Question of the Week

Reading I: Numbers 11:25-29—Sharing the gift of prophecy
Reading II: James 5:1-6 - Saving the right focus
Gospel: Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48 - Sharing our possessions
Key Passage: Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. (James 5:4)

Adults: What are the three most important values motivating your daily decisions?
Kids: Could a poor person who is wise be richer in a way than a foolish person who has many things? Why?

Reading I: Isaiah 50:4-9a - Salvation through the Lord's servant
Reading II: James 2:14-18 - Faith and good works
Gospel: Mark 8:27-35 - First teaching of the Paschal event and the doctrine of the Cross
Key Passage: Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. (James 2:17–18)

Adults: Why should faith always lead to good works?
Kids: What good works can you do to show your faith in Jesus?

Reading I: Isaiah 35:4-7a - Israel's deliverance
Reading II: James 2:1-5 - Against favoritism
Gospel: Mark 7:31-37 - Healing of a deaf-mute
Key Passage: Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? (James 2:5)

Adults: When has your faith in Jesus enabled you to speak out on an issue of importance?
Kids: What does your belief in Jesus mean to you?

Reading I: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8 - Advantages of fidelity
Reading II: James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27 - Response to God's gift
Gospel: Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 - Jesus and the Pharisees
Key Passage: Welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. (James 1:21–22)

Adults: Which words of Jesus provide the most inspiration for the Christian work that you do?
Kids: How do you welcome the words of Jesus into your heart?

Reading I: Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b - Reminder of the divine goodness
Reading II: Ephesians 5:21-32 or 5:2a, 25-32—Christian wives and husbands
Gospel: John 6:60-69 - Effect of the bread of life discourse
Key Passage: This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church. Each of you, however, should love his wife as himself, and a wife should respect her husband. (Ephesians 5:32–33)

Adults: In what way has the example of Christian marriage (your own or that of another couple) helped you understand the relationship between Christ and his church?

Kids: What can you do for your family to show them Jesus' love and care?

Reading I: Proverbs 9:1-6 - Forsake foolishness
Reading II: Ephesians 5:15-20 - Sing praise to the Lord
Gospel: John 6:41-51 - Discourse on the bread of life, continued
Key Passage: Jesus said, "Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day." (John 6:54)

Adults: How does Jesus' promise of eternal life affect the way you live today?
Kids: How often do you think about heaven? Does it make a difference in the choices you make?

Reading I: 1 Kings 19:4-8 - Elijah's flight to Horeb
Reading II: Ephesians 4:30—5:2 - Vices to be avoided
Gospel: John 6:41-51 - Discourse on the bread of life, continued
Key Passage: Jesus said, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." (John 6:51)

Adults: When has the bread of life given you the strength you needed to face a difficult situation in your life?

Kids: What will you ask Jesus to help you with when you receive Holy Communion this week?

Reading I: Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15 - Manna in the desert
Reading II: Ephesians 4:17, 20-24 - Renewal in Christ
Gospel: John 6:24-35 - Discourse on the bread of life
Key Passage: So they said to Jesus, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing?" (John 6:30)

Adults: When has your faith helped you believe without "seeing signs" from God?
Kids: Who helps you believe in things you cannot see?

Reading I: 2 Kings 4:42-44 - Elisha: the multiplication of loaves
Reading II: Ephesians 4:1-6 - Unity in the Mystical Body
Gospel: John 6:1-15 - Multiplication of the loaves
Key Passage: When [the people] were satisfied, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost." So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. (John 6:12–13)

Adults: When has the generous gift of another offered you hope?
Kids: What loving gift could you give to another person this week?

Reading I Jeremiah 23:1-6 - Messianic reign
Reading II Ephesians 2:13-18 - All united in Christ
Gospel Mark 6:30-34 - Return of the disciples
Key Passage The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them,
"Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” (Mark 6:30–31a)

Adults: What do you do to rest so that you can return to work refreshed?
Kids: When will you take time to stop and pray this week?

Reading I: Amos 7:12-15 - Amos called by God to prophecy
Reading II: Ephesians 1:3-14 - Blessing for Jew and Gentile
Gospel: Mark 6:7-13 - The mission of the Twelve
Key Passage: He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. (Mark 6:7)

Adults: What good news of Jesus can you share with others this week?
Kids: What good news of Jesus can you share with others this week?

Reading I: Ezekiel 2:2-5 - The Lord speaks to Ezekiel
Reading II: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 - Paul's weakness
Gospel: Mark 6:1-6 - Jesus at Nazareth
Key Passage: [Paul said,] Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:8)

Adults: What unavoidable weakness in yourself do you struggle to accept?
Kids: What have you wished would be different or better about you?

Reading I: Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24 - God's justice and its rejection by the wicked
Reading II: 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15 - Liberal giving
Gospel: Mark 5:21-43 - The daughter of Jairus; the woman with a hemorrhage
Key Passage: For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)

Adults: When have you felt enriched by a sacrifice you made for another?

Child: Whom could you help by your acts of kindness this week?