Sunday Preparation

April 10th, 2022

Gospel: Luke 22:14-23:56 (The Passion of Jesus)

Girardian Lectionary
'Sunday Connection' Scripture Commentary
RCL/Benziger Gospel Reflections

Question of the Week (Adults): When have you felt that you betrayed the confidence of another,  as Peter did when he denied Jesus?

Question of the Week (Children): When have you let someone down who trusted you? How did you feel?

Catechism Connection 

440 - The meaning of Jesus' Kingship is revealed on the Cross
449 - Jesus is given the divine title 'Lord'
472 - Jesus' human knowledge 
591 - The Sanhedrin misunderstands Jesus
596 - Divisions among the Jewish authorities concerning Jesus
597 - The Jewish people cannot be blamed for the death of Jesus
602 - God "made Jesus into sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God"
607 - Jesus desired to embrace his Father's plan of redemption
610 - Jesus made the Last Supper the memorial of his self-offering to the Father
612 - In the Garden of Gethsemenai Jesus accepts the "Cup of suffering"
633 - Jesus "descended into Hell" to free the souls of the just 
641 - Mary Magdalene and her women companions are the first witnesses of the Resurrection of Jesus
643 - The Resurrection is a historical fact
713 - The 'Servant Songs' in the prophet Isaiah (42, 49, 50-53) reveal the characteristics of the Messiah
730 - As Jesus dies, he commends his Spirit into his Father's hands
876 - Christian ministers are "slaves of Christ" and must become slaves of all
1011 - In death we are called to God
1328 - The Sacrament of the Eucharist
1365 - The Eucharist is a sacrifice
2600 - Jesus prays before his Passion
2605 - Jesus prays on the Cross

See the Online E-Book of the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Saints This Week

April 10 Saint Magdalene of Canossa
April 11 Saint Stanislaus Patron of Poland
April 12 Saint Teresa of Los Andes
April 13 Saint Martin I Pope
April 14 Blessed Peter Gonzalez
April 15 Blessed Caesar de Bus
April 16 Saint Bernadette Soubirous 

It is difficult if not impossible to comment briefly on the story of the Passion and Death of Jesus, so today I will look only at St. Paul’s own comment upon it, which we hear in the Second Reading, Philippians 2:6-11.

Many people in ancient times thought of God as being entirely distant and separate from this world, unable and unwilling to get involved with material creation. So it was an amazing thing that God became flesh, became as one of us, when Jesus was born of Mary. But the question is: how far did God go in taking on the human condition?

For God to become human at all is a great condescension; even if the Son of God was to come as a powerful earthly King, it would still be a great step down from heaven. But he went even further than that. He was born into a poor and homeless family, so he came to share the lot of ordinary people, to be poor with them and share their struggles and sufferings. 

But is this the limit? No it is not. In St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians he wrote that though Jesus had the right to claim equality with God, he did not do so - he took on the position of a slave, indicating to us that God's power is one of love and service, not of domination. But he went even further than this, accepting a painful and shameful death. Therefore there is no extremity of human suffering or experience which he has not experienced. So whatever we may suffer or experience, we can know that God has been there too and Jesus is there with us.

St. Paul describes Jesus' self-emptying using the Greek word 'kenosis', which indicates an abundantly generous, unlimited outpouring of love. This "self-emptying" because a powerful image of God for us, an outpouring of love which is not retrained or diminished even when resisted and rejected. It becomes also a model for Christians to imitate, "putting on the mind of Christ" as Paul says, first experiencing ouselves as filled with the love of God, and then pourijgn it out abundantly for others.

Lesson Theme Suggestion– God’s love for us is so great, that He was willing to offer up to death his only Son, Jesus. Loving self-sacrifice is the pattern of life for Christians, following the example of Jesus.

An opportunity to study in depth this Apostolic Exhortation written by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.

Pope Benedict XVI says that the word of God “draws each of us into a conversation with the Lord: the God who speaks teaches us how to speak to him.” He affirms that the word of God is at the heart of our faith and at the heart of every activity in the Church, and he calls for an increased emphasis on the Bible in catechesis and pastoral work, and for prayerful reading of Scripture, so that all believers can encounter Christ in his living word.

The Document is in three parts:

1. Verbum Dei - God seeks dialogue with humankind. At the Incarnation, the Word became flesh and lived among us. The task of the Interpretation of Sacred Scripture in the Church.
2. Verbum In Ecclesia – The Church responds to the Word of God in Liturgy, preaching, the sacraments, pastoral ministry and prayer.
3. Verbum Mundo – The Church’s Mission to proclaim the Word of God to the world, proclaiming the name of Christ, the Kingdom of God, God’s justice and reconciliation in society; interreligious dialogue.

The discussion will take place on Zoom, on Wednesdays between 3:40 PM and 5:10 PM, hosted by Jim Hynes. Each session will also include study of the upcoming Sunday Scriptures, for which participants are encouraged to obtain At Home With the Word.

Participants will need to obtain Verbum Domini in book form from the USCCB Online Bookshop

Scripture Resources for Catechists

• Seasonal Resources from Be My Disciples
• Cycle A, B and C Resources - from Loyola Press
• 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