Word Wide Open: The Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) - 10/1/23

First Reading (Ezekiel 18:5-28)

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,

and 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: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why do people often say God is not fair? How does doing what is just preserve our lives?

Second Reading (Phillipians 2:1-11)

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

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:  Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What is humility and how can you better live a humble life like Christ?

Gospel (Matthew 21:28-32)

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: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What made you change your mind about God? How can you help others have a similar conversion?

Word Wide Open: The Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) - 9/24/23

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: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How is God way different than our own? How do we get better at understanding that?

Second Reading (Phillipians 1:20c-24, 27a)

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

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:  Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How do we conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel?

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: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? How is God generous to us? What does it mean to be "last" according to this reading? How are the "last" elevated by God?

Word Wide Open: The Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) - 9/17/23

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: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How does anger and hatred separate us from God?

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:  Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How can you live for the Lord?

Gospel (Matthew 18:21-25)

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: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Why is forgiveness and mercy so hard for our culture? How can you get better at showing mercy in your own life?

Word Wide Open: The Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time - 9/10/23

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: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How can we warn the “wicked” in our lives?

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:  Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Why is love the fulfillment of the law?

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: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? How can we create a culture of accountability? Why do grudges hurt us so much?

Word Wide Open: The Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) - 9/3/23

First Reading (Jeremiah 20:7-9)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah.

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.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How does the Lord comfort those who suffer persecution and rejection? 

Second Reading (Romans 12:1-2)

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

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.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions:  Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How can you offer your body as a living sacrifice?

Gospel (Matthew 16:21-27)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

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."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Do you have any questions about this reading? Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What is Jesus so critical of what Peter said? Why is self-denial and discipline so important to your faith life?

Word Wide Open: The Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) - 8/27/23

First Reading (Isaiah 22:19-23)

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.

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."

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? How does God provide us leaders in the faith? In what ways are we called to lead and protect the faith?

Second Reading (Romans 11:33-36)

A reading from the St. Paul the Romans. 

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.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? What can we actually know about God and His ways?

Gospel (Matthew 16:13-20)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

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.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? What would you say if someone asked who Jesus is? How does this passage show God’s desire for mercy? Why does Jesus tell them to not tell people He is the Christ? 

Word Wide Open: The Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) - 8/20/23

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

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.

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.

The word of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this reading? Who are the "foreigners" in our lives we need to minister to?

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

A reading from the St. Paul the Romans. 

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.

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 God's gifts and call are irrevocable? How does that apply to our lives?

Gospel (Matthew 15:21-28)

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

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.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Asking the big questions: Is there anything that stuck out to you from this Gospel reading? Why does this woman have such great faith? How does Jesus show us how to love those that don't believe in God or believe in a different religion?