This Sunday, November 23, 2014,we will celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King and close the Liturgical Year. Lex orandi, lex credendi. As we pray, so we believe. At the end, Christ will reign as King. This fulfills what He taught us in prayer: “Your Kingdom come; Your will be done on earth...”
Sunday Readings' Discussion Questions
Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ The King, Nov. 23, 2014 (Christ King A)
From the Center for Liturgy at Saint Louis University
Sunday Mass Readings
Podcast of the Readings
Video of Reflections on Readings
Lecturas y Comentarios
New American Bible
Prayer of the Hours
BQ: "What would you ask of God?"
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Questions on Sunday's Readings for use by discussion groups,
prayer groups, or for individual prayer.
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First Reading
Book of the prophet Ezekiel, Chapter 34, Verses 11-12, 15-17
1. Who is responsible for the sheep being scattered, injured, lost and sick? Were the past shepherds negligent in their duty of caring for the sheep? What will the attentive shepherd do after he has rescued the sheep? What part of this reading is relevant for you?
2. According to this reading, what kind of shepherd is the Lord God? If there is a message in this reading for people in Church leadership positions, what is it? What can you do to “bind up the injured and heal the sick”?
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 23: 1-3, 5-6
1. It is said that King David wrote this Psalm during the last days of his life. What is it about the Psalm that reassures us we will have eternal life with our Lord?
2. The Psalm's opening verse, 'The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want," implies that everything will be provided for us by our Lord. For our part, what is expected of us if we are to dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come?
Second Reading
First Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians, Chapter 15, Verses 20-26, 28
1. “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” Name some signs of “death or serious illness” that you see in the world, the environment or in the Church today.
2. How can you help Christ destroy death or at least challenge the many forms of violence in the world today?
Gospel
According to Matthew, Chapter 25, Verses 31-46
1. This king is the almighty and glorious God. Why did he come into the world in solidarity with the poor, wear thorns for his crown and have a cross for his throne? Who can relate on a personal level to a to very rich, brilliant leader? Who can relate to a poor and suffering one?
2. “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink.” Christ uses our generosity as a criterion for salvation. How is it also a criterion for happiness? What happens to you when you give?
Sunday Bible Study Group
Please reflect on the Sunday Readings. May we be blessed by God's words as reflected in your thoughts and experience-sharing.
This well known psalm is a prayer
ReplyDeletethat we offer to our Lord, the Good Shepherd.
“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”
In our 1st reading the prophet Ezekiel tells us --
“the Lord God looks after his scattered sheep.”
He brings us back to the sheep-hold
where he will bind up our wounds.
Jesus speaks of himself as the Good Shepherd,
and we are drawn to Him,
because He offers to lead us beside still waters,
to grant us peace, and to restore us spiritually.
But in addition, Jesus promises to raise us up
and to destroy death, our biggest enemy (2nd reading).
Our psalmist King David says it this way,
“You prepare a table before me in the
presence of my enemies.”
Our Lord stands by us in the victory over death.
He anoints us; He fills our cup so that it overflows.
We are ready to go forth on our own journey
to discover who we are and how we are to treat others,
especially the least among us (see today's Gospel).
In our journey we learn that,
if we really want to have eternal
life with our Lord, then we must become shepherds
in our own right, here on earth.
Having been rescued by our Savior
and now counted among his obedient sheep,
and ready to do His will,
we are groomed to enter the kingdom
and to sit at the table that God sets for us.
“Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Amen