?
To Sum Up

10

What Belongs to Caesar

The Analysis
The Trap
Jesus’ Response
God is the Ultimate Power
To Sum Up

11
Tell That Fox

King Herod Antipas
Limits of Political Power
Legitimate Authority is to be obeyed
Exhortation of St Paul
The Book of Revelation
The Right Attitude
To Sum Up

12

Have the Dead Risen?

Meaning of the 7 Miracles
Darkness at Noon
The Curtain
Miracles reported by only by Mathew
Resurrection of the Dead
The Dead appeared in the city
To Sum Up

13

Does a Mustard Seed Become a Tree?

Mustard Seed
Mustard Plant
Kingdom of God
Trees as Symbols
Growth from Within
Mustard Seed Again
To Sum Up

14

The Camel and the Needle’s Eye

The Needle Issue
The Speck and the Log
Wealth and Wealthy People
New Testament on Wealth
Summary of Christ’s Teachings
Sharing our Wealth
Zacchaeus
To Sum Up

15
Love Your Enemies

Four Types of Love
Agape
New Testament Teaching – 180 Degree Change
The First Three Levels of Love
The 4th Level of Love
To Sum Up

16

“Woe to You” By Jesus

Woe to you!
More a Lamentation
Personal Experiences
Disasters – Actual and Prophetic
More a Warning
Jerusalem
Jesus weeps for His people
Salvation is a Gratuitous Gift
Be Vigilant
Hypocritical Attitude
To Sum Up

17

HEAVEN, UP OR DOWN?

Paradise
Biblical View of Paradise
Paradise is a Garden
Paradise in the New Testament
Heaven
Where is Heaven?
Concept of Heaven
Paradise on Earth
To Sum Up

18

The Kingdom of God: Inside You or In Your Midst?

‘Entos’ = “Inside”
Kingdom of God
Personal Dimension
Social Dimension
Personal and Social Dimensions
Both Dimensions are Required
St Paul on the Kingdom of God
To Sum Up
An After thought

19

The Last Judgment

Significance of the Last Judgement
The Resurrection of the Body
Appearance of the Son of God
The Judgment over the Dead
Separation of the Good and the wicked
Establishment of Heaven and Hell
Catholic Catechism on the Last Judgment
To Sum Up

20
How Many Donkeys?

Entering the City on a Donkey
Symbolism of Donkey
How many Donkeys?
Travel on two Donkeys?
Colt on which no one had sat on
The Colt and the Ass
To Sum Up

21

Son of Man and Vultures

An Old Saying
Kingdom of God
The Eschatological Event
The Need to be Vigilant
To Sum Up

22
Standing or Sitting

Standing on the Right-hand Side
To Sum Up

23

Halleluiah – Hosanna

Halleluiah
Hallel:
Halleluiah
Reasons for Praising God
Praise- Glorify
Hoanna
Meaning of Hosanna
Entry into Jerusalem
The Coming of the Messiah
Jesus the Messiah
To Sum Up

24

THOSE WHO DEVOUR WIDOWS’ HOUSES

The Widow
The Offerings
Misuse of the Offerings
Importance of the Context
The Key Lessons
Wise use of the Offerings
Money Matters
Ostentatious Celebrations
To Sum Up

ABOUT THE BOOK

Those Who Devour The Widows’ Houses and the Widow’s Mite
“Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps 119,105). There are, nevertheless, incidents and teachings in the Bible that are difficult to understand. Hence there arise problems when persons,not properly trained, try to interpret such passages. The message the sacred author intended to convey, or the Truth that God reveals might not be correctly understood when verses are taken out of context and interpreted just literally. Worse than that, often the very opposite of the intended message could be inferred from the verses. This book analyses 24 of such passages and tries to interpret them in the light of Biblical hermeneutics and the official teachings of the Catholic Church.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Karimattam, a catholic priest, belonging to the Archdiocese of Tellicherry, Kerala, India. Born 1942; ordained priest, Rome 1968; holds a Licentiate in Theology from the Pontifical Urban University, Rome and a Doctorate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome. Has served as one of the three chief editors of the POC Malyalam Bible; 15 years as Director, Bible Apostolate of Tellicherry; 4 years as principal of Divine Bible College, Muringoor. Since 2002 teaches Scripture at the Marymatha Major Seminary, Trichur, India.