GOSPEL

Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.

Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he would send the crowds away. After sending the crowds away he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, while the boat, by now far out on the lake, was battling with a heavy sea, for there was a head-wind. In the fourth watch of the night he went towards them, walking on the lake, and when the disciples saw him walking on the lake they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost’ they said, and cried out in fear. But at once Jesus called out to them, saying, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.’ It was Peter who answered. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water.’ ‘Come’ said Jesus. Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water, but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he took fright and began to sink. ‘Lord! Save me!’ he cried. Jesus put out his hand at once and held him. ‘Man of little faith,’ he said ‘why did you doubt?’ And as they got into the boat the wind dropped. The men in the boat bowed down before him and said, ‘Truly, you are the Son of God.’

(Matthew 14:22–33)

DID YOU KNOW? 

Points of interest and Catholic lore 

• For the Hebrew people, the waters of the sea are a symbol of the chaos from which creation sprang. Never having been a seafaring people, they were fearful of the watery deep.
• Even today, storms can blow up on the Sea of Galilee very quickly and make it dangerous for boats out on the lake.
• In art, the Church is often represented as a boat. A boat carries its passengers through threatening waters but is not exempt from the turbulence of storms. The Church can bear us through the storms of life, but it does not exempt us from the stresses and struggles.

EXPLORING THE WORD 

A little-noticed phrase in this text adds significantly to the way we understand this story. Jesus told the disciples to cross to the other side of the lake. In doing this, they were heading away from the Jewish region and into Gentile territory. The boat is a symbol of the Church, and as such, we can detect in this text a reflection of the situation of Matthew’s community, who have been forced out of the synagogue and away from traditional Judaism. More and more, it is Gentiles who are coming to belief in Jesus. This is causing fear and concern for some in the community.

Matthew gives a prominent place to Peter, whose actions do not make sense, except as a combination of impulsive love and faith weakened by doubt. While his full attention is on Jesus, Peter is fine, but as soon as he allows what is going on around him to distract him from Jesus, he begins to sink. 

This text offers a parable of the Church besieged and being tossed about. Peter’s response is to be bold and to step out into the unknown, yet he is vulnerable. The great comfort is in the risen Lord stretching out his hand to restore morale. This manifestation of the power of Christ is greeted by that great acclamation of faith: ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’

• Discuss the things that can be a distraction on the journey to faith.
• Are there aspects of the Church or its beliefs that cause participants to doubt? Allow time for questions to arise and fears to be allayed.

MAKING CONNECTIONS 

Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer 

• What storms have you experienced in your life that have caused fear or confusion?
• What doubts and fears make you waver in your journey to Christ?
• How do you experience the calming action of Jesus?
• Describe to others in the group a period in your life when you felt you were ‘going under’. What or who was it that kept you afloat?
• Try to calm the fears of others this week in your family or workplace. 
• Once again we see Jesus withdrawing alone to pray. The example of Jesus in quiet prayer can be a pointer to us in how to pray. As a Church, we pray communally, but quiet reflection is also important. Take time this week to reflect alone. The disciples cry out to Jesus in their distress, Lord, save me. This week, allow yourself to hear Jesus’ answer: Courage! Do not be afraid.

SHARING THE TRADITION 

A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ 

The special role that Peter played in the core group of twelve disciples is well accepted. He is listed first among them, is often their spokesperson and is clearly prominent in the original Jerusalem community. Tradition holds that Peter went to Rome and led the Christian community there. The Catholic Church accepts that the Bishop of Rome, the Pope, is the successor of Peter. What is important is the way Peter is portrayed: as a fisherman, fishing for souls (Luke 5:10); as the shepherd of the sheep of Christ (John 21:15–17); as an elder who addresses elders (1 Peter 5:1); as a receiver of special revelation (Acts 1:9–16); as one who can correct doctrinal misunderstanding (2 Peter 3:15–16); and as the rock on which the Church is built (Matthew 16:18). Pope Francis is the 266th successor of Peter.

• Discuss the process for electing a pope and some aspects of the papacy through history.
• Introduce the biographical background of the current Pope and his career within the Church.
• Find out what the group has heard via the media about Pope Francis. How do the media characterise Francis? What are his concerns?
• What ‘storms’ assail the Church today? Be broad in your responses here.

SYMBOLS AND IMAGES 

Just as God’s word at creation drew order out of the watery chaos, so does the word of Jesus calm the storm. He has the mastery of the Creator over the elements of nature. Peter, on the other hand, symbolises our impetuous humanity, leaping out into the unknown and then becoming afraid and failing. But help is available in the person of Jesus, who truly is the Son of God.

LIVING THE WORD 

Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment 

• Are there things that give rise to fear and uncertainty in your local community? How can these fears be stilled?
• What are the ways your community publicly professes its faith? Are there contributions catechumens can make in this?
• A large bowl of water with floating candles could form the focus of prayer. With quiet music playing, invite participants to reflect on the storms and troubles that sometimes toss them about. Pray for the Church and those who lead it. A prayer to say together could be:
  Lord, when the winds are contrary and the seas rough,
  when darkest night assails us, may your cry reach us:
  Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.
• A suitable song may be ‘Be not afraid’ (GA 449). Conclude with the prayer of exorcism in the RCIA at §94B.

GOSPEL

Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.

When Jesus received the news of John the Baptist’s death he withdrew by boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves. But the people heard of this and, leaving the towns, went after him on foot. So as he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them and healed their sick.

When evening came, the disciples went to him and said, ‘This is a lonely place, and the time has slipped by; so send the people away, and they can go to the villages to buy themselves some food.’ Jesus replied, ‘There is no need for them to go: give them something to eat yourselves.’ But they answered ‘All we have with us is five loaves and two fish.’ ‘Bring them here to me’ he said. He gave orders that the people were to sit down on the grass; then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing. And breaking the loaves handed them to his disciples who gave them to the crowds. They all ate as much as they wanted, and they collected the scraps remaining; twelve baskets full. Those who ate numbered about five thousand men, to say nothing of women and children. 

(Matthew 14:13–21)

DID YOU KNOW? 

Points of interest and Catholic lore 

• Jesus’ actions in the gospel mirror the actions of the Eucharist. He takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it and gives it to the people.
• The multiplication miracle is recounted in all four gospels. 
• John the Baptist was ordered to be killed by Herod Antipas, who ruled, under the Romans, over the northern province of Galilee. Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great, who was King at the time of Jesus’ birth. Antipas’ career was dominated by his relationship with Herodius, whom he married even though she was his niece and married to his half-brother when they met, and even though he was compelled to divorce his own wife in order to marry her. John was publicly very critical of this marriage, so Antipas had him arrested and later executed. It was Antipas who was the ‘King Herod’ at the time of Jesus’ death.
• Jesus probably spent some time as a disciple of John the Baptist.

EXPLORING THE WORD 

The death of the Baptist has left Jesus saddened, and he withdraws to be alone with the disciples. But even his personal sorrow is overwhelmed by compassion for the people who had followed him, and he cures their sick. The crowd stays with him, even into the evening.

When the disciples ask Jesus to send them away to eat, Jesus’ response is a challenge to the disciples: feed them yourselves. He is training them to take the initiative, to be confident leaders of the community after he has gone. Jesus employs the ritual of the daily Jewish meal in blessing, breaking and giving, but this ritual now points to the actions of the Last Supper. All are fed; all are satisfied. There are overtones of the messianic banquet, a common image in the Hebrew Scriptures describing the reign of God; there is an abundance. The crowd represents all of Israel gathered by Jesus, and the twelve baskets of remainders represent the twelve tribes of Israel gathered by the twelve disciples.

• In this text, the crowd has nothing and Jesus has nothing. The disciples have a little, and what they have they put into Jesus’ hands. In our country, where most people have an abundance, how well do we share what we have with the rest of the world?

MAKING CONNECTIONS 

Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer 

• Jesus takes pity on the crowd who followed him. Share stories of an occasion when you have been moved by compassion for others. What action did you take?
• What needs do I have that only Christ can satisfy?
• What resources (‘loaves and fish’) do I bring to Christ for him to bless and share?
• Go to a ‘deserted place’ where you can be alone for a short time. Experience there your own inner hunger and contemplate what it is that satisfies you. Practise this for a short period each day.
• Meals remind us of our dependence on God for the fruits of the earth. It is right that we should thank God for his abundant giving. This week, pray a grace before each meal:
  Bless us, O Lord, and these your gifts,
  which from your goodness we are about to receive,
  through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

SHARING THE TRADITION 

A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ 

Matthew, in recording Jesus’ words and actions in this gospel, reflects the eucharistic experience of the early church. The actions are the basic pattern of the Liturgy of the Eucharist in the Church to this day:

• Jesus takes bread
  —the preparation of bread and wine
• Jesus blesses God 
  —the Eucharistic prayer of praise and thanks
• Jesus breaks bread
  —the fraction rite
• Jesus gives the bread to be distributed
  —the communion rite.

The Church teaches that the faithful should not be present at the liturgy as ‘strangers or silent spectators. On the contrary, through a good understanding of the rites and prayers, they should take part through … full collaboration.’ Sacrosanctum Concilium, §47.

• You could spend time looking at the special prayers of the liturgy, especially the eucharistic prayers.

SYMBOLS AND IMAGES 

Overwhelmingly, the image of this text is the abundance of the feast that is offered to us by Jesus. This echoes a traditional image of the coming of the Messiah found in the Jewish Scriptures—the messianic feast. 

They all ate as much as they wanted and still there was plenty remaining. In Jesus, we can be thoroughly satisfied. He is the source of all we need.

Another image in this text is the need to withdraw to a quiet place to pray and meditate, to nourish our souls as well as our bodies.

LIVING THE WORD 

Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment 

• Discuss the ways that your parish community shares their abundance, both material and spiritual, with others. How is this done locally, nationally, globally? Are there ways this can be done better? How can the catechumens become involved?
• A small basket filled with bread could form the focus of prayer. Pray for nourishment on the journey. Pray that the Church and its individual members share their abundance with those in need. A suitable song could be ‘Take and eat’ (GA 201). Conclude with the prayer of exorcism in the RCIA at §94K

GOSPEL

Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.

Jesus said to the crowds, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field.

‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.

‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in a haul of all kinds. When it is full, the fishermen haul it ashore; then, sitting down, they collect the good ones in a basket and throw away those that are no use. This is how it will be at the end of time: the angels will appear and separate the wicked from the just to throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.

‘Have you understood all this?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ And he said to them, ‘Well then, every scribe who becomes a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out from his storeroom things both new and old.’ 

(Matthew 13:44–52) 

DID YOU KNOW? 

Points of interest and Catholic lore 

• In ancient times, people often buried their treasures as they fled from enemies or invaders. Sometimes their owners may return to recover the treasure, but often it remained buried for many years. Among priceless discoveries of treasure buried as the owners fled invaders are the Dead Sea Scrolls, hidden from the Roman army in the late first century.
• A scribe in the ancient world was someone who could read and write and who often held government positions. At the time of Jesus, the scribes were influential teachers of the Jewish faith, well versed in Scripture and the Law.
• The householder who brings out things both old and new may be a reference to people like Matthew himself, who as well as receiving the teachings of Jesus and believing in him, retain a profound respect for the Law and traditions of Judaism.
• The blazing furnace referred to here is the place of eternal punishment for the wicked, known by the Hebrew terms Sheol or Gehenna. Hell is the English word used to translate these terms.

EXPLORING THE WORD 

Jesus continues to convey his teaching about the kingdom using the imagery of everyday life. Pearls were highly valued in the Near East and were regarded as a symbol of wisdom—hence the saying ‘pearls of wisdom’. In the first two of these parables, the protagonists commit everything they own to acquiring what is beyond price. According to Jesus, gaining a place in the kingdom is worth the sacrifice of everything we value most.

The parable of the dragnet tells us something more of the kingdom. There will be those who have not recognised its value and are unworthy of the kingdom. However, it is not for people to judge who is worthy and who is not. That task belongs to God.

Jesus is very concerned that his followers clearly understand his message, and he questions them directly: ‘Do you understand all this?’ There must be no confusion over the meaning of the gospel!

Matthew stresses that believing in Christ does not mean a total rejection of Judaism. Indeed, both the old and the new have value. Jesus did not come to overturn the Law but to fulfil it, and those who recognise this truth will honour both the old and the new.

• What are the new understandings you have gained on your journey so far?
• Recall a moment of delight or discovery in your life: falling in love, mastering a skill, coming to understanding. Are these experiences pointers to the kingdom?

MAKING CONNECTIONS 

Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer 

• Share a story of a goal you had and the striving that was needed to achieve it. How did you feel when the goal was reached? How did you feel if the goal was not achieved?
• What have you given up in order to follow Christ?
• What are you prepared to give up?
• How do you understand being a disciple of the kingdom of heaven?
• What are the things that are most precious to you? Does this gospel challenge your attitude to them?
• This week, treasure those things and people who are precious to you in special ways.
• Jesus asks the disciples, ‘Have you understood all these things?’ Ponder your own understanding of the mystery of faith and how you are coming closer to it. Pray for the strength and understanding you need to continue the journey towards the treasure.

SHARING THE TRADITION 

A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ 

The Church has a long tradition and history. Many of the things we value as a Church are ancient indeed. The practice of the Eucharist, gathering together as a community, some of the prayer forms we use, like the Lord’s Prayer, were the actions of the earliest followers of Jesus. We honour these ‘old’ things of the faith. The Church is like the householder in that it has a long tradition that has been handed down through the generations—beliefs, customs and practices that are of enduring value—yet it is still alert to the hand of God in what is happening now in our own time, still reading ‘the signs of the times’.

In the early 1960s, Pope John XXIII called a Council of the whole Church to take the ancient wisdom and restate it for the modern world. See Gaudium et Spes, §4. 

• Refer to the Second Vatican Council and discuss some of the changes to practice that occurred as a result, and how the self-understanding of the Church is reflected in those changed practices. Many of the changes reflect a desire to return to the understandings of the early church. You could discuss how the RCIA is a return to the initiation process of the first centuries of Christianity.
• Discuss the issues of the modern world (the signs of the times) on which the Church is now commenting, such as social justice and the economy, the use of human stem cells, euthanasia, technological advance, globalisation, environmental concerns, and so on. You could discuss how the secular media portray church comment on these areas.

SYMBOLS AND IMAGES 

The image of treasure dominates this text. Jesus sees the search for God as part of the journey of people in all walks of life, because everyone is searching for ‘treasure’ in their lives. We need to have discerning hearts so that we can recognise what is real treasure and then give our whole lives to it.

LIVING THE WORD 

Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment 

• How does your community value and highlight both the old and the new? Is this reflected in your church architecture or décor? 
• A focus for prayer might be a jewellery box next to a candle and the Scriptures. Invite participants to identify the treasures in their lives, write them down and place them in the jewellery box. A suitable song may be ‘A new heart for a new world’ (As One Voice 158). You could conclude with the blessing in the RCIA at §97A.

GOSPEL

Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.

Jesus put another parable before the crowds: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everybody was asleep his enemy came, sowed darnel all among the wheat, and made off. When the new wheat sprouted and ripened, the darnel appeared as well. The owner’s servants went to him and said, “Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? If so, where does the darnel come from?” “Some enemy has done this” he answered. And the servants said, “Do you want us to go and weed it out?” But he said, “No, because when you weed out the darnel you might pull up the wheat with it. Let them both grow till the harvest; and at harvest time I shall say to the reapers: First collect the darnel and tie it in bundles to be burnt, then gather the wheat into my barn.”’ 

(Matthew 13:24–30)

DID YOU KNOW? 

Points of interest and Catholic lore 

• Darnel is an annual grass commonly found in grain fields as a weed. When it first shoots it looks very much like wheat.
• There are echoes in this gospel of the final judgment, when the good will be separated from the bad, the sheep from the goats, the weeds from the harvest.
• The Jewish faith has a profound respect for the name of God, and the holy name is never pronounced or even written in full. The Gospel of Matthew is the most Jewish of the gospels and characteristically always refers to the ‘kingdom of heaven’ rather than the ‘kingdom of God’.

EXPLORING THE WORD 

The contrast between the good and bad seed reflects a reality within Matthew’s community. This text highlights the difficulty of being a Church called to spread the Good News while there are some within its ranks who scandalise others by their bad behaviour or decadent way of life.

This parable counsels patience. The answer to the dilemma is to let both the righteous and the lawless members of the community grow together until the harvest time and then let God be the judge. Ultimately, this parable assures its hearers that God will not allow evil to destroy what is good.

In the longer version of this gospel, the short parables of the kingdom compare it to a mustard seed and to the yeast in dough. Both are small and insignificant, but both develop almost imperceptibly, and once begun, there is no stopping them.

• What small signs of the kingdom already present do we see in our world?
• What signs of the kingdom not yet present do we see in our world?
• What small signs of the kingdom already present do we see in ourselves?
• What signs of the kingdom not yet present do we see in ourselves?

MAKING CONNECTIONS 

Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer 

• Alexander Solzhenitsyn recalls, ‘Gradually I came to realise that the line that separates good from evil passes not between nations, nor between classes of people, nor between political parties—but right through every human heart.’ Do you agree with this estimation of where evil originates? If this is true, how can evil be confronted or challenged? Share your reflections.
• Identify some of the positive and negative aspects of your character or personality. How do you deal with the less attractive side of yourself?
• Identify some of the positive and negative aspects we see in our own society. How can we foster what is good and discourage what is not?
• We need to accept the imperfections in ourselves and in others to some extent. What do you have to be patient with in yourself? In others?
• This week, be tolerant of the limitations of others and try to rectify an imperfection in yourself.
• Say the Lord’s Prayer slowly each day this week and reflect on ways you can help to build the kingdom:
  Thy kingdom come on Earth as it is in heaven.

SHARING THE TRADITION 

A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ 

Just as this text reflects both good and evil within Matthew’s community, there have been times in the history of the Church when it acted in a way that was contrary to the call of the Gospel. In the Jubilee Year of 2000, Pope John Paul II issued a historic apology for some of those past wrongs. While insisting that the Church is ‘holy in Christ’, he also recognised that it may be ‘sinful in its members’ and at various times in history, those members carried out actions like the Crusades and the Inquisition. Both Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis have expressed a similar message in more recent times, particularly with reference to the failings of some clergy.

It is only in recognising past wrongs that the Church can be truly reconciled to alienated groups, including Protestants, Muslims, the Orthodox and victims of abuse.

Following the statement from John Paul II, the Australian bishops also recognised some of the wrong actions of the Church in Australia by apologising to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for any harm the Church may have caused them by cooperating with the government policy of the time to remove children to be raised in orphanages and institutions. Apologies were also issued to those who have suffered exploitation and abuse at the hands of clergy or religious in the past.

Such recognition of the human failings of the Church is a mark of growing maturity as the Church itself journeys towards a full and complete understanding of the kingdom.

• Discuss ways in which the Church has been both persecutor and persecuted, especially in Australia.
• How do you see the role of the Church today?
• How important is it that we recognise and acknowledge our own weaknesses and failings and take positive action to rectify those?

SYMBOLS AND IMAGES 

The kingdom of heaven that is proclaimed by Jesus is not explained by him. What Jesus does do is to convey its meaning through the parables he uses, and his life illustrates some of the key characteristics of the kingdom: the overcoming of evil, the triumph of mercy, the welcome extended to all. The kingdom of heaven was established among us through the death and resurrection of Jesus, but clearly it has yet to come in its fullness. There is a future dimension to the kingdom as well as a present dimension. In the Lord’s Prayer we pray for the kingdom to come. There are also two dimensions in the location of the kingdom. It exists in heaven but we pray for it to come in its fullness on earth as well. We participate in the building of the kingdom each time we act in harmony with the teaching and example of Jesus.

LIVING THE WORD 

Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment 

• In what ways does your community seek to build a stronger relationship with those outside the Church? Is there an ecumenical or interfaith dimension that is actively pursued by the community? How can catechumens become involved in this activity?
• A sturdy pottery bowl with a very small piece of firelighter could form the focus for prayer. With reflective music playing, invite participants to face up to one of their own imperfections, write it on a slip of paper and place it in the bowl to be burned. You could conclude with the prayer of exorcism in the RCIA at §94C.

GOSPEL

Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.

Jesus left the house and sat by the lakeside, but such large crowds gathered round him that he got into a boat and sat there. The people all stood on the beach, and he told them many things in parables.

He said, ‘Imagine a sower going out to sow. As he sowed, some seeds fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on patches of rock where they found little soil and sprang up straight away, because there was no depth of earth; but as soon as the sun came up they were scorched and, not having any roots, they withered away. Others fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Others fell on rich soil and produced their crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Listen, anyone who has ears!’ 

(Matthew 13:1–9)

DID YOU KNOW? 

Points of interest and Catholic lore 

• A parable is a simple human story with a profound meaning.
• Parables were a familiar way of teaching in the time of Jesus, and some images had established meanings. For example, a vineyard, sons or servants represented Israel, while a master, king or father represented God.
• Chapter 13 of Matthew’s Gospel contains numerous parables describing the kingdom of heaven.
• Matthew’s Gospel uses the term kingdom of heaven rather than kingdom of God because his audience is largely Jewish converts to Christianity, and the Jewish people avoid using the holy name.
• The Sea of Galilee is also known as Lake Gennesaret and as Lake Tiberius. Jesus’ base for his preaching ministry in the region was at the town of Capernaum on the northern shores of the lake. Peter had a house in this town.
• Archaeological excavations in Capernaum have revealed a house that was revered from very early times as ‘the house of Peter’.

EXPLORING THE WORD 

This parable would have had a great appeal to the rural population living on the fertile land around the Sea of Galilee. There, the gentle undulating hills are green and verdant, in sharp contrast to the desert wilderness of the southern part of the province of Judea around Jerusalem.

In the longer version of today’s gospel, Jesus explains the meaning of the parable of the sower. The different soils represent different human responses to hearing the word of God. The message is that, despite some failures, the sower’s work ultimately succeeds. Not everyone is open to receiving the word and acting on it, but there is encouragement for those who allow the word to take root and bear fruit.

• Discuss some of the initiatives of your parish that have taken root and flourished.
• Have there been initiatives that have encountered obstacles and didn’t take root? Why?

MAKING CONNECTIONS 

Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer 

• What are the rocks and thorns in our world that may cause the word of God to choke and wither? In the modern world, what are the things that make it difficult for the word of God to take root and flourish? How can believers ‘cultivate their soil’ to help the seed of faith grow? Share your reflections with others.
• Try to be ‘rich soil’ this week, not just for the word of God but also for those around you. Listen attentively to your family and work colleagues. Try to discern what God is saying to you in the events of everyday life.
• Say this prayer each day:
  Lord, may the seed of your word fall into deep soil in me. May it not return to you without yielding its fruit in me.

SHARING THE TRADITION 

A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ 

The two major parts of the liturgy are known as the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. These are framed by an introductory and a concluding rite.

The Liturgy of the Word consists of readings from both the Hebrew Scriptures, sometimes called the Old Testament, and the Christian Scriptures, sometimes called the New Testament. The Hebrew Scriptures tell the story of God’s calling of the people of Israel as his chosen people and details God’s relationship with Israel through its long history. God makes a covenant with them, but with the covenant comes the obligation for the people to be faithful and to live justly.

The Christian Scriptures contain four accounts of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus (the gospels), an account of the establishment of the early church (the Acts of the Apostles), some letters of the early church and a book of visions (Revelation). This final book is a particular form of literature (apocalyptic) widely known in the first century bc and first century ad but badly misunderstood in the modern age.

The Church reads the ‘Word of God’ constantly so that members of every generation come to appreciate God’s actions in history,  know Jesus and reflect on the work of God in their own lives. The Scriptures are the presence of the living God among us and a rich source for our own prayer lives.

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is based on learning about and journeying to God through the Word.

• What may be some thorns in your heart that do not allow the Word to bear fruit? 
• Contemplate the ‘soil’ of your own life. In what ways can you enrich the soil to help the Word take root more fully?
• Identify one concrete way of bringing the Word to fruit in your life this week—for example, journal writing, reading the Word each evening, looking at various religious publications. 

SYMBOLS AND IMAGES 

Jesus uses the image of the seed to help his followers understand something about the word of God. First, it is alive and active and capable of growth and productivity. Second, it requires us to be open to receive it and we must not allow it to be crowded out of our lives by other concerns or stolen away by those indifferent or hostile to Christ. Finally, we must cultivate the soil of our lives so that the seed can take root and bear rich fruits.

LIVING THE WORD 

Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment 

• What opportunities exist within your community for exploring the Word?
• In what ways can your parish be made more fertile ground for the Word of God?
• What role can catechumens play in this?
• Using a candle, some large seeds and the Scriptures as a focus, invite participants to quietly read over today’s gospel. You could invite them to take a seed and place it somewhere prominent this week as a reminder of the Word.
• You could pray together a phrase from Psalm 118:
  Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
• A suitable song could be ‘Take the word of God with you’ (GA 494). Conclude with the blessing in the RCIA at §97C.

GOSPEL

Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.

Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’ 

(Matthew 11:25–30)

DID YOU KNOW? 

Points of interest and Catholic lore 

• The prayer of blessing that Jesus makes in this gospel is known as a berakah—the basis of Jewish prayers of praise and thanksgiving. In our liturgy, we use the berakah form just before the eucharistic prayer: ‘Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this bread and wine to offer.’ To which we all respond, ‘Blessed be God forever.’
• A yoke is a piece of agricultural equipment that went around the neck of an ox. It is attached to a plough or a cart, which the ox drags along. This method is still used in many parts of the world. The yoke takes the burden of the load that the oxen must pull. It is heavy work.

EXPLORING THE WORD 

Matthew’s community must have been deeply troubled by the fact that the ‘learned and clever’ religious leaders of the day did not accept the message of Jesus. Surely they, of all people, should have been in a position to recognise the truth. But in this passage, Matthew explains that it is not from a position of knowledge or power that one recognises the truth; rather it is from an attitude of openness and simplicity.

Jesus’ intimate address of Abba (‘Father’) is used five times. This intimate relationship is characterised by God’s entrusting all things to the Son, and the Son in turn revealing them to those who have faith. Jesus is the perfect teacher, describing himself as gentle and humble in heart.

There is an interesting contrast here between the burden of following the restrictive laws of the Pharisees and the ‘easy burden’ of faith in Christ. The rules and laws of the Pharisees often added to the burden experienced by people of the day, while Jesus tried to lift the burden from people.

• In your journey to faith, are there aspects that you find ‘burdensome’? What are they? This could be an opportunity to discuss some difficult beliefs of the Church.
• Do you have a sense of having been ‘entrusted’ with the truth? Discuss this idea. What has been revealed to you so far?

MAKING CONNECTIONS 

Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer 

• Can you tell of an occasion when you felt God near? Where have you experienced God’s presence? Where do you find your rest? Share your reflections.
• In your life, within your family or workplace, do you know someone who is burdened and weighed down by cares and concerns? Can you find ways to ease that burden this week?
• Be ‘life-giving’ to others this week. Acknowledge and affirm them in particular ways.
• Pray the blessing from the first verse of Psalm 144 throughout the week.
  I will give you glory, O God, my king.
  I will bless your name forever.
  I will bless you day after day

SHARING THE TRADITION 

A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ 

Throughout the history of the Church, there have been people who have taken up the ‘burden’ of faith and experienced it as a double-edged sword of both great joy and blessing as well as an awesome responsibility leading to hardship and persecution. Australia’s Saint Mary of the Cross (Mary MacKillop) is one example. 

Born in Fitzroy in 1842, Mary was fifteen when she felt called to be a nun. Unable to find a religious order that suited her call, Mary began her own—the Sisters of St Joseph—in 1867, dedicated to the education of the poor, particularly the rural poor. Her independence and determination to live under her own rule and not that of the Bishop led her into conflict with church authorities. At the centre of the difficulty was Mary’s insistence that her sisters live in absolute poverty and rely on God to provide for their needs. This meant begging, which the bishops thought unseemly. Mary was excommunicated in 1871, only to be reinstated in 1872, although opposition by some continued. Despite the setbacks and disappointments, the Josephite order continued to expand in both membership and ministry. Her struggle was worth the effort, and Mary was canonised a saint in Rome in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI.

• Mary MacKillop was not ‘learned’, but she knew God through experience. Share stories of other people who knew God through their experiences—Mother Teresa, for example, found God in the poor of Calcutta.
• Share the stories of other people for whom following the Gospel has been both a joy and a burden.

SYMBOLS AND IMAGES 

The word humility comes from the Latin for ‘soil’. Humility is not about being shy or quiet or taking a back seat; it is about recognising our origins and not becoming so ‘learned and clever’ that we get too big for our boots.  To be like ‘mere children’ is to have that child-like sense of wonder and awe at things bigger than ourselves. What are the experiences that produce a response of awe in you?

LIVING THE WORD 

Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment 

• In what ways are you experiencing joy and blessing in your journey along with hardship and struggle?
• Place a cross in a central position with a number of small stones. Invite participants to think of the things that burden them and take a stone for each burden. Invite them to lay their burdens at the foot of the cross, saying, ‘Lord, I place my life in your hands.’
• Pray for the courage to place ourselves in Christ’s care. Name other people you want to place in Christ’s hands. A suitable song could be ‘Come to me all who labour’ (As One Voice 37). Conclude with the prayer of exorcism in the RCIA at §94F

GOSPEL

Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.

Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.

‘Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me.

‘Anyone who welcomes a prophet will have a prophet’s reward; and anyone who welcomes a holy man will have a holy man’s reward.

‘If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.’

(Matthew 10:37–42) 

DID YOU KNOW? 

Points of interest and Catholic lore 

• At the time Matthew’s Gospel was being written, Jewish families were being literally split by those who were making the decision to move away from traditional Jewish beliefs and follow Christ.
• Even though family relationships are vitally important, ‘the first vocation of a Christian is to follow Christ’.

EXPLORING THE WORD 

To follow Jesus means putting other important relationships second. It means taking up the cross and perhaps facing the same fate that Jesus met—persecution, suffering, death—but remaining faithful leads to eternal life. In ancient times, a person’s agent was seen to be the person themselves, and here Jesus is giving great dignity to the apostolate of following him by saying it derives from the Father himself through Jesus.

In the Scriptures, a prophet is a person who speaks for God. To be a prophet, one must have a very clear understanding of what God wants, and the task is to transmit that message to the people. There are many instances of the people rejecting the message of the prophets. Some scholars translate ‘holy man’ as ‘just man’ or someone who does the will of God. To recognise and welcome the truth is to be a disciple. The cost of discipleship may be high but the rewards are great.

• Tell stories of biblical characters and what it cost them to respond to God’s will—for example, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jonah, Mary the mother of Jesus.
• Discuss modern figures who have paid a high price for their faith, such as St Oscar Romero, Maximillian Kolbe and so on.

MAKING CONNECTIONS 

Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer 

• Share with each other stories about a time when you were made to feel welcome or you offered hospitality to someone else.
• How welcome do you feel in this journey?
• Have some people reacted badly to your decision to approach the Catholic Church?
• What does it mean to lose your life so you can find it?
• This week, make a special effort to be open and welcoming to someone you would not normally associate with. If you are able to, offer hospitality to someone.
• Repeat this often as a mantra this week:
  Lord, as you welcome me, may I be open to welcome others.

SHARING THE TRADITION 

A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ 

For the first three centuries of the Christian era, to be initiated by baptism into the new, spiritual family of Christ was to risk one’s life. Christianity was a minority religion in a predominantly pagan world. At various stages, persecutions were carried out against Christians. To remain faithful at such times was very difficult, and those who chose Christ were strong indeed. After the Emperor Constantine was converted early in the fourth century, Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire. People flocked to be converted, not always for the right reasons. Numbers grew rapidly and the Church spread and blossomed. With the gains in number, however, came the possibility of a loss in quality of conviction. Were people really as committed to following Jesus as those earlier, persecuted Christians had been?

The modern western world is a very secularised place, where God has been replaced in some people’s hearts by other gods —the quest for profit, individualism, consumerism. Pope John Paul II referred to these things as a ‘new idolatry’. Numbers of practising Catholics are reducing in many Western countries, and we may become a minority again. Today many Christians face persecution of a different kind.

• Discuss ways in which people of faith are persecuted today in Western society.
• In some areas of the Middle East, persecution of minority Christians is rife and the cause of much suffering.
• Does the media have a role to play in this? In what way?
• What are some challenges you see in your parish or local area? 
• The first Sunday of July is named by the Australian Bishop’s as National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday. You could reflect on the burdens and struggle which the Aboriginal people have undergone since settlement and seek ways to further the Reconciliation movement.

SYMBOLS AND IMAGES 

In this text, Jesus praises those who offer hospitality, especially to those who proclaim the gospel. Even the simple symbolic gesture of ‘offering a cup of cold water’ speaks volumes about what a person believes in or holds as important. What are the small gestures we make each day that speak to others of the sort of person we are? Jesus also warns that to be a disciple can come at a cost. Taking up the cross and following in Jesus’ footsteps may lead to places we would rather not go. 

• Have you experienced your journey as a cross?

LIVING THE WORD 

Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment 

• In what ways does your community give public witness to the faith that binds it together? In what ways does your parish interact with and become a part of the local community?
• Using candles and the Book of the Word, form a central focus for prayer. Offer prayers of thanks for all who have overcome persecution for the sake of the Gospel. Using the prayer of exorcism in the RCIA at §94C, pray for strength for those who journey. Conclude with ‘You are near’ (GA 451).

GOSPEL

Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.

Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Do not be afraid. For everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the housetops.

‘Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.

‘So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of men, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven.’ 

(Matthew 10:26–33)

DID YOU KNOW? 

Points of interest and Catholic lore 

• Sparrows were sold in market places as inexpensive food for the poor and were a symbol of something of minimal value.
• Members of the Church who have died rather than renounce their faith are called martyrs. The word martyr literally means ‘witness’. Throughout history, many have given their lives for the faith, and in our own time, people are still martyred because they will not swerve from their commitment to Christ.
• By the time Matthew wrote his gospel, the Church was already undergoing persecution in some areas, and Christian faith was being sorely tested.

EXPLORING THE WORD 

The people of Matthew’s community were being persecuted for their faith. They were mostly Jews who had come to accept Jesus as the awaited Messiah. But not all Jews accepted this, and they did not want the Christians to worship with them in the synagogues, so the Jewish Christians were expelled. Matthew’s Christian community was feeling very vulnerable and trying to find a new way of living their faith outside the traditional Jewish practices. In this passage, Matthew comforts them and assures them that they need not fear physical harm, for God knows every hair of their heads and will protect them. Those who are strong in their faith and refuse to recant will be honoured before God. If God extends his care to the sparrows, the cheapest life available, how much more will he extend his care to his faithful people? 

• Jesus wants to form a community in which each individual is valued. In what ways do you experience God’s individual care and concern?
• How does you parish reflect God’s individual care and concern?

MAKING CONNECTIONS 

Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer 

• Share stories of people who have ‘the strength of their convictions’. What does this mean?
• Has there ever been a time when you have had to go against prevailing opinion to stick up for someone or to defend truth or justice? How did it feel? What was the outcome?
• What makes you afraid as you move towards committing yourself to Christ and his Church?
• Do you avoid speaking about your journey to faith in case others may think you are ‘odd’? 
• ‘Think of times when you may be tempted to deny Christ: by actions that do not reflect what you really believe; by silence when something really needs to be said; by failing to challenge an injustice. Try this week to witness publicly to your faith, even in simple ways, like saying grace before meals.
• Repeat this phrase often this week. 
• Do not be afraid; I am with you.

 SHARING THE TRADITION 

A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ 

In the early centuries of the Church, many people were persecuted and even killed for confessing faith in Jesus Christ. Under the Roman Emperor Nero, the first persecution of Christians began in Rome. We all know the stories of believers being thrown to the lions! What is more surprising is that people are still being martyred for their faith today. In 2019, 29 Catholic pastoral care workers, including priests, nuns and lay people, were killed while performing their duties. In 2017 Pope Francis authorised the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the decree on the martyrdom of Sister Regina Maria Vattalil (nee Maria), professed nun of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Poor Clare’s Franciscans, who was killed very publically in India on 25 February 1995. Sister Maria had been working with village women and poor farmers in providing social assistance and empowering them to seek civil rights in an area dominated by large landowners and moneylenders.

Sister Irene McCormack was an Australian member of the Sisters of St Joseph, working as a missionary in a poor mountain village in Peru. Her pride and joy in this work was a simple school room/library where she taught the village children to read and write. The area where the village was located was a dangerous region because of the presence of a Marxist guerilla group known as the ‘Shining Path’. On the evening of 21 May 1991, the terrorists entered the village and accused Sr Irene of being a ‘Yankee imperialist’ and poisoning the minds of the children. They also disapproved of Irene’s work of distributing food aid to the very poor. She and four local men were subjected to a sham trial in the village square, forced to lie on the ground and each was shot in the head.

Sr Irene took seriously the call of the Gospel to bring good news to the poor and to raise up the downtrodden. Her dedication cost Irene her life.

• You could tell the story of St Oscar Romero, who spoke out boldly against injustice and was murdered for doing so.
• Tell other stories of people who were persecuted or killed for their faith. What can we learn from their example?

SYMBOLS AND IMAGES 

Jesus’ words in this text are words of encouragement for the confused and fearful Christians of that time and all times. He speaks of a time when his teachings will be shouted from the rooftops and clear to all. Jesus reassures believers that their faith will be rewarded. They are precious to him and to the Father.

LIVING THE WORD 

Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment 

• Are there people who opposed your journey or made it difficult for you? Why might your journey have been a challenge for them?
• How can you witness to God’s love and care for them through forgiveness and understanding?
• A picture of Sr Irene McCormack and a candle could form the focus of prayer this week. Pray for all those who are persecuted for their faith. Ask that all who journey in faith are strengthened by the faith of others. You could use the blessing in the RCIA at §97D. You could conclude with ‘They’ll know we are Christians’ (As One Voice 130).

First reading

Ezekiel 34:11–12, 15–17
The Lord will judge between sheep and sheep.

Responsorial psalm

Psalm 22(23):1–3a, 5–6
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Second reading

1 Corinthians 15:20–26, 28
Christ will hand over the kingdom to God the Father; so that God may be all in all.

Gospel acclamation

Mark 11:9, 10
Blessing on him, who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessings on the coming kingdom of our father David!

Gospel

Matthew 25:31–46
I was naked and you clothed me; sick, and you visited me.

Images from the Word

• Throne of glory
• Come
• When did we see you
• His scattered sheep
• First fruits

Liturgical notes

Making all created things subject to his rule, he might present to the immensity of your majesty an eternal and universal kingdom, a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace.

—Roman Missal, p. 546

The reign of Christ as King of the universe relies upon the faithful members of his beloved Church. Unless we, the faithful followers of Christ, take up our cross daily and follow Christ, his presence in the world is not complete. We are the hands and heart for Christ’s kingdom of truth, holiness, justice, love and peace. Thus he may be active in our world today. Our Christ calls us to be his ambassadors in the world. 

‘Having received the food of immortality, we ask, O Lord, that, glorying in obedience to the commands of Christ, the King of the universe, we may live with him eternally in his heavenly Kingdom.’

—prayer after Communion

First reading

Proverbs 31:10–13, 19–20, 30–31
A perfect wife—who can find her?

Responsorial psalm

Psalm 127(128):1–5
R. Happy are those who fear the Lord.

Second reading

1 Thessalonians 5:1–6
God will bring with him those who have died in Jesus.

Gospel acclamation

John 15:4, 5
Live in me and let me live in you, says the Lord; my branches bear much fruit.

Gospel

Matthew 25:14–30
You have been faithful in small things: come and join in your master’s happiness.

Images from the Word

• Five talents
• Good and faithful servant
• My capital
• Eager hands
• Labour pains

Liturgical notes

Holy Communion has a fuller form as a sign when it is distributed under both kinds. For in this form the sign of the Eucharistic banquet is more clearly evident and clear expression is given to the divine will by which the new and eternal Covenant is ratified in the Blood of the Lord, as also the relationship between the Eucharistic banquet and the eschatological banquet in the Father’s Kingdom.

—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §281

We continue to live in obedience to the words and example of Christ at the Last Supper. We repeat his same ritual pattern of taking, blessing, breaking and sharing. In that sharing, we respond to Christ’s words to ‘take and eat, take and drink’. Fortunately, we are blessed with many who can minister the chalice in a worthy and pastoral way. Our ritual of sharing the chalice enables us to express our covenant with Christ to take up his cross daily and follow him.

‘We have partaken of the gifts of this sacred mystery, humbly imploring, O Lord, that what your Son commanded us to do in memory of him may bring us growth in charity.’

—prayer after Communion