RCIA: Gospel Themes 2021 - 2022

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ORDINARY TIME: YEAR B

DATE	WEEK	GOSPEL	THEMES	COMMENTS
08/01	18	John 6:24-25	In Search of…  Jesus   I am the Bread of Life	The crowd is searching. Through bread Jesus tells us that he wants to be with us and care for us.   Jesus identifies himself with “I AM.”  Our deepest needs are satisfied when we allow Him to sustain us.
08/08	19	John 6:41-51	God’s Template: Liberation & Identity Again and Again   Whoever eats of this bread will live forever   The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world	The text refers back to the Exodus story.  After God liberated the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, they grumbled (mistrust) in the desert.  God provided for them & the Israelites claimed their identity as People of God.  This template of liberation and identity happens again through Jesus - sent by God – to offer liberation, salvation, eternal life to all who believe in Him
08/15	20	Luke 1:39-56	The Solemnity of The Assumption of Mary   The Mighty One has done great things for me:    He has raised up the lowly	Mary went to Judah’s hills to share God’s great love with her cousin Elizabeth.  And Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit… Mary proclaims the greatness of the Lord.  God works through those who trust -with humility!
08/22	21	John 6:60-69	Choose Today / Choose Life   The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and Life    You have the words of eternal life	We must choose freely and fully to participate in the death and life of Jesus.  Passively receiving a sacrament is not enough.  The grace we receive is directly related to the personal faith, spiritual expectancy, and hunger with which we approach the sacraments.  Our resistance to God constantly needs to be overcome by God’s grace.
08/29	22	Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23​	Live From the Inside Out “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”   Things that come out from within defile	Our innermost thoughts & feelings are always expressed outwardly.  Created in the image of God, we cultivate God’s love in our hearts.  We pray for the grace to allow this love from within to reveal who we truly are.
09/05	23	Mark 7:31-37	Be Open to a Healing Touch   He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak   Be Opened!	The triumph of God announced by Isaiah has arrived through Jesus.  The word, the touch, the compassion of Jesus heals.  Jesus’ miracles point to a hidden reality yet to come.  We too must be open to healing & transformation on our journey of faith.
09/12	24	Mark 8:27-35	The Servant of the Lord   Who do you say that I am?   Whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it	The disciples are “on the way” with Jesus.  We intentionally choose to live a life of ever-deepening self-surrender in love, a life for the sake of others, as Jesus did.  He will show us how.
09/19	25	Mark 9:30-37	Jesus Teaches to Embrace the Least   Whoever receives on such child as this in my name, receives me	The disciples continue to not understand Jesus’ teachings. Their egos get in the way.   Jesus takes a child to represent someone of lowly status, the most vulnerable.  Whoever receives the most vulnerable, receives Jesus and God.
09/26	26	Mark  9:38-43, 45, 47-4	Our Aim:  The Consistent Christian Life    There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me	Judging divides and causes harm.  Sin is destructive and affects the entire community.  The best way to prevent the spread of sin is to not sin and to pray and try to live a consistent Christian life. We need humility to ask for forgiveness when we have not been consistent.
10/03	27	Mark 10:2-16	The Kingdom of God is a Relationship   Whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it   The vulnerable humbly receive God’s grace as a gift	Jesus roots his teachings in God.    Marriage affirms mutuality, is life-giving:  A community of love & life with God.  The love that a husband and wife give to each other is a reflection of the love that God has given them.  A Christian marriage can be a witness or a beacon of God’s love in the world.  Gift and grace are key to holy & healthy relationships.
10/10	28	Mark 10: 17-30	An Apprenticeship of Love   We have given up everything and followed you   All things are possible for God	The man asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus looks at the man and loves him.  He calls this man, and us, to discipleship.  Attachment to Jesus and not to other things that distract is key.  May Jesus free us from false cares.
10/17	29	Mark 10: 35-45	Drinking from the Cup   What do you wish me to do for you?	The disciples again let the ego get in the way.  Awareness of what we seek matters.   Followers of Jesus must be willing to suffer for others; The Christian lives for the sake of others, not for one’s self interests.
10/24	30	Mark 10:46-52	Blind Trust in Jesus to Heal   What do you want me to do for you?   Master, I want to see	Bartimaeus wants to see, he shouts for mercy.  Note the glaring contrast in the deeper blindness of Jesus’ disciples.  We all need to see – to be healed - both physically and spiritually. We pray for mercy.  Lord, help us to see!
10/31	31	Mark 12: 28b-34	The Two Great Commandments:   Love God & Love Neighbor	Jesus connects the love of God to particular individuals we encounter each day.  We are to love who God loves.  And how we love others directly reflects how we love God.
11/07	32	Mark 12:38-44	Trust & Act in Simple Faith   This poor widow put in more than all the others   She contributed all she had	The poor woman gives all that she had.  We too are called to trust and to give in order to love God and one another.  The reason why we give matters:  Genuine self-giving out of gratitude for all that God has done, for God’s first love for us
11/14	33	Mark 13:24-32	On the Gathering of the Elect   He will gather his elect from the four winds   My words will not pass away	We are to be vigilant now for what is already and not yet; the focus is on the joy of the elect.   We claim this joy!  Peace, security, fulfillment happen when we are caught up in the life of God - beginning now.
11/21	Christ The King	John 18: 3b-37	Our King of the Universe   I came into the world to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice	The person of Jesus is always tied to what he gave his life for: the coming of the Reign of God.   We are alert to the signs of the Reign of God in our world today and make the one who conquered sin and death, the center of our lives.  Christ is our king.

​ADVENT: YEAR C

DATE	WEEK	GOSPEL	THEMES	COMMENTS
11/28	Advent 1	Luke 21: 25-28, 34-36	On Waiting Eagerly   Be Vigilant at all times	The second coming of Christ is not about fear. We renew our trust in God’s love and wait for the coming of Jesus Christ.
12/05	Advent 2	Luke 3:1-6	Hope Involves Real People in Real Times & Places   All shall see the salvation of God	The Good News is that the promise has happened! John proclaims salvation through baptism & the forgiveness of sins.
12/12	Advent 3	Luke 3: 10-18	Joy in the Lord!   What should we do? All were asking with their hearts	We put our joy for the coming of the Kingdom into practice by sharing with those in need, with fairness and justice.
12/19	Advent 4	Luke 1: 39-45	Fidelity to God:  Reliance on Others Whom we Trust   Blessed are you who believe	​Elizabeth has an intimate relationship with God and affirms the faithfulness of Mary.  We rely on the companionship of others.

CHRISTMAS SEASON - YEAR C

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 and become Children of God.
12/26	Holy Family	Luke 2: 41-52	Holy Families Belong to God   Mary kept these things in her heart	Jesus returns with his family to Nazareth, but Mary knows Jesus is no longer hers. We too choose our families in Christ.
01/01	Mary Mother Of God	Luke 2: 16-21	Contemplation from the Heart   We ponder the “ALL”	Mary responds to the shepherds and their message by reflecting – from the heart.  Truth & peace come to us in the silence.
01/02	Epiphany	Matt 2: 1-12	Jesus is Present in the World   With joy, we see and follow the star	Our faith is based on God who entered into human history. We celebrate Jesus in the world and bring His presence to all by the manner in which we choose to live.
01/09	Baptism Of The Lord	Luke 3: 15-16,21-22	​Baptized to Serve   You are my Beloved Son; With you I am well pleased.	​Jesus is chosen, blessed, broken, and given to others.  We are too when we connect our lives to him.  Through Baptism, we are united to Christ.

​ORDINARY TIME - YEAR C

DATE	WEEK	GOSPEL	THEMES	COMMENTS
01/16	2	John 2: 1-11	The Wedding in Cana   The Birthing of Jesus’ Public Ministry   Do whatever he tells you	There is a strong connection between Cana & the Cross; Mary is the midwife to the birthing of Jesus’ public ministry AND a witness to the birthing of new life through Jesus’ death on the cross.  The miracle at Cana helps to reveal the mystery of the cross.
01/23	3	Luke 1: 1-4, 4: 14-21	Jesus the Prophet   The Spirit of the Lord is upon me Because he has anointed me	The prophetic ministry of Jesus is to bring about liberation, healing, reconciliation. Followers of Jesus are witnesses of the faith and love of Christ to the world.
01/30	4	Luke 4: 21-30	The Rejected Prophet   Isn’t this the son of Joseph?	Jesus knows he will be rejected; he reaches beyond the confines of his own people; His mission is continued by all who hear and accept the gift of faith
02/06	5	Luke 5: 1-11	An Invitation to Transformation   They left everything and followed him	The decision to follow Jesus is never imposed; He shows us abundant grace when we place our trust in Him.  God is present to us as God was to Isaiah, Paul and Peter.  Jesus will transform our lives.
02/13	6	Luke 6: 17,20-26	Sermon on the Plain: Part I   The Beatitudes	The kingdom – through Jesus – is in our grasps. The more we care for the poor and those in need, the more real the kingdom of God becomes now.
02/20	7	Luke 6: 27-38	Sermon on the Plain: Part II   Practical Demands	Being Christian is demanding; to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us takes faith and the grace of God.  Jesus shows us how.
02/27	8	Luke 6: 39-45	Sermon on the Plain: Part III   Building Character	​Every tree is known by its fruit.  We have the seed of God hidden within us.  Jesus, who feeds, nurtures and sustains us, is the key to bearing good fruit.

​SEASON OF LENT - YEAR A

DATE	WEEK	GOSPEL	THEMES	COMMENTS
03/02	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. We enter Lent with humble hearts.
03/06	1 Lent	Luke 4: 1-13	Temptation in the Desert   Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days	It’s risky to let ourselves be led by the Spirit, often it leads to the wilderness.  We must trust – especially in times of temptations.
03/13	2 Lent	Luke 9: 28b-36	On a Mountain with Jesus   This is my Chosen Son.  Listen to Him	God reveals Jesus to us. Our task is to bring the mountain top experience of knowing Him with us on our daily journey.
03/20	3 Lent	John 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 and resistant to growth.  The woman, like us, wants acceptance, to be satisfied.  Jesus quenches her deepest longings and immediately she tells others.   She and we are called forth by Jesus.
03/27	4 Lent	John 9: 1-41	Jesus Completes Creation   The Man Born Blind   I do believe Lord	Jesus heals the blind man with mud & spittle. The light of the world continues to give sight to those who listen and believe.  Jesus heals and calls us to declare our belief.
04/03	5 Lent	John 11: 1-45	The Source of our Hope   The Raising of Lazarus I am the Resurrection and the Life	Love allows for deep grief.  Love is stronger than darkness & death.  By raising Lazarus, Jesus foreshadows what is to come: Our destiny with Him based on God’s love for us.
04/10	6 Lent	Luke 22: 14 to 23:56	Jesus’ Final Journey: Temptation and Obedience   Today you will be with me in paradise	​Luke highlights Jesus’ absolute faithfulness. Despite the agony in the Garden; the denial and rejection of those around him;  the excruciating pain in hanging nailed to a cross, Jesus keeps the focus on his mission.

THE TRIDUUM

DATE	WEEK	GOSPEL	THEMES	COMMENTS
04/14	Holy Thursday	John 13: 1-15	Jesus Loved to the End   Jesus washes his disciples’ feet	We learn a new way of being: to live in service for one another. We celebrate Jesus’ love for us in this meal and offer selfless love in return.
04/15	Good Friday	John 18:1 to 19:42	Jesus Obedient to Death ​  It is finished.  And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.	Jesus is faithful to the will of the Father and freely chooses to lay down his life.  We have received God’s total and absolute gift of love in order to draw all people to life with God.
04/16	The Great Vigil Of Easter	Luke 24: 1-12	​Jesus Raised from the Dead   Why do you seek the Living One among the dead?	​The inadequate faith of Jesus’ followers underscores our need for deep belief & trust in Him.  Death is not the end.  Jesus brings us to new life.   Nothing is impossible for God.

THE SEASON OF EASTER - YEAR C

DATE	WEEK	GOSPEL	THEMES	COMMENTS
04/24	2 Easter	John 20: 19-31	Jesus Offers the Gift of Peace   Jesus stands in their midst   Peace be with you	The disciples hid in fear; yet, Jesus appeared to them in the upper room and offered peace.  Faith comes to Thomas, and to us, by hearing the word of the risen Lord so that we may believe and have life in his name.
05/01	3 Easter	John 21: 1-19	​Breakfast with Jesus   Yes Lord, you know that I love you	A meal with Jesus is an experience of forgiveness and mercy.  We share this together whenever we gather for Eucharist.
05/08	4 ​Easter	John 10: 27-30	Our Identity I: We Are God’s People   Sheep of his Flock	We hear Jesus’ voice which means we have a relationship with Him. Jesus will not allow anyone to snatch away those who have been given to Him by the Father.  He leads us to a transformed life with God.
05/15	5 ​Easter	John 13: 31-33a, 34-35	Our Identity II: We are known by our love ​ Love one another	God remains in us if we love one another as he loved us. God’s love is at the core of who we are.  Selfless love is the Christian lifestyle.
05/22	6 ​Easter	John 14: 23-29	Our Identity III: We have unity in Christ   My peace I give to you	The gifts of unity and peace:  The Holy Spirit is at work in our desire to have peace. Jesus gives the peace that the world cannot give.
05/29	Ascension	Luke 24: 46-53	He Blesses the New Church   You are a witness to these things	Jesus assured his disciples of the coming of the Spirit to continue his work.   With great joy they returned to the temple praising God.
06/05	Pentecost	John 20: 19-23	​The Gifts of Pentecost   Peace, Mission & the Holy Spirit	​The gift of the Holy Spirit makes possible for the disciples-and us- to be Christ to others in the world.