Feast of All Souls

Opening Prayer

Father,

YOU call us out of darkness

to abide in your light.

YOU fill our hearts with love

to spark the light within.

YOU dwell in our souls

and shine through us.

Lord Jesus, THANK YOU for

being an example and

showing us how to live

as light in the darkness!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Wisdom 3:1-9

• Reflect on what it means to “shine and dart about as sparks through stubble. What images come to mind?  Are there any examples of you experiencing this in your life?
• Describe the process of refining. What happens to something when it is refined?  How does it change?  What do you see being refined in your life?

Romans 5:5-11

• What are you willing to die for? What are you living for?  Are they the same?
• What bring you hope? Is it a thing?  Is it a person?  Is there only one or are there several things which give you hope?  What is it about that thing or those things which make you hope-filled?

John 6:37-40

• What does it mean to have eternal life? Who gets to have it?  Is it something earned or given to anyone?
• Do you know what the “will of God” is in your life? How did you find out?  How can someone find out?  Once you know God’s will, is it easy or difficult to follow?

General Questions for Journaling

• Share an example of a sacrifice in your life. Do you sacrifice things daily?  What benefit comes from sacrifice?
• When was the last time you sacrificed something for someone? What was it?  Who was it for?  Did you expect anything in return for your sacrifice?
• When was the last time you sacrificed something for God? What was it?  Did you expect anything in return?
• How can you tell if a person is refined? Do you know anyone whom you would describe as defined?  (dead or alive)
• How does Jesus dying for you, give you hope?
• What role does hope play in your life? How do you share it?  How do you express it?

Closing Prayer

Leader:  For God the Father,

ALL:  We remember and pray…

Leader:  For God the Son,

ALL:  We remember and pray…

Leader:  For God the Spirit,

ALL:  We remember and pray…

Leader:  For all Holy Men and Women,

ALL:  We remember and pray…

Leader:  For the promise of eternal life,

ALL:  We remember and pray!!!

Challenge for the Week:  Pope Francis says the Feasts of All Saint and All Souls are days of hope.  Spend some time considering what he means for the faithful to learn from that statement about life and purpose.  This week as you experience the changing of the season from fall to winter, consider some of the parallels of what is happening in nature right now to what is happening in your life.  Reflect on where in our life are experiencing a “fall” season and how hope is showing through in the changing of the leaves that are falling.  Then take it a step further and allow this new insight to move you into action OR give you the strength to let nature take its course and believe in the promise of spring!

30^th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer

Lord

Help us to see like you see

Help us to hear like you hear

Help us to love like you love

Let us have hearts which open to others

so YOUR love may overflow onto all we meet.

Journal/Reflection Questions

Exodus 22:20-26

• How are we called, like the Israelites to repay God’s love? Identify 1-3 ways you show God love throughout the week.
• Does this scripture inspire you to reach out to someone? Perhaps God has placed it on your heart to help someone and you have been holding back…What is God calling you to do?

1Thessalonians 1:5c-10

• When have you felt this “joy” from the Holy Spirit St Paul is taking about? How can you channel this joy more often in your life?
• How can you “send forth” God’s message of love to others? Identify one person whom you know who sends forth God’s love.  Identify one person whom you will share God’s love with this week.

Matthew 22:34-40

• Where would you rate how you love your neighbor on a scale of 1-10? Explain why you would give yourself this rating.
• Reflect on the people in your family. Are there people whom you can give love to freely and others whom you feel it takes much effort to show or give love?  What is the difference?
• Jesus says the Greatest Commandment is LOVE. How do you show or express love to God?  Your neighbors?  Yourself?

General Questions for Journaling

• Consider how you respond to others. How do you treat people you know?  How do you treat people you don’t know?  How is it similar?  How is it different?  ‘
• How do you define love? What does it look like?  Where does it come from?  What does it feel like?
• How do you show love? How do you receive love?
• Where do you see love in the world?
• How does God teach you to love? Where is God’s love needed?  What can you do to bring God’s love to where it is needed?
• Reflect on a time when someone showed you love. Did you welcome their love or reject it?  Why?
• Who taught you how to love?
• What are human expressions of love? What are examples of how God expresses His love?
• Does God put expectations on love? If yes, what are the expectations?  If no, why not?
• Draw a picture of God’s love.

Closing Prayer – Poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of every day’s

Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love with a passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints, I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life! and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

Challenge for the Week:  God calls us His “Beloved” but what does beloved mean?  According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary it means “deeply loved” or “close to the heart”.  Do we as human beings even have the ability to understand what it means or how it feels to be close to the heart of Jesus?  YES!  God created us for the purpose to be loved by Him!  This week, the challenge is to seek out these moments when we feel we are God’s beloved.  If you aren’t sure what this looks like or how it feels, consider the two words within the word beloved… be-loved.  This is the simplicity of feeling God’s love.  We need to slow down enough to recognize and feel God’s love in our lives.  He is reaching out to us and we too often pass Him by.  Seek Jesus!  He is waiting to show YOU love, how will you let Him?!?!?

29^th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer

Creator of all things good,

You made us out of nothing, to live and be and breathe.

O, how can we repay you!

Make us blind to the promises of this world;

so we may live as you intended us to live.

Teach us to live from the inside out;

to give from the abundance you planted within!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Isaiah 45:1, 4-6

• Identify three ways God is showing His power in this scripture.
• How do you make sense of the last line, “I am the Lord and there is no explanation,” how can you explain?

1Thessalonians 1:1-5b

• St Paul is telling the Thessalonians that they have been chosen by God and so they must act in a way worthy. Share one way you acted worthy of the call this past week.
• Explain the role of the Holy Spirit in this scripture passage.

Matthew 22:15-21

• Name 10 ways you give to God what belongs to God.
• How do you think the Pharisees expected Jesus to respond to their question?

General Questions for Journaling

• Can you identify people who “breakdown” walls or free people from “bondage”? Who are these people?
• How much of the Word of God would you say you hear each week? How much do you put into action?
• How would someone act out of conviction? How do you know if you are convicted of something?
• What are characteristics of a person who is full of the conviction of the Holy Spirit?
• On a scale of 1-10, rate your ability to think before you speak. How often do you check with Jesus before you say something?  How would your words be the same or different if you consulted Jesus before you spoke?
• Reflect on the Gospel message of giving to God what belongs to God and to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and identify parallels of what the world values still today.
• What have you given to God this week? Do you attempt to “hide” things away from God which you know He would not approve of and fool yourself into thinking you succeeded?

Closing Prayer

Leader:  You welcome the sinners, Jesus

ALL:  as though they are Saints!

Leader:  You walk with the angry and those full of doubt

ALL:  as well as the patient and joyful!

Leader:  You love us and forgive us

ALL:  even though we neglect you!

Leader:  May we know and understand

ALL:  that it is through Christ we are redeemed!

Challenge for the Week:  If we live our lives for Christ, then we become a new creation, not of this world.  This task is not for the faint of heart!  It requires us to learn how to balance the both/and of life.  We can get caught up in only following what God teaches and neglect our obligations of this life and separate ourselves from the realities of this world or we can put God on a shelf and visit Him on Sunday or occasionally throughout the week.  Finding balance helps us not become like the hypocrites who say one thing and do another.  Strive to live from the inside out, work on building up the Jesus within you and then there shouldn’t be any effort needed for His grace, mercy, love and forgiveness to overflow from you.  God wants us to live with mission and purpose, bringing Him into every aspect of our lives.  Work this week on bringing God into one or more of your daily tasks whether it be mowing the lawn, driving kids to school or at a meeting for work.  Focus on the Jesus within you and say a prayer to help you be aware of His presence within you…be open to listening to how He guides your thoughts and your words and allow HIM to come out!

28^th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer 

Generous Lord,

We are invited to the glorious banquet,

May we come to understand the value of this honor.

Let our words and actions reflect that it is YOU who covers us,

Who makes us worthy to clothe ourselves in Christ!

No matter our circumstances, all are welcome!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Isaiah 25:6-10a

• How does the idea of a banquet translate into how God calls you to live out your daily life? How is your daily life lived out as a banquet?
• This scripture says God takes away all sorrow and tears, but people still experience sorrow and shed tears. What do you read in this scripture which can help you understand about the veil which separates people from God in times of sorrow, pain and loss?

Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20

• God gives without measure. Can you say you give without measure?  When you give, do you do it with expectation or out of obligation?
• Identify a struggle you face currently. Make a decision to pray this scripture each day as you face the challenge; then write down your thoughts and feelings about this struggle each day.

Matthew 22:1-14

• Imagine yourself as a guest at the banquet. How do you feel?  How do you interact with the other guests?
• How does this scripture change your perspective, knowing you are invited to attend the banquet? What can you do to get ready for the banquet?

General Questions for Journaling

• Identify a time when someone came to your aid. What kind of trouble where you in?  How did they help?
• How does God wipe away our tears and sorrows?
• Make a list of 20 things that are worth celebrating. What makes them worthy of celebration?  Are they only important to you or to others as well?
• Are you open or closed to God’s invitation to join Him at the feast?
• What feelings are associated with an invitation? How do you feel when you send out an invitation?  How do you feel when you receive an invitation?
• What would you serve if Jesus came to your house for a meal?
• Describe the feast God has prepared for you TODAY!

Closing Prayer

Leader:  Father, YOU are with us through our sorrow;

ALL:  We feel your loving arms surround us.

Leader:  Jesus, YOU console us when we need comfort;

ALL:  We feel your loving arms surround us.

Leader:  Holy Spirit, YOU wipe away the tears and lead us on;

ALL:  We feel your loving arms surround us.

Leader:  Holy Trinity, YOU are alive in us

ALL:  YOU satisfy every longing and give us all we need!

Challenge for the Week:  Whatever season of life you are in, there is “fasting” and “feasting” involved.  For example, a newlywed couple might be in a “fasting” season of time spent with friends or family because they are “feasting” on the new married life relationship.  They are focused on building their lives together as one and adjusting to the give and take of joining two households together.  Through this season, there are “personal” things they give up such as their bottle cap or stuffed animal collection to make room for “their” things and in turn “feast” in the joy of new memories made together.  Reflect this week on the things you “fast from” and “feast on” during the season of life you are currently in.  What drives the things you fast or feast from?  Do you have some kind of control over the things you fast from?  Are the things you feast on helping to build the kingdom of God in your midst?  Where is Christ in your fasting and feasting?

27^th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer 

Lord, You must become frustrated.

Your Word is strong and true;

It never changes.

Somehow we still get anxious;

And worry about trivial things.

Help us to understand that…

YOU are always with us!

YOU watch over us!

YOU never leave us!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Isaiah 5:1-7

• Compare the world to a vineyard. What do you imagine is growing; identify the weeds, the bugs and the different types of grapes.  What are the fertilizers or the pesticides?  What good is coming from the vineyard?
• What can you learn from the vineyard owner, how does he work the field to produce a bounty? What kind of work do you do to produce good fruit?

Philippians 4:6-9

• What does St. Paul say you need to do to guard you fears, worries and anxieties? How can this become a reality?
• What is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious, excellent and worthy of praise? If you have it is there space for anything else?

Matthew 21:33-43

• How do you identify with the Gospel reading? Are there people or situations in your life which you visualize as you hear the Word spoken?
• What emotions or feelings come up from inside of you when you hear this reading? What do you feel motivated to do?
• The Gospel reading doesn’t sound too much different than what happens in the world today? How did God react to the wretched way people treat one another in the parable?  How does Jesus’ response play out in today’s society?

General Questions for Journaling

• What are some of the obstacles which keep you from being a better “keeper of the vineyard”? How can you be more aware and intentional with your words and actions?
• What do you devote your time to? Does the way you spend your time accurately express your devotion?
• Are there things in your life which cause you constant worry or anxiety? What is it about those things that you can’t let go of?
• Where do you find peace? How can you cultivate it?
• Is it possible to have peace all of the time? Is it a fantasy?
• What in your life do you embrace which keeps you from embracing the sacred?
• Who might you consider to be one of God’s messengers? Are there current day messengers?
• Is there an injustice which you feel called to speak out against? What do you do to bring light to the situation?

Closing Prayer

Leader:  O Master of the vineyard…

ALL:  Plant in us seeds of grace

Leader:  Plant in us seeds of hope

ALL:  Plant in us seeds of mercy

Leader:  Plant in us seeds of love

ALL:  Plant in us seeds of forgiveness

Leader:  Plant in us seeds of faith

ALL:  May we grow all of these in abundance!!!

Challenge for the Week:  Consider the definition of each of the qualities Saint Paul says should take the place of our worry and anxiety.  Are there people in your life whom you would describe as true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious, excellent and worthy of praise?  Breakdown each quality and reflect on a person in your life (living or dead, that you know or know of) which has that quality.  What makes that a trait of that person?  How can you express these qualities?  They are already planted in you…are you tending to the vineyard?