The gospel passage this Sunday refers to two recent tragedies that were on people's minds. Pilate had ordered the massacre of some Galileans who had come to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices in the temple. And eighteen people had been killed when a tower at Siloam fell on them. Jesus that the victims of these tragedies were no greater sinners than other people were.
Sunday Readings' Discussion Questions
Third Sunday in Lent, Mar. 3, 2013 (3LentC)
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: Can a mass murderer have a Catholic funeral?
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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
Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15
1. Did God call Moses for Moses’ sake or for the sake of the Israelite people? Does God call each of us for the same reason(s)? Does “I Am Who Am” intervene in our history as he did in the Israelites’? Name some incidents that you think are or were God’s interventions.
2. Is God calling all of us all the time, either to conversion or to action? God warned Moses about Moses’s standing on holy ground. What made it holy? What is holy ground for you?
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 103: 1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11
1. Our psalmist assures us that God in His compassion will redeem our life from the 'pit.' But we must do our part and show repentance. Describe how during Lent you are becoming kinder and more merciful to your family and your neighbors.
2. The Psalm inspires us to bless the Lord and 'forget not all His benefits.' Speak of your gratitude for the gifts you have received from God.
Second Reading
1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12
1. Do one have to work at keeping a friendship alive and healthy? Does your answer have any implications about your relationship with God?
2. Are there opportunities for deeper conversion (turning more toward God), and productivity, that you could take advantage of? Are there some for your parish too?
Gospel
Luke 13:1-9
1. In the book Diary of a Country Priest, George Bernanos wrote, “Grace is everywhere.” What does that statement mean to you? Do you always cooperate with such grace? Could you cooperate to a greater degree? How?
2. Do you give people another chance after they make a mistake? Does God use people as “gardeners” to help cultivate and fertilize others with grace? Does God use you in this way? Has God used others to help you bear fruit?
Sunday Bible Study Group
Please share your thoughts on these Sunday Readings. And please do use these questions for your own Bible study sessions with family and friends.
“As the heavens tower over the
ReplyDeleteearth, so God's mercy towers
over those who fear Him.”
Our psalmist sings the praises
of a divine and loving God,
who surrounds us with compassion,
pardons our sins, heals our ills.
God will deliver us as He delivered
the Israelites from their affliction
at the hands of the Egyptians (1st reading).
“God delivers your life from the pit,
surrounds you with love and compassion.”
God nurses no lasting anger; He has
not dealt with us as our sins deserve.
But God demands something of us
in return – that we cleanse ourselves
from evil desires and avoid sin.
St. Paul warns us, “Whoever thinks
he is standing secure should take care
not to fall.” (2nd reading). Jesus says
it more powerfully in today's Gospel,
“If you do not repent, you will all perish.”
The Lord’s patience with us is a gift –
“Merciful and gracious is the Lord,
slow to anger, abounding in kindness.”
Our duty is to remain faithful to the Lord,
as His children, and to treat His anointed ones
with love and compassion, as He would do.
We are to be merciful to our enemies by
imitating Jesus. Who can love their enemies,
and do good to them? It will be difficult if
we allow our earthly nature to rule us.
Just as “God has not dealt with us as our
sins merit,” so must we have compassion
on those we may be inclined to condemn.
We cannot imitate God without a share
in Christ’s divinity, by allowing the Holy
Spirit within us to guide us. Only then
will we have the kind of compassion the
Psalm speaks about.
And as our psalmist says, God’s love will
tower over us if we are his faithful.
If we love the Lord, it will show in our hearts,
and the old things will then pass away.
What could be a better lesson for our
Lenten journey.
Amen