Welcome to our Bible Study

1
Welcome to our Bible Study

• 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time A
• July 10, 2011
• In preparation for this Sundays Liturgy
• As aid in focusing our homilies and sharing

Prepared by Fr. Cielo R. Almazan, OFM
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1st reading Isaiah 5510-11

• 10 Thus says the Lord Just as from the heavens
  the rain and snow come down and do not return
  there till they have watered the earth, making it
  fertile and fruitful, giving seed to him who sows
  and bread to him who eats, 11 so shall my word
  be that goes forth from my mouth it shall not
  return to me void, but shall do my will,
  achieving the end for which I sent it.

The focus is on the Word of God.
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Textual Context of Isaiah 5510-11

• 40 Introduction to the collection of oracles
• 40-48 Sober in tone
• 49-55 More sober in tone, they abandon some
  characteristic
• themes of earlier chapters such as polemics
  against
• idolatry and disputes with the Babylonians.

54 The New Zion 55 An invitation to grace 56 The
Lords House Open to all
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1st reading Isaiah 5510-11

• Commentary
• Vv.10-11 form one long sentence.
• V.10 is the subordinate clause.
• V.11 is the main clause, whose subject is my
  word, which is the Word of God.
• The Word of God is compared to the rain and snow.
• Both the Word of God and the rain/snow come down
  from heaven.
• Both will return to God only when they have
  accomplished their mission.
• The rain and the snow come down to water the
  ground, making it fertile, giving seed and bread
  to the farmer and consumers.
• The Word of God comes to make us bear fruit so
  that we may give life to others.

• 10 Thus says the Lord Just as from the heavens
  the rain and snow come down and do not return
  there till they have watered the earth, making it
  fertile and fruitful, giving seed to him who sows
  and bread to him who eats, 11 so shall my word
  be that goes forth from my mouth it shall not
  return to me void, but shall do my will,
  achieving the end for which I sent it.

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Reflections on the 1st reading

• The Word of God is effective.
• Its mission is to nurture us.
• We must allow ourselves to be nurtured by the
  Word of God.
• It will change us. It will satisfy us. It will
  make us productive.
• If you are not contributing anything to your
  family, to the church and to the world, examine
  your life if it is worth living.
• Parasitical life is not worth living.
• Surrender to the Word of God.

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Resp. Ps. 6510, 11, 12-13, 14

• R. (Lk 88) The seed that falls on good ground
  will yield a fruitful harvest.
• 10 You have visited the land and watered
  itgreatly have you enriched it.11 Gods
  watercourses are filled you have prepared the
  grain.
• 12 Thus have you prepared the land drenching its
  furrows,breaking up its clods,Softening it with
  showers, blessing its yield.
• 13 You have crowned the year with your
  bounty,and your paths overflow with a rich
  harvestThe untilled meadows overflow with
  it,and rejoicing clothes the hills.
• 14 The fields are garmented with flocksand the
  valleys blanketed with grain.They shout and sing
  for joy.

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Resp. Ps. 6510, 11, 12-13, 14

• R. (Lk 88) The seed that falls on good ground
  will yield a fruitful harvest.
• 10 You have visited the land and watered
  itgreatly have you enriched it.11 Gods
  watercourses are filled you have prepared the
  grain.
• 12 Thus have you prepared the land drenching its
  furrows,breaking up its clods,Softening it with
  showers, blessing its yield.
• 13 You have crowned the year with your
  bounty,and your paths overflow with a rich
  harvestThe untilled meadows overflow with
  it,and rejoicing clothes the hills.
• 14 The fields are garmented with flocksand the
  valleys blanketed with grain.They shout and sing
  for joy.

• Commentary
• The psalm is a thanksgiving hymn. It describes
  the condition of ancient Israel agricultural.
• Vv.10-11 indicate Gods actions on the land
• Visited, watered, enriched, filled
• Prepared the grain.
• V.12 indicates further Gods actions on the land
• Drenching, breaking up softening
• Blessing
• V.13 speaks of rich harvest that gives joy.
• V.14 talks about flocks and valleys filled with
  grain.
• The result
• Animals and valleys (land) sing for joy.

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Reflections on the Psalm

• God is a good farmer and provider.
• He takes care of all his creation.
• Do you believe that God is such?
• Can you appropriate the Psalm as your own?

9
2nd reading Romans 818-23

• 18 I consider that the sufferings of this present
  time are as nothing compared with the glory to be
  revealed for us. 19 For creation awaits with
  eager expectation the revelation of the children
  of God 20 for creation was made subject to
  futility, not of its own accord but because of
  the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that
  creation itself would be set free from slavery to
  corruption and share in the glorious freedom of
  the children of God. 22 We know that all
  creation is groaning in labor pains even until
  now 23 and not only that, but we ourselves, who
  have the first-fruits of the Spirit, we also
  groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption,
  the redemption of our bodies.

The focus is on the revelation of Gods children.
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2nd reading Romans 818-23
A simple outline!

• Glory to be revealed
• 18 I consider that the sufferings of this present
  time are as nothing compared with the glory to be
  revealed for us.
• Creation awaiting
• 19 For creation awaits with eager expectation the
  revelation of the children of God 20 for
  creation was made subject to futility, not of its
  own accord but because of the one who subjected
  it, in hope 21 that creation itself would be set
  free from slavery to corruption and share in the
  glorious freedom of the children of God.
• Creation groaning
• 22 We know that all creation is groaning in labor
  pains even until now 23 and not only that, but
  we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the
  Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait
  for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

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• Outline by Peter Ellis.
•  
• Part I (11-425) Paul's thesis Faith in
  Jesus is the sole source of salvation for all. It
  is God's system.
• A (11-17) Greetings, thanksgiving,
  and statement of thesis
• B (118-320) Apparent
  digression The Gentiles' system and the Jews'
  system
• cannot
  justify. All need God's justice because all have
  sinned.
• A' (321-425) Thesis summarized
  (321-31) and objection concerning the law
• answered with
  an argument from Scripture (41-25)
•  
• Part II (51-1136) Paul's thesis in another
  form God's love for humanity is the
• foundation of man's
  hope for salvation.
•  
• A (51-11) Thesis stated God loves
  humanity and has proved his love by sending
• his Son to die for
  sinners.
• B (512-725) Apparent digression
  Paul's faith system versus the system of law.
• Experience proves
  that all need God's saving love and those who
  believe have experienced it.
• A' (81-1136) Thesis of 51-11
  summarized (81-39) and concluded by argument
• from Scripture
  showing that God's love does not exclude the Jews
  (91-1136).

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2nd reading Romans 818-23

• Glory to be revealed
• 18 I consider that the sufferings of this present
  time are as nothing compared with the glory to be
  revealed for us.
• Creation awaiting
• 19 For creation awaits with eager expectation the
  revelation of the children of God 20 for
  creation was made subject to futility, not of its
  own accord but because of the one who subjected
  it, in hope 21 that creation itself would be set
  free from slavery to corruption and share in the
  glorious freedom of the children of God.
• Creation groaning
• 22 We know that all creation is groaning in labor
  pains even until now 23 and not only that, but
  we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the
  Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait
  for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

• Commentary
• In v.18, Paul anticipates the glory that is to be
  revealed.
• Our sufferings (put together) are nothing
  compared with the glory to come.
• V.19 specifies who is awaiting and what is
  awaited.
• Creation eagerly awaits this revelation.
• Vv.20-21 form a parenthesis, but contain the
  content of the revelation.
• Here, creation was made useless, but it would be
  freed from slavery and corruption and would live
  in freedom as children of God, through Jesus.

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2nd reading Romans 818-23

• Glory to be revealed
• 18 I consider that the sufferings of this present
  time are as nothing compared with the glory to be
  revealed for us.
• Creation awaiting (freedom)
• 19 For creation awaits with eager expectation the
  revelation of the children of God 20 for
  creation was made subject to futility, not of its
  own accord but because of the one who subjected
  it, in hope 21 that creation itself would be set
  free from slavery to corruption and share in the
  glorious freedom of the children of God.
• Creation groaning (adoption)
• 22 We know that all creation is groaning in labor
  pains even until now 23 and not only that, but
  we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the
  Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait
  for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

• In v.22, creation groans in pain (as it awaits
  the revelation).
• V.23 indicates that we, Christians, also groan
  quietly, waiting for adoption (redemption).

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Reflections on the 2nd reading

• Christian life is a life of waiting.
• We await a known future.
• The known future is our redemption.
• In the meantime, we suffer, creation groans, we
  groan, but it is nothing compared with the glory
  to come.
• We must be patient. Patience is a manifestation
  of holiness.
• Are you patient?
• Do you look forward with patience Gods help and
  salvation?

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Gospel reading Matthew 131-9
A simple outline!

• Setting by the sea
• 1 On that day, Jesus went out of the house and
  sat down by the sea. 2 Such large crowds
  gathered around him that he got into a boat and
  sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the
  shore.
• Parable of the Sower
• 3 And he spoke to them at length in parables,
  saying "A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he
  sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came
  and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky ground,
  where it had little soil. It sprang up at once
  because the soil was not deep, 6 and when the
  sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for
  lack of roots. 7 Some seed fell among thorns,
  and the thorns grew up and choked it. 8 But some
  seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a
  hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
• A follow-up saying
• 9 Whoever has ears ought to hear."

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Textual Context of Matthew 131-9

• I. The Sermon on the Mount (5-7)II. The Sermon
  to the Apostles (10)III. The Sermon on the
  Kingdom (13)IV. The Sermon on Leadership (18)
  V. The Sermon on the Last Things (22-23)

• 13,1-9 Parable of the Sower
• 13,10-15 The Purpose of Parables
• 13,16-17 The Privilege of Discipleship
• 13,18-23 The Explanation of the Parable of the
  Sower
• 13,24-30 The Parable and the Weeds among the
  Wheat
• 13,31-32 The Parable of the Mustard Seed
• 13,33 The Parable of the Yeast
• 13,34-35 The Use of Parables
• 13,36-43 The Explanation of the Parable of the
  Weeds
• 13,44-50 More parables
• 13,51-53 Treasurers New and Old
• 13,54-58 The Rejection at Nazareth

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Gospel reading Matthew 131-9

• Commentary
• Vv.1-2 observe Jesus sitting down by the sea, and
  on a boat. The rabbis sit down as they teach.
• In contrast, the people stand up.
• Vv.3-8 are about the parable of the sower.
• This is the first of the parables in Matthew 13.
• V.3 is where we draw the title of the parable.
• There are four kinds of ground on which the seed
  is sown
• First, along a path (exposed to birds), v.4
• Second, on a rocky ground (little soil), vv.5-6
• Third, among thorns (thorns choked it), v.7
• Fourth, on a rich soil (fruits, 100, 60 or 30
  fold). V.8
• Only on rich soil does the seed grow and bear
  fruit.
• V.9 states the morale of the story.
• All who have ears are obliged to hear and to
  learn, otherwise, they are inutile.

• Setting by the sea
• 1 On that day, Jesus went out of the house and
  sat down by the sea. 2 Such large crowds
  gathered around him that he got into a boat and
  sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the
  shore.
• Parable of the Sower
• 3 And he spoke to them at length in parables,
  saying "A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he
  sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came
  and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky ground,
  where it had little soil. It sprang up at once
  because the soil was not deep, 6 and when the
  sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for
  lack of roots. 7 Some seed fell among thorns,
  and the thorns grew up and choked it. 8 But some
  seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a
  hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
• A follow-up saying
• 9 Whoever has ears ought to hear."

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Reflections on the gospel reading

• The gospel is about giving importance to the Word
  of God.
• The Word of God prospers only on good soil.
• We ask, are we the good soil?
• We make ourselves the good soil, through hard
  work, through conversion.
• Conversion is a lifelong process. Thats why, we
  need to listen always to the Word of God, for
  instruction.
• Through us, the Word of God bears fruit
  abundantly.
• Do not let the Word of God fall on deaf ears.

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Tying the 3 readings and the Psalm

• The first reading talks about the efficacious and
  efficient Word of God.
• The psalm talks about God as a good provider.
• The second reading talks about our destiny.
  (through the Words of the earlier missionaries
  and Paul)
• The gospel reading talks about the Word of God
  sown on good people, who will produce much fruit.

We must develop the message of the gospel first,
then that of the first reading, and, lastly, that
of the second reading.
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How to develop your homily / sharing

• Do you pay attention to the Word of God?
• Is there a change in you after having encountered
  the Word of God in the liturgy and in your
  private reading?
• How do we best receive Gods Word?

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• The gospel reading tells us how to receive the
  Word of God.
• The Word of God does not grow if the soil is not
  well prepared.
• We, humans, must be well prepared (conditioned)
  to receive the seed (Word of God) so that once it
  is sown, it will grow and bear fruit.
• To be receptive to the Word of God, we must do a
  lot of work to change ourselves.

22

• We must remove sin (materialism, too many
  distractions, not seriously committed) from our
  hearts.
• Life of sin and distractions impede the growth of
  Gods Word in us.

23

• The first reading tells us that it is God who
  sends the Word of God to all of us, humans.
• that we may become productive.
• It is compared to the rain that falls and
  nurtures the earth before it goes back to the
  sky.
• Christians are supposed to be nurtured by the
  Word of God.
• The Word of God does not go back to God until it
  accomplishes its mission of forming us.
• Let us not delay the return of the Word to God,
  by our inattentiveness, by our negligence and by
  our disobedience.

24

• The second reading develops the theme of the
  fruit of the Word of God sown to Christians, who
  respond to it generously.
• The fruit is the ability to suffer and to embrace
  that suffering as a transition to the promised
  glory (paschal mystery).
• Are you willing to sacrifice for the Lord and
  embrace sufferings, when given tasks and mission
  in your church and community?

25

• The Word of God must be fostered in our
  communities and churches.
• Our churches must become fertile ground for
  evangelization.
• If we, Christians, are not growing in love and in
  the knowledge of God in our communities because
  the Word of God is not properly preached to us,
  we better shut our churches down.
• Too much expense for nothing.

26

• We, Christians, have the right to demand to be
  evangelized.
• The main job of the pastor is to evangelize, to
  sow the Word of God, to teach what it means to us
  here and now.
• We do not allow ourselves to be led in the church
  by people, who are not evangelized, and have no
  interest in the Word of God, who do not attend
  Bible Studies/Sharing.

27

• The reception of the eucharist, the body and
  blood of Christ, is a manifestation of our
  acceptance of the Word of God.
• The eucharist, like the Word of God, nurtures the
  spirit of every Christian who receives it.
• The eucharist is for those who spread the Word of
  God.

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Our Context of Sin and Grace

• No time for Bible Study/Sharing
• Tele-evangelists
• No respect for the Word of God
• Fundamentalist interpretation
• Misinterpretation
• Overinterpretation
• Fear of the Bible

• Training of lectors, commentators and ordained
  preachers
• Evangelization
• Re-evangelization
• New Evangelization
• Renewed Integral evangelization
• Word of God sown anew on the young generation
  through modern media.
• Conversion through Gods Word

The End
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Suggested Songs

• The Heavens are Telling
• I Love You All
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vqxaP-9mLXCE