Word Wide Open: The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (C) - 11/2/25

First Reading (Wisdom 3:1-9)

A reading from the Book of Wisdom.

The souls of the just are in the hand of God,

    and no torment shall touch them.

They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;

    and their passing away was thought an affliction

    and their going forth from us, utter destruction.

But they are in peace.

For if before men, indeed, they be punished,

    yet is their hope full of immortality;

chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,

    because God tried them

    and found them worthy of himself.

As gold in the furnace, he proved them,

    and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.

In the time of their visitation they shall shine,

    and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;

they shall judge nations and rule over peoples,

    and the Lord shall be their King forever.

Those who trust in him shall understand truth,

    and the faithful shall abide with him in love:

because grace and mercy are with his holy ones,

    and his care is with his elect.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How do we know who is heaven with God?

Second Reading (Romans 6:3-9)

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

Brothers and sisters:

Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus 

were baptized into his death?

We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, 

so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead 

by the glory of the Father, 

we too might live in newness of life.

For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, 

we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.

We know that our old self was crucified with him, 

so that our sinful body might be done away with, 

that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.

For a dead person has been absolved from sin.

If, then, we have died with Christ,

we believe that we shall also live with him.

We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more;

death no longer has power over him.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why did Jesus dying on the cross defeat death?

Gospel (John 6:37-40)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John.

Jesus said to the crowds:

“Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,

and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,

because I came down from heaven not to do my own will

but the will of the one who sent me.

And this is the will of the one who sent me,

that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,

but that I should raise it on the last day.

For this is the will of my Father,

that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him

may have eternal life,

and I shall raise him on the last day.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What did the Father will for Jesus? How do we conform ourselves to God's will?

Word Open Wide: The Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (C) - 10/26/25

First Reading (Sirach 35:12-14, 18-18)

A reading from the Book of Sirach.

The LORD is a God of justice,

 who knows no favorites.

 Though not unduly partial toward the weak,

 yet he hears the cry of the oppressed.

 The Lord is not deaf to the wail of the orphan,

 nor to the widow when she pours out her complaint.

 The one who serves God willingly is heard;

 his petition reaches the heavens.

 The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds;

 it does not rest till it reaches its goal,

 nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds,

 judges justly and affirms the right,

 and the Lord will not delay.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Do you have any questions about this reading? What wowed you from this reading? In what ways does God protect and provide for the poor and suffering?

Second Reading (2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18)

A reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to Timothy. 

Beloved:

I am already being poured out like a libation,

and the time of my departure is at hand.

I have competed well; I have finished the race;

I have kept the faith.

From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,

which the Lord, the just judge,

will award to me on that day, and not only to me,

but to all who have longed for his appearance.

At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf,

but everyone deserted me.

May it not be held against them!

But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength,

so that through me the proclamation might be completed

and all the Gentiles might hear it.

And I was rescued from the lion's mouth.

The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat

and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom.

To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Do you have any questions about this reading? What wowed you from this reading? How do we keep the faith in face of persecution and temptation?

Gospel (Luke 18:9-14)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke.

Jesus addressed this parable

to those who were convinced of their own righteousness

and despised everyone else.

"Two people went up to the temple area to pray;

one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.

The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,

'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity --

greedy, dishonest, adulterous -- or even like this tax collector.

I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.'

But the tax collector stood off at a distance

and would not even raise his eyes to heaven

but beat his breast and prayed,

'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.'

I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;

for whoever exalts himself will be humbled,

and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Do you have any questions about this reading? What wowed you from this Gospel reading? What is wrong with exalting ourselves? What does true humility look like?

Word Wide Open: The Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time (C) - 10/19/25

First Reading (Exodus 17:8-13)

A reading from the Book of Exodus.

In those days, Amalek came and waged war against Israel.

Moses, therefore, said to Joshua,

"Pick out certain men,

and tomorrow go out and engage Amalek in battle.

I will be standing on top of the hill

with the staff of God in my hand."

So Joshua did as Moses told him:

he engaged Amalek in battle

after Moses had climbed to the top of the hill with Aaron and Hur.

As long as Moses kept his hands raised up,

Israel had the better of the fight,

but when he let his hands rest,

Amalek had the better of the fight.

Moses'hands, however, grew tired;

so they put a rock in place for him to sit on.

Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands,

one on one side and one on the other,

so that his hands remained steady till sunset.

And Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people

with the edge of the sword.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How does perseverance grow our faith?

Second Reading (2 Timothy 3:14-4:2)

A reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to Timothy. 

Beloved:

Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed,

because you know from whom you learned it,

and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures,

which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation

through faith in Christ Jesus.

All Scripture is inspired by God

and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction,

and for training in righteousness,

so that one who belongs to God may be competent,

equipped for every good work.

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,

who will judge the living and the dead,

and by his appearing and his kingly power:

proclaim the word;

be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient;

convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How does the word of God equip us?

Gospel (Luke 18:1-8)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke.

Jesus told his disciples a parable

about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.

He said, "There was a judge in a certain town

who neither feared God nor respected any human being.

And a widow in that town used to come to him and say,

'Render a just decision for me against my adversary.'

For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought,

'While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being,

because this widow keeps bothering me

I shall deliver a just decision for her

lest she finally come and strike me.'"

The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.

Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones

who call out to him day and night?

Will he be slow to answer them?

I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.

But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? How can we pray without ceasing? What does it mean that Jesus will find faith on earth?

Word Wide Open: The Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (C) - 10/12/25

First Reading (2 Kings 5:14-17)

A reading from the Second Book oof Kings.

Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times

at the word of Elisha, the man of God.

His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child,

and he was clean of his leprosy.

Naaman returned with his whole retinue to the man of God.

On his arrival he stood before Elisha and said,

"Now I know that there is no God in all the earth,

except in Israel.

Please accept a gift from your servant."

Elisha replied, "As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take it;"

and despite Naaman's urging, he still refused.

Naaman said: "If you will not accept,

please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth,

for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice

to any other god except to the LORD."

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What are things we can offer to God?

Second Reading (2 Timothy 2:8-13)

A reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to Timothy. 

Beloved:

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David:

such is my gospel, for which I am suffering,

even to the point of chains, like a criminal.

But the word of God is not chained.

Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen,

so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus,

together with eternal glory.

This saying is trustworthy:

If we have died with him

we shall also live with him;

if we persevere

we shall also reign with him.

But if we deny him

he will deny us.

If we are unfaithful

he remains faithful,

for he cannot deny himself.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? In what ways do we have to die with Christ?

Gospel (Luke 17:11-19)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke.

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,

he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.

As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.

They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying,

"Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!"

And when he saw them, he said,

"Go show yourselves to the priests."

As they were going they were cleansed.

And one of them, realizing he had been healed,

returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;

and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.

He was a Samaritan.

Jesus said in reply,

"Ten were cleansed, were they not?

Where are the other nine?

Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?"

Then he said to him, "Stand up and go;

your faith has saved you."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? How does having faith in Jesus save us? Why is gratitude so important for our faith lives?