Readings:

Theme:

The theme for this Sunday is about the permanence of God's word – whatever he established, no one can tear down. This shows the faithfulness of God.

Questions:

Day 1: The first reading has Isaiah prophesying to the treasurer of the king's household. The treasurer, Shebna, was stealing from the king and so the prophet spoke to him.

• Verse 19 is quite harsh. How can you reconcile this verse with the fact that God is love?

• The first reading basically says that God will remove Shebna and replace him with Eliakim. What does this say about God's control even of political structures of nations?

• Reading the entire passage closely, we see that Eliakim foreshadows Jesus. How is he similar to Jesus?

Day 2: The second reading describes Eliakim and what God will do for him.

• What did Isaiah mean when he said that he will lay the key of the house of David on his shoulder?

• What did God mean when he said, “he will open, and no one will shut. He will shut and no one will open”.

• This passage shows that God is the source of stability. He is the source of permanence. How can your life find stability in God?

• What will you tell the Lord?

Day 3: The psalm speaks of the faithfulness of God.

• All prayers are answered. God always answers our prayers, but not necessarily in the way we want. Why do you think does God not always give you what you pray for?

• The psalmist also says that even if he walks in the midst of trouble, God preserves him. Are you facing something that scares you? If so, God is with you. What do you want to tell the Lord?

• The psalmist ends saying that God will fulfill his purpose for him. Do you know why God placed you in your situation?Do you believe that God can do what he has planned for you? What should you do to achieve what God has planned for you?

Day 4: The second reading is St. Paul's praise to the wisdom of God.

• What did St. Paul mean when he said that God's judgments are unsearchable?

• What did St. Paul mean when he said that God's ways are inscrutable?

• Verse 34 is a quote from Isaiah 40:13. Read Isaiah 40:12-14. What was Isaiah trying to say in these verses?

Day 5: The second reading continues to speak of God's greatness.

• Verse 35 is taken from the first part of Job 41:11. Read Job 41:11. What did God mean when he asked “who has first given to me, that I should repay him?”

• The second part of Job 41:11 says that “Everything under the heavens is mine”. If everything is God's what can you say about the things that you own now?

• St. Paul ends with “from him, through him and to him are all things”. What did he mean by this?

Day 6: The gospel narrates the time when St. Peter made his profession of faith about Jesus. Jesus asked them “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

• The response from the disciples show that people thought that Jesus was a prophet. In your experience, what do people who do not non-Christians think of Jesus?

• Jesus then asked them, “But you, who you say that I am?” This is a question everyone has to answer. Who do you say that Jesus is?

• St. Peter said, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God”. What did he mean by that?

• Do you think that Peter really understood what he said?

Day 7: After Peter's confession of faith, Jesus gave him a promise.

• Jesus said that flesh and blood did not reveal this fact to Peter. If the Father revealed this to Jesus, how can you get to know Jesus?

• When Jesus told Peter that the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church, what did he mean by that? How is this fulfilled in the Church?

• Jesus then said, “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven”. What does this say about the authority of Jesus?

• What does this say about the authority Jesus gave to the Church?