On the first day of the week, at the first sign of dawn, they went to the tomb with the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb, but on entering discovered that the body of the Lord Jesus was not there. As they stood there not knowing what to think, two men in brilliant clothes suddenly appeared at their side. Terrified, the women lowered their eyes. But the two men said to them, ‘Why look among the dead for someone who is alive? He is not here; he has risen. Remember what he told you when he was still in Galilee: that the Son of Man had to be handed over into the power of sinful men and be crucified, and rise again on the third day?’ And they remembered his words.
When the women returned from the tomb they told all this to the Eleven and to all the others. The women were Mary of Magdala, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. The other women with them also told the apostles, but this story of theirs seemed pure nonsense, and they did not believe them.
Peter, however, went running to the tomb. He bent down and saw the binding cloths but nothing else; he then went back home, amazed at what had happened.
(Luke 24:1–12)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
During Jesus' time, women were not considered reliable witnesses in a court of law.
The burial practices of the time required that the body be anointed with spices; however, Jesus had been buried in haste before the Sabbath, so the women returned at the first opportunity to complete the process of his burial rites.
The Jewish Sabbath runs from sunset on Friday night to sunset on Saturday night, so the dawn of Sunday morning (the first day of the week) was when this action could occur.
The first witnesses to Jesus' resurrection are women. This echoes the faith that Mary demonstrated at the beginning of the Gospel of Luke, when she says ‘yes’ to God’s plan for her.
Exploring the Word
Spend some time reading the many Scripture texts that have been used in the past three days—especially those of the Easter Vigil liturgy, which trace the relationship between God and his people. The first three texts recount the story of creation, the promise to Abraham and the deliverance of Israel from bondage. The extracts from the prophets give voice to God’s love for his people. The New Testament readings reflect on the final and definitive act of God—the passing over of Jesus from death to life and our sharing in this mystery through baptism. These are the ‘mighty works’ of God done on behalf of the people.
What ‘mighty works’ has God done for you?
As you read and discuss the texts, identify the dominant motifs and major themes.
Which of the readings speak most clearly to you at this moment? Why?
What connections can you make between what has just happened to you and what is described in the readings?
How did you celebrate your new life with family and friends after the events of the Easter Vigil? Share your experiences.
Making connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
The women are the first to give witness to the risen Christ. What first led you on the journey that has culminated in today’s events?
How will you give witness to this event?
Are you ‘amazed at what had happened’?
Reflect together on everything that has happened in the last three days. Identify the most powerful moment for you. Why was it so meaningful? Congratulate each other, and celebrate.
Follow the example of the women by telling your story to others this week. Celebrate your birth into new life in Christ.
Use the first memorial acclamation for this week: We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
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
There is an essential unity to the three days of the Sacred Triduum, beginning with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, including the washing of the feet, and culminating in the Easter Vigil late on Holy Saturday night, featuring the service of light.
Explore the unity of themes in the readings.
The newly baptised neophytes now enter the period of mystagogy, or post-baptismal catechesis.
Explain that baptism or reception is not the end of the journey but the beginning of a new journey—one in which both our faith and our place in the community of believers are deepened.
This is a time for the community and the neophytes together to grow in deepening their grasp of the paschal mystery and in making it a part of their lives through meditation on the Gospel, sharing in the Eucharist and doing the works of charity.
(RCIA, §234)
Explore the meaning of this new journey and discuss how it may be carried out with the community.
Symbols and images
The first day of the week, Sunday, is significant for Christians because of Jesus' resurrection. It is known as the Lord’s Day, and it was set aside from earliest times as the day for the community of believers to gather for the Lord’s Supper or Eucharist.
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 integrate neophytes into the life of the parish? In what ways do both groups grow together during this time? How can this integration and growth be improved?
Use a candle—preferably the one given to the elect at their baptism—and yellow flowers to recall the resurrection. Sing an Easter song. You could use adaptations of the prayers used during the baptismal liturgy of the Easter Vigil, such as the invitation in the RCIA at §227.
When they reached the place called The Skull, they crucified him and the two criminals also, one on the right, the other on the left. Jesus said, ‘Father forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.’ Then they cast lots to share out his clothing.
The people stayed there watching him. As for the leaders, they jeered at him. ‘He saved others,’ they said ‘let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.’ The soldiers mocked him too and when they approached to offer him vinegar they said, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’ Above him there was an inscription: ‘This is the King of the Jews.’
One of the criminals hanging there abused him. ‘Are you not the Christ?’ he said. ‘Save yourself and us as well.’ But the other spoke up and rebuked him. ‘Have you no fear of God at all?’ he said. ‘You got the same sentence as he did, but in our case we deserved it; we are paying for what we did. But this man has done no wrong. Jesus,’ he said, ‘remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ ‘Indeed, I promise you, ‘he replied, ‘today you will be with me in paradise.’
It was now about the sixth hour and, with the sun eclipsed, a darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. The veil of the Temple was torn right down the middle; and when Jesus had cried out in a loud voice, he said, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ With these words he breathed his last …
(Luke 22:14–23:56 heavily abridged)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
The institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper is reported in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke but not in John. In John (6:1–15), the setting involves the multiplication miracle of the loaves. Instead, in the Gospel of John, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper (13:1–11) in an act of service.
All four gospels report the trials that Jesus experienced before the Sanhedrin, or governing council of the Jews, and before Pilate; however, only Luke recounts Jesus being sent to Herod.
The Gospel of Luke emphasises the Lord's mercy and forgiveness for those who repent. Even on the cross, Jesus continues to embody these themes. He assures the repentant thief that he will have a place in paradise. Notably, this incident is only reported in the Gospel of Luke.
Jesus is crucified at Calvary, a Latin translation of the Semitic word Golgotha, which means ‘skull’.
Since the fourth century, the site now marked by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre has been revered as the site of Calvary.
Exploring the Word
So much of what is at the heart of Christianity is present in today’s long gospel reading:
The institution of the Lord’s Supper. ‘This is my body which will be given for you; do this in memorial of me … This is the cup of the new covenant in my blood which will be poured out for you’. It is in the Eucharist that we find the source and summit of our faith. Explore what that means.
The ministry of service. ‘I am among you as one who serves.’ The Church and all its members are at the service of the world.
Peter’s denials. Like Peter, we so often fail; but we, too, can repent and re-orient our lives.
The centrality of the cross. The cross reveals that God, in and through Jesus, entered human suffering and death and overcame the darkness. This death eternally proves that God is in solidarity with the pain of all human beings, and that nothing can separate us from his love.
Read the three statements that Jesus made from the cross: his plea to forgive those who harm him, his invitation into paradise for the repentant thief, and his prayer of utter faith as he gives his spirit to God. In these statements, we see total forgiveness, hospitality and faithfulness. What is being asked of you in this gospel?
Making connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ Are you ready for this commitment? What will it mean for your life in the future? Reflect on these words and what they mean for you as you prepare for the Easter sacraments this week.
In our society, the idea of being ‘selfless’ is constantly challenged. Our culture of individualism emphasises the ‘I’ rather than the ‘other’. However, it is in self-giving and self-emptying that we find life. Discuss this dichotomy. How does individualism manifest itself? How can we live selflessly in our daily lives?
Die with Christ a little this week. Fast from food, TV or entertainment, and try to be less distracted as you prepare for Easter.
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
Passion Sunday, also called Palm Sunday, was already being celebrated in Jerusalem before the year 400. Processions with palms followed the path of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. In following this custom today, we are not simply re-enacting the events of that day; we are also uniting ourselves with Christ’s journey to the cross and his resurrection. We celebrate his victory over death and sin and share his suffering so that we may also share his resurrection and the new life it won.
Reflect on how you felt as you heard the passion of Christ being read.
One Catholic tradition is to take a small piece of palm home and place it near a cross. What may this act signify?
Symbols and images
Two symbols dominate the celebration of Christ’s passion: the palms and the cross. The palms, which symbolise Christ’s triumph, and the cross, which symbolises the means by which Christ's triumph is achieved.
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 celebrate the procession of the palms? What role can the elect play in this celebration?
Use a cross and some palms as a focus for prayer. Present to the elect a piece of palm (and a cross, if you have not already done so) to take home. Reflect on ways in which the elect are called to share Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection, and reflect on the new life that awaits them. A suitable song could be Jesus, Remember Me (GA 308). Conclude with the prayer over the elect in the RCIA at §169.
Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At daybreak he appeared in the Temple again; and as all the people came to him, he sat down and began to teach them.
The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman along who had been caught committing adultery; and making her stand there in full view of everybody, they said to Jesus, ‘Master, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery, and Moses has ordered us in the Law to condemn women like this to death by stoning. What have you to say?’ They asked him this as a test, looking for something to use against him. But Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger. As they persisted with their question, he looked up and said, ‘If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Then he bent down and wrote on the ground again. When they heard this they went away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until Jesus was left alone with the woman, who remained standing there. He looked up and said, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir’ she replied. ‘Neither do I condemn you,’ said Jesus ‘go away, and do not sin anymore.’
(John 8:1–11)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
Pilgrims would come to Jerusalem for the great festivals, and those who could not find lodging in the city often stayed the night on the Mount of Olives, just outside the city gates.
On the Mount of Olives is a garden area called Gethsemane, which means ‘oil press’ in Hebrew.
The Mount of Olives offered a spectacular view of the temple.
The death penalty for adultery is stipulated in both Leviticus (20:10) and Deuteronomy (22:22); however, both these texts clarify that both parties should be punished. In the current text, the man is missing.
Exploring the Word
This gospel combines themes that have previously emerged during Lent: God's goodness and mercy and the need for repentance. Understanding the women in this story is an interesting exercise. The religious authorities drag her into the spotlight as a way to test Jesus. In the early part of the encounter, Jesus neither looks at the woman nor acknowledges her presence; instead, he addresses his response to the crowd and to the scribes and Pharisees. It is only after they left the scene in shame that Jesus turns his attention to the woman and establishes personal contact with her, confirming that she is a human person and not a ‘thing’ to test him. He addresses her as ‘Woman’, and the intimacy of the term echoes that of the term he uses to address his mother (John 2:4, John 19:26). Jesus neither condemns nor condones; he simply accepts the woman as she is and invites her to a new life. It is acceptance and love that allow repentance and change to occur in others.
Have you ever been unconditionally loved and accepted by another?
Who are the people in your own life whom you love and accept unconditionally?
Making connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
Have you ever been too quick to judge and condemn others?
Has someone ever forgiven you for an offence you committed against them? How did it make you feel?
The text does not tell us what Jesus wrote on the ground. What might it have been?
Are there times or situations in which you find yourself being judgmental or self-righteous? What is the best way to correct this attitude? Has anyone ever condemned you? How did it make you feel? Share your reflections.
This week, you could offer support to people who find themselves on the outside.
Use the psalm response as your prayer this week: The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
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
Last week, you explored different understandings of sin. Turning away from sin requires a conversion of the heart (CCC, §1430):
Interior repentance is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a conversion to God with all our heart, an end of sin, a turning away from evil … At the same time, it entails the desire and resolution to change one’s life, with hope in God’s mercy and trust in the help of his grace.
(CCC, §1431)
What does it mean to orient our whole lives towards God?
Baptism is the principal place for the first and fundamental conversion. It is by faith in the Gospel and by Baptism that one renounces evil and gains salvation, that is the forgiveness of all sins and the gift of new life.
(CCC, §1427)
As the elect approach their baptism or reception, how do they feel about the new orientation of their lives?
Being a Christian demands constant re-conversion. We often fail in terms of fulfilling the promise of our new lives, so we must have many experiences of conversion re-orient ourselves towards God again.
You could discuss the conversion experiences of great figures in the Church, such as Paul, Augustine, Francis of Assisi, Teresa of Avila, Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton.
In what ways does the life of the Church help us continually nourish our orientation towards God?
Symbols and images
The question that the Pharisees asked Jesus was meant to trick him. If he condoned the woman's stoning, then the act would break Roman law; however, if he refused to condone it, then he would be holding religious law in contempt. In and through Jesus' response, God is offering a new way. He does not condemn the sinner but invites her to leave her past behind and begin a new life. This imagery of forgiveness is consistent throughout the Lenten readings.
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 parish community constantly renew its orientation towards God? Does a pastoral planning team steer this process? What are some suggestions for helping the elect continually renew their orientation towards God in the future?
You could use some stones and a cross as a focus for prayer. Pray for the ongoing conversion of each of elect. A suitable song could be Return to God (GA 304). Conclude with the prayer of exorcism for the Third Scrutiny in the RCIA at §162A.
The tax collectors and the sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. ‘This man’ they said ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he spoke this parable to them:
‘A man had two sons. The younger said to his father, “Father, let me have the share of the estate that would come to me.” So the father divided the property between them. A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery.
‘When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the pinch, so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs. And he would willingly have filled his belly with the husks the pigs were eating but no one offered him anything. Then he came to his senses and said, “How many of my father’s paid servants have more food than they want, and here am I dying of hunger! I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your paid servants.” So he left the place and went back to his father.
‘While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly. Then his son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we are going to have a feast, a celebration, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.” And they began to celebrate.
‘Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing. Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about. “Your brother has come” replied the servant “and your father has killed the calf we had fattened because he has got him back safe and sound.” He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out to plead with him; but he answered his father, “Look, all these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed your orders, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property—he and his women—you kill the calf we had been fattening.”
‘The father said, “My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found.”’
(Luke 15:1–3, 11–32)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
The son who travelled to ‘a distant country’ has turned his back on both his father and his faith, and he has left his true heritage behind. His repentance and return are all the more poignant, given this context.
Accepting work that involved pigs shows just how low the son had sunk. The Jews consider pigs to be unclean animals, and touching them rendered the son unclean as well.
The son asking for his inheritance essentially conveyed ‘I wish you were dead’ to the father. This makes the father’s forgiveness all the more astounding.
Exploring the Word
The religious leaders during Jesus' time felt that sinners had no place in God’s kingdom. This parable proves that there is always hope and forgiveness for those who repent and turn again to God—and that God never tires of seeking the lost. The father in the parable allows his youngest son to choose his won way and make his own mistakes; however, he keeps the door of welcome open. In his journey, the son comes to realise that his fulfilment lies with his father and returns. At this point, the elder son exchanges places with the younger son, becoming alienated and excluded from the feast. The father's reaction is consistent: he goes outside to meet his elder son, now the lost one, to tell him, ‘All I have is yours.’ The reward is thus intended for both the righteous and the repentant sinner.
Have you ever felt that God has sought you out, even in your anger or confusion, and said to you, ‘All I have is yours’?
In what ways is the elder son ‘lost’, even though he has lived a model life?
Making connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
Which character in this story do you identify with the most: the younger son, father or older son? How might you react in such circumstances?
Recall a moment in your life when you experienced feeling the father’s joy at reconciliation, the younger son’s change of heart or the elder son’s jealousy and resentment. Describe this experience to others.
Reach out to someone with an invitation, gesture or word of forgiveness.
The following line from the gospel is especially apt for Lent, the time of repentance. Use it often this week:
Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. Forgive 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
In this parable, both sons became unhappy because they ultimately distanced themselves from their father. The Church considers this distancing from God a sin:
Sin is an offence against reason, truth and right conscience; it is a failure in genuine love for God and neighbour … It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity.
(CCC, §1849)
Explore various understandings of sin, especially as the choice to turn away from God.
Sin is a personal act … Sin gives rise to social situations and institutions that are contrary to divine goodness.
(CCC, §§1868, 1869)
Discuss these two forms of sin: personal and communal or social. How does personal sin give rise to social sin? How are they connected?
Discuss some examples of social sin.
Discuss the opportunities for forgiveness and reconciliation that will be available to the elect after their baptism or reception.
Are the elect familiar with the Rite of Reconciliation?
Symbols and images
God’s abundance is again portrayed through the image of a great feast—in which the kingdom of heaven is open to both the righteous and the sinner who repents. God’s boundless forgiveness and loving welcome of the penitent form the core of this parable.
Living the Word
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
What opportunities does your community provide during Lent for examination of conscience, recognition of sin (both personal and social) and forgiveness and reconciliation? Can the elect become involved in these opportunities?
Contemplate God's mercy and gracious forgiveness during this week’s prayer. Use adaptations of the intercessions for the elect from the Second Scrutiny in the RCIA at §154. A suitable song could be Be Still and Know (GA 401).
Some people arrived and told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of their sacrifices. At this he said to them, ‘Do you suppose these Galileans who suffered like that were greater sinners than any other Galileans? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell and killed them? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.’
He told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. He said to the man who looked after the vineyard, “Look here, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?” “Sir,” the man replied “leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.”’
(Luke 13:1–9)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
The pool of Siloam was a reservoir within the city walls of ancient Jerusalem. During King Hezekiah's reign, an extraordinary tunnel was dug through bedrock to connect the pool to the spring of Gihon outside the city walls so that the city would have an ample water supply during times of siege.
Although no evidence exists outside the Bible regarding the incident described in this week's text, in which Pilate ‘mingled the blood of the Galileans with their sacrifice,’ such an act is not out of character. Pilate had a reputation for being a brutal military leader.
During the time when Jesus lived, suffering was often considered God's punishment for sins committed.
Exploring the Word
This gospel is really about God's loving care and patience. It was commonly believed that a loving God could not be responsible for terrible calamities that befell people, and that these events must somehow be a result of the people's own sinfulness. Jesus takes the opportunity to explain that the recent deaths of both Galileans and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did not mean that they were any more sinful than others. They did not deserve death any more than anyone else. Indeed, we must not look to the sinfulness of others but to our own need for repentance.
The parable with the vineyard owner depicts God’s infinite patience with the sinfulness of humans. Despite our failings, God will graciously give us time to produce our best fruit. The theme of this gospel—God’s forgiveness and care—will be explored more in the gospels of the next two weeks.
Lent is a special time of preparation, especially for the elect. How can you cultivate your own garden of faith in this special time?
Are there still areas of your life in which you have yet to produce your best fruit?
Making connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
How ‘fruitful’ has your life been? What ‘fruit’ have you borne?
Do you need a second chance to bear good fruit?
How can you make your life even more fruitful?
In your life, have you ever had to nurture someone or something for a long time before they ‘produced fruit’? Did you experience failure along the way? What eventually led to the growth of the fruit? Share your reflections.
Focus this week on cultivating your own relationship with God. Try to draw out the best in someone else as well.
Use this section of today’s psalm as your prayer this week: The Lord is compassion and love, slow to anger and rich in mercy. For as the heavens are above the earth so strong is his love for those who fear him.
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
Explaining why suffering and evil exist in a world created by a good and loving God has always been a dilemma for people of faith. How can God allow terrible things to happen, especially to the innocent?
The world we live in often seems very far from the one promised us by faith. Our experiences of evil and suffering, injustice, and death, seem to contradict the Good News; they can shake our faith and become a temptation against it.
(CCC, §164)
As Christians, we believe that the only answer to this profound question lies in having faith in the risen Christ, who overcame death and evil.
Discuss with others their ideas about how to comprehend the bad events that happen in life and in our world.
You could ask how the elect have comprehended suffering in their own lives. What personal growth emerged from those experiences?
Symbols and images
In Scripture, the vineyard is often used as a symbol of Israel, God’s people. God is depicted as the owner of the vineyard, and he attends to it with great care—planting, cultivating, feeding and pruning the vines to make them fruitful and abundant. Israel will be judged according to what fruit it bears or fails to bear. So, too, will we be judged according to how fruitful our lives are.
Living the Word
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
The third Sunday of Lent is the recommended day for the celebration of the First Scrutiny. How can you involve your entire community in this celebration for the elect?
If you cannot have the presentation of the Creed in a community setting, this could be done as part of your closing prayer. Pray for each other as you near the completion of your journeys. A suitable song could be We Believe (GA 448). Conclude with one of the prayers of exorcism in the RCIA at §141. Remember to adapt it, as you are not using the gospel readings for Year A.
Why does the responsorial psalm of the day sometimes have a different number in the Catholic Lectionary from the one in the Bible? Fiona Dyball sheds some light on this sometimes perplexing question.
The numbering of the psalms in the Catholic Lectionary and in Catholic missals, as compared with the Bible, can be a cause of confusion for music ministers. Why are these numbers sometimes different? Elizabeth Harrington from Liturgy Brisbane gives us a clear explanation as to why this occurs, using the popular psalm ‘The Lord is my shepherd’ as an example. This psalm is listed in most current translations of the Bible as Psalm 23, but it is listed in the Catholic Lectionary as Psalm 22:
The problem comes about because, since the promulgation of the Latin Bible (Vulgate) in the 6th century, the Roman Catholic Church has for some reason followed the numbering and division of the psalms used by the Greek translation of the Scriptures (known as the Septuagint) whereas the scriptures used by other Christian traditions follow the division and numbering of the psalms in the Hebrew text.
Psalms 9 and 10 in the Hebrew text were combined into one psalm in the Greek Bible, so from Psalm 9 onwards, the Roman Catholic psalm numbers are one less than those in other versions. Because Psalm 147 of the Jewish psalms is split into two separate psalms in the Septuagint, the total number of psalms in both finishes up being the same—150. However, only the first 8 and the last 3 psalms agree in numbering.
Even though the numbers may sometimes be different, being aware of the numbering system helps music ministers to choose the right psalm of the day with confidence and insight. Music collections and hymnals will often show the number of the psalm as it is in the Bible (the Hebrew numbering), not as it is in the Catholic Lectionary.
It’s important to sing the psalm of the day if possible, and not just read it aloud (seasonal psalms help with this), as these texts are meant to be sung, even if it is just the refrain with the verses spoken (Lectionary for Mass: Introduction, §21). The General Instruction of the Roman Missal calls the responsorial psalm ‘an integral part of the Liturgy of the Word which holds great liturgical and pastoral importance, because it fosters meditation on the word of God’ (GIRM, §61).
Our shared singing of the responsorial psalm brings the Word alive in a different way, producing a more heightened experience than can be achieved by simply speaking the text. The sung responsorial psalm was restored to the Mass in the new liturgy after Vatican II; indeed liturgist and liturgical music composer Lucien Deiss CSSp names this as one of the most significant reforms contained in the new liturgy. It is also anchored in the practices of the early church (Lucien Deiss CSSp, Visions of Liturgy and Music for a New Century, Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical Press, 1996, p. 98). Let’s continue to take up that song—a song that is ever ancient and ever new.
Fiona M. Dyball works extensively in adult and youth faith formation, and in music ministry. She is Music Leader (Voice) at Marcellin College in Melbourne, a member of the Australian National Liturgical Music Council, and works as a consultant around Australia in liturgy and liturgical music.
St Athanasius said a psalm ‘is a mirror in which you contemplate yourself and movements of your soul’. Mary Reaburn NDS reflects on the psalms and how they can be a prism through which we see differently.
The psalms were a very important element of Jesus’ prayer life because they were foundational for the prayer and liturgy of his people, the Jewish people. The Evangelists quoted them often in writing the gospels. Paul also cites them in his Letters. There are 150 of them in the Book of Psalms. Thus they are both part of the Scriptures we inherited from Judaism and now an important part of our Christian Bible.
There are several different types of psalms: hymns, thanksgiving psalms, laments, wisdom psalms and Torah psalms. These different types, or genres, give expression to different experiences and emotions in the life of the community and its members. Many psalms are prayers, addressed to God with joy, thanks, pain, abandonment, hope and complaint. Amongst the laments there are seven Penitential Psalms: 6, 31, 37, 50, 101, 129 and 142 (6, 32, 51, 102, 129, 143) and several cursing or imprecatory psalms, these psalms contain curses or prayers for the punishment of the psalmist's enemies: 7, 34, 54, 57, 58, 68, 78, 108, 136, and 138 (7, 35, 55, 58, 59, 69, 79, 109, 137, 139). There are psalms which speak directly to God about God’s lack of response to the troubles surrounding the people. These can be a little shocking for Christians, but upon reflection we can discover that they are an expression of a deep and honest relationship with God. Thus the laments, which at first may not appeal, are also an important means of deepening our relationship with God. In them we can tell God how we really feel and then in truth and humility await God’s response. The hymns and thanksgiving psalms are a means of praising and thanking God for the goodness in life and to ‘sing a new song’. These can give expression to our own praise and at times they serve as a reminder of just how many good things there are in our life. Always we can pray these psalms with others, both near and far. You may be feeling very happy and then in liturgy you are presented with a lament concerned with enemies. This can be a reminder that many in our world are experiencing oppression, slavery or manipulation imposed on them by ‘enemies’. Pray with and for them. In this way the psalms take us beyond ourselves even as they take us deep within the self.
You will notice in what I have listed above that often the numbers differ by one. This is because of a slightly different division within some psalms in the Hebrew and Greek. Catholics traditionally follow the Greek numbering found in the Latin Vulgate.
Yet these ancient prayers and meditations are not always well known. Most Catholics first encounter the psalms as the responsorial psalm in the Liturgy of the Word within the Sunday Eucharist. The other important place of the psalms is in the Liturgy of the Hours. They have been part of our liturgical life from the time of Jesus and it is important to know that they can also enhance our private prayer life, as does all good liturgy.
It is as the responsorial psalm that many of us pray psalms on a regular basis. Its place in the midst of the readings, in the Liturgy of the Word, is very important. You are probably aware that on Sundays the first reading and the Gospel are thematically related; the second reading provides an opportunity to reflect on the letters, especially the Pauline letters, in an ongoing way. The psalm is chosen in relation to the First reading and the Gospel. Often it deepens and always it enhances these readings. When it is sung it is more likely to stay with us even when we leave the church, reminding us of the word of God and allowing it to continue to nourish us as we are sent out to live God’s word. It is preferable for the whole congregation to sing at least the refrain; a cantor may sing the verses or a reader proclaim them.
A less well-known liturgy is the Liturgy of the Hours or the Prayer of the Church. ‘This is not exclusive possession of clergy or monks; it belongs to the whole Church’ (General Instruction on the Liturgy of the Hours, §270). This liturgy is desirous of providing a form of prayer which intersperses the day: morning, daytime, evening, night and readings. Many people find morning and evening prayer suits their rhythm of life. These prayers have some introductory segment and then three psalms, a reading, intercessions and prayer. One of the psalms is usually called a canticle, which means, in this context, that it is a psalm that is from another book of the Bible—for example, the Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55) or the canticle of the three young men from the book of Daniel (Daniel 3:52–90). In earlier times, morning and evening prayer were said in the church by some members of the community who could gather together. Others said it in solidarity with the community but could not be physically present. Always this prayer is communal, even if said alone. It includes the whole Church and world in its intention and in its intercessory prayers. Since Vatican II there has been a reclaiming of this prayer by many people. I invite you to begin by praying morning and evening prayer yourself. Ideally it is prayed with others and in time you may invite others to pray it in the church or in your home, or even in the park. The rhythm of prayer gives shape to the day and more importantly gives glory to God and nourishment to us.
We rightly regard the psalms as prayer, and at the same time they are also God’s word, spoken to us in the Scripture. This has many implications, one of which is to remind us of the place of silence in the Liturgy of the Hours. There are many words in the prayer of the Church, and we need to take time for some gentle silence while praying them. The moments of silence allow our hearts and minds to absorb what we are saying and for these words and images to settle into our being. Silence allows God’s word to speak to our lives, and to nourish us. In any conversation it is not wise for one party to monopolise the whole conversation, for then it is neither dialogue nor prayer. When we pray the psalms as part of the liturgy, we can be united with Jesus in his prayer and we are united with the whole Church in its prayer for itself and for the world. This is important for our community of faith. Prayer is communion with God, conversation, listening and speaking, pondering and allowing God to mold us as servants. The psalms offer us words when we cannot pray and nourishment when we are lost. They are both our words to God and God’s word to us.
St Athanasius said a psalm ‘is a mirror in which you contemplate yourself and movements of your soul’. This beautiful insight encourages us to pray the psalms and to allow them to teach us about ourselves and to give expression to our deepest feelings, concerns and desires. Praying the psalms in the Liturgy of the Word and in the Prayer of the Church may be a little difficult in the beginning, but I promise you it will become a love affair that lasts your whole life long.
Suggested reflection
Read the responsorial psalm for the coming Sunday. Which verse speaks to you? Why? (This can be done for any psalm.)
Psalm 8 praises God and recalls how wonderful we are as humans. Do you accept that you are crowned with glory and honour? Why? Why not?
Psalm 104 is a longer psalm recalling each act of God in creation. How does this psalm speak to today’s world, where the environment is threatened in many places?
Brueggemann, W, The message of the psalms, Augsburg, Minneapolis, 1984.
Lewis, CS, Reflections on the psalms, Collins, London, 1961.
Magonet, J, A Rabbi reads the psalms, SCM, London, 1994.
Merton, T, Bread in the wilderness, Fortress Press,Philadelphia,1953.
Nowell, I, Pleading, cursing, praising: Conversing with God through the psalms,Liturgical Press, Collegeville, MN, 2013.
Zenger, E, A God of vengeance? Understanding the psalms of wrath, Westminister John Knox Press, Louisville, KY, 1996.
Mary Reaburn NDS is a sister of Our Lady of Sion. She teaches Bible at Yarra Theological Union of the University of Divinity. Her great loves are the psalms and wisdom literature. She is a member of the Archdiocesan Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission.
This article was originally published in The Summit Online in July 2017.
One of the many blessings of being Catholic is the rich tradition we inherit. There are no shortages of saints, spiritualities, prayers, rituals or advice for any contemporary Catholic. As a Missionaries of God’s Love sister, I find great comfort in knowing I have our ten patron saints always ready to offer spiritual wisdom and encouragement. One of these patrons is St Ignatius of Loyola, born in the late fifteenth century. In our formation, we were introduced to some of his spiritual writings, such as his rules for discernment and his examen. We were told that Ignatius instructed his Jesuits that if all else should fall from their prayer routine, the examen should remain, so highly did he regard its importance for relationship with God and personal growth in holiness. If it’s that important to Ignatius, then I do well to make it that important to me.
The examen has been formulated in many ways over the years, always offered as a prayer of reflection to help us notice where God is speaking to us in our lives. In fact, if a young person comes to me asking for advice around discernment, the daily examen is the first thing I offer to them—if we learn to hear God’s voice in the small, ordinary, everyday things, we will be so much more attuned to his voice when we seek it in the larger decisions of life. I believe the examen isn’t just a prayer for every day, but a prayer for everybody. Last year I was working with some primary school children in rural South Australia and developed a simple form of the examen to use with them in prayer. I told them that their hands go with them wherever they are, and they can always turn to their hands when they want to have a way to talk to God. The ‘hand examen’ is what I offer now also to you, with each finger representing a movement of the examen.
Thumb: breathe
The thumb, our opposable digit, reminds us of what is fundamental. Before all else, prayer is a soaking in the love of God. Spend some time noticing your breathing, with each breath a sign of your dependence on and relationship with God. Allow yourself to be present to God, and to yourself. Open up your heart to God’s love, and let it seep into the very depths of you.
Index: point out
Our index finger is what we use to point things out to people. Spend some time reflecting on your day, and point out everything that you’re grateful for. A delicious meal? Point it out. Good conversation? Point it out? Wonderous nature? Point it out. As you notice each element of your day and your life that you’re grateful for, allow that gratitude to be directed towards God. Gratitude expands our heart to receive gifts lovingly, and makes us receptive to all the ways God wants to pour out his love into our lives.
Middle: highlight
Our middle finger is generally the longest, the one that stands out. Review your day, almost as a movie, with the Holy Spirit as your companion. Notice what happens in your heart as you review the moments of your day, and where an emotional response seems to stand out. A jolt of anger you’re ashamed of? An unexpected peace following a conversation? At the end of the review, ask the Holy Spirit to highlight one of these instances, the one he wants to have a conversation with you about.
Ring: heart-to-heart
The ring finger is the one where lovers place their rings of commitment. This finger is an invitation to have a heart-to-heart conversation with the God who loves us. Take the moment highlighted by the Holy Spirit into a conversation with God. Spend some time talking to God about what was happening, what you noticed, what you were feeling. Then spend some time listening to God, and asking him what he wants to show you about that situation.
Pinky: resolution
Our pinky finger is the one we learn to make promises with. When my two-year-old Goddaughter asked me to come for a sleepover, I said I’d try. Instantly her hand reached out, pinky extended: ‘Promise?’ There’s something beautifully childlike about commitment. Even at a young age, we know the power of making a resolution; somehow by saying it, it makes it a little bit more true. What is the loving resolution you want to make to God moving into tomorrow? What do you want the fruit of your conversation with God to be? A simple resolution every day shapes a lifetime of daily walking in holiness.
Kathryn Kingsley is a sister with the Missionaries of God’s Love. She loves learning and teaching, cooking and creating, sport and solitude, and bringing the love of God wherever she adventures.
Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up the mountain to pray. As he prayed, the aspect of his face was changed and his clothing became brilliant as lightning. Suddenly there were two men there talking to him; they were Moses and Elijah appearing in glory, and they were speaking of his passing which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were heavy with sleep, but they kept awake and saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As these were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He did not know what he was saying. As he spoke, a cloud came and covered them with shadow; and when they went into the cloud the disciples were afraid. And a voice came from the cloud saying, ‘This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.’ And after the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. The disciples kept silence and, at that time, told no one what they had seen.
(Luke 9:28–36)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
The event described in this text is traditionally known as ‘the transfiguration’. Although the gospels do not mention a specific place, the transfiguration has been associated with Mount Tabor in Galilee since the fourth century.
Jesus' white robes and changed appearance represent his glory and divinity, which are revealed to the disciples in this text.
Moses and Elijah are two of the greatest heroes of Israel. They represent the law and the prophets—two of the most important sections of the Hebrew Bible. Like Jesus, both Moses and Elijah suffered rejection during their lives.
Exploring the Word
Jesus' journey to Jerusalem is a dominant theme in the Gospel of Luke. Just a few verses after this text, Jesus ‘resolutely took the road for Jerusalem’, and his resolve is foreshadowed in his conversation with Moses and Elijah when they speak of ‘his passing which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem’. Jesus not only reveals his true identity to his chosen companions but also his destiny: the ‘passing over’ of his death and resurrection, by which his divinity will be definitively revealed to all. In fulfilling this destiny, everything that the law (represented by Moses) and the prophets (represented by Elijah) stood for will be accomplished. Peter misunderstands and thinks that the event on the mountain is the end of the story—he wants to erect tents there. He has not yet grasped that the journey to Jerusalem must be continued. As Christians, we cannot simply remain on the mountain and contemplate divinity; we must also come down the mountain and follow the earthly road of living faith to its conclusion.
This gospel emphasises the need to withdraw for prayer. How important are quiet contemplation and prayer in your journey?
How do you balance prayer and action as you live your faith?
Making connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
‘Master, it is wonderful for us to be here.’ Reflect on what these words mean for you as you approach the sacraments.
‘Listen to him.’ What might Jesus be saying to you at this time?
This gospel describes a personal encounter with the Divine. Recall an experience in your life in which you encountered God or had an intuition that God was touching your life. Share your reflections.
Spend extra time this week listening to the ‘beloved Son’. What is Jesus saying to you?
Use today’s collect as your prayer this week: O God, who has commanded us to listen to your beloved Son, be pleased, we pray, to nourish us inwardly with your word, that, with spiritual sight made pure, we may rejoice to behold your glory.
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
Prayer is a vital necessity … if we do not allow the Spirit to lead us, we fall back into the slavery of sin.
(CCC, §2744).
The tradition and life of prayer for Christians is richly explored in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. In the current period of purification and enlightenment, it is appropriate to spend some time helping the elect identify forms of prayer that will strengthen their faith and sustain it into their future lives as members of the Church.
Part Four of the Catechism of the Catholic Church provides extensive material on places, forms and styles of prayer.
You could present some prayer examples from the history of the great contemplatives, such as those of John of the Cross, Hildegard of Bingen or Thérèse of Lisieux.
Encourage the elect to discuss their own styles of prayer and explore others, such as by praying the Scriptures or using a mantra.
You could explain the rosary and the sets of mysteries, suggesting them as one way of prayerfully focusing on events in the life of Jesus and Mary.
‘We pray as we live, because we live as we pray’ (CCC, §2725). Explore the meaning of this idea.
Symbols and images
The cloud symbolises the presence of God. It reveals his divine presence but also conceals it, thereby protecting the witnesses from the full power of his glory. Moses encountered the same phenomenon (Exodus 24:15). In the Hebrew Scriptures, flame and smoke are other common symbols for God's presence, such as in the burning bush (Exodus 3) or on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19).
Living the Word
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
Does your community offer opportunities for prayer beyond the weekly liturgy, such as the Liturgy of the Hours and the rosary? Are there prayer groups that the elect could join? You could encourage them to simply come together and pray with and for each other.
Use a contemplative prayer and a Taizé setting. Pray for each other as you near your journey’s end. Conclude with the prayer over the elect in the RCIA at §122A.
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit through the wilderness, being tempted there by the devil for forty days. During that time he ate nothing and at the end he was hungry. Then the devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to turn into a loaf.’ But Jesus replied, ‘Scripture says: Man does not live on bread alone.’
Then leading him to a height, the devil showed him in a moment of time all the kingdoms of the world and said to him, ‘I will give you all this power and the glory of these kingdoms, for it has been committed to me and I give it to anyone I choose. Worship me, then, and it shall all be yours.’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Scripture says:
You must worship the Lord your God, and serve him alone.’
Then he led him to Jerusalem and made him stand on the parapet of the Temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said to him ‘throw yourself down from here, for scripture says:
He will put his angels in charge of you to guard you,
and again:
They will hold you up on their hands in case you hurt your foot against a stone.’
But Jesus answered him, ‘It has been said:
You must not put the Lord your God to the test.’
Having exhausted all these ways of tempting him, the devil left him, to return at the appointed time.
(Luke 4:1–13)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
Numbers are often significant in the Bible—such as forty, which denotes an extended period. In the story of Noah, rain falls for forty days; the Israelites wandered for forty years in the desert; and both Elijah and Moses fasted for forty days before they had an encounter with God.
Lent, a time of fasting, prayer and giving for all Christians, also runs for forty days; it is a special time of final preparation for people who will be receiving the sacraments at Easter.
This text immediately follows Jesus' baptism in the Gospel of Luke. He was baptised in the lower reaches of the Jordan River, just north of where it enters the Dead Sea. This location is a particularly desolate and barren region of dry river beds (wadis) and steep, rocky cliffs that rise from the Jordan Valley.
The temple precinct in Jerusalem was built on a mountain. It comprised the temple itself and several courtyards surrounded by a high wall. This is the parapet referred to in this text.
Exploring the Word
Jesus’ forty-day fast in the wilderness hearkens to the stories of Elijah and Moses, and his temptation hearkens to the severe testing that the people of Israel underwent when they too wandered in the desert. Israel was found wanting, succumbed to its temptations and worshipped false gods, but Jesus uses the word of God to defeat the power of evil: ‘Man does not live on bread alone’ (Deuteronomy 8:13) and ‘You must worship the Lord your God’ (Deuteronomy 6:13). In testing Jesus, Satan is testing God himself, and he is dismissed from the story with the words ‘You must not put the Lord your God to the test’ (Deuteronomy 6:16). Jesus has reversed Israel’s experience in the desert and become the founder of a new people.
Do you, like Jesus, have the courage to become sons and daughters of God?
Which of the temptations that Jesus faced—material security, power or prestige—challenges you the most?
How do you overcome temptation when it arises?
Making connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
What are the great temptations in your life?
How have you been ‘led by the Spirit through the wilderness’?
‘Man does not live on bread alone.’ What nourishes your spiritual life?
Today’s gospel depicts Jesus’ struggle to remain true to himself and his faith. Spend some time reflecting on how you feel about the Rite of Election and the commitment you will make at Easter. Share your hopes and fears.
Spend time this week contemplating the difficult periods of your life and how they led you to new understandings of yourself, others and God. Reach out to others who may be experiencing a difficult time in their lives.
Use the response to today’s psalm as your prayer this week:
Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
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 whole season of Lent–Easter–Pentecost has a fundamental integrity and unity to it, despite being divided into forty- and fifty-day timeframes, set on each side of the Easter celebration. The word 'Lent' is derived from an Anglo-Saxon word that means ‘spring’, and it was associated in the northern hemisphere with the seasonal change from winter and the lengthening of the days. The forty-day period of fasting and almsgiving in preparation for Easter was not firmly established until the fourth century; it also had strong catechumenal and baptismal overtones, as it was the final preparation time for people seeking baptism. This focus has been revised in recent years and, of course, the current catechumens have become part of that process.
You could provide some historical information about the early church's initiation practices and their links to the current practice of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.
You could discuss the history of the modern RCIA.
Provide some background information about the common customs associated with Lent, such as the use of purple; the absence of decoration; the traditional Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving; and the ways that people observe Lent in their own homes.
You could use the parish resource kit from Caritas to encourage participation in Project Compassion.
Symbols and images
In the Scriptures, the desert or the wilderness is a place of great deprivation and hardship. We sometimes hear about people undergoing a ‘dark night of the soul’ or a ‘desert experience’. Such experiences can be a time of testing. However, these experiences often lead to a new understanding of God or a renewed faith, in much the same way that God's people experienced when he led them through the wilderness to the Promised Land.
Living the Word
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
How is Lent observed in your parish? Do you use a Lenten program that could provide extra preparation for catechumens in the lead-up to receiving the sacraments?
Style your prayer together as an act of commitment. Give the elect a taper to light from a central candle as they informally pledge to enter fully into the final stage of the journey. A suitable song could be Here I Am Lord (GA 496). Conclude with adaptations of the intercessions for the elect in the RCIA at §121.
