Venerdì 29 gennaio 2021
Padre Renzo Carraro ha preparato lungo questi ultimi anni una serie di riflessioni e sussidi per la meditazione e lo studio della Bibbia. Alcuni documenti sono composti di riflessioni originali, preparate in occasione di ritiri, esercizi spirituali o corsi di formazione. Nascono dall’esperienza di circa 20 anni. Sono semplici e senza pretese, ma possono suggerire qualche idea o spunto utile nel lavoro formativo. Altre riflessioni si potrebbero definire “Appunti di Studio” e sono sussidi per i Gruppi Biblici. I testi sono in inglese (Vedi allegati).

Riflessioni e sussidi per la meditazione e lo studio della Bibbia
Padre Lorenzo Carraro

Reflections and resources
for meditation and study of the Bible

Fr. Lorenzo Carraro

1. A TASTE OF TRADITION. A Selection of the Writings of the Church Fathers [2020]

1.1.1 Introduction. The Fathers of the Church
1.1.2 The Apostolic Fathers
1.1.3 The Letter of Barnabas
1.1.4 The Didache
1.1.5 Saint Ignatius of Antioch
1.2 The Fathers during the time of Persecution
1.2.1 Saint Justin Martyr
1.2.2 The Letter to Diognetus
1.2.3 Saint Irenaeus of Lyons
1.2.4 Saint Cyprian of Chartage
1.3 The Fathers during the Centuries of Freedom
1.3.1 Saint John Chrysostom
1.3.2 Saint Jerome
1.3.3 Saint Augustine

2. CHURCH HISTORY [1979, 2011]

2.1 The Church during the Apostolic Age and the Roman Empire
2.2 The Church in the Middle Ages: Division and Basic Structure
2.3 The Church in the Modern Age: The Opening of a New Era
2.4 The Historical Circumstances of the Protestant Reformation
2.5 The Council of Trent
2.6 The Church in the Contemporary Era: The French Revolution
2.7 The Church and Liberalism: The 1st Vatican Council
2.8 The Church, the Industrial Revolution and the Social Question. Communism and the Russian Revolution
2.9 The 2nd Vatican Council
2.10 The Implementation of the Council and the Present Situation of the Church
2.11 The Church in Asia

3. EROS AND AGAPE [2019]

3.1 Introduction: The Eros of Jesus and My Eros
3.2 Eros and Agape in “Deus Caritas Est” – Benedict XVI
3.3 A Taste of Eros in the Old Testament
3.4 Eros and Agape in Mary of Bethany and in the Blessed Virgin Mary

4. FORMATION IN THE BIBLE [2010]

4.1 Formation in the Bible: Introductory Remarks
4.2 Personhood in God and in Human Beings
4.3 The Stages of Formation
4.4 Jesus Christ Model and Master of Formation
4.5 Mary and Formation

5. INITIATION TO THE HOLY BIBLE [2008] (Iniziazione alla Sacra Biblia – traduzione)

5.1 The 3 steps of the Formation of the New Testament
5.2 The 3 Elements in Divine Revelation
5.3 Terms of Reference: Canon, Classification, Language and Writing of the Bible
5.4 The Reading of the Bible: Guidelines
5.5 Signposts of Time and Place

5.6 Old and New Testament Differences
5.6.1 The Concept of God
5.6.2 The Images of God
5.6.3 Rules about Eating
5.6.4 The Law and the New Law

5.6.5 The Worship in the Old and New Testament
5.6.6 Life after Death
5.7 Evil in the Bible: Violence and Immorality
5.8 Conclusions

6. LUKE´S (GOSPEL & ACTS) [2020]

6.1 Introduction
6.2 The Gospel of Luke
6.3 Division
6.4 The Acts of the Apostles
6.5 Division
6.6 The Narrative Work of Luke
6.7 The Gospel Narrative (The Jesus Narrative)
6.8 The Narrative of the Acts (The Church Narrative)

7. MEDITATION ON THE MYSTERY OF TIME [2000]

7.1 Introduction
7.2 The Concept of Time and Its Articulations
7.3 Praying the “Sentiment of Time”
7.3.1 Meditation of the Transient Nature of all Created Realities
7.3.2 Prayer for and Attitude of Detachment
7.4 Surrendering to the Present (Three Texts of Poetry)
7.5 Conclusion: Looking at the Future

8. MISSION INTO THE FUTURE [2011]

8.1 Dreams and Mission
8.2 Mission into the Future
8.3 Paschal Mission: The Priesthood of Christ
8.4 Our Baptismal Priesthood
8.5 Mary´s Mission
8.6 The Vows and Mission
8.7 Mission Power Point

9. PATHS TO CONTEMPLATION

9.1 Introduction: A Journey to Holiness
9.2 Christian Prayer Facing East
9.3 Learning from the East
9.4 Christian Prayer is always an Encounter with a Personal God
9.5 Basic Concepts about Contemplation
9.6 Paths to Contemplation
9.6.1 Contemplation and Self-Acceptance
9.6.2 Finding God in All Things
9.6.3 Contemplation & Consecration
9.6.4 Contemplation and Compassion
9.6.5 The Bridegroom´s Chest/Bosom/Breast
9.6.6 Contemplation and Friendship
9.7 Questions for Personal Reflection

10. RETREATS [2020]

10.1 Classic Ignatian Retreat (8 days)
10.2 Five Days Retreat with John´s Gospel
10.3 Six Days Retreat on the “Mystery of Love”
10.4 Six Days Retreat with Mary and the Rosary
10.5 Transforming Eucharist (6 days)
10.6 Celebrating the Eucharist with Mary
10.7 Transforming Eucharist (8 days)

10.8 Our Baptismal Priesthood (6 days)

11. THE BOOK OF REVELATION [2020]

11.1 Prologue
11.2 Letters to the Churches of Asia
11.3 God and the Lamb in Heaven
11.4 The Seven Seals, Trumpets and Plagues with Interludes
11.5 The Punishment of Babylon and the Destruction of the Pagans Nations
11.6 The New Creation
11.7 Epilogue

12. SPIRITUAL DIRECTION [2012]

12.1 Introduction
12.2 The Concept of Spiritual Direction & The Spiritual Father
12.3 Definition & Necessary Qualities
12.4 Areas of Spiritual direction
12.5 Models of Spiritual Direction
12.6 Spiritual Direction and Relationships
12.6.1 With the Family
12.6.2 With the Community
12.6.3 With Others: Love and Friendship
12.6.4 With God: Spiritual Life
12.7 What is Prayer?
12.8 Spiritual Direction and Discernment
12.8.1 As a Way of Life
12.8.2 As a Process of Deliberation
12.9 Jesus as Spiritual Director
12.10 Bible References about Spiritual Direction

13. THE BOOK OF PSALMS

13.1 Introduction to the Psalms
13.2 Classification (General Suggestions)
13.3 Classification Specifics
13.4 Characteristics of the Genres
13.5 The Messianic Psalms
13.6 Reading the Psalms
13.7 The Symbolic Value of the Psalms
13.8 Jesus and the Psalms
13.9 Spiritual Value of the Psalms
13.10 The Breviary about the Psalm
13.11 From Paul Johnson: “The Quest for God”

14. THE GOSPEL OF JOHN [2020]

14.1 Introduction: General Traits
14.2 Prologue (1:1-18): “In the Beginning…”
14.3 The Book of Signs (1:18-12:50): Jesus´ Ministry
14.3.1 Proclamation of the New Order (1:19-4:54)
14.3.2 The Second Feast (5:1-47)
14.3.3 The Second Passover (6:1-71)
14.3.4 The Feast of Shelters (7:1-10:21)
14.3.5 The Feast of Dedication (10:22-42)
14.3.6 Jesus Moves towards His Death (11:1-12:50)
14.4 The Book of Glory (13:1-20:31) Jesus´ Hour: The Passover of the Lamb of God
14.4.1 Jesus´ last Meal with His disciples (13:1-17:26)
14.4.2 The Passion (18, 19)
14.4.3 The Resurrection; Commissioning of the Disciples (20:1-29)
14.5 Epilogue: The Resurrection Appearance in Galilee (21:1-15) The Risen Jesus Teaches the Church

15. THE GOSPEL OF MARK [2020]

15.1 Introduction
15.2 Preparation of the Public Ministry of Jesus (1:1-13)
15.3 The Mystery of Jesus (1:14-8:26)
15.4 The Mystery begins to be Revealed (8:27-9:32)
15.5 The Full Revelation of the Mystery (9:33-16:8)
15.6 The Long Ending (16:9-20)

16. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW [2019]

16.1 Introduction to the Four Gospels
16.2 The Gospel of Matthew: Division
16.3 Prologue: The Infancy Narrative
16.4 The First Book
16.5 The Second Book
16.6 The Third Book
16.7 The Fourth Book
16.8 The Fifth Book
16.9 Epilogue: Passion, Death and Resurrection
16.10 The Message of Matthew´s Gospel: The Figure of Jesus
16.11 The Church according to Matthew
16.12 Matthew the Theologian

17. THE PILGRIMAGE [2020]

17.1 Millennium and Pilgrimage
17.1.1 The Pilgrimage: Sign of the Jubilee
17.1.2 Famous Targets of Pilgrimage in Ancient Times
17.1.3 The Meaning of Pilgrimage in the Context of the Jubilee
17.1.4 The Pilgrimage of the Individual and of the Community
17.2 Our Life is a Pilgrimage (Theology)
17.2.1 In the Old Testament
17.2.2 In the New Testament
17.2.3 In the Church
17.2.4 Conclusion

17.3 The Spirituality of Pilgrimage (Songs of Ascent)
17.3.1 Feelings and Attitudes of the Pilgrim
17.3.2 Fruits of the Spirituality of the Pilgrim

18. THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST AND OF THE CHURCH [2012]

18.1 We are a Priestly People
18.2 The Priesthood of Christ
18.3 Celebrating our Priesthood: The Eucharist
18.4 Our Priestly Life and Ministry

19. WITNESS AND MARTYRDOM [2020]

19.1 The Witness of God in the Old Testament
19.2 The Witness of Jesus according to John´s Gospel
19.3 “You Shall Be My Witnesses”
19.4 The Witness of the Apostles
19.5 The Witness of All the Other Christians
19.6 The Witness of Martyrdom
19.7 Present Day Relevance of Witness
19.8 Theology of Martyrdom
19.8.1 The Importance of Martyrdom in our Missionary Experience and Formation
19.8.2 Martyrdom as the Natural Horizon of Christian Life
19.8.3 Mary´s Bloodless Martyrdom and us
19.8.4 The Eucharist and Martyrdom