Word Wide Open: The Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) - 1/29/23

First Reading (Zephaniah 2:3, 3:12-13)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Zephaniah.

Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth,

who have observed his law;

seek justice, seek humility;

perhaps you may be sheltered

on the day of the LORD's anger.

But I will leave as a remnant in your midst

a people humble and lowly,

who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD:

the remnant of Israel.

They shall do no wrong

and speak no lies;

nor shall there be found in their mouths

a deceitful tongue;

they shall pasture and couch their flocks

with none to disturb them.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why does humility keep us closer to God?

Second Reading (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

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

Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters.

Not many of you were wise by human standards,

not many were powerful,

not many were of noble birth.

Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise,

and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong,

and God chose the lowly and despised of the world,

those who count for nothing,

to reduce to nothing those who are something,

so that no human being might boast before God.

It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus,

who became for us wisdom from God,

as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,

so that, as it is written,

"Whoever boasts, should boast in 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 empower our weaknesses?

Gospel (Matthew 5:1-12a)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew .

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,

and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. 

He began to teach them, saying:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the land.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart,

for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you

and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.

Rejoice and be glad,

for your reward will be great in heaven."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Which beatitude sticks out to you? Do we achieve heaven? 

Word Wide Open: The Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (A) - 1/22/23

First Reading (Isaiah 8:23-9:3)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.

First the Lord degraded the land of Zebulun

and the land of Naphtali;

but in the end he has glorified the seaward road,

the land west of the Jordan,

the District of the Gentiles.

Anguish has taken wing, dispelled is darkness:

for there is no gloom where but now there was distress.

The people who walked in darkness

have seen a great light;

upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom

a light has shone.

You have brought them abundant joy

and great rejoicing,

as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,

as people make merry when dividing spoils.

For the yoke that burdened them,

the pole on their shoulder,

and the rod of their taskmaster

you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How does God lighten the burden of suffering?

Second Reading (1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17)

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

I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

that all of you agree in what you say,

and that there be no divisions among you,

but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.

For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters,

by Chloe’s people, that there are rivalries among you.

I mean that each of you is saying,

“I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,”

or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.”

Is Christ divided?

Was Paul crucified for you?

Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel,

and not with the wisdom of human eloquence,

so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why are Christians so divided in today's world? 

Gospel (Matthew 4:12-23)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew .

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,

he withdrew to Galilee.

He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,

in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,

that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet

might be fulfilled:

Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,

the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,

Galilee of the Gentiles,

the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,

on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death

light has arisen.

From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,

Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,

casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.

He said to them,

“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

At once they left their nets and followed him.

He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,

James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.

They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.

He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father

and followed him.

He went around all of Galilee,

teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom,

and curing every disease and illness among the people.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What does it mean to be a fisher of men? Why is being a fisher of men an essential part of following Jesus? Why do we often hesitate to follow the Lord?

Word Wide Open: The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) - 1/15/22

 First Reading (Isaiah 49:3, 5-6)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.

The LORD said to me: You are my servant,

Israel, through whom I show my glory.

Now the LORD has spoken

who formed me as his servant from the womb,

that Jacob may be brought back to him

and Israel gathered to him;

and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD,

and my God is now my strength!

It is too little, the LORD says, for you to be my servant,

to raise up the tribes of Jacob,

and restore the survivors of Israel;

I will make you a light to the nations,

that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How does God make us more than servants?

Second Reading (1 Corinthians 1:1-3)

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

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

and Sosthenes our brother,

to the church of God that is in Corinth,

to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy,

with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.

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? How are we sanctified in Jesus Christ? 

Gospel (John 1:29-34)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John.

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said,

"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

He is the one of whom I said,

'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me

because he existed before me.'

I did not know him,

but the reason why I came baptizing with water

was that he might be made known to Israel."

John testified further, saying,

"I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven

and remain upon him.

I did not know him,

but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me,

'On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain,

he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'

Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God."

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 lamb of God? How does Jesus take away the sins of the world? Does He take away the sins of those who don't believe in Him?

Word Wide Open: The Epiphany of the Lord (A) - 1/8/23

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 do nations walk by the light of Christ?

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? How did the revelation of God change over the course of generations? How are we copartners in the Gospel?

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? In what ways was Christ a king on earth? What do the gifts that the magi gave Jesus represent?