Our Lady of Guadalupe Abbey

“For Christians, Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, who died for the sins of the world, and who rose from the dead in triumph over sin and death. For non-Christians, he is almost anything else--a myth, a political revolutionary, a prophet whose teaching was misunderstood or distorted by his followers.

Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, and no myth, revolutionary, or misunderstood prophet, insists Benedict XVI… Indeed, Benedict maintains that the evidence, fairly considered, brings us face-to-face with the challenge of Jesus--a real man who taught and acted in ways that were tantamount to claims of divine authority, claims not easily dismissed as lunacy or deception.

Benedict XVI presents this challenge in his new book, Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection.

Why was Jesus rejected by the religious leaders of his day? Who was responsible for his death? Did he establish a Church to carry on his work? How did Jesus view his suffering and death? How should we? And, most importantly, did Jesus really rise from the dead and what does his resurrection mean? The story of Jesus raises many crucial questions.

Benedict brings to his study the vast learning of a brilliant scholar, the passionate searching of a great mind, and the deep compassion of a pastor's heart. In the end, he dares readers to grapple with the meaning of Jesus' life, teaching, death, and resurrection.

Pope Benedict states, ‘Only in this second volume do we encounter the decisive sayings and events of Jesus' life . . . I hope that I have been granted an insight into the figure of Our Lord that can be helpful to all readers who seek to encounter Jesus and to believe in Him.’” (Taken from Ignatius Press)

Join Br. Edmond in a prayerful reading and meditation during Lent 2017 of the revelation of the love God has for each one of us.

Who: Those interested in learning more about Jesus and His Passion, Death and Resurrection from the viewpoint of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI
Where: Our Lady of Guadalupe Abbey Pecos, NM
When: Sunday, March 26 through Friday, March 31, 2017
What: A book study/discussion group working through Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection by Pope Benedict XVI.

Presentations will be made by Br. Edmond on each of the nine chapters and the epilogue during two 1-hour morning sessions (beginning at 9:15am) from Monday through Friday (ie 10 sessions total).

Afternoons and evenings may be spent by students reading the text, in group discussion and/or Q&A, or in prayer, meditation and reflection.

Cost for Resident Participants:
One person per room:
$450.00 (includes 5 nights lodging and 3 meals a day, classes, light refreshments, and a $25.00 giftshop/bookstore credit sufficient to cover the cost of a hardcover copy of Pope Benedict XVI's book Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week as well as the associated study guide. Both of these are required texts for the book study course.)

$85.00 Deposit

Cost for Commuters:
$150.00 for classes, light refreshments, mid-day meals M - F, and a $25 giftshop/bookstore credit sufficient to cover the cost of a hardcover copy of Pope Benedict XVI's book Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week as well as the associated study guide. Both of these are required texts for the book study course.)

Schedule of Jesus of Nazareth Book Study
Sunday

3:00 pm	Check-In (You can arrive earlier but you may not be able to check into your rooms until this time. More on that later.)
4:30 pm	Rosary
5:00 pm	Vespers with Benediction
5:40 pm	Welcome Dinner (prepared by Fr. Aidan)
7:00 pm	Welcome session and introduction

Monday through Friday

5:30 am	Rising Bell
6:00 am	Vigils
7:00 am	Lauds
7:30 am	Holy Mass
8:10 am	Breakfast (approx..)
9:15am – 10:15	Early Morning Talk
10:45am – 11:45	Mid-Morning Talk
12:00 pm	Midday Prayer
12:15 pm	Dinner (major meal)

Afternoon	Rest, Recreation, Reading, Private Prayer, Q and A, or group discussion (all optional)
4:30 pm	Rosary	(4:00pm Thurs.)
5:00 pm	Vespers	(4:30pm Thurs.)
5:30 pm	Supper	(5:00pm Thurs.)
6:30-7:30pm	Eucharistic Adoration with Compline at 7:15pm (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday) (On Thursday Adoration and Compline would be optional)

NB
By 10:00 am on Friday please vacate your rooms (unless staying for additional day(s)).
Friday talks will be given as normal. Retreatants can stay for dinner at midday and remain at the monastery through evening Vespers.
All prayer with the monastic community is optional

Schedule of Book Study Talks
Introductory Talk Sunday evening after supper

NB The daily talks will be a selected presentation of material found in the following chapters.

Chapter 1: The Entrance into Jerusalem and the Cleansing of the Temple (Monday, Talk 1)

• The Entrance into Jerusalem
• The Cleansing of the Temple

Chapter 2: Jesus' Eschatological Discourse (Monday, Talk 2)

• The End of the Temple
• The Times of the Gentiles
• Prophecy and Apocalyptic in the Eschatological Discourse

Chapter 3: The Washing of the Feet (Tuesday, Talk 1)

• The hour of Jesus
• "You are clean"
• Sacramentum and exemplum — gift and task: The "new commandment"
• The mystery of the betrayer
• Two conversations with Peter
• Washing of feet and confession of sin

Chapter 4: Jesus' High-Priestly Prayer (Tuesday, Talk 2)

• The Jewish Feast of Atonement as Biblical Background to the High-Priestly Prayer
• Four Major Themes of the Prayer
• "This is eternal life . . ."
• "Sanctify them in the truth . . ."
• "I have made your name known to them . . ."
• "That they may all be one . . ."

Chapter 5: The Last Supper (Wednesday, Talk 1)

• The Dating of the Last Supper
• The Institution of the Eucharist
• The Theology of the Words of Institution
• From the Last Supper to the Sunday Morning Eucharist

Chapter 6: Gethsemane (Wednesday, Talk 2)

• On the Way to the Mount of Olives
• The Prayer of Jesus
• Jesus' Will and the Will of the Father
• Jesus' Prayer on the Mount of Olives in the Letter to the Hebrews

Chapter 7: The Trial of Jesus (Thursday, Talk 1)

• Preliminary Discussion in the Sanhedrin
• Jesus before the Sanhedrin
• Jesus before Pilate

Chapter 8: Crucifixion and Burial of Jesus (Thursday, Talk 2)

• Preliminary Reflection: Word and Event in the Passion Narrative
• Jesus on the Cross
  1. The first of Jesus' words from the Cross: "Father, forgive them"
  2. Jesus is mocked
  3. Jesus' cry of abandonment
  4. The casting of lots for Jesus' garments
  5. "I thirst"
  6. The women at the foot of the Cross — the Mother of Jesus
  7. Jesus dies on the Cross
  8. Jesus' burial
• Jesus' Death as Reconciliation (Atonement) and Salvation

Chapter 9: Jesus' Resurrection from the Dead (Friday, Talk 1)

• What Is the Resurrection of Jesus?
• The Two Different Types of Resurrection Testimony
• The Confessional Tradition
  1. Jesus' death
  2. The question of the empty tomb
  3. The third day
  4. The witnesses
• The Narrative Tradition
  1. Jesus' appearances to Paul
  2. The appearances of Jesus in the Gospels
  3. Summary: The Nature of Jesus' Resurrection and Its Historical Significance

Epilogue: He Ascended into Heaven … Friday, Talk 2

Closing Remarks and Comments - Friday after the midday meal

You can click on the following links to obtain details on each of the following book studies:

• Jesus of Nazareth - From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration (TBD)
• Jesus of Nazareth - Holy Week - From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection (March 26 - 31, 2017)
• Jesus of Nazareth - The Infancy Narratives (TBD