Programming Note:
The Wednesday morning time slot will be shared with
the Catholicism Study Program. That series of 10
videos will run over the course of the year as an
alternate activity so watch the Program Schedule and
postings on the website and bulletin.
"Celebrating Our Origins" The
Book of Genesis
Starting in January
People are intrigued about their origins. There is increasing interest in tracing genealogies and our families of origin. There are computer programs and websites that help a person with researching one's origin.
The first book in the Bible is all about origins. It could just as easily be called the "Book of Origins." It deals with the origin of the universe, of humankind, of sin, understood as alienation from God and fellow human beings, as well as the origin of the people of Israel.
Three books in one
In a sense the book of Genesis can be read as if it is three books in one. The first is the primeval history and consists of Genesis
1-11; the second is the story of the ancestors, the patriarchs and matriarchs, chapters 12-36; the third is the story of Joseph, Genesis 37-50.
Foremothers in the Book of Genesis
In the Old Testament, there are many heroines, women who were great leaders and profoundly faithful to the practice of their religion. This is particularly true in the book of Genesis. It provides us with a view of the foremothers in faith who, like the forefathers, played an important role in God's revelation.
Revisiting the patriarchs' story
When referring to Gen 12-50, we tend to speak of the "story of the patriarchs.' We also speak of Abraham's, Isaac's, Jacob's, and Joseph's cycles for their individual story. In alI fairness though to the role played by the patriarchs' wives—Israel's four matriarchs—we should rather speak of the stories and cycles of Abraham and Sarah, of Isaac and Rebecca, and of Jacob, Rachel, and Leah. The four matriarchs were loved by their husbands and gave them children. These women too were visited and blessed by God, and they too walked in faith and played an active role in the history of salvation.
Lou Barbuscio and the Evangelization team of Church of the
Visitation.
Program
Schedule
January
4th Genesis Week 1 January 11th Catholicism Episode 1
January 25th Genesis Week 2
January 25th Catholicism Episode 2
February 1st Genesis Week 3 February 8th Catholicism Episode 3
February 15th Genesis Week 4
February 22nd Genesis Week 5
February 29th Catholicism Episode 4
March 7th Genesis Week 6
March 14th Genesis Week 7
March 21st Genesis Week 8
March 28th Genesis Week 9
April 4th Genesis Week 10
The
Visitation Adult Faith Formation Team thanks you for your
participation. Please watch our web site http://visitationchurch.com
for
future programs. If you would like to be notified by Email
please send your Email address to visitationweb@comcast.net
If you would like to order a copy of the book
"A Biblical Walk Through the Mass" by Edward Sri
you can do so on line by Clicking
Here
"Arise, Shine for Your Savior Has Come" Deutero-Isaiah Chapters 40 to 66
Now through Advent
November
and December means Advent, and Advent means looking forward to
the birth of the Messiah at Christmas. No other book of the
Old Testament prepares us as well for his coming as the book
of Isaiah.
Almost every Bible reader loves Deutero-Isaiah. This part of
the monumental book of the great prophet Isaiah (Isa 40-66)
displays prophecy, poetry, theology, and prayer at their very
best. These chapters, which provide us with the first
theological usage in Scripture of the terms good news (gospel)
and evangelize, have merited him the title of "fifth
evangelist."
November
and December means Advent, and Advent means looking forward to
the birth of the Messiah at Christmas. No other book of the
Old Testament prepares us as well for his coming as the book
of Isaiah.