STUDY GUIDE Session 2 - stfrancisparish.net · 23 OPENING PRAYER Devoutly I adore you, hidden Deity, Under these appearances concealed. To you my heart surrenders self For, seeing

STUDY GUIDESession 2

Brant Pitre

Nil Stat: Dr. Joseph E. Burns, Censor DeputatusImprimatur: Most Reverend Samuel J. Aquila, S.T.L. Archbishop of Denver, May, 2015.

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Some Scripture verses contained herein are from the Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright ©1965, 1966 by the Division of Christian Educators of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for the United States of America, copyright ©1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.—Libreria Editrice Vaticana. English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Modification from the Editio Typica copyright ©1997, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.—Libreria Editrice Vaticana.

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O P E N I N G P R AY E R

Devoutly I adore you, hidden Deity,Under these appearances concealed.To you my heart surrenders selfFor, seeing you, all else must yield.

Sight and touch and taste here fail; Hearing only can be believed.I trust what God’s own Son has said.Truth from truth is best received.

Divinity, on the Croß� , was hid;Humanity here comes not to thought.Believing and confeß� ing both,I seek out what the Good Th ief sought.

I see no wounds, as Th omas didBut I profeß� you God above.Draw me deeply into faith, Into Your hope, into your love.

—St. Th omas Aquinas’ Euch aristic hymn “Adoro Te Devote” from Th e Aquinas Prayer Book, Sophia Institute Preß�

I N T R O D U C T I O N

In this seß� ion our exploration of the prefi gurements of the Euch arist will take us all the way back to the fi rst book of the Bible, the book of Genesis. We’ll discover that the Euch arist has been a part of God’s plan from the beginning of salvation history. We’ll revisit the opening ch apters of Genesis and fi nd the beginnings of the Maß� in the Garden of Eden. We’ll take a look at the well-known story of Cain and Abel to see what it teach es us about what needs to be at the heart of any off ering we make to God. And we’ll continue on to Genesis’ brief description of the mysterious high priest, Melch izedek. What does the Euch arist have to do with any of this? Let’s fi nd out.

Creation of Adam and Original Sin / Scala / Art Resource, NY

Abraham off ers tithes to Priest-King Melch izedek of Salem Erich Lessing / Art Resource, NY

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C O N N E C T

1. What does a meal represent for you? Th ink of some important meals that go on throughout theyear: Christmas dinner, Th anksgiving, a birthday party. How are these meals diff erent from your daily meals? Do you have any traditions aß� ociated with each ? Talk about these with the group.

2. What things cause a friendship to ch ange or end? What warning signs appear to indicate thata once close friendship is leß� ening in its intensity? What can be done to revive a waning friendship?

D I S C U S S

I. Euch arist not a New Testament novelty—story of the Euch arist begins in Genesis

A. Typology: Prefi gured in Old Testament, fulfi lled in New Testament

B. Th ree prefi gurations in Genesis 1. Th e fruit of the tree of life,

and the fall of Adam and Eve 2. Th e sacrifi ce of Cain and Abel 3. Th e gift of Melch izedek

D I S C U S S

PA R T 1 — E A S T O F E D E N Watch the teach ing. Th e following is a brief outline of the topics covered in the video teach ing.

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II. Th e fruit of the tree of life, and the fall of Adam and Eve

A. Story of salvation history begins with an act of eating

B. Two trees: tree of life and tree of the knowledge of good and evil

C. Serpent distorts word of God, mixing lies in with the truth

D. Adam and Eve desire to be divinized E. Aft er their Fall, “in toil shall you eat”

(Gen 3:17) F. East of Eden: An act of mercy

(Gen 3:22–24)1. God bars acceß� to tree of life2. Prevents eternal separation

from God

III. John 6: A. Language “eat and live forever”

is used once again B. Early ch urch fathers referred to the

Euch arist as the fruit of the tree of life

D I S C U S S 1. What is typology? In addition to the Euch arist, can you recall any other things prefi gured in the Old Testament and later fulfi lled in the New Testament? How is typology helpful in reading Scripture?

2. Look at Genesis 3:1–5. How does the serpent distort the word of God? What eff ect does the serpent’s lies have on Eve? What do Adam and Eve most desire when they decide to act on the serpent’s words?

3. Why were Adam and Eve barred from the Garden of Eden aft er their sin? Why is this a merciful act of God?

D I S C U S S 1. What is typology? In addition to the Euch arist, can you recall any other things prefi gured in the Old

In the Beginning: Garden of Eden and Sacrafice

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I. Story of Sacrifi ce: Cain and Abel A. Sacrifi ce of Abel acceptable to Lord—

“fi rstlings,” giving fi rst/best to God B. Sacrifi ce of Cain not accepted—“an off ering” C. Giving fi rstlings/best, teach es us to love D. Cain kills Abel: fi rst murder of salvation history 1. Another type of sacrifi ce—

violent, sinful 2. Blood is living; speaks to God

from the ground E. Abel prefi gures Christ F. God’s response is mercy; Cain is marked,

but his life spared II. Bread and Wine A. Abraham called to come to the Promised Land B. Abraham batt les wick ed kings and rescues Lot C. Off ers thanksgiving aft er victory

through Melch izedek 1. Melch izedek off ers bread and wine 2. First man to be called a priest in the Bible a) Hebrew kohen used to emphasize

priestly identity b) Natural priesthood goes back to Adam c) Levitical priesthood is a later restriction D. Foreshadows Christ and the Euch arist 1. Th e priest Melch izedek off ers bread and

wine in thanksgiving 2. King of Ancient Jerusalem

(Salem parallels Zion; see Ps 76:1–2) 3. Melch izedek = King of Righteousneß� 4. Jesus a) New king of righteousneß� off ering bread

and wine in thanksgiving b) During the Off ertory we should actively

join our thanksgiving to the sacrifi ce of Christ at the hands of the priest (CCC 1333)


PA R T 2 —T H E S T O R Y O F S A C R I F I C EWatch the teach ing. Th e following is a brief outline of the topics covered in the video teach ing.

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D I S C U S S4. Look at Genesis 4:1–5. How are Abel and Cain’s off erings described diff erently? Genesis 4:5 says, “For Cain and his off ering [the LORD] had no regard.” Why were Cain and his sacrifi ce not acceptable to the Lord?

5. How does Abel prefi gure Christ?

6. How is Melch izedek’s off ering a foreshadowing of Christ and the Euch arist?

“Melchizedek was righteous and the faithful image of Christ. Moved by a prophetic spirit, he discerned the oblation which must one day be offered for the Gentiles, and, in the example of the future Christ, he offered bread and wine as sacrifi ce to God. But, the Judaic synagogue, which honored God according to the order of Aaron, offered Him a sacrifi ce, not of bread and wine, but of bulls and lambs and glorifi ed the Lord by bloody sacrifi ces. That is why God, addressing Himself to the One Who was to be born of the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, His Son, says to Him, ̀ You are Priest forever according to the order of Melchisedek’ and not according to the order of Aaron, who honors his God while offering Him bulls and heifers.” —St. John Chrysostom, Homily VII

C L O S I N G P R AY E R

Lord, we thank you for your constant presence throughout salvation history, and how you prepared for the gift of the Euch arist from the very beginning of time. We praise and thank you for your Eternal Wisdom and your mercy. Help us to grow in our reverence and understanding of the Euch arist as we continue to walk through the Scriptures on the way that leads to your Son. Amen.

FOR FURTHER READINGKevin W. Irwin, Models of the Eucharist, (Paulist Press, 2005)

“The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.’” —Psalm 110:4

Kevin W. Irwin, Models of the Eucharist, (Paulist Press, 2005)Models of the Eucharist, (Paulist Press, 2005)Models of the Eucharist

D I S C U S S


D I S C U S S4. Look at Genesis 4:1–5. How are Abel and Cain’s off erings described diff erently? Genesis 4:5

D I S C U S S

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C O M M I T – DAY 1 Two Trees in Eden

In Genesis 2:9 we read,

“Out of the ground the LORD God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”

While God fills the Garden of Eden with “every tree” that is pleasant and good, the writer of Genesis makes note of only two particular trees. These two trees are named but not described—we do not know their size, or the shape of their leaves, or the kind and color of their fruit. Where we might expect such descriptions, instead the next verses of Genesis tell of the river that waters the garden.

The one thing we learn about the two trees in the opening chapters of Genesis is the consequences of eating their fruit. After God puts Adam in the garden he says to him, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die” (Genesis 2:16–17). Later, when God banishes Adam and Eve from the garden and stations a cherubim at the gate, we learn that he does this to deny access to the tree of life “lest [man] put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever” (Genesis 3:22).

Tree “to eat or not to eat” Consequence

Tree of Life “freely eat” “live for ever”

Tree of Knowledgeof Good and Evil

“shall not eat” “you shall die”

With the command “Do not eat” from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God extends an invitation to Adam and Eve to make a gift of loving obedience in return for all that they have received. Sadly, Adam and Eve reject God’s invitation, preferring, as St. Bonaventure notes, “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to the tree of life.” Aft er the Fall, God bars acceß� to the tree of life because eating its fruit brings eternal life. Th is act of mercy ensures that Adam and Eve will not eat and live eternally in their unexpiated sin. And God now prepares another invitation—this one through the person of his Son.

Spring, or Paradise on Earth / Erich Lessing / Art Resource, NY

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From the beginning of his ministry Jesus invites us: “Repent” and “Come, follow me.” And as the new invitation comes to its fulfillment, there will be a new garden and a new tree of life with life-giving fruit. Look up the following verses. What two locations are described as a garden?

John 18:1, 26 John 19:41 Aft er the sin in the Garden of Eden, God decrees that Adam must sweat and toil to bring fruit from the earth, and among this fruit will be found thorns and thistles (see Genesis 3:17–19). Th e gospels tell us that Jesus’ paß� ion begins in another garden, Gethsemane, where Jesus sweats blood as he takes upon himself man’s sin. Aft er his scourging, the soldiers place a crown of thorns on Jesus’ head. Th ose who have ears to hear will know that the Fall in the Garden of Eden and its resulting curse is about to be undone by Jesus, the new Adam, in the gardens of Gethsemane and Calvary.

Look up the following verses. How is the Croß� described?

Galatians 3:13

1 Peter 2:24

Nailed to the wood of the Croß� , Jesus Christ won for us not only redemption from our sins, but also new life, life eternal, and thus the Croß� becomes the new Tree of Life. Many of the early Church Fathers spoke of the Croß� as the new Tree of Life.

Cyril of Jerusalem:“If because of the tree of food they were then cast out of paradise, shall not believers now more easily enter into paradise because of the Tree of Jesus?…And since we have touch ed on things connected with Paradise, I am truly astonished at the truth of the types. In Paradise was the Fall, and in a Garden was our Salvation. From the Tree came sin, and until the Tree sin lasted.” (Catech etical Lecture 13)

Irenaeus: “[S]o that as by means of a tree we were made debtors to God, [so also] by means of a tree we may obtain the remiß� ion of our debt.” “Th e sure word of God, which we had negligently lost by means of a tree, and were not in the way of fi nding again, we should receive anew by the dispensation of a tree, [viz., the croß� of Christ].” (Against Heresies)

Tertullian: “Now, although death reigned from Adam even to Christ, why may not Christ be said to have reigned from the tree, from His having shut up the kingdom of death by dying upon the tree of His croß� ?” (Against Marcion)

Jesus pulling Adam and Eve out of their tombs called the Anastasis© mountainpix / shutterstock .com

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Ephraim: “To the fi rst Tree that which killed,—to it grace brought forth a son.—O Croß� off spring of the Tree,—that fought against your sire!—Th e Tree was the fount of death;—the Croß� was the fount of life.…But the Croß� caused to paß� away the rebuke,—of its father that fi rst Tree.” (Th e Nisibene Hymns)

Venantius Fortunatus: “Faithful Croß� ! Above all other, one and only noble Tree! None in foliage, none in bloß� om, none in fruit thy peers may be; sweetest wood and sweetest iron! Sweetest Weight is hung on thee!” (hymn “Pange Lingua”)

Th e new fruit of the new tree of life is Christ himself who hung on the tree of the Croß� . And since Christ gave us his body and blood at the Last Supper, the Euch arist was understood as the fruit of the new Tree of Life par excellence. Th is refl ection was a favorite of medieval theologians. For example,

St. Albert: “Christ could not have commanded anything more benefi cial, for this sacrament is the fruit of the tree of life. Anyone who receives this sacrament with the devotion of sincere faith will never taste death. ‘It is a tree of life for those who grasp it, and bleß� ed is he who holds it fast. Th e man who feeds on me shall live on account of me.’” (Commentary on the Gospel of Luke)

St. Bonaventure: “Th is is the Fruit born of the virginal womb, and ripened on the tree of the croß� to delectable maturity…” (Th e Tree of Life)

Th us we see a garden, a tree, and life-giving fruit not only “in the beginning,” but also inaugurating the New Covenant. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ takes on the curses of Adam’s sin, and in the Garden of Calvary he off ers himself on the new tree of life, the Croß� , and the fruit of this new tree is off ered to us in the Euch arist.


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Elevation of the Host photo (c) 2015 Augustine Institute.

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C O M M I T – DAY 2 The Fall: Not Trusting the Father’s Love

Made in the very image and likeneß� of God himself, surrounded by every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, given dominion over all that moves upon the earth, conversing with the Creator of the world, Adam and Eve had everything to lose and nothing to gain by disobeying God’s single command. What could poß� ibly have tempted the fi rst man and woman to eat the forbidden fruit?

Speaking of the Fall, the Catech ism refl ects,

“Man, tempted by the devil, let his trust in his Creator die in his heart and, abusing his freedom, disobeyed God’s command. Th is is what man’s fi rst sin consisted of.” —CCC 397

With a garden full of “every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food,” the evil one does not tempt Adam and Eve with the succulence of the forbidden fruit. Instead, he questions the goodneß� of the Creator who has given this prohibition. As Dr. Pitre discuß� ed, the devil twists God’s command about eating so as to distort our fi rst parents’ perception of God, subtly portraying him as a tyrant lording his power over them, rather than the loving Father who walked and talked with them in the garden. With the serpent’s words in their ears, the good fruit of every other tree fades from sight. Adam and Eve turn away from their Creator and Father and grasp at what they think will bring them wisdom and divinity, desiring “to ‘be like God,’ but ‘without God, before God, and not in accordance with God’” (CCC 398).

Th is fi rst lie of the devil worked so well that he replays it over and over again throughout history, down to our own day and in our own lives. Th e evil one whispers in our ear, “God can’t really love you if he has asked you to endure this illneß� ,” or “What loving Father would allow this hardship in your life, or deny you what you desire?” Th e devil repeats the same question he posed to Adam and Eve, just substituting a diff erent “fruit” and tempting us to distrust our Creator and repeat Adam and Eve’s disobedience. As the Catech ism continues, “All subsequent sin would be disobedience toward God and lack of trust in his goodneß� ” (CCC 397).

Th e Garden of Eden with the Temptation of Adam and Eve / Scala / Art Resource, NY

Creation of Adam and Original Sin / Scala / Art Resource, NY

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Knowing that the father of lies seeks to replay his succeß� in the garden in the lives of each of God’s ch ildren, the Apostles oft en recall the Fall and its disastrous consequences when exhorting the early Christians to remain faithful. Look up the following verses. How is the Fall used as the back drop from which these Apostles encourage the faithful?

2 Corinthians 11:3

Romans 5:12, 19

1 Peter 5:8–9

While not specifi cally naming Adam or Eve or the devil, how does the Apostle John phrase the three-part exhortation from his fi rst lett er (below) so that his hearers recall and learn from the Fall?

Genesis 3:6 1 John 2:16–17

“So when the woman saw that “For all that is in the world,

the tree was good for food, the lust of the fl esh

and that it was a delight to the eyes, and the lust of the eyes

and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,

and the pride of life,

she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband,

and he ate.”

is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust

of it; but he who does the will of God abides for ever.”

St. James also ech oes the Fall when he speaks of the desires that lead to sin:

“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Th en desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death.” —James 1:14–15

In the garden the devil certainly “tempted,” “lured,” and “enticed” Adam and Eve to “desire” and eat the fruit that brought death. And what does Eve readily admit in Genesis 3:13?


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In contrast, James exhorts,

“Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to ch ange.” —James 1:16–17 (emphasis added)

James does not want his fl ock to be like Adam and Eve in being deceived by the devil. We can almost hear his fatherly voice beseech ing his ch ildren, “Do not be deceived,” rather trust the Father from whom we have “every perfect gift .”

We also hear an ech o of the Fall in the Acts of the Apostles in the description of Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles. Look up the following verses. Compare what “opens the eyes” in each .

Genesis 3:4–5

Acts 26:15–18

As Paul recounts his conversion, the heavenly vision and the word of God he is given on the road to Damascus, he is clear that it is the gospel and the forgiveneß� of sins that open our eyes.

Aft er looking to the Scripture paß� ages above, we are reminded of humanity’s perpetual struggle in the face of sin and can bett er appreciate Jesus’ gift of the life of grace. Th e Apostle John reminds us:

“He who commits sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. Th e reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” —1 John 3:8

When the devil tempts us to distrust our heavenly Father, we must not make the mistake of our fi rst parents; rather we must fl ee to and consume the Euch arist, the fruit of the Tree of Life, and there receive the strength and grace to resist.

33Th e Euch arist Communion during the Mass © Fabio Lotti / shutterstock .com

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C O M M I T – DAY 3 Lectio: Melchizedek’s Offering

Obedient to God’s command, Abraham, Sarah, and their nephew Lot have left their home and come to a new land. Aft er some time there it becomes clear that Abraham and his nephew Lot must separate, taking diff erent portions of the land in order to have adequate sustenance for their growing fl ock s. In what one might call a selfi sh act, Lot claims the greener pastures of the valley. Soon thereaft er Lot is taken captive by warring kings, and Abraham must risk his own life in order to redeem his kinsman. Our Lectio paß� age joins the story as Abraham returns from succeß� fully defeating the other kings and rescuing Lot.

“Aft er [Abram’s] return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet [Abram] at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). And Melch izedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said, ‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!’” —Genesis 14:17–20

Numerous kings are mentioned in the paß� age. Reread the paß� age and list the kings identifi ed.

What title is God given in the paß� age? How many times is this title repeated?

Th ere is a lot of bleß� ing going on in this paß� age. Take a closer look. Who is bleß� ed? And by whom, and how, are they bleß� ed?

God is described as making heaven and earth. What else is God described as having done in the last sentence of the paß� age?

L E C T I O : Th e practice of praying with Scripture, lectio divina, begins with an active and close reading of the Scripture paß� age. Read the verse below and then answer the questions to take a closer look at some of the details of the paß� age.

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Melch izedek is identifi ed as both a king and a priest. What does he off er?

.

“For this Melch izedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him; and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is fi rst, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace.…See how great he is! Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe of the spoils.” —Hebrews 7:1–4

In the Lectio paß� age from Genesis 14, there were numerous kings mentioned. Th ese earthly kings and their batt les and subsequent subjugation of peoples caused enormous strife in the lives of others. Melch izedek was a diff erent kind of king, king of Salem, but also “king of peace” and “king of righteousneß� .” What marked Melch izedek’s kingship was a righteous way of life lived out before the King of kings, God Most High. Abraham had to ch oose which kings to do batt le against and which to honor by his off ering of a tithe. In our own lives we too need to ch oose how to order our allegiances. Is God “Most High” and “King of kings” in your life? How do you evidence your fi delity to God as King of your life? How do such things as your use of time, resources, and talents need to be adjusted to bett er refl ect God’s kingship in your life and to provide a greater off ering or tithe to God?

Abel and Melch isedek make off erings to God © mountainpix / shutterstock .com

M E D I TAT I O : Lectio, close reading and rereading, is followed by meditatio, time to refl ect on the Scripture paß� age, to ponder the reason for particular events, descriptions, details, phrases, and even ech oes from other Scripture paß� ages that were noticed during lectio. Take some time now to mediate on Genesis 14:17–20. Today we’ll use another Scripture paß� age, from ch apter 7 of the book of Hebrews, which describes Melch izedek, to aß� ist our meditation.

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“He [Melch izedek] is without father or mother or genealogy, and has neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.” —Hebrews 7:3

At fi rst reading, Melch izedek appears as an enigmatic ch aracter in this paß� age. But the book of Hebrews here is recalling how the priesthood of the Old Covenant was restricted to the tribe of Levi (see Numbers 8:14–16), and a man had to prove he was of the tribe of Levi by his genealogy (by his father and mother) before he could serve as priest. Additionally, a Levitical priest’s service at the tent of meeting, or later in the temple, could not begin until he reach ed age 25 and ended at age 50 (see Numbers 8:23–25), thus his priesthood had a beginning of days and an end of life.

Th e Levitical priesthood was a restrictive measure inaugurated aft er the Exodus as a consequence of Israel’s idolatrous worship of the golden calf. Before that the father of each family acted as a high priest, and the fi rstborn sons were priests sharing in the father’s authority. Th e “order” of Melch izedek’s priesthood is not that of the Levitical priesthood. Rather Melch izedek’s priesthood is of the “order” of fatherhood and sonship, imitating Jesus’ priesthood, which is that of the divine Son of God the Father. Being of this order, Melch izedek’s priesthood foreshadows the priesthood of the New Covenant.

How does this back ground help your understanding of why Catholic priests are called “Father”? How does this help you see the priest as a spiritual father? How do Melch izedek’s actions of bleß� ing and off ering bread and wine prefi gure the actions of priests today?

“Th is makes Jesus the surety of a better covenant. Th e former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in offi ce; but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever. Consequently he is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fi tting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens.” —Hebrews 7:22–26

Even though Melch izedek’s priesthood was of the right “order,” that of fatherhood and sonship, Melch izedek, being a mortal man, would eventually die and so his priesthood could not continue forever. Jesus, the divine Second Person of the Trinity, is eternal. Jesus continually off ers himself to the Father. Th us what Jesus did on the Croß� , off ering his body once for all, he continually does in the very life of the Trinity. Th is he did, and continues to do, “to save those who draw near to God through him.”

Th e book of Hebrews reminds us that Jesus “makes interceß� ion” for us. God desires us to “draw near” and bring our petitions to him. Just as God delivered Abraham from his enemies, he can deliver us from all that would separate us from God. How does this description of Jesus “exalted above the heavens” and one who “always lives to make interceß� ion” give us confi dence to “draw near” and bring our petitions to him? Close your meditation today drawing near and bringing to God your petitions, asking God for the graces you need in your own life right now.


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C O M M I T – DAY 4 FIRST FRUITS OR LEFTOVERS

Following Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the garden, we read about their sons, Cain the farmer and Abel the shepherd, off ering sacrifi ce to God.

“In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an off ering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel brought of the fi rstlings of his fl ock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his off ering, but for Cain and his off ering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.” —Genesis 4:3–5 (emphasis added)

Dr. Pitre mentioned in this seß� ion how as a ch ild he disliked the story of Cain and Abel because he didn’t understand what was wrong with Cain’s off ering. But a close look at these verses gives an indication of the problem. Abel makes an off ering from the “fi rstlings” and their “fat portions,” indicating that Abel gave the best of his fl ock . Much later, words of King David beautifully articulate what appears to be the desire of Abel’s heart in his ch oice of sacrifi ce: “I will not off er burnt off erings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing” (2 Samuel 24:24). Cain, on the other hand, simply brings “an” off ering.

Th e diff erence in their off erings hints at a deeper interior gulf between these two sons of Adam. It is not just Cain’s off ering that does not receive God’s regard, but also Cain himself. God’s question to Cain also points to an interior problem, “If you do well, will you not be accepted?” (Genesis 4:7, emphasis added). God desires to accept Cain, but it is Cain who needs to “do well.” Th ere is more than a physical diff erence in the off erings of Cain and Abel. Something is not right with Cain’s heart.

Look up the following verses. What is God’s foremost concern?

1 Samuel 16:7

Jeremiah 17:9–10

Proverbs 21:2

Sacrifi ce is the off ering of a gift to God as an outward manifestation of our veneration for him and with the object of att aining communion with him. But this outward expreß� ion must be match ed by an inward disposition of the heart. Too oft en it is not. Such is the ch arge God levels against his people through the prophet Isaiah:

“Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men learned by rote.” —Isaiah 29:13

Look up the following paß� ages. What does God desire more than sacrifi ce?

Psalm 40:6–8

1 Samuel 15:22

Proverbs 21:3

Abel’s off ering to God © mountainpix shutterstock .com

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It is not simply the physical off ering, but the heart of the one who off ers that matt ers to God. Th e heart that loves God, that desires and does God’s will, is what makes a sacrifi ce pleasing to God.

We read numerous places in the Old Testament of Israel’s “stubborn” or “hard” heart, with Moses even describing her as “stiff -neck ed.” Israel’s hardneß� of heart kept her from repenting and receiving God’s forgiveneß� . Like Cain, whose hard heart resulted in his going “away from the presence of the LORD” (Genesis 4:16), so too Israel’s wayward heart eventually resulted in her exile from the Promised Land and God’s presence in the temple.

One of the most hopeful meß� ages of the prophets was the promise that God would one day remake the hearts of his people. What does God promise in the meß� ages of these prophets?

Ezekiel 11:19

Ezekiel 36:26–27

Jeremiah 24:7

Instead of hearts of stone, God would bestow new hearts so that his people would come to know the Lord and desire his will. With these new hearts, their inward disposition and outward actions—their heart and their sacrifi ce—could be one.

Jesus’ sacrifi ce on the Croß� not only brought an end to animal sacrifi ce, but it is the model of all future sacrifi ce in the New Covenant. Jesus’ sacrifi ce was the loving self-gift in obedience to God’s will,—“Not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42)—the perfect union of heart and body saying “yes” to God. Th is is the sacrifi ce that Paul exhorts us to make when he says, “Present your bodies as a living sacrifi ce, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1). We no longer off er bulls and sheep and doves, but acts of ch arity and service, as the lett er to the Hebrews reminds us: “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifi ces are pleasing to God” (Hebrews 13:16). If only Adam’s and Eve’s hearts had trusted the Father and ch osen this path! If only Cain had imitated Abel in off ering the fi rst fruits! If only we would follow Jesus on this way of love and obedience!

During the Maß� and aft er the bread and wine have been ch anged into the Euch aristic body of Christ, the Church recalls the examples of the “off erings” and “gift s” of Abel, Abraham, and Melch izedek when the priest says,

“Accept [these off erings], as once you were pleased to accept the gift s of your servant Abel the just, the sacrifi ce of Abraham, our father in faith, and the off ering of your high priest Melch izedek.” —Euch aristic Prayer I

Th is part of the Maß� , the Liturgy of the Euch arist, begins with the preparation of the gift s. Th e bread and the wine are placed upon the altar and the priest prays a prayer of bleß� ing, thanking God for his goodneß� by which we have received the gift s we are about to off er. Th is is a wonderful moment in which to make a gift of ourselves, to place our lives and our good works alongside the bread and wine upon the altar, and to thank God for the graces he has given us. It is also a time to refl ect on whether the words and actions of our lives and our good works are “fi rst fruits,” the best we have to off er, and whether our off erings are just external actions or off erings of our whole heart. Let us pray for God’s grace to live by King David’s resolve not “to off er burnt off erings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing.” Th en, like the bread and wine, we too will be ch anged and transformed into Christ, and we will bring fi rst fruits to every future Maß� .


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C O M M I T – DAY 5 Truth and Beauty

Tree of Life, Pacino di Bonaguida, c. 1310

Displayed today in Florence’s Accademia Gallery, Pacino di Bonaguida’s Tree of Life was originally commiß� ioned for an altar panel in the Poor Clare convent of Santa Maria dei Monticelli in Florence. Pacino’s panel is a visual masterpiece bringing to life St. Bonaventure’s meditation Lignum Vitae (Tree of Life, c. 1260).

St. Bonaventure opens his meditation quoting St. Paul, “With Christ I am nailed to the croß� ” (see Galatians 2:20) and continues, “the true disciple of Christ, wanting to conform perfectly to the Saviour of all who was crucifi ed for his sake, should try in the fi rst place, with earnest intent, always to carry about, in soul and in body, the croß� of Jesus Christ, until he can feel in himself the truth of the apostle’s words.”

Tree of Life / Alinari / Art Resource, NY

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In order to encourage this conformity, Bonaventure invites us to contemplate “the labors, the suff ering, and the love of Jesus crucifi ed” in the gospels. Bonaventure then asks his reader to imagine these Scriptural accounts arranged in the form of a tree, in such a way that “in the fi rst or lower branch es, the Saviour’s origin and life are described; in the middle branch es, His paß� ion; and in the top branch es, His glorifi cation” and that at the tip of each branch hangs a single fruit. Th us we have, as it were, twelve fruits, in accordance with the mystery of the tree of life. Having set the stage with this description, Bonaventure begins a series of four brief scriptural refl ections on each of these twelve fruits.

Bonaguida’s painting is a magnifi cent visual presentation of Bonaventure’s Tree of Life, which provided the means for the Poor Clare sisters to meditate with St. Bonaventure and nourish themselves on the fruits of Christ’s life. Bonaguida displays Bonaventure’s 48 descriptive paß� ages as roundels or medallions hanging from the branch es of his tree. Th e roundels are vivid pictorial vignett es, and while intricate due to their small size, they highlight the eß� ential elements with minimal detail so as to focus the viewer’s contemplation. Th e meditations begin with the lower left branch and move from left to right, with the viewer croß� ing back and forth over the central trunk of the tree and Christ’s body hung there in total self-gift .

Let’s take a close-up look at one of these vignett es. Th e second branch from the bott om on the right side displays the fruit of the “plentitude of [Jesus’] kindneß� .” On this branch hang medallions showing Jesus the Good Shepherd, Jesus Flooded with Tears, Jesus Acclaimed Messiah, and fi nally at the tip of the branch Jesus Sacred Bread. Here Bonaguida has painted Jesus seated at the table with his disciples at the Last Supper, and in front of the table Jesus washing the feet of the Apostle Peter. Th is scene is painted to recall Bonaventure’s words:

“Among all the memorable events of Christ’s life, the most worthy of special remembrance is the Last Supper. At this sacred feast there was off ered for food, not only the pasch al lamb, but also the Immaculate Lamb Himself who takes away the sin of the world; who, under the appearance of bread endowed with all delights and conforming to every taste, is given as nourishment. Wondrously glowed the tender love of Christ at this feast, as He sat at the same table and shared the same dish with the humble apostles—even with the traitor Judas. Stupendous was the example of humility when the King of Glory, girt with a towel, stooped to the task of washing the feet of the fi shermen—even the feet of His betrayer. Illimitably rich was the generosity He showed when He gave His very Body and Blood as food and drink to these fi rst priests. For, giving to them, He gave to the whole Church and the whole world. … How wonderful are these prodigies of love, how full of delight—but only to the one who, called to such a solemn feast will hurry there with all the ardor of his heart, crying out with the prophet: ‘As the hind longs for the running waters, so my soul longs for You, O God!’”



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Take a close look at the scenes along the bott om of the painting. What is depicted? Where does the tree of life have its roots?

While the tree appears rooted on the rock hill of Calvary, the scenes on either side of the rock give the sense that the tree also fi nds its source in the Garden of Eden, as scenes of Adam and Eve’s creation, disobedience, and expulsion from the garden are recounted. In fact, St. Bonaventure describes the fruit of the tree as “the Fruit that is placed in the heavenly garden of Eden—God’s table—as food for those who long for Him” and these fruits “strengthen the soul who meditates upon them and carefully considers each one; abhorring the example of unfaithful Adam, who preferred the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to the Tree of Life.”

Th e top right branch of the tree recalls the fruit of the eternity of Jesus’ kingdom. Its expected fourth medallion on Jesus, Desired End is miß� ing. Instead, Bonaguida has connected the fi nal branch of the tree of life to an open door allowing entry into the heavenly court. Here Jesus is enthroned, with Mary at his right hand, and surrounded by angels and saints. With its roots in the Garden of Eden and its upmost branch reach ing to the heavens, the gulf between heaven and earth, which resulted from Adam’s and Eve’s sin, has been bridged by the Croß� of Christ, the new Tree of Life.

Sitt ing atop the tree’s trunk is a pelican piercing its breast to feed its young. It represents a symbol of Christ’s sacrifi ce on the Croß� for the salvation of mankind, and builds upon a legend that in time of famine the mother pelican wounded herself, striking her breast with her beak to feed her young with her blood, preventing their starvation, restoring their life at the cost of her own. St. Th omas Aquinas uses this image of Jesus as our pelican in his Euch aristic hymn “Adoro Te Devote.”

Bonaguida’s Tree of Life is a beautiful example of art at the service of prayer and meditation. Th e Poor Clare convent of Santa Maria dei Monticelli may not have had many, or any, writt en copies of St. Bonaventure’s Lignum Vitae, but with this painting the sisters could share in Bonaventure’s meditation and feed themselves on the Word of God. Th e blood pouring forth from Christ’s side and the pelican placed atop the tree would remind them that Christ feeds us with his very body and blood and help prepare their hearts for receiving Jesus in the Euch arist. We can join these sisters and St. Bonaventure in this wonderful mediation as we look upon Bonaguida’s marvelous work.



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Take a moment to journal your ideas, questions, or insights about this leß� on. Write down thoughts you had that may not have been mentioned in the text or the discuß� ion questions. List any personal applications you got from the leß� ons. What ch allenged you the most in the teach ings? How might you turn what you’ve learned into specifi c action?

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STUDY GUIDE Session 2 - stfrancisparish.net · 23 OPENING PRAYER Devoutly I adore you, hidden Deity, Under these appearances concealed. To you my heart surrenders self For, seeing