Jesus asks us to take a towel and wash each other’s feet. He modeled it first and then told us to do the same. Where is the towel that is waiting for you? [John 13:1-15; 13:16-20] Previous Next John List John 13:1-20 Jesus asks us to take a towel and wash each other’s feet. He modeled it first and then told us to do the same. Where is the towel that is waiting for you? Jacopo Tintoretto (1519–1594). Christ Washing the Feet of the Disciples . Circa 1575-80. The National Gallery, London, UK. Photo by Tom Faletti, 28 May 2025. Tom Faletti May 15, 2026 Read John 13:1-20 Jesus washes the feet of the disciples John’s Gospel makes a major shift here. John has talked about Jesus’s “signs” repeatedly in chapters 1 through 12. John will not use the word “sign” again, except in his concluding comment in John 20:30, where he says that “Jesus did many other signs [that] are not written in this book.” We are now entering into the section of John’s Gospel that some scholars call “The Book of Glory.” In 13:1, John says that “Jesus knew that his hour had come” to depart from this world and go to the Father. John has referred to Jesus’s hour more than half a dozen times so far. What is Jesus’s “hour”? Jesus’s “hour” is the time of his suffering and death (his “Passion”), and sometimes, as in this verse, it also includes his resurrection and ascension, since John here refers to Jesus returning to the Father. Verse 1 tells us that it is just before the feast of the Passover. John does not give us the Last Supper account that the other Gospels give us, with the meal in which Jesus took the bread and the cup of wine and said, “This is my body.... This is my blood.” He has already dealt with that topic in chapter 6 in his Bread of Life discourse with the command to eat his flesh and drink his blood. John focuses mostly on the meaning of what Jesus taught . The other Gospels already told the story of what Jesus did at the last Supper, so he may not have felt the need to fully repeat that. What does the second half of verse 1 tell us? Take the second half of verse 1 and insert your name: “Having loved his own in the world, including [insert your name], he loved [insert your name] to the end.” Having loved you, he loves you to the end. What does this say to you? Verse 2 says that the devil had put it into Judas’s heart to hand over Jesus. At that time, the heart was considered the source of thoughts and feelings. What do you do when a temptation to do wrong enters your heart or mind? It is interesting that John brings up Judas in verse 2, right after what he says in verse 1 and right before what he says in verse 3. He says that the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas to betray Jesus (literally, to hand over or deliver up Jesus). How does the fact that Judas is there relate to verse 1? How does Judas’s presence relate to the washing of the feet? We will explore the meaning of what Jesus does later. Let’s focus first on what he actually does , and how Peter reacts. In verses 4 and 5, what does Jesus do? When Jesus takes off his outer garment and takes a towel, he is assuming the posture and role of a slave. Many Greeks and Romans had slaves. The master of a house would direct his slave to wash the feet of an important guest. What is Jesus signaling by taking the role of a slave? In verse 3, John provides context for Jesus’s act of washing the disciples’ feet. John says that Jesus is aware of 3 things. What are they? Jesus is aware that (1) the Father has put everything into his hands, meaning that he has power over all things; (2) he came from God; and (3) he is going to return to God. How does the fact that Jesus knows he has been given power over all things provide context for Jesus’s act of washing their feet? In verses 6-8, how does Simon Peter respond when Jesus comes to him to wash his feet? Why do you think Peter did not want Jesus to do this? Are there times when you feel like you don’t want to ask God to do something for you? What does this story tell you about that hesitation? In verse 7, Jesus tells Peter that he doesn’t understand now but he will understand later. What is it that you think Peter will understand later? In verse 8, Jesus says, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part (or share or inheritance) with me.” What do you think this means? The fact that Jesus gives Peter such a serious and cautionary response tells us that this action is about far more than washing the muck of the street off the feet of the disciples. This is a living parable that Jesus is portraying in their midst. What is he demonstrating for us? We know we are called to serve Jesus. But how might we also be called to let Jesus serve us? How does what Jesus is doing here relate to the sacrifice he is about to make in giving his life for them and us? What does Peter’s response in verse 9 tell you about his desire to be with Jesus? Peter wants to be “all in” with Jesus – to be fully devoted to him. He doesn’t understand the point of what Jesus is doing, but he knows he wants to share fully in whatever Jesus is doing. How can we emulate Peter or take a lesson from his desire to give himself so fully to Jesus? What might God be calling you to do right now that would be a step toward giving yourself more fully to Jesus? In verse 10, Jesus tells Peter that those who have bathed only need their feet washed. This is literally true, but it also has a symbolic meaning. The word for “bathed” is also used in the New Testament for our being cleansed of our sins and sometimes suggests the image of baptism. If we have been washed clean in baptism, how might we still need our “feet” washed? Jesus and John note (in verses 10-11) that there is one of them who is not “clean”: Judas, who will betray him by handing him over to the authorities. In verses 12-17, how does Jesus explain what he has just done? What stands out to you as particularly important in his explanation, and why? Jesus says that if he washed their feet, they also ought to wash each other’s feet. How does this apply to us? Although in many places Jesus calls us to care for the needy strangers we encounter, that is not what he is saying here. This is about washing the feet of the people we spend our time with regularly, which might be family members, fellow church members, or others we regularly spend time with. And in the 21 st century, most people don’t need their feet washed when they come in from the street. In what ways are we called to “wash” each other’s feet? In verse 17, Jesus says that if you understand what he is saying, “blessed are you” if you do it. What is the “blessing” in figuratively “washing” each other’s feet? Is there someone who needs you to act like a servant to them right now? What is their need, and how would you go about addressing it? Return for a moment to Jesus ‘s metaphor that those who have already bathed only need their feet washed. One possible explanation of this is that our sins are forgiven when we are baptized, but we continue to need cleansing by God because we still sin sometimes after we are baptized. How can we avail ourselves of the continual cleansing that Jesus offers? We can’t cleanse other people of their sins. But how can we be a vehicle that helps people receive cleansing from their sins? In verse 18, Jesus again addresses the fact that there is one person among them who will betray him. In verse 19, he says that he is telling them this in advance so that when he is betrayed and goes to his death they will understand that he is “I AM” – that is, God in their midst. In verse 20, Jesus makes a statement that seems out of place but is connected to verse 16, where he refers to a messenger and the one who sent him. What does verse 20 mean? Who are the people Jesus sends, whom we are called to receive? What can you take with you from this story of the washing of the disciples’ feet? How can you apply it to your everyday life? Take a step back and consider this: Throughout history, some Christians have fallen prey to the temptation to take high positions and have others serve them, and some church leaders have expected to be treated with deference and special privileges. Some people in the pews have wanted to be served rather than to serve. If the crucifixion itself is not sufficient evidence that those attitudes have missed the point, this action by Jesus is a stark corrective. When we refer to the minor burdens of everyday life as “bearing our cross,” we make the phrase almost trite. Similarly, when the main people claiming to be servants put the word “leader” after the word “servant” – as in “servant leader” – it sends a confusing message about what serving is all about. Who are the “servant servants”: the ones who serve by washing the dishes, by teaching the youngest children in Sunday school, by providing the food that mysteriously appears at church functions, by cleaning up afterwards? Those people are following Jesus’s example of service. This story suggests that the challenge we have received from Jesus is this: “Take up your towel and follow me.” Where might there be a towel waiting for you pick it up and use it, because no one else will? How can we be like Jesus in his willingness to do the dirtiest, most mundane tasks as people gather together? Bibliography See John - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/john/bibliography . Copyright © 2026, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous John List Next

Jesus tells us we need to be born again/from above in order to enter his kingdom. What does this mean, and what might our life look like if we are born from above? Previous Next John List John 3:1-15 Jesus tells us we need to be born again/from above in order to enter his kingdom. What does this mean, and what might our life look like if we are born from above? John La Farge. Visit of Nicodemus to Christ . 1880. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC. Public domain, via Smithsonian American Art Museum, https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/visit-nicodemus-christ-14202 . Tom Faletti November 23, 2025 Read John 3:1-15 Jesus talks with Nicodemus about being born again from above It would be helpful to read this passage in the light of the final verses of the previous chapter. Some people came to believe in Jesus because of the signs he was doing in Jerusalem, but Jesus did not trust their newfound faith, which may have been a shallow response to his miracles rather than being a deep-seated change of heart. One of the Jewish leaders now comes to Jesus. He has not rejected Jesus the way other Jewish leaders have, but he also has not jumped to faith based on Jesus’s signs. He has questions. Nicodemus is described in 2 different ways in verse 1 and in a third way in verse 10. What are told about Nicodemus? Verse 1 tells us that Nicodemus is (1) a Pharisee and (2) a “ruler” (in most translations) or “leader” (NRSV) of the Jews. Verse 10 tells us he is a teacher. A “ruler” probably means a member of the Sanhedrin, the 71-member Jewish council that enforced Jewish religious law and also had political power under the Roman authorities. The Sanhedrin included the chief priests and the elders of Jerusalem’s leading families, and its members included both Pharisees and Sadducees. The Pharisees were committed to a zealous adherence to the entire Jewish law and the interpretations of it that had developed over the centuries. The Sadducees believed only what was stated in the Torah (the first 5 books of our Old Testament) and took a less rigorous approach to religious practices. Why do you think Nicodemus comes to see Jesus? Is he like the “come and see” disciples who check out Jesus in chapter 1? In verse 2, John tells us that Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. On a practical level, why might he have come at night? And what symbolism might be suggested in the image of Nicodemus coming at night? He may be afraid to be found out by those who oppose Jesus. Symbolically, he is in spiritual darkness and has not yet received the light of Christ. This fits with something Jesus will say later in the chapter when he contrasts those who come into the light from those who don’t (John 3:19-21). In verse 2, how does Nicodemus describe Jesus? In verse 3, Jesus shifts the conversation. What does he say? John here tells another story where someone misunderstands Jesus. The misunderstanding begins with the Greek word that follows the word “born.” That word can mean “from above” or “again.” Which way does your translation of the Bible translate that word? The NRSV and the NABRE choose the translation “from above.” Most other translations follow the King James Bible in using “again,” although some translations say “anew.” Some of our modern translations say “born again,” and some say “born from above.” What does Nicodemus think Jesus is saying, and what does Jesus actually mean? After Nicodemus shows that he doesn’t understand, Jesus tries again. Jesus provides a little more explanation in verse 5. What does he say? He says we must be born of water and spirit (or Spirit – the Greeks at that time did not have separate letters for lower case and upper case, so we must make our best interpretation). There is significant disagreement across the various Christian traditions as to how to interpret this verse. The Catholic Church sees here a clear reference to the sacrament of Baptism, where people are born of water and the Spirit in a single event: one baptism that involves both a physical washing by water and a reception of the Holy Spirit. This understanding extends back to the early church. Justin Martyr, writing around AD 155-157, cited John 3:3-4 in explaining the Church’s baptismal practices ( Justin , par. 61). The Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran Churches also have historical positions that are compatible with a sacramental view of this verse. Many evangelicals reject the idea that this verse is referring to sacramental baptism and believe that these words refer to the cleansing and spiritual regeneration that occurs when a person makes a profession of faith. They point to other passages of Scripture such as Romans 10:9 for their understanding of spiritual regeneration. A minority position is that the baptism of water is a reference to our natural birth at the beginning of our lives, but it would have been trite for Jesus to say that a condition of entering the kingdom of God is that you must have been born physically. The fact that Jesus identified water and spirit suggests that he was thinking of something more when he referred to water. Moreover, the Greek phrasing suggests that “water and spirit” are not separate but go together, because in the Greek there is no “the” before “spirit”: the phrase is “water and spirit.” Ezekiel 36:25–27 talks about water and spirit in a way that supports the idea that there is a spiritual transformation that involves both water and spirit in one action of God. What does it mean to you to be “born again”? What does it mean to you to be born of water and the Spirit? In Nicodemus’s mind, to become a child of God, you must be born of a Jewish mother. Jesus is redefining what it means to be a child of God. In verse 7, the first “you” is singular – talking to Nicodemus – but the second “you” is plural: “ You all must be born again/from above.” Jesus is not just saying that Nicodemus must be born again/from above, he is saying this to everyone. Regardless of whether you interpret this passage sacramentally or as referring to a spiritual regeneration that comes with a profession of faith, it needs to be lived out on an ongoing basis. What does a life that is born again or born from above look like? Jesus refers to “the kingdom of God” in both verse 3 and in verse 5. This is the only place that phrase appears in the Gospel of John. It appears more regularly in the Synoptic Gospels. In verse 3, Jesus says we need to be born again or from above to “see the kingdom of God,” and in verse 5, he says we need to do this to “enter the kingdom of God.” So being born again or from above is the process or step that allows us to see or enter the kingdom of God. What do you think Jesus means by “the kingdom of God”? What do you think it means to see or enter the kingdom of God? Jesus makes a pun in verse 8 that is not obvious to us in English. In both Hebrew and Greek, there is one word that means both “wind” and “spirit” (John uses the Greek word pneuma ). Jesus says the pneuma blows and you hear it, referring to wind. And he says we are born of the pneuma , by which he means the Spirit. Jesus says that we don’t know where the wind comes from or goes, but we are able to perceive that it is there; and he says that people who are born of the Spirit have a similar experience. How are they similar? We can’t see the Holy Spirit, but we see the effects of the Spirit. In what ways do you perceive the presence of the Holy Spirit even though you cannot see him? Nicodemus still does not understand what Jesus is saying, and Jesus chides him in verse 10 for not understanding even though he is a teacher. Nicodemus then disappears from the story, though he will return later (John 7:50) and will eventually do a courageous good deed (John 19:39). The “we” in verse 11 may refer to Jesus and John the Baptist, though it also could be the author’s view of the contrast between the Christian community and the Jews around it. The second “you” in verse 11 and all the instances of “you” in verse 12 are plural. Jesus is now speaking not just to Nicodemus but to anyone who has not put their faith in him. In verse 13, what does Jesus say about the Son of Man? He descended from heaven and will ascend to heaven. This description of the Son of Man makes it more clear than in the Synoptic Gospels that the “Son of Man” is a heavenly person, not just a human. How important to you is it that Jesus came down from heaven and returned to heaven, and why? Verses 14-15 refer to an incident from the Old Testament involving Moses. John has already suggested that Jesus is greater than Moses (1:17). Let’s see what he is talking about here. Read Numbers 21:4-9 . Why do you think Moses hangs the bronze serpent on a pole? This allows him to lift it up for people to see, even from a distance. Look at John 3:14. John does not explain here what “lifted up” means (he will make it clearer later in his Gospel), but we know what it means, as did John’s readers. What does Jesus mean when he says that he will be lifted up? Jesus will be lifted up on the cross in his Crucifixion. He will also be lifted up from the grave in his Resurrection and lifted into heaven at his Ascension. The bronze serpent that Moses lifted up in the desert gave life to people who otherwise would have died of a snake bite. According to John 3:15, what does Jesus being lifted up do? Ironically, the bronze serpent eventually became an idol and King Hezekiah ultimately destroyed it in 2 Kings 18:4. Satan appeared as a snake in the Garden of Eden to tempt Adam and Eve. Genesis 3:15 says that the snake will continue to strike at the heel of Eve’s offspring. In Numbers, snakes were biting the Israelites in the desert. If we interpret the story in Numbers as an allegory, the snakes that were biting the people might represent Satan, and the bronze serpent that was lifted up represents Jesus. How does Jesus’s action of being lifted up protect us from the deadly attacks of Satan? How is Jesus in chapter 3 calling us to a deep-seated change and not just to a single moment of faith? Take a step back and consider this: Although churches that believe in sacramental Baptism see it as a one-time event, and churches that focus on a profession of faith only expect you to make that profession once, they all agree that faith is about more than a single moment. Faith is an ongoing process of conforming yourself more and more fully to the person of Jesus. How can you live your life in a way that more fully reflects your status as a person who has been born again, born from above, born of water and the Spirit? Bibliography See John - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/john/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous John List Next

Some disciples leave Jesus. Peter says, “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” How is your life built on that kind of commitment to Jesus? Previous Next John List John 6:60-71 Some disciples leave Jesus. Peter says, “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” How is your life built on that kind of commitment to Jesus? James Tissot (1836–1902). Election des douze apôtres (Ordaining of the Twelve Apostles) . Between 1886 and 1894. Brooklyn Museum, New York, NY. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brooklyn_Museum_-_Ordaining_of_the_Twelve_Apostles_(Election_des_douze_ap%C3%B4tres)_-_James_Tissot.jpg . Tom Faletti February 22, 2026 Read John 6:60-71 Some disciples leave Jesus; Peter declares that Jesus has the words of eternal life Up until now, the murmuring has come from “the Jews”: – i.e., the Jewish religious leaders. Now, in verses 60-61, we see some of Jesus’s disciples murmuring and resisting what he has said. What do you think troubled them the most? Jesus responds in verse 62. He has previously emphasized that he has come down from heaven. What does he add in verse 62? He says that they will see him ascend to heaven. He refers to himself as the Son of Man, a term from the Daniel 7:13, where “one like a son of man" will receive eternal dominion over all nations when he reaches God. What is Jesus referring to when he indicates that he will ascend back to heaven? What does Jesus say in verse 63 about the spirit and the flesh? What does verse 63 mean to you? How does the spirit give life? How can you tap into the life in the spirit? In verse 63, Jesus does not say that the flesh is bad, but he does say that the flesh “is of no avail” (NABRE) or “is useless” (NRSV) or “is no help at all” (ESV)? Useless for what? No help for what? What is it that the flesh can’t help with? John notes in verse 64 that Jesus knew who would not believe and knew who would betray him. Jesus then reiterates in verse 65 that no one can come to him unless the Father grants it. You have come to Jesus. How does it feel to know that the Father has made it possible for you to believe in Jesus? John then tells us in verse 66 that, as a result of this conversation and what Jesus was teaching, many disciples leave Jesus. There is no indication that Jesus tried to hold onto them. What does this tell you? Why do some people leave the faith today? In verse 67, John refers to “the Twelve” for the first time. He assumes that his readers know who they are and know the leadership role Peter plays among them. Jesus asks them if they want to leave him. How does Peter respond? In the Synoptic Gospels, what is known as Peter’s “confession” is his declaration that Jesus is the Messiah (the Christ). That is not an issue in John, where Jesus’s divine nature has been asserted repeatedly. This passage serves a similar purpose, however, in showing Peter taking the lead in saying something that demonstrates that he has moved to a new level of faith in Jesus. Peter says, “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (verse 68). Have you ever been perplexed by Jesus’s teachings or God’s actions in your life but found yourself able to say something similar? How does having such a confidence in Jesus help us deal with things we don’t understand? In what ways is your life built on this kind of commitment to Jesus? One way to look at this passage is in terms of the battle between the head and the heart. The apostles struggle here because their heart is convinced but their mind doesn’t yet understand. Our heart can get us into big trouble, and so can our mind. When they disagree, either one of them can be right or wrong. How do you know when to follow your heart and when to follow your mind? When Jesus says in verse 70 that one of the Twelve is “a devil,” he is using a word whose root indicates that this this means a person who makes false accusations. John explains in verse 71 that he is referring to Judas, who will betray him. How do you think it feels for Jesus, having a betrayer close at hand at all times? What can we learn from Jesus’s patience with Judas, as we face situations where people do not have our best interests at heart? Take a step back and consider this: In John 6:66, John says that the disciples who departed no longer “accompanied” (NABRE) or “went about” (NRSV) with Jesus. The verb he uses is literally that they no longer “walked around” with him. We can picture in our minds Jesus walking all over Galilee, and back and forth between there and Jerusalem, and we can envision many disciples walking around with him, stopping where he stops, staying where he stays, moving on or backtracking depending on where he goes. But now, they no longer walk around with him. Now, picture your life with Jesus. Sometimes, you choose to walk around with Jesus – to go where he wants you to go, to do what he wants you to do, to focus on what he cares about. But sometimes, if you are like me, you turn aside and find that you are no longer walking around with Jesus. What distracts you or pulls you away, that takes you off the path of Jesus so that you are no longer walking around with him? What draws you back to Jesus and helps you rejoin him so that you again walk with him? What can you do to be more consistent in your walk, so that you are always walking with Jesus? Bibliography See John - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/john/bibliography . Copyright © 2026, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous John List Next

Subscribing to Faith Explored is free and lets you receive an email notification when new posts are added that can help you apply the Bible to your everyday life. Thank You for Subscribing! We appreciate you! As a subscriber you will receive email notifications when we post new articles, which can help you grow in your faith! If you haven't already become a member, join here to post comments: Become a member Check Out Our Blog Posts What Would You Like to Do Now? Explore a Bible study to grow in your faith: Matthew Philemon John Hope 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians Mary Read an article on how to apply the Bible to everyday life: The Claim That All Religions Are Basically the Same is False Hinduism and Christianity have core differences regarding who we are and where we are going. Are all people equal, or are we consigned to a system of higher and lower castes and worse? When we die, do we live on in a spiritual realm or are we forced to return to earth for additional cycles of life? These differences are central, not trivial. We Don’t Want Regulations, Which is Why We Need Them To fulfill our mandate from God to cultivate and care for the natural world, we need regulations. Why? Because without them we tend to seek what is best for ourselves in the short run, which can hurt ourselves, others, and the planet in the long run. September 11th Courage, Political Courage, and the National Debt On 9/11, we honor the courage of many people, including passengers and crew of Flight 93. Our government leaders need political courage today to deal with crushing deficits. Here is an example of political courage, and some devastating examples of its opposite. Workers Have Been Devalued Since Long Before AI People wonder how AI will affect workers. Even without AI, we have failed to treat workers fairly. Corporations and governments already have been devaluing humans in the workplace for centuries. They are violating these principles, which are based in the Bible. Back to School with the Greatest Teacher of All It’s Back to School time for all of us, no matter how young or old we are. Everyone is invited to learn in the classroom of the greatest teacher the world has ever known: Jesus. How do we do that? His lesson plan is ready. We just need to show up. God is Not Appeased by Our Sacrifices There is no sacrifice you can make that will appease God. Fortunately, unlike the Greek gods, that’s not what God wants. The Bible has a much more surprising view of sacrifice. Will you join in, unite with God, and be a member of his team? Image at top  Mateus Campos Felipe, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Oher images provided by Wix.

Jesus prays for the disciples, asking the Father to consecrate them as he sends them out into the world. We, too, are called to be set apart or consecrated for the work he has for us. How well do we recognize and respond to our calling? [John 17:1-11; 17:1-5; 17:6-13; 17:14-19] Previous Next John List John 17:1-19 Jesus prays for the disciples, asking the Father to consecrate them as he sends them out into the world. We, too, are called to be set apart or consecrated for the work he has for us. How well do we recognize and respond to our calling? Eugène Burnand (1850-1921). La Prière Sacerdotale (The High Priestly Prayer) . 1900-01, 1918. Musée cCntonal des Beaux-Arts, Lausanne, Switzerland. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_Pri%C3%A8re_Sacerdotale_2.jpg . Tom Faletti May 14, 2026 Read John 17:1-19 Jesus prays for the disciples, that the Father will sanctify them as he sends them into the world This prayer is sometimes called the “high priestly prayer”: Jesus praying for his disciples and us as the high priest interceded for the people. In verses 1-2, Jesus prays for things that, from our perspective now, have already happened. What was the result? How did each of these requests turn out? How did the Father give glory to his Son? How did the Son glorify the Father? How do we see the Son having authority over all people? How did, or does, the Son give eternal life to everyone whom the Father gave, or gives, to the Son? Verse 3, or perhaps just the phrase “Jesus Christ,” may have been added by John, since Jesus does not refer to himself as “Jesus Christ” anywhere else. Verse 3 is a different way of summarizing what eternal life is. What does verse 3 say that eternal life is? Since verse 3 tells us that eternal life is “knowing” God and “knowing” Jesus Christ, that means that eternal life is not simply a place in heaven or a spiritual condition: eternal life is having a relationship in which we know the Father and the Son. How does this insight that eternal life involves a relationship with God affect your thinking about eternal life? In verse 4, Jesus says that he glorified the Father by completing the work the Father gave him to do. This is a good way of evaluating ourselves as well. How do we glorify God – by completing the work God has given us to do. What is the work God has given you to do, and what progress are you making in completing it? In verse 5, Jesus makes another explicit statement of his divinity, saying that he was with the Father in glory before the world began. This means that he let go of the glory he already had in his divine state, in order to achieve his goal of saving us. What does this tell us about Jesus? In verses 6-8, Jesus describes the disciples. Where did the disciples come from? Who did they belong to? What is their relationship with Jesus? What do they now know, and what did they do to reach that state? In verse 6, when Jesus says he revealed the name of God, he could be referring to his use of the “I AM” for himself as co-equal with God; but more likely the point he is making is that he has revealed the nature of God: who God is. In verse 9, Jesus begins to pray for the disciples. He begins by saying that they belong to the Father and to him (the Son), because everything that is the Father’s is his and everything that is the Father’s (verse 10). He adds, “And I have been glorified in them.” How is Jesus glorified in the disciples? Jesus then notes that he will no longer be in the world, but they will. So in verse 11 he asks the Father to “keep them in your name”? What does it mean to keep them “in your name”? The name represents the whole person. Some people have jobs where they act in the name of their boss. “In your name” here suggests that he is asking the Father to help the disciples to live in a manner consistent with the nature and character of God and according to the faith he has taught them, so that they are always act in accordance with his ways. At the end of verse 11, Jesus identifies a goal: that the disciples “might be one, as we are.” What would that kind of unity look like, among the disciples? In verse 13, Jesus suddenly, surprisingly, interjects the word “joy.” He has just mentioned his betrayer in verse 12, and in verse 14 he will say that the world hates them. So where is there room for joy? What is there to be joyful about? Looking at verse 14, why does the world hate the disciples? The disciples are in the world, but Jesus says in verse 14 and again in verse 16 that they do not belong to the world. What does that mean? In verse 15, Jesus says he is not asking the Father to remove the disciples from the world. Why not? Hy doesn’t God just take us out of this fallen world? Since Jesus wants the Father to leave the disciples in the world, what does he ask the Father to do for them in verse 15? We pray, almost exactly the same thing in the Lord’s Prayer: "Deliver us from evil." In practical terms, what are we asking for when we pray that? In verse 17, Jesus has more to ask from the Father. He says, “Sanctify them (or consecrate them) in the truth.” What does it mean to sanctify something or something, or for someone to be consecrated? To sanctify is to make holy. The Greek word used here is hagiazon , from the root word hagios , which means holy, set apart, sacred, devoted to the gods (or, in our case, to God). We see the root word in the name of the ancient church known as the Hagia Sophia – “Holy Wisdom” – in Istanbul (formerly Constantinople). The corresponding Latin word for holy is sanctus/sancta , from which we get our word “saint.” A person is consecrated when they are wholly set apart for a holy purpose. Jesus desires the same thing for us. How can we live lives that are holy and consecrated or set apart to fulfill God’s purposes? Considering that the word “holy” or “sanctified” can mean “set apart” for an intended purpose, if we are sanctified, what are we “set apart” from? In verse 17, Jesus’s prayer asks that the disciples be sanctified “in truth,” and Jesus adds that God’s word is truth. How does the truth help to sanctify us and make us holy? How does God’s word help to sanctify us and make us holy? In verse 18, Jesus says that, as he was sent into the world, he also sends the disciples into the world. What does he mean? How are we also “sent into the world” by Jesus? And as people who are “sent,” what are we called to do? How can we faithfully live in the world as people who are sanctified and consecrated and sent out into the world, but who do not belong to the world? What does this passage call you to do, at this particular moment in your life? Take a step back and consider this: Although in some ways the calling of the first disciples was unique, every generation needs people who live for Jesus and recognize that God has sent them into their part of the world to make the truth and character of Jesus known. We are not saved to sit; we are saved to be sent. Being “sent” does not necessarily mean to some far-off country. God desires to use us where we are, to bring his name, his character, his truth, his wisdom, his peace, and his hope to every situation we find ourselves in. In order to do this fully, we must be consecrated to God – not in the sense of a formal ordination but in a personal commitment to our calling to be set apart and used for God’s holy purposes. Are there ways that you are at risk of becoming complacent in your faith, looking mainly for how it can feed and comfort you and giving less attention to how you are called into the world to make the truth and character of Jesus present in the lives of others? Alternatively, are you deeply involved in trying to make a difference in your world and need a reminder that being “sent” means that there is a power behind that sent you and that you are not alone and not expected to produce fruit by your own power? In either case, verse 19 may be helpful. Jesus says, “I consecrate myself so that they may be sanctified (or consecrated ) in truth.” The process starts with Jesus. He has taken the initiative. He has acted first. He is the source of our consecration. He is the source of our sanctification. He is the source of our truth. How can you draw closer to Jesus as you go forth, so that you are more able to be wholly dedicated to the work he has set before you? Bibliography See John - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/john/bibliography . Copyright © 2026, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous John List Next

How to pray: The Lord’s Prayer shows the way. Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 6:9-15 How to pray: The Lord’s Prayer shows the way. Image provided by Wix. Tom Faletti May 18, 2024 Matthew 6:9-15 The Lord’s Prayer: How to pray This prayer has two parts: 3 petitions focused on God and 3 petitions focused on our needs. How does the prayer known today as “the Lord’s Prayer” or the “Our Father” begin? What does this first part – "Our Father who art in heaven" – say about the nature and character of God? “Heaven” tell us God is not human, or like a human. “Father” tells us what God is like – what God’s character is, relative to us. Note: Matthew is writing in Greek and here uses the Greek word for “father.” However, if Jesus taught the prayer in Aramaic, he might have used the more intimate Aramaic word “Abba,” which means “Daddy.” “Abba” only appears 3 times in the New Testament – in Mark 14:36; Romans 8:15; and Galatians 4:6 – but it casts a new light on our relationship with God that is not taught prior to Jesus. What does this beginning of the prayer say about our relationship to God? . . . and our relationship with each other? This part of the prayer establishes that we are children of God – and therefore that we are brothers and sisters of each other. What does “hallowed be thy name” mean? “Hallowed” establishes that God, by his very nature, is holy. In combination with “heaven” it establishes that God has a supreme degree of holiness, and this indicates a distinction between God and us. Is this just about treating God’s name with respect, or is there more to it? What are some ways we can “hallow” God’s name in our everyday living? Verse 10 has the form of a typical Jewish couplet: two statements that say the same thing in different ways, so that the second amplifies the first (Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 , p. 211-212). How do “thy kingdom come” and “thy will be done on earth as in heaven” make the same point? How does the second petition in verse 10 – “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” – go further than or further explain the first of these petitions? The petitions in verse 10 suggest that wherever God’s will is done, there the kingdom of God is. Anywhere on Earth where the will of God is being done is part of the kingdom. What does this say to you about how you live your life? Barclay suggests that the last 3 petitions in this prayer focus our attention on 3 great human needs that are related to the present, past, and future: bread now, forgiveness for what we have done in the past, and help in future temptation. He also suggests that these petitions point us to God the Father as Creator (bread), God the Son as savior/redeemer (forgiveness), and God the Holy Spirit as source of strength and guidance (in temptation) (Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 , p. 199). What do you think Jesus meant by “bread”? Is it just about meeting our physical need for food? Is it about all of our material needs? Is it expressing a desire for spiritual food? Is it about the Eucharist? Is it about desire to participate in the heavenly banquet to come? Throughout the ages, people have found benefit in all of these interpretations. What might be the significance in praying for “our” daily bread, not “my” daily bread? The word usually translated “daily” is uncertain. It is used in the New Testament only here and in Luke’s version of the Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:3), and it only appears once in other Greek literature outside the New Testament. Scholars suggest that it could mean “daily” or “tomorrow’s” or “needful” or “future” (Viviano, par. 39, p. 645). Although in the Lord’s Prayer today many people pray, “Forgive us our trespasses,” the word is better translated as “debts,” which is what we find in both the NRSV, the NABRE, and most other modern translations. The word “debts” is a metaphor for our sins. If we are talking about sin, what does “Forgive us our debts” mean? What does the word “debt” suggest about our sins? What does “as we forgive those . . .” mean? “as” means in the same proportion or to the same degree – with the same measure. So we are asking God to forgive us to the same degree that we forgive others, or using the same measure we use to measure out forgiveness to others. How do verses 14-15 amplify the message of the importance of forgiveness? Why is forgiveness so important? Forgiveness isn’t always easy. How can we move to a place of forgiveness when we have been deeply hurt? It is important to acknowledge the hurt, and sometimes we need time to process the hurt. But ultimately, when forgiveness is hard, it comes down to a decision. We can decide to hold on to the hurt or to give it to God and decide as an act of the will to stop holding it against the other person. This does not necessarily mean “forgetting” the offense; for self-preservation we sometimes need to remember what has been done to us. But we can still decide to stop holding it against the other person. Sometimes, when we do this, we find that letting go of it provides a release for ourselves as well, allowing us to put the matter in the past and move forward. In the Lord’s Prayer as we pray it today, we say, “Lead us not into temptation” (verse 13a). There is a lot going on behind the scenes in this verse. First, although we pray, “Lead us not into temptation,” the word “temptation” is not the best translation of the word. Modern translations often say “test” or “trial” in verse 13. The Jews of Jesus’s time expected that there would be a time of severe testing before the coming of the Messiah. A common understanding of the petition is that it is asking God to spare us that trial. Second, although the first part literally means “Lead us not,” we know that God does not lead people into temptation – see James 1:13-14. Therefore, it is better to interpret this metaphorically. The Catholic bishops in a couple of countries in Europe have sought and received approval from the Vatican to rephrase this part of the prayer in their liturgies to remove the implication that God might lead us into temptation. They are adopting other wordings that might be translated into English as: “Do not let us fall into temptation” or “Do not abandon us to temptation.” The point is that, while God allows people to be put to the test, we want to ask him to spare us from that trial. Where is God when you are tempted – leading you into the temptation or trying to lead you out of it ? Explain. What is the test or trial you need to ask God to keep you from? In the Lord’s Prayer, we usually pray, “Deliver us from evil.” This acknowledges that evil is real, along with temptation. What is the response to evil that Jesus is calling us to take? In modern translations, the "deliver us" line in verse 6:13 is translated: “rescue us from the evil one” (NRSV) or “deliver us from the evil one” (NABRE), because the Greek word is sometimes used for the devil (for example, Matthew 13:38) – i.e., evil personified, not some abstract notion of evil. What does this add to your understanding of what we are praying here? Compare this prayer to your picture of the heaped-up, empty phrases Jesus rejects in Matthew 6:7. How is this prayer different? How can you capture some of the Lord’s Prayer’s simplicity and directness in your personal prayers to God? For some people, this prayer has become so rote that it has lost some of its power. If we could reclaim this prayer – every petition of it – so that it was a conscious expression of our intimate reliance on God as we face life in the real world, how might that affect our lives? Which of these petitions is speaking must directly to your heart today, and why? What might you consider doing differently because of today’s study? Take a step back and consider this: Barclay writes: “In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us to bring the whole of life to the whole of God, and to bring the whole of God to the whole of life” (Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 , p. 199). How does this prayer invite us to make God the center of all that we face in life? How can you use the Lord’s Prayer to help you invite God into “the whole” of your life? What are the short, simple, direct things you need to say to God right now? Bibliography See Matthew - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/matthew/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Matthew List Next

Jesus is the light of the world who gives us the light of life so that we do not have to walk in darkness. To know him is to know the Father. How can we embrace Jesus as the light of our lives and keep knowing him better? [John 8:12-20; 8:21-30] Previous Next John List John 8:12-30 Jesus is the light of the world who gives us the light of life so that we do not have to walk in darkness. To know him is to know the Father. How can we embrace Jesus as the light of our lives and keep knowing him better? Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 204 N Ohio St, Wanatah, IN. Photo by Chris Light, 2 June 2017. Cropped. CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jesus_2017-06-02_037.jpg . Tom Faletti March 11, 2026 Read John 8:12-20 Jesus is the light of the world Verse 12 includes the second of 7 “I am” statements in John’s Gospel where Jesus reveals great truths about himself. What does it mean when Jesus says he is “the light of the world”? In the second half of verse 12, Jesus says that those who follow him will not walk in darkness. What does it mean to you to not walk in darkness? In the same verse 12, Jesus says that those who follow him will have the light of life. How is Jesus the light of life ? What does it mean to have the light of life? If Jesus is the light of the world and we have the light, then we have Jesus. He is our light. In verse 20, John says that Jesus had this conversation while he was in the treasury. The treasury was a place within the Temple’s court of the women where there were large chests or collection boxes into which people could put their donations and offerings of money to the Temple. Now, picture the scene. On the first day of the feast of Tabernacles, 4 great torches were placed on golden lampstands or candelabras in the Temple’s court of the women and set ablaze. How are those flaming torches an illustration of how Jesus is the light? When those torches were lit, the court of the women would have been full of light, with no darkness. How does this illustrate how those who follow Jesus do not walk in darkness? There may be times when we slip partially back into the darkness (or back into the shadows), even though we have become followers of Jesus. What should we do about that? How can we stay with Jesus – stay in his light – so that we can avoid slipping back into the dark ? Jesus is not suggesting that we need to muster up our own light by our own willpower. We don't manufacture the light; he is the light, and we have it because we have chosen to follow him who is the light. How can you embrace, every day, every hour, every minute, the fact that, because you are a follower of Jesus, you have Jesus as the light of your life? The Pharisees again challenge Jesus’s credentials, saying in verse 12 that he is testifying on his own behalf and therefore his claims can’t be accepted. Jesus says in verse 14 that he knows where he came from (he came from his Father in heaven) and he knows where he is going (he will return to the Father after his death and resurrection), and he says that they don’t know these things. He then repeats in verse 15 that the Pharisees judge by appearances (literally, “according to the flesh”), which we have already explored when Jesus said this in John 7:24. In verse 15, Jesus says something that sounds contradictory to some people. He says that he judges no one. But in verse 16, he says that if he judges, he does it in conjunction with the Father – which implies that he does judge. And he says in in John 5:22 and 5:27 that the Father has given all judgment to him. So why does he say in verse 15 that he judges no one? There are at least 3 ways to make sense of this: (1) He could be saying that he does not judge by appearances (“according to the flesh”) as they do. In this case, he is not saying he absolutely does not judge; he is only saying that he does not judge based on human biases and misunderstandings the way they do. (2) He could be saying that his purpose is not judgment. He has not come to judge; he has come to bring people to eternal life (John 3:17; 17:2). He does only what the Father has sent him to do, which is to bring eternal life to all who will receive him (6:37-40). Those who reject the light (1:9-12; 8:12) will walk in darkness and not have eternal life. But that is not Jesus’s desire or purpose: his purpose is not to judge but to give eternal life. (3) He could be saying that he is not doing any judging while he is on Earth right now . When he returns in glory, he will judge the living and the dead (2 Tim. 4:1), and that judgment will be based on people’s response to his word (John 12:48; Matt. 25:31-46). But he is not judging right now, at this point in his life on earth. Jesus acknowledges that Deuteronomy 17:6 and 19:15 require two or three witnesses in order for testimony to be accepted. In verse 18, he offers himself and the Father as two witnesses. In verse 19, the Pharisees ask where Jesus’s Father is. He replies that they don’t know him or his Father, but that if they knew him, they would know the Father. This suggests that if someone were to say that they wish they could know God, you could respond by saying: If you want to know God, get to know Jesus, because Jesus says that if you know him, you know God. How is that a useful way to encourage people to know God better? How can you get to know Jesus/God better? Read John 8:21-30 Jesus says that when they lift up the Son of Man, then they will know that he has been speaking what the Father taught him In verse 23, Jesus says, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.” What does is mean when he describes them as being “of this world”? In what ways are we “of this world,” and in what ways are we not of this world? Note: Jesus is not saying that the physical world or our bodies are bad. He is talking about (1) ways that we are stuck in or immersed in worldly thinking (of the world) and (2) ways that we are aware of and responsive to the Spirit prompting us to see and respond to spiritual realities that go beyond this world (not of this world). In verse 24, Jesus says, “If you do not believe that I am, you will die in your sins.” Some translations say, “If you do not believe that I am he,” but the word “he” does not appear in the Greek. Jesus is again invoking the “I AM” name of God that was revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14. Why does Jesus say in verse 24 that those who fail to believe in him will die in their sins? What does that mean? Why is that the result of unbelief? In John’s Gospel, Jesus appears to say similar things in a variety of different ways: walking in darkness, not having eternal life, not being raised on the last day, dying in your sins. Do they mean the same thing or are there ways that they convey different truths? In what ways is dying in your sins the same as walk in darkness or not having eternal life, and in what ways are they different? Are you concerned about dying in your sins, and, if so, what do you do about it? John uses the word “true” frequently: true worshipers, true bread, true drink, true testimony about Jesus, etc. In verse 26, (and also earlier, in 7:28) he says that “the one who sent me is true.” In what ways is God the Father “true”? How do you experience God as true in your life? In verse 28, Jesus refers to when he will be “lifted up.” This is a reference to his crucifixion (John 3:14 also use the phrase that way), but it also alludes to his resurrection and his ascension into glory in heaven. All of these are moments when he is lifted up. He says, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM.” Why does his being lifted up demonstrate that he is God and that what he teaches comes from the Father? Verse 29 gives us a little glimpse inside the Godhead, inside the Trinity. What does it tell us about the relationship between the Father and the Son within the Trinity? Verse 30 says that because of what Jesus is saying here, many people believed in him. That was the exact opposite of what the Pharisees hoped would happen as they challenged him. Why do you think these interactions led people to believe in Jesus? Take a step back and consider this: Where there is light, there is not darkness. Scientists can’t directly measure darkness, because darkness does not have an independent existence: it is merely the absence of light. When scientists want to measure how dark it is in deep space or in the sky, they don’t actually measure darkness – they just measure how little light there is in those dark places. When you are in darkness in your home, you turn on a light. If you are in a dark forest, you turn on a flashlight or light a fire. The more powerful the light, the more completely it banishes the darkness. The closer you are to the light, the less you experience darkness. In John 8:12, Jesus says, “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness.” We mostly interpret that statement metaphorically, as an image of a spiritual reality. But consider a little bit more literally: If Jesus is the light in our world, and we walk away from him, we will walk away from the light and into the darkness. Jesus says, “Follow me.” If, as we walk, we walk in a direction that does not follow Jesus, who is the light, we will walk away from the light and into the darkness. If we stand still, or sit around and do nothing, we also will eventually end up in darkness, because Jesus is always in action, always moving forward, always helping someone new. If we want to follow him and stay in the light, we have to move to. We have to walk where he is walking, or we won’t be “ following him. How are you doing at following Jesus, at walking in the light by walking where Jesus is walking? What do you need to do to be a better follower of the Light? Jesus is always at work, always bringing his light into dark places. Where do you see him calling you to keep following him into new places in order to stay in the light and not be left behind in the dark? Bibliography See John - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/john/bibliography . Copyright © 2026, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous John List Next

Bibliography of major sources and additional sources used in this study of the Gospel of Luke. Previous Next Luke List Luke - Bibliography Bibliography of major sources and additional sources used in this study of the Gospel of Luke. Some of the resources on the author's bookshelf. Tom Faletti April 14, 2026 Major Sources Brown, Raymond E. An Introduction to the New Testament . Yale University Press, 1997. Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: The New Testament, Revised Standard Edition, Second Catholic Edition . Ignatius Press, 2010. Interlinear Bible. Bible Hub , https://biblehub.com/interlinear/ . The International Bible Commentary: With the New International Version . F.F. Bruce, General Editor. Marshall Pickering/Zondervan, 1986. Karris, Robert J., O.F.M. “The Gospel According to Luke.” The New Jerome Biblical Commentary . Edited by Raymond E. Brown, et al. Prentice Hall, 1990. Kodell, Jerome, O.S.B. The Gospel According to Luke . Collegeville Bible Commentary. The Liturgical Press, 1983. Larson, Bruce. Luke . The Communicator’s Commentary (Mastering the New Testament) , Lloyd J. Ogilvie, general editor. Word Books, 1983. Liddell, Henry George and Robert Scott . An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon, Founded Upon the Seventh Edition of Liddell and Scott’s Greek-English Lexicon . Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1899. Perseus Digital Library , Tufts University, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0058 . For the full Lexicon from 1940 available online, see A Greek-English Lexicon , Furman Classics Editions, http://folio2.furman.edu/lsj/ or A Greek-English Lexicon , Internet Archive , Volume I: https://archive.org/details/b31364949_0001/mode/2up and Volume II: https://archive.org/details/b31364949_0002/mode/2up . New American Bible, revised edition (NABRE) . Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 2010. Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary . Edited by Raymond E. Brown, et al. Prentice Hall, 1990. The New Oxford Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard Version: With the Apocrypha: An Ecumenical Study Bible . Eds. Michael D. Coogan, Marc Z. Brettler, Carol A. Newsom, and Pheme Perkins. 4th ed. Oxford University Press, 2010. New Revised Standard Version Bible , copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Porter, Laurence E. “Luke.” The International Bible Commentary: With the New International Version . F.F. Bruce, General Editor. Marshall Pickering/Zondervan, 1986. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance . Bible Hub , https://biblehub.com/greek/21.htm . Vine, William E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary , 1940, StudyLight.org , https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/ved.html . Additional Sources Copyright © 2026, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next Luke List

What would you like to do next at Faith Explored? We offer articles and Bible Studies to help you explore how to apply the Bible to everyday life and current issues. Thank You for Responding! We appreciate you! If you have not already subscribed to receive email notifications when we post new articles, please do so. Receiving notice of new material will help you get the most out of our website . Subscribe to receive email notifications of new posts What Would You Like to Do Now? Explore a Bible study to grow in your faith: Matthew Philemon John Hope 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians Mary Read an article on how to apply the Bible to everyday life: The Claim That All Religions Are Basically the Same is False Hinduism and Christianity have core differences regarding who we are and where we are going. Are all people equal, or are we consigned to a system of higher and lower castes and worse? When we die, do we live on in a spiritual realm or are we forced to return to earth for additional cycles of life? These differences are central, not trivial. We Don’t Want Regulations, Which is Why We Need Them To fulfill our mandate from God to cultivate and care for the natural world, we need regulations. Why? Because without them we tend to seek what is best for ourselves in the short run, which can hurt ourselves, others, and the planet in the long run. September 11th Courage, Political Courage, and the National Debt On 9/11, we honor the courage of many people, including passengers and crew of Flight 93. Our government leaders need political courage today to deal with crushing deficits. Here is an example of political courage, and some devastating examples of its opposite. Workers Have Been Devalued Since Long Before AI People wonder how AI will affect workers. Even without AI, we have failed to treat workers fairly. Corporations and governments already have been devaluing humans in the workplace for centuries. They are violating these principles, which are based in the Bible. Back to School with the Greatest Teacher of All It’s Back to School time for all of us, no matter how young or old we are. Everyone is invited to learn in the classroom of the greatest teacher the world has ever known: Jesus. How do we do that? His lesson plan is ready. We just need to show up. God is Not Appeased by Our Sacrifices There is no sacrifice you can make that will appease God. Fortunately, unlike the Greek gods, that’s not what God wants. The Bible has a much more surprising view of sacrifice. Will you join in, unite with God, and be a member of his team? Image at top  Mateus Campos Felipe, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Oher images provided by Wix.

Jesus says, “My sheep follow me.” We are his sheep. How do we follow him? Jesus says, “I and the Father are one.” Why is that important? [John 10:22-30; 10:31-39; 10:40-42] Previous Next John List John 10:22-42 Jesus says, “My sheep follow me.” We are his sheep. How do we follow him? Jesus says, “I and the Father are one.” Why is that important? Jan Luyken (1649-1712). Christus als de Goede Herder (Christ as the Good Shepherd) . 1712. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Public domain (CC0), via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Christus_als_de_Goede_Herder,_RP-P-OB-46.009.jpg . Tom Faletti April 11, 2026 Read John 10:22-42 My sheep follow me; the Father and I are one The Feast of Dedication is what we call Hanukkah, the 8-day festival of lights in December that celebrates two things: the revolt led by the Maccabees that liberated Israel from Greek domination, and the subsequent re-consecration of the Temple in 164 BC after it had been desecrated by Antiochus IV Epiphanes. In verse 24, what do the Jewish leaders demand that Jesus tell them? Previously, Jesus has avoided saying explicitly to the religious leaders that he is the Messiah, probably because that title means something different to them than it means to him. He has only said it more clearly to people who believe in him (explicitly to the woman at the well and implicitly to the blind man he healed). In verse 25, Jesus says that his works testify to him and show that his life is based in the Father. How do the things you do testify to your faith and show that your life is based in God? Jesus says that his works already testify to who he is, but they don’t believe because they are not part of his sheep (verse 26). This suggests that only those who follow Jesus can really understand who Jesus is. Why does greater understanding come only to those who decide to follow Jesus? Jesus then continues his discussion of sheep from the previous passage. In verse 27, he says that his sheep hear his voice. Where do you go to hear the voice of Jesus? Jesus repeats in verse 27 that he knows his sheep and they follow him. We know that even Jesus’s sheep don’t always follow, or Jesus would not have told the parable of the man who left the 99 sheep to go and rescue the lost one (Matt. 18:12–14; Luke 15:3–7). What can we do about the fact that, sometimes, Jesus’s sheep know his voice but still wander off? What can we do about the fact that, sometimes, it is us who know Jesus’s voice but wander off? What assurance does Jesus give in verse 28, and how does he strengthen his point in verse 29? In verses 28 and 29, Jesus says that no one can take you out of his hand or the Father’s hand. What does this assurance mean to you personally? Clearly, this promise only applies to those who are part of Jesus’s sheep in the first place, not to the leaders whom he said are not among his sheep. (Similarly, in the story of the Last Judgment in Matthew 25:31-46, only some are sheep; those who have refused to care for the least among us are identified as goats and are not among Jesus’s sheep.) Here, Jesus seems to indicate that the defining characteristic of his sheep is that they hear his voice and follow him. What is Jesus asking you to do as a member of his flock? In verses 28 and 29, Jesus again equates himself with the Father when he says that no one can take his sheep out of his hand and no one can take his sheep out of his Father’s hand. He has again equated himself with the Father. But in case that wasn’t obvious enough, he ends in verse 30 with “I and the Father are one.” (Some translations reverse the order, perhaps to follow the rules of modern English grammar, but in the Greek it is “I and the Father are one.”) In verse 30, Jesus says, “I and the Father are one.” This is his clearest statement that he is God. How does this strengthen your faith in Jesus? The religious leaders recognize that what Jesus has said is blasphemous, unless it is true, so they pick up rocks to try to stone him for blasphemy. Jesus asks, “For which of my good works are you trying to stone me?” They respond that they are not trying to stone him for his work but for making himself God. People sometimes accuse the Jewish authorities of just being political. How does this incident show that some of them are very serious about trying to follow their faith? Verses 34-36 do not appear to respond directly to the complaint in verse 33 that Jesus is equating himself with God and instead seem to say that humans can be called “gods.” These verses could be interpreted as a separate point from what surrounds them. However, scholars think that Jesus is making a kind of argument known as an a fortiori argument, which was used by the rabbis and others throughout history, in which the speaker is saying that if a lesser thing is true then a greater thing must all the more be true: If even humans can be called gods, then it is all the more true for Jesus, who is consecrated (verse 36) by God. Here is what the verses mean: In verse 34, John uses the Septuagint (Greek) translation of Psalm 82:6, which says, “You are gods.” (Most Bibles translate the Old Testament from the Hebrew, so Psalm 82:6 reads slightly different there.) Psalm 82 denounces the gods of other nations for not providing justice and protecting the lowly, but this psalm was also interpreted as an indictment of the corrupt leaders of the nation of Israel, who failed to provide justice and protect the poor in Israel. The Old Testament in some places describes those in authority as having the function of God because their authority comes ultimately from God (for example, Deut. 1:17; Ex. 21:6). Psalm 82:6 refers to them as “gods” and calls them “sons of the Most High” but adds that they will die like any mortal; so it uses the word “gods” for humans. Jesus uses this verse to tell them they should not object to him calling himself the Son of God. Although Jesus points out that the Old Testament sometimes refers to people as “gods” (for example, judges/leaders) in what ways is Jesus different from humans who because of their positions might be called “gods”? After arguing that it is appropriate to call him the “Son of God,” Jesus makes another claim that he is greater. In verse 36, he says that “the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” How does this indicate his uniqueness and difference from mere humans? In verse 36, Jesus says he has been “consecrated” by the Father. To be consecrated means to be holy and set apart for a particular purpose. The Feast of Dedication celebrated the re-consecration of the Temple and its altar to serve God’s purposes after it had been desecrated. Jesus may have had that feast of re-consecration in mind when he used the word “consecrated.” How does Jesus, as the One consecrated by God, ultimately replace the altar and the sacrifices of the Temple? In verses 37-38, Jesus says again that, even if they do not believe him because of his words, they should believe him because of his works, which show that he is in the Father and the Father is in him. To what extent is Jesus’s miraculous work reason enough to believe in him? Jesus returns to the place across the Jordan River where John the Baptist was first baptizing people – where Jesus was baptized by John and where he gathered his first disciples. How might this be a special place for Jesus to gather spiritual strength as he prepares to face what he knows lies ahead? When you are facing difficult challenges, what are the places you can go to physically, or the spiritual foundations you can call to mind, to help you stay grounded in God’s purposes for you? Verses 41-42 tell us that the local people remembered that John had pointed them to Jesus. They thought about Jesus’s signs, and many of them came to believe in him. This is a contrast with the religious leaders, who refuse to believe despite all the evidence. What can we learn from this interlude in Jesus’s life? Looking at this whole passage from verse 22 on, what stands out to you as something you can take with you and apply in your life? Take a step back and consider this: There are two major places where Jesus uses the imagery of sheep for his followers: here in John 10 and in the Last Judgment in Matthew 25:31-46. It might be instructive to compare what Jesus says about sheep in the two passages. In John 10:27, Jesus says that his sheep hear his voice and follow him. In Matthew 25, he says that some sheep don’t realize that when they have fed the hungry, welcomed the stranger, visited the sick or imprisoned, etc., it is Jesus they have served. Did the sheep in Matthew 25 “hear” his voice and follow him? They heard enough to understand the call to love one another, and they followed his command by showing love for those in great need. Perhaps his commands were so internalized in them that they didn’t even think about whether they were serving Jesus; they just knew they were following the law of love, the Golden Rule to do for others what you would want them to do for you. In contrast, the “goats” did not care follow the law of love, did not follow the Golden Rule, and so they did not see Jesus in the ways he shows himself to us in the least among us. They did not follow his commands. They did not show any evidence that they actually “heard” his voice. And yet they are surprised. They somehow think they should have the same judgment as the sheep even though they have not acted the way the sheep have acted. They think they should be ushered into eternal life even though they have not followed Jesus’s commands. When Jesus says that his sheep “hear” his voice and “follow” him, what do you think he expects that to look like? What do you think he expects them to be doing? Interestingly, Jesus does not say in these sheep stories that the sheep go to church, pray, study the Bible, or do any of the other “spiritual” things Christians often emphasize. That doesn’t mean those other things aren’t important. But it does indicate that Jesus wants more than just “spiritual” practices. Does he only want us to follow him into places of good pasture? Or does he also want us to follow him into service to people in need? Later in this Gospel, Jesus will tell us to love one another as he loves us, to keep his commandments, and to remain in him; and he will pray that we all may be one. How are those also things that a sheep does if the sheep is hearing his voice and following him? Bibliography See John - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/john/bibliography . Copyright © 2026, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous John List Next

A young woman living in obscurity receives a visit from an angel of God and says “Yes” to God’s plan. How can we be like her? [Luke 1:5-25; 1:26-38; 1:39-45; 1:46-56] Previous Mary List Next Session 1: What Mary was, we are called to be A young woman living in obscurity receives a visit from an angel of God and says “Yes” to God’s plan. How can we be like her? [Luke 1:5-25; 1:26-38; 1:39-45; 1:46-56] Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665). The Annunciation . 1657. Cropped. The National Gallery, London, UK. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:L%27Annonciation,_vers_1655,_Londres,_National_Gallery.jpg . Tom Faletti July 11, 2025 The Theme The theme of this study is: What Mary was, we are called to be. What Mary did, we are called to do. When we say, “What Mary was, we are called to be” we mean that we are called to be the kind of person Mary was. She is an example of what the character of a person of faith looks like. When we say, “What Mary did, we are called to do,” we mean that we are called to put our faith into action the way she did. She is a role model for how to live the kind of life where our faith permeates everything we do. Who is this study for? This study is intended for anyone who is interested in exploring how to live a life of faith. It can be used by Catholics and Protestants, evangelicals and Orthodox believers. While the study acknowledges that Catholics and Protestants have a long history of disagreement about some Catholic teachings about Mary, the study keeps its focus on what the Bible says and does not address Catholic doctrines that developed later. Where there are disagreements about how to interpret the Scriptures, the differences are noted and explored. For this reason, Catholics and Protestants can all be comfortable with this study – and could even use it to study together. It is also worth noting that many Protestants find much to admire in Mary – see, for example, Timothy Keller’s “God’s Call to Mary and to Us” (published by Focus on the Family) and Jacob Prahlow’s “A Protestant Thinks about the Blessed Virgin Mary” . Everyone who values the Word of God will find this study useful. IF YOU ARE STUDYING WITH A SMALL GROUP This study material can be very enriching either for small-group Bible Study or for individual study and growth. If you are studying with a small group, please take some time to build community, beginning with ensuring that everyone knows everyone else’s name. Here are some questions you could invite everyone in the group to answer: What is your name? What is your connection to this church/parish/group? Why were you attracted to be part of this study of Mary? From what you already know about the mother of Jesus, what stands out to you? What questions do you have? What would you like to know more about, with regard to Mary? Where you see a Scripture passage in bold and underlined (like Luke 1: 5-25 below), it means you should read that passage before proceeding. Let’s dive in. Luke 1: 5-25 What happens before Mary appears in Luke’s Gospel Some helpful background Mary’s story in the Bible begins when she was probably a teenager, possibly as young as 14 years old although we are not told what her age was. She was suddenly catapulted from living a normal, obscure teenage life to living an heroic though still obscure life. But before that happened, some extraordinary things were already happening in her extended family. Before mentioning Mary, Luke tells us about what leads to the birth of John the Baptist, who was born into Mary’s extended family. Mary’s relative Elizabeth (Luke 1:36) was childless (1:7) and advanced in years (1:18), but now she has become pregnant. Before she becomes pregnant, Elizabeth’s husband, a priest (1:5), has a vision of an angel while he is serving alone in the holiest inner sanctuary of the Temple. The angel tells him that Elizabeth will have a son, who is to be named John (1:10-14). The angel informs him that this son will be filled with the Holy Spirit like Elijah and will turn people to God to prepare them for the Lord (1:15-17). When Zechariah questions this message because he and Elizabeth are fairly old, he is rendered unable to speak (1:18-20), and when he comes out of the sanctuary, everyone knows that he has seen a vision. Mary is likely to have heard about this event. Note: Although some older translations such as the King James Version and some simplified translations call Elizabeth Mary’s “cousin,” the Greek word is a more generic word used for relatives of all kinds, close and distant, so most modern translations say “relative,” not “cousin.” We do not know if Elizabeth was an aunt, a cousin, or a more distant relative. We also do not know if Mary came from the lineage of priests as Zechariah did. Similarly, we do not know if Mary was descended from the line of David. Matthew presents Joseph’s genealogy (Matt. 1:1-17), which shows that Joseph was from the line of David, i.e., a direct descendant of David. Luke also tells us that Joseph was a descendant of David (Luke 1:27 and 2:4). Some scholars through the centuries have suggested that Luke presents Mary’s genealogy, but many other scholars have rejected that idea because Luke 4:23. For Jews of Jesus’s time, the father’s lineage was all that mattered. Joseph was not Jesus’s biological father, as Matthew tells us in his account of the virgin birth (Matt. 1:18-25), but Joseph essentially adopted Jesus as his own son by raising him. So, Joseph’s ancestry is Jesus’s ancestry for Jewish legal purposes even though Jesus was the Son of God. Does Mary’s relative obscurity trouble you, or draw you to her, or not matter to you? Why? What do you think of a God who chooses to enter the human race by being born of an obscure woman whose pedigree is unclear? What does this tell you about God? What does Mary’s obscure background tell you about Mary? Does this tell you anything about yourself? Can you be from obscure roots and still fulfill God’s purposes for you? How does Mary’s background speak to you? Elizabeth conceives, and roughly 6 months later, Mary enters Luke’s story. Luke 1:26-38 An angel tells Mary she will have a son from God (the “Annunciation”) Let’s start by walking through the conversation between Mary and the angel. In verses 26-27, what does Luke tell us about Mary (what kind of person is she, where is she, what is her marital status, etc.)? To be “betrothed” was far more than what we call being “engaged.” After betrothal, the couple was considered married even though it would be months before the marriage was consummated. If a person was betrothed and had sex with someone other than their intended, it was considered adultery (see New American Bible , Luke 1:18 fn.). In verse 28, how does the angel greet Mary? In verse 29, how does Mary respond? In verses 30-33, what does the angel prophesy to Mary about what is to come? In verse 34, Mary questions the angel. What is her question? When the angel had appeared to Zechariah, Zechariah had asked, “How will I know this, for I’m an old man and my wife is old too?” His question was, in essence, a demand for proof. How is Mary’s question different? How is her question appropriate, whereas Zechariah’s was not? Mary is not challenging what will happen or asking for proof; she is merely asking the process by which it will happen. Her question is, literally, in the Greek, “How will this be, since I do not know a man?” – i.e., How will this be since I do not have sex? In verses 35-37, how does the angel explain to Mary how she will become pregnant? In verse 38, how does Mary respond to this announcement? Look over the passage and focus on the things the angel says. What do the angel’s words tell us about Mary? What do the angel’s words tell us about God? Look over the passage again, focusing on the things Mary says. What do Mary’s words tell us about Mary? What does this passage tell us about Mary’s attitude or approach toward her faith? One of our themes for this study is: What Mary was (the kind of person Mary was), we are called to be. What can we learn from Mary? All of us can, like Mary, say, “I am the servant of the Lord.” How can you take that approach to your own faith more consistently? What does this passage tell us about Mary’s use of her whole being: her mind, her will, and her spirit/faith? What Mary did, we are called to do. Mary accepted the coming of the Holy Spirit to her to enable her to fulfill her God-given role in God’s plan of salvation. How can you welcome or say yes to the Holy Spirit to fulfill your particular God-given role in your life? Mary is now the second woman in her extended family to have an unusual pregnancy after an unusual encounter with God. Mary decides to go visit her relative Elizabeth. In the next scene of our story, we see two women, both chosen by God for something special, having a chance to have some woman-to-woman time together. Luke 1:39-45 Mary visits Elizabeth (the “Visitation”) What happens? Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit as a result of her encounter with Mary and the response of the child in her womb. How can we become more open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit as Elizabeth was? When Elizabeth has this special, spirit-filled moment, her response is praise. How can we become more confident in giving praise to God when we are touched by his Spirit? Luke 1:46-56 Mary sings God’s praises (the “Magnificat” or “Canticle of Mary”) What Mary says here is called the “Magnificat” because in Latin, the first word of Mary’s prayer is the word Magnificat , which means “praises,” as in “my soul praises.” What is your overall impression of Mary’s “song”? What is your favorite line or phrase or word from Mary’s song, and why? What does this song tell us about God? What does this song tell us about Mary? Mary could have praised God in many different ways. We can learn a lot about her from the subjects she chooses to focus on and what she says about them. What does Mary’s choice of topics about God tell us about her and what kind of person she is? Notice that one of the themes Mary focuses on is that some people are rich and mighty, and some people are poor and lowly, and God has here taken decisive action on behalf of the poor and lowly. One of the themes for this study is: What Mary did, we are called to do. Mary praises God energetically and expansively. What can we learn from this for ourselves, regarding our prayer life or interactions with others? The other theme for our study is: The kind of person Mary was, we are called to be. What does this prayer tell you about what kind of person Mary was, and what does it encourage you to be? Here is a brief summary of how Elizabeth’s story ends, so that you are not left hanging: ( Luke 1:57-80 John is born and Zechariah’s mouth is opened to sing God’s praise) Elizabeth gives birth to a son (1:57), and when Elizabeth says he will be named “John” (1:60), the neighbors and relatives object, thinking that he should be named for Zechariah or some other relative. Zechariah indicates that the child is to be named “John” (1:63), and at that moment his tongue is freed so that he can speak (1:64). He responds with his own canticle of praise to God (1:67-80). Take a step back and consider this: One of the things we see in Mary’s prayer is that she sees the world from the perspective of the lowly, not from the top of the social ladder. In the Gospels we see that Jesus has a similar perspective. I have summarized how both the New Testament and the Old Testament present God’s downside-up view of the world here: God Takes a Downside-Up View of the World . Some examples are: blessed are the poor, God cares for the one as much as the 99, wealth is an impediment to salvation rather than a sign of God’s favor, what you did to the least of these you did to me, the Lord hears the cry of the poor, etc. Do you think Jesus learned to see through the eyes of the have-nots from his mother Mary, who proclaimed God’s concern for the lowly and hungry, as well as learning it from his heavenly Father? What might this suggest about how Mary raised her child? How are we called to imitate Jesus and Mary in viewing things from the perspective of the lowly? Bibliography See Mary - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/mary/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Mary List Next

For these Christians, neither persecution nor suppression, not even an atomic bomb, has kept them from staying faithful to Christ. Previous All Special Materials Next Nagasaki - A History of Christian Faithfulness in Adversity For these Christians, neither persecution nor suppression, not even an atomic bomb, has kept them from staying faithful to Christ. Wolfgang Kilian, Augsburg (1581-1663). The Martyrs of Nagasaki (1597) . Engraving. 1628. MDZ: Münchener DigitalisierungsZentrum, Digitale Bibliothek. Wolfgang Kilian, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:M%C3%A4rtyrer_von_Nagasaki_1628.jpg . Tom Faletti August 28, 2025 While I was doing some research for a post about peacemaking and the atomic bombing of Nagasaki , I learned that the Christian community in Nagasaki has a long and remarkable history. Nagasaki’s early Christian history In Nagasaki, the history of Christianity goes back almost 500 years, to the arrival of Portuguese sailors in 1543. Nagasaki was built to serve as a port for Portuguese ships, under the supervision of Jesuit missionaries and with the support of the local Japanese lord. It became a center for Christian activity in Japan. When the power structure of Japan turned against the presence of Christians there, the government forbade the preaching of Christianity. Nagasaki was seen as a center of the Catholic faith. In the late 16 th century, 20 Japanese Christians and 6 foreign priests were arrested, imprisoned, forced to walk through the snow to Nagasaki, and crucified (hung on crosses with chains and ropes) as a warning to the large Christian community in Nagasaki. (Today, people can visit a Twenty-Six Martyrs Monument and Museum in Nagasaki.) Christianity was driven underground in a campaign of persecution and suppression that lasted for more than 200 years. Amazingly, Christians survived in secret for generations, until a series of government reforms in the 1850s allowed them to practice their faith in public again. When the Christians emerged, they got to work. By 1864, they had built the Oura Church, which served as their first cathedral. In 1895 they built Urakami Cathedral. Nagasaki Christians arise from the ashes of atomic ruin When the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, the Oura Church survived the blast. It still stands today. Urakami Cathedral was not so fortunate. It was 500 meters from the spot where the atomic bomb detonated. The blast damaged it so severely that it could not be restored. It was replaced with an entirely new building in 1959. (Remains of the original Urakami Cathedral are on display in Nagasaki Peace Park and the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum.) The bell that had hung in the right tower of the cathedral was found in the rubble and saved, but the bell that had been in the left tower was totally destroyed. More than half of the Catholics in the Urakami district of Nagasaki – approximately 8,500 of the cathedral’s 12,000 parishioners – were killed. The Christian community in Nagasaki did not allow the attack to disperse them. They remained a community, just as they had remained a community underground during the years of repression. They built a new cathedral in 1959. The surviving bell was re-installed in the right tower of the new structure, but the left tower was left without a bell. When Professor James L. Nolan, Jr., of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, was researching the Nagasaki bomb attack in the spring of 2023, the Catholics of Urakami Cathedral were there to talk with him. One of the cathedral parishioners suggested to Nolan that perhaps American Catholics could provide a new bell for the left tower of the cathedral. Nolan was intrigued by the idea and went into action. He led a successful campaign that designed, casted, transported, and installed a new bell, which filled the empty spot in the left tower. On August 9, 2025 at 11:02 AM, the exact moment that the atomic bomb detonated 80 years earlier, the new bell rang out from the left tower of Urakami Cathedral. For more on the Nagasaki Bell Project, see Sound a Bell, Take a Step, Be a Peacemaker . Nolan saw the story of the new Nagasaki bell as part of the longer history of the Christian Church in Nagasaki: a history of people enduring suffering, staying true to their faith, and now welcoming a gesture of peace from the nation that had attacked them. Nolan said that the ringing of that bell was “a calling to mind of the years of faithful suffering and the martyrdom of the many Catholics who stayed true to the faith, and a calling to mind (of) their example.” Nagasaki Christians are an example to us Would we be so faithful and persistent, through hundreds of years of persecution and suppression, and then to bring our parish back to life after an atomic attack killed two-thirds of the people in our parish? God is always with us. The question is, do we stay with him? Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous All Special Materials Next