"Take care to guard against all greed"

Sunday Readings' Discussion Questions
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 4, 2013 (18C)
From the Center for Liturgy at Saint Louis University

Sunday Readings
Lecturas y Comentarios
Prayer of the Hours
Burning Question: Does God want you to be rich?"

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Questions on Sunday's Readings for use by discussion groups,
prayer groups, or for individual prayer.--------------------------------------------

First Reading
Book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 1, Verse 2; Chapter 2, Verses 21-23

1. Think of the “toil and anxiety of heart with which you labor under the sun.” Is there m more of it than you want in your life? How can you balance the toil and anxiety with what makes you happy?

2.This reading is about priorities. Do yours occasionally need to be rearranged? Do you take time to work? Pray? Be with family, friends? Read? Laugh? Play? Do you neglect any of these areas? Why?

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 90:  3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17

1.  Our Psalm Response this Sunday is, "If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts."  How would you apply these words to the Psalm's message about using our time wisely?

2.  The Psalm ends with a petition that the Lord will "prosper the work of our hands!"  How do we be sure that our work will gain the favor of the Lord? 


Second Reading
Letter of St. Paul to the Colossians, Chapter 3, Verses 1-5, 5-11

1.”Seek what is above.” What do you seek? Where do/will you look for it? Is what your country seeks something from “above”? What would you like to see the Church seek?

2. Christ is your life. Does that mean you will never have trouble with what St. Paul calls “your earthly parts”? He gives a long list of them (passion, evil desire, etc.) How do you let Christ help with ”putting those parts to death”?

Gospel
According to Luke, Chapter 12, Verses 13-21

1.This Gospel discusses people “who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.” What do you think “matters” to God? In what would you like to be rich?

2. Many would determine your worth as a person by the greatness of your house or your portfolio or the make of your car. What is the key factor in helping you determine the worth of a person? Can anyone have much and still give much?

Online Sunday Bible Study Group
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