Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father,

You created us out of love.

You brought us to life with love.

You commissioned us to give love.

Though we forget to share love,

hold love back and

put conditions on our love,

YOU LOVE WITHOUT BOUNDARIES;

Blessed are we who are LOVED by God!

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Isaiah 49:14-15

• How does this scripture remind us that God is God and we are not?
• What have you forgotten already today?

 1 Corinthians 4:1-5

• How much weight do you give to others opinion of you? How does their opinion compare to God’s?
• What motivates you to be a better person? What can you do to help motivate others?

 Matthew 6:24-34

• Jesus is telling us not to worry about tomorrow, today or yesterday. How does this scripture help relieve some of your stress and worry?  How does this scripture increase it?
• Have you ever turned over or offered up a decision, problem or worry to God? How did you do it?  What happened?  Share your actions and feelings.

 

General Questions for Journaling

• What can you do to bring comfort to someone who feels forgotten? Identify that person and make a plan.
• When have your felt forgotten by someone? What was the situation?  Did you tell them how you felt?  What was their response?
• Have you ever felt forgotten by God? What was the situation?  Did you tell God how you felt?  What was God’s response?
• Do you like to receive praise? Do you enjoy when someone gives you a compliment?  Why or why not?
• Would you rather be recognized at work for a job well done or at home? What is different about the recognition?
• Identify how you have been a good steward of your God given gifts in the past week.
• How can you/do you protect the gifts God has given to you?
• Do you consider yourself trustworthy? What qualities does someone who is trustworthy need to have?
• Do you spend as much time preparing your heart to be true to God, as you do trying to impress others?

 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  Lord, help me to let go

ALL:  of the selfish thoughts which drive my actions.

Leader:  Lord, help me to let go

 ALL:  of the doubt that I am not good enough.

Leader:  Lord, help me to let go

ALL:  of the sin which keeps me from a deeper relationship.

Leader:  Lord, help me to let go

ALL:  of the agenda in my mind and not of my heart.

Leader:  Lord, help me to let go

ALL:  of the anxiety and worry that my prayers are not heard.

Leader:  Lord, help me to let go

ALL:  of the fear that keeps me from experiencing peace.

 

Challenge for the Week:  Reflect this week about the basic need of an infant and how they are similar to our needs from God.  What causes the infant to cry out?  Typically they are hungry/thirsty, dirty diaper, tired or bored.  We cry out for the same reasons.  We are born with a hunger & thirst for God, a space within that only God can fill and we seek many other things to try to satisfy but we need God.  In our lives, we find ourselves in need of a diaper change.  We get stuck in the muck of sin and need God to clean us up and send us out clean.  We also become tired and weary because we occupy too much of our time with what we think we need to do and don’t allow time to rest in the silence of God.  When was the last time you took time out of your day, week, or year for a silent retreat with God to rest?  And lastly, we become bored, or worse, boring.  Our lives become boring when we aren’t growing and changing into the person God created us to be.  We need God to help us be challenged!  So, just as we care for the needs of a crying infant, God is there to nurture us and give the comfort we need to be consoled.

Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

Opening Prayer

Jesus

When I feel beaten

and alone,

When it seems all is lost

or forgotten,

Let me cling to YOUR spirit.

Allow me to gain strength

through your love.

Come.

Dwell in my soul.

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18

• In what way are you holy as God is holy? (Be specific).
• How does it feel when you carry a grudge, hatred or revenge with you?

 1 Corinthians 3:16-23

• Can a person deceive themselves? Can they lie to themselves?  Share an example.
• If God dwells in you, you are the tabernacle. How do you treat your body as the temple of God?  How do you honor God within yourself?

 Matthew 5:38-48

• What makes it difficult to turn the other cheek? Name the feeling.  Where does it come from?
• When was the last time you gave more than was required or asked for? What was the situation?  Why did you give more?

 

General Questions for Journaling

• How do you define community?
• Are you a member of one or more communities?
• What value do you derive by being a part of a community?
• Is there someone whom you are in conflict with right now? What stands in the way of reconciliation?
• What do you see when you look in the mirror? Do you see your sin or your potential?
• Knowledge you can measure through testing to show how much you know. How is wisdom measured?
• On a scale from 1-10, identify the wisdom within. How do you rate?  Do you know anyone whom you’d rate at a 10?
• Who taught you about taking turns or how to be fair?
• How does it feel when you don’t get your turn?
• Are there situations in your life right now that are “not fair”? How do you deal with them?
• Is there something in your life (a sin) which tempts you? Do you give in?  What helps you to resist?
• Have you ever been able to find peace in an unfair situation?

 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  Holy is the word of Jesus,

ALL:  Holy is the WORD!

Leader:  Holy is the flesh of Jesus,

ALL:  Holy is the BODY!

Leader:  Holy is the blood of Jesus,

ALL:  Holy is the BLOOD!

Leader:  Holy is the cross of Jesus,

ALL:  Holy is the CROSS!

Leader:  Holy is the peace of Jesus,

ALL:  Holy is his PEACE!

Leader:  Holy is the name of Jesus,

ALL:  Holy is his NAME!

 

Challenge for the Week:  We often find it easier to point out the bad things in ourselves (and others) than to identify the good things.  This week, make a list of at least 10 things you love about yourself.  Then, next to each good quality or trait, write the name of another person in your life whom shares that trait.  Make an effort to list a different person for each gift you wrote down about yourself.  The next time you see that person who shares this characteristic you love about yourself and them; tell them.  Allow the “love” of the Valentines holiday extend past one day.

Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

Opening Prayer

Father

Give me the eyes to see you!

I want to choose you,

I want to run to you,

I want to love you,

but I find it difficult at times

to embrace what I cannot see.

Fill me with the faith to choose you,

even when I cannot see!

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Sirach 15:15-20

• Is it enough to simply say we choose God? Why or why not?
• How have your words and actions show you choose God?

 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 

• Describe what it is within you that confirms for you God exists? How do you see God?  How do you hear God?  What does God smell like, taste like, feel like?
• What does your heart tell you about God?

 Matthew 5:17-37

• Can you love God and others without the law? Are the commandments necessary?  Why or why not?
• Is there a difference between what others see on the outside vs what is true on the inside? Is your true faith lived out in your everyday words and actions?

 

General Questions for Journaling

• When you are faced with a choice, do you consult God before making your decision?
• Are there decisions you need to make each day which you don’t need to consult with God? What are they?
• If you believe God sees all things, why do you still sin?
• Is it easy or difficult to choose between good and evil? How can you tell the difference?
• Identify the ways in which the commandments help you.
• Do you follow God’s commandments out of fear of going to hell?
• What does fear of God look like to you?
• How is wisdom different than knowledge or understanding?
• How do you live out the law?
• Is it possible to live beyond the law? What would that look like?

 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  You give your love

ALL:  in all of creation.

Leader:  You give your love

 ALL:  with a rainbow.

Leader:  You give your love

 ALL:  in the commandments.

Leader:  You give your love

ALL:  on a cross.

Leader:  You give your love

ALL:  in the Word & Eucharist.

Leader:  You give your love

ALL:  through US!

 

Challenge for the Week:  How does God influence your decisions?  Do you turn to God to help you discern your life choices or are there others in your life who help you?  Allow yourself to consider the decisions you make and process in which you make them.  Do the people whom you ask for help have your best interests at heart or do they have something to lose or gain?  How do the commandments play a role in the decisions you make?  Reflect on the 10 commandments this week and come up with questions you can ask yourself when you are faced with a decision.  Allow these questions to help you make a choice which falls in line with your beliefs and follows God’s plan for you in your life.  Give God room in your life and in your decisions to guide you.

Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

Opening Prayer

Lord,

When do you call my name?

How can I be assured it is you?

Let the light be my guide.

May is shine brightly on my path.

Lead me Lord!

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Isaiah 58:7-10

• Share an example of how God is behind you doing good things for others.
• Isaiah is telling us in the scripture that in our works for others, God is there. In what other scripture passage do we hear this message?

 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

• Paul is saying there is nothing getting in the way of the word he is preaching. What kind of things can get in the way in some of our conversations with others?  What do we sometimes hide behind?
• Is there a situation in your life right now where you need be more like St Paul in this scripture and be honest?

 Matthew 5:13-16

• What gives your life flavor?
• Make a list of all of the things which produce light. What produces darkness?

 

General Questions for Journaling

• Do you like to share? What is something you like to share?
• Are there things in your life that you don’t like to share? Why?
• When do you call out to God for help? What type of things do you want/need God’s help with?
• Why do you think there is so much value put on volunteering? Why is it important?
• When was the last time you volunteered? (gave your time and talent without expectation of compensation)
• Have you ever received something in return for volunteering? How did it make you feel?
• Do you volunteer often? Why or why not?
• Is volunteering easy or difficult?
• How do you think God wards off gloom in your life? Give examples.
• What does it look like to rely fully on God for your happiness?
• Have you ever claimed to know more than you really do? When?  What was the circumstance?  How did the situation turn out for you?
• How can you shine the spotlight on the good works of another?

 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  Through compassion I give and receive;

ALL:  Your mercy endures forever!

Leader:  Through understanding, watching and waiting;

 ALL:  Your patience endures forever! 

Leader:  Through good works, for myself and others;

 ALL:  Your justice endures forever!

Leader:  Through forgiveness, I offer and accept;

ALL:  Your grace endures forever!

Leader:  Through eternal life given through death;

ALL:  Your love endures forever!

 

Challenge for the Week:  In science class, students often get to experience at least once in their life either witness or performing the litmus test.  This test, if you don’t remember uses a special type of paper to determine the acidity of a specific item.  The actual definition of a litmus test is a test in which a single factor (such as an attitude, event, or fact) is decisive and produces a definitive result.  The Gospel uses salt and light to prove a point about.  The challenge is to perform your own litmus test to determine how “salty” you are and how much “light’ you produce.  Do you think you will be happy with your results?