Opening the Word is a series of prompts from The Emmaus Institute for Biblical Studies to help focus our minds and hearts on the Sunday Mass Readings. After Jesus revealed Himself to the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus, they said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32). Our Lord desires to enflame our hearts also by revealing Himself to us in His Word. Take this opportunity to pause, and allow the Lord to make Himself known to you through the opening of the Scriptures which will ready your eyes to see Him in the breaking of the bread.
First Reading: Wisdom of Solomon 7:7-11
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
Second Reading: Hebrews 4:12-13
Gospel: Mark 10:17-30
Step 1: Begin in prayer, asking the Lord to open your heart to receive how He wants to make Himself known to you. Then, attentively read the Scriptures.
Step 2: Consider these meditation prompts that follow from the readings:
- The first reading reveals wisdom to be preferable to all worldly riches. Use this reading to discern what attachments you hold in your heart—what worldly things are keeping me from pursuing the wisdom of the Lord?
- How does the second reading depict the word of God? How does this inform how we should approach and inhabit this word?
- How does Jesus look upon the rich young man in this Gospel passage (see Mark 10:21)? How does that influence how we understand Jesus’ call to the man, and so to us?
Step 3: Conclude with a prayer of gratitude and ask the Lord to keep these Words in your heart.
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