Those Who Devour

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.