Sunday Readings' Discussion Questions
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Nov. 18, 2012 (33B)
From the Center for Liturgy at Saint Louis University
Sunday Readings
Podcast of the Readings
Video of Reflections on Readings
Lecturas y Comentarios
New American Bible
Prayer of the Hours
BQ: What is the World?
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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
Daniel 12:1-3
1. Can you think of people you have known or known about who have died and are now part of the “cloud of witnesses”? If so, what keeps their memories alive for you? Which of their qualities would you like to emulate in your life?
2. Theologian Hans Urs Von Balthasar says the purpose of “end times” is to “make people conscious of the ultimate decision of man for God and God for man.” Where do you stand in your ultimate decision for God? Do you feel that God will take care of you if you consistently try to make decisions in God’s favor?
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 16: 5, 8, 9-10, 11
1. Our psalmist says that he will not be shaken or disturbed so long as the Lord is with him at his right hand. Speak of how the Lord enables you to be strong, so that your faith cannot be shaken.
2. The Psalm says that the Lord will show us the path to life. Explain what this verse means to you.
Second Reading
Hebrews 10:11-14, 18
1. Compare and contrast ancient priests and their repeated sacrifices with Jesus and his one sacrifice? How do the many celebrations of the Eucharist fit into the one-sacrificial event?
2. Jesus won redemption for us. Does he just hand it to us? What part do we have in it? Does God ask you for sacrifices? How can your sacrifices help anything?
Gospel
Mark 13:24-32
1. “The Word of God will not pass away.” List the things in your life that you will be happy to pass along some day. Is there anything in your life that you do not want to pass along?
2.What will you take along when you die? Is there any correlation between love and the Word of God that does not pass away? Is there anything you can you do to stretch your capacity to love?
Sunday Bible Study Group
Please share your thoughts online on the Sunday Readings. And please do use these questions for your own Bible study sessions with family and friends.
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“With the Lord at my right hand,
ReplyDeleteI shall never by shaken.”
This psalm of David speaks to us
about a belief in an everlasting life
with God. “Lord, my allotted
portion and my cup, you have made
my destiny secure.”
The psalmist takes refuge in the Lord --
“With the Lord at my right hand,
I shall never be shaken … my body
also dwells secure.”
The distress that the prophet Daniel
speaks about in our lst reading is
overcome by the assurance in the psalm
that the Lord will not abandon his
people (us). “For you will not abandon
my soul to the netherworld, nor let your
faithful servant see the pit.”
Finally, we can understand the last
verses as a prophecy of the resurrection
of Christ, with the full expectation of the
glorious day when we will see God’s son
seated at the right hand of the Father.
“You will show me the path to life,
abounding joy in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.”
These same verses are quoted by
St. Peter in his speech to the Israelites
at Pentecost. Peter also uses the psalm
as a prophecy that Jesus would be
raised up and would sit at the right
hand of the Father. For us these are
encouraging words, with a promise
that we too can look forward to being
lifted up and spending the rest of our
days in the presence of the Lord.
The Lord promises, if we are his faithful
servants, that we will not have to see the pit;
he will not abandon us. As David says,
this is enough to make our hearts glad
and our souls rejoice.
Amen