Word Wide Open: The First Sunday of Advent (B) - November 29, 2020

Reading (Isaiah 63:16B-, 19B; 64:2-7)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.

You, LORD, are our father,

our redeemer you are named forever.

Why do you let us wander, O LORD, from your ways,

and harden our hearts so that we fear you not?

Return for the sake of your servants,

the tribes of your heritage.

Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,

with the mountains quaking before you,

while you wrought awesome deeds we could not hope for,

such as they had not heard of from of old.

No ear has ever heard, no eye ever seen, any God but you

doing such deeds for those who wait for him.

Would that you might meet us doing right,

that we were mindful of you in our ways!

Behold, you are angry, and we are sinful;

all of us have become like unclean people,

all our good deeds are like polluted rags;

we have all withered like leaves,

and our guilt carries us away like the wind.

There is none who calls upon your name,

who rouses himself to cling to you;

for you have hidden your face from us

and have delivered us up to our guilt.

Yet, O LORD, you are our father;

we are the clay and you the potter:

we are all the work of your hands.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why does God allow us to have freewill? How does God still form and guide us even though we have freewill?


Second Reading (1 Corinthians 1:3-9)

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

Brothers and sisters:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I give thanks to my God always on your account

for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus,

that in him you were enriched in every way,

with all discourse and all knowledge,

as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you,

so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift

as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He will keep you firm to the end,

irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God is faithful,

and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why is being grateful to God so important? What are spiritual gifts God gives us? 

Gospel (Mark 13:33-37)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark.

Jesus said to his disciples:

It is like a man traveling abroad.

He leaves home and places his servants in charge,

each with his own work,

and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch.

Watch, therefore;

you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming,

whether in the evening, or at midnight,

or at cockcrow, or in the morning.

May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.

What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? How can we be more aware of what God is doing in our lives? What does it mean to be asleep to God? How does Advent prepare us better for the Lord's coming?

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Word Wide Open: The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (A)

Reading (Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel.

Thus says the Lord GOD:

I myself will look after and tend my sheep. 

As a shepherd tends his flock

when he finds himself among his scattered sheep,

so will I tend my sheep.

I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered

when it was cloudy and dark. 

I myself will pasture my sheep;

I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD. 

The lost I will seek out,

the strayed I will bring back,

the injured I will bind up,

the sick I will heal,

but the sleek and the strong I will destroy,

shepherding them rightly.

As for you, my sheep, says the Lord GOD,

I will judge between one sheep and another,

between rams and goats.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How does God seek out the lost? How does God judge His sheep?


Second Reading (1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28)

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

Brothers and sisters:

Christ has been raised from the dead,

the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 

For since death came through man,

the resurrection of the dead came also through man.

For just as in Adam all die,

so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,

but each one in proper order:

Christ the firstfruits;

then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;

then comes the end,

when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father,

when he has destroyed every sovereignty

and every authority and power. 

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 

The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

When everything is subjected to him,

then the Son himself will also be subjected

to the one who subjected everything to him,

so that God may be all in all.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What does it mean that Jesus is the new Adam? What does it mean to be subjected to God?

Gospel (Matthew 25:31-46)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Jesus said to his disciples:

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory,

and all the angels with him,

he will sit upon his glorious throne,

and all the nations will be assembled before him.

And he will separate them one from another,

as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 

Then the king will say to those on his right,

'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. 

Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave me food,

I was thirsty and you gave me drink,

a stranger and you welcomed me,

naked and you clothed me,

ill and you cared for me,

in prison and you visited me.’

Then the righteous will answer him and say,

'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,

or thirsty and give you drink?

When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,

or naked and clothe you?

When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’

And the king will say to them in reply,

'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did

for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.’

Then he will say to those on his left,

'Depart from me, you accursed,

into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

For I was hungry and you gave me no food,

I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,

a stranger and you gave me no welcome,

naked and you gave me no clothing,

ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’

Then they will answer and say,

'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty

or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison,

and not minister to your needs?’

He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you,

what you did not do for one of these least ones,

you did not do for me.’

And these will go off to eternal punishment,

but the righteous to eternal life."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What does this reading tell us about God's judgment? Who are we called to serve most in our lives? Why is the image of Christ as a shepherd so important?

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Word Wide Open: Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Reading (Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31)

A reading from the Book of Proverbs.

When one finds a worthy wife,

her value is far beyond pearls.

Her husband, entrusting his heart to her,

has an unfailing prize.

She brings him good, and not evil,

all the days of her life.

She obtains wool and flax

and works with loving hands.

She puts her hands to the distaff,

and her fingers ply the spindle.

She reaches out her hands to the poor,

and extends her arms to the needy.

Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting;

the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Give her a reward for her labors,

and let her works praise her at the city gates.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What is this reading really about beyond the surface level?


Second Reading (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6)

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

Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters,

you have no need for anything to be written to you. 

For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come

like a thief at night.

When people are saying, "Peace and security,"

then sudden disaster comes upon them,

like labor pains upon a pregnant woman,

and they will not escape.

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness,

for that day to overtake you like a thief. 

For all of you are children of the light

and children of the day.

We are not of the night or of darkness. 

Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do,

but let us stay alert and sober.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How can we ensure we are not in darkness? What does it mean to be "asleep"?

Gospel (Matthew 25:14-30)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Jesus told his disciples this parable:

"A man going on a journey

called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.

To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--

to each according to his ability. 

Then he went away.

Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,

and made another five.

Likewise, the one who received two made another two. 

But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground

and buried his master's money.

"After a long time

the master of those servants came back

and settled accounts with them.

The one who had received five talents came forward

bringing the additional five. 

He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents. 

See, I have made five more.’

His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. 

Since you were faithful in small matters,

I will give you great responsibilities. 

Come, share your master's joy.’

Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,

'Master, you gave me two talents. 

See, I have made two more.'

His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. 

Since you were faithful in small matters,

I will give you great responsibilities.

Come, share your master's joy.’

Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, 

'Master, I knew you were a demanding person,

harvesting where you did not plant

and gathering where you did not scatter;

so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. 

Here it is back.'

His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant!

So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant

and gather where I did not scatter? 

Should you not then have put my money in the bank

so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? 

Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. 

For to everyone who has,

more will be given and he will grow rich;

but from the one who has not,

even what he has will be taken away.

And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,

where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'"

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What are the "talents" God has given us? How do we often misuse them? How do we use them properly?

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

Reading (Wisdom 6:12-16)

A reading from the Book of Wisdom.

Resplendent and unfading is wisdom,

and she is readily perceived by those who love her,

and found by those who seek her.

She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of their desire;

Whoever watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed,

for he shall find her sitting by his gate.

For taking thought of wisdom is the perfection of prudence,

and whoever for her sake keeps vigil

shall quickly be free from care;

because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her,

and graciously appears to them in the ways,

and meets them with all solicitude.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What is the gift of Wisdom? What can Wisdom do for us?


Second Reading (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

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

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,

about those who have fallen asleep,

so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose,

so too will God, through Jesus,

bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 

Indeed, we tell you this, on the word of the Lord,

that we who are alive,

who are left until the coming of the Lord,

will surely not precede those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord himself, with a word of command,

with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God,

will come down from heaven,

and the dead in Christ will rise first. 

Then we who are alive, who are left,

will be caught up together with them in the clouds

to meet the Lord in the air. 

Thus we shall always be with the Lord. 

Therefore, console one another with these words.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why does the fear of death motivate so many people? What does this reading tell us about Christ's second coming?

Gospel (Matthew 25:1-13)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Jesus told his disciples this parable:

"The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins

who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 

Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 

The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,

brought no oil with them,

but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. 

Since the bridegroom was long delayed,

they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

At midnight, there was a cry,

‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 

The foolish ones said to the wise,

‘Give us some of your oil,

for our lamps are going out.’

But the wise ones replied,

'No, for there may not be enough for us and you.

Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’

While they went off to buy it,

the bridegroom came

and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. 

Then the door was locked.

Afterwards the other virgins came and said,

‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’

But he said in reply,

‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’

Therefore, stay awake,

for you know neither the day nor the hour."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What are things that distract us from our faith? How can we prepare for the Lord's coming? 

Word Wide Open: Solemnity of All Saints (A)

First Reading (Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14)

A reading from the Book of Revelation.

I, John, saw another angel come up from the East,

holding the seal of the living God.

He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels

who were given power to damage the land and the sea,

“Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees

until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”

I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal,

one hundred and forty-four thousand marked

from every tribe of the children of Israel.

After this I had a vision of a great multitude,

which no one could count,

from every nation, race, people, and tongue.

They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,

wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.

They cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne,

and from the Lamb.”

All the angels stood around the throne

and around the elders and the four living creatures.

They prostrated themselves before the throne,

worshiped God, and exclaimed:

“Amen.  Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,

honor, power, and might

be to our God forever and ever.  Amen."

Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me,

“Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”

I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.”

He said to me,

“These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;

they have washed their robes

and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What makes someone a saint? What does the communion of saints do?


Second Reading (1 John 3:1-3)

A reading from the First Letter of St. John.

Beloved:

See what love the Father has bestowed on us

that we may be called the children of God.

Yet so we are.

The reason the world does not know us

is that it did not know him.

Beloved, we are God’s children now;

what we shall be has not yet been revealed.

We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,

for we shall see him as he is.

Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure,

as he is pure.

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 a child of God? What does it mean to be like God?

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? What do the Beatitudes teach us about how we should live? Which Beatitudes do you think are most relevant today?

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

First Reading (Exodus 22:20-26)

A reading from the Book of Exodus.

Thus says the LORD:

"You shall not molest or oppress an alien,

for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt. 

You shall not wrong any widow or orphan. 

If ever you wrong them and they cry out to me,

I will surely hear their cry. 

My wrath will flare up, and I will kill you with the sword;

then your own wives will be widows, and your children orphans.

"If you lend money to one of your poor neighbors among my people,

you shall not act like an extortioner toward him

by demanding interest from him. 

If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge,

you shall return it to him before sunset;

for this cloak of his is the only covering he has for his body. 

What else has he to sleep in?

If he cries out to me, I will hear him; for I am compassionate."

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Who are the oppressed or aliens in our lives? In what ways is God compassionate? 


Second Reading (1 Thessalonians 1:5C-10)

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

Brothers and sisters:

You know what sort of people we were among you for your sake. 

And you became imitators of us and of the Lord,

receiving the word in great affliction, with joy from the Holy Spirit,

so that you became a model for all the believers

in Macedonia and in Achaia.

For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth

not only in Macedonia and in Achaia,

but in every place your faith in God has gone forth,

so that we have no need to say anything. 

For they themselves openly declare about us

what sort of reception we had among you,

and how you turned to God from idols

to serve the living and true God

and to await his Son from heaven,

whom he raised from the dead,

Jesus, who delivers us from the coming wrath.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What are idols we need to turn away from? How does believing in God impact how we treat others?

Gospel (Matthew 22:34-40)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,

they gathered together, and one of them,

a scholar of the law tested him by asking,

"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" 

He said to him,

"You shall love the Lord, your God,

with all your heart,

with all your soul,

and with all your mind.

This is the greatest and the first commandment.

The second is like it:

You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 

The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Who is your neighbor? Why do we owe to our neighbors? How are we called to love ourselves?

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

First Reading (Isaiah 45:1, 4-6)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.

Thus says the LORD to his anointed, Cyrus,

whose right hand I grasp,

subduing nations before him,

and making kings run in his service,

opening doors before him

and leaving the gates unbarred:

For the sake of Jacob, my servant,

of Israel, my chosen one,

I have called you by your name,

giving you a title, though you knew me not.

I am the LORD and there is no other,

there is no God besides me.

It is I who arm you, though you know me not,

so that toward the rising and the setting of the sun

people may know that there is none besides me.

I am the LORD, there is no other.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How has God called each of us by name? What does God want us to do with the strength he gives us? 


Second Reading (1 Thessalonians 1:1-5B)

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

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians

in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

grace to you and peace.

We give thanks to God always for all of you,

remembering you in our prayers,

unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love

and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ,

before our God and Father,

knowing, brothers and sisters loved by God,

how you were chosen.

For our gospel did not come to you in word alone,

but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction. 

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why is being grateful to God so important? How can we better recognize what God has done in our lives?

Gospel (Matthew 22:15-21)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

The Pharisees went off

and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech.

They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying,

"Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man

and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.

And you are not concerned with anyone's opinion,

for you do not regard a person's status.

Tell us, then, what is your opinion:

Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?"

Knowing their malice, Jesus said,

"Why are you testing me, you hypocrites?

Show me the coin that pays the census tax."

Then they handed him the Roman coin.

He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?"

They replied, "Caesar's."

At that he said to them,

"Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar

and to God what belongs to God."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Why do we often try to "test" God? What does this reading tell us about our relationship with those in authority? What belongs to God?

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

 

 

First Reading (Isaiah 25:6-10A)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.

On this mountain the LORD of hosts
will provide for all peoples
a feast of rich food and choice wines,
juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the veil that veils all peoples,
the web that is woven over all nations;
he will destroy death forever.
The Lord GOD will wipe away
the tears from every face;
the reproach of his people he will remove
from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.
On that day it will be said:
"Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
This is the LORD for whom we looked;
let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!"
For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What is the veil that is referred to in this reading? In what ways has God saved us?


Second Reading (Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20)

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

Brothers and sisters:
I know how to live in humble circumstances;
I know also how to live with abundance.
In every circumstance and in all things
I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry,
of living in abundance and of being in need. 
I can do all things in him who strengthens me. 
Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress.

My God will fully supply whatever you need,
in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
To our God and Father, glory forever and ever. Amen.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why do we often get so caught up in material things? What can God give us the strength to do?

Gospel (Matthew 22:1-44)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people 
in parables, saying, 
"The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son. 
He dispatched his servants
to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business. 
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them. 
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 
Then he said to his servants, 'The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come. 
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.’
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests. 
But when the king came in to meet the guests,
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. 
The king said to him, 'My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?'
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’
Many are invited, but few are chosen."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What is the point of the is parable? How can we prepare to answer God? What does it mean to be chosen by God?

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

First Reading (Isaiah 5:1-7)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.

Let me now sing of my friend,

my friend's song concerning his vineyard.

My friend had a vineyard

on a fertile hillside;

he spaded it, cleared it of stones,

and planted the choicest vines;

within it he built a watchtower,

and hewed out a wine press.

Then he looked for the crop of grapes,

but what it yielded was wild grapes.

Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah,

judge between me and my vineyard:

What more was there to do for my vineyard

that I had not done?

Why, when I looked for the crop of grapes,

did it bring forth wild grapes?

Now, I will let you know

what I mean to do with my vineyard:

take away its hedge, give it to grazing,

break through its wall, let it be trampled!

Yes, I will make it a ruin:

it shall not be pruned or hoed,

but overgrown with thorns and briers;

I will command the clouds

not to send rain upon it.

The vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel,

and the people of Judah are his cherished plant;

he looked for judgment, but see, bloodshed!

for justice, but hark, the outcry!

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why did the owner of the vineyard do what he did? How will God judge us? 


Second Reading (Philippians 4:6-9)

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

Brothers and sisters:

Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,

by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,

make your requests known to God.

Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding

will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters,

whatever is true, whatever is honorable,

whatever is just, whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious,

if there is any excellence

and if there is anything worthy of praise,

think about these things.

Keep on doing what you have learned and received

and heard and seen in me.

Then the God of peace will be with you.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why is it so easy to be anxious? Why should be more grateful for what God has given? What are things we should ask God for in prayer?

Gospel (Matthew 21:33-43)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:

"Hear another parable.

There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,

put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. 

Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.

When vintage time drew near,

he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. 

But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,

another they killed, and a third they stoned. 

Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,

but they treated them in the same way. 

Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking,

'They will respect my son.'

But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,

'This is the heir.

Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’

They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 

What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?"

They answered him,

"He will put those wretched men to a wretched death

and lease his vineyard to other tenants

who will give him the produce at the proper times."

Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures:

The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone;

by the Lord has this been done,

and it is wonderful in our eyes?

Therefore, I say to you,

the kingdom of God will be taken away from you

and given to a people that will produce its fruit."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Why do we often take for granted the gifts God has given us? How do we damage the vineyard? How do we produce fruit for the Kingdom?

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

First Reading (Ezekiel 18:25-28)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel.

Thus says the LORD:

You say, "The LORD's way is not fair!"

Hear now, house of Israel:

Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?

When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies,

it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die.

But if he turns from the wickedness he has committed,

he does what is right and just,

he shall preserve his life;

since he has turned away from all the sins that he has committed,

he shall surely live, he shall not die.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How are our ways not fair? How are we unfair to others? How does turning away from sin preserve our life?


Second Reading (1 Philippians 2:1-11)

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

Brothers and sisters:

If there is any encouragement in Christ,

any solace in love,

any participation in the Spirit,

any compassion and mercy,

complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love,

united in heart, thinking one thing.

Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory;

rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,

each looking out not for his own interests,

but also for those of others.

Have in you the same attitude

that is also in Christ Jesus,

Who, though he was in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God

something to be grasped.

Rather, he emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave,

coming in human likeness;

and found human in appearance,

he humbled himself,

becoming obedient to the point of death,

even death on a cross.

Because of this, God greatly exalted him

and bestowed on him the name

which is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bend,

of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that

Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why do we slip into selfishness so easily? What does it mean to empty yourself?

Gospel (Matthew 21:38-32)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people:

"What is your opinion?

A man had two sons.

He came to the first and said,

'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.'

He said in reply, 'I will not, '

but afterwards changed his mind and went.

The man came to the other son and gave the same order.

He said in reply, 'Yes, sir, ‘but did not go.

Which of the two did his father's will?"

They answered, "The first."

Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you,

tax collectors and prostitutes

are entering the kingdom of God before you.

When John came to you in the way of righteousness,

you did not believe him;

but tax collectors and prostitutes did.

Yet even when you saw that,

you did not later change your minds and believe him."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What is the point of the parable from this Gospel passage? What does God tell us to do? Why does God desire obedience? What does it mean to have a conversion?

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

First Reading (Isaiah 55:6-9)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.

Seek the LORD while he may be found,

call him while he is near.

Let the scoundrel forsake his way,

and the wicked his thoughts;

let him turn to the LORD for mercy;

to our God, who is generous in forgiving.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.

As high as the heavens are above the earth,

so high are my ways above your ways

and my thoughts above your thoughts.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How can we find the Lord in our everyday lives? What does it mean that God's ways are not our ways?


Second Reading (1 Philippians 1:20C-24, 27A)

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

Brothers and sisters:

Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. 

For to me life is Christ, and death is gain. 

If I go on living in the flesh,

that means fruitful labor for me. 

And I do not know which I shall choose. 

I am caught between the two. 

I long to depart this life and be with Christ,

for that is far better. 

Yet that I remain in the flesh

is more necessary for your benefit.

Only, conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How do we magnify Christ? How is death gain for us?

Gospel (Matthew 20:1-16A)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Jesus told his disciples this parable:

“The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner

who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. 

After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,

he sent them into his vineyard. 

Going out about nine o’clock,

the landowner saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard,

and I will give you what is just.’

So they went off. 

And he went out again around noon,

and around three o’clock, and did likewise. 

Going out about five o’clock,

the landowner found others standing around, and said to them,

‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’

They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’

He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’

When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,

‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay,

beginning with the last and ending with the first.’

When those who had started about five o’clock came,

each received the usual daily wage. 

So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more,

but each of them also got the usual wage. 

And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying,

‘These last ones worked only one hour,

and you have made them equal to us,

who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’

He said to one of them in reply,

‘My friend, I am not cheating you. 

Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 

Take what is yours and go. 

What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? 

Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? 

Are you envious because I am generous?’

Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What is the point of the parable from this Gospel passage? Why do a lot of people say life isn't fair? How is everyone equal in the Kingdom of God?