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!