Word Wide Open: The Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (C) - 1/30/22

First Reading (Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah.

The word of the LORD came to me, saying:

            Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

                        before you were born I dedicated you,

                        a prophet to the nations I appointed you.

            But do you gird your loins;

                        stand up and tell them

                        all that I command you.

            Be not crushed on their account,

                        as though I would leave you crushed before them;

            for it is I this day

                        who have made you a fortified city,

            a pillar of iron, a wall of brass,

                        against the whole land:

            against Judah’s kings and princes,

                        against its priests and people.

            They will fight against you but not prevail over you,

                        for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How does God know us before we were born? How do we stay strong in faith?


Second Reading (1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13)

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

Brothers and sisters:

Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.

But I shall show you a still more excellent way.

If I speak in human and angelic tongues,

but do not have love,

I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.

And if I have the gift of prophecy,

and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge;

if I have all faith so as to move mountains,

but do not have love, I am nothing.

If I give away everything I own,

and if I hand my body over so that I may boast,

but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind.

It is not jealous, it is not pompous,

It is not inflated, it is not rude,

it does not seek its own interests,

it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,

it does not rejoice over wrongdoing

but rejoices with the truth.

It bears all things, believes all things,

hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing;

if tongues, they will cease;

if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing.

For we know partially and we prophesy partially,

but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.

When I was a child, I used to talk as a child,

think as a child, reason as a child;

when I became a man, I put aside childish things.

At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror,

but then face to face.

At present I know partially;

then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.

So faith, hope, love remain, these three;

but the greatest of these is love.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What does this reading teach us about love? What are the childish things we need to put away?

Gospel (Luke 4:21-40)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke.

Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying:

“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”

And all spoke highly of him

and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. 

They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?”

He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb,

‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say,

‘Do here in your native place

the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’”

And he said, “Amen, I say to you,

no prophet is accepted in his own native place.

Indeed, I tell you,

there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah

when the sky was closed for three and a half years

and a severe famine spread over the entire land.

It was to none of these that Elijah was sent,

but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.

Again, there were many lepers in Israel

during the time of Elisha the prophet;

yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”

When the people in the synagogue heard this,

they were all filled with fury.

They rose up, drove him out of the town,

and led him to the brow of the hill

on which their town had been built,

to hurl him down headlong.

But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.

 

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Why was Jesus rejected in His native place? Why is Jesus often rejected today?