Dive Into Sunday's Word

First Sunday of Advent
NOVEMBER 30, 2025

GROWING IN FAITH QUESTIONS

Adults: How do I prepare for the coming of the Messiah?

Teens: What is weighing my heart down or distracting me from being ready for Jesus? 
What habits or changes do I need to make to keep alert and live in expectation?

Children: Would you be ready to meet Jesus tomorrow? What have you done to be ready? 

THIS WEEK'S BULLETIN

THIS WEEKEND'S LAY MINISTERS

Focus
Jesus said to his disciples: “...[S]tay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

One-Minute-Homily
 > The truth is that we are so busy, rushing from one thing to another, that we have little time, energy or desire to pay much attention to the people and world around us.  And we are more or less insulated against information that challenges our assumptions or people who interrupt our routines.
 > Jesus reminds us that we need to "stay awake" because the important things come like a thief in the night.  They are unexpected, unfamiliar, even unwanted; they may go unnoticed because we’re too busy or distracted to pay attention.  
 > Advent invites us to be prayerful people – which is to say, people who are reflective and listening, open to what is new, what is challenging, what is unfamiliar.  Advent invites us to slow down, step back, to become more aware so that in the midst of our busyness the Lord does not arrive in our lives unexpected and unnoticed.
 > At Sunday Mass we celebrate the Lord's real presence among us; it arises out of, and depends upon, our ability to notice his presence in our daily lives.

For Additional Reflection or Discussion
 > Question for Children: What are some of the signs that Christmas is coming?  What are signs that Jesus is living among us?
 > Question for Youth:  Growing up often brings surprises—things we didn’t expect happen. What does the Gospel tell us about being surprised by something that we should have seen coming, but didn't?  
 > Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities:  In what ways are we too busy, too distracted, too controlled by routines, to actually notice the unexpected ways the Lord is present in our lives?

Learn More
• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings here
 • Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective

(compiled by Dave Cushing)

Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
NOVEMBER 23, 2025

GROWING IN FAITH QUESTIONS

Adults: What does the cross mean to me?

Teens: What does Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross 
invite me to be or do? How does the cross shape 
the way I make choices, treat others, or face suffering?

Children: Jesus died on the cross for you. Why 
did he do this? What does it do for you?

THIS WEEK'S BULLETIN

Focus
Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.” The other,...rebuking him, said...we have been condemned justly,...but this man has done nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
> OBSERVE. Everything we do has consequences, although it appears that many of us are content to ignore the consequences of what we say and do or blame them on others.  In the end, whether we are at peace or afraid, depends on whether we have accepted those consequences or tried to deny them.

> LEARN. The two thieves crucified with Jesus represent different responses: the one tried to avoid the consequences of his actions, the other accepted them and still hoped for something better.  His trust in the Lord, who turns out to be the King of Mercy, redeemed the consequences of his behavior.

> ACT. Our faith in Jesus Christ the King both challenges and enables us to accept the fact that we are unfinished, imperfect, and sinful people.  Whatever the consequences of our actions here and now, in the end we must all rely on the Divine King to "remember us”, as he did the so-called “good thief”, so that we too may one day be with him in paradise.

> REMEMBER. At Sunday Mass we are gathered as sinners and would-be saints, all of whom will, in the end, depend upon the King's mercy.

For Additional Reflection or Discussion

> Question for Children:  Do you ever lie or blame others to avoid getting in trouble?

> Question for Youth:  Do you stop to think about possible long or short-term consequences before you act? Would it make a difference if you did?

> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities:  It's easy to blame things on someone else; how do we try to avoid the consequences of our own choices by shifting the blame to others persons or groups?

Learn More

• Read Sunday's readings here
• Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings here

• Learn more about the cultural context of the Gospel
• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective

(compiled by Dave Cushing)

33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
NOVEMBER 16, 2025

GROWING IN FAITH QUESTIONS

Adults: How strong is my faith? How do I show this? 

Teens: When things get hard or I feel challenged about my faith, how do I respond? What helps me trust and keep going when others give up? 

Children: How do you know God is real? How do you find him in the world? 

THIS WEEK'S BULLETIN

(compiled by Dave Cushing)

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
November 9th, 2025

Adults: How actively do I participate in my parish? In what ways? 

Teens: What part of our parish (or my own heart) has become “just business as usual” rather than sacred? How can I treat our parish community (and God’s house) as a place of encounter instead of routine? 

Children: An important part of being in a family is providing assistance. How can you assist your family at St. Mary of Nazareth? Have you considered being a greeter, gift bearer, altar server, children’s liturgy of the word helper, children’s choir member or Christmas pageant member? Why or why not? 

THIS WEEK'S BULLETIN

Focus

He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area....  ...[T]o those who sold doves he said, "Take these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace."

One-Minute-Homily

> OBSERVE. We are so accustomed to living in a market economy that we take it for granted that anyone and anything can be bought and sold if the price is right -- friendship, sex, political loyalty, public policy.  Name your price; everyone has a price.

> LEARN. The cleansing of the Temple in today's Gospel shows us that there is an exception to this rule; God's love and grace -- salvation itself -- is not for sale and can't be bought. The church is not a spiritual marketplace, there are no salvation brokers; you can’t put a price on grace.

> ACT. The biggest challenge for us is to believe that salvation is a free gift.  It's God's unconditional love -- a non-negotiable fact, freely offered to everyone, not just those who can be said to deserve it, or work hard enough to earn it.  All we need to do is receive it, and allow it to transform our lives.

> REMEMBER. Eucharist is the most excellent sign of God's love.  It is also freely given -- we are not entitled to it because we are saved; we receive it in order to be saved. 

For Additional Reflection or Discussion
> Question for Children: Do you ever feel like someone is trying to "buy" your friendship?
> Question for Youth:  Do you recognize situations in which young adults are trying to trade sex for affection?
> Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: Do we give people the impression that God's love and mercy are something that you earn by membership, participation, financial support or moral behavior?

Learn More

• Read Sunday's readings here

• Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings here

• Explore the cultural context of the Gospel

• Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel

• Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective

(compiled by Dave Cushing)

All Soul's Day
November 2nd, 2025

(compiled by Dave Cushing)

30th Sunday of Ordinary Time
October 26, 2025

MASS REFLECTION QUESTIONS

Adults: Am I repentant? When was the last time you
shared your repentance with Jesus? 

 
Teens: Do you find it easier to point out other people’s faults—or admit your own before God? How can you practice humility in prayer? 

Children: We all make mistakes sometimes. We all
make selfish choices sometimes. This causes hurt to
others and ourselves. When this happens, what
should you do?     

THIS WEEK'S BULLETIN

• Focus
  Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness.... “Two people went up to the temple area to pray....The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity -- greedy, dishonest, adulterous....' But the tax collector stood off at a distance...beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
  
  One-Minute-Homily
  > We learn early on to compare ourselves to others. Like the Pharisee in today’s Gospel, we judge ourselves and others by human standards, based mostly on personal effort, social convention, and economic gain.
  > In today’s Gospel Jesus warns us that God judges by different standards.  God sees as a loving parent sees. Righteousness and unconditional love are something which is given, not earned, by a generous and compassionate God.
  > As disciples, our prayer and our lives should express the conviction that in the end we will all get what we deserve--an infinite measure of divine mercy which exalts those who are humbled and humbles those who are exalted by human standards.
  > We proclaim, celebrate and give thanks for this promise of mercy at Sunday Eucharist; we should feel both exalted and humbled.
• 
  For Additional Reflection or Discussion
  > Question for Children: Do you ever feel that some people are better than you or not as good as you?
  > Question for Youth:  Do you ever feel pressured to put someone down in order to be accepted by your friends?
  > Question for Adults and Parishes:  When, how and why do we judge ourselves or others based on social standards or religious conventions?
  
  Learn More
  • Read Sunday's readings here
  • Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings here
  • Explore the cultural context of the Gospel
  • Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel here
  • Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective

29th Sunday of Ordinary Time
October 19, 2025

MASS REFLECTION QUESTIONS

Adults: Do I persevere in my faith? In what ways?  

Teens: Have you ever prayed for something for a long time and felt like God wasn’t answering? How do you keep going in prayer when it feels hard?  

Children: God wants faith to be part of our lives
every day. What things do you do in your life each
day that show your faith? 

THIS WEEK'S BULLETIN

“...[A] widow in that town used to come to him and say, 'Render a just decision for me against my adversary.' For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought,  ‘...[B]ecause this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her....’” The Lord said, "...Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night?...  I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily…."

One-Minute-Homily
> For the most part, people value persistence.  We teach it to our children, we reward it among employees, we respect it among our friends.  "Never give up"  "Hang in there," we say.  Persistence is based in the conviction--the trust--that things will work out for the best.
 > In today's Gospel, Jesus tells a parable about a persistent widow who would not stop bothering the judge until he rendered her a judgment.  He urges his disciples to emulate such persistence in their prayer.
 > Prayer is always, in one way or another, an expression of our trust in God's compassion and love--our conviction that sooner or later God will render a judgment in our favor.  It is this faith which enables us to persist even when things are difficult and we are challenged to do things we find difficult or uncomfortable.
 > We gather regularly at Eucharist so that by our persistent presence and prayer we may support one another, even when our faith wavers.

For Additional Discussion or Journaling
> Question for Children: What keeps you going when you have to do something that is hard to do?
 > Question for Youth: Growing up is largely a process of trial and error.  What does the Gospel tell you about not giving up?
 > Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: Where or why have we given up, failed to be persistent, failed to trust?

Learn More
 • Read Sunday's readings
 • Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings
• Explore the cultural context of the Gospel
 • Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel
 • Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective

(compiled by Dave Cushing)

28th Sunday of Ordinary Time
October 12, 2025

MASS REFLECTION QUESTIONS

Adults: How often do I thank God? 

Teens: Do you take time to thank God for the good things in your life—or do you sometimes forget, like the nine lepers? 

Children: You have a challenge to complete! Each day this week, think of one good thing in your life and thank God for it. 

THIS WEEK'S BULLETIN

• Focus
   …[O]ne of them, realizing he had been healed, returned…; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.  He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, "Ten were cleansed, were they not? ... Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?"  Then he said to him, "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you."
  
  One-Minute-Homily
   > Some people seem naturally grateful, but some of us struggle – some because we feel we are entitled or have earned what we received; others because it’s just embarrassing to admit that we needed something from someone else. It takes both honesty and humility to be grateful.
   > The story of the ten lepers is a sad reminder that many among the Chosen, assuming it was their right, would fail to appreciate what Jesus offers, even while those least likely – the stranger and alien – would receive it gratefully.
   > The humbling but honest lesson for us today is that the most important things in this life – those of enduring and lasting value – are always gifts to be acknowledged and received with gratitude, while the things we work so hard to earn, achieve or possess – too often at someone else’s expense – often have very limited value.
   > “Take this, all of you” are Christ’s words repeated at Eucharist – a reminder that the greatest gift of all, God’s very self, can only be received gratefully and shared.
  
  For Additional Discussion or Journaling
   > Question for Children: What are some of the most important things someone has given you?
   > Question for Youth:  In the process of “earning” adulthood, are you aware and grateful for the important things which can only be given and received?
   > Question for Adults, Families and Faith Communities: Do we take God’s gifts for granted?  Do we give others the impression that they must earn or deserve what God has given us to share?
  
  Learn More
   • Read Sunday's readings
   • Read a reflection on Sunday’s readings
  • Explore the cultural context of the Gospel
   • Reflect on an image for Sunday's Gospel:
   • Hear the Gospel from a Third World perspective
• (compiled by Dave Cushing)