Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-68) - Anyway by Mother Teresa

Dearest Goddaughter,

Today's first reading, from the Book of Wisdom, reminds me of this poem by Mother Saint Teresa of Calcutta (see below). When we strive for holiness and righteousness in our lives, there will be those around us who are threatened by us - "To us he is the censure of our thoughts; merely to see him is a hardship for us, because his life is not like that of others, and different are his ways." However, let us not be deterred by them and continue to strive for holiness and righteousness in our lives because, in the end, we are judged by God, not by man, and God's judgment of us counts.

Moreover, in today's Gospel, we hear how the people try to "domesticate" Jesus (as Bishop Robert Barron would often say". While Jesus is a brother to us and we can certainly have a personal relationship with him, we must never forget that he is God and give him right homage and praise. Christ teaches us: "You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me." We must always remember Jesus' true identity. He is Word of God become Flesh and dwelt among us.

. . .

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;

It was never between you and them anyway.

- Mother Teresa

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Wis 2:1a, 12-22 and Jn 7:1-2, 10, 25-30 (below).

. . .

Jesus moved about within Galilee;

he did not wish to travel in Judea,

because the Jews were trying to kill him.

But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near.

But when his brothers had gone up to the feast,

he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret.

Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said,

"Is he not the one they are trying to kill?

And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him.

Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ?

But we know where he is from.

When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from."

So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said,

"You know me and also know where I am from.

Yet I did not come on my own,

but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true.

I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me."

So they tried to arrest him,

but no one laid a hand upon him,

because his hour had not yet come.

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-67) - We are His Handiwork

Dearest Goddaughter,

John the Evangelist wrote: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. . ." THAT is how much God loves each and everyone of us but, in the busyness of our modern lives, we seem to have forgotten this simple yet profound reality that is of great importance. God created us. We are his handiwork work.

Why is it that we prefer the darkness of this world to the light of Christ? We are not unlike the Israelites, who "princes of Judah, the priests, and the people  added infidelity to infidelity, practicing all the abominations of the nations and polluting the LORD’s temple  which he had consecrated in Jerusalem," as we hear in today’s first reading. They they mocked the messengers of God,  despised his warnings, and scoffed at his prophets, until the anger of the LORD against his people was so inflamed that there was no remedy." We have ears so we ought to hear. We have eyes so ought to see. Lest we become like the Israelites and incur the wrath of God.

Jesus does not mince words when he said, ". . .everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life." Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,  but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." We believe in God and in his goodness is to love Him. To love God is to believe in Him and his goodness. These are his commandments - love God, love our neighbors. But first is, love God.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: 2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23, Eph 2:4-10, and Jn 3:14-21 (below).

. . .

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

“Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, 

so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 

so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, 

so that everyone who believes in him might not perish 

but might have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, 

but that the world might be saved through him.

Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, 

but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, 

because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

And this is the verdict,

that the light came into the world, 

but people preferred darkness to light,

because their works were evil.

For everyone who does wicked things hates the light

and does not come toward the light, 

so that his works might not be exposed.

But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, 

so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-66) - One in Christ

Dearest Goddaughter,

We sometimes say this about someone who did not do their job - "they had one job." However, what about us when it comes to God? In today's first reading, from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah, God asks of us this one thing: "Listen to my voice." Yet, we only need to look at our nation and world to know that we as a people do not listen to the voice of God.

God knows this about us and calls us out, saying: ". . .they obeyed not, nor did they pay heed. . . they have not obeyed me nor paid heed. . . this is the nation that does not listen to the voice of the Lord, its God, or take correction. . . Faithfulness has disappeared." Do we walk in the hardness of our evil hearts? Are we so stiff-necked that we turn our backs, not our faces, to God?

Jesus warns us against being divided against ourselves, saying that even the Evil One and his minions know not to be divided: "Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house.. . .if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?" Jesus did not mince words when he talked about unity, saying: "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters." 

Therefore, as the many parts of the One Body of Christ, let us not sow Christian disunity but be united under the one banner of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. How can we do this? We look to the Holy Trinity - Three Divine Persons, God. The Psalms provide us with a good roadmap to follow:

"Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;

let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;

let us joyfully sing psalms to him.

. . .

Come, let us bow down in worship;

let us kneel before the LORD who made us.

For he is our God,

and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides."

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Jer 7:23-28 and Lk 11:14-23 (below).

. . .

Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute,

and when the demon had gone out,

the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed.

Some of them said, "By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons,

he drives out demons."

Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.

But he knew their thoughts and said to them,

"Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste

and house will fall against house.

And if Satan is divided against himself,

how will his kingdom stand?

For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons.

If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul,

by whom do your own people drive them out?

Therefore they will be your judges.

But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons,

then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.

When a strong man fully armed guards his palace,

his possessions are safe.

But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him,

he takes away the armor on which he relied

and distributes the spoils.

Whoever is not with me is against me,

and whoever does not gather with me scatters."

Lenten Book Study "Self Portrait" - Chapters 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 ***SPOILER ALERT***

Once again, I am leading a book study. This time the book is Jim Sano's novel "Self Portrait", the 3rd 4th book in the Fr. Tom series. It is a mini-book study over 4 evenings - Feb. 13th, Feb. 20th, March 5th, and March 19th - covering 8 chapters during each meeting.

To help us with our discussions, I came up with questions for us to reflect on and prepare to share during the meeting. The questions are:

• Which character struck you the most in the chapter? Why?
• Which character reminds you of yourself or someone you know? How?
• Do you empathize or sympathize with any of the characters in the chapter? Which one? Why?
• Were there any teachings or references to the Catholic faith that you picked up in the chapter? If yes, what is it and what were your thoughts?
• What do you find most compelling about the chapter? Why?

Below are my thoughts on chapters 24, 25, 26, 27, 28.

***SPOILER ALERT***

Which character struck you the most in the chapters? Why?

In Chapter 25, it was all Mary because, not satisfied with the reasons why Kenny Green was generously giving them the money for the surgery that Billy and Sean gave her, she searches for the truth herself. She talks with Mr. DuBois, Angelo (and learns about Frank Gala, who is a marksman), Tobey, Reggie Hope's mother - Rozzy, and Kenny Green and his mother - Melina. In the end, she focuses on Sean and gets him to confess to he that it was all his plan.

Which character reminds you of yourself or someone you know? How?

While Billy no longer feels guilty about taking the money so that Mary could get the surgery that she needed, he has exchanged guilty for fear - most of all, fear of losing Mary should she know the truth (p. 145).

After his confrontation with Kenny Green, in Chapter 26, Billy realized that Patrick did not commit suicide. Rather, he laid down his life for the ones he loved, his parents - Billy & Mary (p. 166). Fr. Tom encourages Billy to forgive Kenny, saying: "God wants you to forgive him, and my guess is that Patrick already has" (p. 167). Mary encourages Billy to "let [Patrick] be with God."

Do you empathize or sympathize with any of the characters in the chapters? Which one? Why?

In Chapter 25, after Mary gets Sean to confess that he was the mastermind behind the heist to get the reward money to pay for her surgery, Sean reveals his own feelings of "self-rejection" and "lack of self-worth" (p. 158). He felt that he was a placeholder for Patrick and could never be his replacement in the lives of Billy and Mary. This certainly pains him because he loves them so much and wants to take the pain of losing Patrick from them but does not know how.

Mary does not take the money. Fr. Tom tells Billy that he should also know how Mary feels about it and honor her. Their souls are more important so that they can spend eternity together and see Patrick again.

Were there any teachings or references to the Catholic faith that you picked up in the chapter? If yes, what is it and what were your thoughts?

In Chapter 24, Sean brings Jennifer for Thanksgiving dinner to meet Billy and Mary. Mary also invites Fr. Tom and Angelo. During their conservations, Sean reveals that Jennifer does not want them to move in together until after they are married. Jennifer understands what happens to couples whose marriages are broken later on because of these "uncommitted 'mini-marriage'", which the Church calls co-habitation. Fr. Tom, in his usual expert and pastoral way, exhibits the fallacy of a man and a woman cohabitating before marriage (p. 148-149). [Note: I plan to use this in our CALLED TO BE ONE Marriage Class.]

Moreover, in Chapter 27, Billy faces his own fear of rejection by Mary; however, Mary assures him that he "should be able to share anything with [her] and know that "she'll] love him." After he was able to let go and let God, Billy felt free for the first time in a long while. He felt love.

In Chapter 28, Billy forgives Kenny. Kenny declines the reward.

What do you find most compelling about the chapters? Why?

In Chapter 24, during Thanksgiving dinner, Mary, Jennifer, Fr. Tom, and Angelo start talking about the heist and wonder if Kenny Green is claiming the reward money unless he was part of the plan to get the reward money instead of stealing the painting. Interestingly enough, everyone, except for the two officers involved in the investigation, found this odd.

In Chapter 26, we learn from Sean how connected Patrick and Kenny were when he tells Billy & Mary that "Kenny was in the room when Patrick died" (p. 159). He also dropped another piece of information that sent Billy over the edge when he said, "Patrick was under a lot of pressure after the shooting, but he didn't kill himself. He couldn't" (p. 160). Billy pieced the meaning behind this revelation from Sean and immediately leaves the apartment in search of Kenny Green. Billy learns from Kenny the impossible situation that he and Patrick was in: "If Patrick informed the police, you and Mary would be dead. If I didn't take him out, you, Mary, and my mother would be killed" (p. 163). Kenny confesses to Billy that he was the one how shot Patrick.

Previous chapter(s):

Chapter 1 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait-chapter.html

Chapter 2 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait-chapter_13.html

Chapter 3 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait-chapter_9.html

Chapters 4 & 5 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait-chapter_17.html

Chapters 6, 7, 8 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait.html

Chapters 9 & 10 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait_20.html

Chapters 11 & 12 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait_94.html

Chapters 13, 14, 15, 16 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait_28.html

Chapters 17, 18, 19 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/03/lenten-book-study-self-portrait.html

Chapters 20, 21, 22, 23 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/03/lenten-book-study-self-portrait_5.html

Lenten Book Study "Self Portrait" - Chapters 20, 21, 22, 23 ***SPOILER ALERT***

Once again, I am leading a book study. This time the book is Jim Sano's novel "Self Portrait", the 3rd 4th book in the Fr. Tom series. It is a mini-book study over 4 evenings - Feb. 13th, Feb. 20th, March 5th, and March 19th - covering 8 chapters during each meeting.

To help us with our discussions, I came up with questions for us to reflect on and prepare to share during the meeting. The questions are:

• Which character struck you the most in the chapter? Why?
• Which character reminds you of yourself or someone you know? How?
• Do you empathize or sympathize with any of the characters in the chapter? Which one? Why?
• Were there any teachings or references to the Catholic faith that you picked up in the chapter? If yes, what is it and what were your thoughts?
• What do you find most compelling about the chapter? Why?

Below are my thoughts on chapters 20, 21, 22, 23.

***SPOILER ALERT***

Which character struck you the most in the chapters? Why?

Billy because he is faced with quite the dilemma after he figured out that Sean was the mastermind behind the heist in an effort to get the insurance money to pay for Mary's surgery. Also, in Chapter 21, Sean is shot while he and Billy responded to a robbery at a convenience store. As Sean is laying there in his own blood, Billy gets flashbacks of the time when he discovered his son, Patrick, laying in the pool of his own blood. Fr. Tom provides insight into what Billy was experiencing, saying: "Present suffering touches past suffering, making everything worse" (p. 128-129).

In Chapter 22, Billy reveals the burden that he had been carrying with him all this life. First, he felt that he was not there for his mom. Then, he was not there for his brother, Jimmy. Finally, he was not there for his son, Patrick. He is determined to be there for Mary no matter what. Because of this, Billy was at peace with accepting the money to get Mary the surgery that she needed to live. He shares this with Sean who is ecstatic because he wants to save Mary as well.

Which character reminds you of yourself or someone you know? How?

Kenny Green wanted to help Sean because he benefited him and would also benefit a complete stranger - Mary. He was willing to take a bullet if it meant him having a chance to rise above his current situation. I think in many ways we can all relate to Kenny and what he desires in life.

Do you empathize or sympathize with any of the characters in the chapters? Which one? Why?

It would have to be Sean. He sees Billy and Mary as his parents. He caught himself from calling Mary "mother" (p. 118) during his conversation with Billy. He saw how tormented Billy was at the prospect of life without Mary if she did not get the surgery. Sean told Billy many times that he would do anything to save Mary and so he set his plan in motion and it involved Kenny Green, Reggie Hope, Dougie Jones, and Reggie's nephew, Tobey.

In Chapter 22, Mary pleads with Billy to stop blaming himself for their son's death. She tells him to go talk with Fr. Tom, who is a trained psychologist. Mary pleads with Billy, saying: "I need you" (p. 130).

Were there any teachings or references to the Catholic faith that you picked up in the chapter? If yes, what is it and what were your thoughts?

Billy received a call from Kenny Green offering him $500,000 of the reward money from the insurance company to help Mary get the surgery she needed. However, he has to discern if this is of God or not of God, thinking to himself: "If God was answering his prayer, why didn't he trust his way of providing that answer? What else could it have looked like?" (p. 117)

In Chapter 21, Billy is conflicted. On the one hand, he wants to Mary to have the surgery and get better; however, on the other hand, he goes to Confession and knows that the end does not justify the means.

What do you find most compelling about the chapters? Why?

Chapter 20 is the turning point of the novel, I believe, because it is revealed that Sean is the mastermind behind the whole heist of the Rembrandt painting. Billy figured it out and confronted Sean about it and Sean confessed. However, what is most compelling is, Sean did the wrong thing for the right reasons - his love Billy and Mary and for Mary to get the surgery that she needs. What is even more compelling is, it is Billy who probably pushed Sean into action because he could not bear to live life without Mary.

In Chapter 22, we learn from Sean that Kenny Green knew Patrick (p. 133). Both Kenny and Patrick were forced into participating in criminal activities by Kenny's older brother, Kyle, including a drive-shooting death of a rival gang leader. [Could this be the shooting incident that occurred in "Gus Busbi" in which Jamiel was shot?] Moreover, Fr. Tom tells Billy that he knows what it is like to lose someone he loved in life to suicide (alluding to "The Father's Son").

Previous chapter(s):

Chapter 1 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait-chapter.html

Chapter 2 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait-chapter_13.html

Chapter 3 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait-chapter_9.html

Chapters 4 & 5 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait-chapter_17.html

Chapters 6, 7, 8 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait.html

Chapters 9 & 10 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait_20.html

Chapters 11 & 12 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait_94.html

Chapters 13, 14, 15, 16 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait_28.html

Chapters 17, 18, 19 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/03/lenten-book-study-self-portrait.html

Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-65) - Psalm 51:12

Dearest Goddaughter,

In today's Gospel, Jesus cleaned up his Father's house by driving out the vendors and money changers with a whip that he made out of cords. After cleaning house, he foretold of the raise of the eternal temple that is his Body.

Saint Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, tells us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit because, as God said to the Prophet Ezekiel (36:26-27):

"I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you so that you walk in my statutes, observe my ordinances, and keep them."

Therefore, by cleansing the temple of sinners, he is leaving us model to follow, calling us on to keep our bodies, which are the temples of the Holy Spirit, pure from sin and evil. Jesus warns us of things that come from within us that defiles our hearts:

"He said to them, “Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters not the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.)

“But what comes out of a person, that is what defiles. From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.”"

Moreover, Saint Paul reiterates Jesus' teachings in his letter to the Galatians:

Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy,* drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ [Jesus] have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit. Let us not be conceited, provoking one another, envious of one another."

Therefore, let us pray and ask God (Psalm 51:12): "A clean heart create for me, God; renew within me a steadfast spirit."

Also, click hear to listen to this reflection/homily being delivered during Communion Service at The Conservatory on 3/3/2024: https://phucphan.podbean.com/e/gospel-reflection-332024-psalm-5112/

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Ex 20:1-17, 1 Cor 1:22-25, and Jn 2:13-25 (below).

. . .

Since the Passover of the Jews was near,

Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, 

as well as the money changers seated there.

He made a whip out of cords

and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, 

and spilled the coins of the money changers

and overturned their tables, 

and to those who sold doves he said,

“Take these out of here, 

and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”

His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, 

Zeal for your house will consume me.

At this the Jews answered and said to him,

“What sign can you show us for doing this?”

Jesus answered and said to them, 

“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”

The Jews said, 

“This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, 

and you will raise it up in three days?”

But he was speaking about the temple of his body.

Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, 

his disciples remembered that he had said this, 

and they came to believe the Scripture 

and the word Jesus had spoken.

While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, 

many began to believe in his name 

when they saw the signs he was doing.

But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all, 

and did not need anyone to testify about human nature.

He himself understood it well.

Lenten Book Study "Self Portrait" - Chapters 17, 18, 19

Once again, I am leading a book study. This time the book is Jim Sano's novel "Self Portrait", the 3rd 4th book in the Fr. Tom series. It is a mini-book study over 4 evenings - Feb. 13th, Feb. 20th, March 5th, and March 19th - covering 8 chapters during each meeting.

To help us with our discussions, I came up with questions for us to reflect on and prepare to share during the meeting. The questions are:

• Which character struck you the most in the chapter? Why?
• Which character reminds you of yourself or someone you know? How?
• Do you empathize or sympathize with any of the characters in the chapter? Which one? Why?
• Were there any teachings or references to the Catholic faith that you picked up in the chapter? If yes, what is it and what were your thoughts?
• What do you find most compelling about the chapter? Why?

Below are my thoughts on chapters 17, 18, 19.

Which character struck you the most in the chapters? Why?

In Chapter 17, although Angelo did not officially make an appearance in the chapter, Detective Brooks mentioned that Angelo located Peter Buck, who he believes is "running a major fencing operation for the black market and New England crime families" (p. 102). And then, in Chapter 18, Fr. Tom and Angelo were already talking with Peter Buck when Detective Brooks, Billy, and Sean arrived on scene.

Which character reminds you of yourself or someone you know? How?

In Chapter 19, Sean revealed to Billy and Mary that he is seeing a woman named Jennifer. When questioned by Mary why he has not brought Jennifer around to meeting them, Sean explained that he thought that happens when two people are serious or engaged. However, he has already met her family. Sean told Billy that he would do anything for him and Mary. They meant the world to him.

Do you empathize or sympathize with any of the characters in the chapters? Which one? Why?

Henri DuBois' reaction when they recovered the missing painting (in Chapter 18) was genuine. All he ever wanted was for them to recover the painting. He did not care about the mystery, only to recover the Rembandt masterpiece. He is the curator of the museum after all.

Were there any teachings or references to the Catholic faith that you picked up in the chapter? If yes, what is it and what were your thoughts?

In Chapter 17, page 101, in this midst of recovering from a gunshot wound, Billy offered prayers for Mary to be healed of her ailment, asking God to "don't let her suffer from this condition." This is redemptive suffering, to unite our suffering with the suffering of Christ on the Cross and intercede for another. In Chapter 19, page. 114-115, Billy, Fr. Tom, and Angelo talk about the nature of good and whether compromising honesty to achieve an end that is good is itself a good. Fr. Tom said that he should have been honest with Tobey in the first place and admitted that he acted on instinct. However, Fr. Tom admits that not all things are so black-and-white sometimes. He recommends prayerful discernment to help determine the right course of action depending on the particular situation.

What do you find most compelling about the chapters? Why?

In Chapter 17, Detective Brooks brought both Reggie Hope and Dougie Jones in for additional questioning based on the additional information that they gathered from Tobey's interrogation. However, both Reggie and Dougie vehemently deny having anything to do with the stolen painting. In Chapter 18, it was Kenny Green who showed up at the Gardner Museum with information on the stolen Rembrandt and to collect the reward money. The question remains, how did Kenny Green know where the painting was hidden? An even better question, was he involved in the heist with Dougie and Reggie?

Previous chapter(s):

Chapter 1 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait-chapter.html

Chapter 2 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait-chapter_13.html

Chapter 3 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait-chapter_9.html

Chapters 4 & 5 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait-chapter_17.html

Chapters 6, 7, 8 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait.html

Chapters 9 & 10 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait_20.html

Chapters 11 & 12 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait_94.html

Chapters 13, 14, 15, 16 https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/02/lenten-book-study-self-portrait_28.html