First Sunday of Lent

 

Opening Prayer

Abba Father

As we awake to each new day,

may we be aware of the breath we take.

Before we even open our eyes,

may we inhale deeply the life you give.

Despite the struggles or challenges,

let us count the blessings and

be fully aware of the love you have for us!

AMEN!

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7

• What is God telling you this Lenten season that you should not do?
• Is there a serpent in your life telling you untruths to keep you from fulfillment?

 Romans 5:12-19

• How have you sacrificed or given to another in order for them to have life?
• What transgressions keep you from relationship (or deeper relationship) with God?
• What transgressions keep you from relationship (or deeper relationship) with others?

 Matthew 4:1-11

• Jesus uses scripture to ward off the devil’s temptations. What scripture can you use to help give you strength to fight temptation?
• What desert places have you encountered?
• Are you in the desert now? How does the scripture give you courage to overcome?

 

General Questions for Journaling

• Name the things that tempt you. When you do so, does it change the way you look at them?
• Are there people in your life whom you have given you bad advice? Do you still ask them to help you make decisions?
• How do you know a relationship is of God? (meaning, the person has your best interests at heart)
• What faults are you hiding from the world?
• Are there things about you no other human person knows?
• Is there an experience you have had or can relate to that confirms for you that nothing is hidden from God?
• What do you desire? How do you know if it is good or bad?  By what do you measure?
• Jesus was willing to die for you; what are you giving up for him?
• How does sin weigh you down?
• What do you carry more of? The action of Sin? Or the guilt of Sin? Is there a difference?
• How are the 40 days of Lent like the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert?
• What symbol of Lent means the most to you? Why?  (choose a symbol to reflect on and help you through Lent)

 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  Let us remember…

ALL:  we are clay.

Leader:  As clay…

 ALL:  we can be hard and dry.

Leader:  As clay…

 ALL:  we must be molded.

Leader:  As clay…

ALL:  we can take on many forms.

Leader:  As clay…

ALL:  we are created perfectly.

Leader:  As clay…

ALL:  we withstand the fire.

Leader:  This Lent…

ALL:  we are clay!

 

Challenge for the Week:  Simple challenge.  Plant a seed TODAY.  Gather dirt into a plastic cup, a pot or whatever you can find.  Tend to it throughout the Lenten Season and continue to nurture it through the Easter Season too.  Each time you look at it, water it or spin it in the sunlight, Thank God for caring for you.

7^th Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

Opening Prayer

Almighty God,

You are the lover and creator of our soul;

from you come all things good.

Send Your Spirit to dwell in us;

so we may be holy, as you are holy.

Help us surrender to your grace;

that it may overflow in our lives.

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18

• How is holiness described here? How is your personal holiness connected to others?
• To love others as Jesus loves is a tall order. Are there people in your life with which you hold a grudge?  Feel contempt toward?  Consider unworthy of your time or attention?

 1Corinthians 3:16-23

• How can others see “the Spirit of God” within you? How do your actions change when you act upon this truth?
• How do you treat the “temple of God”? What can you do to take better care of yourself knowing within you dwells God?

 Matthew 5:38-48

• Jesus said the “old” law was to seek justice, “an eye for an eye” but the “new” law says to “turn the other cheek.” This is easier said than done but have you done it?  Reflect on a time when you were able to “turn the other cheek”, how were you able to do this?
• Consider your actions toward someone who has hurt you. What are the feelings you feel when you are around that person or when you know you know you will need to interact with them?  What steps can you take to transform those negative feelings into more positive ones?

 

General Questions for Journaling

• What does it mean to be holy? How can you be holy like God is holy?  Where do you start?
• Where do you see God’s holiness in your life? What signs of heaven do you find here on earth?
• Imagine your heart is a garden, what condition is your garden in? What do you need to do so God can grow more abundantly in your heart?  What do we need to weed out?  What do we need to plant?
• Are there people in your life who have hurt you? Have you forgiven them for that hurt?  What did you do or what do you need to do in order to let go of the hurt and allow forgiveness to work?
• Identify where evil lurks in your life. How do you identify it?  How do you feed it?  What can you do to resist evil?
• One of the hardest things for humans to do is to let go and forgive. Is there someone who is in need of your forgiveness?  What can you do to begin to work on forgiving that person?
• Spend some time reflecting on how Jesus lived out this Gospel message in his final days on earth. What can you take from this example and apply to a situation you are experiencing at this time in your life?

 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  The Lord shows kindness and mercy…

ALL:  when we speak with gratitude.

Leader:  The Lord shows kindness and mercy…

 ALL:  when we forgive others. 

 Leader:  The Lord shows kindness and mercy…

 ALL:  when we show compassion.

 

Challenge for the Week:  Pray, Pray, Pray.  We pray for ourselves, we pray for those we love, we pray for friends and family who are sick or have asked for prayers but do we pray for those who have hurt us or who persecute us?  Perhaps we pray for those who hurt us to stop hurting us but this week, the challenge is to pray for their soul; pray for their conversion; pray their hurt may be healed; pray they seek God.  It is not easy to pray for good things for those who hurt us or persecute us, our human instinct is to wish them harm, though Jesus says in the Gospel this week we must love our enemies.  Consider also how we can show love toward those who hurt us.  What examples of Christ can we follow?

 

5^th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer

Come Lord Jesus,

Break through our hardened exterior.

Free us of the chains that bind us to this world.

Mold our thoughts and our understanding

so we may look beyond our own needs,

and be moved to be salt and light to others.

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

 Isaiah 58:7-10

• How can you re-word the phrase, “Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall be quickly healed” to have meaning in your spiritual life?
• Good can come from suffering; how can something you have suffered through be a benefit to another person?

 1Corinthians 2:1-5

• Reflect on a struggle you have right now. Consider the struggle from another person’s point of view.  How might God see the same struggle?  How can your faith give you a different perspective?
• When you look through human understanding, it doesn’t make sense that death on a cross gives eternal life. Faith says differently.  Is there anything you are anxious about or causes you worry that needs the power of God?

 Matthew 5:13-16

• Personify salt, light and a city on a mountain. What qualities would each of these have?  What qualities do you emulate?  Are there qualities you can cultivate into your life?
• You can have not enough salt or too much salt, or not enough light or too much light. How does this concept apply to your spiritual life?

 

General Questions for Journaling

• From the time Jesus was born, he was “light”. The Shepherds and Magi found him by following the star.  Simeon and Anna recognized the “light”.  Even the fishermen on the shore were drawn to the “light” so that they left everything behind to follow it.  How do you let the “light” of Jesus shine in your life?
• When did you last give bread to the hungry, clothe the naked and shelter to the homeless? How can you make this a more regular part of daily practice?
• The world has an “it’s all about ME” attitude but Jesus calls us to fill the needs of our neighbors. Consider your actions in the past week, when did you have an “it’s all about ME” attitude?  What could you have done differently to have an attitude of Christ?
• Make a list of 25 positive qualities you possess. How can these be put to use serving God?
• Do you hide a bad habit, negative behavior or addiction from others? You cannot hide your true-self from God.  Create a strategy to bring what you hide from others to light so God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness can help you overcome.
• Imagine God read all of your emails and text messages this past week, viewed all of the websites you viewed, and listened to the top 25 songs on your playlist. Would they reflect God’s love?
• When was the last time you put your own agenda aside in order to help another person? What was the outcome?  Where there any benefits or consequences to your action?

 

Closing Prayer – Matthew 5:5-6

Leader:  Blessed are those who mourn,

ALL:  for they shall be consoled.

 Leader:  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

 ALL:  for they shall have their fill. 

 

Challenge for the Week:  As baptized members of the Body of Christ, we should know our purpose.  Too often we follow the easy path or the crowd and don’t take time to talk to God about what direction we should be going.  We might look around at our life and wonder, “how did I get here?”  We need to take the time to get to know ourselves and “who we are in Christ”, what are our gifts and talents?  How can we use these gifts to glorify God?  Just like in the Gospel reading, salt is used to flavor and preserve and the purpose of a lamp is to provide light.  This week spend time reflecting on what you are called to do as a member of the Body of Christ?  What is your purpose?  How can you better reflect “whose you are”?