GOSPEL

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

With the coming of evening, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let us cross over to the other side.’ And leaving the crowd behind they took him, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him. Then it began to blow a gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped. But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep. They woke him and said to him, ‘Master, do you not care? We are going down!’ And he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Quiet now! Be calm!’ And the wind dropped, and all was calm again. Then he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened? How is it that you have no faith?’ They were filled with awe and said to one another, ‘Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him.’

(Mark 4:35–41) 

DID YOU KNOW? 

Points of interest and Catholic lore 

• ‘The other side’ refers to the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. This was known as pagan territory, the region of the Decapolis or the ‘ten cities’, which were not part of the traditional lands of Israel.
• The Sea of Galilee was (and still is) notorious for storms, which could blow up very quickly and be tempestuous.
• In Genesis 1, God brought order to the watery chaos at creation purely through his command. Here, Jesus does the same simply by verbal command.
• In Mark’s Gospel, the disciples are often portrayed as missing the point and failing to recognise who Jesus is!

EXPLORING THE WORD 

The ‘calming of the storm’, as this gospel story is known, is reported in all the Synoptic Gospels (see Matthew 8:23–27 and Luke 8:22–25). The term Synoptic refers to the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, which have many similarities. In Mark, the text is situated in a section of the gospel that presents Jesus as the Son of God who is rejected by his own people. Earlier in this chapter, Jesus had been by the lakeside teaching a huge crowd of people with a series of parables. By evening, he must have been exhausted, so he withdraws across the lake to find solitude and rest, sleeping in the stern of the boat. The lack of faith and trust that the disciples exhibit in their question comes as something of a shock to the reader and, clearly, is a shock to Jesus as well. How can they have spent so much time with him and heard him teaching and yet still have no understanding of who he is and no faith? Even after his commands to the sea and the wind, and despite their awe, they ask, ‘Who can this be?’ The disciples fail to perceive his true identity as the Son of God!

• Are there things that block your understandings of who Jesus is for you and for all humanity at this stage in your journey?
• Reflect on times when you have had an experience of awe or wonder at the mighty works of God.

MAKING CONNECTIONS 

Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer 

• Do you have a sense of ‘crossing over’ into a new phase of your life?
• Who can this be? Are you growing in understanding of who Jesus is?
• Share reflections on a time when you felt that circumstances might have overwhelmed or ‘swamped’ you. Who were the people who helped you to weather the storm? How did they provide a safe haven or stability for you?
• This week, try to provide stability or safety to someone who may be undergoing a rough patch.
• Today’s entrance antiphon makes a wonderful prayer for this week:
  The Lord is the strength of his people, a saving refuge for the one he has anointed.
  Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage, and govern them forever.

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 

Faith is a gift from God, a supernatural virtue infused by him (CCC, §153). We use the term faith often in relation to our religious belief and especially in the RCIA program, which we might understand as a journey to faith. It may be worth spending some time discussing how we understand faith. We say that faith is a gift from God; it is God’s grace operating to move us, with the help of the Spirit, towards a conversion of heart and mind and to an orientation towards God. God freely gives this gift, but it requires a human response: the human will and intellect must cooperate with divine grace. This faith, then, seeks understanding; it is not a blind or mindless impulse. It is intrinsic to faith that a believer desires to know better the One in whom faith is placed and to understand better what has been revealed; a more penetrating knowledge will in turn call forth a greater faith (CCC, §158).

• Explore understandings of faith.
• Discuss the ways in which the RCIA program is structured to draw catechumens into deeper faith.
• How can that growth in faith continue to be nourished?

SYMBOLS AND IMAGES 

Jesus is presented as sharing in the power of God to command the wind and the sea to do his will. The disciples cry out in fear and Jesus protects and brings them to safety. We too can take comfort in the image of the haven offered by faith in Jesus when the storms of our lives threaten to overwhelm us.

LIVING THE WORD 

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

• Are there faith-sharing groups in your community? Is it possible to encourage catechumens to join such a group for additional support and exploration of their faith?
• Use the Scriptures, a bowl of water and a lighted candle as a focus for prayer. Remind the group that all Christians are journeying to deeper faith and understanding. The development of our faith is a lifelong process. Pray for each other as you journey to deeper faith. A suitable song could 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.

Jesus said to the crowds: ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man throws seed on the land. Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know. Of its own accord the land produces first the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the crop is ready, he loses no time: he starts to reap because the harvest has come.’

He also said, ‘What can we say the kingdom of God is like? What parable can we find for it? It is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in the soil is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet once it is sown it grows into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade.’

Using many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, so far as they were capable of understanding it. He would not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything to his disciples when they were alone.

(Mark 4:26–34)

DID YOU KNOW? 

Points of interest and Catholic lore 

• Parables are very short stories with a double meaning. They act like metaphors and can be interpreted very broadly. To understand the parables of Jesus we must be attentive to both the literal and metaphorical language used. 
• The nearness of the kingdom (or reign) of God is the central plank of the teaching of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel.
• The term ‘kingdom of God’ occurs only in the New Testament, but similar expressions are found in the Old Testament. It refers to a time when God’s will would be done on Earth.
• Matthew uses the term ‘kingdom of heaven’ as a way of avoiding the use of the sacred name of God.

EXPLORING THE WORD 

Parables provoke interpretation. They make us wonder what Jesus was referring to and what he really meant. At times, he is quite vague about the real meaning and his disciples are left wondering. Think, for example, of the parable of the sower, which Jesus must later explain (Mark 4: 13-20). At other times, like the instances we have in this gospel reading, Jesus is quite explicit: he tells his hearers that he is talking about the kingdom of God. Even so, he must still explain his meaning to the disciples when he is alone with them. Unfortunately, Mark does not report for us what interpretation Jesus places on these parables.

In the Old Testament, the imagery of the reign of God had an apocalyptic dimension; it was to come to fullness at the end times, when the wicked would be punished and the faithful vindicated. Only then would there be a new heaven and a new earth. The message in Mark’s Gospel, however, is quite different. Jesus proclaims that the kingdom of God has already begun. It is among us now. ‘This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand’ (Mark 1:15). Like the seed planted, it takes root and grows mysteriously into something much larger than itself. The kingdom or reign is a gracious gift from God brought near in Christ and demanding a response of faith from those who recognise the truth of his word. The kingdom offers a challenge; like the man who sowed the seed, we must be ready to cooperate in God’s work when the harvest time comes.

• The kingdom or reign of God refers to the time when God’s will is done. What signs of the growth of the kingdom of God can we discern in our world today? Where do we see God’s will being done?
• What things do you think hinder the growth of the kingdom today?
• How are we called to cooperate in God’s work? What must we do?

MAKING CONNECTIONS 

Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer 

• ‘He spoke the word to them so far as they were capable of understanding it.’ How much has your understanding grown so far in your journey?
• Are you ready for the harvest?
• What more needs to be explained to you?
• Have you ever been a part of something that began as a small thing but took on a life of its own and grew much larger? Were you swept away and overwhelmed? Were you able to grow with it and become something more than you ever thought possible?  Was it terrifying or exciting? Share your reflections together. 
• Be attentive this week to how the seed of God’s word and love is growing within you. Foster this growth in as many ways as you can and try to plant the seeds of faith in the hearts of others.
• Use today’s gospel acclamation as your prayer this week:
  The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower;
  all who come to him will live forever.

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 mystery of the kingdom of God is echoed in the mystery of the Church:

It was the Son’s task to accomplish the Father’s plan of salvation in the fullness of time. Its accomplishment was the reason for his being sent. ‘The Lord Jesus inaugurated his Church by preaching the Good News, that is, the coming of the Reign of God, promised over the ages in the scriptures.’ To fulfill the Father’s will, Christ ushered in the Kingdom of heaven on earth. The Church ‘is the Reign of Christ already present in mystery.’

‘This Kingdom shines out before men in the world, in the works and in the presence of Christ.’ To welcome Jesus’ word is to welcome ‘the Kingdom itself’. The seed and beginning of the Kingdom are the ‘little flock’ of those whom Jesus came to gather around him, the flock whose shepherd he is … To those who he thus gathered around him, he taught a ‘new way of acting’ and a prayer of their own. 

(CCC §§763, 764)

• Explore the mystery of the Church and its role in continuing to proclaim the kingdom of God.
• How are those who belong to Christ’s ‘flock’ called to work towards the kingdom? How can we be the seeds that will flourish and grow?
• What is the ‘new way of acting’ to which we are now called?
• The prayer that Jesus gave us, the Our Father, calls for the kingdom to come ‘on earth as it is in heaven’. What does this mean? Explore each line of this great prayer together.

SYMBOLS AND IMAGES 

The mystery of the kingdom of God is at the heart of this reading. Humans cannot understand how it will grow and spread, but once planted, it will prosper as the seed does, taking root and growing to fullness. What begins as a tiny seed like the mustard seed will grow into something much larger and offer shelter for all.  

LIVING THE WORD 

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

• What signs of the coming of the kingdom are discernible in your community? What ministries does your community engage in which help to grow the kingdom? Is there a role that catechumens can play in these ministries? Invite them to participate. 
• Use a wooden bowl filled with seeds and the open Scriptures as a focus for prayer. Pray for the fullness of the kingdom to become a reality in our world. Pray for each other as you journey towards fullness of faith. Pray the ‘Our Father’ together. A suitable song could be ‘Bring forth the Kingdom’ (GA 478). Conclude with the prayer of blessing in the RCIA at §97C.

GOSPEL

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

On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was sacrificed, his disciples said to Jesus, ‘Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the passover?’ So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the city and you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him, and say to the owner of the house which he enters, “The Master says: Where is my dining room in which I can eat the passover with my disciples?” He will show you a large upper room furnished with couches, all prepared. Make the preparations for us there.’ The disciples set out and went to the city and found everything as he had told them, and prepared the Passover.

And as they were eating he took some bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to them. ‘Take it,’ he said ‘this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had returned thanks he gave it to them, and all drank from it, and he said to them, ‘This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for many. I tell you solemnly, I shall not drink any more wine until the day I drink the new wine in the kingdom of God.’

After psalms had been sung they left for the Mount of Olives.

(Mark 14:12–16, 22–26) 

DID YOU KNOW? 

Points of interest and Catholic lore 

• The Passover is an important Jewish feast that commemorates the deliverance of the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt (see Exodus12:1–13:16). The blood of a sacrificed lamb was daubed on the doorposts of the homes of the Jews so the angel of death would ‘pass over’ their dwellings and kill only the first born of the Egyptians.
• The Passover festival included a ritual meal, with the eating of unleavened bread, cooked lamb and the drinking of a ritual cup of wine. Jewish families still practise this ancient ritual today.
• The Passover is more than a remembrance of a past event; it makes present again the reality of God’s saving action.
• After Israel had been liberated from slavery in Egypt, God entered into covenant with them at Mount Sinai. This is a special relationship. ‘I will take you as my people and I will be your God’ (Exodus 6:7). This meant that Israel had to live in a certain way. They had particular obligations to follow in keeping their side of the agreement.

EXPLORING THE WORD 

The ritual meal of the Passover is always shared by families, and Jesus and his disciples have formed a family so it is natural that they will celebrate this great Jewish feast together. The traditional Passover celebration looked back to the experience of Exodus, but it was always understood not only as a commemoration, but also as a making present again of that experience of liberation through the saving action of God. The unleavened bread recalls the manna given in the desert, and the wine recalls the crossing of the Red Sea. At Jesus’ meal, he changes the point of reference. He no longer looks back to the Exodus experience but looks forward to the cross. The bread is no longer the manna of the desert but his own body, which will be broken. The wine no longer symbolises the crossing of the Red Sea but his own blood, which will be spilled for many. The blood of the Lamb sacrificed on the cross will be the symbol of a new covenant between God and people—no longer the covenant of Moses, but the covenant of love that Christ inaugurates through his death and resurrection; the gift of himself to the world.

• What might be required of those who drink the blood of this new covenant? What does our part of the agreement entail?

MAKING CONNECTIONS 

Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer 

• What preparations are you making for your ‘pass-over’ to full membership of the Church?
• Do you long to share in the Eucharist?
• What family rituals do you have in your home? Where or how did these originate? What special celebrations do you observe? Share your stories with others.
• Find ways to pour yourself out for others this week.
• Jesus’ own prayer life was nourished by the psalms. Pray today’s responsorial psalm often this week:
  How can I repay the Lord for his goodness to me?
  The cup of salvation I will raise;
  I will call on the Lord’s name.

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 the Jewish Passover not only recalled the Exodus experience but made it present again, so too does the eucharistic celebration of Christians. The Eucharist celebrates and makes present the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus and calls us to live this sacrifice in our own lives each day. Every time Christians celebrate the Eucharist, the reality of Jesus’ sacrifice is before them, his Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity under the species of bread and wine. To it they join their own sufferings, joys and preoccupations. Through it they bind themselves closer to God and commit themselves to the covenant. This covenant demands that they too must give their lives for others. Saying ‘amen’ to the body of Christ means we become what we eat! There are huge implications to this.

• In what ways can you give your life for others?
• In what ways does the Church give its life for others?
• You could introduce candidates to the structure and symbolism of the Mass and the sacrament of Eucharist.

SYMBOLS AND IMAGES 

For the Jewish people, blood was the life force of any creature. It was not to be shed indiscriminately. Today we speak of blood brothers or blood being thicker than water to show a particularly close tie. To shed blood, sweat and tears is to invest one’s whole being in a person or project. Here Jesus consecrates his blood as the blood of the new covenant—a new way for humans to be in relationship with God.

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 give its life for others? What community ministries are available for candidates to become involved in?
• Use a cross, broken bread and cup of wine as a focus for prayer. Pray for each other as you progress towards participation in the Eucharist. A suitable hymn 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.

The eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them. When they saw him they fell down before him, though some hesitated. Jesus came up and spoke to them. He said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.’

(Matthew 28:16–20)

DID YOU KNOW? 

Points of interest and Catholic lore 

• Many of the prayers of the Church express our belief in a triune God (three persons in one). One of the greatest prayers is the sign of the cross, where we dedicate ourselves ‘In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit’.
• Although the Scriptures describe God as Father, Son and Spirit, many centuries elapsed before the Church formulated the doctrine of the Trinity. This formulation is enshrined in the Nicene Creed.
• St Patrick reportedly used the shamrock to describe the three persons in one God to the pagans of Ireland.
• St Augustine described the Trinity as the lover, the beloved and the love between.

EXPLORING THE WORD 

This text is taken from the very end of Matthew’s Gospel, after Jesus has been raised and appeared to some women. He instructs them to tell the disciples to leave Jerusalem and travel to Galilee to the place he has arranged to meet them. This place is on a mountain. In Jewish tradition and in Scripture, the top of a mountain is associated with closeness to God and is often the setting for God’s self-revelation to his people Israel.

The disciples who gather there are a fragile bunch! Their hopes and dreams have been shattered by the death on the cross of the one they saw as saviour. The disappearance of his body from the tomb has left them wondering and afraid. Now Jesus appears to them and offers words of great consolation. He has ultimate authority in heaven and on earth, and issues the disciples with three instructions. 

First, they must go to all the nations, not just to the people of Israel. Christ’s salvation is for all people. We must remember that Matthew was writing to a predominantly Jewish community, which was struggling with allowing Gentiles to enter as people of faith in Jesus. Next, he instructs on a new initiation rite—baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Spirit. For Jews, the old initiation rite was the circumcision of male children. Membership in the new people of God is open to all, male and female, Gentile and Jew. Finally, Jesus replaces the old Law, the commandments given to Moses, with a new Law, the commandments given by Jesus.

In conclusion, Jesus assures them (and us) that he will be with them always, even to the end of time.

• How has this promise of Jesus been fulfilled over the centuries?
• Where do you see the Spirit of God operating in our world today?
• How do you experience God’s Spirit with you?

MAKING CONNECTIONS 

Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer 

• Are there things that cause you to hesitate in your approach to Christ?
• In what ways are you aware that Christ is with you always?
• How do you feel about your journey towards baptism?
• Have you ever experienced a sense of closeness with the divine that left you with a feeling of awe, of being truly aware of God’s presence? Share some of those moments with others.
• When and where do you feel a sense of God with you? What is the stimulus for such moments? Can you see ways in which this understanding can help you in growing your relationship with God?
• At the end of each day, spend some time reflecting on when and how Christ was with you during that day. 
• The final words of the eucharistic prayer of the Mass are a doxology—a prayer of praise—which expresses the dynamism of the Trinity. Repeat those words often this week:
  Through him (Christ), and with him, and in him,
  O God, almighty Father,
  in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
  all glory and honour is yours,
  forever and ever, 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 

‘The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God himself. It is therefore the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them. It is the most fundamental and essential teaching in the “hierarchy of the truths of faith”’ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, §234).

• You could explore the sections of the Catechism that deal with how the Father, Son and Spirit reveal each other.
• Examine some of the prayers of the Church, including the eucharistic prayers and prefaces to identify the trinitarian formulations that they contain. Notice the images conveyed and the kind of prayer addressed to each person in the Trinity.
• Explore the notion that our God is relational. Humans, created in the image of God, are relational beings also. We can only be truly all that we are created to be in relationship with others.

SYMBOLS AND IMAGES 

The symbolic gesture of the sign of the cross gathers our whole being into the mystery of the Trinity—our God who is three in one. Using three fingers of the right hand, we trace the cross by touching our forehead, heart and shoulders. This encompasses our intellectual, emotional and working lives, and gathers all aspects of ourselves together in the name of God and of the cross that freed us.

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 express belief in the Triune God? Are there any artistic or architectural representations of the Trinity in your Church? You could examine these together.
• Form an unbroken circle with twine or greenery and place three candles on the circle. Use the sign of the cross and reflect on its meaning. Pray for each other’s concerns. Use a Trinity hymn like ‘Praise God from whom all blessings flow’ (GA 384). Conclude with the prayer of exorcism in RCIA at §94B.

GOSPEL

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

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘When the Advocate comes,
whom I shall send to you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who issues from the Father,
he will be my witness.
And you too will be witnesses,
because you have been with me from the outset.

‘I still have many things to say to you
but they would be too much for you now.
But when the Spirit of truth comes
he will lead you to the complete truth,
since he will not be speaking as from himself
but will say only what he has learnt;
and he will tell you of the things to come.
He will glorify me,
since all he tells you
will be taken from what is mine.
Everything the Father has is mine;
that is why I said:
All he tells you
will be taken from what is mine.’

(John 15:26–27; 16:12–15) 

DID YOU KNOW? 

Points of interest and Catholic lore 

• The reason why the disciples were in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost was that they were celebrating the Jewish Harvest Festival, which occurs fifty days after the Passover. This festival also celebrated the covenant made by God with the people of Israel on Mount Sinai.
• The Christian feast of Pentecost is fifty days after Easter Sunday and marks the culmination and closure of the Lent–Easter–Pentecost cycle.
• The word for ‘spirit’ in Hebrew is the feminine ruah, meaning literally ‘breath’, ‘wind’ or ‘air.’

EXPLORING THE WORD 

This text again comes from the farewell discourse of Jesus to the disciples in John’s Gospel. In it he promises to send the Advocate to them. An advocate is one who stands by in times of trial or difficulty, defending, guiding and instructing. In many ways, the Spirit is the ongoing presence of Jesus with his disciples in all ages, and these texts give an eloquent instruction on the reason for God’s gift of the Spirit. The Spirit will witness to the truth, which comes from the Father through the Son. The Spirit will guide the Church’s future understandings as they gradually unfold. The Spirit will be the link between the Father, the now absent Son and the ongoing unfolding of the complete truth. The Spirit will inspire the followers of Jesus to continue his mission and will provide assistance and guidance in achieving this. No single set of human beings could completely know the implications of the Christ event. It is the Advocate, the Spirit of Truth, sent by Jesus from the Father, who will accompany the Church through the whole of history, guiding it towards the complete truth.

• What evidence has there been in your own life of the Spirit guiding you towards an ever-unfolding understanding of the complete truth of Jesus Christ?
• How do you experience the presence of the Spirit in your life at the moment?

MAKING CONNECTIONS 

Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer 

• Are there people you still have ‘many things to say to’? Is it important that such things are said?
• In what ways have you been led to the complete truth?
• How do you experience the Spirit present in your life?
• The first reading tells of the experience of the disciples receiving the Spirit. They were astounded by what had happened to them, and it produced a change in them as people. Share stories of times you have been ‘blown away’ by something. Did the experience produce lasting change? How have you kept this feeling alive?
• The Spirit is bestowed at baptism and ‘confirmed’ for us. Galatians 5:22 lists the fruits of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Try to live these fruits this week.
• Today’s gospel acclamation makes a wonderful prayer for this week:
  Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful;
  And kindle in them the fire of your love.

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 

At baptism, the Spirit comes upon the newly initiated Christian, and in the sacrament of confirmation, the Spirit of God is renewed and confirmed in the faithful. The bestowal of the Spirit brings certain gifts, and these gifts bear particular fruits.

The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord (CCC, §1831).

• Discuss what each of these means.

The Church lists twelve fruits of the Spirit: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control and chastity (CCC, §1832).

• Discus what each of these means.
• Discuss the ways in which we understand the role of the Spirit in giving guidance to the Church. In what ways do we see the Spirit at work in the Church today?
• How do you see the gifts and fruits of the Spirit made manifest in yourself and others? In what ways do we need to cultivate these gifts and fruits?

SYMBOLS AND IMAGES 

Red is the colour that is often associated with the Spirit. Red vestments are worn at Pentecost, and red is often associated with confirmation. Red symbolises the intense love or ‘fire’ of the Holy Spirit. Other symbols of the Spirit are tongues of flame, wind and a white dove. Each of these conveys something of the mystery of the Spirit of God, which is beyond human understanding.

LIVING THE WORD 

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

• Where do you see the Spirit alive and active in your community?
• Use the colour red and some symbols of the Spirit, like small flames, as a focus for prayer. Pray for the world and the Church. Pray for each other that the Spirit may live in you. Conclude with ‘Gifts of the Spirit’ (GA 183).

GOSPEL

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

Jesus showed himself to the Eleven and said to them:

‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned. These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.’

And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it.

(Mark 16:15–20)

DID YOU KNOW? 

Points of interest and Catholic lore 

• These final verses of Mark’s Gospel were a later addition to the original ending of the women at the empty tomb. They show that from the earliest of times, the disciples realised that although Jesus was no longer physically present, ‘the Lord was working with them.’
• The word apostle comes from the Greek for ‘one who is sent out’.
• Mark uses the dramatic figures of speech about serpents and poisons to illustrate that those who believe in the Good News and preach it can overcome all that threatens or destroys life.
• All the baptised share in this missionary task of the Church: to go out to proclaim the Good News ‘to all creation’. Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis have all called on Christians to be bringers of good news to creation. We must be stewards of the earth and all its resources to ensure that future generations inherit an environment that God gifted to all humanity.

EXPLORING THE WORD 

The central point of this gospel is the instruction that Jesus gives to the disciples to continue his work and mission: to take the Good News of the Gospel to the whole world and to all creation. He warns that this task may not be easy and that some will reject the message the disciples bring, but for those who do accept it the rewards will be great. They will overcome all that impedes or threatens life and will be given great gifts. In the preaching of the Gospel, Jesus is still present and working with them.

The disciples unquestioningly carry out the instructions they are given. The preaching and the sacramental life of the Christian Church is the continuation of the presence of Jesus in the world.

• What hope is offered to us by Jesus taking up his place at the right hand of God?
• What signs of hope accompany the work of the Church in the world today?

MAKING CONNECTIONS 

Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer 

• What ‘good news’ does our world need today?
• How do you experience Jesus’ presence, even though he is absent?
• This gospel tells of the closing of one era and the opening up of another. What experiences have you had of closing off one chapter of your life and the opening of another. Share your stories. In what ways was your baptism or acceptance into the Church the beginning of a new way?
• Make a special effort this week to be good news for others or for the earth. Plant a tree, refuse plastic bags at the supermarket, recycle, conserve water and reduce waste.
• Use this simple prayer often this week:
  God draw us to you and lift our spirits on high.

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 Ascension is not the celebration of a physical journey into the skies or the clouds, even though religious art often portrays this event in that way. The celebration of the Ascension of the Lord developed in the early Church to mark the fact that there was a period when Jesus of Nazareth was physically present and a subsequent period when he was no longer present in the same way. Heaven is often portrayed as a ‘place’ in the skies, but this can diminish the Christian understanding of heaven. 

Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfilment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness … This mystery of blessed communion with God and all who are in Christ is beyond all understanding and description (CCC, §§1024, 1027).

Heaven is fully participating in the life of God. It is our ultimate destiny. St Augustine said, ‘Our lives are restless until they find rest in God.’

• Discuss the images that people have of heaven. Explore the differences between understanding heaven as a place or a state. 
• This may lead to questions of ‘hell’ as a place or a state. Hell is the rejection of the life that God offers and for which we were created.
• You could use other sections from the Catechism of the Catholic Church to assist the discussion.

SYMBOLS AND IMAGES 

In this gospel, Jesus sends out the disciples to continue his work of bringing the Good News. This calls to mind the ‘sending out’ that occurs at the end of every Mass. Not all of us can go ‘to the whole world’, but all are called to bring the Good News in even simple ways in our daily lives. This bringing of the Good News is not just to people, but to ‘all creation.’

LIVING THE WORD 

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

• Discuss with the neophytes how they are progressing through this new part of their journey. Are there ways in which the community can support them further?
• The book of the Good News is a suitable focus for prayer. Use or adapt one of the prefaces for the Ascension. You could conclude with ‘Take Christ to the world’ (GA 369).

GOSPEL

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

Jesus said to his disciples: 

‘As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my  Father’s will and remain in his love.
I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you  and your joy be complete.
This is my commandment:
Love one another as I have loved you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends, if you do as I command you.
I shall not call you servants any more,
because a servant does not know his master’s business;
I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father.
You did not choose me, no, I choose you;
and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last;
and then the Father will give you anything you ask in my name.
What I command you is to love one another.’

(John 15:9–17)

DID YOU KNOW? 

Points of interest and Catholic lore 

In John’s Gospel, there is no account of the last meal that Jesus shared with his disciples. Instead there is the account of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples, an act of absolute service to others, and a long discourse of instruction on how they must conduct themselves in the future. This is known as the ‘Farewell Discourse’ and part of it is read this Sunday and next week.

EXPLORING THE WORD 

The heart of today’s gospel lies in Jesus repeating himself: ‘Love one another’. The model for this love is the love that Jesus showed towards all those who follow him. Jesus has changed the way in which God relates to human beings. We are no longer servants of God but are drawn into deep intimacy and friendship through the Son. This new relationship is not dependent on our choice or will. God has chosen us, and we are now commissioned to bear fruit, fruit that will last. The Christian command to love is not a vague feeling of good will; it is a love that suffers all, and may demand great sacrifice. The command to love as Jesus loved may be the most difficult test of our Christianity. This is how the presence of Jesus is experienced even in his absence.

• You could discuss some examples of people who have laid down their lives for others, such as St Maximilian Kolbe or St Oscar Romero.
• How are we called ‘to lay down our life for our friends’ in our daily existence?

MAKING CONNECTIONS 

Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer 

• When have you experienced complete joy? What or who brought that sensation on for you?
• Have you ever found that love is a costly and demanding emotion?
• What does it mean to love one another as Christ loved us?
• With your entry into the Church, you too have been commissioned to go out and bear fruit. How are you feeling about this now? Are there any difficulties or struggles? Discuss your experiences so far.
• Relate in special ways of openness with friends this week.
• Today’s entrance antiphon makes a lovely reflection for the week:
  Proclaim a joyful sound and let it be heard; proclaim to the ends of the earth: the Lord has freed his people, alleluia.

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 

We continue with our exploration of the eucharistic prayer.

Read the doxology. This wonderful prayer concludes the eucharistic prayer and is its climax. It is a final burst of thanks and praise to God. Through, with and in Jesus, in unity with the Spirit given to the world, we recognise that glory and honour belong to the Father forever. The Great Amen with which it concludes means ‘so be it’. In saying this, we acknowledge the greatness of God, made manifest through the Son and with us through the ongoing presence of the Spirit.

• What are the things to which you are saying ‘Amen’—‘so be it’? How are we called to live this out every day?

Read through the Communion Rite:

• How can you be a sign of peace in your world?
• In what ways do you acknowledge your failings and seek God’s healing?
• How are you called to be ‘the Body of Christ’ to others?

SYMBOLS AND IMAGES 

Jesus wants to emphasise the closeness and intimacy between himself and the disciples. He speaks of this relationship in a radical way when he names them friends. Friendship implies equality, an openness and sharing of life and experience, a mutual concern and interest. We are usually more comfortable in imagining our relationship with God as with a superior rather than a friend. How does this image of friendship and intimacy challenge 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 does your community act out the command of Jesus to love one another? What ministries of service are in place? Are there needs that are not being met? Can the neophytes help fill this need?
• You could invite the group to raise a symbol—a cross, a Bible, a candle—and recite together the doxology with special emphasis on the Great Amen. Pray for each other as you journey into this new phase of being a full member of the Church. Pray that all will bear fruit. Conclude with an Easter song.

GOSPEL

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

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that bears no fruit he cuts away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes to make it bear even more. You are pruned already, by means of the word that I have spoken to you. Make your home in me as I make mine in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself, but must remain part of the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me, and I in them, bear fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; these branches are collected and thrown on the fire, and they are burnt. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask what you will and you shall get it. It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit, and then you will be my disciples.’

(John 15:1–8)

DID YOU KNOW? 

Points of interest and Catholic lore 

• The vineyard was one of the ancient images of the people of Israel, God’s chosen people, and God is the vinedresser.
• In John’s Gospel, the term ‘I am’ has a special significance. When Moses encountered God on Mount Sinai, God revealed himself as ‘I am who am.’ Jesus reveals himself as Son of God in the use of this term and tells something of his mission: I am the Living Water; I am the Good Shepherd; I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; I am the Light of the World; I am the Bread of Life.

EXPLORING THE WORD 

Jesus continues to speak to the disciples through imagery that they understood from their everyday experience and with symbols that come from their Jewish tradition. The vine is a staple part of Israel’s agricultural life. It carries the idea of the life that flows into the branches from the thick stalk of the vine. Jesus becomes that giver of life and prosperity, but behind his life-giving presence is the Father. Like the vinedresser, the Father must cut away anything that impedes that life or comes from a source that is not nourished from the ‘true vine’. Jesus exists to make the Father known, and so it must be with disciples of Jesus. We must ‘remain with’ Jesus and thus make the Father known.

• Discuss the ways in which you cultivate and keep healthy your connection to Jesus. Who or what helps you do this?
• How may you continue with this after the period of mystagogy?

MAKING CONNECTIONS 

Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer 

• ‘Cut off from me you can do nothing.’ How are you connected to Christ?
• In what ways are you connected to all the other ‘branches’ who are the followers of Christ?
• What has been pruned from you?
• What fruit do you bear?
• ‘You are pruned already by means of the word I have spoken to you.’ Words can be powerful weapons both for healing and hurting. Share experiences of times when words have harmed or healed. 
• Offer hospitality this week, not in the sense of offering food or drink but in making someone feel ‘at home’, secure and accepted.
• Today’s gospel acclamation makes a suitable prayer for the week:
  Live in me and let me live in you, says the Lord.
  My branches bear much fruit.

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 

We continue the examination of the eucharistic prayer of the liturgy.

• Read the memorial prayer. This calls to mind Jesus’ death and resurrection and links us with those events in our present time. In what ways are we called to stand in God’s presence? How can we do this outside the liturgy?
• Read the invocation of the Spirit. In what ways are you aware of the Spirit present in the Church and the world?
• Read the intercessions. At every Eucharist, we stand before God as his people and intercede for the Church and its pastors, for the world, for those who have died and for ourselves. We entrust our needs and the needs of all creation to God’s saving power. These prayers are made in union with Mary and with all the saints. These prayers of intercession recognise that our good is bound up with the good of all. We are called to stand in solidarity with all members of the human family and with earth and all living creatures.
• Talk about ways in which suffering, poverty and the degradation of our planet diminish us all. How can we commit ourselves to the service of the world?

SYMBOLS AND IMAGES 

‘Make your home in me.’ Jesus invites his disciples to place complete trust in him and not be distracted by the cares of the world. Being ‘at home’ is a powerful image appealing to the desire of all people for acceptance, love and security. Even if our lives are troubled, in Jesus we can always be secure and at peace.

LIVING THE WORD 

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

• How is your community a sign of unity between those who are members and the broader community of the Church? Are there people in your local area with whom you can build better unity? In what ways does your community stand in solidarity with other humans and with the earth?
• Again, this session has been a prayerful reflection. Conclude simply with the Lord’s Prayer and an Easter song.

GOSPEL

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

Jesus said, ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep. The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and the sheep do not belong to him, abandons the sheep and runs away as soon as he sees a wolf coming, and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep; this is because he is only a hired man and has no concern for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep.

And there are other sheep I have that are not of this fold, and these I have to lead as well. They too will listen to my voice, and there will be only one flock, and one shepherd.

The Father loves me because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me; I lay it down of my own free will, and as it is in my power to lay it down, so it is in my power to take it up again; and this is the command I have been given by my Father.’

(John 10:11–18)

DID YOU KNOW? 

Points of interest and Catholic lore 

• The Latin word for shepherd is the root of the word pastor, which is often used to describe the priest who leads the community.
• From this Latin root, we also derive other terms such as pastoral associate, pastoral council and pastoral care, all of which imply a duty of love and care towards others.
• Bishops carry a staff known as a crosier, which is the shepherd’s crook and a symbol of the care of the bishop for his people.
• John’s Gospel will be read for some weeks during this period. John is the latest of the written gospels, probably being composed at the very end of the first century.

EXPLORING THE WORD 

King David had been a shepherd as a boy, so the image of the Shepherd Messiah underlies this text. But the intimacy of Jesus’ relationship with his flock goes beyond even this. This gospel is a statement of the seriousness of Jesus’ commitment to the Father’s will and his self-giving love for humankind. Jesus’ life is freely given for his flock. It is sometimes thought that Jesus died to satisfy the will of the Father imposed on the Son. This is not so. Jesus’ gift was a free gift because he responded at all times to that which was most profound in him: the Father’s love, which he wished to make known to the world. It is generous, self-giving love for others.

• In what ways are Christians today called to offer this same self-giving love for others?
• Who are those in our world who are most in need of this generous love?

MAKING CONNECTIONS 

Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer 

• Who have been the shepherds in your life who have guided and protected you?
• What or who are the ‘wolves’ that threaten and cause fear?
• Share memories of times when you were given special responsibility to care for something or for someone.
• Who are the people who rely on your care? Extend that care in special ways this week.
• Use the opening lines of Psalm 23 this week:
  The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.
  Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose.
  By quiet waters he leads me to revive my soul.

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 

Continuing the reflection on the Liturgy of the Eucharist, provide copies of the Eucharistic Prayer II.

The eucharistic prayer, the heart of the Eucharist, is the great prayer of praise and thanks addressed to God. It recalls Jesus’ Passover from death to life and, in remembering, unleashes the power of that event in our present lives. The Spirit is invoked to transform the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of the Lord. It is a trinitarian prayer.

• Read through the opening dialogue. Why is it right to give God thanks?
• The preface proposes reasons for giving thanks. Read through a couple of prefaces. How do we understand ourselves as part of a holy people? In what way are we holy?
• Read through the invocation of the Spirit. Ponder the mystery of the bread and wine becoming Christ present and among us.
• Read the institution narrative, which recalls Jesus’ last supper. What effect ought eating and drinking the Body and Blood have on the Church and all its individual members?
• Read the memorial acclamations together. Why do we cry for Christ to come? This moment encompasses the past, the present and the future. Explore what that means and its implications for how Christians live in the world.

SYMBOLS AND IMAGES 

In Australia, we have visions of vast sheep farms where the flock is contained by fences, but this is not the way shepherds worked in Jesus’ time. Then, shepherds wandered the countryside with their sheep in search of pasture and guided them away from dangers like steep ravines or bramble thickets. A shepherd who owns the sheep looks after them well because they are his livelihood.

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 become the Body of Christ present in the world?
• The material here is a prayerful reflection. You may simply conclude by saying ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ and singing an Easter hymn.

GOSPEL

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

The disciples told their story of what had happened on the road and how they recognised Jesus at the breaking of bread. They were still talking all about this when Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you!’ 

In a state of alarm and fright, they thought they were seeing a ghost. But he said, ‘Why are you so agitated, and why are these doubts rising in your hearts? Look at my hands and feet; yes, it is I indeed. Touch me and see for yourselves; a ghost has no flesh and bones as you can see I have.’ 

And as he said this he showed them his hands and feet. Their joy was so great that they could not believe it, and they stood dumbfounded; so he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ And they offered him a piece of grilled fish, which he took and ate before their eyes.

Then he told them, ‘This is what I meant when I said, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms, has to be fulfilled.’ He then opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and he said to them, ‘So you see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.’

(Luke 24:35–48)

DID YOU KNOW? 

Points of interest and Catholic lore 

• The disciples referred to in this gospel are the two who had been fleeing from Jerusalem towards Emmaus when they encountered Jesus on the road. They returned to be witnesses of their encounter with the risen Christ.
• •Luke also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. His gospel is the story of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem to the cross and resurrection. Acts is the story of the gospel spreading from Jerusalem to ‘all the nations’. A unifying theme in Luke is that of ‘journey’.

EXPLORING THE WORD 

In the Gospel of Luke, all the events of Easter run into one another, and the whole of Chapter 24 should be read as a continuous narrative. Beginning with the discovery of the empty tomb, the resurrection narrative follows the disciples as they move away from what had happened in Jerusalem towards Emmaus, but they encounter the risen Christ in the breaking of the bread. In witnessing to this, Christ is present among them again until he finally returns to the Father.

Jesus goes to great lengths to reassure them that he is the same Jesus who was with them during his ministry. Something in his nature has changed, but he is still ‘flesh and bone’. There is continuity with the Jesus they knew but now also something ‘other-worldly’ that they cannot quite comprehend. Jesus is the same but somehow transformed.

Jesus’ journey is about to be completed with his return to the Father, but their journey is only just beginning. Now the disciples must journey from Jerusalem to all the nations, witnessing to what they have seen and heard, preaching the good news of repentance and the forgiveness of sin.

• Now that you are newly baptised, can you identify with the notion of just setting out on a journey of witnessing to the Good News?
• Where do you think your journey will lead you?

MAKING CONNECTIONS 

Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer 

• ‘He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.’ Reflect on your journey towards Jesus through the Scriptures.
• How do you plan to continue that journey of deepening faith through the Scriptures?
• ‘Their joy was so great they could not believe it.’ How are you feeling now about what has happened to you in these last weeks?
• Exchange memories of times of great joy or revelation in your life. Have you ever experienced a wave of relief and delight after a period of tension or sorrow?
• ‘You are witnesses to all this.’ How will you witness to Christ in your life this week?
• Today’s psalm response could be repeated this week.
  Lord, let your face shine on us.

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 neophytes are now into the period of post-baptismal catechesis or mystagogia—a time for more deeply pondering the experience of the sacraments of initiation, especially the Eucharist. The newly baptised or received have now had a long period of ‘opening their minds to understand the Scriptures’. It may be appropriate over the next few weeks to give consideration to the Liturgy of the Eucharist. There are three main movements: the preparation of the gifts; the eucharistic prayer; and the communion rite.

Preparation of the gifts: This is the bringing to the altar of the bread and wine to be used at the Eucharist. These gifts symbolise our dependence on God’s bounty for the food we need to live. They represent God’s gratuitous giving of all that sustains us. With the gifts of bread and wine, we bring ourselves to the altar. We place our lives, our cares and joys, our struggles and triumphs in God’s care to be transformed in the sharing of Christ’s body and blood.

• What aspect of your life would you like to place on the altar at this point?
• You could pass around an empty paten or chalice and invite people to silently place this aspect of their lives into it and offer that to God.
• What ‘gifts’ do you bring to the call to witness to the Gospel? How can you use those talents in the service of the Good News?
• What gifts do you see in others in the group?

SYMBOLS AND IMAGES 

In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is often depicted as sharing meals with his disciples and others. In this text, Jesus opens the minds of the disciples to the truth of the Word. These two elements—Word and Eucharist—continue to nourish the faith of believers. These two elements—Word and Eucharist—are the central rites of the Sunday liturgy.

LIVING THE WORD 

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

• Invite the neophytes to join in the procession of gifts to the altar at your community Mass. 
• This material is a prayerful reflection. You could include a song such as ‘In remembrance of you’ (GA 355). Conclude with the blessing at the laying on of hands from the Confirmation Rite of the Easter Vigil in RCIA at §228 to remind them that they carry the Spirit of God.