Last Sunday, our Risen Lord as the Good Shepherd spoke to us: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” In the Gospel on Sunday, John 13:31-33a, 34-35, he makes clear what “to hear” and “to follow” entail: “I give you a new commandment. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” This is his call for us on this Fifth Sunday of Easter.
Sunday Readings' Discussion Questions
Fifth Sunday of Easter, April 28, 2013 (5EasterC)
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: Who is your neighbor?
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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
Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 14, Verses 21-27
1. Paul and Barnabas traveled around the country spreading the good news. Who was responsible for opening the door to the Gentiles, according to them? Who is in charge of your ministry? How deep is your belief about that?
2. Luke refers to some hardships in this reading. Could they be connected to the “new commandment” mentioned in the Gospel? Have you discovered hardships in your own life connected to loving your neighbor? Even though God opened the doors, what still must take place before faith is received?
Responsorial Psalms
Psalm 145: 8-9, 10-11, 12-13
1. The Psalm says, 'Let all your works give you thanks, O Lord.' Are you one of His works? Tell of how you give thanks to the Lord and bless Him as one of His faithful ones.
2. Our psalmist speaks of the everlasting nature of God's divine love. Describe how God's love has helped you to overcome hardship and get 'yoked' to Jesus.
Second Reading
Book of Revelation, Chapter 21, Verses 1-5a
1. What is the connection between the holy city in the reading and God’s dwelling with the human race?
2. God and human persons dwell together. Where is this visible? Is it in the Lord’s legacy of selfless love? Where is the comfort in this reading for someone who is suffering?
Gospel
According to John, Chapter 13, Verses 31-33a, 34-35
1. Did Jesus give us edicts, rubrics or canons? What one rule did he give us over and over again? What teaching of the Church do you think will bring all people to Christ?
2. “As I have loved you, so should you love one another.” How far did Jesus go in loving us? Are you ever asked to give more than you planned? How do you handle that?
Online Sunday Bible Study Group
Please share your reflections on the above Sunday Readings with other ParishWorld readers. May we be blessed by God's words as reflected in your thoughts and experience-sharing.
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Reflections
ReplyDeletePsalm 145: 8-9, 10-11, 12-13
“The Lord is good to all and
compassionate toward all his works.”
When we reflect on what God has
done for us, we remember that God
has always done good things for us.
That is God's nature – as the Psalm
says, “The Lord is gracious and
merciful and of great kindness.”
And so we pray this psalm to bless,
praise, and exalt the heavenly Father
in His perfection and in His works.
Our psalmist dwells on the everlasting
nature of God, on his love and presence
throughout all time, and we are called
to praise the Lord forever. Our psalmist
reminds us, “The Lord is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.”
We know this inherently because we live
our lives with an unending stream of divine love.
There are times when we may question
why God allows us to suffer, why He allows
“bad things to happen to good people.”
We may ask, as the early believers probably did,
“Why is it necessary to undergo such hardships
to enter the kingdom of God?”
Afflictions go hand in hand in our walk
with the Lord. We may not understand
what God is up to, but we can be sure that
our faith will be strengthened if we stand
fast in the face of suffering. We will become
better witnesses for Christ as we are humbled.
We become better servants if we bear up
with our difficulties and trust in the Lord,
as our psalmist tells us.
Endurance is a Godly quality and will help
us to get 'yoked' to Jesus. Having done that,
we, like our psalmist David, join with the
faithful and speak of the glory of God's reign
and bless His name.
Amen