Month: September 2022

Sunday, October 2nd Readings

27th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer

Father

Sometimes when I look at the world around me,

I want to cry because of all the hurt.

At times I wonder if there is any good to see.

There are days when I want to

          give up, surrender, hide away

                   because the road ahead is too hard.

Give me the strength to seek YOU…

          to have just a little faith

                   so I can make a difference! 

AMEN

Journal/Reflection Questions

Habakkuk 1:2-3, 2:2-4

  • Can you relate to the oppression, abuse or violence in this passage? What does it remind you of? 
  • What have you done in times of misery to help you overcome the situation?
  • Describe how the author is feeling? Do you relate? How?

2Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14

  • How do you describe a “spirit of cowardice”? When have you had it? What needs to happen to overcome it?
  • How is Pope Francis an example of Saint Paul’s words in this passage to Timothy? What are you called to do in this passage?
  • What does it mean to share the hardship of the Gospel? What is Paul talking about here?
  • What examples of strength do you see in this passage? What examples of weakness? Do any of these apply in your life today?

Luke 17:5-10

  • What does this passage tell you about how God views faith? How does your own faith measure up to these standards?
  • Have you experienced at time in your life when your faith was able to move mountains? Do you know someone whose faith has moved a mountain? What does this mean to move a mountain?

General Questions for Journaling

  • Where do you see violence in the world? How are you affected as a witness? 
  • How & when have you contributed to the violence in the world?
  • What is something of this world which troubles you? Where can you find God in this situation? What might God be calling you to do to change the situation?
  • What feeds your misery?  How is your despair maintained?
  • Is there someone in your life who is struggling? Where is God in the situation? Is there something God wants you to do to help?
  • When do you cry out to God?  How does God respond when you are hurting? Where do you find comfort?
  • What feeds your misery? How is your despair maintained?
  • What feeds your faith?  How do you maintain it?
  • When have you been afraid of your faith? (Whether afraid of having faith or afraid of not having faith or afraid of the type/level of faith)
  • How does love and self-control affect violence?
  • How does violence affect love and self-control?
  • How can you exercise your faith?
  • Do you pray for an increase of faith?
  • Draw a chart to show how your faith has increased or decreased. Indicate on the chart events in your life when your faith grew or declined. Reflect on the changes in your faith.
  • Does quality or quantity matter when it comes to faith?
  • Do you call on the Holy Spirit to give you courage of faith? What does that look like? What words do you use?
  • Are there things in this world that you believe exist which you have not seen? How would you explain faith to someone who didn’t believe?
  • How do you increase your faith? A mustard seed grows into a giant tree, what can we do for our faith to grow too?
  • What can you do to spread faith? Can you grow it? How do you cultivate it? 
  • What tests your relationship with God?
  • How do you describe your relationship with God to others?
  • Has God asked you to be uprooted? When? Did you move or stay still? What was the outcome?
  • When have you witnessed faith grow? Where do you see tremendous faith? 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  When I feel trampled

ALL:  you come to pick me up!

Leader:  When I am in need

ALL:  you find a way to satisfy!

Leader:  When I call out to you

ALL:  you listen to my plea!

Leader:  When I hold back

ALL:  you urge me to give more!

Leader:  When I surrender

ALL:  you give abundantly!

Challenge for the Week:  The world can feel scary with mass shootings, police brutality and the “ism’s” which cause division and inspire hatred.  Fear can make you want to shut yourself off from what is going in, to hide away from it and fool yourself into thinking it doesn’t affect you.  What is even worse if that keeping your distance from the pain and conflict keeps you from assessing your role in it, and then doing something about it.

Spend time this week thinking about what gifts, talents, and strengths you can bring to these painful situations.  Consider what you would do if you or someone you know was impacted by a violent or traumatic event, how would you help?  Identify one small act of kindness or compassion and do it; one small act can grow!

And/or:  Make a list of the people in your life whom you take care of or have taken care of over the past year.  Then make a list of the people who take care of you.  Is it easier or harder to take care of others than to let others take care of you?  God wants you to “let go” of having to always ‘do’ and to just ‘be’ so He may take care of you.  This week, slow down and express gratitude and thankfulness for those you take care of AND for those who take care of you.  God is calling you to rest in Him so you can experience His gifts of FAITH, HOPE and LOVE!

GET CONNECTED DAILY!  Find more reflections and prayers at Making Scripture Relevant on Facebook and Instagram.  Join the Weekly Scripture Journal email list by contacting heather@makingscripturerelevant.com.

Discipleship 5K: A Physical and Spiritual Journey to the Cross by Heather Neds, author of the Weekly Scripture Journal is more than a book, it is a guide to becoming a stronger disciple.  Grab and copy and start the journey!

Sunday, September 25th Readings

26th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer

Lord

It is not wrong to desire nice things

          or to work for a better life.

Let me not get consumed by these things

          or allow them to be my focus.

Keep me humble so I might know

          it is YOU who give me what I need.

Help m remember to share what I have

          with all whom I meet for You are there!

AMEN

Journal/Reflection Questions

Amos 6:1a, 4-7

  • There is an “all about me” attitude in the world today which is similar to the way the people in the first reading act. How can you get sucked into this attitude and get complacent or comfortable with taking care of only yourself and doing what is in your own best interest?
  • What would you describe as luxury in today’s standards?
  • Is this scripture saying you shouldn’t enjoy having good things?

1Timothy 6:11-16

  • Consider the fruits of the Holy Spirit of gentleness, patience and love. How do you show these characteristics to others?
  • How do you pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness? Where do you see these qualities lived out?

Luke 16:19-31

  • Who might be a Lazarus in your life today?  What do they look like?  What is their situation?  What is a specific need you can meet for Lazarus?
  • What do you hear Jesus telling you in this parable?  With whom do you relate more?  Lazarus or the Rich Man?
  • Do you see or have you seen a “great chasm” in the world, in politics, in the church?  What can you learn from it and can it be overcome?  How does/did it affect your thoughts and behavior?
  • Are there words of warning or wisdom which have been left behind for you from loved ones who have died?  How do you honor those?

General Questions for Journaling

  • What is your definition of the finer things in life?
  • Does wealth make a person self-indulgent? Explain.
  • Do you believe power comes with having wealth? How do you see power used in good and bad ways?
  • The world is consumed by judgment of people based on their clothing or lifestyle. Whom have you judged recently based on their appearance? What can you do to seek forgiveness for your action? What can you do to teach yourself the discipline to not judge?
  • What prejudices do people have toward those who would be considered wealthy in society?
  • What prejudices do people have toward those who would be considered poor in society?
  • How do you identify a person who is “less fortunate”? Do you base it on income? Part of town they live in? Spirituality?
  • What is your responsibility as a Christian to do for the poor? Rate how you have done in the past 6 months? Is there need for improvement?
  • Is there such a thing as too much? When is it too much? Is it wrong to have more than you need? Why or why not?
  • Are there acts of charity or justice which you prefer over another? Be specific.
  • Are there things you would not do to serve or help another? Give an example.
  • Do you have scars others cannot see? If you revealed those scars do you think you would be treated differently?
  • When have you treated someone differently because of the scars they have?
  • Have you ever disregarded another due to haughtiness on your part? 
  • Have you ever needed to repent for disregard you showed toward another?  What did you do and was your apology accepted?
  • What is your image of heaven? Of hell? How do your images compare or contrast to those described in the readings?
  • How does your life and lifestyle bear witness to the truth? What is something you can change to help you bear witness to the truth better?
  • You are faced with opportunities to minister to Lazarus each day. Do you walk past him and ignore him or do you help him? Think back to this past week and consider your actions.

Closing Prayer

Leader:  When I feel trampled

ALL:  you come to pick me up!

Leader:  When I am in need

ALL:  you find a way to satisfy!

Leader:  When I call out to you

ALL:  you listen to my plea!

Leader:  When I hold back

ALL:  you urge me to give more!

Leader:  When I surrender

ALL:  you give abundantly!

Challenge for the Week:  The seasons are changing which is a good time to do some cleaning up and cleaning out.  Go through your clothes, linens and other household items and donate what you don’t need.  Also, food pantries and shelters are always in need of “staple” items of food, toiletries, and cleaning products.  Check out the coupons in the paper and shop the ads to find the best deals so your money can be stretched to meet a greater need. 

And/or:  Is there someone in your life with whom you need to share the hope of the resurrection?  Think of someone in your life who you should ask to come to church with you and then invite them to join you.

GET CONNECTED DAILY!  Find more reflections and prayers at Making Scripture Relevant on Facebook and Instagram.  Join the Weekly Scripture Journal email list by contacting heather@makingscripturerelevant.com.

Discipleship 5K: A Physical and Spiritual Journey to the Cross by Heather Neds, author of the Weekly Scripture Journal is more than a book, it is a guide to becoming a stronger disciple.  Grab and copy and start the journey!

Sunday, September 18th Readings

25th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer

Lord

How can I help my neighbor?

          I can barely care for myself.

What do I have to offer?

          I don’t have any more to spare.

Lead me to find the resources

          I need to care not only for myself

                   but for others too!

AMEN

Journal/Reflection Questions

Amos 8:4-7

  • Who are the poor today? Who are those who take advantage of the poor? What can you do to correct an unjust situation?
  • Who is responsible for the people in need?  How do your actions change when you are responsible for meeting the needs of others? Do you pass people by because it is not “your responsibility” or because you believe “someone else will stop to help”?
  • How do you feel called to care for the poor? What do you do to live out this call? What are you willing to sacrifice to provide for those you are responsible to care for? Be specific.

1Timothy 2:1-8

  • St Paul challenges to take the “Good News” out. Who do you share the Gospel with? Could you do more?
  • Paul also encourages you to pray for those in authority. What specific prayers can you pray for those in leadership roles in your country? Write down your prayers and pray them this week.
  • Have you ever given something up for another person? What was it and for whom did you give it up?

Luke 16:1-13

  • The steward is dishonest, however very clever. How might you model his behavior to promote honesty?
  • How can you better use the resources you have been given to make a positive difference in the world, in your life or in someone else’s life?

General Questions for Journaling

  • Have you ever been exploited? Have you exploited another?
  • Have you ever been oppressed? Have you oppressed another?
  • Greed is one of the seven deadly sins, yet it exists in plain sight in society. Sometimes it is even unrecognizable as sin. Spend some time thinking about where greed may have worked its way into your life or the life of your family. What can you do to get rid of the greed?
  • Identify a time when you have been greedy. What did it feel like? What was the situation? From whom did you with-hold or take from?
  • Is there an injustice which needs your attention? How does scripture lead you to a solution?
  • What causes people in the world today to get angry? What are some of the arguments going on in the world right now? How would lifting your hands to God help?
  • Have you ever had someone be a mediator in your life to help resolve a situation?
  • When have you helped two people work out an issue? How did you handle the situation? What was the outcome?
  • The United States is accustomed to a standard of living that greatly outweighs the “norms” in most other countries. What do you do or can you do to acknowledge the gifts you have?  What do you do or can you do to acknowledge others in the world who are less fortunate?
  • Your actions say a lot and can make a big difference even if you don’t feel like it or see the change. What is something you do or can do to help stop injustice in the world?
  • Have you ever been on a mission trip? Gone to another country to serve? Helped out monetarily for someone to go? Or donated to help with recovery efforts when a natural disaster occurred? Reflect on the emotions you felt because of that experience.
  • How do you take your faith outside of the church doors?  How do you live it each day of the week?
  • The actions in the first reading contradict the actions in the Gospel. Why? What are we to learn from this contradiction?
  • The Bible says, “You cannot serve both God and mammon.” Identify ways this is true in the world, your country, your family, and in your own spiritual life.
  • Is it possible to love your neighbor and also love money? Why or why not. Is having money or wealth bad? Explain.
  • Have you ever squandered something away or spent extravagantly? Share.
  • Do you save things or hold things back for future generation? If so what?  For what purpose?
  • In today’s society, you might feel many people act as if they are entitled to a certain way of living. What can you do to change this way of thinking before it becomes an epidemic? What does the scripture readings this week say to do?
  • How do you see church and state, regardless of the law? Do you believe they are separate? Do you think they interact? Do you agree they should be separate? Why or why not?
  • How many people do you know that you would describe as trustworthy?
  • How do you serve God? How do you serve society? Which one wins?

Closing Prayer

Leader:  When I feel trampled

ALL:  you come to pick me up!

Leader:  When I am in need

ALL:  you find a way to satisfy!

Leader:  When I call out to you

ALL:  you listen to my plea!

Leader:  When I hold back

ALL:  you urge me to give more!

Leader:  When I surrender

ALL:  you give abundantly!

Challenge for the Week:  You can allow your mind to justify a lie.  There are even adjectives for a lie to help you, such as, a little lie, a big lie, or a white lie.  You can tell yourself a lie, even just a little tweak to the truth is necessary to avoid hurting a person’s feelings or that twisting the truth is harmless because the actual facts don’t really matter.  However, none of this is true.  A lie is a lie and when you lie, it often catches up with you. 

When have you told a lie?  Did you lie to get out of something you didn’t want to do?  Did you lie to make someone feel better?  Did you lie so you didn’t have to deal with the truth?  Are there lies you have told which have no meaning?  Sometimes one lie causes you to tell another lie and another until you lose track of the truth and you can begin to believe our own lies.  Spend time this week meditating on a recent lie you told, was it a slip of the tongue or is there something you are hiding?  Once you’ve determined what you have done, figure out how you will make it right.

GET CONNECTED DAILY!  Find more reflections and prayers at Making Scripture Relevant on Facebook and Instagram.  Join the Weekly Scripture Journal email list by contacting heather@makingscripturerelevant.com.

Discipleship 5K: A Physical and Spiritual Journey to the Cross by Heather Neds, author of the Weekly Scripture Journal is more than a book, it is a guide to becoming a stronger disciple.  Grab and copy and start the journey!

Sunday, September 11th Readings

24th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer

Lord of immense patience

        How can I learn from you?

Where can I go to find patience?

        Is it within my reach?

What can I do to cultivate more?

        Why can’t I seem to wait?

Be with me Lord,

        I cannot do it on my own!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Exodus 32: 7-11, 13-14

  • What does this scripture say about human nature? Is it still true today? Where do you see an example?
  • What does this reading tell you about God’s mercy?
  • How does the covenant with God work with the Israelites? Is there a give and take agreement? How does this covenant work in our own relationship with God?

1 Timothy 1:12-17

  • St Paul’s conversion is one of the most powerful examples in the Bible of God’s mercy and forgiveness. Where do you see God’s patience working in today’s world? Where in your life do you need to show mercy and forgiveness?
  • Identify how God has shown mercy to Paul.
  • Identify how others showed mercy to Paul.

Luke 15: 1-32

  • How do you rejoice when you have been forgiven?
  • Describe what it feels like to be filled with compassion.

General Questions for Journaling

  • Are there things in your life which you value more than God? Imagine how God reacts to this knowledge.
  • Would you consider yourself a persuasive person? Who do you identify as a persuasive person?
  • Could a persuasive person get you to do something you know is wrong or that you shouldn’t do? Has this ever happened?
  • How do you use persuasion in your life? Do you use it to get what you want or what God wants?
  • Do you try to talk God into things? If so, what? And how did/does He respond?
  • How do you feel when you make a deal with someone, and they don’t keep up their part?
  • Have you ever reneged on a deal? What was the situation?
  • Do threats work? Why or why not? When are threats necessary?
  • Have you ever cried out to God to help you? Did He come to your aid? Explain what the circumstances were and how God helped you.
  • Does God ever give up on you? Why then, do you give up on yourself? 
  • When have you given up on yourself? Did you reach out to God or to others? Were you shown mercy?
  • You don’t only experience grief when someone close to you dies. You also can experience grief when you lose things of which you value such as your health, your job, a relationship, or a goal. Is there something which you grieve right now?
  • How have you dealt with loss? Did you feel angry? Fearful? Lonely? Did you feel God? Explain.
  • In a time of loss, who was there to help support you? Who offered comfort?
  • Did you learn anything about yourself through an experience of loss? Be specific.
  • Have you ever lost something of value and then got it back? How did it feel? What did you do?
  • Have you ever been lost? What did it feel like? Who found you? How did you feel when you were found?
  • Do you think God has favorites? Does He love the one who got away more than the 99 faithful?

Closing Prayer

Leader:  Thank you Lord

ALL:  For you never give up on me, a sinner!

Leader:  Thank you Lord

ALL:  For you never leave me, a sinner!

Leader:  Thank you Lord

ALL:  For you never lose patience with me, a sinner!

Leader:  Thank you Lord

ALL:  For you never for me, a sinner!

Leader:  Thank you Lord

ALL:  For you never forsake me, a sinner!

Challenge for the Week:  On the anniversary of the terrorist attack on the twin towers in New York City and the Pentagon, each person over the age of 20 can tell you a story about where they were and how they felt when they heard the terrible news.  If you reflect back to your story, it may be filled with sadness, anger, surprise, but at the time you probably didn’t have much mercy or forgiveness about the event.  Spend some time this week and examine what has changed in your life, in the world and see how time has perhaps changed your perspective or understanding.  Have you seen mercy and forgiveness happen in the world?  What examples can you come up with as ones to share with others so they can learn to be able to forgive and show mercy to others.  

GET CONNECTED DAILY!  Find more reflections and prayers at Making Scripture Relevant on Facebook and Instagram.  Join the Weekly Scripture Journal email list by contacting heather@makingscripturerelevant.com

Discipleship 5K: A Physical and Spiritual Journey to the Cross by Heather Neds, author of the Weekly Scripture Journal is more than a book, it is a guide to becoming a stronger disciple.  Grab and copy and start the journey!