Mike Landry: Catholic speaker, writer, & music minister in Alberta, Canada HomepageMike Landry: Catholic speaker, writer, & music minister in Alberta, Canada

bible study

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Unfolding John 4:5-30

Photo Credit: By Neogeolegend (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
The story of God’s people in the Old Testament shows both the incredible faithfulness of God as He brought them from one holy couple into one universal (world-wide) Church.  It’s an epic story that features many twists and turns bringing to life the statement that “God writes straight with crooked lines,” and that He often uses unexpected people for tremendous things.

One such story of an unexpected person whom God used for a tremendous purpose was the samaritan woman he encountered in John 4:5-30, whose story is the subject of our study today. [Read more…] about Unfolding John 4:5-30

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Unfolding John 3:1-21 (Jesus & Nicodemus)

At our last Bible study a few weeks ago, we spent some time reflecting on a compelling scene from the early chapters of John’s Gospel: Jesus’ late night clandestine meeting with Nicodemus (John 3:1-21).  This might seem like a strange passage to study ten days before Christmas – after all, there’s no manger, no shepherds, and no wise men – but this passage offers many answers as to what Child this actually is. [Read more…] about Unfolding John 3:1-21 (Jesus & Nicodemus)

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Unfolding John 2:1-12 (The Wedding at Cana)

In a lot of ways, it’s fitting that Jesus’ first miracle takes place at a wedding.  Marriage is one of the key threads found throughout scripture: the Bible begins with a married couple in the garden of Eden (the early chapters of Genesis) and concludes with the wedding feast of the Lamb in the book of Revelation.  Woven throughout scripture, the relationship between humanity & God is often compared to a marriage, with God being the groom and we the (often unfaithful) bride.  Jesus’ presence at a wedding that early in the Gospel recognizes the tremendous value of marriage, which He elevates to the dignity of a Sacrament in the life of our Church.

That being said, what Jesus does at this particular wedding at Cana (John 2:1-12) teaches us several notable things about Him, about the Kingdom of God, and about what God wants for you and I. [Read more…] about Unfolding John 2:1-12 (The Wedding at Cana)

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Unfolding John 1:35-51 (Calling of the first disciples)

The third part of our Bible Study on the Gospel of John focuses on the beginnings of the Lord’s ministry. Here we see that Jesus’ first priority is to gather followers around Himself, as He begins His mission of redemption and the establishment of His Church. These first disciples will go on to become Apostles, the ones who’ll hear every teaching, witness every miracle, and catch the little lessons that will come from being near Jesus on a daily basis.  It will be there responsibility to spread the Good News after Jesus has died, risen, and ascended to the Father. [Read more…] about Unfolding John 1:35-51 (Calling of the first disciples)

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Unfolding John 1:6-34 (Jesus and John the Baptist)

Photo Credit: Francesco Trevisani [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
After we read the definitive Christian origin (creation) story of John 1:1-5, John’s Gospel turns our attention to John the Baptist and what an extraordinary character he must have been.  We read in Matthew’s Gospel that he was a pretty wild looking man – wearing a cloak of camel’s hair (I suspect that would have been itchy!), a leather belt, and feeding on wild locusts (bugs) and honey (Matthew  3:4).  John’s mission was a simple and clear one: to “testify to the light” (John 1:7), something he’d been doing since before the time he was born (Luke 1:41-45).   [Read more…] about Unfolding John 1:6-34 (Jesus and John the Baptist)