Word Wide Open: The Epiphany of the Lord (C) - 1/2/22

First Reading (Isaiah 60:1-6)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.

Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem!  Your light has come,

the glory of the Lord shines upon you.

See, darkness covers the earth,

and thick clouds cover the peoples;

but upon you the LORD shines,

and over you appears his glory.

Nations shall walk by your light,

and kings by your shining radiance.

Raise your eyes and look about;

they all gather and come to you:

your sons come from afar,

and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.

Then you shall be radiant at what you see,

your heart shall throb and overflow,

for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,

the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.

Caravans of camels shall fill you,

dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;

all from Sheba shall come

bearing gold and frankincense,

and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How are we called to counter the darkness in the world? 


Second Reading (Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6)

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

Brothers and sisters:

You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace 

that was given to me for your benefit, 

namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation.

It was not made known to people in other generations 

as it has now been revealed

to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: 

that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,

and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why does God give us all different gifts? How do we use those gifts well?

Gospel (Matthew 2:1-12)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,

in the days of King Herod, 

behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 

“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?

We saw his star at its rising

and have come to do him homage.”

When King Herod heard this,

he was greatly troubled, 

and all Jerusalem with him.

Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, 

He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, 

for thus it has been written through the prophet:

And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

since from you shall come a ruler,

who is to shepherd my people Israel.”

Then Herod called the magi secretly 

and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.

He sent them to Bethlehem and said, 

“Go and search diligently for the child.

When you have found him, bring me word, 

that I too may go and do him homage.”

After their audience with the king they set out.

And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, 

until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.

They were overjoyed at seeing the star, 

and on entering the house

they saw the child with Mary his mother.

They prostrated themselves and did him homage.

Then they opened their treasures 

and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, 

they departed for their country by another way.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Why is jealousy so bad for us? Why was Herod afraid of Jesus? What do the three gifts symbolize?

Word Wide Open: The Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (C) - 12/26/21

First Reading (Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Sirach.

 God sets a father in honor over his children;

    a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons.

Whoever honors his father atones for sins,

    and preserves himself from them.

When he prays, he is heard;

    he stores up riches who reveres his mother.

Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children,

    and, when he prays, is heard.

Whoever reveres his father will live a long life;

    he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.

My son, take care of your father when he is old;

    grieve him not as long as he lives.

Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him;

    revile him not all the days of his life;

kindness to a father will not be forgotten,

    firmly planted against the debt of your sins

    —a house raised in justice to you.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How are we called to honor our parents? How are we called to serve our families?


Second Reading (Colossians 3:12-21)

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

Brothers and sisters:

Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,

heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

bearing with one another and forgiving one another, 

if one has a grievance against another; 

as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.

And over all these put on love, 

that is, the bond of perfection.

And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, 

the peace into which you were also called in one body.

And be thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, 

as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, 

singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs 

with gratitude in your hearts to God.

And whatever you do, in word or in deed, 

do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, 

giving thanks to God the Father through him.  

Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, 

as is proper in the Lord.

Husbands, love your wives, 

and avoid any bitterness toward them.

Children, obey your parents in everything, 

for this is pleasing to the Lord.

Fathers, do not provoke your children, 

so they may not become discouraged.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How can we be more forgiving of others? What is this reading saying about husbands and wives?

Gospel (Luke 2:41-52)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke.

Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast

of Passover, 

and when he was twelve years old, 

they went up according to festival custom.

After they had completed its days, as they were returning, 

the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, 

but his parents did not know it.

Thinking that he was in the caravan,

they journeyed for a day

and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 

but not finding him,

they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.

After three days they found him in the temple, 

sitting in the midst of the teachers, 

listening to them and asking them questions, 

and all who heard him were astounded 

at his understanding and his answers.

When his parents saw him,

they were astonished, 

and his mother said to him, 

“Son, why have you done this to us?

Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”

And he said to them,

“Why were you looking for me?

Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

But they did not understand what he said to them.

He went down with them and came to Nazareth,

and was obedient to them; 

and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor

before God and man.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? How does the Holy Family show us how to love? What is the importance of church buildings? How can we model our friendships and families after the Holy Family?

Word Wide Open: The Fourth Sunday of Advent (C) - 12/19/21

First Reading (Micah 5:1-4a)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Micah.

 Thus says the LORD:

    You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah

        too small to be among the clans of Judah,

    from you shall come forth for me

        one who is to be ruler in Israel;

    whose origin is from of old,

        from ancient times.

    Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time

        when she who is to give birth has borne,

    and the rest of his kindred shall return

        to the children of Israel.

    He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock

        by the strength of the LORD,

        in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;

    and they shall remain, for now his greatness

        shall reach to the ends of the earth;

        he shall be peace.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How does Jesus bring the nations of the world together?


Second Reading (Hebrews 10:5-10)

A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews.

Brothers and sisters:

When Christ came into the world, he said:

    “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

        but a body you prepared for me;

    in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.

    Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll,

    behold, I come to do your will, O God.’“

First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings,

holocausts and sin offerings, 

you neither desired nor delighted in.”

These are offered according to the law.

Then he says, :Behold, I come to do your will.”

He takes away the first to establish the second.

By this “will,”  we have been consecrated 

through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What does this reading say about sacrifice? How does Jesus' offering consecrate us?

Gospel (Luke 1:39-45)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke.

Mary set out

and traveled to the hill country in haste

to a town of Judah, 

where she entered the house of Zechariah

and greeted Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,

the infant leaped in her womb, 

and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, 

cried out in a loud voice and said, 

“Blessed are you among women, 

and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

And how does this happen to me, 

that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, 

the infant in my womb leaped for joy.

Blessed are you who believed

that what was spoken to you by the Lord

would be fulfilled.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? How does Elizabeth recognize Jesus? How can we getter better at recognizing Christ in our own lives?

Word Wide Open: The Second Sunday of Advent (C) - 12/5/21

 

First Reading (Baruch 5:1-9)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Baruch.

Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery;

    put on the splendor of glory from God forever:

wrapped in the cloak of justice from God,

    bear on your head the mitre

    that displays the glory of the eternal name.

For God will show all the earth your splendor:

    you will be named by God forever

    the peace of justice, the glory of God’s worship.

    

Up, Jerusalem! stand upon the heights;

    look to the east and see your children

gathered from the east and the west

    at the word of the Holy One,

    rejoicing that they are remembered by God.

Led away on foot by their enemies they left you:

    but God will bring them back to you

    borne aloft in glory as on royal thrones.

For God has commanded

    that every lofty mountain be made low,

and that the age-old depths and gorges

    be filled to level ground,

    that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God.

The forests and every fragrant kind of tree

    have overshadowed Israel at God’s command;

for God is leading Israel in joy

    by the light of his glory,

    with his mercy and justice for company.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How does God bring joy to the mourning?


Second Reading (Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11)

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

Brothers and sisters:

I pray always with joy in my every prayer for all of you, 

because of your partnership for the gospel 

from the first day until now.

I am confident of this,

that the one who began a good work in you

will continue to complete it 

until the day of Christ Jesus.

God is my witness, 

how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer:

that your love may increase ever more and more 

in knowledge and every kind of perception, 

to discern what is of value, 

so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 

filled with the fruit of righteousness 

that comes through Jesus Christ 

for the glory and praise of God.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What is the work that has begun in us? How can we better discern what is of value?

Gospel (Luke 3:1-6)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke.

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, 

when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, 

and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee,

and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region

of Ituraea and Trachonitis, 

and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, 

during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, 

the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.

John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, 

proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 

as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:

    A voice of one crying out in the desert:

    “Prepare the way of the Lord,

        make straight his paths.

    Every valley shall be filled

        and every mountain and hill shall be made low.

    The winding roads shall be made straight,

        and the rough ways made smooth,

    and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

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 repentant during Advent? How do we prepare the way of the Lord?