14^th Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

Opening Prayer

Christ within me,

How I struggle!

I move forward,

but leave you behind.

I trip and fall,

then cry out to you.

My heart knows you are with me;

My will says I can do it alone.

It is a constant battle.

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Zechariah 9:9-10

• Share a time when God won a victory for you. What was the battle?  What did you struggle with and how did God help you overcome?
• The scripture describes a king riding in on a donkey…how do these two images go together? Where do you see this same image in the New Testament?

 Romans 8:9, 11-13

• Share a recent example of how the spirit worked through you.
• How are you indebted to the flesh? How does knowing Jesus paid the debt already change your perspective?

 Matthew 11:25-30

• What does it mean that God’s yoke is easy?
• When have you experienced God’s gracious will?

 

General Questions for Journaling

• How do you rejoice for God? Be specific.
• Do your actions towards others show your love for God? Share a recent example.
• How can your actions “banish” a person from your life? When might this be necessary?
• Have your recent actions caused division between you and another person or a group of people? How does your relationship with
  God factor into this division?
• Where do you see peace in the world? What can you do to keep it?
• What characteristics of the “flesh” do you need to shed?
• What characteristics of the “spirit” do you want to take on?
• What words do you use to describe the Father?
• What words do you use to describe the Son?
• What words do you use to describe the Spirit?
• How do you explain how the Father, Son and Spirit work together?

 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  Come, dwell in me…

 ALL:  let me know meekness.

Leader:  Come, dwell in me…

ALL:  let me know humility.

Leader:  Come, dwell in me…

 ALL:  let me know weakness.

Leader:  Come, dwell in me…

ALL:  let me know burdens.

Leader:  Come, dwell in me…

ALL:  let me know hunger and thirst.

Leader: Come, dwell in me…

ALL:  let me know hurt.

Leader: Come, dwell in me…

ALL:  so I may find rest!

 

Challenge for the Week:  The “yoke” in the Gospel reading is not the center of an egg, rather it’s a tool used to tether two things together.  The purpose of a yoke is to teach.  Farmers would use the yoke to put a seasoned animal with one who is just learning; this practice allowed the veteran to teach the newbie the ropes.  This process didn’t just take an hour a week but many hours of being tied together, working.  This scripture says that God has already tethered himself to us through Jesus’ death and the spirit within us.  We cannot learn what we need to learn about how to live our lives when we don’t tie ourselves to God on a regular basis.  This week find a string to tie around your wrist to remind you of how you are tied to God every moment of every day.  This knowledge should be used to help you learn to listen to the spirit within and act upon it, allow God to teach you!