Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

Opening Prayer

Father

What do I ask for when I pray?

What is it I seek?

Do I seek your will or

do I expect you to do what I ask?

Do I trust you in word alone

or do my actions reflect my trust too?

Bring me to my knees,

humble me.

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13

• Are there laws of God which you disagree? If so, what are they?
• How does God keep you from telling lies or doing wrong?

 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

• God makes you worthy of your call…what are excuses do you still use to not live out your call?
• How can being weak, foolish and lowly give glory to God?

 Matthew 5:1-12a

• Which one of the Beatitudes stands out to you as one you have or can achieve?
• Which one of the Beatitudes do you think sounds impossible to achieve?

 

General Questions for Journaling

• Where is happiness found? Do you feel like it hides from you at times?
• When you read scripture, do you allow a piece of it to remain with you?
• God speaks to us daily, are you listening? What is God saying to you today?
• Would you say you are living with purpose? Where would you fall on a scale from 1-10?
• When you leave a conversation, a meeting or the dinner table, what do you leave behind? Is it a spirit of love, friendship or peace?  Or is it frustration, anger or discontent?
• Do you allow the power of God to work in you and through you? Give examples.
• Are there people in your home or at your workplace who need to hear that God loves them? What can you do?
• Is there a difference between being faithful and living your faith?
• When was the last time you sacrificed something for the good of another person in your family?
• Have you ever sacrificed something for the good of someone you’ve never met? When?  How?  Why?
• Share a time when you were singled out or rejected because of your belief in God.
• Are there people whom you are afraid to share your faith with? Why or why not?

 

Closing Prayer (Inspired by Psalm 146)

Leader:  God raises me up…

ALL:  I am blessed!

Leader:  God gives me comfort…

 ALL:  I am blessed!

Leader:  God protects me from harm…

 ALL:  I am blessed!

Leader:  God sustains me; my one constant…

ALL:  I am blessed!

Leader:  God is forever faithful…

ALL:  I am blessed!

 

Challenge for the Week:  Take the time to read the scriptures again this week.  Read them out loud so the words go out from your mouth and back in through your ears.  Allow time after you’ve read them to sit and meditate on what you read.  As you sit in silence, let the words swim in your mind, picturing each word.  Spend as much time as necessary until ONE word stands out, ONE word that does not leave you but buries itself into your heart, mind and soul.  What is that word?  Let this word be your guide this week as though it is a call to action.  How many times does it appear in the bible and in what context?  Are there prayers written which highlight this word, if not, write one.  Is there a way to live out this word?  Make a plan to do so, perhaps inspiring others to join you.  Let God speak to you!

Third Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

Opening Prayer

Jesus.

Follow me.

Two simple words;

Follow.

Me.

These are the ones you chose.

Let me hear these words.

Let me live these words.

Amen.

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Isaiah 8:23—9:3

• Where is anguish and darkness in the world? What is being done to bring healing and light?
• Where can you bring abundant joy? What does it look like?

 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17

• Are there people whom you feel you are on the same page? Does sharing a last name automatically connect you?  Does sharing the same faith automatically connect you?  Why or why not?
• When was the last time you ask someone to describe Jesus to you? What did they say?  How was their description similar or different from you own?

 Matthew 4:12-23

• Imagine the scene, draw it if it helps, or find the image online and then create captions of what each of the people in the Gospel story was thinking. Then imagine YOU are there too…what would your caption say?
• What in your life right now do you need to “let go” in order to have a better relationship with God? What do you need to leave behind in order to better follow Jesus?
• Why do you think Jesus called after people to follow him? What was the purpose?

 

General Questions for Journaling

• How is your life different because of Jesus?
• Do you treat others differently because of your faith? Why or why not?
• Where is there darkness in your world? What can you do to shine light into the darkness?
• Would you say you walk in light or darkness? Why?
• Have you ever been overtaken by darkness? Share the experience.
• What in this world would you consider doom? Is there a location?  Describe a place full of doom.
• Make a list of the top 5 or 10 symbols that describe your faith.
• Are there things which you can disagree with someone and still be able to spend time together? What is needed to allow this to happen?
• Are there people in your life or that you have known whom you disagree about something which keeps you from spending time together? What was the disagreement about?  Is it worth not being with this person or these people?  Why or why not?

 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  From darkness to light

ALL:  let me follow you.

Leader:  From sickness to health

 ALL:  let me follow you.

Leader:  From the center to the edge

 ALL:  let me follow you.

Leader:  From death into life

ALL:  let me follow you.

Leader:  From the bottom of my heart

ALL:  let me follow you.

 

Challenge for the Week:  Are there burdens you carry?  Have you been carrying them around for a while or just picked them up?  Imagine your burdens…each of them individually.  Can you picture them?  Can you feel the weight of each of them?  Now imagine each of your burdens are fish shaped, swimming around in the water.  But wait…imagine a big fishing net coming in and scooping up those fish shaped burdens.  How do you feel as they are lifted out of the water?  Your burdens are just like these fish being gathered and scooped up out of the water…taken away from you.  Will you allow Jesus to take your burdens or do you try to swim after them?  Take time to consider how this feels.

Second Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

Opening Prayer

Lord, Lamb of God!

May your light shine

from the heavens

down upon each of us!

May your Spirit dwell

among us

throughout the land!

Let all those who gather

in your name

feel your presence!

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Isaiah 49:5-6

• What is glorious about being a servant?
• How are you allowing God to make you strong?

 1 Corinthians 1:1-3

• Where do you see evidence of holiness?
• What do you call God? What names do you use?
• What does God call you in return?

 John 1:29-34

• Who in your life demands the respect John the Baptist gives Jesus? What have they done to deserve your respect?
• Do you believe in anything with as much conviction as John the Baptist does that Jesus is the Savior?

 

General Questions for Journaling

• Where do you turn for help?
• Do you see more light than darkness in your life right now? Or is it the other way around?
• What can you do to step toward God this year, this month, today?
• How has your relationship with God restored you?
• Are there stages of holiness like a 1-10 scale or it is a yes or no, either you are or you aren’t?
• What is the opposite of holiness?
• What are characteristics of holiness? Do any of the characteristics alone point to holiness or do you need all of them?
• Do you believe the Holy Spirit is still among us? Where?  How do you know?
• When was the last time you looked to the Spirit of God? What were you looking for?  Did the Spirit of God deliver?
• Is your faith strong enough you would testify on behalf of your beliefs?

 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  A promise made for all time

ALL:  from the dawn of creation.

Leader:  A promise made for all time

 ALL:  through a burning bush.

Leader:  A promise made for all time

 ALL:  seen in a dove in the sky.

Leader:  A promise made for all time

ALL:  in the life of a shepherd boy.

Leader:  A promise made for all time

ALL:  with the birth of a Savior.

 

Challenge for the Week:  There is a motivational speaker named Andy Andrews who wrote a book called the Butterfly Effect.  It is a fictional story about a man’s life, based on a scientific theory.  The theory refers to how something as small as a butterfly flapping its wings can cause a tsunami.  The story from Andy Andrews uses this theory to remind us that one small act from us can do the same thing.  This is some amazing power we have!  Whether we use our power for good or bad is our challenge this week.  Think about the significant difference one life can make in the world…JESUS.  Your life can make a BIG difference too.  Imagine what could happen if you simply flap your wings!

Epiphany of the Lord

 

Opening Prayer

Lord we pray,

That we may search diligently for YOU

Though sometimes we might get weary

Or maybe even lose our way…

Let us not forget the gift you are to us!

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Isaiah 60:1-6

• Do you carry a dark cloud of darkness with you? Do you think you can hide it if you do?
• The earth was once covered in darkness…would you still say darkness remains? How has light changed it?

 Ephesians 3:2-3A, 5-6

• What does a steward do? How are you a steward of God’s grace?
• How would you identify yourself as a copartner with God? What does Saint Paul mean here?

 Matthew 2:1-12

• How will you pay homage to Jesus this year? Do any of your resolutions help you deepen your relationship with him?
• The scriptures over the past month have given us examples of how God speaks to his people through dreams…does this cause you to look at your dreams in a different way? Do you think God still speaks to his beloved people through dreams?  Why or why not?

 

General Questions for Journaling

• How do you measure light and darkness?
• Can darkness overcome the light? Share an example (of you or someone you know).
• What is it about light which draws people to it?
• Can a person be consumed by light? How does that look and feel?
• How do your rely upon light in your life? Could you live without it?
• God’s grace is given freely…do you give grace freely?
• Is the faith you express a gift or curse to others? Explain and give examples of how faith can be both.
• Is it harder to believe Jesus came to save ALL people or Jesus came to save YOU?
• What do your dreams warn you against? Do you listen?
• What makes you search for things? Do you seek God in the same way?
• How far would you travel to see God?
• What are you willing to sacrifice/give up in order to find God?

 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  Let us be radiant

ALL:  like the morning sun!

Leader:  Let us shine

 ALL:  like the star in the night sky!

Leader:  Let us burst with light

 ALL:  like the light from a candle!

Leader:  Let us spread our light

ALL:  like a fire out of control!

Leader:  Let us bring light to others

ALL:  and outshine the darkness!

 

Challenge for the Week:  Throughout Jesus’ life, he unwrapped the gift of himself and shared the gifts with others.  Jesus was a good son, obedient to God, a teacher, a healer and a welcomed companion and friend.  What gifts have you been born with but have not unwrapped?  Have you unwrapped gifts within you which you have not shared with others?  What keeps you from unwrapping the gifts and sharing them?  Spend time this week reflecting on your life and the gifts which you have been given and unwrapped.  Have you used the gifts to the benefit of God?  Have you kept the gifts to yourself or only shared them with a few people?  Are there still gifts left for you to unwrap?  How do you know when it is time to unwrap and share the gifts you have been given?  Light a candle in your home to help remind you to reflect on the gift Jesus is and the gift you are too!