Eighth Sunday of Easter – Pentecost

 

Opening Prayer

O Blessed Spirit,

When we feel alone,

you are there.

When we are surrounded by darkness,

you bring light.

When we are weak,

you are our strength.

You are our guide to stay on the path of life,

which leads to heaven.

Fill our soul, dwell among us, FOREVER!

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Acts 2:1-11

• Imagine you are there at Pentecost…what do you see, feel, smell, hear and say?
• What keeps you from experiencing the fullness of the Holy Spirit today?

 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13

• Explain the difference of being baptized in the Spirit and being baptized in water.
• What lesson can you learn about differences from this scripture?

 John 20:19-23

• How has the Spirit caused you to act differently?
• Where do you share God’s peace?

 

General Questions for Journaling

• Do you believe in miracles? Why or why not?
• Do think at Pentecost, they understood each other literally?
• What can you do to understand others better? How can the gifts of the Holy Spirit help?
• Is there a place where you feel more connected to the Holy Spirit? Jesus?  God?
• Are there people in your life whom are different and you appreciate their differences?
• Are there people in your life whom are different and you are frustrated by their differences?
• What gift(s) do you hold back?
• What can you do to share your gifts more abundantly?
• Is peace easily found? Why or why not?
• Define a “peacemaker”. What qualities do you have?

 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  Come Holy Spirit,

 ALL:  shine in our lives!

Leader:  Come Spirit of Truth,

ALL:  teach us the way!

Leader:  Come Advocate,

 ALL:  give us strength!

Leader:  Come Paraclete,

ALL:  bring us comfort!

Leader:  Come Presence of God,

ALL:  renew our faith!

Leader:  Come Holy Spirit,

ALL:  fill us joy everlasting!

 

Challenge for the Week:  Spend time this week in search of the work of the Holy Spirit.  Where do you see the Spirit in creation?  Where do you see the Spirit at work in the everyday, mundane tasks?  Where do you see the Spirit giving comfort or healing?  How is the Holy Spirit renewing the face of the earth today?

Seventh Sunday of Easter – Ascension

 

Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father,

When we look to the sky,

we are limited to what we see.

We can only imagine what is beyond.

Teach us, guide us in your WORD,

so we have the faith to believe

and understand what we cannot see.

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Acts 1:12-14 

• What can you learn from the disciples about letting go of someone you love?
• What is the importance of prayer and community in these times?

 1 Peter 4:13-16 

• Explain how sharing in Jesus’ suffering brings us closer to him.
• When have you felt the Spirit of God rest upon you? Share the details.

 John 17:1-11a

• What is revealed to you through Jesus’ suffering?
• What is revealed to you through Jesus’ crucifixion?
• What is revealed to you through Jesus’ resurrection?
• What is revealed to you through Jesus’ ascension?

 

General Questions for Journaling

• Share a time when you were disappointed. How were you able to overcome?
• When have you had to let go of something you love? How did you deal with the loss?
• What can you do to bring comfort to someone who is suffering from a loss of a job, loss of a friend or family member, or a loss of faith/hope?
• Describe heaven.
• What changes in you, when you hear that Jesus has a place for you in heaven?
• How does Jesus’ ascension to heaven affect your faith?
• How does Jesus’ ascension to heaven affect your understanding of heaven?
• How does Jesus’ ascension to heaven affect your understanding of death/dying?
• Is it possible to avoid suffering? Why or why not?
• Does good or bad come from avoiding difficult situations? Share examples of both.
• Jesus said he gave us everything. What does this mean to you?
• Do you tell people you will pray for them? Do you follow through?
• What assurance do you have that Jesus will follow through with his promise to pray for you?

 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  Lord, I hear you call to me,

 ALL:  when I listen with my heart.

Leader:  Lord, I open myself to you,

ALL:  when I feel with my heart.

Leader:  Lord, I gain understanding from your Word,

 ALL:  when I study with my heart.

Leader:  Lord, I comfort others and am comforted,

ALL:  when I embrace with my heart.

Leader:  Lord, I spread the Good News,

ALL:  when I love with my heart.

Leader:  Lord, I turn my eyes to heaven,

ALL:  when I believe with my heart.

 

Challenge for the Week:  When you think about the “Glory of God”, what do you imagine?  When you hear the words, “Glory of God”, how do you feel?  What words do you use to describe the “Glory of God”?  These words invoke emotion; they hold power to those who believe.  Identify the people in your life (and in the world) whom these words “Glory of God” have no significant meaning.  Spend time this week considering what you can do or say to bring God’s Glory into their lives.

Sixth Sunday of Easter

 

Opening Prayer

Praise and honor to YOU!

My Lord, king and savior,

You understand what it feels like to be lonely;

and you promise to never leave us alone.

You bring us strength, knowledge and courage;

so we can fight temptation and self-doubt.

You leave with us an advocate and protector;

full of understanding and right judgment.

We are made whole through the Holy Trinity;

Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Acts 8:5-8, 14-17

• When have you experienced “great joy”?
• What do you think drew people to come and listen to Phillip?

 1 Peter 3:15-18

• What do these words from Peter stir up within you? What is he pleading with you to do?
• How do you put sin to death?

 John 14:15-21

• How do you keep the relevant the commandments God gave?
• Do you believe that following the commandments shows God love? What does this look like?  Make a list.

 

General Questions for Journaling

• What topics of conversation get your full attention?
• Where do you go to learn more about your faith?
• How do you learn more about God?
• What does the Holy Trinity mean to you?
• Share a time when you felt the Holy Spirit at work in your life.
• How do you explain the Holy Spirit in relation to your life? Your faith?  Where does the Spirit fit?
• What inspires you? How?
• Who inspires you? How?
• What is difficult about following the commandments?
• Are there ways you have found it easier to keep commandments?
• Which of the 10 Commandments do you find most difficult to follow?
• Would you say that you seek the Holy Spirit or that the Holy Spirit comes in search of you?

 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  Father…

 ALL:  I love you for the breath you give me.

Leader:  Jesus…

ALL:  I love you for the example you give me.

Leader:  Spirit…

 ALL:  I love you for the guidance you give me.

Leader:  Father…

ALL:  In your creation, I see your love for me.

Leader:  Jesus…

ALL:  In your sacrifice, I see your love for me.

Leader:  Spirit…

ALL:  In your presence, I see your love for me.

 

Challenge for the Week:  How have you accepted the Holy Spirit into your life?  Take time this week to identify moments, or THE moment when you consciously accepted the Holy Spirit into your life.  Where were you?  Who was there?  Was it influenced by a person or an experience?  How have you continued to carry the Holy Spirit with you?  Then write your own prayer to the Holy Spirit to give thanks and praise.

Fifth Sunday of Easter

 

Opening Prayer

Holy Spirit

Fill me with the wisdom I need

So I can walk the path Jesus walked

And love others the way God loves

Abide in me,

So I may be where you are

Always!

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Acts 6:1-7

• Do you or have you neglected the Word of God? Share a time when you neglected God.
• Peter tells the disciples to devote themselves to prayer. What is the purpose of this?  What happens?  What could happen if you devoted yourself to prayer?

 1 Peter 2:4-9

• How does you being rejected, make you more precious to God?
• Is your relationship with God the cornerstone of your life?

 John 14:1-12

• Explain how Jesus is the way the truth and the life. How do you live your life witnessing to these?
• How does God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, dwell in you?

 

General Questions for Journaling

• What do you do to help grow faith in yourself?
• What do you do to grow faith in others?
• What does it mean to you to be obedient in faith? Is it different for everyone?  Why or why not?
• What did you pray for last week? Are you asking God into your prayer or telling God what you want?
• Where do you get your value? Who or what gives you value?
• When do you feel the most valued?
• What makes you valuable?
• What sacrifices did you make this week? Did you make them joyfully or complain?

 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  Go!

 ALL:  Spread the Good News of the Gospel!

Leader:  Go!

ALL:  Comfort someone who needs comfort!

Leader:  Go!

 ALL:  Teach through your words and your actions!

Leader:  Go!

ALL:  Build bridges, not walls!

Leader:  Go!

ALL:  Serve others through love!

Leader:  Go!

ALL:  You have been chosen!

 

Challenge for the Week:  When Peter says you are a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation”, what is he really saying?  What are these words supposed to inspire to do or to be?  In the Catholic Church, these words are a part of the ritual prayers prayed at Baptism.  Each person, infant thru adult, are baptized into the faith as priest, prophet and king, making it clear up front what is expected of each of us to be in Christ.  How do you live your baptism today?  Do you live your life knowing you are chosen?  How does living in Christ make you royalty?  Is there something you could do to help make the world, the community, your family, more holy?  These are not just words, they are our mission!

Fourth Sunday of Easter

 

Opening Prayer

Jesus

Lead me

Guide me

Protect me

I surrender

I hear your voice!

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Acts 2:14a, 36-41

• Peter’s advice is to repent. Knowing Peter’s story, how do these words impact you coming from him?
• Peter is calling everyone to action. What do you feel called to do after hearing his words?

 1 Peter 2:20b-45

• Jesus had no sin but suffered death to take sin away; write a prayer of thanksgiving to Jesus that your sin is wiped away through his death.
• Jesus already suffered for your sin, what sin(s) do you hold onto because you think you still need to suffer guilt and shame?

 John 10:1-10

• When you see Jesus face to face, do you think you’d have the patience to wait for the gate to be opened or would you want to jump the fence?
• If Jesus is the gate which you must enter, how does a person pass through? Give examples.

 

General Questions for Journaling

• Where do you see corruption in the world? In your community?  Within yourself?
• Share a time when you felt convicted of a wrong doing.
• Have you ever been 100% convinced of something? What was it?
• What changes in the language when one says they “were” baptized and they “are” baptized? Which are you?
• How do you repent of your sins? What are some things which help you repent?
• When did you last testify to your faith? How did you?  Explain how you felt and how others reacted.
• Describe a suffering Christian. Do you know anyone who fits the description?
• Could you hold your tongue if you were falsely accused of something? Why or why not?  Are there circumstances which you could or shouldn’t?
• How does scripture restore you? How does it heal?
• What qualities does a shepherd have which you want? How will you develop these qualities?

 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  Lord, you refresh my soul

ALL:  and give me all that I need.

Leader:  Lord, you guide my path

ALL:  and give me all that I need.

Leader:  Lord, you walk beside me

 ALL:  and give me all that I need.

Leader:  Lord, you protect me from harm

ALL:  and give me all that I need.

Leader:  Lord, you wrap me in mercy

ALL:  and give me all that I need.

Leader:  Lord, you are my Shepherd

ALL:  and you give me all that I need.

 

Challenge for the Week:  How well do you know God?  What does Jesus’ voice sound like?  Can you feel the Holy Spirit guide you?  Take time this week to think about the people whom you spend the most time.  How well do they know you?  How well do you know them?  Would you recognize their voice?  What if they tried to disguise it, do you know them well enough to know it is someone you trust?  This kind of trust only comes from knowing the person intimately, deeply.  Jesus already knows you better than anyone else; it’s your turn.

OR

Imagine you take your child to Disney on Ice.  There are hundreds, thousands of people, parents and their kids as far as you can see.  You can hear the families talking, the kids crying and calling out to their mom and dad.  How are you able to tell when your child calls out to you?  What is your response when you hear their voice?  You don’t turn around each time you hear a child call “MOM” or “DAD”, rather, you turn around only when you hear your own child’s voice.  It is a voice which you are familiar with, you know it no matter what because of the intimate relationship you have.  This is the same with your relationship with Jesus.  When you know Jesus, really know Him and spend time with Him, you know His voice above any other.  What can you do to hear Jesus more clearly?