Book Reviews and More: Companion to the Sunday Gospels Year B - Henry Wansbrough OSB

Companion to the Sunday Gospels Year B

CTS Scriptures

Henry Wansbrough OSB

Catholic Truth Society

ISBN 9781784691943

CTS Booklet SC124

This is year B and marks the completion of this trilogy of books by Dom Henry.

First I say after doing Year C two years ago and Year A last year, and now Year B this year I can easily state I love these volumes. I tend to read 2 or three weeks ahead of time, and then reread a specific weekends reading before Mass that Sunday. However with the announcement of the new Missal and new lectionary material the readings in the books will not match the new translation as of the end of this year late in 2024.

As you can tell by the title this is one of three volumes with reflections for each Sunday of the three-year cycle of the Catholic Church. This was the third I have read. I greatly wished these were available in digital format, but I found out from the CTS that they do not have permissions for eBooks of the scriptures contained within. I believe that is a great pity, I would love to have the three of these as eBooks. Even without the scripture so you could read the passage on your own. I have now read several of the volumes from the Catholic Truth Society in the CTS Scriptures Series. All of the ones I have read prior to this have an introduction by Dom Henry Wansbrough OSB. The ones I have read prior to these Sunday Gospel Commentaries are

The Gospel According to Mark (Introduction)

The Gospel According to Matthew (Introduction)

The Gospel According to Luke (Introduction)

The Gospel According to Luke: Gospel for the Year of Mercy

The Gospel According to John (Introduction)

The Acts of the Apostles (Introduction)

The Letters of Paul (Introduction)

The Psalms (Introduction)

This one has a two-page spread for each Sunday and a couple of feast days in the church year. There are 57 reflections in this volume. Each two-page spread has the Gospel for that day and facing it a reflection by Dom Henry. And one that spans 4 pages. Each of the Gospel pages is outlined by the colour of vestments for that day. Only the volume for Year C has been rebranded to date, with new cover design. Both Year A and B are still available in older editions. The description of this volume is:

“Fr Wansbrough guides the reader through each of the Sunday gospels during Year B, from Advent to the end of the liturgical year in November. Each gospel passage is accompanied by a succinct commentary on the story and the place of God’s love in Christ’s ministry and in our own lives – as his disciples.”

And the product page for Year C informed us of the next few years that follow those readings. This volume does not but they are:

The next few Year A’s fall on the following years:

Advent 2027 – Christ the King 2025

Advent 2030 – Christ the King 2028

Advent 2033 – Christ the King 2031

I am not finishing this volume yet but already plan to pull it out in three years and cycle through it for the reflections again. And will likely cycle through the three volumes a few times. I want to call out that Dom Henry was the chief editor of the work of The Revised New Jerusalem Bible Study Edition, This volume uses that translation for the Gospel passages. The new Lectionary as of beginning of Advent in 2024 will be based on the English Standard Version Catholic Edition, at least for the UK. There is a brief 1 page introduction but no forward to this volume a note from Dom Henry and the source material at the beginning. About Dom Henry we are informed:

“Dom Henry Wansbrough, OSB, is a renowned biblical scholar who regularly writes exegesis and reflections on scripture. He recently completed a new translation of the Bible, the Revised New Jerusalem Bible. He is a Benedictine based at Ampleforth Abbey.”

We are also given a brief history of the Jerusalem Bible Translation and in the acknowledgements it states:

“CTS gratefully acknowledges the publishers of The Sunday Word for their permission to reproduce some of Fr Wansbrough's material in this publication.”

A Sample reflection is:

“MARK 1:12-15

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness and he remained there for forty days, and was tempted by Satan. He was with the wild beasts, and the angels looked after him.

After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. 'The time has come' he said 'and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.'

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT

Jesus is Tested in the Desert

Each year the gospel reading for this Sunday is about Jesus's testing in the desert. Mark's emphasis is distinctly different from that of Matthew and Luke. No details of the testing, but rather Jesus's sojourn in the desert as almost a return to the peace of the Garden of Eden. The desert of Judaea, between Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley, is a noble and dignified solitude of smooth, sandstone hills. Nothing grows, of course, but wild camels and the occasional leopard prowl around. There Jesus was 'with the wild animals' as, led by the Spirit, he made his preparation for his mission. In what way was he tested? We may presume that in solitude and prayer he was working out the implications of the Voice from Heaven at his Baptism. How was he to run his course as the beloved Servant of the Lord? Precisely how was he to bring the presence of the Kingship of God into people's lives? The 'forty' is often used in biblical accounts for a period of preparation, as in Israel's forty years in the desert, or the apostles' forty days of preparation between Easter and Ascension. We may use our forty days to reflect on how we may bring God's presence to bear in and through our lives.

Question: Is testing the most important aspect of Lent?”

I hope that sample reflections give you a feel for the volume. The first edition of this volume was released in 2016. I Have also read A Year With the Bible - 365 Daily Reflections, from Dom Henry and the CTS, which I can also easily recommend.

It was wonderful to read these reflections over the year. I found that having read these ahead of time helped me to interact with the Gospel more on Sunday’s even if it was not the focus of the homily. These are great little booklets. It is an excellent resource from the Catholic Truth Society! I just wish that these booklets were available electronically as well. It is great to pick up over the year. I can easily recommend this volume and the two sister volumes.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2024 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.

Books by Henry Wansbrough OSB:

CTS Books:

36 Days & 36 Ways Daily Meditations from Advent to the Epiphany Year B

40 Days and 40 Ways Daily Meditations for Lent Year A

40 Days and 40 Ways Daily Meditations for Lent Year B

40 Days and 40 Ways Daily Meditations for Lent Year C

A Year with the Bible: 365 Daily Reflections

Companion to the Sunday Gospels: The Year of Mercy

Companion to the Sunday Gospels: Year A

Companion to the Sunday Gospels: Year B

Companion to the Sunday Gospels: Year C

Jesus: The Real Evidence