Word Wide Open: The Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God (A) - 1/1/23

First Reading (Numbers 6:22-27)

A reading from the Book of Numbers.

The LORD said to Moses:  

“Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them:  

This is how you shall bless the Israelites.

Say to them:  

The LORD bless you and keep you!  

The LORD let his face shine upon      

you, and be gracious to you!  

The LORD look upon you kindly and      

give you peace!

So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites,  

and I will bless them.”

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? In what ways can we invoke the Lord’s name to bless others?

Second Reading (Galatians 4:4-7)

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

Brothers and sisters:

When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son,  

born of a woman, born under the law,  

to ransom those under the law,  

so that we might receive adoption as sons.

As proof that you are sons,  

God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,  

crying out, “Abba, Father!”

So you are no longer a slave but a son,  

and if a son then also an heir, through God.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What is the fullness of time?  How do people know we are sons and daughters of God? 

Gospel (Luke 2:16-21)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke.

 The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,  

and the infant lying in the manger.

When they saw this,  

they made known the message  

that had been told them about this child.

All who heard it were amazed  

by what had been told them by the shepherds.

And Mary kept all these things,  

reflecting on them in her heart.

Then the shepherds returned,  

glorifying and praising God  

for all they had heard and seen,  

just as it had been told to them.  

When eight days were completed for his circumcision,  

he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel  

before he was conceived in the womb.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What were the messages proclaimed about the child? What are the things Mary kept in her heart? 

Word Wide Open: The Nativity of the Lord (A) - 12/25/22

First Reading (Isaiah 52:7-10)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah

How beautiful upon the mountains

        are the feet of him who brings glad tidings,

    announcing peace, bearing good news,

        announcing salvation, and saying to Zion,

        “Your God is King!”

    Hark!  Your sentinels raise a cry,

        together they shout for joy,

    for they see directly, before their eyes,

        the LORD restoring Zion.

    Break out together in song,

        O ruins of Jerusalem!

    For the LORD comforts his people,

        he redeems Jerusalem.

    The LORD has bared his holy arm

        in the sight of all the nations;

    all the ends of the earth will behold

        the salvation of our God.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What is Zion and how does the Lord restore it?

Second Reading (Romans 1:1-6)

A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews. 

Brothers and sisters:

In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways 

    to our ancestors through the prophets; 

    in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son, 

    whom he made heir of all things 

    and through whom he created the universe,

        who is the refulgence of his glory,

            the very imprint of his being,

        and who sustains all things by his mighty word.

        When he had accomplished purification from sins,

        he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

        as far superior to the angels

        as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

For to which of the angels did God ever say:

    You are my son; this day I have begotten you?

Or again:

    I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me?

And again, when he leads the firstborn into the world, he says:

    Let all the angels of God worship him.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What is the obedience of faith? What are the ways God speaks to us today?

Gospel (John 1:1-18)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John.

 In the beginning was the Word,

        and the Word was with God,

        and the Word was God.

    He was in the beginning with God. 

    All things came to be through him,

        and without him nothing came to be.

    What came to be through him was life,

        and this life was the light of the human race;

    the light shines in the darkness,

        and the darkness has not overcome it.

A man named John was sent from God.

He came for testimony, to testify to the light, 

so that all might believe through him.

He was not the light,

but came to testify to the light.

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

    He was in the world,

        and the world came to be through him,

        but the world did not know him.

    He came to what was his own,

        but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him

he gave power to become children of God, 

to those who believe in his name, 

who were born not by natural generation 

nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision 

but of God.

    And the Word became flesh

        and made his dwelling among us,

        and we saw his glory,

        the glory as of the Father’s only Son,

        full of grace and truth.

John testified to him and cried out, saying, 

“This was he of whom I said, 

‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me 

because he existed before me.’”

From his fullness we have all received,

grace in place of grace,

because while the law was given through Moses, 

grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

No one has ever seen God.

The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, 

has revealed him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Why is Jesus often referred to as the word? How does the light of Christ dispel the darkness in the world?

Word Wide Open: The Fourth Sunday of Advent (A) - 12/18/22

First Reading (Isaiah 7:10-14)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah

The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying: 

Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; 

let it be deep as the netherworld, or high as the sky!

But Ahaz answered,

"I will not ask!  I will not tempt the LORD!"

Then Isaiah said:

Listen, O house of David!

Is it not enough for you to weary people, 

must you also weary my God?

Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: 

the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, 

and shall name him Emmanuel.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? In what ways do we tempt or test the Lord?

Second Reading (Romans 1:1-7)

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

Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus,

called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God,

which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,

the gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh, 

but established as Son of God in power 

according to the Spirit of holiness 

through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Through him we have received the grace of apostleship, 

to bring about the obedience of faith,

for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles,

among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ;

to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What is the obedience of faith? How are we called to the grace of apostleship?

Gospel (Matthew 11:2-11)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.

When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, 

but before they lived together, 

she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.

Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,

yet unwilling to expose her to shame, 

decided to divorce her quietly.

Such was his intention when, behold,

the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 

"Joseph, son of David, 

do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.

For it is through the Holy Spirit 

that this child has been conceived in her.

She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, 

because he will save his people from their sins."

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall name him Emmanuel, 

which means "God is with us."

When Joseph awoke,

he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him 

and took his wife into his home.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Why is it so easy to be afraid of the things God asks us to do? How can we be obedient to God like Joseph?

Word Wide Open: The Third Sunday of Advent (A) - 12/11/22

First Reading (Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah

The desert and the parched land will exult;

the steppe will rejoice and bloom.

They will bloom with abundant flowers,

and rejoice with joyful song.

The glory of Lebanon will be given to them,

the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;

they will see the glory of the LORD,

the splendor of our God.

Strengthen the hands that are feeble,

make firm the knees that are weak,

say to those whose hearts are frightened:

Be strong, fear not!

Here is your God,

he comes with vindication;

with divine recompense

he comes to save you.

Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,

the ears of the deaf be cleared;

then will the lame leap like a stag,

then the tongue of the mute will sing.

Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return

and enter Zion singing,

crowned with everlasting joy;

they will meet with joy and gladness,

sorrow and mourning will flee.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What is divine recompense? Who is the Lord ransoming?

Second Reading (James 5:7-10)

A reading from the Letter of St. James. 

Be patient, brothers and sisters,

until the coming of the Lord.

See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, 

being patient with it

until it receives the early and the late rains.

You too must be patient.

Make your hearts firm,

because the coming of the Lord is at hand.

Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another, 

that you may not be judged.

Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates.

Take as an example of hardship and patience, brothers and sisters,

the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why is it difficult to be patient in our faith lives? Why is complaining about others so bad?

Gospel (Matthew 11:2-11)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

When John the Baptist heard in prison of the works of the Christ, 

he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question, 

"Are you the one who is to come,

or should we look for another?"

Jesus said to them in reply, 

"Go and tell John what you hear and see: 

the blind regain their sight, 

the lame walk,

lepers are cleansed, 

the deaf hear,

the dead are raised,

and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.

And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me."

As they were going off,

Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, 

"What did you go out to the desert to see?

A reed swayed by the wind?

Then what did you go out to see?

Someone dressed in fine clothing?

Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces.

Then why did you go out?  To see a prophet?

Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

This is the one about whom it is written:

Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;

he will prepare your way before you.

Amen, I say to you,

among those born of women 

there has been none greater than John the Baptist; 

yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? In what ways does Jesus heal us? Who are the messengers God sends out today?