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: Zephaniah 3:14-18a
Responsorial Psalm: Isaiah 12:2-3, 4, 5-6
Second Reading: Philippians 4:4-7
Gospel: Luke 3:10-18
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 Third Sunday is Advent is traditionally called Gaudete Sunday, meaning Rejoice Sunday. For what reason does the prophet Zephaniah call the people to be joyful in the first reading?
- In St. Paul’s message to the Philippians, read in the second reading, there is a correlation between the presence of God and the presence of anxiety (“The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all…”). As we anticipate the coming of Christ, especially in the celebration of the Eucharist, lay before Him your anxieties today and receive His peace.
- At the end of the Gospel, it says that John “exhorted them in many other ways,” and that he “preached good news to the people.” The word for “good news” is euangelion, from which we also get the word “gospel.” How do you presently think of ‘preaching the gospel’? How can John’s witness in the Gospel text today be a model and inspiration for how we understand and share the gospel, or “good news”?
Step 3: Conclude with a prayer of gratitude and ask the Lord to keep these Words in your heart.
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