Sunday Preparation

November 1, 2020

Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12 (the Beatitudes)

Girardian Lectionary
'Sunday Connection' Scripture Commentary
RCL/Benziger Gospel Reflections
Question of the Week (Adults): What is the greatest challenge of the Beatitudes to you?

Question of the Week (Children): What does it mean to be blessed by God?

Catechism Connection

520 - Jesus is our model for how to live
544 - The Kingdom of God belongs to the poor and lowly
581 - Jesus reinterprets the Law in the Beatitudes
1716 - The Beatitudes
1720 - The meaning of 'Beatitude'
2518 - "Blessed are the Pure in Heart" 
2546 - "Blessed are the Poor in Spirit"

Find this reference in the Online E-Book of the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Saints This Week:

November 1 Feast of All Saints
November 2 Commemoration of All Souls
November 3 Saint Martin de Porres patron of African-Americans, Barbers, Hairdressers, Race Relations, Social Justice
November 4 Saint Charles Borromeo patron of Catechists, Catechumens, Seminarians

All Saints/All Souls Day

The dual feast of All Saints and All Souls has roots which go back to pre-Christian times. In the Celtic calendar it was called Samhain, the day which ended summer and began winter. It was the end of the harvest, and also a day when it was believed that the barrier between the worlds of the living and the dead was very thin, and the dead could return to the land of the living for one night. Hence all the spooky symbolism associated with “Hallowe'en” – the Eve of "All Hallows", or All Saints Day. Samhain is one of several pre-Christian seasonal holidays which was “baptized” by the early Christians, to both appropriate and challenge the meaning given to the day by pagans. Other such days include the mid-winter festival (now Christmas) and mid-summer (the Feast of John the Baptist).

All Saints/All Souls between them celebrate the Christian understanding of the meaning of life and death. In particular, we are celebrating God’s gift eternal life, especially that of the saints, whose goodness we give thanks for, and seek to emulate. These feasts teach that the way to eternal life is by accepting God’s gift and living in faithfulness to God. These feasts give hope and confidence, that the powers of death are defeated, and we need not fear them. They also undermine whatever superstitions people might still hold about death, dying or the dead. We are challenging and dismissing – not in any way celebrating – the ghosts and goblins. These feasts remind us that good triumphs over evil, God triumphs over evil forces, life triumphs over death.

The Gospel of the day is Matthew’s version of the Beatitudes. The implication is, if you want to seek life, this is how to do it.

It's Time for Catholics to Embrace Halloween - Article by Fr. Steve Grunow

Lesson Theme Suggestion – an opportunity to remind children of the Christian teaching about death. We need not fear death because Jesus has conquered death by rising from the dead. He promises resurrection to those who are faithful to him. How and when we don’t know, but this is our faith. Therefore don’t worry about spooks, etc, because they have no power to hurt you. Also, keep away from superstition, astrology, mediums, etc., which will only lead you astray. People are saved by God, and by seeking the good, so there is no gain in superstition.

The Bible and Morality – Biblical Roots of Christian Conduct

This is the title of a document was published by the Pontifical Biblical Commission in 2008. It presents a survey of both Old and New Testament, focusing on the moral teaching of divine revelation. The overarching theme is “divine gift and human response”. Read the entire whole document here.

1. The Gift of Creation (in the first chapters of Genesis and the Psalms)
   1. The moral responsibilities of human beings created in the image of God.
2. The Gift of the Covenant in the in the Old Testament, and the implied norms for human conduct.
   1. The Covenant with Noah and with all flesh
   2. The Covenant with Abraham, and the Gift of the Promised Land
   3. The Covenant with Moses, the Ten Commandments and the Legislative Codes.
3. The Moral Teaching of the Prophets and the Wisdom literature.
4. The New Covenant in Jesus Christ as God’s Final Gift and its Moral Implications.
   1. The Coming of God’s Kingdom.
   2. Jesus’ Preaching of The Kingdom of God in the Synoptic Gospels.
      1. The Beatitudes.
   3. The Moral Teaching of John’s Gospel
   4. The Moral Teaching in Paul’s letters
   5. The Moral teaching in other New Testament Epistles
   6. Christ as the Mediator of the New Covenant
   7. The Demands and Gifts of the New Covenant.
5. The Moral Implications of the Eucharist.
6. God’s Forgiveness, reflecting on both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
7. The realized Kingdom, the final goal of human striving.
8. Biblical Criteria for Moral Reflection.
   1. Conformity with the Biblical view of Human Nature
   2. Conformity with the Example of Jesus.

The class meets on Wednesdays, 7:15 PM to 8:45PM, via Zoom or phone.
Email Jim Hynes or call 919-928-2157 to participate.

 

A new weekly Bible Study to help parishioners prepare for a fruitful celebration of the Sunday Eucharist by studying prayerfully the Sunday Scriptures. This program will also draw on documents from Bishops, Popes and the Vatican on interpreting the Scriptures. It will focus upon “The Kerygma”, that is, the proclamation of the story of Jesus which leads people to conversion of heart and Intentional Discipleship.

Each meeting will include a 'Lectio Divina' on one of the readings, letting the Scriptures speak to our hearts,  and direct us in ways both spiritual and pastoral. It will also introduce week by week various different methods of studying the Scriptures, as taught in the following Magisterial documents, and to practice applying them to the Sunday Scriptures: 

• Dei Verbum                                                      Vatican II                                                          1963
• The Historicity of the Gospels                     Pontifical Biblical Commission                    1964
• The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church                                                      PBC         1993
• The Jewish People and their Sacred Scriptures in the Christian Bible          PBC          2002
• The Bible and Morality                                  Pontifical Biblical Commission                     2008
• Verbum Domini                                              Pope Benedict XVI                                           2010
• Preaching the Mystery of Faith                   US Conference of Catholic Bishops             2012
• Homiletic Directory                                       Congregation for Divine Worship                  2015

Participants will use 'At Home With the Word' which contains the Readings for every Sunday of the year. Copies available for $7.00

In-person classes are suspended until further notice. However, people may participate through Zoom on Wednesday at 7:15 PM. Email Jim Hynes if you wish to participate.

Scripture Resources for Catechists

• Opening the Word from FORMED online
• Seasonal Resources from Be My Disciples
• Cycle A, B and C Resources - from Loyola Press (2018-19 is Year C, The Gospel of Luke)
• Advent and Christmas Lectionary Meditations - Fr. James Alison
• Girardian Lectionary - comments and exegesis on the Sunday Scriptures
• Lesson Strategies from Be My Disciples
• Sunday Connection for this week from Loyola Press
• Finding God - the Online Catechists Helper from Loyola Press (log in required)
• Sunday Homilies - from St Andrew's
• Midweek Reflection (signup) - From Liturgical Publications
• The Text This Week - Lectionary, Scripture Study, Worship Links and Resources 
• Audio of Daily Mass Readings - from the USCCB
• Video Reflections on the Daily Mass Readings - from the USCCB