Sharing of life: What are you most and least grateful for this week?

Facilitator reads focus statement: Having completed the Advent/Christmas season our church year now moves to the Sundays in Ordinary Time. It is important that we do not look upon these Sundays as having lesser importance than the Sundays of the two great seasons of the year (Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter), since every Sunday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. Each celebration of the Lord’s Day is very important. Ordinary Time started last Monday, which explains why this Sunday is the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. This year, in this first section of Ordinary Time, we will have three Sundays. We will continue with Ordinary Time after we have celebrated the fifty days of Easter, which culminates with the feast of Pentecost. This Sunday all three readings speak about how we are called, consecrated and commissioned to do God’s work.

If you did not read the commentary prior to your meeting, consider reading it before or after you read the scripture readings.

FIRST READING: Isaiah 49:3, 5-6

Our first reading is the second of Isaiah’s suffering servant poems. The prophet wrote these songs while he was in exile with his people. The identity of the servant is not clear. The servant is called, consecrated and commissioned to play a twofold role: to call Israel back to faithfulness to God and on a global level, to be a light to the nations. In the gospels, we will see that Jesus identified very much with the servant and saw himself as called, consecrated and commissioned by God to gather in the lost sheep of the House of Israel and to be a Light to the nations of the world.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM 40

The refrain to today’s responsorial psalm (“Here I am Lord, I come to do your will.”) underlines the importance of obedience in the life of God’s servants.

SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians1:1-3

For the next three weeks the second reading will be from chapters 1 and 2 of the First Letter of Paul to the church at Corinth. In these opening verses, Paul underlines how he and his readers and all the baptized have been called and sanctified by God to continue the work of Jesus.

GOSPEL: John 1:29-34

Like the servant in the first reading and Paul in the second reading, John the Baptist was also called, consecrated and commissioned to prepare people for the coming of the Messiah.

In this passage, John the Evangelist is addressing, among others, the disciples of John the Baptist who continued to believe that John was superior to Jesus because he came before Jesus and because Jesus submitted to being baptized by him (a matter which John the Evangelist is silent about). To respond to the faithful disciples of John who continued to believe in his superiority, John the Evangelist has John the Baptist point to the superiority of Jesus. He does this in several ways: First, John identifies Jesus as the “Lamb of God.” Second, John says Jesus existed before him: “A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.” Third, it is on Jesus whom the Spirit comes, the same Spirit who tells John the Baptist that Jesus is the Chosen Son of God. In all of this it is as if John the Evangelist is saying to the disciples of the Baptist: “Look, it is John himself, your leader, who proclaimed that Jesus is superior to him.”

FAITH SHARING QUESTIONS

1. What verse, image or idea in the readings spoke to you most? Why?

2. “Called, consecrated and commissioned by God to do God’s work”; What does this mean to you in your daily life?

3. Can you relate to the first stanza of the psalm? If so, in what way?

4. “Ears open to obedience you gave me” (psalm). Do these words speak to your faith life in any way? If so, how?

RESPONDING TO GOD’S WORD

Name one way you can act on God’s word in today’s readings. Suggestion: This week reflect upon the baptismal fact that you are called, consecrated and commissioned to do God’s work. Ask yourself how you are responding to this, your baptismal call.

CONCLUDE WITH PRAYERS OF PETITION AND INTERCESSION

Pray for the grace to be more aware and responsive to the truth that you are called, consecrated and commissioned to do God’s work in your piece of his creation. Pray for women considering abortion at this time. Pray for the conversion of all who are pro-choice and pro-capital punishment. ©

Sharing of life: What are you most and least grateful for?

Facilitator reads focus statement: In the first reading, Isaiah speaks about a New Light that will shine on a land experiencing darkness and oppression. In the gospel, Jesus presents himself as the fulfillment of the Isaian prophecy. In the second reading, Paul addresses a church family experiencing division.

If you did not read the commentary prior to your meeting, consider reading it before or after you read the scripture readings.

FIRST READING: Isaiah 8:23, 9:3

These words from Isaiah were written in a time when a weakened Israel was being overrun by its powerful neighbors. The territories held by the tribes of Zebulon and Naphtali were the first to fall. Isaiah seeks to offer words of hope and consolation to the people experiencing the darkness of oppression. “A new light will shine on a people living in a land of gloom.” Isaiah hoped his prophecy of a new light would be fulfilled in the next King of Israel. In today’s Gospel, Jesus sees himself as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. Jesus is the New Light shining on a land and people in darkness.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM 27

The psalmist yearns for the light of the temple and that unique presence of God, which lifts up the spirit and assures spiritual and temporal well-being.

SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17

Paul is addressing a community experiencing much divisiveness, which is a form of darkness. Four groups are identified: those who feel allegiance to Paul, Apollos, Cephas and Christ. Paul slaps all of them on the wrists for being divisive. “Can Christ be divided?” Surely not. Christ is one; so must the various households of faith be one. Finally, Paul downgrades human wisdom when compared to the wisdom of the cross, which is the source of our salvation.

GOSPEL: Matthew 4:12-23

John’s imprisonment may have been Jesus’ signal to go public with his mission. Matthew presents Jesus as the fulfillment of the first reading. Jesus is a light for all to see and experience, including the Gentiles. To further emphasize this, Matthew locates Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, a region mainly occupied by Gentiles.

Then we have Jesus’ call to repentance, which is a call for a new mind and heart, a new hearing and a new radical response to God’s Word. The call of the first four apostles is a concrete example of four men hearing God’s call and responding to it with total commitment. Finally, Jesus says that the new role of his new disciples will be to “catch people.”

FAITH SHARING QUESTIONS

1. What verse, image or idea in the readings spoke to you most? Why?

2. The first reading speaks about a “new light” that will dispel the darkness. What light do you seek to bring to the communities you belong to?

3. In the second reading, Paul addresses the issue of divisiveness in the Corinthian church. What are the causes of divisiveness in local parishes and in our larger church family? How should we respond to gossip, negativity and divisiveness?

4. Name four concrete things your parish could and should do to promote vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Share your suggestions with your local pastor.

RESPONDING TO GOD’S WORD

Name one way you can act on today’s readings. Suggestions: Be a reconciling presence where there is divisiveness. When and where you find someone living in darkness (loneliness, grief, weak faith, poverty, etc.) be a Christ light to them.

CONCLUDE WITH PRAYERS OF PETITION AND INTERCESSION

Pray especially for divisive factions in the church to come together for prayer and dialog. Pray for all living in darkness. ©

Sharing of life: What one thing do you want to do before you die?

Facilitator reads focus statement: All three readings speak of attitudes that are central for anyone who wishes to cultivate a close relationship with God, namely, humility and total trust in God.

If you did not read the commentary prior to your meeting, consider reading it before or after you read the scripture readings.

FIRST READING: Zephaniah 2:3, 3:12-13

In these verses, Zephaniah, writing seven centuries before Christ, is referring to a faithful remnant that remained faithful to God and were especially characterized by a spirit of total trust in him.

Commenting on this reading, Patricia Sanchez writes: “Only in a world turned upside down would the humble and lowly be held out as role models for others. Ordinarily, the ambitious, the self-assertive and the aggressive are regarded as earmarked for success, their sure confidence in themselves being their greatest asset. But Zephaniah was offering his contemporaries a different measurement of success and a different base of security that shifts its attention and energies from the standards of success set by the world in order to embrace those suggested by God. While the world would customarily line up behind the brightest, strongest and richest, Zephaniah calls his readers to throw in their lot with the lowly, the humble and the poor. Moreover, he calls them and us to emulate their attitudes and assimilate their virtues.”

RESPONSORIAL PSALM 146

The faithful remnant (those who kept faith in God in dark times) is the object of God’s special concern, especially the blind, the oppressed and the stranger.

SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Paul reminds his Corinthian assembly that few of them are wise, influential or well born in the eyes of the world. But they are very important in the eyes of God because he has made them important through baptism into Christ, which gives them a divine status. In God’s eyes, intelligence, affluence and social status count for nothing. What counts is one’s readiness to surrender one’s life to God.

GOSPEL: Matthew 5:1-12

You may have heard of Stephen Covey’s book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. The Beatitudes could be subtitled: Eight Attitudes of Highly Effective Christians or Eight Ways to True Happiness. Some translations begin each beatitude with blessed, others with happy.

The Beatitudes are the heart of what Jesus came to teach. They are to New Testament morality what the Ten Commandments are to Old Testament morality. As Christians, we must seek to live our lives, not only by the Ten Commandments but also by the Eight Beatitudes. Now let us look at each of the beatitudes.

1. Blessed (happy) are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Contrary to what many people think, the “poor in spirit” are not people who are spiritually impoverished, people with little or no spiritual life. In the Gospel, the “poor in spirit” are ones who know their absolute need for God, people who have a radical dependence and trust in God. Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, Simeon and Anna are examples of the “poor in spirit.” In this beatitude, Jesus calls his disciples to develop an attitude of complete trust in him. “Happy are we when we place our trust in God.”

2. Blessed (happy) are those who mourn for they shall be comforted. The prophets of old mourned for the injustices they saw in their midst, e.g., the rich stealing from the poor. Jesus wept over Jerusalem because of her refusal to accept him (Luke 13:34-36). The saints used to pray for the gift of tears as they repented for their sins. Jesus wept when he heard that his friend, Lazarus, had died (John 11:36). Grieving is the way we bring healing to life’s losses. Happy are we who grieve life’s losses for we will experience God’s healing touch. Also, happy are we who are truly sorry for our sins for we will also experience the healing touch of God’s mercy.

3. Blessed (happy) are the meek for they will inherit the earth. The meek are those who are gentle and humble of heart. Contrary to what we may think, the meek are not weak or timid people. Jesus was “meek and humble of heart,” yet he was very strong. The truly meek person can be very strong but in a gentle, humble way. Cultivating a gentle, humble spirit will help us to be happier people. Someone has said that “Gospel meekness is a brand of courage that enables us to stand up for what is right and just.”

4. Blessed (happy) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…for they shall be satisfied. Righteousness has to do with right relationships with God and others. Righteousness also has to do with justice. The faithful disciple seeks to be just in his/her relationships with God and others. In fact, he/she hungers and thirsts for justice. The implication of this beatitude is that if we only hunger and thirst for material things, success and prestige, we will remain dissatisfied. “Happy and blessed are we if we have a deep desire to be truthful and just in our relationships with others.”

5. Blessed (happy) are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. In the Gospel, mercy is best illustrated in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, where the father embraces his wayward son. It is also shown when Jesus forgives Peter for his threefold denial and shows mercy to the good thief on the cross. A true disciple of Jesus will cultivate an attitude of mercy and compassion. Showing mercy to others will help us to be happy people. Failing to be merciful will keep us unhappy.

6. Blessed (happy) are the pure in heart for they shall see God. The pure in heart are indeed sexually chaste. They are also free of envy, greed and pride. They act with pure motives. They seek to avoid all forms of manipulation of others.

7. Blessed (happy) are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God. The faithful disciple of Jesus seeks to live the Prayer of St. Francis: “Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace.” He/she seeks to work for peace in his/her family, neighborhood, workplace and wherever else he/she can build bridges between warring individuals and groups or nations. We can be certain that we are doing the work of God when we do what we can to bring peace to our families, neighborhoods and workplaces.

8. Blessed (happy) are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. For the first three centuries of Christianity, disciples of Jesus were persecuted, and even killed, for being followers of Jesus. Today, many Christians in places like China and India are persecuted for being Christian. We may not be persecuted for being Christian, but we may be persecuted when we stand up for what is right and just. In 1986, Archbishop Romero of El Salvador was killed for being a voice for the voiceless poor. In big companies, like the tobacco industry, whistle-blowers are often destroyed.

The poor, hungry, sorrowing, persecuted are blessed, not because their situation in life is in itself virtuous in themselves, but because people in these situations are the special objects of God’s attention, activity and love. The above mentioned groups are usually more open and receptive to God and his message, whereas the rich and powerful will tend to be more self-sufficient, independent and preoccupied with caring for their possessions and status in society. They may pray and go to church, but their real trust and security may be in their bank accounts. On the other hand, some materially poor people may lust after material wealth and materially rich people may be very generous with their material blessings.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. Having read the first reading and the commentary on it, what say you? How can we live in a world in which the humble and lowly are held up as role models?

2. In the second reading, Paul speaks about weakness being turned into strength through the power of God. Has this ever happened to you?

3. Which of the beatitudes appeals to you most and which one challenges you the most?

4. Create a beatitude based on your own life’s experiences e.g. “blessed are those who can forgive life’s hurts and find it easy to say ‘I’m sorry, please forgive me’”. Or “Blessed are those who can place their trust in God during times of stress and worry.

RESPONDING TO THE WORD

Name one way you can act on today’s readings. Suggestions: Choose a beatitude that challenges you and pray for the grace to live it. If there is someone you need to show mercy to, pray for the grace to do so.

CONCLUDE WITH PRAYERS OF PETITION AND INTERCESSION

Pray for the grace to grow in humility, poverty of spirit, mercy etc. Pray for the grace to know what spiritual exercise will help you to have a fruitful Lenten journey. ©

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