Are service to God and to Caesar compatible? This Sunday, October 19, 2014, the Lord commands not only to give to God what is God's (that is, everything), but also to give to Caesar what is Caesar's. Jesus’ response tells us that one’s citizenship does not have to be at odds with one’s faith.
Sunday Readings' Discussion Questions
Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Oct 19, 2014 (29A)
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 role does conscience play in our Christian lives?
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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 45, Verses 1, 4-6
1. Cyrus, who was a Gentile, permitted the Israelites to return from captivity in Babylon to their homeland. Did he have any idea that God had chosen him, called him by name and was using him to accomplish a good thing for the chosen people? Can you give examples of God working through people without their knowing it? Has God ever used you when you weren’t aware of it?
2. What kinds of things might you discover if you were in dialogue with non-Christians? Give some other examples of non-Christian people whom God has used to bring about good.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 96:1, 3, 4-5, 7-8, 9-10
1. The Psalm encourages the Israelites to 'Sing to the Lord a new song.' Do you also feel like singing when you realize you have been brought back from a type of spiritual exile? Explain.
2. Our psalmist speaks of bringing gifts to the Lord to express praise and worship of our Sovereign. What in the way of gifts do you have to offer the Lord?
Second Reading
First Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians, Chapter 1, Verses 1-5b
1. What do the following do for your reception of the word: the presence of the Holy Spirit; people living the Gospel with much conviction?
2. Compare and contrast: receiving the word as a way of life with receiving the word as a code of conduct. On a scale of 1 to 10, where is your “work of faith, labor of love and endurance in hope”?
Gospel
According to Matthew, Chapter 22, Verses 15-21
1. In this Gospel, are the Pharisees more interested in taxes or in undermining Jesus’ influence? Since the universe and everything in it is made in God’s image, what does belong to God? Are you a caretaker of the earth?
2. Do God’s and Caesar’s worlds have to be separated? What would the world look like if they were joined together?
Online Sunday Bible Study Group
Please share your thoughts on the Sunday Readings. May we be blessed by God's words as reflected in your thoughts and experience-sharing.
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The Psalm is a message to Israel’s neighbors,
ReplyDeleteand to the rest of the world,
that there is one true God.
“Tell God’s glory among the nations;
among all peoples, God’s marvelous deeds.”
The Israelites have returned from exile
and been brought back from near death as a people.
The remnant has survived,
and the Israelites have been delivered
by the one and only God.
And so they sing a “new song,”
celebrating the “newness of God”
that comes with the joy of praising Him as sovereign.
“Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.”
We are all summoned to adoration
of our sovereign. We are called
to give Him glory and praise.
Isaiah (1st reading) confirms
there is no other God besides Him.
“The gods of the nations
all do nothing (they are mere idols).”
But our God made the heavens;
He is to be praised and feared.
And how do we praise Him?
How do we give the Lord the glory due His name?
We engage in works of faith,
we undertake a labor of love for Him,
as St. Paul tells us (2nd reading).
All peoples are invited to recognize our God,
and pledge to obey Him.
“Say among the nations ‘The Lord is King.’
the world will surely stand fast, never to be moved.”
And having acknowledged that God is sovereign,
how should we and all the nations behave?
The Gospel tells us how -- Jesus says,
“Repay to God what belongs to God.”
“Give to the Lord the glory due His name!”
Amen