Readings for Sunday April 3rd 2011
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Reading 1 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a
1 The LORD said to Samuel: “Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen my king from among his sons.” 6 As Jesse and his sons came to the sacrifice, Samuel looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is here before him.” 7 But the LORD said to Samuel: “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart.” 10 In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen any one of these.” 11 Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, who is tending the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him; we will not begin the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here.” 12 Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them. He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold and making a splendid appearance. The LORD said, “There(anoint him, for this is the one!” 13 Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed David in the presence of his brothers; and from that day on, the spirit of the LORD rushed upon David.
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Prior to this reading God had led the Prophet Samuel to anoint Saul but because of his disobedience he was removed and the Kingdom would be given to another. The new person to be anointed as King was chosen by God for his heart, not for his appearance. God tells Samuel do not look at Jesse’s sons to find the new King even though they may be lofty in stature meaning muscular and healthy looking, for God has rejected their outward appearance. God goes on to say that we do not see as God sees because we look for good looks and fancy clothes, but God looks into our hearts and know what we are made of.
• Do we find it uncomfortable to know that God can see into our hearts and knows us better that we know ourselves?
• How many times have we found ourselves judging others by their outward appearance?
• How do we want to be judged? By our family, by our friends, by our God?
• In what ways can we change our hearts (our lives) so that everyone we meet will see us for the beautiful person God made us to be?
We will discuss these questions and more on Thursday night 7pm in the youth room “come prepared”
Reading II Ephesians 5:8-14
8 Brothers and sisters: You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, 9 for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth. 10 Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them, 12 for it is shameful even to mention the things done by them in secret; 13 but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore, it says: “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
__________________________________________________________________________________________
What stands out to me in this reading by St. Paul is the statement in verse 8. Literally, it says, “you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.” You were not in the darkness or the light, you are darkness or light. Out of darkness and into His glorious light WOW!!!
What an Awesome change occurs in our lives when we finally come into the light of Jesus. That dark cloud over our eyesight is somewhat removed, and we are able to see. No longer do we live in darkness, but in light. St. Paul goes further to suggest that we are now part of the light and that we are now responsible to shine that light into the darkest corners of the earth.
• As you look back on your life what kind of spiritual growth have you seen?
• In what areas have you seen the greatest change?
• The way you treat your Mom and Dad?
• Your brothers and sisters? Your Friends? Others?
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Gospel John 9:1-41 or 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38
1 As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. 4 We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, 7 and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” -. which means Sent . So he went and washed, and came back able to see. 8 His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is,” but others said, “No, he just looks like him.”He said, “I am.” 10 So they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” 11 He replied, “The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went there and washed and was able to see.”12 And they said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I don’t know.” 13 They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a Sabbath. 15 So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.” 16 So some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a sinful man do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said to the blind man again, “What do you have to say about him, since he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” 18 Now, the Jews did not believe that he had been blind and gained his sight until they summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How does he now see?” 20 His parents answered and said, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 We do not know how he sees now, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him, he is of age; he can speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone acknowledged him as the Christ, he would be expelled from the synagogue. 23 For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; question him.” 24 So a second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give God the praise! We know that this man is a sinner.”25 He replied, “If he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see.” 26 So they said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” 28 They ridiculed him and said, “You are that man’s disciple; we are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this one is from.”30 The man answered and said to them, “This is what is so amazing, that you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him. 32 It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he would not be able to do anything.” 34 They answered and said to him, “You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out. 35 When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered and said, 36 “Who is he, sir,that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, 37 “You have seen him, the one speaking with you is he.”38 He said,“I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him. 39 Then Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.”40 Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not also blind, are we?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.”
In the Gospel Jesus cures a blind man and then everything hits the fan. The locals bring the cured man to the Pharisees and tell them that this man was cured, and that it was on the Sabbath. The Pharisees were not very happy about this event; they said, “This man is not from God, because he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a sinful man do such signs?” Later, the Pharisees question the man and felt threatened and said, “Are you trying to teach us, and you a sinner from birth?” That would make you think that the Pharisees knew something about this man that we do not, that he was a sinner from birth. For the Pharisees and those like them there is no injustice in the world. Everybody is getting what he or she deserves, but there are many who think along similar lines today. Today's society is not too different from that of the Pharisees Even when young innocents suffer and die it must be because of something they have done.
• Why would the Pharisees say that this man was a sinner from his birth?
• If we are pleased with the man’s restored sight, why are the Pharisees so angry?
• In what area of your life do you need healing? Physical, Spiritual, emotional, relational, other?
• What hard question would you like to ask Jesus about the problems of life?
If for any reason you would like to be removed from this list, please email me and I will remove your name. Otherwise, pass it on to everyone you know, Amen
IHN tommyk http://tommykawas.blogspot.com/
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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Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Grab Your Bucket and Go
Readings for Sunday March 27, 2011
Third Sunday of Lent
Ever think you can hide something from God? Guess again. This Sunday’s Gospel takes us to an important story from the Gospel of St. John, the meeting between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. This account shows us Jesus’ ability to peer into the heart of each and every person. Jesus and His disciples had been traveling, and they stopped in a Samaritan town to rest. This passage can only be properly understood within the context of the bitter hatred between the Jews of Jesus’ day and the Samaritans. The Jews considered the Samaritans to be half-bred Jews, those who had betrayed a pure Judaism and intermarried with the Gentiles. For Jesus to even talk with a Samaritan, especially a Samaritan woman, was a major breaking of a cultural barrier. Jesus begins to have a dialogue with this woman, but it is evident that Jesus is using the conversation as a means of going deeper with the woman to challenge her to conversion. A few things stand out in this passage. First, Jesus is concerned with her eternal life, not just the quality of life she has here on earth. Second, Jesus connects her eternal life with her current moral state. She has been in adulterous relationships, and Jesus confronts her on them. Third, Jesus connects eternal life with her beliefs and worship. What we believe and how we worship God will affect whether we make it to heaven or not. Christ calls us to worship Him in Spirit and Truth. There is a clear reason why we worship God and how we worship Him. (This, of course, is connected to the Mass, in which God is worshipped in Spirit and Truth.) Finally, we see that the bottom line to eternal life is not a series of doctrines, but ultimately a relationship with a person, Jesus. When you and I encounter Jesus, we are given the invitation to totally give our lives over to Him. Because He is God, when we meet Jesus, we are challenged to give every part of our life to Him. We are called to completely turn away from sin so Christ’s goodness can live in us. This Lent, Christ invites us to hold nothing back from Him, giving over to Him every sin and every attraction to sin. God hates sin, and wants to completely obliterate it from us. God only acts when we ask Him to act. He has given us the freedom to hide things from Him, but He never stops inviting us to deeper conversion. Do not be afraid to completely abandon yourself to Christ! What the Samaritan woman – and her entire town – came to realize is that salvation comes from Jesus Himself. May we have the grace, this Lent, to deepen our love for Jesus, not being afraid of Him, but turning to Him as our Friend, Lord, and Savior.
Summary of the Gospel from YM Central
Reading 1 Exodus 17:3-7
3- In those days, in their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “Why did you ever make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst with our children and our livestock?” 4- So Moses cried out to the LORD, “What shall I do with this people? A little more and they will stone me!” 5- The LORD answered Moses, “Go over there in front of the people, along with some of the elders of Israel, holding in your hand, as you go, the staff with which you struck the river. 6- I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it for the people to drink.” This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel. 7- The place was called Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled there and tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD in our midst or not?”
Discussion Questions:
How would you describe Moses’ response to the complaints of the people?
Does it seem that God was more available to people in the Old Testament times than today? Why or why not?
When do you tend to ask God for help?
What did Moses and Aaron do here at Massah and Meribah that kept them from entering the promised land ?
(See Numbers 20:1-12 if you are curious about the answer)
Psalm 95: 1-2, 6-7, 8-9
R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
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.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
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.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works.”
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Reading II Romans 5:1-2, 5-8
1- Brothers and sisters: Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2- through whom we have gained access by faith to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God. 5- And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 6- For Christ, while we were still helpless, died at the appointed time for the ungodly. 7- Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. 8- But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
Discussion Questions:
How does Paul describe humankind’s condition before Christ?
How should a Christian look upon suffering and stress?
Gospel John 4:5-42 or 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42
5 Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon. 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her,“Give me a drink.” 8 His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?”-- For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans. -- 10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink, ‘ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep; where then can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself with his children and his flocks?” 13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; 14 but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Go call your husband and come back.” 17 The woman answered and said to him,“I do not have a husband.”Jesus answered her,‘You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.’ 18 For you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, 19 “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain; but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You people worship what you do not understand; we worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ; when he comes, he will tell us everything.”Jesus said to her, 26 “I am he, the one speaking with you.” 27 At that moment his disciples returned, and were amazed that he was talking with a woman, but still no one said, “What are you looking for?” or “Why are you talking with her?” 28 The woman left her water jar and went into the town and said to the people, 29 “Come see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and came to him. 31 Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘In four months the harvest will be here’? I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest. 36 The reaper is already receiving payment and gathering crops for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together. 37 For here the saying is verified that ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the work, and you are sharing the fruits of their work.” 39 Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me everything I have done.”40 When the Samaritans came to him, they invited him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. 41 Many more began to believe in him because of his word, 42 and they said to the woman, “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.”
Discussion Questions:
How would you describe the woman’s response for most of her conversation with Jesus? Puzzled, Searching, Avoidance, Skeptical.
What was the woman thirsting for? What are you really thirsting for?
What emotions ran through the Samaritan woman as she interacted with Jesus? Why do you think she felt like that?
Describe how sin keeps us from a relationship with Christ. How does Christ help us get beyond the affects of sin?
In this passage, Jesus connects eternal life with living a good moral life, worshipping God, and being in a relationship with Him. How would you respond to the person who thinks that going to heaven is just a matter of being a ‘nice
person’?
Enjoy the Readings-please pass them on… and as Father Oji constantly reminds us “remember to say your Rosary every day” IHN tommy
Third Sunday of Lent
Ever think you can hide something from God? Guess again. This Sunday’s Gospel takes us to an important story from the Gospel of St. John, the meeting between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. This account shows us Jesus’ ability to peer into the heart of each and every person. Jesus and His disciples had been traveling, and they stopped in a Samaritan town to rest. This passage can only be properly understood within the context of the bitter hatred between the Jews of Jesus’ day and the Samaritans. The Jews considered the Samaritans to be half-bred Jews, those who had betrayed a pure Judaism and intermarried with the Gentiles. For Jesus to even talk with a Samaritan, especially a Samaritan woman, was a major breaking of a cultural barrier. Jesus begins to have a dialogue with this woman, but it is evident that Jesus is using the conversation as a means of going deeper with the woman to challenge her to conversion. A few things stand out in this passage. First, Jesus is concerned with her eternal life, not just the quality of life she has here on earth. Second, Jesus connects her eternal life with her current moral state. She has been in adulterous relationships, and Jesus confronts her on them. Third, Jesus connects eternal life with her beliefs and worship. What we believe and how we worship God will affect whether we make it to heaven or not. Christ calls us to worship Him in Spirit and Truth. There is a clear reason why we worship God and how we worship Him. (This, of course, is connected to the Mass, in which God is worshipped in Spirit and Truth.) Finally, we see that the bottom line to eternal life is not a series of doctrines, but ultimately a relationship with a person, Jesus. When you and I encounter Jesus, we are given the invitation to totally give our lives over to Him. Because He is God, when we meet Jesus, we are challenged to give every part of our life to Him. We are called to completely turn away from sin so Christ’s goodness can live in us. This Lent, Christ invites us to hold nothing back from Him, giving over to Him every sin and every attraction to sin. God hates sin, and wants to completely obliterate it from us. God only acts when we ask Him to act. He has given us the freedom to hide things from Him, but He never stops inviting us to deeper conversion. Do not be afraid to completely abandon yourself to Christ! What the Samaritan woman – and her entire town – came to realize is that salvation comes from Jesus Himself. May we have the grace, this Lent, to deepen our love for Jesus, not being afraid of Him, but turning to Him as our Friend, Lord, and Savior.
Summary of the Gospel from YM Central
Reading 1 Exodus 17:3-7
3- In those days, in their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “Why did you ever make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst with our children and our livestock?” 4- So Moses cried out to the LORD, “What shall I do with this people? A little more and they will stone me!” 5- The LORD answered Moses, “Go over there in front of the people, along with some of the elders of Israel, holding in your hand, as you go, the staff with which you struck the river. 6- I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it for the people to drink.” This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel. 7- The place was called Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled there and tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD in our midst or not?”
Discussion Questions:
How would you describe Moses’ response to the complaints of the people?
Does it seem that God was more available to people in the Old Testament times than today? Why or why not?
When do you tend to ask God for help?
What did Moses and Aaron do here at Massah and Meribah that kept them from entering the promised land ?
(See Numbers 20:1-12 if you are curious about the answer)
Psalm 95: 1-2, 6-7, 8-9
R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
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.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
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.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works.”
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Reading II Romans 5:1-2, 5-8
1- Brothers and sisters: Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2- through whom we have gained access by faith to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God. 5- And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 6- For Christ, while we were still helpless, died at the appointed time for the ungodly. 7- Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. 8- But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
Discussion Questions:
How does Paul describe humankind’s condition before Christ?
How should a Christian look upon suffering and stress?
Gospel John 4:5-42 or 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42
5 Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon. 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her,“Give me a drink.” 8 His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?”-- For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans. -- 10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink, ‘ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep; where then can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself with his children and his flocks?” 13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; 14 but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Go call your husband and come back.” 17 The woman answered and said to him,“I do not have a husband.”Jesus answered her,‘You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.’ 18 For you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, 19 “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain; but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You people worship what you do not understand; we worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ; when he comes, he will tell us everything.”Jesus said to her, 26 “I am he, the one speaking with you.” 27 At that moment his disciples returned, and were amazed that he was talking with a woman, but still no one said, “What are you looking for?” or “Why are you talking with her?” 28 The woman left her water jar and went into the town and said to the people, 29 “Come see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and came to him. 31 Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘In four months the harvest will be here’? I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest. 36 The reaper is already receiving payment and gathering crops for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together. 37 For here the saying is verified that ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the work, and you are sharing the fruits of their work.” 39 Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me everything I have done.”40 When the Samaritans came to him, they invited him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. 41 Many more began to believe in him because of his word, 42 and they said to the woman, “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.”
Discussion Questions:
How would you describe the woman’s response for most of her conversation with Jesus? Puzzled, Searching, Avoidance, Skeptical.
What was the woman thirsting for? What are you really thirsting for?
What emotions ran through the Samaritan woman as she interacted with Jesus? Why do you think she felt like that?
Describe how sin keeps us from a relationship with Christ. How does Christ help us get beyond the affects of sin?
In this passage, Jesus connects eternal life with living a good moral life, worshipping God, and being in a relationship with Him. How would you respond to the person who thinks that going to heaven is just a matter of being a ‘nice
person’?
Enjoy the Readings-please pass them on… and as Father Oji constantly reminds us “remember to say your Rosary every day” IHN tommy
Go up the Mountain……Readings for Sunday March 20, 2011
Second Sunday of Lent
Summary of the Gospel from YM Central
Ever have a friend reveal a new side of them to you and it left you speechless? Welcome to the world of Sts. Peter, James, and John. Our Gospel reading this Sunday takes us to the Transfiguration of Jesus. This event gives the three Apostles a glimpse at the full divine identity of Jesus. First, we have to wonder why Jesus only took three of Apostles with Him? Why keep it a secret from everyone? Why even show these three in the first place? No matter Jesus’ reasons, what we can take from it is the fact that Jesus, in the midst of His earthly ministry, never lost or gave up His divine nature: God was truly walking with us on this planet. Imagine the reaction that Sts. Peter, James and John must have had as Jesus’ appearance changed right before their eyes. There is no other way to put it: They must have freaked out. Jesus does not let back His glory from them, and then Moses and Elijah show up on the scene. Why Moses and Elijah? Moses represents the Law and the Ten Commandments, and Elijah represents the prophets and their call to repentance: Together they represent the Old Covenant. Jesus stands between them as the fulfillment of the Old Covenant and the center of the New Covenant. If Jesus’ transformation was not enough, if having Moses and Elijah with them was not enough, then hearing the voice of the Father from heaven was. The Apostles immediately fell to the ground and were afraid. As quickly as the Transfiguration began, it ended, with Jesus, looking ‘normal’, and Moses and Elijah gone from the scene. From this event we understand that Jesus knew full-well that not only He would die, but would rise again. Jesus tells the three to keep the whole incident quiet until He has been raised from the dead. Why would Jesus want to keep this incident quiet? Jesus knew that the world was not yet ready to know His divine identity at this time. Jesus guards the amount of knowledge He gives His disciples, who are not ready for the full story, the full understanding of who Jesus is and what He’s got planned for them. The Lord treats us the same way, slowly revealing Himself to us as we are ready. As we continue to enter more deeply into our Lenten practices, we have to make sure that we are seeking God’s presence in everything we do. Jesus desires to reveal Himself to us this Lent in a way we have never before experienced. What is demanded on our part is that we simply open ourselves up more to His love. By doing this, we will see a new side of Jesus’ love for us. Let us pray for a continued ability to respond to God’s invitation to love Him more and more.
Reading 1 Genesis 12:1-4a
1 The LORD said to Abram: “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. 2 “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you.” 4a Abram went as the LORD directed him.
Reading 2 2 Timothy 1:8b-10
8b Beloved: Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God. 9 He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began, 10 but now made manifest through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Gospel Matthew17:1-9
1 Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”6 When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. 7But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” 8 And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone. 9 As they were coming down from the mountain,Jesus charged them, “Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
Discussion Questions:
1. Why would Jesus take these three disciples to witness this event?
2. What was Jesus’ purpose in transfiguring Himself before Peter, James and John? Why did He decide not to appear this way in front of the whole Twelve? Why do you think Peter, James and John kept quiet about this event?
3. What in the world was St. Peter thinking when he said to the Lord, “If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”? Why don’t you think Jesus responded to St. Peter?
4. Why is the event misunderstood by Peter?
5. When it comes to listening to Jesus, how hard of hearing are you?
6. Does Jesus ever scare you? Why? Why not? What can you do to be less afraid of Jesus?
7. How has your Lenten journey been to this point? Have you been faithful to your Lenten promises? What is the next step you need to take to love God more deeply this Lent?
Enjoy the readings, pass them on!!
IHN, tommyk
Summary of the Gospel from YM Central
Ever have a friend reveal a new side of them to you and it left you speechless? Welcome to the world of Sts. Peter, James, and John. Our Gospel reading this Sunday takes us to the Transfiguration of Jesus. This event gives the three Apostles a glimpse at the full divine identity of Jesus. First, we have to wonder why Jesus only took three of Apostles with Him? Why keep it a secret from everyone? Why even show these three in the first place? No matter Jesus’ reasons, what we can take from it is the fact that Jesus, in the midst of His earthly ministry, never lost or gave up His divine nature: God was truly walking with us on this planet. Imagine the reaction that Sts. Peter, James and John must have had as Jesus’ appearance changed right before their eyes. There is no other way to put it: They must have freaked out. Jesus does not let back His glory from them, and then Moses and Elijah show up on the scene. Why Moses and Elijah? Moses represents the Law and the Ten Commandments, and Elijah represents the prophets and their call to repentance: Together they represent the Old Covenant. Jesus stands between them as the fulfillment of the Old Covenant and the center of the New Covenant. If Jesus’ transformation was not enough, if having Moses and Elijah with them was not enough, then hearing the voice of the Father from heaven was. The Apostles immediately fell to the ground and were afraid. As quickly as the Transfiguration began, it ended, with Jesus, looking ‘normal’, and Moses and Elijah gone from the scene. From this event we understand that Jesus knew full-well that not only He would die, but would rise again. Jesus tells the three to keep the whole incident quiet until He has been raised from the dead. Why would Jesus want to keep this incident quiet? Jesus knew that the world was not yet ready to know His divine identity at this time. Jesus guards the amount of knowledge He gives His disciples, who are not ready for the full story, the full understanding of who Jesus is and what He’s got planned for them. The Lord treats us the same way, slowly revealing Himself to us as we are ready. As we continue to enter more deeply into our Lenten practices, we have to make sure that we are seeking God’s presence in everything we do. Jesus desires to reveal Himself to us this Lent in a way we have never before experienced. What is demanded on our part is that we simply open ourselves up more to His love. By doing this, we will see a new side of Jesus’ love for us. Let us pray for a continued ability to respond to God’s invitation to love Him more and more.
Reading 1 Genesis 12:1-4a
1 The LORD said to Abram: “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. 2 “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you.” 4a Abram went as the LORD directed him.
Reading 2 2 Timothy 1:8b-10
8b Beloved: Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God. 9 He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began, 10 but now made manifest through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Gospel Matthew17:1-9
1 Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”6 When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. 7But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” 8 And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone. 9 As they were coming down from the mountain,Jesus charged them, “Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
Discussion Questions:
1. Why would Jesus take these three disciples to witness this event?
2. What was Jesus’ purpose in transfiguring Himself before Peter, James and John? Why did He decide not to appear this way in front of the whole Twelve? Why do you think Peter, James and John kept quiet about this event?
3. What in the world was St. Peter thinking when he said to the Lord, “If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”? Why don’t you think Jesus responded to St. Peter?
4. Why is the event misunderstood by Peter?
5. When it comes to listening to Jesus, how hard of hearing are you?
6. Does Jesus ever scare you? Why? Why not? What can you do to be less afraid of Jesus?
7. How has your Lenten journey been to this point? Have you been faithful to your Lenten promises? What is the next step you need to take to love God more deeply this Lent?
Enjoy the readings, pass them on!!
IHN, tommyk
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
We are called to resist
Readings for Sunday March 13, 2011
First Sunday of Lent
We all face temptations don’t we? As for myself, I ask God every day for the strength to help me get through the day. Why? Because I am a sinner, I am tempted daily to sin in ways that hurt others and hold me back from being everything I can be.
Although you and I have given in to temptation, we are called to resist the devil’s empty promises. Satan tempts you and me as He did Christ, but with a different twist. Satan is always subtle: That means he wants to make the evil attractive to us so that we can make our own decision to sin. He knows that if he shows how bad he really is, that we would not be attracted to him. So he takes something good but uses it in a way that is evil.
Even though the devil is powerful, we have a power greater than evil on our side. We have the power of God’s love on our side. To be free from Satan’s temptations, we must stay close to Christ. In Jesus, we have nothing to fear.
Today’s Gospel shows Jesus struggling with temptation. A born leader, he was tempted to abuse his power. Many people in Israel were waiting for a messiah—a word we understand as Savior—to lead a violent revolt against Rome. But he knew God called him to do greater things.
How about you? Each person faces different temptations. What tempts you to be selfish and tempts you away from doing great things for God? Lent is a time to explore that question in your soul, to see where you have surrendered to temptation and where you need God’s strength to resist those temptations.
Here is an idea: List your six greatest temptations and then reflect on one each week during lent. Remember times you gave in. Remember times you resisted. Brainstorm ways to avoid the particular temptation you are focusing on. Look at what the Bible says about it. Ask God for the vision to see temptation clearly the next time you face it and for the strength to resist it. Our invitation this Lent is to make Jesus the center of everything we do. May Jesus’ words back to the devil be our words when we are faced with temptation: You shall worship the Lord, your God, and Him alone shall you serve.
When has giving in to temptation hurt you? How does giving in to temptation keep you from being the person you think God wants you to be?
Reading 1 Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7
7 The LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life,and so man became a living being. 8 Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east,and placed there the man whom he had formed. 9 Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow that were delightful to look at and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 3:1 Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals that the LORD God had made. The serpent asked the woman, “Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?” 2 The woman answered the serpent: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; 3 it is only about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said,‘You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.’”4 But the serpent said to the woman:“You certainly will not die!5 No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and what is evil.” 6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.
Reading 2 Romans 5:12-19 or 5:12, 17-19
12 Brothers and sisters: Through one man sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned— 13 for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world, though sin is not accounted when there is no law. 14 But death reigned from Adam to Moses,even over those who did not sin after the pattern of the trespass of Adam, who is the type of the one who was to come. 15 But the gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one, the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for the many. 16 And the gift is not like the result of the one who sinned. For after one sin there was the judgment that brought condemnation; but the gift, after many transgressions, brought acquittal. 17 For if, by the transgression of the one, death came to reign through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of justification come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ. 18 In conclusion, just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so, through one righteous act, acquittal and life came to all. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so, through the obedience of the one, the many will be made righteous.
Gospel Matthew 4:1-11
1 At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. 3 The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” 4 He said in reply, “It is written: One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you and with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” 7 Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” 8 Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence,
9 and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” 10 At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.” 11 Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.
1. Under what a circumstance was Jesus tempted: After a spiritual high? At a weak moment? At a new stage in life?
2. In each temptation what was its appeal? Its price? How does Jesus resist them? How does satan’s use of scripture differ from the way Jesus uses it?
3.How are the three temptations similar? Different?
4.Why were the temptations directed at Jesus Immediately after he was affirmed by God at his baptism? (Luke 3,22) “And the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."
5.If the devil had three shots at you, what three temptations would he use?
What can help you resist? What encouragement does this story provide?
6.Why would it be inaccurate to say, ‘the devil made me do it’ when we sin?
Why would it be inaccurate to say that God tempts us?
Why, then, would God allow us to be tempted? What good comes from being tempted?
7.Lent is a time of renewed commitment to holiness and keeping away from sin. What will you
be doing this Lent to help be closer to Christ and farther away from sin?
First Sunday of Lent
We all face temptations don’t we? As for myself, I ask God every day for the strength to help me get through the day. Why? Because I am a sinner, I am tempted daily to sin in ways that hurt others and hold me back from being everything I can be.
Although you and I have given in to temptation, we are called to resist the devil’s empty promises. Satan tempts you and me as He did Christ, but with a different twist. Satan is always subtle: That means he wants to make the evil attractive to us so that we can make our own decision to sin. He knows that if he shows how bad he really is, that we would not be attracted to him. So he takes something good but uses it in a way that is evil.
Even though the devil is powerful, we have a power greater than evil on our side. We have the power of God’s love on our side. To be free from Satan’s temptations, we must stay close to Christ. In Jesus, we have nothing to fear.
Today’s Gospel shows Jesus struggling with temptation. A born leader, he was tempted to abuse his power. Many people in Israel were waiting for a messiah—a word we understand as Savior—to lead a violent revolt against Rome. But he knew God called him to do greater things.
How about you? Each person faces different temptations. What tempts you to be selfish and tempts you away from doing great things for God? Lent is a time to explore that question in your soul, to see where you have surrendered to temptation and where you need God’s strength to resist those temptations.
Here is an idea: List your six greatest temptations and then reflect on one each week during lent. Remember times you gave in. Remember times you resisted. Brainstorm ways to avoid the particular temptation you are focusing on. Look at what the Bible says about it. Ask God for the vision to see temptation clearly the next time you face it and for the strength to resist it. Our invitation this Lent is to make Jesus the center of everything we do. May Jesus’ words back to the devil be our words when we are faced with temptation: You shall worship the Lord, your God, and Him alone shall you serve.
When has giving in to temptation hurt you? How does giving in to temptation keep you from being the person you think God wants you to be?
Reading 1 Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7
7 The LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life,and so man became a living being. 8 Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east,and placed there the man whom he had formed. 9 Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow that were delightful to look at and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 3:1 Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals that the LORD God had made. The serpent asked the woman, “Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?” 2 The woman answered the serpent: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; 3 it is only about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said,‘You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.’”4 But the serpent said to the woman:“You certainly will not die!5 No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and what is evil.” 6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.
Reading 2 Romans 5:12-19 or 5:12, 17-19
12 Brothers and sisters: Through one man sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned— 13 for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world, though sin is not accounted when there is no law. 14 But death reigned from Adam to Moses,even over those who did not sin after the pattern of the trespass of Adam, who is the type of the one who was to come. 15 But the gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one, the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for the many. 16 And the gift is not like the result of the one who sinned. For after one sin there was the judgment that brought condemnation; but the gift, after many transgressions, brought acquittal. 17 For if, by the transgression of the one, death came to reign through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of justification come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ. 18 In conclusion, just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so, through one righteous act, acquittal and life came to all. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so, through the obedience of the one, the many will be made righteous.
Gospel Matthew 4:1-11
1 At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. 3 The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” 4 He said in reply, “It is written: One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you and with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” 7 Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” 8 Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence,
9 and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” 10 At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.” 11 Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.
1. Under what a circumstance was Jesus tempted: After a spiritual high? At a weak moment? At a new stage in life?
2. In each temptation what was its appeal? Its price? How does Jesus resist them? How does satan’s use of scripture differ from the way Jesus uses it?
3.How are the three temptations similar? Different?
4.Why were the temptations directed at Jesus Immediately after he was affirmed by God at his baptism? (Luke 3,22) “And the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."
5.If the devil had three shots at you, what three temptations would he use?
What can help you resist? What encouragement does this story provide?
6.Why would it be inaccurate to say, ‘the devil made me do it’ when we sin?
Why would it be inaccurate to say that God tempts us?
Why, then, would God allow us to be tempted? What good comes from being tempted?
7.Lent is a time of renewed commitment to holiness and keeping away from sin. What will you
be doing this Lent to help be closer to Christ and farther away from sin?
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Time to Build
Readings for Sunday March 6, 2011
Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Never forget Christopher Reeve.
He played Superman in movies. He was wealthy, popular, attractive, and fit. Then one day he broke his neck riding a horse, and he could no longer use his arms or legs.
But that didn’t ruin him. In fact, his life seemed to take on a new meaning as he worked endlessly for a cure to paralysis. This man, who could move only a few muscles, changed the lives of millions by raising money to fight paralysis.
Ironically, he became a real “superman” after his body broke down.
This week Jesus talks about life’s harsh realities. Do not count on your popularity, academic success, or physical talents to make your life meaningful. As Christopher Reeve discovered, it all can change in an instant. Life is full of storms. You will fail. You will experience loneliness. You will get older. Your body will break down.
Then where will you turn? Thanks to God, we have a rock for security during those storms. He is Jesus, the Christ. Because of him, we can find a meaningful life regardless of the storms that hit us, just as Christopher reeve did. That is good news, but it is also a warning. As a teen, you set your priorities and develop habits for living. Build your house on a rock by developing Christian habits.
Pray daily. Learn to lengthen your daily prayer time. Join a Christian group (Like St. Mike’s Bible study) where people know you and are there for you in tough times. Regularly serve those who suffer. It will remind you of how much you can offer regardless of your success, beauty, wealth, or popularity. Learn to forgive and apologize. That will build you a circle of faithful friends.
Build your solid foundation now. The storms will come.
Gospel connection for teens, Fr Corey Brost
Reading 1 Deuteronomy 11:18, 26-28, 32
18 Moses told the people “Take these words of mine into your heart and soul. Bind them at your wrist as a sign, and let them be a pendant on your forehead. 26 “I set before you here, this day, a blessing and a curse: 27 a blessing for obeying the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I enjoin on you today;
28 a curse if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD, your God, but turn aside from the way I ordain for you today, to follow other gods, whom you have not known.” 32 be careful to observe all the statutes and decrees that I set before you today.
Question for discussion:
In the first reading, Moses offers the people a choice of a blessing or a curse – “a blessing for obeying the commandments of the Lord . . . a curse if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 11:26-27). How would you describe the blessings and curses that come from obeying and disobeying God’s commandments?
Reading 2 Romans 3:21-25, 28
21 Brothers and sisters, now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, though testified to by the law and the prophets, 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; 23 all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. 24 They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as an expiation, through faith, by his blood. 28 For we consider that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
Question for discussion:
St. Paul tells us in the second reading that “a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (Romans 3:28). However James tells us that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). How would you reconcile these two Scripture passages? What are the things in your life that tend to weaken your faith? What are the things in your life that strengthen your faith? How can you decrease the former, while increasing the latter?
Gospel Matthew 7:21-27
21 Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ 23 Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’ 24 “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. 26 And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”
Questions for discussion:
1. In the Gospel, Jesus says that “everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand.” Why is this so?
2. What are the foundations – the basic beliefs, values, and habits – that you are building in your life? 3.
3. So what kind of blessings can we expect? One is the knowledge of his unconditional love for us. Who are we that God would love us?
IHN tommyk, enjoy the readings, pass them on! http://tommykawas.blogspot.com/
Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Never forget Christopher Reeve.
He played Superman in movies. He was wealthy, popular, attractive, and fit. Then one day he broke his neck riding a horse, and he could no longer use his arms or legs.
But that didn’t ruin him. In fact, his life seemed to take on a new meaning as he worked endlessly for a cure to paralysis. This man, who could move only a few muscles, changed the lives of millions by raising money to fight paralysis.
Ironically, he became a real “superman” after his body broke down.
This week Jesus talks about life’s harsh realities. Do not count on your popularity, academic success, or physical talents to make your life meaningful. As Christopher Reeve discovered, it all can change in an instant. Life is full of storms. You will fail. You will experience loneliness. You will get older. Your body will break down.
Then where will you turn? Thanks to God, we have a rock for security during those storms. He is Jesus, the Christ. Because of him, we can find a meaningful life regardless of the storms that hit us, just as Christopher reeve did. That is good news, but it is also a warning. As a teen, you set your priorities and develop habits for living. Build your house on a rock by developing Christian habits.
Pray daily. Learn to lengthen your daily prayer time. Join a Christian group (Like St. Mike’s Bible study) where people know you and are there for you in tough times. Regularly serve those who suffer. It will remind you of how much you can offer regardless of your success, beauty, wealth, or popularity. Learn to forgive and apologize. That will build you a circle of faithful friends.
Build your solid foundation now. The storms will come.
Gospel connection for teens, Fr Corey Brost
Reading 1 Deuteronomy 11:18, 26-28, 32
18 Moses told the people “Take these words of mine into your heart and soul. Bind them at your wrist as a sign, and let them be a pendant on your forehead. 26 “I set before you here, this day, a blessing and a curse: 27 a blessing for obeying the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I enjoin on you today;
28 a curse if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD, your God, but turn aside from the way I ordain for you today, to follow other gods, whom you have not known.” 32 be careful to observe all the statutes and decrees that I set before you today.
Question for discussion:
In the first reading, Moses offers the people a choice of a blessing or a curse – “a blessing for obeying the commandments of the Lord . . . a curse if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 11:26-27). How would you describe the blessings and curses that come from obeying and disobeying God’s commandments?
Reading 2 Romans 3:21-25, 28
21 Brothers and sisters, now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, though testified to by the law and the prophets, 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; 23 all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. 24 They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as an expiation, through faith, by his blood. 28 For we consider that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
Question for discussion:
St. Paul tells us in the second reading that “a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (Romans 3:28). However James tells us that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). How would you reconcile these two Scripture passages? What are the things in your life that tend to weaken your faith? What are the things in your life that strengthen your faith? How can you decrease the former, while increasing the latter?
Gospel Matthew 7:21-27
21 Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ 23 Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’ 24 “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. 26 And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”
Questions for discussion:
1. In the Gospel, Jesus says that “everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand.” Why is this so?
2. What are the foundations – the basic beliefs, values, and habits – that you are building in your life? 3.
3. So what kind of blessings can we expect? One is the knowledge of his unconditional love for us. Who are we that God would love us?
IHN tommyk, enjoy the readings, pass them on! http://tommykawas.blogspot.com/
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