Dominican Friars
Province of St. Albert the Great, USA

Know Before You Go

33rd Sunday: Be a Witness, not a Gossip

Know Before You Go

Join Father Scott Steinkerchner for "Know Before You Go," a service of the Dominican Province of St. Albert the Great, preparing you for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. This week's readings are packed with challenging messages: from Malachi's "blazing oven" and "Sun of Justice," to Paul's warning against "busybodies" in Thessalonians, and Luke's Gospel on the destruction of the temple, signs of the end times, and the promise of perseverance through persecution. Father Scott dives deep into Jesus' advice not to prepare a defense, but to open our hearts to God, bear authentic witness, and trust that living the Gospel secures our lives.

#SundayReadings #KnowBeforeYouGo #33rdSunday #OrdinaryTime #CatholicMass #FatherScott #Dominican #Malachi #Thessalonians #GospelOfLuke #EndTimes #Perseverance #ChristianWitness #CatholicFaith #BibleStudy #LiturgicalYear #TrustInGod #SpiritualGrowth

Timeline:
0:00 Welcome to Know Before You Go with Father Scott Stank Kirschner
0:08 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Approaching the End of the Liturgical Year
0:23 First Reading: The Prophet Malachi – The Messenger
0:35 The Time After Babylon: People Not Living Rightly
0:51 Malachi's Prophecy: "Lo, the Day is Coming, Blazing Like an Oven"
1:02 Fire for the Evil Doers vs. The "Sun of Justice" with Healing Rays
1:30 The Sun is Fire Either Way: Choose Your Side!
1:52 Second Reading: Paul's Letter to the Thessalonians
2:02 Problems in the Community: "Busybodies" Not Willing to Work
2:22 Paul's Example: Earning His Own Food to Give Credence to His Words
2:44 The Warning: Conducting Themselves in a Disorderly Way, Minding Others' Business
2:57 Stop That: Witness, Don't Gossip!
3:07 The Fine Line: Be Witnesses with Our Lives, Not Gossiping Busybody
3:30 The Gospel of Luke: Context After the Widow's Mite
3:57 Jesus Predicts the Temple's Destruction: "Not a Stone Upon Another Stone"
4:16 Disciples Ask for Signs: "When Will This Happen?"
4:23 Jesus' Warning: "See That You Not Be Deceived" by False Prophets & Calamities
4:41 Jesus Pivots: Focus on Persecution "Before All This Happens"
4:51 "They Will Seize and Persecute You Because of My Name"
5:07 Don't Worry About End Times, Worry About Following Me
5:18 Jesus' Advice: Don't Prepare Your Defense
5:26 "I Myself Shall Give You a Wisdom in Speaking"
5:50 You'll Give Witness, But Not With Pre-Prepared Words
5:58 How Do You Prepare for This?
6:05 Prepare Your Heart to Be Open to Listen to God
6:10 Through Prayer, Daily Listening & Living As Jesus Would Have Us Live
6:20 Our Lives Will Speak: We'll Have Answers from God's Inspiration
6:44 The "Calamity" of Arrest is an Opportunity for Witness
6:53 Persecution Doesn't Mean It's Going Bad
6:57 "By Your Perseverance, You Will Secure Your Lives"
7:03 Even if You Die, You Preserve Your Life
7:11 Our Call: Bear Real Witness, Not Gossip
7:22 Malachi's Sun: Dry Us Out or Be Healing Rays?
7:31 Living Authentically: Praying, Open to the Spirit
7:41 Then The Sun Will Be Rays of Justice
7:50 Focus on "What is God Saying to Me in This Moment?"
8:08 How to Be His Followers to Survive No Matter What Happens
8:14 That's Good News & God Bless You

Dominican recording video

Know Before You Go is a ministry of the provincial office to help people prepare to hear the readings and preaching of the approaching Sunday's Mass. We welcome any feedback you have at know@opcentral.org . You can see them all below, or you can see other preaching by a particular person by clicking on his name.

Sign up

You can receive an email each morning with the daily Word of Hope and Know Before You Go once a week:

* indicates required

Email Format

  •

    The Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord

    Fr. Jim Marchionda, OP brings out the radical nature of the story of the magi coming from the East and finding the baby Jesus, foreigners in a foreign land, foreshadowing the gentiles being accepted into the faith as equals to the Jews, so that we can all become lights to the nations, welcoming everyone into the grace of God.
  •

    The Solemnity of the Holy Family

    Fr. Charles Bouchard, OP breaks open the readings for the Solemnity of the Holy Family, pointing out that the Holy Family did not exist simply for itself, but for also showing God's presence incarnate in the world. May our families give witness to how, in some way, their imperfections can be made perfect through the grace of God.
  •

    The Fourth Sunday of Advent

    Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP breaks open the readings for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, in which God puts King David in his place and the angel Gabriel announces the Good News to Mary that she will bear a son, Jesus, who is the center of salvation.
  •

    The Third Sunday of Advent: Gaudete Sunday

    Fr. Brendan Curran, OP breaks open the readings for Gaudete Sunday, reminding us that Isaiah knew his role was to bring good news to the poor, and John the Baptist knew his role was to prepare the way. Each of us should be open to understanding our role in this unfolding drama of God's plan.
  •

    The Second Sunday of Advent

    Br. Joe Trout, OP breaks open the readings for the Second Sunday of Advent, pointing out that the readings challenge us to try to become whole and holy, and to allow God to heal us.
  •

    The First Sunday of Advent

    Fr. Brian Walker, OP opens up the readings for the First Sunday of Advent, reminding us not to rush to thoughts of Christmas , but instead, ask ourselves how we need to change to prepare for Christmas, so that we might recognize God's coming in the face of others who are different than us.
  •

    Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

    Fr. James Marchionda, OP breaks open the word for this great Solemnity, assuring us that God has invited us to participate in his work of bringing about the Reign of God. Our part, if we choose to accept it, it is care for the poor, feed the hungry, and serve those who are in need. Are you on board?
  •

    The Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP breaks open the parable of the talents from the scripture for the Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Jesus left the church to carry on his work, and will come back at the end of time and judge us for what we did with what we were given.
  •

    The Thirty First Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. Brendan Curran, OP breaks open the readings for the Thirty First Sunday in Ordinary Time, with Jesus' famous statement, "call no one on earth your father, for you have one Father in Heaven." Jesus was warning those who would have a role of leadership in the Church not to exploit their privilege, but to humbly serve others for the sake of the Gospel. Today, we might also take the opportunity to name the ways in which our community has been hurt because of these abuses.
  •

    The Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Br. Joe Trout, OP breaks open the readings for the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, suggesting that we look to the example of the saints to find real answers to the difficult question of how to love our neighbor in a confusing and broken world.
  •

    The Twenty Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. Brian Walker, OP breaks open the readings for the Twenty Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Jesus tells us, "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." Each of us has to find our own way to balance that.
  •

    The Twenty Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. James Marchionda, OP breaks open the parable of the Wedding Feast in the Gospel of Matthew and its parallel in Isaiah, pointing out that God is preparing a banquet in heaven and all are invited, but those who want to go are challenged to respond properly to the invitation.
  •

    The Twenty Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time

    Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP breaks open the readings for the Twenty Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time, in which Jesus reworks Isaiah's parable of the vineyard, making the point that anyone is welcome in the vineyard of the Lord as long as they produce its harvest of justice.
  •

    The Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. Brendan Curran, OP breaks open the readings for the Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, with Jesus' parable about the vineyard owner who hires people all through the day, but ends up paying them all the same—a full day's wage. In the end, God is equally grateful to everyone who Join in the mission of saving the world, no matter how long they have been doing it.
  •

    The Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. James Marchionda, OP breaks open the readings for the Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, explaining that to pick up our cross and follow Jesus means more than "suffering, for the sake of the Gospel," but to have the wisdom to know God's particular call for us and to have the courage to act on it.
  •

    The Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Br. Joe Trout, OP breaks open the readings for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, in which Jesus tells us he is only here for the Children of Israel and Paul tells us he is here for the Gentiles. WHo are we here to serve?
  •

    The Feast of the Transfiguration

    Jesus was Transfigured on the mountain in order to strengthen Peter, James, and John for the his death and the task that lied ahead of them. Fr. Charles Bouchard, OP breaks open the readings for the Feast of the Transfiguration to say that this vision should strengthen us all to face our own death and the death of those we love with realistic hope and faith.
  •

    The Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. Brendan Curran, OP breaks open the readings for the Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, where Jesus uses a series of agricultural parables to teach how how to grow into true holiness, helping others to grow into it as well.
Subscribe to Know Before You Go