22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time are:

1. Deuteronomy 4: 1-2, 6-8
2. Psalms 15: 2-3, 3-4, 4-5
3. James 1: 17-18 21b-22, 27
4. Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23

• Foundation for reform
• In fairness to the Jews, many of those admonitions and rules were put into place to help protect the law by making it difficult for someone to unintentionally even come close to breaking the law.
• Is the answer to legalism in religion to strip all of the regulations back to their essence?
• If so, how far back do you go?
• How do you know that you're done removing the "extra" prohibitions, beliefs, devotions?
• And what of someone who imposes safeguards on themselves?  For instance an alcoholic who will not even enter a bar for fear of having a relapse, are they being legalistic?

• Who decides what is just?
• We can all think of things that are unjust.  Things such as a person not being able to enjoy the fruits of their labor, or a family constantly afraid of deportation simply because of their ethnicity, or someone cheating on their income taxes.
• Is there something that ties these, and all injustices together?
• If someone wanted to put a situation in front of you and ask whether that was just, would you feel comfortable rendering a judgement?
• How do we find God's perspectives on issues of justice?

• The source of all generosity
• Selfless philanthropists are looked up to for their generosity.  Those that give away large sums even put in their time and talent along with the money to help in the administration.
• If you won the lottery, how would you spend it?
• Where would you go for guidance in such a venture?
• How long would it take for you to "get back to normal" after winning all of those millions?

• Purification
• Truly pure motives are hard to find.  We often set out with the best intentions, only to find half way through a venture that we are not as pure as we thought.
• Does that mean that we should never take on a venture until we have totally pure motives?
• Is doing the right thing for the wrong reason always totally wrong?
• Is doing the wrong thing for the right reason always totally right?

• Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. How does my relationship with Jesus modify my behavior?
2. When was the last time that I spoke out against an injustice?
3. How can I be generous and yet be true to my needs, my passions, who God has created me?
4. How can I be more honest about my motives?

Shalom!

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time are:

1. Proverbs 9: 1-6
2. Psalms 34: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7
3. Ephesians 5: 15-20
4. John 6: 51-58

• Food for the journey
• Who in your life would you say has an abundance of wisdom?
• Do you ever go to them for answers to specific issues, or wisdom in general?
• How do we achieve wisdom?
• How does one pass that along to others?
• Should we all be wise, or is wisdom something that you can just "Google up"?

• Tasting or savoring?
• Why do you believe that God is good?
• What does that really mean?  How could God be bad?
• Does God's goodness require that He always be good to all of us all of the time?
• How are you good to God?

• No regrets
• Looking back over your life, are there times or seasons that you wished that you had savored more?
• What kept you from really appreciating those times as you went through them?
• Do you think that you are getting the most out of today?
• How do you think that you might become more aware of God's daily gift to/in/and through you?

• Manna
• The bread from heaven for the Jews would immediately make them think of the manna in the desert, one sign that God was with them during their time in the Sinai desert, a sign that they were God's people, a community in His care.
• How does the Eucharist make a community of us?
• Does that community just include those partaking of the Body and Blood that particular Mass, or does it include those who receive from that table by way of extraordinary Eucharistic ministers?
• Does that community extend to the other communities, celebrating different Masses that day?
• Does it include all Catholics celebrating Eucharist anywhere any time?
• Or is that community, does God's love extend even farther?
• What does this sort of community really mean?

• Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. What journey is God's wisdom taking me on today?
2. What do I need to be more grateful for?
3. How have I not been as present as I could be to those around me?
4. How can I more deeply celebrate the whole community that God has called me into?

Shalom!

19th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time are:

1. 1 Kings 19: 4-8
2. Psalms 34: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
3. Ephesians 4: 30-5:2
4. John 6: 41-51

• Food for the journey
• We don't see whether God told Elijah what he would find there at Horeb, God just equipped him and sent him.
• What are some of the things that you participate in regularly that nourish and equip you?
• Where do you feel that God is sending you lately?
• What do you expect to find when you "arrive" there?

• We have nothing to fear but fear itself
• What are some of the things that you fear in particular.  When you make this list, be as specific as you can.  Don't just say "I worry about my family".  Rather, something specific such as "I fear that my son is making career choices that he will regret later."
• Where is God in that circumstance?
• What do you expect God to do?
• What would you like for God to do?
• If there is a difference between those two, why is that?
• If you see no difference between those two, why is that?

• It's hard being vulnerable
• What really happens to the other person when you forgive them?
• What happens to you?
• Do you feel that forgiving others makes you more vulnerable?
• How can the person that you forgive take advantage of that forgiveness?
• How can the person that you forgive take advantage of you?

• One bread or another
• The sacraments are described as doorways to the sacred, a means for us to touch that which is holy and sublime, even while we are here in the physical world.
• Why do you think that Jesus fed the people those barley loaves first, then preached to them this bread of life discourse?
• When our parishioners are going hungry physically, is our Eucharistic celebration complete and authentic?
• How can we more fully be bread for the poor, no matter what makes them poor?

• Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Am I willing to turn my back on what is comfortable and familiar in favor of a fuller life?
2. What will it take for me to give up a fear (pick one) to God?
3. Who do I need to forgive, in order for me to achieve wholeness?
4. How can I be more deeply generous in my life?

Shalom!