3rd Sunday of Lent

Opening Prayer

Lord

You planted me in the garden of life starting as a tiny seed; tucked away in the darkness.

You gave me Your Word to feed me.

You gave me good works nourish me.

You gave me Your Spirit to sustain me.

Slowly I emerge, struggling to break through, reaching each day toward the SON!

AMEN!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15

• Put yourself in the place of Moses, what do you feel? What do you do?  How are you called to action? How are you called to conversion?
• Can you see evidence of the trinity in this scripture?

1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12

• What spiritual food and drink do you consume?
• What evil do you desire?

 Luke 13:1-9

• A gardener needs to pull weeds, cut off dead branches and prune to generate new growth; when have you seen new growth in your life from pulling, cutting and pruning?
• How is God like a gardener to the world? To you?

General Questions for Journaling

• Where do you find holy ground? What is your definition?  What makes it holy?
• When have you witnessed something holy? Where were you?  Did you know it was holy at the time or was it revealed to you in retrospect?
• Is God’s voice clear and consistent or distant and hazy? What words do you use to describe God’s voice in your life?
• In what ways do you care for the earth? Do you do it out of obligation or another reason?  Be specific.
• How do you encourage or discourage others to care for the earth?
• How does care for the earth relate to your faith?
• What are some of the qualities you value in friendship? Who are the people whom you spend the most time?  What do you have in common with them?  What keeps you connected?
• Where does God/Jesus/Holy Spirit fall in line with your friends? What value do you place on your relationship with each of the members of the trinity?
• Are there some friends with whom you want to reconnect? What do you need to do to reestablish these relationships?  How can God help you do this?
• God wants us to tend to one another; what can you do to fertilize others around you?
• How do you cultivate your faith? What work do you do to keep your faith from producing bad fruit?  Share examples.
• How do you rate yourself as a giver of grace, mercy and forgiveness?
• How do you rate yourself as a receiver of grace, mercy and forgiveness?

Closing Prayer

Leader: You call us by name…

ALL:  Here I am Lord!

Leader:  You wait patiently for our answer…

ALL:  Here I am Lord!

Leader:  You walk with us through the desert…

ALL:  Here I am Lord!

Leader:  You sit with us during the storm…

ALL:  Here I am Lord!

Leader:  You carry us when we turn away…

ALL:  Here I am Lord!

Leader:  You call us each to fulfill a purpose…

ALL:  Here I am Lord; find me READY!

Challenge for the Week:  In the first reading we see Moses’ conversion, his turning from the old ways and beginning anew with God.  When have you experienced a conversion?  During Lent each person is called to a conversion of self, turn away from sin and toward the Gospel.  You should be letting go of a bad habit or trying to practice a new life-giving habit.  Check in this week on how you are doing so far this Lent.  Have you made progress in developing a deeper relationship with God, yourself and others?  Can you see evidence of a conversion happening?  It is not too late to make this Lent a meaningful one…make sure you are on course for having a productive Lent!

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