Sunday, January 16th Readings

2^nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer

Lord Jesus,

You are generous beyond compare.

The wellspring of your love never runs dry.

You are the giver of all that is good.

I want to overflow with praise for you,

And shout from the rooftop that You are God!

AMEN

Journal/Reflection Questions

Isaiah 62 :1-5

Jesus is the King of Kings, how does this scripture describe your relationship with him?
What does this scripture tell you about how God loves? Does it help you understand God’s love more or less?

1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Where do you see yourself in this scripture? How does the Spirit manifest within you?
When have you seen these gifts work together for good in your community or in your life?
Where have your gifts been called upon and gathered for a specific purpose or did they come together organically? Explain.

John 2:1-11

Compare your life to the wine which was served first and your future to the water which was turned into wine. Can you find hope in the comparison?
Put yourself in the scripture. Imagine yourself as the head waiter, the bride/groom, the guests, Mary. What are you thinking? How do you make sense of what happened? Whom do you share this occurrence with and how?
How do the words, “do whatever he tells you” change meaning when you hear them coming from Mary, speaking of Jesus?

General Questions for Journaling

How do you know God loves you? How would you explain this kind of love to someone who had never met God?
God calls you His delight and promises not to forsaken you; what other names does God give you? What other promises does He make?
What gift(s) do you have? How do you use it/them?
Are you jealous of a specific gift? Why? What would you do with it if you had it?
When have you seen a variety of gifts work together for good?
What specific gift is needed in your family right now? In your workplace? In your community?
There is a time to speak up and a time to be silent. Share examples of each and explain.
When you call on God, what name do you use? What name does God use to call on you?
Would you say you have experienced love to its greatest extent? Share the experience.
Do you feel favored by God? Why or why not?
What does it mean to you to be favored by God?
How do you compare God’s love for you and the love of a parent?
How do you compare God’s love for you and the love of a spouse?
Does comparing God’s love to the marriage union still hold value when people get divorced or don’t get married at all? Why or why not?
How does God know you love Him? Do you tell Him? Do you show Him? What do you do?
When have you seen the Spirit at work? Do you have to look hard to see it? How often do you experience this?
Are there gifts God has given to you which you are afraid to use?
Do you believe there are still gifts of God within you which haven’t been manifest yet? Why or why not?
Do you believe the phrase, “you get what you pay for”? What does it mean? How can you translate it to faith?
Is there anyone in your life whom you trust will provide for all of your needs? Do you think it is a rarity or surplus in life to have one or more people who take care of you to this extent?
Have you ever been asked to give more than you thought was expected? What was the situation? How did it affect your attitude? What was the outcome?
How does the saying “save the best for last” apply to your life? Share examples of when this is true.

Closing Prayer