Word Wide Open: The Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) - 7/30/23

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

A reading from the First Book of Kings.

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."

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why was God so pleased with Solomon’s prayer? How can we grow in understanding?

Second Reading (Romans 8:28-30)

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

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.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? DO things always go right because we love God? What does it mean to be predestined to be conformed to Christ’s image? 

Gospel (Matthew 13:44-52)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

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."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What are the things we need to “sell” to get the treasure of heaven? Why can our material things get in the way of holiness?

Word Wide Open: The Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) - 7/23/23

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

A reading from the Book of Wisdom.

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.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why are justice and kindness connected in this reading? Why do we have hope?

Second Reading (Romans 8:26-27)

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

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.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions:  Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why do we not know how to pray as we ought and is there anything we can do about it?

Gospel (Matthew 13:24-43)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

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."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What are the weeds that stop us from growing? How do we separate ourselves from the children of the evil one? What does the last line of this Gospel mean?

Word Wide Open: The Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) - 7/16/23

First Reading (Isaiah 55:10-11)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.

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.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What is the word of God and how does impact us everyday?

Second Reading (Romans 8:18-23)

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

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.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions:  Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How does suffering lead to glory? What is the revelation of the children of God?

Gospel (Matthew 13:1-23)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

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."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? How can we make sure we are rich soil? What does Jesus mean when He says more will be given to those who have much? How do we get better at hearing the Lord?

Word Wide Open: The Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) - 7/9/23

First Reading (Zechariah 9:9-10)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Zechariah.

Thus says the LORD:

Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion,

shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem!

See, your king shall come to you;

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.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why was Jesus a shocking figure to the Jewish people?

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

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

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.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions:  Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What does it mean to live in the flesh vs. living in the spirit? Why does living by the flesh bring death?

Gospel (Matthew 11:25-30)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

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."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What are the things the Lord reveals to the little ones? How does Jesus provide rest in our lives? How can the cross be light?

Word Wide Open: The Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) - 7/2/23

First Reading (2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a)

A reading from the Second Book of Kings.

One day Elisha came to Shunem,

where there was a woman of influence, who urged him to dine with her. 

Afterward, whenever he passed by, he used to stop there to dine.

So she said to her husband, "I know that Elisha is a holy man of God.

Since he visits us often, let us arrange a little room on the roof

and furnish it for him with a bed, table, chair, and lamp,

so that when he comes to us he can stay there."

Sometime later Elisha arrived and stayed in the room overnight.

Later Elisha asked, "Can something be done for her?"

His servant Gehazi answered, "Yes!

She has no son, and her husband is getting on in years."

Elisha said, "Call her."

When the woman had been called and stood at the door,

Elisha promised, "This time next year

you will be fondling a baby son."

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How does God always fulfill His promises?

Second Reading (Romans 6:3-4, 8-11)

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.

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.

As to his death, he died to sin once and for all;

as to his life, he lives for God.

Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as dead to sin

and living for God in Christ Jesus.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions:  Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why did we need to be reconciled with God? Why do we need to continue to go to Confession?

Gospel (Matthew10:37-42)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Jesus said to his apostles:

"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,

and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

and whoever does not take up his cross

and follow after me is not worthy of me.

Whoever finds his life will lose it,

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

"Whoever receives you receives me,

and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.

Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet

will receive a prophet's reward,

and whoever receives a righteous man

because he is a righteous man

will receive a righteous man's reward.

And whoever gives only a cup of cold water

to one of these little ones to drink

because the little one is a disciple—

amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What is Jesus saying about our relationship with our families? Why is carrying our cross so essential to being a Christian? 

Word Wide Open: The Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) - 6/18/23

 

First Reading (Exodus 19:2-6a)

A reading from the Book of Exodus.

In those days, the Israelites came to the desert of Sinai and pitched camp.

While Israel was encamped here in front of the mountain,

Moses went up the mountain to God.

Then the LORD called to him and said,

“Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob;

tell the Israelites:

You have seen for yourselves how I treated the Egyptians

and how I bore you up on eagle wings

and brought you here to myself. 

Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant,

you shall be my special possession,

dearer to me than all other people,

though all the earth is mine.

You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.”

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions:  Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What does it mean to be God’s chosen people?

Second Reading (Romans 5:6-11)

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

Brothers and sisters:

Christ, while we were still helpless, 

yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly.

Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person,

though perhaps for a good person

one might even find courage to die.

But God proves his love for us

in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood,

will we be saved through him from the wrath.

Indeed, if, while we were enemies,

we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son,

how much more, once reconciled,

will we be saved by his life.

Not only that,

but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

through whom we have now received reconciliation.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions:  Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why did we need to be reconciled with God? Why do we need to continue to go to Confession?

Gospel (Matthew 9:36-10:8)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them 

because they were troubled and abandoned,

like sheep without a shepherd.

Then he said to his disciples,

“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;

so ask the master of the harvest

to send out laborers for his harvest.”

Then he summoned his twelve disciples

and gave them authority over unclean spirits

to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.

The names of the twelve apostles are these:

first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;

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

Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;

James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;

Simon from Cana, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus,

“Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.

Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons.

Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? How do we help the Lord with the harvest? In what ways are we the lost sheep?

Word Wide Open: The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (A) - 6/11/23

First Reading (Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b16a)

A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy.

Moses said to the people:

"Remember how for forty years now the LORD, your God,

has directed all your journeying in the desert,

so as to test you by affliction

and find out whether or not it was your intention

to keep his commandments. 

He therefore let you be afflicted with hunger,

and then fed you with manna,

a food unknown to you and your fathers,

in order to show you that not by bread alone does one live,

but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the LORD.

"Do not forget the LORD, your God,

who brought you out of the land of Egypt,

that place of slavery;

who guided you through the vast and terrible desert

with its saraph serpents and scorpions,

its parched and waterless ground;

who brought forth water for you from the flinty rock

and fed you in the desert with manna,

a food unknown to your fathers."

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How does God always provide for us while we are suffering?

Second Reading (1 Corinthians 10:16-17)

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

Brothers and sisters:

The cup of blessing that we bless,

is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?

The bread that we break,

is it not a participation in the body of Christ?

Because the loaf of bread is one,

we, though many, are one body,

for we all partake of the one loaf.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions:  Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why is participating in the Eucharist so important for us?

Gospel (John 6:51-58)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John.

Jesus said to the Jewish crowds:

"I am the living bread that came down from heaven;

whoever eats this bread will live forever;

and the bread that I will give

is my flesh for the life of the world."

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,

"How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 

Jesus said to them,

"Amen, amen, I say to you,

unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,

you do not have life within you. 

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood

has eternal life,

and I will raise him on the last day. 

For my flesh is true food,

and my blood is true drink. 

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood

remains in me and I in him. 

Just as the living Father sent me

and I have life because of the Father,

so also the one who feeds on me

will have life because of me. 

This is the bread that came down from heaven. 

Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,

whoever eats this bread will live forever."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? How is Jesus the bread of life? How does it make us live forever?