"Be watchful! Be alert!"

The Gospel passage for Sunday, November 30, 2014, proclaims the essential truth that will be celebrated in all its dimensions throughout the year -- namely, the "advent" truth that God has come in the person of Jesus Christ, and that the same Lord, now invisibly present through the Spirit, will come again in power and glory.
Sunday Readings' Discussion Questions
First Sunday of Advent, Nov. 30, 2014 (1AdvB)
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: Did John the Baptist go straight to heaven when he died?

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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 Isaiah, Chapter 63, Verses 16-17, 19; Chapter 64, Verses 2-7

1. Picture a potter working with clay? Describe it. Even though we wander away from the Lord, God is our father and handles us as a potter handles the clay. Explain this metaphor.

2. “. . . that we were mindful of you in our ways!” Is there a veil that keeps you from seeing God’s presence at work in your life and in your world? How can you use Advent to lift that veil, to get more in touch with God in and around you?

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19

1. The Psalm says, 'Lord, make us turn to you ....' Have you noticed at times when we stray off His path how the Lord tugs at each of us so that we return to His ways.  Give an example from your own experience.

2. Our psalmist is writing about the scattered people of Israel, but his words may apply to each of us in our separation from God. In what way are you inspired by the Psalm's verses to repent
and seek renewal?

Second Reading
First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, Chapter 1, Verses 3-9

1. What gift does Paul say you have been given in order to do God’s work now, as you wait for Christ’s coming at the end of your life? The concern here is to make sure you are ready for life with God after death. Is there life with God before your death? Explain.

2. St. Paul says “that in him you were enriched in every way.” In what ways has God enriched you personally? To say Paul’s words in another way, his gift to us is the richness of everything in him. What richness in Christ is he passing on to you?

Gospel
According to Mark, Chapter 13, Verses 33-37

1. As vigilant gatekeepers watching for the Lord of the house, what signs do you see that tell you God is present in the world and in your life?

2. As gatekeepers we are responsible for the preservation of the gift of the earth. What is the Church’s responsibility in the maintenance of the earth’s life? What is your responsibility in this?

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. 
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"He will sit upon his glorious throne"

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.

"Well done, my good and faithful servant."

These are Bible Study Questions for this Sunday's Gospel story which presents us with the last of the three parables that form Jesus' final discourse in Matthew's Gospel. Each of the three parables relates a different kind of accountability required of Christians as they prepare for their glorious encounter with Christ.

Sunday Readings' Discussion Questions
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Nov. 16, 2014 (33A)
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: Is it OK for God to get angry?

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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 Proverbs, Chapter 31, Verses 10-13, 19-20, 30-31

1. “The woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Do you see a connection between the woman in this reading with the wise servant portrayed in the Gospel? What is the return on her investment? How does fear of the Lord (awe and wonder in the presence of God) help make a person wise?

2. Would you call the woman in this reading holy? Why? Do you know some people like her? What actions do they perform that you would call holy?

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 128: 1-5

1. The Psalm says that those who fear the Lord will be blessed, and favored. Explain in what way you are being blessed materially and spiritually as a consequence of your faith.

2. The Psalm makes reference to a fruitful vine and olive plants as an example of how a man is blessed if he fears the Lord. This reminds us that our Lord is the vine and we are the branches. Explain how we bear fruit by having a right relationship with the Lord.

Second Reading
First Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians, Chapter 5, Verses 1-6


1. Can you be “overtaken like a thief at night” by “the day of the Lord”? Are you always ready? Almost ready? Dozing a little?

2. With false security concerning death at one end of the continuum and constant dread at the other, where would you put yourself? Explain.

Gospel
According to Matthew, Chapter 25, Verses 14-30

1. God gives Spirit to human creatures because God is, in essence, self-donation. God’s nature, then, pushes us to cooperate with it by giving it away. What has been freely received is freely given. When Spirit is given away, it doubles. Explain the Gospel parable in light of this theory.

2. The servant who received one talent was afraid of losing it and so hid it in the ground. Thus, spiritual growth involves risk, as do love and trust. Are you willing to take risks, or do you react out of fear? If you were a leader in the Church, what kind of risks would you take to insure growth and meeting the needs of the faithful?

Sunday Bible Study Group

Please comment on the Sunday Readings. May we be blessed by God's words as reflected in your thoughts and experience-sharing. 
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“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”

On the Feast of St. John Lateran we hear about the only recorded act of violence by Jesus. We reflect upon this and explain why there are things that Christians should hold as worth fighting for. Jesus referred to the temple in Jerusalem as "my Father's house." So why did Jesus get so angry in the Gospel? Was this an act of love? How could it be?


Discussion Questions for Sunday's Readings 
Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (32A)
November 9, 2014

SUNDAY READINGS

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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
Ezekiel, Chapter 47, Verses 1-2, 8-9, 12

1. Water in this reading transforms all that it touches. Discuss. Water is also a symbol of the presence of God. How does this presence or your memory of it transform things in your life?

2. Compare salt water with fresh water. What does the following sentence mean to you: “This water empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh”?

Second Reading
First Corinthians, Chapter 3, Verses 9c-11, 16-17

1. Paul had just finished reprimanding the Corinthians for the divisions among them and he reminded them that they were one in Christ. Would St. Paul have to write a new homily for the Church of 2008? Discuss the pros and cons of divisions.

2. Paul asks, “Do you not know the Spirit of God dwells in you?” If so, can you ask the Holy Spirit for help when you need it? Do you think the Holy Spirit knows what you need even when you don’t? Could you show reverence for someone because the Holy Spirit is in that person?

Gospel
John, Chapter 2, Verses 13-22

1. Which of the following enraged Jesus most: the selling of animals in the temple, exchanging money in the holy place, or exploitation of the poor?

2. How are the poor exploited today? Can you, as a member of Christ’s Body, do anything to make it better? On a scale of ten how would you rate your present actions [10 = caring like Jesus, 0 = not caring at all]?

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