11^th Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

Opening Prayer

Lord,

Wipe away the tears.

Take away the guilt.

Teach us to surrender ourselves;

to all you have to offer.

Keep us in your tender care;

FOREVER!

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

2 Samuel 12:7-10, 13

• Is there a sin too big for God to forgive? Is there a sin too big for you to forgive?
• God uses Nathan to grant forgiveness to David; who is God using in your life?

Galatians 2:16, 19-21

• What is the difference between works of the law and works of faith?
• Who is Paul talking to in this scripture? What is the message he is preaching?  What does God want you to hear?

 Luke 7:36-8:3 or 7:36-50

• Jesus says our capacity for forgiveness is tied to our capacity to love. How do you explain the connection?
• Reflect on the behavior of the Pharisee. What does Jesus say he didn’t do?  What does he say the Pharisee should have done?  What would your response to Jesus be if you were the Pharisee?
• Consider the behavior of the woman. What does Jesus say she did?  How is her behavior an example to others?

 

General Questions for Journaling

• Explain your definition of sin and then compare it to the actual definition in the dictionary. How do the definitions differ?  How are they the same?
• What keeps you from forgiving another person?
• How is forgiveness granted? How do you know it has been given?
• What can you do to bring justice to a situation?
• What evidence do you have that Christ lives in you?
• How do you respond when someone tells you they have accepted Christ as their personal savior? What does it mean to you?
• What are the qualities that make something holy? Can you be called holy?
• What good works has God done through you this week?
• How has God used another person to speak to you this week?
• When was the last time you expressed your faith through the service of another person?

 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  Lord, let us love like you love…

ALL:  without conditions or boundaries.

Leader:  Listen like you listen…

 ALL:  with open hearts and open minds.

Leader:  Speak like you speak…

 ALL:  without condemnation or judgment.

Leader:  Let us be a friend like you…

ALL:  loyal and understanding.

Leader:  Forgive as you forgive…

ALL:  quickly and without question,

 Leader:  and give fully, all that we are

 ALL:  because you live in us!

 

Challenge for the Week:  Spend time this week thinking about how you treat others?  How do you treat your neighbors?  Your co-workers?  The clerk at the gas station or grocery store?  How do you treat the person you drive by on your way to work who is waiting for the bus?  What do you do when you see a person standing on the street with a cardboard sign?  Is there a parallel to how well you treat a person and how much you love them or how well you know them or how much you trust them?  Try to determine the how and why of your behavior and make adjustments if necessary to treat each other the way you would treat Jesus…He is there within each person already!