Our gospel for this Sunday narrates the start of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee: “He left Nazareth and made home in Capernaum by the lake in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali” (Matthew 4:12-23). After John was arrested, Jesus withdrew into this land that historically had known great danger and grave sorrow. Later, we will know how providential this was.
Sunday Readings' Discussion Questions Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jan. 26, 2014 (3A)
From the Center for Liturgy at Saint Louis University
Sunday Mass Readings
Podcast of the Readings
Video of Reflections on Readings
Lecturas y Comentarios
Prayer of the Hours
BQ: Can we who are sinful be part of Jesus’ mission?
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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 8, Verse 23; Chapter 9, Verses 1-3
1. Matthew quotes Isaiah’s passage about this half-Jewish, half-Gentile, obscure, gloomy region of the world. What is he telling us? Is it God’s common practice to use the small or humble to announce the glorious and profound? If so, name some other instances.
2. Why does the Church use the same passage that we hear at Christmas now during Ordinary Time? Is there a Christmas message that you like to think about all year? What is that message?
Responsorial Psalms
Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14
1. What does Verse 13 of the Psalm mean to you? ("I believe that I shall see the bounty of the Lord in the land of the living.")
2. Verse 1 of the Psalm says, "The Lord is my life's refuge;" How have you made the Lord your life's refuge?
Second Reading
First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, Chapter 1, Verses 10-13, 17
1. Is Paul talking about quarreling to the Corinthians or to your parish? If Paul fixed this problem in his time with his message why do we still have the problem today?
2. There will always be disagreements. Is there a way to handle them so that good or growth could come out of them? How?
Gospel
According to Matthew, Chapter 4, Verses 12-23
1. What human need do you see Jesus exhibiting in the second half of this gospel story? Why were friends important to him? Why is the community important to Christianity?
2. What was Peter’s and Andrew’s response time? How fast is your response time when you are inspired to do something for your neighbor, e.g. to give time or money to the earthquake victims?
Online Sunday Bible Study Group
Please share below your reflections on the above Sunday Readings. May we be blessed by God's words as reflected in your thoughts and experience-sharing.
The Psalm is about trusting
ReplyDeletethe Lord and our desire to spend
the rest of our days in his presence.
Verse 4 of the Psalm says,
"One thing I ask of the Lord; this I seek:
to dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life.”
Perhaps this desire to be with the Lord
is what inspired Simon Peter and his brother Andrew
that day by the Sea of Galilee, when they left their
father and their nets to follow Jesus
and be his disciples (Gospel).
Surely, Peter and Andrew recognized
Jesus as their own personal light and their
own personal Savior.
As the Psalm says (Verse 1),
"The Lord is my light and my salvation."
As we grow older, we too take steps on our journey
to be with the Lord, to enter his house.
Recall that Jesus said, 'My house has many
mansions.”
It is no accident that older people
want to go to daily Mass and be with the Lord
as much as possible. They are called to that promise
of eternal joy when they may “gaze on the
loveliness of the Lord” all the days of their lives.
Amen