Chriostai Notes for the Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Kingdom Time.

Amos 5: 6-7, 10-15 

6 Seek the LORD and live, Lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, And devour it, With no one to quench it in Bethel- 7 You who turn justice to wormwood, And lay righteousness to rest in the earth!" 10 They hate the one who rebukes in the gate, And they abhor the one who speaks uprightly. 11 Therefore, because you tread down the poor And take grain taxes from him, Though you have built houses of hewn stone, Yet you shall not dwell in them; You have planted pleasant vineyards, But you shall not drink wine from them. 12 For I know your manifold transgressions And your mighty sins: Afflicting the just and taking bribes; Diverting the poor from justice at the gate. 13 Therefore the prudent keep silent at that time, For it is an evil time. 14 Seek good and not evil, That you may live; So the LORD God of hosts will be with you, As you have spoken. 15 Hate evil, love good; Establish justice in the gate. It may be that the LORD God of hosts Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.  


1. What has Israel done to deserve the Lord's judgment (5:7, 10, 11, 12)?

2. The Lord pleads with Israel in verses 4, 6, 14 and 15. In this context, what would it mean for Israel to seek the Lord?

3.  In their complacency and security, Israel failed to grieve over the ruin of their nation (5:6). What should grieve you today about your personal life?  What grieves you about your church and your nation? Take time to pray about those things that cause you to grieve. Ask the Lord to help you seek his will in these areas.

Second Reading — Hebrews 4:12-13

¹² For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³ And before him no creature is hidden, but all are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

1. What does “the Word of God is living and active” mean to you?

2. Give an example of how God’s Word discerns our thought and intentions.
   
3. This reading says that “the word of God … is able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.” How do you feel about God knowing you better than you know yourself? Do you trust God with such personal things? And would you like to know yourself better?
   
4. Do motives and attitudes color your decision-making? Are your motives and attitudes in good order, or could they use a re-alignment?

Gospel Reading — Mark 10:17-30

¹⁷ And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ¹⁸ And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: ‘Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” ²⁰ And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth.” ²¹ And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” ²² At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.

²³ And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” ²⁴ And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” ²⁶ And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” ²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.” ²⁸ Peter began to say to him, “Lo, we have left everything and followed you.” ²⁹ Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, ³⁰ who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.

1. Where do you see yourself in this story?

2. How would you respond if Jesus issued the same invitation to you?

3. What are some warning signals that would warn us that we are in danger of trusting in money?

4. What motivations do you see for sacrificial living?
   
5. Think of people you know who spend their time giving. What are they like? Do they receive the hundredfold Jesus promised to those who follow him? What happens to you when you give things up
   
6. Are possessions themselves the difficulty, or is clinging to them? Or is it the inner drive to own and accumulate that is the problem? Can the unbridled desire to possess be a stumbling block to world peace or ecological sustainability? How?

Chriostai Notes for the 27th Sunday of Kingdom Time

First Reading — Genesis 2:18-24

¹⁸ Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” ¹⁹ So out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. ²⁰ The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper fit for him. ²¹ So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; ²² and the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. ²³ Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” ²⁴ Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh..

1. How does the Genesis passage help to define loneliness?

2. What does “leaving” one’s parents and “cleaving” to one’s wife mean to you?

3 . In The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupèry has the fox say that “ … you become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.” God let Adam, one of us, give each creature its name, which is, in a way, like a taming process. Do we feel responsible for the planet and all the life on it? Do you see any areas in our environment where we are not acting responsibly? Discuss what you can do in your home or place of work to make changes for the better.

4. Do you think the culture from which this story comes values women the same as men? Why or why not? What would you say to a person who thinks the superiority of men over women is divinely revealed in this text? What will you do if the women and men in your work place are not treated as equals?

Second Reading — Hebrews 2:9-11

⁹ But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one. ¹⁰ For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering. ¹¹ For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren, …

1. What can we learn about dealing with our mate’s imperfections from Jesus’ example?

2. What ideas do you get when you tie the first line of the First Reading, “The Lord God said: ‘It is not good for the man to be alone.’” with the first line from the Second Reading, “He ‘for a little while’ was made ‘lower than the angels.’” (For the little while he was with us.)

3. Jesus consecrated himself to his Father and us along with him. He called us sisters and brothers. How does this influence our reverence toward our brothers and sisters? Do you treat the bag lady with the same respect that you treat the CEO?

Gospel Reading — Mark 10:2-16

² And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” ³ He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” ⁴ They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to put her away.” ⁵ But Jesus said to them, “For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. ⁶ But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ⁷ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, ⁸ and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. ⁹ What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.”

¹⁰ And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. ¹¹ And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; ¹² and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

¹³ And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, “Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. ¹⁵ Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” ¹⁶ And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.

1. What did Jesus mean when saying that divorce was allowed by Moses because of their hardness of heart?

2. What are the positive reasons why people should avoid divorce?

3. Describe what you feel should be the Christian’s attitude toward divorce. Toward marriage.

4. How does the quality of our marriage either open the door for our children to come to Jesus, or hinder their coming to Him?

Chriostai Notes for the 26th Sunday of Kingdom Time

First Reading — Numbers 11:25-29

²⁵ Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was upon him and put it upon the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did so no more.

²⁶ Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested upon them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. ²⁷ And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” ²⁸ And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, forbid them.” ²⁹ But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!”

1. Joshua wanted Moses to stop Eldad and Medad's prophesying because they didn't follow the rules. Can you relate to this kind of problem? Is Moses' response in this reading related to Jesus' response in the Gospel? How?

2. Does the Spirit work in religions other than your own? Ever? Always? What might the Spirit be doing in them? Do gifts in other peoples help you to see what God might be doing through them? If the origin of a gift is not clearly from the Spirit, would “By their fruits you shall know them” be a good test?

3. Contrast the attitudes of Joshua and Moses

Second Reading — James 5:1-6

¹ Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. ² Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. ³ Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days. ⁴ Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. ⁵ You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. ⁶ You have condemned, you have killed the righteous man; he does not resist you.

1. Wages withheld from the harvesters cry aloud to the Lord of hosts, James says. How does this message apply today to arguments for a federal minimum wage hike or buying Fair Trade coffee? Or beefing up laws that would end human trafficking?

2. James says that the rich in this reading got their wealth at the expense of the poor. How would the harvesters in the reading feel this? How would humane treatment from the rich relate to a living wage? To profound respect?

2. How should we relate to the spiritual success of other Christians?

3. What is the root cause of jealousy, selfishness and greed?

Gospel Reading — Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

³⁸ John said to him, “Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us.” ³⁹ But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me. ⁴⁰ For he that is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward.

⁴² “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea. ⁴³ And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. …

⁴⁵ And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. … ⁴⁷ And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ⁴⁸ where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

1. What was Jesus’ response to the idea that no one outside the inner circle was to minister in his name? Can anyone lay exclusive claim to the reign of God as Jesus revealed it?

2. The good that every person does should be accepted, Pope Francis says below. How far does he go in accepting good works from others?

“If he is not one of us, he cannot do good. If he is not of our party, he cannot do good.” And Jesus corrects them: “Do not hinder him, he says, let him do well.” The disciples were a little intolerant, closed off by the idea of possessing the truth, convinced that “those who do not have the truth, cannot do good.” This was wrong. ... Jesus broadens the horizon, reminding us that the Lord created us in His image and likeness and we are the image of the Lord, and He does good and all of us have this commandment at heart: do good and do not do evil. All of us. The objection is swift: “But, Father, this is not Catholic! He cannot do good.” Yes, he can. ... The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! “Father, the atheists?” Even the atheists. Everyone! We must meet one another doing good. “But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there.

4. Why were the disciples opposed to the man who was casting out demons?

5. Compare the disciples’ attitude toward this other person who was casting out demons, with the Pharisees attitude toward Jesus’ casting out demons.

6. What does Jesus teach regarding our attitude toward others who serve him?

Chriostai Notes 25th Sunday of Kingdom Time

Proverbs 2: 1-9

2
 My
 son,
if
 you
 will
 accept
my
 words,
 and
 store
 up
my
 commandments
 within
 you,
 2 making
 your
 ear
 attentive
 to
 wisdom
 and
 applying
 your
 heart
 to
 understanding;
 3 indeed, 
if 
you 
call 
out 
for
discernment
 and 
cry 
aloud 
for 
understanding;
 4 if
 you 
seek
 her
 as 
one
 seeks
 for 
silver
 and
 search 
for
 her
 as
 for
 hidden
 treasures,
 5 then 
you 
will
 understand
 the
 fear
 of
 Jehovah
 and
 find
 the
 knowledge
 of
 God—6 for
 Jehovah
 gives
 wisdom.
Out
 of
 his 
mouth
 comes
 knowledge
 and
 understanding.
 7 He
 stores
 up
 sound
 wisdom 
for 
the 
upright
 [so 
that 
it 
might 
be]
a 
shield 
for 
those
 who 
walk
 in 
integrity;
 8 so 
that
 he 
may 
guard 
the 
paths 
of 
justice 
and 
protect 
the 
way 
of 
his 
saints. 
9 Then
 you
 will 
understand
righteousness 
and 
justice and 
equity—indeed, 
every 
good 
path;

1. The game show, "Who wants to be a millionaire?" draws a large audience. Would a show called, "Who wants to be wise?" or "Who wants to be godly?" be as popular? Why or why not?

2. Is it enough to listen to and heed wise instruction? Why or why not? If there is more, what more is there?

3. How does this passage attempt to instill a desire to learn wisdom? In what way can you try to instill desire in yourself? In someone else?

4. How does the "fear of Yahweh" affect how you pursue wisdom?

5. What does the image of the "path" communicate to you? Do you usually think of your decisions in terms of choosing a path? Why? or why not?

6. What is the advantage of thinking of your decisions as choosing a "path?"

James 3:16-4:3

¹⁶ For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity. ¹⁸ And the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

^4:1 What causes wars, and what causes fightings among you? Is it not your passions that are at war in your members? ² You desire and do not have; so you kill. And you covet and cannot obtain; so you fight and wage war. You do not have, because you do not ask. ³ You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

1. Where does ambition for power and greatness lead? What does it do to a country? to a business? to a Church? Is there a way to cultivate peace?

2. St. James asks, “… where do the conflicts among you come from?” In today’s Gospel the disciples had been arguing and “discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest.” Do you think their discussion could have ended in anything but conflict? Why?

1. What characteristics of wisdom would you most like to see increased in your life?

2. Why are our prayers sometimes not answered as we would like?

Gospel Reading — Mark 9:30-37

³⁰ They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; ³¹ for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” ³² But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to ask him.

³³ And they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” ³⁴ But they were silent; for on the way they had discussed with one another who was the greatest.

³⁵ And he sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” ³⁶ And he took a child, and put him in the midst of them; and taking him in his arms, he said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

1. Jesus tells the disciples that in order to rank first they should be the servants of all. Who would you serve if you could? Anyone close to you? Where do you think your parish ranks in taking care of people in need? Where would you rank yourself?

2. According to Pope Francis, how does the person benefit by receiving a child in Jesus’ name? What does he say it does for the child or the one received?

We see how faith brings light and hope in situations of grave hardship; we observe how faith is rekindled in hearts touched by the Spirit of Jesus who said, ‘Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.’ ” …

Goodness is its own reward and draws us closer to God, who is the Supreme Good. It helps us to think like him, to see our lives in the light of his plan of love for each one of us, and enables us to delight in life’s daily joys, helping us in difficulties and in trials.

3. Why would the disciples be ashamed or afraid to tell Jesus what they were discussing?

4. In light of this passage complete the following statement, “Greatness is …

5. What point about greatness is Jesus making with the child?

Chriostai Notes for the 24th Sunday of Kingdom Time

Questions From Last Week:

-  Should we expect peace, rest and an entrance into the promised land, both spiritually and physically?

- In a society where our beliefs are interpreted as hate, how we can be seen as merciful more than judgmental?

- How will we respond to getting muddy like the OT prophets?

- Like God wanted the Israelites to recognize that He should be their focus, we should see Him as our place of rest.

- How can God's sacred areas and be a place of rest for the sick, weary and needy, not of condemnation?

First Reading — Isaiah 50:5-9

⁵ The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I turned not backward. ⁶ I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. ⁷ For the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been confounded; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; ⁸ he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me. ⁹ Behold, the Lord GOD helps me; who will declare me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.

1. The words of this reading are those of the famous “Suffering Servant,” in the writings of Isaiah centuries before Christ. How do you think God upheld the rights of this Suffering Servant? Of Jesus?

2. Jesus says, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself.” How does this relate to the words we find in today’s First Reading, “I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame”?

3. In what way does Isaiah’s prophesy inspire you?

4. How was God’s help manifested to Isaiah?

Second Reading — James 2:14-18

¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

¹⁸ But some one will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith

1. The letter of James tells us to serve our neighbor. Do you ever respond to such call? If so, how? With your entire life?  In some of your actions? With a few words?

2. Why does Pope Francis say we must have a faith that “engages us”?

[T]he Gospels also contain stories of “people who don't know doctrine but have a lot of faith,” such as the Samaritan woman at the well who opened her heart to the Lord because she “met not abstract truth,” but the person of Jesus Christ.

This encounter in faith always leads a Christian to move outward toward others.

Faith always leads to witness. Faith is a meeting with Jesus Christ, with God, and it is born from that and leads you to witness.

Without such fruit, faith is lifeless. A faith without works, a faith that doesn't engage you, that doesn't lead you to witness, isn't faith. It is words, and nothing more than words.

3. What is the relationship between faith and works?

Gospel Reading — Mark 8:27-35

²⁷ And Jesus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” ²⁸ And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others one of the prophets.” ²⁹ And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” ³⁰ And he charged them to tell no one about him.

³¹ And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³² And he said this plainly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. ³³ But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men.”

³⁴ And he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ³⁵ For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.”

1. Do you want people you love to know you well? Do you think Christ wants you to know him well and personally? He asks the apostles, “Who do you say that I am?” What if he asked that question of you? Do you answer it differently at different times in your life?

2. “The Son of Man must suffer greatly … ” In these words Jesus is telling the apostles what discipleship is all about. How does Peter handle this message? How do you? Can “losing your life” be a means to gaining life? Can you desire to follow him in such a way?

3. What is encompassed in the statement, “You are the Christ”?
4. Why did Jesus say that Peter’s rebuke represented the side of men rather than the side of God

5. When has it cost you to follow Christ?

6. How do you respond to Jesus’ challenge in verses 34-35?