Sunday's Readings for July 27, 2014 drive us to the dogmatic theology books. The First Reading from 1 Kings speaks about wisdom. The second from Romans speaks about predestination, the Gospel from Matthew speaks about the Christian life. The invitation is placed before us and it is entirely up to us whether we accept it.
Sunday Readings' Discussion Questions
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 27, 2014 (17A)
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: Is Gambling a Sin?
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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
First Book of Kings, Chapter 3, Verses 5, 7-129
1. “Understanding” or “shōmē’a” in Hebrew means listening or obedient. How would the world be different if everyone in a leadership position (parent, teacher, boss, political leaders, religious leaders) earnestly prayed Solomon’s prayer, “Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong”? What impact might “listening” have on good leadership?
2. How difficult do you find the task of applying Christian values to your everyday life? Would anyone’s life change for the better if you had an understanding heart? How do you think you might improve your skills in this area?
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 119: 57, 72, 76-77, 127-130
1. Our psalmist says that he 'loves the Lord's commands.'If you love the Lord, do you feel that you want to obey his commands? Explain.
2. Our psalmist says that 'in all your precepts I go forward.'In what way are the decrees of the Lord a light that guides you along the path of your spiritual life?
Second Reading
Letter of St. Paul to the Romans, Chapter 8, Verses 28-30
1. “All things work for the good for those who love God,” St. Paul says. Suffering is inevitable in human life. How can it work for the good?
2. How about the man who sells everything to buy the field where he found the buried treasure? Is this an example of all things working for the good? Explain.
Gospel
According to Matthew, Chapter 13, Verses 44-52
1. Did the treasure in the field and the pearl of great price just appear by accident, or did the pearl-finder and the merchant have to look for them, be shrewd about obtaining them? What about you? How do you recognize the “treasure” or the kingdom of God in your life today? Think of some times you have experienced the glory of the kingdom of God, to whatever degree.
2. Is there any treasure that is worth the investment of everything you have? What other “treasures” might keep you from making a full investment in “the pearl of great price”?
Online Sunday Bible Study Group
Please share below your reflections on the Sunday Readings. May we be blessed by God's words as reflected in your thoughts and experience-sharing.
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Our psalmist is in prayer,
ReplyDeleteexpressing his love for the Lord's commands,
and promising to keep His words.
We may not have the wisdom of Solomon,
but we have enough discernment to recognize
how powerful the Lord's decrees can be in our
spiritual lives. Just as the law of the lord
is precious to our psalmist, so to us is the law
of the Lord central to our lives and to our faith.
Our psalmist says that the Lord's decrees are
wonderful, and therefore he observes them.
We may not always
think of the law as wonderful,
(some people may consider it restrictive),
but if we learn to do His will,
we find that we are liberated,
set free from the sin that drags us down.
We choose life instead of death.
Doing God's will (keeping his commandments)
isn't easy, but having received His grace,
and having been granted discernment
to know right from wrong, good from evil,
we can follow Him with conviction.
Our 'yes' will mean 'yes' to the Lord,
and our 'no' will mean
'no' to the devil and his minions.
Having decided to do His will,
we take delight in keeping His statutes;
they are like honey to us.
And the blessings we receive
are part of what God has prepared
for those who love him.
Amen