Fifth Sunday of Lent

Isaiah 43: 16-21
Thus says the Lord,
who made a way through the sea,
a path in the great waters;
who put chariots and horse in the field
and a powerful army,
which lay there never to rise again,
snuffed out, put out like a wick.

No need to recall the past,
no need to think about what was done before.
See, I am doing a new deed,
even now it comes to light; can you not see it?
Yes, I am making a road in the wilderness,
paths in the wilds.

The wild beasts will honour me,
jackals and ostriches,
because I am putting water in the wilderness
(rivers in the wild)
to give my chosen people drink.
The people I have formed for myself
will sing my praises.

Psalm 125
When the Lórd delivered Zíon from bóndage,
it séemed like a dréam.
Thén was our móuth filled with láughter,
on our líps there were sóngs.

The héathens themsélves said: "What márvels
the Lórd worked for thém!"
What márvels the Lórd worked for ús!
Indéed we were glád.

Delíver us, O Lórd, from our bóndage
as stréams in dry lánd.
Thóse who are sówing in téars
will síng when they réap.

They go óut, they go óut, full of téars,
carrying séed for the sówing:
they come báck, they come báck, full of sóng,
cárrying their shéaves.

Philippians 3: 8-14
I believe nothing can happen that will outweigh the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For him I have accepted the loss of everything, and I look on everything as so much rubbish if only I can have Christ and be given a place in him. I am no longer trying for perfection by my own efforts, the perfection that comes from the Law, but I want only the perfection that comes through faith in Christ, and is from God and based on faith. All I want to know is Christ and the power of his resurrection and to share in his sufferings by reproducing the pattern of his death. That is the way I can hope to take my place in the resurrection of the dead. Not that I have become perfect yet: I have not yet won, but I am still running, trying to capture the prize for which Christ Jesus captured me. I can assure you my brothers, I am far from thinking that I have already won. All I can say is that I forget the past and I strain ahead for what is still to come; I am racing for the finish, for the prize to which God calls us upwards to receive in Christ Jesus.

John 8: 1-11
Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At daybreak he appeared in the Temple again; and as all the people came to him, he sat down and began to teach them.

The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman along who had been caught committing adultery; and making her stand there in full view of everybody, they said to Jesus, “Master, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery, and Moses has ordered us in the Law to condemn women like this to death by stoning. What have you to say?” They asked him this as a test, looking for something to use against him. But Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger. As they persisted with their question, he looked up and said, “If there is one of you who has not sinned let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Then he bent down and wrote on the ground again. When they heard this they went away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until Jesus was left alone with the woman who remained standing there. He looked up and said, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she replied. “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus, “go away, and don't sin any more.”

This week we have Isaiah telling us about the things God has done for his people in the past and that he is doing things for his people now. In the gospel we hear about how Jesus makes real the things God does for his people; just in a new and different way from before.

Split into two groups to discuss these offences and how you think they might best be punished depending on your point of view. Maybe you know how they are punished in this country and others around the world.

• Shoplifting
• From the point of view of the store manager
• From the point of view of the shoplifter's friend
• Murder
• From the victim's parents' point of view
• From the murderer's parents' point of view

Compare your answers.

From the readings we've heard today, how do you think God sees these crimes? How would Jesus respond to them?

What do you think about applying Jesus's approach in this country today?

Second Sunday of Lent

Genesis 15: 5-12, 17-18
Taking Abram outside the Lord said, “Look up to heaven and count the stars if you can. Such will be your descendants,” he told him. Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted this as making him justified.
“I am the Lord”, he said to him, “who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to make you heir to this land.” “My Lord, the Lord,” Abram replied, “how am I to know that I shall inherit it?” He said to him, “Get me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon.” He brought him all these, cut them in half and put half on one side and half facing it on the other; but the birds he did not cut in half. Birds of prey came down on the carcases but Abram drove them away.
Now as the sun was setting Abram fell into a deep sleep, and terror seized him. When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, there appeared a smoking furnace and a firebrand that went between the halves. That day the Lord made a Covenant with Abram in these terms: “To your descendants I give this land, from the wadi of Egypt to the Great River.”

Psalm 26: 1, 7-9, 13-14
The Lórd is my líght and my hélp;
whóm shall I féar?
The Lórd is the strónghold of my lífe;
before whóm shall I shrínk?

O Lórd, hear my vóice when I cáll;
have mércy and ánswer.
Of yóu my héart has spóken:
“Séek his fáce.”

It is your fáce, O Lórd, that I séek;
híde not your fáce.
Dismíss not your sérvant in ánger;
yóu have been my hélp.

I am súre I shall sée the Lord's góodness
in the lánd of the líving.
Hope in hím, hold fírm and take héart.
Hópe in the Lórd!

Philippians 3: 17- 4:1
My brothers, be united in following my rule of life. Take as your models everybody who is already doing this and study them as you used to study us. I have told you often, and I repeat it today with tears, there are many who are behaving as the enemies of the cross of Christ. They are destined to be lost. They make foods into their god and they are proudest of something they ought to think shameful; the things they think important are earthly things. For us, our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting for, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body. He will do that by the same power with which he can subdue the whole universe.
So then, my brothers and dear friends, do not give way but remain faithful to the Lord. I miss you very much, dear friends; you are my joy and my crown.

Luke 9: 28-36
Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up the mountain to pray. As he prayed, the aspect of his face was changed and his clothing became brilliant as lightning. Suddenly there were two men there talking to him; they were Moses and Elijah appearing in glory, and they were speaking of his passing which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were heavy with sleep, but they kept awake and saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As these were leaving, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” - He did not know what he was saying. As he spoke, a cloud came and covered them with shadow; and when they went into the cloud the disciples were afraid. And a voice came from the cloud saying, “This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.” And after the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. The disciples kept silence and, at that time, told no one what they had seen.

In the first reading, God has just promised Abram a great reward. Abram asks what this could be and points out that since he has no children any gift would be inherited by his head servant. God promises Abram a vast number of descendants; still Abram would quite like some sort of proof.

Unlike nowadays when we sign contracts to make agreements legally binding, in ancient times the practice was to cut a dead animal in half and for both people to walk between the two halves. The idea was that should one break the agreement they end up like the animal. Here Abram is told to cut three really good animals in half. God then walks between the two halves in the form of a burning stick. Unlike normal contracts, God is the only one in this one who has any obligation.

• Can you think of any contracts?
  • parents and children
  • teachers and pupils
  • ...
    
• What kind of relationship do you think Abram had with God?
• What do you think this tells us about the relationship God wants with us?

In the gospel Jesus has already started to tell his disciples about his impending suffering and death. Here Moses and Elijah appear and talk with him and he is transfigured.

• Why do you think Jesus became so bright?
• What do you think the fact that Moses and Elijah were there means?
• Why would Peter not have known what he was saying?
• Why do you think the disciples kept quiet?

Sixth Sunday of the Year

Jeremiah 17: 5-8
The Lord says this:

“A curse on the man who puts his trust in man, who relies on things of flesh, whose heart turns from the Lord. He is like dry scrub in the wastelands; if good comes, he has no eyes for it, he settles in the parched places of the wilderness, a salt land, uninhabited.

“A blessing on the man who puts his trust in the Lord, with the Lord for his hope. He is like a tree by the waterside that thrusts its roots to the stream; when the heat comes it feels no alarm, its foliage stays green; it has no worries in a year of drought, and never ceases to bear fruit.”

Psalm 1: 1-4, 6
Háppy indéed is the mán
who fóllows not the cóunsel of the wícked;
nor língers in the wáy of sínners
nor síts in the cómpany of scórners,
but whose délight is the láw of the Lórd
and who pónders his láw day and níght.

Hé is like a trée that is plánted
besíde the flówing wáters,
that yíelds its frúit in due séason
and whose léaves shall néver fáde;
and áll that he dóes shall prósper.

Not só are the wícked, not só!
For théy like wínnowed cháff
shall be dríven awáy by the wínd.
When the wícked are júdged they shall not stánd,
nor find róom among thóse who are júst;
for the Lórd guards the wáy of the júst
but the wáy of the wícked leads to dóom.

1 Corinthians 15: 12, 16-20
If Christ raised from the dead is what has been preached, how can some of you be saying that there is no resurrection of the dead? For if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, you are still in your sins. And what is more serious, all who have died in Christ have perished. If our hope in Christ has been for this life only, we are the most unfortunate of all people.

But Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep.

Luke 6: 17, 20-26
Jesus came down with the Twelve and stopped at a piece of level ground where there was a large gathering of his disciples with a great crowd of people from all parts of Judaea and from Jerusalem and from the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon who had come to hear him and to be cured of their diseases.
Then fixing his eyes on his disciples he said:
“How happy are you who are poor: yours is the kingdom of God.
Happy you who are hungry now: you shall be satisfied. Happy you who weep now: you shall laugh.
“Happy are you when people hate you, drive you out, abuse you, denounce your name as criminal, on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice when that day comes and dance for joy, for then your reward will be great in heaven. This was the way their ancestors treated the prophets.
“But alas for you who are rich: you are having your consolation now.
Alas for you who have your fill now: you shall go hungry. Alas for you who laugh now: you shall mourn and weep.
“Alas for you when the world speaks well of you! This was the way their ancestors treated the false prophets.”

As we've seen in previous weeks, the second reading isn't really connected with the other readings, but consists of St. Paul arguing for the resurrection of the body.

The first reading and psalm are about who to put your trust in: other people, or God.
The gospel is from early on in Luke's gospel; Jesus has just called his disciples, performed a few miracles and has built up quite a crowd of followers. He now starts to teach them.

Who or what do you trust?

• your parents?
• science?
• your teachers?
• your group leaders for today?
• ...

We trust all sorts of things in our everyday lives from the obvious to things we take completely for granted:

• car drivers (that they'll stop at red lights)
• bus drivers (that they'll take us to where they say they will)
• dinner ladies (that the food is edible)
• gravity (we don't fly off into space)
• the future (there will be a tomorrow)

What do you think is different about the way we can trust God?

What do you think Jesus means by these pairs?

• 'poor' and 'rich'
• 'hungry' and 'full'
• 'those who weep' and 'you who laugh'
• those who are hated and abused, and those of whom the world speaks well

What can you do to make sure you fit into the right side of Jesus' pairs?

Why do you think Paul is telling us all this about resurrection?
What do you think of his argument? Does it help you to believe?

Third Sunday of the Year

Nehemiah 8:2-10
On the first day of the seventh month, therefore, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, which consisted of men, women, and those children old enough to understand.

Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate, he read out of the book from daybreak till midday, in the presence of the men, the women, and those children old enough to understand; and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.

Ezra opened the scroll so that all the people might see it (for he was standing higher up than any of the people); and, as he opened it, all the people rose.

Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people, their hands raised high, answered, "Amen, amen!" Then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before the LORD, their faces to the ground.

Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God, interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.

Then (Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and) Ezra the priest-scribe (and the Levites who were instructing the people) said to all the people: "Today is holy to the LORD your God. Do not be sad, and do not weep"-for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.

He said further: "Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks, and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared; for today is holy to our LORD. Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength!"

Psalm 19:7-14
From one end of the heavens it comes forth; its course runs through to the other; nothing escapes its heat.
The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart. The command of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eye.
But from wilful sins keep your servant; let them never control me. Then shall I be blameless, innocent of grave sin.

1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27
As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

Now the body is not a single part, but many.
Now you are Christ's body, and individually parts of it.

Luke 1:1-4,4:14-21
Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us, I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received.

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all. He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord."

Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them, "Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."

For our human happiness we need teaching by God’s revelation to supplement what we learn by our own powers of reasoning.

God is so good that it would be out of character to keep his knowledge of himself to himself and never to give himself intimately, for goodness of itself is generous

Why have scripture?

Without it

What we would know would be full of mistakes!

Very few people would know about God because we are lazy, don’t like study and in any event have to earn a living!

Only old people would know about God because it would take so long.

The historical and literal sense, the bodily union of a man and woman.	The allegorical sense: the union of Christ with his church.
Holy Scripture speaks of four marriages
The moral sense: the union of God with the soul.	The eschatological sense: the union of God with the Church Triumphant

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Let's think for a couple of minutes about the past week. Lets say sorry for the things that didn’t go so well. Lets thank God for the things that went well.

This week’s readings are really long. So we’re going to look at the Old Testament reading and the Gospel.

Read them.

So, what is the topic of these readings?

Why do you think we have these readings about readings?

Why do we have the bible?

Why do we need it?

How do you find out what it means?

[Work through one of the other readings looking for the four ways of looking at the text. Don’t forget to point out that not all the meanings are in all the passages every time!]

Second Sunday of the Year

Isaiah 62: 1-5
About Zion I will not be silent,
about Jerusalem I will not grow weary,
until her integrity shines out like the dawn
and her salvation flames like a torch.

The nations will then see your integrity,
all the kings your glory,
and you will be called by a new name,
one which the mouth of the Lord will confer.
You are to be a crown of splendour in the hand of the Lord,
a princely diadem in the hand of your God;
no longer are you to be named “Forsaken,”
nor your land “Abandoned,”
but you shall be called “My Delight,”
and your land “The Wedded”;
for the Lord takes delight in you
and your land will have its wedding.

Like a young man marrying a virgin,
so will the one who built you wed you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices in his bride,
so will your God rejoice in you.

Psalm 95: 1-3, 7-10, r3
O síng a new sóng to the Lórd,
síng to the Lórd all the éarth.
O síng to the Lórd, bless his náme.

Procláim his hélp day by dáy,
téll among the nátions his glóry
and his wónders amóng all the péoples.

Give the Lórd, you fámilies of péoples,
give the Lórd glóry and pówer;
give the Lórd the glóry of his náme.

Bring an óffering and énter his cóurts,
wórship the Lórd in his témple.
O éarth, trémble befóre him.

Procláim to the nátions: “God is kíng.”
The wórld he made fírm in its pláce;
he will júdge the péople in fáirness.

1 Corinthians 12: 4-11
There is a variety of gifts but always the same Spirit; there are all sorts of service to be done, but always to the same Lord; working in all sorts of different ways in different people, it is the same God who is working in all of them. The particular way in which the Spirit is given to each person is for a good purpose. One may have the gift of preaching with wisdom given him by the Spirit; another may have the gift of preaching instruction given him by the same Spirit; another the gift of faith given by the same Spirit; another again the gift of healing, through this one Spirit; one, the power of miracles; another, prophecy; another the gift of recognising spirits; another the gift of tongues and another the ability to interpret them. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, who distributes different gifts to different people just as he chooses.

John 2: 1-12
Three days later there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited. When they ran out of wine, since the wine provided for the wedding was all finished, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said, “Woman, why turn to me? My hour has not come yet.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” There were six stone water jars standing there, meant for the ablutions that are customary among the Jews: each could hold twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water,” and they filled them to the brim. “Draw some out now”, he told them, “and take it to the steward”. They did this; the steward tasted the water, and it had turned into wine. Having no idea where it came from – only the servants who had drawn the water knew – the steward called the bridegroom and said, “People generally serve the best wine first, and keep the cheaper sort till the guests have had plenty to drink; but you have kept the best wine till now.”

This was the first of the signs given by Jesus: it was given at Cana in Galilee. He let his glory be seen, and his disciples believed in him. After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and the brothers, but they stayed there only a few days.

In the first reading we are given a poetic description of the relationship between God and the people of Israel: like that of a married couple.

The psalm is about singing a new song to the lord.

The second reading is not quite linked with the others, and is about the gifts that God gives to each of us.

The gospel is right at the beginning of John's gospel and shows Jesus immediately giving a real example of the new relationship between God and his people.

• In the gospel, Jesus has just called his disciples. Can you think of anything significant about this being on the third day?
• Can you think of a reason why the fact that there are 6 stone jars might be significant?
• Do you think there is a reason that the water used for washing instead of drinking water is turned into wine?
• What do you think this gospel tells us about the relationship between God and mankind? How does Jesus make this different from before?

Third Sunday of Advent

Zephaniah 3:14-18
Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!

The LORD has removed the judgement against you, he has turned away your enemies; The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear. On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem: Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!

The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty saviour; He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, He will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals. I will remove disaster from among you, so that none may recount your disgrace.

Isaiah 12: 2-6
God indeed is my saviour; I am confident and unafraid. My strength and my courage is the LORD, and he has been my saviour.

With joy you will draw water at the fountain of salvation, and say on that day: Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name; among the nations make known his deeds, proclaim how exalted is his name.

Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement; let this be known throughout all the earth.

Shout with exultation, O city of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel!

Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!

Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.

Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Luke 3:10-18
And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" He said to them in reply, "Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise."

Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him, "Teacher, what should we do?" He answered them, "Stop collecting more than what is prescribed."

Soldiers also asked him, "And what is it that we should do?" He told them, "Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages."

Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah.

John answered them all, saying, "I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." Exhorting them in many other ways, he preached good news to the people.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King

Daniel 7:13-14
“I gazed into the visions of the night.
And I saw, coming on the clouds of heaven,
one like a son of man.
He came to the one of great age
and was led into his presence.
On him was conferred sovereignty,
glory and kingship,
and men of all peoples, nations and languages became his servants.
His sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty
which shall never pass away,
nor will his empire ever be destroyed.”

Psalm 92:1-2,5
The Lord is kíng, with májesty enróbed;
the Lórd has róbed himself with míght,
he has gírded himsélf with pówer.

The wórld you made fírm, not to be móved;
your thróne has stood fírm from of óld.
From all etérnity, O Lórd, you áre.

Trúly your decrées are to be trústed.
Hóliness is fítting to your hóuse,
O Lórd, until the énd of tíme.

Apocalypse 1:5-8
Jesus Christ is the faithful witness, the First-born from the dead, the Ruler of the kings of earth. He loves us and has washed away our sins with his blood, and made us a line of kings, priests to serve his God and Father; to him, then, be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen. It is he who is coming on the clouds; everyone will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the races of the earth will mourn over him. This is the truth. Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega” says the Lord God, who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.

John 18:33-37
“Are you the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked. Jesus replied, “Do you ask this of your own accord, or have others spoken to you about me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? It is your own people and the chief priests who have handed you over to me: what have you done?” Jesus replied, “Mine is not a kingdom of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my men would have fought to prevent my being surrendered to the Jews. But my kingdom is not of this kind.” “So you are a king then?” said Pilate. “It is you who say it,” answered Jesus. “Yes, I am a king. I was born for this, I came into the world for this: to bear witness to the truth; and all who are on the side of truth listen to my voice.”

We're presented with four visions of the nature of Christ's kingship. Two are from the Old Testament: Daniel describing him entering heaven; the psalm writers singing of him enthroned. And two are from the New Testament: John's vision of him telling us that Christ is the king we've read about; and one from John's gospel describing him at the mercy of Pilate.

Can you think of any kings? Do you recognise any of these kings?

[Edward VIII] [Juan-Carlos I] [Charles I] [Henry VIII]
[Louis XVI] [Charlemagne] [Herod Antipas] [Faisal II] William III]

What do you think a king or queen is like?

• Noble
• Just
• Wealthy
• Corrupt
• Unreliable
• Dependable
• Convenient
• Powerful

How do you think Christ is different from earthly kings?

• Eternal
• Humble
• Universal
• Crucified

Which parts of the readings do you think tell you most about the sort of king Christ is?

When, later in Mass, we say the Our Father, remember that Christ is a king, and what it means to pray that his kingdom should come.