Readings for Sunday 8/22/2010 Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Summary of the Gospel
Our Gospel passage for this Sunday poses the most important question that will ever be asked: Who will be saved? When we talk about being ‘saved’, we mean getting to heaven at the end of our life. Before we look at Jesus’ response, it is important to keep in mind what Jesus did not say about salvation. He didn’t say everyone will be saved; He didn’t say that no one will be saved; He didn’t tell us how many will be saved. Instead of giving us a count, Jesus tells us how to be saved. Jesus says that we will go to heaven when we choose to enter through the ‘narrow gate’. In other words, if we want to go to heaven, we have to be willing to do what few people are willing to do. We have to be willing to go against what everyone else is doing and have the courage to be different than them. Salvation requires a total focus on the goal, eternal life with Christ. Only a very few groups in our society understand this determination, but we hear it in the expression, ‘no pain, no gain’. Many athletes, business professionals, and even a handful of students understand it, but often times their focus is on things that pass away, that are temporary. They lose their focus of things that are eternal, and unfortunately make their short-term goals more important than their long-term goals. Jesus says that this same determination needs to be channeled and put towards our pursuit of heaven. Of all the things in our life that will last the longest, it is heaven. Our culture today does everything it can to get us focused on the here and now. We are constantly being chased for our money, so we can buy stuff and have immediate gratification. Immediate gratification does not lead to Jesus. If we want to be saved, we have to train ourselves to desire the things that come with work. This will help us put our focus on eternity. After Jesus invites us to enter through the ‘narrow gate’, He makes it a point to say that, even though many people spend time with Him, just ‘hanging out’ with Jesus will not save us. What is required is that we change our being; we have a true conversion of heart. Spending time with Jesus, without changing ourselves, will count as nothing. If we do not allow Jesus to change our hearts, then we will have wasted our time on earth. Jesus uses strong language here, describing these people as ‘evildoers’. In a certain sense, what He is saying is that, if you are not doing well, you are doing no-good! What a shame it would be if we heard this Gospel and did nothing with it. All of us, no matter how long we have been following Jesus, must recommit ourselves to the ‘narrow road’. Jesus showed us this way when He suffered and died. The Cross is our map to the ‘narrow road’. May we have the courage to trust Jesus completely with that path, and that we never count the cost – even if it costs us our life!
YM Central Publications
Reading 1 Isaiah 66:18-21
18 Thus says the LORD: I know their works and their thoughts, and I come to gather nations of every language; they shall come and see my glory. 19 I will set a sign among them; from them I will send fugitives to the nations: to Tarshish, Put and Lud, Mosoch, Tubal and Javan, to the distant coastlands that have never heard of my fame, or seen my glory; and they shall proclaim my glory among the nations. 20 They shall bring all your brothers and sisters from all the nations as an offering to the LORD, on horses and in chariots, in carts, upon mules and dromedaries, to Jerusalem, my holy mountain, says the LORD, just as the Israelites bring their offering to the house of the LORD in clean vessels. 21 Some of these I will take as priests and Levites, says the LORD.
Reading 2 Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13
5 Brothers and sisters, You have forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as children: “My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by him; 6 for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges.” 7 Endure your trials as “discipline”; God treats you as sons. For what “son” is there whom his father does not discipline? 11 At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it. 12 So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees. 13 Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be disjointed but healed.
Gospel Luke 13:22-30
22 Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.
23 Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. 25 After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.
26 And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’ 27 Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’ 28 And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. 29 And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God. 30 For behold, some are last who will be first,and some are first who will be last.”
Questions for Discussion:
1. In what way do the Saints and martyrs show us the ‘narrow road’? Describe. Which Saints and martyrs have helped you the most to understand this path?
2. What does it mean, in terms of our daily actions, to be ‘entering through the narrow gate’? How does society try to influence us to take the ‘wide gate’? Describe.
3. In terms of how you live your daily life, how can you better enter through the ‘narrow gate’? Describe
Lord, thank you for being so real to me and for revealing your wonderful love to us. There are people in our lives who don’t know you, some who even resist your call. Yet we know how much you love them and how much you want them to know your love. Lord, please put in our minds the names of people you would like us to reach with your love. And, Lord, with those names, we ask you to give us wisdom about how to “fertilize” their hearts so they may bear abundant fruit. Amen
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Monday, August 23, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
Readings for Sunday August 15, 2010
Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
After reading this Sunday’s Gospel from St Luke, I was reminded of the writings of Pope John Paul II
during his weekly Rosary hour. Enjoy the readings and spread the good news-
IHN tommyk
The Pope writes:
The Rosary is my favorite prayer.
It is a marvelous prayer!
Marvelous in its simplicity
and in its profundity.
In this prayer we repeat over and over again the words that were spoken to the Virgin Mary by the Angel and by her kinswoman Elizabeth. The entire Church shares in these words.
October 29th 1978
In the Rosary we bless the faith of Mary
"And blessed is she who believed."
Blessed are you, O Mary, who believed, when the Messenger of God spoke to you.
Blessed are you, who believed "that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."
Elizabeth blesses your faith.
The entire Church blesses your faith.
All humanity blesses your faith.
All of us who recite the Holy Rosary bless the faith of Mary, in each of its Mysteries.
Let us pray to her.
And let us pray together with her.
We believe that in these Mysteries she prays with us. Mary allows us to find ourselves amid the great things that the Almighty has accomplished in her, amid the "great works of God" through which the Church lives.
Like a mother she guides the life in which the Church's faith, hope, and charity are expressed.
And this happens — in a special way — through the Holy Rosary.
Let us give thanks for all the fruits of this prayer, through which the Mother of Christ has been with us.
October 28, 1984
Mankind needs Mary!
Mankind needs Mary! In her we find, truly, access to the heart of her Son, the only place where our restlessness can find peace, where our sorrows find comfort, where our intentions to live a life consistent with the values of the Gospel find strength and constancy. Pray fervently to Most Holy Mary! Be aware of her at your side and consecrate yourselves to her, renewing throughout the day your affection and your trust, so that she may accompany you in your daily affairs. Her memory is alive in families, especially in the daily recitation of the Rosary. It's a daily encounter that she and I never miss: if you wish to be close to the heart of the Pope for some moments, I suggest to you the Rosary hour, when I remember all of you to the Virgin Mary, and I would be pleased if you would remember me to her in the same way.
May 12, 1991
Excerpts from “The Rosary Hour: The Private Prayers of Pope John Paul II”
1st Reading Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
11:19a God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. 12:1 A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.
3 Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems. 4 Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne. 6a The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God. 10ab Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have salvation and power come, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed One.”
2nd Reading 1 Corinthians 15:20-27
20 Brothers and sisters: Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
21 For since death came through man, the resurrection of the dead came also through man. 22 For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, 23 but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ; 24 then comes the end, when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power.
25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death, 27a for “he subjected everything under his feet.”
Gospel Luke 1:39-56
39 Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 cried out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” 46 And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; 47 my spirit rejoices in God my Savior 48 for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: 49 the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name. 50 He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. 51 He has shown the strength of his arm, and has scattered the proud in their conceit. 52 He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, 55 the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever.” 56 Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
Question’s for Discussion:
1. What do you appreciate most about Mary?
2. In what way would you like to be more like Mary?
3. Which of the words found in Mary’s song (vv 46-55) best describes how you are feeling about your spiritual life? Rejoicing lowly blessed thrown down lifted up filled hungry empty
4. The Gospel tells us that Mary is “blessed” because she believed and trusted in God and his words to her. Are there obstacles in your life that keep you from having a deeper faith and trust in Jesus?
After reading this Sunday’s Gospel from St Luke, I was reminded of the writings of Pope John Paul II
during his weekly Rosary hour. Enjoy the readings and spread the good news-
IHN tommyk
The Pope writes:
The Rosary is my favorite prayer.
It is a marvelous prayer!
Marvelous in its simplicity
and in its profundity.
In this prayer we repeat over and over again the words that were spoken to the Virgin Mary by the Angel and by her kinswoman Elizabeth. The entire Church shares in these words.
October 29th 1978
In the Rosary we bless the faith of Mary
"And blessed is she who believed."
Blessed are you, O Mary, who believed, when the Messenger of God spoke to you.
Blessed are you, who believed "that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."
Elizabeth blesses your faith.
The entire Church blesses your faith.
All humanity blesses your faith.
All of us who recite the Holy Rosary bless the faith of Mary, in each of its Mysteries.
Let us pray to her.
And let us pray together with her.
We believe that in these Mysteries she prays with us. Mary allows us to find ourselves amid the great things that the Almighty has accomplished in her, amid the "great works of God" through which the Church lives.
Like a mother she guides the life in which the Church's faith, hope, and charity are expressed.
And this happens — in a special way — through the Holy Rosary.
Let us give thanks for all the fruits of this prayer, through which the Mother of Christ has been with us.
October 28, 1984
Mankind needs Mary!
Mankind needs Mary! In her we find, truly, access to the heart of her Son, the only place where our restlessness can find peace, where our sorrows find comfort, where our intentions to live a life consistent with the values of the Gospel find strength and constancy. Pray fervently to Most Holy Mary! Be aware of her at your side and consecrate yourselves to her, renewing throughout the day your affection and your trust, so that she may accompany you in your daily affairs. Her memory is alive in families, especially in the daily recitation of the Rosary. It's a daily encounter that she and I never miss: if you wish to be close to the heart of the Pope for some moments, I suggest to you the Rosary hour, when I remember all of you to the Virgin Mary, and I would be pleased if you would remember me to her in the same way.
May 12, 1991
Excerpts from “The Rosary Hour: The Private Prayers of Pope John Paul II”
1st Reading Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
11:19a God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. 12:1 A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.
3 Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems. 4 Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne. 6a The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God. 10ab Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have salvation and power come, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed One.”
2nd Reading 1 Corinthians 15:20-27
20 Brothers and sisters: Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
21 For since death came through man, the resurrection of the dead came also through man. 22 For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, 23 but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ; 24 then comes the end, when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power.
25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death, 27a for “he subjected everything under his feet.”
Gospel Luke 1:39-56
39 Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 cried out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” 46 And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; 47 my spirit rejoices in God my Savior 48 for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: 49 the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name. 50 He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. 51 He has shown the strength of his arm, and has scattered the proud in their conceit. 52 He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, 55 the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever.” 56 Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
Question’s for Discussion:
1. What do you appreciate most about Mary?
2. In what way would you like to be more like Mary?
3. Which of the words found in Mary’s song (vv 46-55) best describes how you are feeling about your spiritual life? Rejoicing lowly blessed thrown down lifted up filled hungry empty
4. The Gospel tells us that Mary is “blessed” because she believed and trusted in God and his words to her. Are there obstacles in your life that keep you from having a deeper faith and trust in Jesus?
Friday, August 6, 2010
Readings for Sunday August 8th 2010
Summary of the Gospel from YM Central.
When a serious athlete prepares for competition, they do all they can to prepare for it. With great focus, they spend months and months preparing for an event that might last a few minutes. This Sunday’s Gospel challenges us to prepare for the greatest event we will ever participate in, our eternity in heaven. The first line from Jesus in this passage shows us the complete focus we need to have to get there. We must allow nothing, including our possessions, to hold us back from the Kingdom. The Kingdom refers to heaven, our eternal destiny. Jesus’ entire message in this Gospel is based on His understanding that this world is temporary.
One day we will be dead and gone from it. The most important goal we have in life is not to make it in this world, but to make it to heaven in the next. We have only a glimpse of heaven from Jesus, probably because, in this life, we would have a hard time understanding it. Heaven cannot be put into words. Jesus does, however, tell us that it is worth giving up everything in this world for heaven in the next. God’s eternal Kingdom is more important than the money we make; it is more important than the clothes we wear; it is more important than the people in our lives.
Why is heaven so important? In heaven, we will see God face-to-face. He Himself will be our reward. Just looking upon Him will be worth enduring all the hardships of this life. He loves each of us dearly, but gives us the freedom to reject Him. We have to trust the words of Jesus completely, beginning to change our lives so that nothing gets in the way of heaven. To get to there, Jesus lists a few key steps in this Gospel. First, we should not be afraid. Although we may have to face trials along the way, in the end God wins. Any sacrifices we make to get there are worth it. Second, we need to eliminate all attachments to this life on earth. Whether it is a material possession, an emotion, or a person, God calls us to be ready to drop everything so we can be entirely focused on Him. Third, we need to prepare to meet Jesus face to face – at any time.
Preparing to die can be very difficult for us to think about. Often times the reality of our death can seem so very distant, until we are brought face-to-face with the death of a friend or loved one – or our own mortality. Many of us don’t want to prepare for our own deaths because we don’t like to think about the end of our life. Yet if we ignore our eventual mortality, we will miss the point of our lives – getting to heaven. Although there are many great things in this world, God the Father wants us to put our trust completely in Him so we can get to heaven. There will be many hardships we face along the way, but every serious athlete knows this: No pain, no gain. Let us ask the grace to be ready at any moment to give account of our lives. May we lose all detachment to sin, and turn our hearts completely over to the will of Jesus.
Reading 1 Wisdom 18:6-9
6 The night of the Passover was known beforehand to our fathers, that, with sure knowledge of the oaths in which they put their faith, they might have courage. 7 Your people awaited the salvation of the just and the destruction of their foes. 8 For when you punished our adversaries, in this you glorified us whom you had summoned. 9 For in secret the holy children of the good were offering sacrifice and putting into effect with one accord the divine institution.
Reading II Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19
1 Brothers and sisters: Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.
2 Because of it the ancients were well attested. 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go. 9 By faith he sojourned in the Promised Land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise; 10 for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and maker is God. 11 By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age —and Sarah herself was sterile— for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy. 12 So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore. 13 All these died in faith. They did not receive what had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth, 14 for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 17 By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.” 19 He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead, and he received Isaac back as a symbol.
Gospel Luke 12:32-48
32 Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. 34 For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. 35 “Gird your loins and light your lamps 36 and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. 38 And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants. 39 Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” 41 Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” 42 And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. 44 Truly, I say to you, the master will put the servant in charge of all his property. 45 But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk,
46 then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish the servant severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. 47 That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; 48 and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”
Questions for Discussion:
1. Describe the parables Jesus uses in this Scripture passage to teach us about preparing for heaven. Who are the major characters in them? What are the consequences for not preparing for them?
2. When people think of heaven, what images come to mind? Describe. Are these images usually ones for which we would dying?
3. On a scale from 1-10, 10 being highest, how prepared are you to die? Describe. What can you do on a daily basis to remind yourself that God could call you home at any moment?
When a serious athlete prepares for competition, they do all they can to prepare for it. With great focus, they spend months and months preparing for an event that might last a few minutes. This Sunday’s Gospel challenges us to prepare for the greatest event we will ever participate in, our eternity in heaven. The first line from Jesus in this passage shows us the complete focus we need to have to get there. We must allow nothing, including our possessions, to hold us back from the Kingdom. The Kingdom refers to heaven, our eternal destiny. Jesus’ entire message in this Gospel is based on His understanding that this world is temporary.
One day we will be dead and gone from it. The most important goal we have in life is not to make it in this world, but to make it to heaven in the next. We have only a glimpse of heaven from Jesus, probably because, in this life, we would have a hard time understanding it. Heaven cannot be put into words. Jesus does, however, tell us that it is worth giving up everything in this world for heaven in the next. God’s eternal Kingdom is more important than the money we make; it is more important than the clothes we wear; it is more important than the people in our lives.
Why is heaven so important? In heaven, we will see God face-to-face. He Himself will be our reward. Just looking upon Him will be worth enduring all the hardships of this life. He loves each of us dearly, but gives us the freedom to reject Him. We have to trust the words of Jesus completely, beginning to change our lives so that nothing gets in the way of heaven. To get to there, Jesus lists a few key steps in this Gospel. First, we should not be afraid. Although we may have to face trials along the way, in the end God wins. Any sacrifices we make to get there are worth it. Second, we need to eliminate all attachments to this life on earth. Whether it is a material possession, an emotion, or a person, God calls us to be ready to drop everything so we can be entirely focused on Him. Third, we need to prepare to meet Jesus face to face – at any time.
Preparing to die can be very difficult for us to think about. Often times the reality of our death can seem so very distant, until we are brought face-to-face with the death of a friend or loved one – or our own mortality. Many of us don’t want to prepare for our own deaths because we don’t like to think about the end of our life. Yet if we ignore our eventual mortality, we will miss the point of our lives – getting to heaven. Although there are many great things in this world, God the Father wants us to put our trust completely in Him so we can get to heaven. There will be many hardships we face along the way, but every serious athlete knows this: No pain, no gain. Let us ask the grace to be ready at any moment to give account of our lives. May we lose all detachment to sin, and turn our hearts completely over to the will of Jesus.
Reading 1 Wisdom 18:6-9
6 The night of the Passover was known beforehand to our fathers, that, with sure knowledge of the oaths in which they put their faith, they might have courage. 7 Your people awaited the salvation of the just and the destruction of their foes. 8 For when you punished our adversaries, in this you glorified us whom you had summoned. 9 For in secret the holy children of the good were offering sacrifice and putting into effect with one accord the divine institution.
Reading II Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19
1 Brothers and sisters: Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.
2 Because of it the ancients were well attested. 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go. 9 By faith he sojourned in the Promised Land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise; 10 for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and maker is God. 11 By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age —and Sarah herself was sterile— for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy. 12 So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore. 13 All these died in faith. They did not receive what had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth, 14 for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 17 By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.” 19 He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead, and he received Isaac back as a symbol.
Gospel Luke 12:32-48
32 Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. 34 For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. 35 “Gird your loins and light your lamps 36 and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. 38 And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants. 39 Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” 41 Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” 42 And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. 44 Truly, I say to you, the master will put the servant in charge of all his property. 45 But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk,
46 then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish the servant severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. 47 That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; 48 and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”
Questions for Discussion:
1. Describe the parables Jesus uses in this Scripture passage to teach us about preparing for heaven. Who are the major characters in them? What are the consequences for not preparing for them?
2. When people think of heaven, what images come to mind? Describe. Are these images usually ones for which we would dying?
3. On a scale from 1-10, 10 being highest, how prepared are you to die? Describe. What can you do on a daily basis to remind yourself that God could call you home at any moment?
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