Word Wide Open: The Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

First Reading (Sirach 27:30-28:7)

A reading from the Book of Sirach.

Wrath and anger are hateful things,

yet the sinner hugs them tight.

The vengeful will suffer the LORD’s vengeance,

for he remembers their sins in detail.

Forgive your neighbor’s injustice;

then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.

Could anyone nourish anger against another

and expect healing from the LORD?

Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself,

can he seek pardon for his own sins?

If one who is but flesh cherishes wrath,

who will forgive his sins?

Remember your last days, set enmity aside;

remember death and decay, and cease from sin!

Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbor;

remember the Most High’s covenant, and overlook faults.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why are wrath and anger so bad for us? How does remembering our death help us?


Second Reading (Romans 14:7-9)

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

Brothers and sisters:

None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself.

For if we live, we live for the Lord,

and if we die, we die for the Lord;

so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.

For this is why Christ died and came to life,

that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How do we live for the Lord? 


Gospel (Matthew 18:21-35)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Peter approached Jesus and asked him,

“Lord, if my brother sins against me,

how often must I forgive?

As many as seven times?” 

Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. 

That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king

who decided to settle accounts with his servants. 

When he began the accounting,

a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. 

Since he had no way of paying it back,

his master ordered him to be sold,

along with his wife, his children, and all his property,

in payment of the debt. 

At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said,

‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’

Moved with compassion the master of that servant

let him go and forgave him the loan. 

When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants

who owed him a much smaller amount. 

He seized him and started to choke him, demanding,

‘Pay back what you owe.’

Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him,

‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’

But he refused. 

Instead, he had the fellow servant put in prison

until he paid back the debt. 

Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened,

they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master

and reported the whole affair. 

His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! 

I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. 

Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,

as I had pity on you?’

Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers

until he should pay back the whole debt. 

So will my heavenly Father do to you,

unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Why is forgiveness so hard for people? Why is forgiving each other so important to God? Why does God forgive us of our sins? 

Word Wide Open: The Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

First Reading (Ezekiel 33:7-9)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel.

Thus says the LORD:

You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel;

when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me.

If I tell the wicked, “O wicked one, you shall surely die, ”

and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way,

the wicked shall die for his guilt,

but I will hold you responsible for his death.

But if you warn the wicked,

trying to turn him from his way,

and he refuses to turn from his way,

he shall die for his guilt,

but you shall save yourself.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How should we talk about sin with others? Why do so many people not believe in sin?


Second Reading (Romans 13:8-10)

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

Brothers and sisters:

Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another;

for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery;

you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet, ”

and whatever other commandment there may be,

are summed up in this saying, namely,

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 

Love does no evil to the neighbor;

hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What is the best way to love one another? How do you love your neighbor as yourself?


Gospel (Matthew 18:15-20)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Jesus said to his disciples:

“If your brother sins against you,

go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. 

If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.

If he does not listen,

take one or two others along with you,

so that ‘every fact may be established

on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’

If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. 

If he refuses to listen even to the church,

then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.

Amen, I say to you,

whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,

and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Again, amen, I say to you,

if two of you agree on earth

about anything for which they are to pray,

it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. 

For where two or three are gathered together in my name,

there am I in the midst of them.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? How do we correct someone in a charitable way? According to Jesus, why is holding on to grudges so bad? Why is praying together so important?

Word Wide Open: The Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

First Reading (Jeremiah 20:7-9)

You duped me, O LORD, and I let myself be duped;

you were too strong for me, and you triumphed.

All the day I am an object of laughter;

everyone mocks me.

Whenever I speak, I must cry out,

violence and outrage is my message;

the word of the LORD has brought me

derision and reproach all the day.

I say to myself, I will not mention him,

I will speak in his name no more.

But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart,

imprisoned in my bones;

I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why are Christians often persecuted? What kind of persecution do we experience today? 


Second Reading (Romans 12:1-2)

I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God,

to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,

holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. 

Do not conform yourselves to this age

but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,

that you may discern what is the will of God,

what is good and pleasing and perfect.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What are sacrifices we can make in our daily lives? How can we make sure to not conform ourselves to this age?


Gospel (Matthew 16:21-27)

Jesus began to show his disciples

that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly

from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,

and be killed and on the third day be raised. 

Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him,

“God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” 

He turned and said to Peter,

“Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. 

You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."

Then Jesus said to his disciples,

“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,

take up his cross, and follow me. 

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,

but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world

and forfeit his life? 

Or what can one give in exchange for his life? 

For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory,

and then he will repay all according to his conduct.”

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Why does Jesus respond so strongly to Peter? In what ways can we deny ourselves? Why is carrying our crosses the only way to truly follow Jesus?

Word Wide Open: The Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

First Reading (Isaiah 22:19-23)

Thus says the LORD to Shebna, master of the palace:

“I will thrust you from your office

and pull you down from your station.

On that day I will summon my servant

Eliakim, son of Hilkiah;

I will clothe him with your robe,

and gird him with your sash,

and give over to him your authority.

He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,

and to the house of Judah.

I will place the key of the House of David on Eliakim’s shoulder;

when he opens, no one shall shut

when he shuts, no one shall open.

I will fix him like a peg in a sure spot,

to be a place of honor for his family.”

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why is humility good for us? What kind of authority does God give us?


Second Reading (Romans 11:33-36)

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! 

How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!

For who has known the mind of the Lord

or who has been his counselor?

Or who has given the Lord anything

that he may be repaid?

For from him and through him and for him are all things. 

To him be glory forever. Amen.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How can we see the world as God sees it? Why should we always give God praise?


Gospel (Matthew 16:13-20)

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and

he asked his disciples,

“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,

still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter said in reply,

"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus said to him in reply,

“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.

For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.

And so I say to you, you are Peter,

and upon this rock I will build my church,

and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.

Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;

and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Then he strictly ordered his disciples

to tell no one that he was the Christ.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? How would you describe Jesus to a friend that thought he was simply a nice guy? Why is Peter's answer so good? How does the reading establish a scrament? 

Word Wide Open: The Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

First Reading (Isaiah 56:1, 6-7)

Thus says the LORD:

Observe what is right, do what is just;

for my salvation is about to come,

my justice, about to be revealed.

The foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,

ministering to him,

loving the name of the LORD,

and becoming his servants—

all who keep the sabbath free from profanation

and hold to my covenant,

them I will bring to my holy mountain

and make joyful in my house of prayer;

their burnt offerings and sacrifices

will be acceptable on my altar,

for my house shall be called

a house of prayer for all peoples.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Are we supposed to be afraid of the justice of the Lord? Why or why not? Why is going to Church so important?


Second Reading (Romans 11:13-15, 29-32)

Brothers and sisters:

I am speaking to you Gentiles. 

Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles,

I glory in my ministry in order to make my race jealous

and thus save some of them. 

For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world,

what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. 

Just as you once disobeyed God

but have now received mercy because of their disobedience,

so they have now disobeyed in order that,

by virtue of the mercy shown to you,

they too may now receive mercy. 

For God delivered all to disobedience,

that he might have mercy upon all.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How do we often turn away from God like the Gentiles? How is God's call irrevocable? 


Gospel (Matthew 15:21-28)

At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 

And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out,

“Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! 

My daughter is tormented by a demon.” 

But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her. 

Jesus’ disciples came and asked him,

“Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.”

He said in reply,

“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, “Lord, help me.” 

He said in reply,

“It is not right to take the food of the children

and throw it to the dogs.” 

She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps

that fall from the table of their masters.” 

Then Jesus said to her in reply,

“O woman, great is your faith! 

Let it be done for you as you wish.” 

And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Why does Jesus initially reject the Canaanite woman? In what ways is our faith meant to be for everyone? How can we show our faith more like the woman in this reading?

Word Wide Open: The Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

First Reading (1 Kings 19:9A, 11-13A)

At the mountain of God, Horeb,

Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter. 

Then the LORD said to him,

“Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;

the LORD will be passing by.” 

A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains

and crushing rocks before the LORD—

but the LORD was not in the wind. 

After the wind there was an earthquake—

but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 

After the earthquake there was fire—

but the LORD was not in the fire. 

After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. 

When he heard this,

Elijah hid his face in his cloak

and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? When do we experience the presence of the Lord in our lives? How can we find God in everyday life?


Second Reading (Romans 9:1-5)

Brothers and sisters:

I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie;

my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness

that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart. 

For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ

for the sake of my own people,

my kindred according to the flesh. 

They are Israelites;

theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants,

the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;

theirs the patriarchs, and from them,

according to the flesh, is the Christ,

who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How should we our witness with others? What does it mean to live according to the flesh?


Gospel (Matthew 14:22-33)

After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat

and precede him to the other side,

while he dismissed the crowds. 

After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. 

When it was evening he was there alone. 

Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,

was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. 

During the fourth watch of the night,

he came toward them walking on the sea. 

When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. 

“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. 

At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” 

Peter said to him in reply,

“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 

He said, “Come.” 

Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. 

But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;

and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 

Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter,

and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 

After they got into the boat, the wind died down. 

Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,

“Truly, you are the Son of God.”

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Why do we not trust God sometimes? Why does fear stop us from truly believing in God? How does Peter show us how to live our faith? 

Word Wide Open: The Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

First Reading (Isaiah 55:1-3)

Thus says the LORD:

All you who are thirsty,

come to the water!

You who have no money,

come, receive grain and eat;

Come, without paying and without cost,

drink wine and milk!

Why spend your money for what is not bread;

your wages for what fails to satisfy?

Heed me, and you shall eat well,

you shall delight in rich fare.

Come to me heedfully,

listen, that you may have life.

I will renew with you the everlasting covenant,

the benefits assured to David.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? In what ways does God constantly provide for us? What are the benefits of being a child of God?


Second Reading (Romans 8:35: 27-39)

Brothers and sisters:

What will separate us from the love of Christ?

Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine,

or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?

No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly

through him who loved us.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,

nor angels, nor principalities,

nor present things, nor future things,

nor powers, nor height, nor depth,

nor any other creature will be able to separate us

from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What things that discourage our faith? How does the love of God deliver us from difficult times?


Gospel (Matthew 14:13-21)

When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist,

he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.

The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns.

When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,

his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.  

When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said,

“This is a deserted place and it is already late;

dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages

and buy food for themselves.”

Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away;

give them some food yourselves.”

But they said to him,

“Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.”

Then he said, “Bring them here to me, ”

and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.

Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven,

he said the blessing, broke the loaves,

and gave them to the disciples,

who in turn gave them to the crowds.

They all ate and were satisfied,

and they picked up the fragments left over—

twelve wicker baskets full.

Those who ate were about five thousand men,

not counting women and children.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Why is making time for silence good for us? What does this miracle tell us about Jesus? How should we express our needs to the Lord?

Word Wide Open: The Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

First Reading (1 Kings 3:5, 7-12)

The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night.
God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.”
Solomon answered:
“O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king
to succeed my father David;
but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act.
I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen,
a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted.
Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart
to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.
For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?”

The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request.
So God said to him:
“Because you have asked for this—
not for a long life for yourself,
nor for riches,
nor for the life of your enemies,
but for understanding so that you may know what is right—
I do as you requested.
I give you a heart so wise and understanding
that there has never been anyone like you up to now,
and after you there will come no one to equal you.”

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why is Solomon's prayer so pleasing to God? What are things we should ask God for?


Second Reading (Romans 8:28-30)

Brothers and sisters:
We know that all things work for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose.
For those he foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his Son,
so that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers and sisters.
And those he predestined he also called;
and those he called he also justified;
and those he justified he also glorified.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Do Catholics believe in predestiny? Why or why not? How does everything have an element of grace?


Gospel (Matthew 13:44-52)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

“Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes.”
And he replied,
“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven
is like the head of a household
who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.”

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What are things that we have to let go to obtain the treasure of heaven? How do we act when we desire heaven? 

Word Wide Open: The Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

First Reading (Wisdom 12:13, 16-19)

There is no god besides you who have the care of all,
that you need show you have not unjustly condemned.
For your might is the source of justice;
your mastery over all things makes you lenient to all.
For you show your might when the perfection of your power is disbelieved;
and in those who know you, you rebuke temerity.
But though you are master of might, you judge with clemency,
and with much lenience you govern us;
for power, whenever you will, attends you.
And you taught your people, by these deeds,
that those who are just must be kind;
and you gave your children good ground for hope
that you would permit repentance for their sins.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What are the other "gods" we put before the one true God? How does justice lead to kindness?


Second Reading (Romans 8:26-27)

Brothers and sisters:
The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.
And the one who searches hearts
knows what is the intention of the Spirit,
because he intercedes for the holy ones
according to God’s will.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How can we pray better? Why is intercessory prayer so important?


Gospel (Matthew 13:24-43)

Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying:
“The kingdom of heaven may be likened
to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?’
He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’
His slaves said to him,
‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
“First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

He proposed another parable to them.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
that a person took and sowed in a field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.
It becomes a large bush,
and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.’”

He spoke to them another parable.
“The kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch was leavened.”

All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.
He spoke to them only in parables,
to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:
I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation
of the world.

Then, dismissing the crowds, he went into the house.
His disciples approached him and said,
“Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the evil one,
and the enemy who sows them is the devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Why did Jesus teach with parables? How does the enemy try to take us away from God? How can we doubt God less?

Word Wide Open: The Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (A)

First Reading (Isaiah 55:10-11)

Thus says the LORD:
Just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
and do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
so shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
my word shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What is the Word of God? What is the purpose of the Word of God?


Second Reading (Romans 8:18-23)

Brothers and sisters:
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing
compared with the glory to be revealed for us.
For creation awaits with eager expectation
the revelation of the children of God;
for creation was made subject to futility,
not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it,
in hope that creation itself
would be set free from slavery to corruption
and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now;
and not only that, but we ourselves,
who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
we also groan within ourselves
as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How does suffering lead us to glory? How does creation reveal God's glory?


Gospel (Matthew 13:1-23)

On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea.
Such large crowds gathered around him
that he got into a boat and sat down,
and the whole crowd stood along the shore.
And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying:
“A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,
and when the sun rose it was scorched,
and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.
But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit,
a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

The disciples approached him and said,
“Why do you speak to them in parables?”
He said to them in reply,
“Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven
has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.
To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich;
from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in parables, because
they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.
Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:
You shall indeed hear but not understand,
you shall indeed look but never see.
Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their ears,
they have closed their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their hearts and be converted,
and I heal them.

“But blessed are your eyes, because they see,
and your ears, because they hear.
Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people
longed to see what you see but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

“Hear then the parable of the sower.
The seed sown on the path is the one
who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it,
and the evil one comes and steals away
what was sown in his heart.
The seed sown on rocky ground
is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy.
But he has no root and lasts only for a time.
When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word,
he immediately falls away.
The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word,
but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word
and it bears no fruit.
But the seed sown on rich soil
is the one who hears the word and understands it,
who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? How can our hearts be hardened like the rocky soil? In what ways do we ignore the Word of God? How can we prepare ourselves to be more open to God?

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Word Wide Open: The Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

First Reading (Zechariah 9:9-10)

Thus says the LORD:
Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion,
shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king shall come to you;How do
a just savior is he,
meek, and riding on an ass,
on a colt, the foal of an ass.
He shall banish the chariot from Ephraim,
and the horse from Jerusalem;
the warrior’s bow shall be banished,
and he shall proclaim peace to the nations.
His dominion shall be from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How we be more joyful instead of negative? How do we bring peace to earth?


Second Reading (Romans 8:9, 11-13)

Brothers and sisters:
You are not in the flesh;
on the contrary, you are in the spirit,
if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
the one who raised Christ from the dead
will give life to your mortal bodies also,
through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Consequently, brothers and sisters,
we are not debtors to the flesh,
to live according to the flesh.
For if you live according to the flesh, you will die,
but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,
you will live.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why do people so often live by the flesh? What does it mean to belong to Christ?


Gospel (Matthew 11:25-30)

At that time Jesus exclaimed:
“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to little ones.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Why are children closer to God? How does God give us rest during times of difficulty? How do we get to know God through the relationship of the Father and the Son?

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