Word Wide Open: The First Sunday of Advent (B) - November 29, 2020

Reading (Isaiah 63:16B-, 19B; 64:2-7)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.

You, LORD, are our father,

our redeemer you are named forever.

Why do you let us wander, O LORD, from your ways,

and harden our hearts so that we fear you not?

Return for the sake of your servants,

the tribes of your heritage.

Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,

with the mountains quaking before you,

while you wrought awesome deeds we could not hope for,

such as they had not heard of from of old.

No ear has ever heard, no eye ever seen, any God but you

doing such deeds for those who wait for him.

Would that you might meet us doing right,

that we were mindful of you in our ways!

Behold, you are angry, and we are sinful;

all of us have become like unclean people,

all our good deeds are like polluted rags;

we have all withered like leaves,

and our guilt carries us away like the wind.

There is none who calls upon your name,

who rouses himself to cling to you;

for you have hidden your face from us

and have delivered us up to our guilt.

Yet, O LORD, you are our father;

we are the clay and you the potter:

we are all the work of your hands.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why does God allow us to have freewill? How does God still form and guide us even though we have freewill?


Second Reading (1 Corinthians 1:3-9)

A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians.

Brothers and sisters:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I give thanks to my God always on your account

for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus,

that in him you were enriched in every way,

with all discourse and all knowledge,

as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you,

so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift

as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He will keep you firm to the end,

irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God is faithful,

and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why is being grateful to God so important? What are spiritual gifts God gives us? 

Gospel (Mark 13:33-37)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark.

Jesus said to his disciples:

It is like a man traveling abroad.

He leaves home and places his servants in charge,

each with his own work,

and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch.

Watch, therefore;

you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming,

whether in the evening, or at midnight,

or at cockcrow, or in the morning.

May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.

What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? How can we be more aware of what God is doing in our lives? What does it mean to be asleep to God? How does Advent prepare us better for the Lord's coming?

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Word Wide Open: The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (A)

Reading (Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel.

Thus says the Lord GOD:

I myself will look after and tend my sheep. 

As a shepherd tends his flock

when he finds himself among his scattered sheep,

so will I tend my sheep.

I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered

when it was cloudy and dark. 

I myself will pasture my sheep;

I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD. 

The lost I will seek out,

the strayed I will bring back,

the injured I will bind up,

the sick I will heal,

but the sleek and the strong I will destroy,

shepherding them rightly.

As for you, my sheep, says the Lord GOD,

I will judge between one sheep and another,

between rams and goats.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How does God seek out the lost? How does God judge His sheep?


Second Reading (1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28)

A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians.

Brothers and sisters:

Christ has been raised from the dead,

the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 

For since death came through man,

the resurrection of the dead came also through man.

For just as in Adam all die,

so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,

but each one in proper order:

Christ the firstfruits;

then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;

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. 

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 

The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

When everything is subjected to him,

then the Son himself will also be subjected

to the one who subjected everything to him,

so that God may be all in all.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What does it mean that Jesus is the new Adam? What does it mean to be subjected to God?

Gospel (Matthew 25:31-46)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Jesus said to his disciples:

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory,

and all the angels with him,

he will sit upon his glorious throne,

and all the nations will be assembled before him.

And he will separate them one from another,

as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 

Then the king will say to those on his right,

'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. 

Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave me food,

I was thirsty and you gave me drink,

a stranger and you welcomed me,

naked and you clothed me,

ill and you cared for me,

in prison and you visited me.’

Then the righteous will answer him and say,

'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,

or thirsty and give you drink?

When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,

or naked and clothe you?

When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’

And the king will say to them in reply,

'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did

for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.’

Then he will say to those on his left,

'Depart from me, you accursed,

into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

For I was hungry and you gave me no food,

I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,

a stranger and you gave me no welcome,

naked and you gave me no clothing,

ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’

Then they will answer and say,

'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty

or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison,

and not minister to your needs?’

He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you,

what you did not do for one of these least ones,

you did not do for me.’

And these will go off to eternal punishment,

but the righteous to eternal life."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What does this reading tell us about God's judgment? Who are we called to serve most in our lives? Why is the image of Christ as a shepherd so important?

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Word Wide Open: Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Reading (Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31)

A reading from the Book of Proverbs.

When one finds a worthy wife,

her value is far beyond pearls.

Her husband, entrusting his heart to her,

has an unfailing prize.

She brings him good, and not evil,

all the days of her life.

She obtains wool and flax

and works with loving hands.

She puts her hands to the distaff,

and her fingers ply the spindle.

She reaches out her hands to the poor,

and extends her arms to the needy.

Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting;

the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Give her a reward for her labors,

and let her works praise her at the city gates.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What is this reading really about beyond the surface level?


Second Reading (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6)

A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians.

Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters,

you have no need for anything to be written to you. 

For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come

like a thief at night.

When people are saying, "Peace and security,"

then sudden disaster comes upon them,

like labor pains upon a pregnant woman,

and they will not escape.

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness,

for that day to overtake you like a thief. 

For all of you are children of the light

and children of the day.

We are not of the night or of darkness. 

Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do,

but let us stay alert and sober.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How can we ensure we are not in darkness? What does it mean to be "asleep"?

Gospel (Matthew 25:14-30)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Jesus told his disciples this parable:

"A man going on a journey

called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.

To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--

to each according to his ability. 

Then he went away.

Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,

and made another five.

Likewise, the one who received two made another two. 

But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground

and buried his master's money.

"After a long time

the master of those servants came back

and settled accounts with them.

The one who had received five talents came forward

bringing the additional five. 

He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents. 

See, I have made five more.’

His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. 

Since you were faithful in small matters,

I will give you great responsibilities. 

Come, share your master's joy.’

Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,

'Master, you gave me two talents. 

See, I have made two more.'

His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. 

Since you were faithful in small matters,

I will give you great responsibilities.

Come, share your master's joy.’

Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, 

'Master, I knew you were a demanding person,

harvesting where you did not plant

and gathering where you did not scatter;

so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. 

Here it is back.'

His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant!

So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant

and gather where I did not scatter? 

Should you not then have put my money in the bank

so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? 

Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. 

For to everyone who has,

more will be given and he will grow rich;

but from the one who has not,

even what he has will be taken away.

And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,

where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'"

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What are the "talents" God has given us? How do we often misuse them? How do we use them properly?

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Word Wide Open: The Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Reading (Wisdom 6:12-16)

A reading from the Book of Wisdom.

Resplendent and unfading is wisdom,

and she is readily perceived by those who love her,

and found by those who seek her.

She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of their desire;

Whoever watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed,

for he shall find her sitting by his gate.

For taking thought of wisdom is the perfection of prudence,

and whoever for her sake keeps vigil

shall quickly be free from care;

because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her,

and graciously appears to them in the ways,

and meets them with all solicitude.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What is the gift of Wisdom? What can Wisdom do for us?


Second Reading (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians.

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,

about those who have fallen asleep,

so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose,

so too will God, through Jesus,

bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 

Indeed, we tell you this, on the word of the Lord,

that we who are alive,

who are left until the coming of the Lord,

will surely not precede those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord himself, with a word of command,

with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God,

will come down from heaven,

and the dead in Christ will rise first. 

Then we who are alive, who are left,

will be caught up together with them in the clouds

to meet the Lord in the air. 

Thus we shall always be with the Lord. 

Therefore, console one another with these words.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why does the fear of death motivate so many people? What does this reading tell us about Christ's second coming?

Gospel (Matthew 25:1-13)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Jesus told his disciples this parable:

"The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins

who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 

Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 

The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,

brought no oil with them,

but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. 

Since the bridegroom was long delayed,

they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

At midnight, there was a cry,

‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 

The foolish ones said to the wise,

‘Give us some of your oil,

for our lamps are going out.’

But the wise ones replied,

'No, for there may not be enough for us and you.

Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’

While they went off to buy it,

the bridegroom came

and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. 

Then the door was locked.

Afterwards the other virgins came and said,

‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’

But he said in reply,

‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’

Therefore, stay awake,

for you know neither the day nor the hour."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What are things that distract us from our faith? How can we prepare for the Lord's coming?