RCIA: Gospel Themes 2022 - 2023

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ORDINARY TIME: YEAR C

DATE	WEEK	GOSPEL	THEMES	COMMENTS
08/07	19	Lk 12:32-48	Vigilance   We must be prepared   The Lord will come again	The people of the Exodus prepared, trusted & kept courageous vigilance. By faith Abraham journeyed.  We embrace these characteristics as prudent servants, watchful of the master’s return.
08/14	20	Lk 12:49-53​	Purifying & Refining   The message of Jesus will cause a  disturbance to which we respond	Jesus came to enlighten the eyes of our hearts, for the fire of the Holy Spirit to be ignited in us.  We share in His Baptism and the spread of the Gospel where struggle can lead to peace.
08/21	21	Lk 13:22-30	On Being Saved   God loves first Our response is to love in return	Being faithful means to deliberately practice authentic spirituality: love, trust, patience, hope, forgiveness. We cultivate grateful hearts.
08/28	22	Lk 14:1,7-14	Growing in Humility   Invite those in need	Jesus teaches in the context of a meal. Never assume places of honor.   A key element to discipleship is humility before God and one another.
09/04	23	Lk 14:25-33	The Cost of Discipleship   Must love those who are different	Discipleship involves accepting a different way of life.  A total commitment to Jesus means that we reassess our relationships and reorder our priorities and become intentional disciples.
09/11	24	Lk 15:1-32	The God Who Seeks   Searches intently, finds and has great joy	The gospel invites us to seek and retrieve what is lost; to be surprised by a loving & forgiving host. We are called to become like the Father.
09/18	25	Lk 16:1-13	On Acting Decisively   Must dedicate oneself to God	We assess our strengths & weaknesses and waste no time to set things right with God and others.  Cultivating relationships is key.
09/25	26	Lk 16 19-31	Lazarus and the Rich Man   The privileged mistakenly think they can secure their future	The poor are real people with real names who are often right in front of us.  Those who are blind to the needs of the poor are also blind to the resurrection of Jesus.
10/02	27	Lk 17:5-10	Mustard Seed & Reign of God   Only Jesus can build up faith	Mustard seeds spread quickly and are almost impossible to eradicate – just like the spreading of the gospel.  Service is expected of disciples without complaint or a sense of entitlement.
10/09	28	Lk 17:11-19	10 Lepers & Saving Gratitude   Aim: Hearts shaped by gratitude	Jesus heals and makes us whole.  He does for us over and over again what he did for the 10 Lepers. We acknowledge God’s constant care.
10/16	29	Lk 18: 1-8	Persistent Pursuit of Justice   Repeated action  Never give up.  Pray Always	Reversals: A powerful judge yields to a powerless widow; persistency implies purpose. Purpose & prayer are keys to discipleship.
10/23	30	Lk 18:9-14	The Pharisee vs The Tax Collector   Be open to mercy & transformation	Humility allows God to transform our own sinfulness. We don’t thank God that we are not like others.  No, we have love and compassion for them.
10/30	31	Lk 19:1-10	Zacchaeus out on a Limb   Jesus will also respond to  our desire to reach out to Him Jesus sees and invites us too	Zacchaeus is not afraid to make a fool of himself for Jesus.  He takes risks and welcomes Jesus with great joy. Like the Prodigal Son and the lost coin, Zacchaeus has been found.
11/06	32	Lk 20:27-38	Resurrection & the Afterlife   Our hope is now Our identity as children of God	The afterlife is not simply a delayed reward.  The Resurrection from the dead is complete transformation by the living God.
11/13	33	Lk 21:5-19	The Lens of Jesus’ Resurrection   A hopeful look forward	When our focus is on Jesus and not on our trials, we are able to stand fearless.  God is with us.
11/20	Christ The King	Lk 23:35-43	The Way of Jesus   The power of Forgiveness & Love	Jesus, the forgiving Savior, embraces sinners.  For the good thief & us, paradise begins today.

​ADVENT: YEAR A

DATE	WEEK	GOSPEL	THEMES	COMMENTS
11/27	Advent 1	Mt 24:37-44	Something is Coming! ​  Be Prepared / Live in Hope	We start advent and prepare for the coming of our savior into our lives!  Advent is our wake-up call.
12/04	Advent 2	Mt 3: 1-12	Repent!   The Kingdom of God is at Hand	Prophets announce to people who experience abandonment that God is with them. Justice!
12/11	Advent 3	Mt 11: 2-11	Jesus is the one who is to come!   The Promise of Joy	God wants us to have the fullness of life – it will come with the coming of the Lord.
12/18	Advent 4	Mt 1:18-24	Living the Dream   Commitment means a long journey	​God’s dream is that we live in the world as God’s adopted and saved children.

CHRISTMAS SEASON

DATE	WEEK	GOSPEL	THEMES	COMMENTS
12/25	Christmas	John 1:1-18	The Word Becomes Flesh   God’s own Son is the Message	The Word continues to be born in us who by baptism have received a share of his fullness.
12/30	Holy Family	Mt 2:13-15, 19-23	Guided by God In All We Do   Act Immediately	All of our relationships ought to bring the presence of Christ to the world as one holy family.
01/01	Mary Mother Of God	Luke 2: 16-21	Restful Contemplation We ponder the “All” of our experiences.	Mary responds to the shepherds and their message by reflecting – from the heart.  Truth & peace come to us in the silence.
01/08	Epiphany	Matt 2: 1-12	Celebrating Spiritual Growth   The human race follows the star	Epiphany means “manifestation.”  Our faith is based on God who entered into human history.  We celebrate Jesus in the world.
01/09	Baptism Of The Lord	Mt 3: 13-17	Chosen to Serve   This is my beloved Son	Jesus is Chosen, blessed, broken, and given as are we when we connect our lives to him.

​ORDINARY TIME

DATE	WEEK	GOSPEL	THEMES	COMMENTS
01/15	2	Jn 1: 29-34	Consider Jesus   The call to know Jesus as the Lamb of God   The blood of the Lamb saved Israel, liberates, and gives us new life	John invites us to look at Jesus, the lamb & source of life for others.  Jesus’ identity is from God. Behold the Lamb of God is statement of faith that we assent to during Mass just before receiving Eucharist.
01/22	3	Mt 4: 12-23	The Call to Follow Jesus   Missionary Discipleship	Today we remember turning points in our lives and reflect on the fact that the call of Jesus can change the lives of ordinary people in extraordinary ways.
01/29	4	Mt 5: 1-12a	Sermon on the Mount, Week I:   The Heart of Jesus’ Preaching To live as He has called us to live	The Beatitudes speak of incredible reversals, of the blessed sustained in times of struggle by God’s love.  For example, the poor stand without pretense before God as their only hope.
02/05	5	Mt 5: 13-16	Sermon on the Mount, Week II:   Salt and Light for the World Our mission is to change the world	Jesus brings salt - something lacking in our lives.  Light is hope and new ways to see. Disciples are to influence the world for good.
02/12	6	Mt 5: 17-37	Sermon on the Mount, Week III   Jesus as the new Torah Reconciliation, Simplicity, Integrity	Our journey is a conversion experience which affects our commitments and relationships.  Jesus teaches the way of transformation
02/19	7	Mt 5: 38-48	Sermon on the Mount, Week IV   Guided by Jesus Compassion, Kindness, Love	“Perfect” means to extend divine mercy that we have received to others – not just those we like.  God does this; therefore, we must also.

​SEASON OF LENT

DATE	WEEK	GOSPEL	THEMES	COMMENTS
02/22	Ash Wednesday	Matt 6: 1-6, 16-18	For God’s Eyes Only ​ Almsgiving, Fasting & Prayer	These fundamental acts of piety ought to be done in a true spirit of worship from the heart.
02/26	1 Lent	Mt 4: 1-11	Temptation in the Desert   Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days	It is risky to let ourselves be led by the Spirit, often it leads to the wilderness.  We must trust.
03/05	2 Lent	Mt 17: 1-9	On a Mountain with Jesus   This is my Chosen Son.  Listen to Him	Our Task: to bring the mountain top experience of knowing Jesus with us on our daily journey.
03/12	3 Lent	Jn 4: 5-42	Jesus Offers Living Water   Jesus & The Woman at the Well   Come & see a man who told me everything	Jesus reveals Himself to a person who is an outcast, resistant to growth. She & we are called.
03/19	4 Lent	Jn 9: 1-41	Jesus Brings Creation to Completion The Man Born Blind	Jesus Heals: The light of the world gave sight to the man born blind, who listened & believed.
03/26	5 Lent	Jn 11: 1-45	Jesus’ Love: The Source of our Hope The Raising of Lazarus	Love allows for deep grief; love is stronger than darkness & death.  God’s love fills us with hope.
04/02	Palm Sunday	Mt 26: 14 -27:66	Jesus’ Last Journey of Joy & Sorrow   Into Jerusalem and to the hill of Calvary	Jesus comes from the Father bringing life.  Jesus’ death is a turning point in human history. We pray that we will follow Jesus faithfully and also rise one day to new life with him.

THE TRIDUUM

DATE	WEEK	GOSPEL	THEMES	COMMENTS
04/06	Holy Thursday	John 13: 1-15	Jesus Loved to the End   Jesus Washes his Disciples’ Feet	The meal is tied to the Jewish Passover to emphasize the passage through death to new life.  We follow Jesus’ example and learn to live in service for one another. We celebrate Jesus’ love for us with the Eucharist.
04/07	Good Friday	Jn 18: 1–19:42	Jesus – Obedient to Death   The New Lamb of God  The Way of Nonviolence	The key here is the life-giving faith in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God.  Jesus is faithful; freely chooses to lay down his life in order to draw all people to life in him.
04/08 ​	The Great Vigil Of Easter	Mt 28: 1-10	You Will See Him!   He has been Raised	The power of God changed Jesus – and human existence - forever.  We are invited to open our eyes, in faith, and see the risen Christ in our midst - and be sent.

THE SEASON OF EASTER

DATE	WEEK	GOSPEL	THEMES	COMMENTS
04/16	2 Easter	Jn 20: 19-31	Jesus Offers the Gift of Peace   Jesus stands in their midst	The disciples hide in fear and Jesus comes and gives them his peace. They are sent out by Jesus to tell others – so that all might have life.  Thomas confirms the pattern:  Receive. Be sent. Live life through Jesus.
04/23	3 Easter	Lk 24: 13-35	The Road from No Hope to Hope   Hearts burning from within	Jesus interprets scripture for the two walking away from Jerusalem devastated.  And it was in the breaking of the bread that they recognized Jesus and immediately returned to the community with new hearts.
04/30	4 ​Easter	Jn 10: 1-10	The Lord is My Shepherd   One by one he calls his own sheep	Jesus seeks to guide, guard and nurture so that all might have life and have it more abundantly.  We hear and recognize his voice and follow him.
05/07	5 ​Easter	Jn 14: 1-12	I am the Way, the Truth and the Life   Jesus seeks to strengthen us	We experience God by involving ourselves in the work which Jesus has been doing.
05/14	6 ​Easter	Jn 14: 15-21	The Advocate will be with you forever   The Spirit of Truth abides with you	When we read the Gospels, we read our stories.  Our stories are sacred; the Spirit of Jesus lives.
05/21	Ascension	Mt 28: 16-20	The Work Goes On    Our Mission: To make disciples	Jesus commissions us to be his hands and feet in the world; Jesus will be with us always- forever.
05/28	Pentecost	Jn 20: 19-23	​The Gifts of Pentecost   Peace, Mission & the Holy Spirit	The gift of the Holy Spirit makes it possible for the disciples-and us- to be Christ to the world.