Word Wide Open: The Second Sunday of Lent (B) - 2/28/21

First Reading (Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18)

A reading from the Book of Leviticus.

God put Abraham to the test.

He called to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am!” he replied.

Then God said:

“Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, 

and go to the land of Moriah.

There you shall offer him up as a holocaust 

on a height that I will point out to you.”

When they came to the place of which God had told him, 

Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it.

Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.

But the LORD’s messenger called to him from heaven, 

“Abraham, Abraham!”

“Here I am!” he answered.

“Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger.

“Do not do the least thing to him.

I know now how devoted you are to God, 

since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.”

As Abraham looked about, 

he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket.

So he went and took the ram 

and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son.

Again the LORD’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said: 

“I swear by myself, declares the LORD, 

that because you acted as you did 

in not withholding from me your beloved son, 

I will bless you abundantly 

and make your descendants as countless 

as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; 

your descendants shall take possession 

of the gates of their enemies, 

and in your descendants all the nations of the earth

shall find blessing—

all this because you obeyed my command.”

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? In what ways does God put us to the test? How does God honor obedience?


Second Reading (Romans 8:31b-34)

A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans.

Brothers and sisters:

If God is for us, who can be against us?

He who did not spare his own Son 

but handed him over for us all, 

how will he not also give us everything else along with him?

Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones?

It is God who acquits us, who will condemn?

Christ Jesus it is who died—or, rather, was raised— 

who also is at the right hand of God, 

who indeed intercedes for us.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How can God enter all the different parts of our lives? What does it mean that God alone can judge?

Gospel (Mark 9:2-10)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark.

Jesus took Peter, James, and John 

and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.

And he was transfigured before them, 

and his clothes became dazzling white, 

such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.

Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, 

and they were conversing with Jesus.

Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, 

“Rabbi, it is good that we are here!

Let us make three tents: 

one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.

Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; 

from the cloud came a voice, 

“This is my beloved Son.  Listen to him.”

Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone

but Jesus alone with them.

As they were coming down from the mountain,

he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone,

except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

So they kept the matter to themselves, 

questioning what rising from the dead meant.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Why did the Transfiguration happen? How are we often like Peter? How does glorify our earthly bodies?

Word Wide Open: The Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) - 2/14/21

First Reading (Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46)

A reading from the Book of Leviticus.

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

“If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch

which appears to be the sore of leprosy,

he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest,

or to one of the priests among his descendants.

If the man is leprous and unclean,

the priest shall declare him unclean

by reason of the sore on his head.

“The one who bears the sore of leprosy

shall keep his garments rent and his head bare,

and shall muffle his beard;

he shall cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’

As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean,

since he is in fact unclean.

He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.”

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How does sin make us unclean? What does Jesus do with uncleanliness? 


Second Reading (1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1)

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

Brothers and sisters,

Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,

do everything for the glory of God.

Avoid giving offense, whether to the Jews or Greeks or 

the church of God,

just as I try to please everyone in every way,

not seeking my own benefit but that of the many,

that they may be saved.

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How can everything we do glorify God?

Gospel (Mark 1:40-45)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark.

A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said,

“If you wish, you can make me clean.”

Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, 

touched him, and said to him, 

“I do will it. Be made clean.”

The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.

Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. 

He said to him, “See that you tell no one anything,

but go, show yourself to the priest 

and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed;

that will be proof for them.”

The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.

He spread the report abroad

so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.

He remained outside in deserted places,

and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? How did the man know Jesus could make him clean? Why did Jesus want the leper to not tell anyone about his healing? In what ways does Jesus make us clean?

Word Wide Open: The Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) - 2/7/21

First Reading (Job 7:1-4, 6-7)

A reading from the Book of Job.

Job spoke, saying:

Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery?

    Are not his days those of hirelings?

He is a slave who longs for the shade,

    a hireling who waits for his wages.

So I have been assigned months of misery,

    and troubled nights have been allotted to me.

If in bed I say, “When shall I arise?”

    then the night drags on;

    I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.

My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle;

    they come to an end without hope.

Remember that my life is like the wind;

    I shall not see happiness again.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why is despair so bad for us? Why does God allow suffering?


Second Reading (1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-33)

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

Brothers and sisters:

If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast,

for an obligation has been imposed on me,

and woe to me if I do not preach it!

If I do so willingly, I have a recompense,

but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.

What then is my recompense?

That, when I preach,

I offer the gospel free of charge

so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

Although I am free in regard to all,

I have made myself a slave to all

so as to win over as many as possible.

To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak.

I have become all things to all, to save at least some.

All this I do for the sake of the gospel,

so that I too may have a share in it.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why are we obligated to share the Gospel? What does it mean to be a slave to all?

Gospel (Mark 1:29-39)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark.

On leaving the synagogue

Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.

Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.

They immediately told him about her.

He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.

Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

When it was evening, after sunset,

they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.

The whole town was gathered at the door.

He cured many who were sick with various diseases,

and he drove out many demons,

not permitting them to speak because they knew him.

Rising very early before dawn, he left 

and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.

Simon and those who were with him pursued him

and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.”

He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages

that I may preach there also.

For this purpose have I come.”

So he went into their synagogues,

preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Why did Jesus perform so many miracles? What are the reasons Jesus came to earth? How is everyone looking for God in one way or another?