Family Bible Study - 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Gospel Passage Mark 9:30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” 32 But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. 33 Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” 34 But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. 35 He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.” Questions “They did not understand what Jesus was saying and were afraid to ask Him.” What should you do if you don’t understand what Jesus is asking of you? Who should you go to? To be great in God’s eyes – which we should ALL WANT! – we have to be like Jesus and serve others. What can you do this week to help others and become greater in God’s eyes? Jesus loved children and wanted us to welcome them in His name. Children, especially babies, cannot give us back anything in return, so welcoming them is a pure act of love. Has anyone every welcomed you in this way? Have you ever welcomed anyone in this way? used with permission - Fr. Roger Landry

Family Bible Study - 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Gospel Passage Mark 8:27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” 30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him. 31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” 34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. Questions 1. A lot of people say that Jesus was just a good or famous man of God, like John the Baptist, Elijah or the other prophets. Who do you say that Jesus is? 2. Peter tried to stop Jesus from suffering, and Jesus said he was behaving like the devil, because at that moment Peter was trying to stop Jesus from fulfilling his mission, as the devil always tries to do. What is Jesus’ mission? How can we help him to accomplish it? 3. Jesus says that to be his good students, his followers, we need to do three things. What are they? (Hint: see verse 34). Do you try to do all three? used with permission - Fr. Roger Landry