This Sunday's Gospel text is taken from St. John's account of the Last Supper. That the Church gives us this Last Supper discourse of Jesus for an Easter Season Eucharist is illuminative. These words are spoken to us now by the Risen Lord, truly alive and present in our midst. In this gospel we find things that Jesus taught before his death beautifully combined with John's inspired interpretation of these teachings, written in full confidence of guidance by the Spirit of Jesus (Jn 16:13).
Sunday Readings' Discussion Questions
Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 18, 2014 (5EasterA)
From the Center for Liturgy at Saint Louis University
Sunday Mass Readings
Podcast of the Readings
Video of Reflections on Readings
Lecturas y Comentarios
Prayer of the Hours
BQ: How Catholic are you? Take the Quiz
--------------------------------------------
Questions on Sunday's Readings for use by discussion groups,
prayer groups, or for individual prayer.
--------------------------------------------
First Reading
Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 6, Verses 1-7
1. How did the new Christian community solve the problem of neglected widows? Did the twelve decide to forego prayer and the ministry of the word in order to help them? “Faith finds its expression in good works, and good works in turn builds faith.” How does the story in this reading illustrate this statement by Aelred Rosser?
2. How did the Church make changes to meet the needs of the times? How important is the ability to make changes? How might this kind of thinking impact the Church today?
Responsorial Psalms
Psalm 33: 1-2, 4-5, 18-19
1. This week's Response is, "Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you." When you place your trust in the Lord, do you become like one of His sheep? Are you then
dependent on His grace and protection? Explain.
2. The Psalm says that the Lord will preserve us in spite of famine. The psalmist here may be speaking more about spiritual famine, instead of physical hunger. Have you ever gone through a time of spiritual hunger? Explain.
Second Reading
First Letter of St. Peter, Chapter 2, Verses 4-9
1. Discuss ways that you have found Christ to be both a stone foundation and a stumbling block in your faith journey.
2. You are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own,” the reading says. How do you announce the praises of “him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light”?
Gospel
According to John, Chapter 14, Verses 1-12
1. Jesus says, “I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” What does that statement mean to you? Philip wanted a clearer explanation of who the Father is. Can you relate to that? How did Jesus say we can know the Father?
2. The disciples didn’t want Jesus to leave. Can you relate to this desire to be with the people you love? How is human love a reflection of divine love or a participation in it?
Online Sunday Bible Study Group
Please share below your reflections on the Sunday Readings. May we be blessed by God's words as reflected in your thoughts and experience-sharing.
The Psalm says, “The eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear him ...
ReplyDeleteto deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine.”
The Lord's eyes are upon us
because we hold Him in awe, we praise Him.
Like a Good Shepherd He protects us from harm;
He puts up a hedge around us and provides us with armor
in our battle against death and the evil one.
He feeds us when we go through periods of spiritual hunger.
He nourishes us and gives us our daily spiritual bread.
Where else would we turn for deliverance from death,
the kind of death which is a consequence of sin?
Remember, 'the wages of sin is death,'
and we are all afflicted.
Fortunately for us, Christ destroyed death
and brought life to us
We would be dead in our sins without the Lord's protection,
defeated by the evil one without the Lord's armor.
And when our heart is starved for God's presence,
when our bones are dry, he nourishes us
and breathes life into our dry bones.
It is through his Plan that we are saved.
Our own feeble efforts count for nothing.
We must be submissive and abandon ourselves to his Plan.
Because Christ humbles himself for our sake,
becomes a slave to our sin, there is hope for us,
even in our time of spiritual famine.
That is the meaning of the response,
“ Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.”
Amen