Sunday, July 25th Readings

17^th Sunday Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer

Lord

YOU never cease to amaze;

I am filled with wonder and awe at YOUR creation

YOU set the moon and the stars into motion;

and breathed life into each of me.

YOU provide for my every need;

sometimes through miraculous works of mercy or kindness.

Many are the gifts which YOU provide

for all YOUR children.

YOU bless me, YOU love me, YOU provide for me

YOU are the bread of life!

Journal/Reflection Questions

2Kings 4:42-44

Share a time when you didn’t think God provided enough? How was it like this scripture passage?
Why do you think there was enough for all to eat and still some leftover?
Could you trust God like Elisha did and ignore logic to allow God to take care of it? Explain.

Ephesians 4:1-6

What does Saint Paul mean when he says to “preserve the unity of the spirit, through the bond of peace”? How could you explain this to a new believer? How can you preserve unity?
How does your life show you believe that there is “one God…who is over all and through all and in all”? Give examples.

John 6:1-15

What would you tell a child about the distribution of food resources around the world? What do you believe God is teaching the world to do about it through this Gospel? Is there something specific you can do?
Imagine being there with Jesus, the disciples and the others. Would you expect Jesus to provide you with a meal if you traveled to the countryside to listen to him? Describe how you’d have felt if you were one of the disciples.

General Questions for Journaling

Have you ever been without enough food to eat? What did you do? Did you trust you would have food again?
Share a time when God provided you with what you needed at the time it was required. What did you have to do for it to happen? How do you know God was involved?
On a scale from 1-10, how much do you trust God to provide for your needs? How would you rate your willingness to take a leap of faith?
What does your faith tell you to hope for? Do you believe wholly this will happen? What evidence do you have that makes it true?
Reflect on a time when you had to give more than you had to give. What was the situation? How did it work out? Where was God in the situation/outcome? What did you learn from the experience?
Can a person be a prisoner in their own life? To what are they imprisoned? Have you personally experienced this?
Define a blessing. Are there limits to it?
Do you believe in miracles? Why or why not? How would you define a miracle?
How is a blessing and a miracle similar? How are they different?
What do the scriptures this week tell you about generosity? Trust? Unity? Kindness? Humility? Patience? Getting your fill? What lesson do you think God wants you to learn from them?
When God shows up in your life, how do you feel?
Do you ever regret the time you spend with God? Why or why not?
Describe how God “feeds” you. What can you compare the feeling to?
How is the “fullness” of God like or unlike being “full” after a meal?

Closing Prayer

Leader: Through the work of my hands…