‘Getting Ready’

STIRLING  Last Sunday, Catholics encountered several engaging figures in Scripture — including Cyrus the Great, who frees the Israelites from captivity, and St. Paul, who thanks God for the growing faith of the Thessalonians — and Jesus in the Gospel, who teaches, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”

A few days before, a group gathered at St. Vincent de Paul Parish here to get reacquainted with Christ and these Biblical characters in those readings for Mass for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Father Richard Carton, St. Vincent’s pastor, helps the 15 or so people there to listen with new ears and a heart to the readings, as part of his ongoing Bible study series, “Getting Ready for Sunday,” on Thursday afternoons in the parish’s ministry center. With insight and humor, he leads a lively discussion and places these passages in a historical and theological context that prompts participants to ask such probing questions, as “What ties these three readings together?”

“They teach us that we are all called to participate in doing God’s will. Each of us has a vital role to play. If we are faithful, his glory will be done,” said Father Carton, during the Nov. 19 afternoon session, which meets from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Another session meets on Thursdays from 7:30 to 9 p.m. “If we participate in carrying out the Lord’s will, our lives can be better than we ever could have imagined,” he said.

Catholics get to listen to reflections on the readings from Father Carton. In the parish bulletin, the series was promoted as “an opportunity to gain a deeper insight into the Scriptures, a clearer understanding of the culture and context within which they were written and a better understanding of the Mass itself.” With help from Biblical commentaries and other supplemental materials, Father Carton also connects Scripture passages with parts of the Mass and how they both relate to our daily lives as Catholics.

“When people come to Mass prepared, they come with a different understanding of the readings and liturgy. It gives them a whole new meaning,” Father Carton said. “It’s also about helping them grow in their personal relationship with Christ. To pray and learn more about the Scriptures is to get to know more about him,” he said.

At each gathering, Father Carton starts with prayer, as participants sit around a table. During the session, one participant read the first reading (Is 45: 1 and 4-6). In it, Cyrus, the Persian king, conquers the Israelites, but frees them, sending them back to their land and providing money to rebuild their temple. Father Carton said, “Sometimes, God uses people outside [the faith] to bring about his will,” even if they do not realize it.

Father Carton asked: “Has there been a person who brought you to where God wanted you to be?” One man credited his stepfather in Colombia for telling his siblings and him about when Solomon in the Bible helped settle a fight between two women over a baby. “That stuck with me,” he said. One woman spoke about overhearing a woman recently at her gym, asking her trainer where a friend could obtain an abortion. Disappointed that she did not speak up, the woman nevertheless prayed while exercising so that God would give the right words to the trainer, who suggested considering adoption.

In the second reading, Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, he travels to the Greek port city of Thessaloniki to preach, but is disappointed in the citizens’ lack of interest. Later, Ss. Timothy and Silvanus tell him that the faith of the people was growing there. So Paul writes a letter to the new Christians, thanking God, said Father Carton. “Paul was the instrument of God, not the end result,” said Father Carton, who noted that we are all called to reach out to others as commanded by the final words of the Mass: “Go out to love and serve the Lord.” The priest added, “We are called to be disciples, not advisers. We need to trust the Holy Spirit.”

At the end of the session, the group turned to Matt. 22 15-21 where the Herodians and Pharisees — sworn enemies — come together to try to entrap Jesus. They ask him if the Jews should pay taxes to Caesar. Jesus tells them: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”

“We should pay taxes to the government because it’s part of responsible citizenship. But who dictates your actions and reactions? Caesar’s image was imprinted on Roman coins, but who is imprinted on your heart? We are made in the image of God and we will return to God,” Father Carton said.

Two years ago, Father Carton started “Getting Ready” by opening the first sessions, explaining structure of the Liturgy of the Word and the cycle of readings for each liturgical year.

Randy Knob, who attends Mass at St. Vincent’s, said Father Carton “teaches and guides the discussions and respects our opinions. We all share — and he brings that out. This is great, because priests are teachers, as well as celebrants of the Mass.”

Mary Alice Giegerich of St. Vincent’s said that she attends “Getting Ready” to “go deeper into the Scriptures.”

“Father Richard is so well versed and rooted in Scripture. It’s inspiring. It’s a friendly group that is searching,” Giegerich said. “The Scriptures come alive on Sundays. It’s a beautiful experience,” she said.

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