Accountability and Support
“Iron is sharpened by iron; one person sharpens another.”
– Proverbs 27:17
Monthly Focus on Piety
What have I studied during the past 30 days to help me better understand the gifts of God?
M1. Bible Reading
M2. Books of Formation
M3. Periodicals
M4. Other
Discussion Questions for January 5, 2025 (B) The Epiphany of the Lord
First Reading
Isaiah 60:1-6
Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you:
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.
Then you shall be radiant at what you see,
your heart shall throb and overflow,
for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,
the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.
Caravans of camels shall fill you,
dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;
all from Sheba shall come
bearing gold and frankincense,
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
First Reading Discussion Questions
F1. The First Reading says that, even though darkness covered the earth, still, light and glory came to Jerusalem. Are you aware of God’s light and glory? What about God’s actions in your life?
F2. Did Jerusalem have light of her own, apart from God? Were nations coming to her or just to the light? Was the star shining only for the people in Jerusalem or for all people everywhere? What do you think draws people to the Church today, power or tenderness? The light of proselytizing or of love?
Second Reading
Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6
Brothers and sisters:
You have heard of the stewardship of God's grace
that was given to me for your benefit,
namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation.
It was not made known to people in other generations
as it has now been revealed
to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:
that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,
and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Second Reading Discussion Questions
S1. Paul spoke of a mystery that brightened the whole world. What was it? Why was a star an integral part of the story?
S2. Paul says that a revelation was given him by the Spirit. He said that Christ’s life was too great to be limited to its starting place. His life was for all generations and not only the Jews but the Gentiles as well. All are “coheirs, members of the same body.” Did the star’s light shine on each and every person, precious and irreplaceable in God’s eyes? Does this mean that we all need each another?
Gospel
Matthew 2:1-12
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
"Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage."
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel."
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
"Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage."
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.
Gospel Discussion Questions
G1. The Maji return home by another way” (Mt 2:12). Could that be a challenge for us to listen to the Holy Spirit who shows us new ways of thinking and opens new paths through synodality?
G2. The Maji give the gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. According to Pope Francis, what are the three gifts they received?
The first gift is the gift of the call. The Magi were not alerted because they had read the Scriptures or because they had seen a vision of angels, but they sensed it while they were studying the stars. … God calls us through our aspirations and our greatest desires. The Magi allowed themselves to be amazed and inconvenienced by the novelty of the star, and they set out on a journey towards the unknown. Educated and wise, they were fascinated more by what they did not know than by what they already knew. …We are called not to settle, to seek the Lord by stepping out of our comfort zone, journeying towards him with others. … For God calls … each one of us, every day. He calls us here and he calls us today, in our world.
But the Magi speak to us about a second gift: discernment. …
Finally, the Magi speak to us about a third gift: the surprise. After a long journey, what do these high-ranking men in society find? A baby with his mother (cf. v. 11): certainly, a tender scene, but not astonishing! They do not see the angels like the shepherds did, but they meet God in poverty. Perhaps they were expecting a powerful and prodigious Messiah, and they find a baby. And still, they do not think they made a mistake; they know how to recognize him. They welcome God’s surprise and experience their encounter with him with amazement, adoring him—in his littleness, they recognize God’s face. Humanly, we are all inclined to seek greatness, but it is a gift to know how to truly find it—to know how to find greatness in the littleness that God loves so much. For the Lord is encountered like this: in humility, in silence, in adoration, in the small and in the poor.
Pope Francis Angelus for the Epiphany
Jan 6, 2023
**From Saint Louis University & Anne Osdieck
Suggested Strategies for Managing the Clock
For those with smaller groups or those who have the luxury of enough allotted time, it is suggested that the group cover each question from the monthly focus through the Gospel discussion questions
For those with larger groups or don't have the luxury of operating on God's Time, it is suggested that the group cover the monthly focus question and then feel free to skip around and attempt to answer only a few questions - whether that’s just the gospel, or the second reading and gospel, etc.