12^th Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

 Opening Prayer

Jesus

In the time you spent her on earth,

you opened your heart to each person you met.

May we learn how to open ourselves to others

and may we attempt to look at others with an open heart.

Then we will be able to know the true person

and not the person we see through a judgmental lens.

Who do you say I am?  I want to be the person YOU see Lord!

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Zechariah 12:10-11; 13:1

• What image does Zechariah paint in this scripture? What feelings are evoked when you hear these words?
• What can be concluded about loss in this scripture? Does it bring comfort?  Why or why not?

 Galatians 3:26-29

• Are you accepting to all people? What are your limitations?
• How is the world/How are people divided today? Is it any different than in Jesus day?  What can you do to not have a divided heart?

 Luke 9:18-24

• Does Jesus ask to test the apostles or is His human nature getting the best of Him and He is curious about what others think of Him?
• Draw a cross and write in all of your burdens, worries, sins, guilt, things you think make you inadequate and any other negative thing that occupies your thoughts. Then take a black permanent marker and fill the cross in.  Put the cross in your bible or someplace you will see it and be reminded how Jesus wipes all of those things away!

 

General Questions for Journaling

• How might one be pierced? Consider the literal piercing of the body but also how words or actions might pierce.
• Can you find hope in loss? Is it hard to find?  Can someone give it to you or must you find it on your own?
• How does grief blind you?
• Do you know the sound of the shepherd’s voice? How do you distinguish it from others?
• Is there a sacred place you go to talk to God? Where you hear Him more clearly?  Where is it?  What makes it sacred?
• Would you say you let others define you with labels such as mother, daughter, sister, nurse, doctor, crippled, arrogant, bossy, creative, good cook, bad cook, etc? What are the labels?
• Are you defined by the job you do? What might be an example of a person defined by their job?
• Do you know people who are define by their job or people who define their job? What is the difference?
• If Jesus’ job was “teacher” what qualities did He possess that made Him a good teacher?
• If Jesus’ job was “healer” what qualities did He possess that made Him a good healer?
• What would you say was Jesus’ job while on earth?

 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  Let me be the person YOU see, Lord…

ALL:  full of grace and purity.

Leader:  Let me be the person YOU see, Lord…

ALL:  my sins and guilt washed away.

Leader:  Let me be the person YOU see, Lord…

 ALL:  accepting each person as Christ.

Leader:  Let me be the person YOU see, Lord…

ALL:  overflowing with living water.

Leader:  Let me be the person YOU see, Lord…

ALL:  scales wiped from my eyes.

 Leader:  Let me be the person YOU see, Lord…

 ALL:  following YOUR voice in my life!

 

Challenge for the Week:  When Jesus asks the Apostles, He isn’t looking for verification, He already knows who He is but wants to know if the Apostles know Jesus as they should.  This is a question for all of us…do we know Jesus as well as we should?  Do we KNOW Jesus or do we only know stories about Jesus, parables He told, people He healed, miracles He performed?  If Jesus asked you the question, would your words describe him from the stories you’ve read in the Bible or from real life experiences?  How might those descriptions be different?

OR

Who do you say you are?  How do you define yourself?  Where do you look for verification of who you are?  Who are the people you trust to tell you the truth about who you are?  Your spouse?  Your parents?  Your kids?  Your co-workers?  Your friends?  Would they all say the same thing about you?  Who does Jesus say that you are?  Are there contradictions to who Jesus says you are and what others say about who you are?  Make a decision to make a change.