Family Bible Study - 1st Sunday of Advent

Gospel Passage
Matt. 24:37 As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of
man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark,
39 and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so
will be the coming of the Son of man. 40 Then two men will be in the field;
one is taken and one is left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one
is taken and one is left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know on what
day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the householder had
known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have
watched and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you
also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not
expect.

Questions for discussion -

1. What happened in the days of Noah? Were many people caught off guard?
What should we learn from this?

2. Jesus says we do not know the hour that God will come and that we should be
ready. How can we get ready to meet Him?

3. Jesus says that we should “watch.” For whom should we watch this Advent?
used with permission - Fr. Roger Landry

Christmas Novena of Saint Andrew

HAIL AND BLESSED be the hour and moment in which the SON OF GOD was born of the MOST PURE VIRGIN MARY at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my GOD, to hear my prayers and grant my desires, through the merits of our SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST AND HIS BLESSED MOTHER.
Amen.

Family Bible Study - Christ the King

Gospel Passage
Luke 23:35 And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at
him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of
God, his chosen one!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and
offering him sour wine, 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save
yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of
the Jews.” 39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding
him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But
the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under
the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed have been
condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this
man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when
you come into your kingdom.” 43 He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you
will be with me in Paradise.”

Questions for discussion:
1. Christ is our King, which means He must reign in every part of our lives. Do you treat Jesus like a King? Do you give up some of your time for Him? Do you use your
talents to help others for Him?

2. Christ did have the power, as King and Lord of the Universe, to come
down from the Cross and save himself. Why do you think He refused save
himself?

3. What was the Good Thief asking for when he said, “Jesus, remember me
when you come into your kingdom?” Do you ask Jesus for the same thing?
used with permission - Fr. Roger Landry

Family Bible Study - 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel Passage
Luke 21:5 And as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones
and offerings, he said, 6 "As for these things which you see, the days will come
when there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown
down." 7 And they asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign
when this is about to take place?" 8 And he said, "Take heed that you are not led
astray; for many will come in my name, saying, `I am he!' and, `The time is at hand!'
Do not go after them. 9 And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified;
for this must first take place, but the end will not be at once." 10 Then he said to
them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11 there will
be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences; and there will be
terrors and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all this they will lay their hands
on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you
will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. 13 This will be a
time for you to bear testimony. 14 Settle it therefore in your minds, not to meditate
beforehand how to answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none
of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be delivered
up even by parents and brothers and kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will
put to death; 17 you will be hated by all for my name's sake. 18 But not a hair of
your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.

Questions for discussion -

1. Jesus says that his followers will suffer just as he, who was all good, had to
suffer. Have you ever suffered for being faithful to Jesus? How?

2. Jesus mentions a lot of disasters in today’s Gospel. They are all meant to be
signs of what? (Hint: It has something to do with what we say in the Creed
right before we profess our belief in the Holy Spirit)

3. Jesus says that when we’re asked to give witness of our faith in him, he will
fill us with His Wisdom. Have you ever been put on the spot and had to
defend your faith?
used with permission - Fr. Roger Landry

Sunday Gospel Message - 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
When is the end of the world coming? Sacred Scripture
tells us that no one knows when this is going to happen. St. Paul
wrote to the Thessalonians and told them to keep working and not
just wait for the second coming of the Lord Jesus. The important
thing is not when Jesus will come, but that we are ready when He
does come. “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
Continue in your faith journey and then there is no fear.
used with permission - Msgr. Bob Lawrence

Family Bible Study - 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel Passage
Luke 20:27 There came to him some Sadducees, those who say that there is no
resurrection, 28 and they asked him a question, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us
that if a man's brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the wife
and raise up children for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers; the first
took a wife, and died without children; 30 and the second 31 and the third took her,
and likewise all seven left no children and died. 32 Afterward the woman also died.
33 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had
her as wife." 34 And Jesus said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in
marriage; 35 but those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age and to the
resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, 36 for they
cannot die any more, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being
sons of the resurrection. 37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the
passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of
Isaac and the God of Jacob. 38 Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living; for
all live to him."

Questions for discussion:

1. The Sadducees were a group of people who said no one can come back from
being dead, that there was no resurrection of the body. How do
we know that they’re wrong?

2. Jesus calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of
Jacob. What other names could you add? Would he be the God of your
parents? Of your grandparents? Who else?

3. Jesus says there will be no more weddings in heaven. Since he is God, he
knows. Marriage is a sacrament for this world, to help us, like all the
sacraments, to get to heaven. But will there still be love in heaven?
used with permission - Fr. Roger Landry