Resources, Prayers, Games, and Lesson Plans
More Thoughts and Reflection Questions
Quotes and Social Media Graphics
Mass Readings for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
- First Reading – Exodus 19:2-6a: The Israelites arrive at Mount Sinai, where God speaks to Moses and tells him to convey a message to the people. God reminds the Israelites of how He delivered them from slavery in Egypt and declares that if they obey His commands and keep His covenant, they will be a treasured possession and a kingdom of priests.
- Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 100: This passage is a call to all people to praise and serve the Lord joyfully, recognizing that we are His people and the sheep of His flock. The verses emphasize God's goodness, His role as creator and caretaker of His people, and His eternal kindness and faithfulness.
- Second Reading – Romans 5:6-11: God showed His love for humanity by sending Jesus Christ to die for our sins while we were still sinners. Through Jesus' sacrifice, we can be reconciled with God and receive the gift of eternal life.
- Gospel - Matthew 9:36—10:8: Jesus has compassion for the crowds. He decides to send out His twelve disciples to heal the sick, raise the dead, and proclaim the good news of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus instructs His disciples to freely give what they have received, encouraging them to serve others with love and generosity.
Themes for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
The readings for 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A call us to look for how God is working in our lives. In the first reading the Isrealites are reminded that God led them out of Egypt. The psalm tells us that God cares for us. In the second reading, Paul tells us that God proves His love for us because Christ died for us. In the gospel, we hear how Jesus cared for the people and sent his disciples to do the same.
- God's love and compassion for humanity: The readings for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A emphasize God's love for His people and His desire to save them from sin and death. God's love is demonstrated through His mercy and grace towards His people, and through His sending of Jesus Christ to die for our sins.
- The importance of obedience to God's commands and covenant: The first reading from Exodus emphasizes the importance of obeying God's commands and covenant in order to receive His blessings and remain in a right relationship with Him. The Israelites are reminded of their covenant with God and encouraged to follow His laws in order to remain in His favor.
- The role of Jesus Christ as the savior of humanity: The second reading for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A from Romans describes how Jesus' death and resurrection has made it possible for humanity to be reconciled with God and receive the gift of eternal life. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we can be saved from the power of sin and death.
- The value of serving others with love and generosity: In the gospel for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A from Matthew, Jesus sends out His disciples to serve others and proclaim the good news of the kingdom of heaven. The disciples are instructed to freely give what they have received, encouraging them to serve others with love and generosity.
- The importance of proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of heaven: The passage from Matthew emphasizes the importance of proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus sends out His disciples to share the message of salvation and reconciliation with others, calling them to repentance and faith in God.
See the Homilies and Reflections section and the More Thoughts section for further expansion on these readings and some reflection questions for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A.
Resources for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
Paul’s Letter to the Romans: Faith, Grace, and Righteousness
Resources and Reflections for the Gospel of Matthew
Paul’s Letter to the Romans: Faith, Grace, and Righteousness
The 2nd reading for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A is Romans 5:6-11. It reflects how God demonstrated love by sending Jesus to die for our sins even while we were sinners. Through Jesus' sacrifice, we can reconcile with God and gain eternal life. Paul's exploration of faith, justification, and God's plan in Romans remains pertinent. The teachings prompt believers to contemplate their bond with God, the potency of grace, and the duty to live faith through love and obedience. More background on this epistle can be found here.
Resources and Reflections for the Gospel of Matthew
The gospel for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A is Matthew 9:36-10:8. Jesus, moved by compassion, sends His twelve disciples to heal, raise, and proclaim the kingdom of heaven's good news. He urges them to freely give, reflecting love and generosity. Throughout Matthew's Gospel, Jesus is portrayed as compassionate and devoted. He heals, feeds, and comforts the marginalized, with His cross symbolizing deep love for all humanity. More resources and background on the Gospel of Matthew can be found here.
Feed My Sheep: A Lesson Plan on Service
The Feed My Sheep lesson plan on service relates to the readings for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, as they emphasize the importance of serving others and sharing the good news of the Gospel. Are we actively looking for opportunities to feed and tend to others, or are we focused solely on our own needs and desires? It is important to remember that serving others often requires sacrifice and stepping out of our comfort zones. Jesus himself made the ultimate sacrifice by dying on the cross for us, and we are called to follow his example by serving others in whatever way we can.
I Am Yours
The I Am Yours prayer is a beautiful expression of the joy and gratitude we can feel as God's beloved children. It is a reminder that God created us and watches over us, just like a shepherd watching over his sheep. This prayer is based on Psalm 100, which is the responsorial psalm for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A. The psalm emphasizes God's goodness, His role as creator and caretaker of His people, and His eternal kindness and faithfulness. The I Am Yours prayer invites us to enter into a deeper relationship with God, recognizing His love and care for us, and responding with joy and gratitude.
Homilies and Reflections for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
Election
A homily for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A from Bishop Robert Barron. "One of the key themes of the Bible is the divine election, the fact that God chooses. But God chooses, not on the basis of merit, but simply through and because of his grace. And he chooses, not to glorify those whom he elects, but rather to give them a mission of love. Accordingly, he chose Israel so that it might be a priestly nation; and he chose the twelve so that they might proclaim the kingdom, and he chose us the baptized that we might be conduits of his grace to the world."
The New Israel
Another homily for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A from Bishop Barron. "In our first reading from the book of Exodus, we hear the wonderful promise of God to Moses and his people that they would constitute a holy nation, a nation of priests. For the first Christians, this promise was fulfilled in Jesus and in the twelve apostles that he gathered round him. Peter, James, John, Thomas and their companions–with all of their faults–became the core of the renewed Israel. We the baptized are, in turn, their spiritual decendants, and we have, accordingly, the same purpose: to bring the whole human race into friendship with God."
More Thoughts for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
Living a Life of Obedience
Exodus 19:2-6a, the first reading for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, is a beautiful passage that describes the arrival of the Israelites at Mount Sinai and God's message to Moses. God reminds the Israelites of how He delivered them from slavery in Egypt and declared that if they obey His commands and keep His covenant, they will be a treasured possession and a kingdom of priests. As Catholics, we too are called to be a people set apart for God, called to follow His commandments and live a life of holiness.
God's message to the Israelites in this passage reminds us of the importance of living a life of obedience to God's commands. Our obedience to God's will is not just about following rules, but it is an expression of our love and gratitude for all that He has done for us. When we live a life of obedience to God, we become a people set apart for Him, a holy nation that reflects His glory to the world.
As we reflect on this passage, we are called to examine our own lives and ask ourselves whether we are living a life of obedience to God's will. Are we following His commandments with joy and gratitude, or are we struggling to live up to His standards? As we strive to live a life of obedience, we can take comfort in the fact that God is with us every step of the way. He has promised to be our God and to walk with us on this journey of faith, guiding us and strengthening us along the way.
The Radical Love of God
In the second reading for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, Saint Paul reminds us that God showed His love for us by sending Jesus Christ to die for our sins while we were still sinners. This is a radical love that surpasses all understanding, a love that we can never fully comprehend.
As Catholics, we are called to respond to God's love by embracing the gift of salvation that He offers us through Jesus Christ. This gift is freely given, not because we deserve it or have earned it, but because of God's infinite mercy and grace. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we are reconciled with God and receive the gift of eternal life.
As we reflect on this passage, we are called to remember the incredible sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf. His death on the cross was an act of love that has the power to transform our lives and make us new creations in Him. This gift of salvation is something that we can never take for granted, but must continually seek to deepen and embrace more fully in our lives.
Embracing Our Role as Missionary Disciples
The Gospel reading for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A is a reminder of the importance of evangelization in the life of a Catholic. However, many of us feel uncomfortable with the idea of evangelizing, perhaps due to a perception that it involves knocking on a stranger's door and telling them about Jesus. Yet, evangelization is not always so formal, and we have many opportunities to spread the good news in our daily lives.
We can evangelize by offering a helping hand to someone in need and then sharing how we have been helped through the power of God. When someone asks us to pray for them, we can say a prayer with them and share a moment of connection and faith. We can also invite someone to come to Mass or attend a church event with us, sharing the joy of our faith and the community of believers.
However, in order to spread the light of Christ to others, we must first be able to see it shining in our own lives. We must strive to live our lives in a way that reflects the love, compassion, and mercy of Christ, so that others may be drawn to Him through us. Evangelization is not about forcing our beliefs on others, but about sharing the hope and joy that we have found in Christ and inviting others to join us on this journey of faith.
As Catholics, we are called to be missionary disciples, spreading the love of Christ to all those we encounter. This can be done in small ways, through acts of kindness and invitations to prayer or worship. By embracing our role as evangelizers, we can share the good news of the Gospel and help others to encounter the transformative power of Christ's love.
Reflection Questions for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
- How can we cultivate a deeper sense of obedience to God's commands in our lives? What areas of our lives might we need to surrender to Him more fully?
- In what ways have we experienced the radical love of God in our lives? How can we more fully embrace and share this love with others?
- What are some practical ways we can evangelize and share the good news of the Gospel in our daily lives? How can we cultivate a spirit of openness and receptivity to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in this area?
- Who can we share the Good News with today? Are there people in our lives who may be in need of hope and encouragement? How can we share the love of Christ with them?
- Am I comfortable sharing my faith with those outside of my church family? Why or why not? Are there any fears or doubts that might be holding me back from evangelizing to others? How can I overcome these obstacles and embrace my role as a missionary disciple?
- Where do we see God shining light in our lives? Are there any areas of our lives where we are experiencing His love, mercy, and grace? How can we share these experiences with others and use them as a way to spread the light of Christ to those around us?
Quotes and Social Media Graphics for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
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