almsgiving: ss

re: "raphael's exhortation" (tob 12:6-10)
vv8-10 "prayer with fasting is good, but better is ALMSGIVING with righteousness. a little with righteousness is better than wealth with wrongdoing. IT IS BETTER TO GIVE ALMS THAN TO LAY UP GOLD. [9] for ALMSGIVING SAVES FROM DEATH AND PURGES AWAY EVERY SIN. THOSE WHO GIVE ALMS WILL ENJOY A FULL LIFE, [10] but those who commit sin and do wrong are their own worst enemies."

adopted children of god: ss

re: "children of god" (1 jn 2:29-3:10)
3:1 "see what love the Father has given us, that we should be called CHILDREN OF GOD; and that is waht we are."

fear of the lord: ss

re: "the ten commandments" (ex 20:1-21)
v20 "moses said to the people, 'do not be afraid; for god has come only tot test you and to put the FEAR OF HIM upon you so that you do not sin.'"

human authority: divine source: ss

re: "nebuchadnezzar's second dream" (dan 4:1-18)
v17 "'... in order that all who live may know that the Most High is SOVEREIGN over all the kingdom of mortals; he gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of human beings.'"

re: "daniel interprets the second dream" (dan 4:19-33)
vv24-25 "this is the interpretation, o king, and it is a decree of the Most High .... [25] you shall be driven away from human society, and your dwelling shall be with the wild animals. you shall be made to east grass like oxen, you shall be bathed with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, UNTIL YOU HAVE LEARNED THAT THE MOST HIGH HAS SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE KINDGOM OF MORTALS, AND GIVES IT TO WHOM HE WILL."

rigtheous anger: ss

re: "pagan worship refused" (1 mac 2:15-41)
vv23-26 "when he [mattathias] had finished speaking these words, a jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the alter in modein, according to the king's command. [24] when mattathias saw it, he burned with zeal and his heart was stirred. he gave vent to RIGHTEOUS ANGER; he ran and killed him on the altar. [25] at the same time he killed the king's officer who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar. [26] thus he burned with zeal for the law, just as phinehas did against zimrison of salu."

vv39-41 "when mattathias and his friends learned of it [their fellow jews not fighting the king's soldiers simply because it was a sabbath], they mourned for them deeply. [40] and all said to their neighbors: 'if we all do as our kindred have done and refuse to fight with the gentiles for our lives and for our ordinaces, the will quickly destroy us from the earth.' [41] so they made this decision that day: 'let us fight against anyone who comes to attack us on the sabbath day; let us not all die as our kindred died in their hiding places.'"

faithlessness: superstitious beliefs: ss

2007 nov 21
re: "antiochus epiphanes and renegade jews" (1 mac 1:10-15)
v11 "in those days certain renegades came out from isarel and misled many, saying, 'let us go and make a covenant with the gentiles around us, for since we separated from them many disasters have come upon us.'"

comment:
i remember the late SVD exegete fr. herman mueller telling us about the fallacy of "post hoc - propter hoc". this means "after this" - "because of this". this is concluding from the sequence of events to causation of the said events.
when i arrived here in dubai, something bad happened to the person who fetched me at the airport. months after, one of the people we were staying with just commented out of the blue that my coming was "bad luck." i kept quiet, knowing there is no point in arguing if they have that bias. then one day, i prayed over her husband who was vomiting for 3 days already and he got well right after the prayer. in my mind, i thought, i hope the event taught us all that FAITH in god is the foundation of our lives -- bad "luck" or otherwise -- and in him only should be trust and not in superstitious beliefs.

theolgical virtues: faith: ss

re: "jesus heals a blind beggar near jericho" (lk 18:35-43)
v42 "jesus said to him, 'receive your sight; your FAITH has saved you.'"

love of neighbor: ss

re: "good stewards of god's grace" (1 pt 4:1-11)
v8 "above all, maintain constant LOVE for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. [9] be hospitable to one another without complaining. [1] like good stewards of the manifold grace of god, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received."

end of the world: ss

re: "good stewards of god's grace" (1 pt 4:1-11)
v7-8 "the end of all things is near; therefore be serious and discipline yourserlves for the sake of your prayers. [8] above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins."

resurrection: ss

re: "good stewards of god's grace" (1 pt 4:1-11)
v6 "for this is the reason the gospel was proclaimed even to the dead, so that, though they had been judged in the flesh as everyone is judged, they might live in the spirit as god does."