Opening Prayer – First Sunday of Lent
Heavenly Father,
You give us the breath of life,
You created us from nothing,
You sent your Son to die for our sins,
You love us above all things.
Oh, how grateful we are for all these gifts
Let us show our gratitude.

Journal/Reflection Questions
Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7
• How is your relationship with God? How is it different than the way God intended it to be?
• What do you try to hide from God? What do you hide from others?

Romans 5:12-19
• Paul says we should be grateful for the sin of Adam. Why do you think he says this? What do you think?
• Is there a difference between sinning against God and sinning against our neighbor?

Matthew 4:1-11
• Jesus fights the devil in the desert, how can you draw strength from this reading in your struggles?
• Where do you feel the Spirit moving you in your life right now? What are you willing to sacrifice in order to follow?

General Questions for Journaling
• The gift of freewill gets humans into a lot of trouble. Is there a time when you knew the will of God but you ignored it like Adam and Eve?
• Why do you think God gave humans free will but not the other creatures?
• If God didn’t give humans free will, what do you think the world would be like?
• How do you hide your sinfulness from others? Are you honest with yourself about your faults and failings?
• Do you celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation regularly? The precepts of the Catholic Church say a person should receive the sacrament at least once a year. If not, what is keeping you from receiving God’s grace through this sacrament of healing?
• Sometimes when a person fails, they become discouraged and give up because the weight of sin can be paralyzing. What can you do to help you remember that Jesus already bore your sins? How can you free yourself or others from the burden of sin?
• Describe a time when you felt you were in the desert. Describe a time when you felt you were in the wilderness. How did those experiences similar? Differ? Where was God in these experiences?

Closing Prayer
Leader: One cannot live on bread alone;
ALL: Lord, you give us your flesh and blood.
Leader: One cannot serve two masters;
ALL: Lord, it is YOU I choose to serve.
Leader: One cannot honor any before God;
ALL: Lord, YOU are above all things in my life.
Leader: When we are faced with temptations and trials;
ALL: May we turn to YOU for strength to overcome!

Challenge for the Week: Jesus is faced with some great challenges in the Gospel this week. How do we fair when faced with these same challenges? Here are some thoughts on fasting, almsgiving and prayer…
Whether we are Catholic and bound by fasting or abstaining regulations of Lent or whether we are on a diet or trying to eat healthier, we are tempted by food like Jesus was by the devil in the desert. When we don’t care for the needs of others or don’t make time for God daily lives, our actions say we honor ourselves more than our neighbor or God. If we do things just for the praise of others or to be acknowledged for doing something good, then we are not giving God the glory He deserves for giving you the free will to choose to do the right thing. We are tempted each day…can we be strong like Jesus?

Opening Prayer – 8th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Father God,
Your love for us is unlike any love we have ever known
Your love has no boundaries, no conditions, no reservations
Your love has given us life, it has died for us, and it redeems us
May we seek Your love in our lives;
our souls are yearning to embrace Your love!

Journal/Reflection Questions
Isaiah 49:14-15
• Is there a time in your life when you felt God had abandoned you? A time you felt God was absent from a trial or tribulation you suffered?
• How does God comfort people today? Where do you see God’s comfort?

1Corinthians 4:1-5
• What motivates you to do good or to do bad? Try to identify the feelings or emotions you feel when you are drawn to do the right thing and compare them to the feelings or emotions you have when you are drawn to do something you know is not right.
• What is a steward? How are you a steward of God’s mysteries? Do you protect those mysteries? Do you keep them hidden or do you share them with others? What would a good steward do with God’s mysteries?

Matthew 6:24-34
• Are you more like the worrier or the wildflowers?
• What lesson(s) can you take from the wildflowers?

General Questions for Journaling
• Reflect on a time when you needed God to comfort you. Was God there? How? Spend time going back to the specific moment when you knew God was with you.
• Has there been a situation in your life when you felt forsaken by another? What became of the person or of the situation? Where was God in it?
• Can you relate to the comparison of God as a nursing mother? Why or why not? What does it say to you?
• Are there specific gifts which God has made you the steward of? What are those gifts? Are you being a good steward or a bad steward of the gifts God has entrusted with you?
• What motivates you to get up each day? What does this motivation say about your priorities?
• What are the things you value the most? Write down five things in the order which you value them. Is this task easy or difficult? Why?
• Make a list of the things you have worried about already today. Which items on the list are worthy of your worry? What items of worry can you turn over to God to take care of?
• Do you believe it is possible to live without worry? Why or why not?

Closing Prayer – Serenity Prayer
O God,
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time.
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace.
Taking, as HE did, the sinful world as it is, not as I would have it.
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
and supremely happy with HIM forever!

Challenge for the Week: Would you say you live in the present or are you preoccupied with what is going to happen in the future or what has happened in the past? What can you do to live more in the NOW instead of tomorrow or yesterday? Reflect on the past 24-48 hours, make a list of the things that caused you worry. Go back and identify whether those worries are things of the past, present or future. Then take time determining if the things you are worried about are things you have the ability to change or do something about or if they are beyond your control? Be honest with yourself.

Opening Prayer – 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time
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 – Psalm 103
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?

Opening Prayer – 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time
God of ALL things
May we have eyes to see
ears to hear and voice to speak
All of the wonders you provide
let us have our fill
Then never cease in giving you praise!

Journal/Reflection Questions
Sirach 15:15-20
• Why do you think God trusts us with free will? Are we able to tell the difference between good and evil all of the time?
• Do you believe God sees all things? If so, what would he say about your actions this past week? Today?

1Corinthians 2:6-10
• Can you imagine something beautiful? How does it make you feel that God created that beauty just for your pleasure?
• Describe what it feels like to be surrounded by Gods beauty?

Matthew 5:17-37
• Is there anger in your heart? How would God judge?
• How can what we do or say contradict the truth?
• What does the “spirit of the law” mean? How can you apply it to your life?

General Questions for Journaling
• One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is, fear of the Lord. How do you show fear of the Lord? Does “fear” mean frighten or scare? How would you define “fear”?
• How do you know the will you have chosen is God’s will?
• How does God show you He loves you? How do you know it’s God?
• When you think of heaven, what do you see, hear, smell, taste? God has prepared a place for those who love Him…
• Describe a time when you felt the Holy Spirit “working” inside of you. When was it, where were you, who were you with, what were you doing? How do you know it was the Holy Spirit?
• The Bible says God is a good judge. What evidence do we have of this?
• When was the last time you did something good or something you were supposed to do and then made sure others knew you did it? How was this like OR not like the Pharisees in the Gospel?
• How can righteousness keep you from loving God or your neighbor. Reflect on a time when you experienced this first hand.

Closing Prayer

Leader: God of Wisdom

ALL: We long for your presence within us.

Leader: God of Right Judgment

ALL: Be in our decisions each day.

Leader: God of Understanding

ALL: Guide our words and actions.

Leader: God of Wonder

ALL: May we see you in all things.

Challenge for the Week: Judging others is a sin many struggle with on a daily basis but did you know that even if you have been able to control judging others, you may not have controlled judging yourself? When people judge themselves they tend to be harder on themselves than they are on others. Spend some time this week “judging” yourself and others through the eyes of Jesus. Consider how your vision changes.

Opening Prayer – 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time

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”?

Opening Prayer – Presentation of the Lord

Father, you created us with a longing only YOU can fill.
May we lay down each obstacle we face
and each struggle we have as a sacrifice to you.
Come into our hearts so we may fully understand
what it means to be fulfilled.
You are our hearts desire!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Malachi 3:1-4
• Who is the “messenger of the covenant”? Do you think there is only one “messenger of the covenant”?
• What is the “messenger of the covenant” called to do? Are there present day messengers of God’s covenant?

Hebrews 2:14-18
• How does it make you feel to know Jesus came to earth to be “tested” and to “suffer” to understand “human pain”?
• Are there people on earth whom you turn to for comfort and understanding? What makes them good people to go to? Do they have similar pains?

Luke 2:22-40
• Jesus is the Son of God, why does He need to be consecrated in the temple?
• What role do Simeon and Anna play in this scripture? What can we learn from them?

General Questions for Journaling

• What is your definition of suffering? Is suffering always bad?
• Consider a time when suffering was good. What was the circumstance? What made it good?
• Have you sacrificed something recently? What was it? To whom did you sacrifice it?
• What does Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross mean to you?
• Last week Jesus asked the disciples to leave everything behind to follow Him. Describe the sacrifice this required of them. What sacrifice does this call require of you?
• Is there anything you are not willing to sacrifice? What is it and why?
• Do you relate to Jesus more than God, the Father because of his humanness? Explain.
• As a servant of Christ, what do you sacrifice daily? What are you promised for your faithfulness?
• Where can you see the Holy Spirit working in these three readings? What message does it bring?

Closing Prayer

Leader: Father, when we seek you in creation,

ALL: May we find peace.

Leader: Jesus, when we seek you in the Word,

ALL: May we find hope.

Leader: Spirit, when we seek you in others,

ALL: May we find love.

Challenge for the Week: The tradition at Jesus’ time was for the family to bring a lamb or other clean animal to the temple to sacrifice. In the Catholic tradition, a more formal name for Mass is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass which specifically tells us there will be a sacrifice. Sometimes we get too caught up in the action of going to church on Sunday that we forget we aren’t only supposed to show up physically but we need to bring something with us to “sacrifice”. We need to bring something to the table or altar, we need to lie something at the foot of the cross or at the feet of Jesus. Each week when we go to church, we should be prepared to sacrifice something, to shed our sinfulness, to let go of our addictions, to lay down our sorrows and hand them over to God. What will you present to God this week?

Opening Prayer – Third Sunday of Ordinary Time

God, our creator, You give us the breath of life.
Jesus, our mentor, You call us to follow you.
Spirit, our companion, You are with us always.
You show us the path and teach us to be disciples.
May we always walk in Your light and share Your love.

Journal/Reflection Questions

Isaiah 8:23-9:3
• Where do you see darkness in the world today? Do you think God can dispel this darkness? Are there things YOU can do to bring light to these dark places?
• Anguish and gloom have hovered over the people in the Old Testament. Think about a time when you could relate to feeling this way. What brought you out of this dark time?

1Corinthians 1:10-13,17
• What causes people to quarrel? What is the disagreement in this reading? What makes people have to learn for themselves and not learn from others mistakes?
• Can positive things come from disagreements? Where have you seen good or growth come from conflict?

Matthew 4:12-23
• Two sets of brothers dropped everything and immediately followed Jesus. What do you think they saw in Jesus that would make them do that? Do you think they had regrets?
• Could you drop everything in your life and leave? What would you have a hard time leaving behind?

General Questions for Journaling
• Identify any darkness which occupies your soul. What creates the darkness? How can you work to bring light into the darkness?
• Describe the feeling you have when you see a light in the distance though the darkness. Compare it to your spirituality.
• Who are people in our world today who are “beacons of light”? We celebrate public figures who make contributions to society such as Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela or Martin Luther King JR. Name some of the people whom you look to for inspiration? Whom you revere or respect? What qualities do they possess which you want to emulate?
• If you saw Jesus “strolling” along the Sea of Galilee, would you approach Him? Sit and meditate. Let the scene play out in your mind. Allow Jesus to talk with you.
• What do you desire? What do you long for? How do you work to satisfy this desire or longing?
• When you daydream, what do you dream about? Do you give these daydreams any attention in your “everyday life”? Do you share these dreams with God or others?
• Could you like John the Baptist stand up for what is right even if it meant you would have to suffer? What would be worth the sacrifice?

Closing Prayer – Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14

ALL: The Lord is my light and my salvation whom should I fear?
The Lord is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid?
One thing I ask of the Lord; this I seek;
to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the Lord
and contemplate his temple.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the Lord
in the land of the living, wait for the Lord with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord.

Challenge for the Week: Go deeper into your meditation this week and consider your path of discipleship. Jesus said, “Come and follow me”, “Leave behind your nets”, “ I will make you fishers of men”, “Your lives will never be the same”. He still calls each of us in this way…by name. Have you left behind your nets? What are some of the things we still hang onto? What does it mean to be “fishers of men”? Are you working to bring others to Christ? Do you seek out those in need and share God’s love and mercy with them? How has following God changed your life?

Opening Prayer – Second Sunday of Ordinary Time
Lord,
You call each of us through our baptism
to be holy as you are holy;
In your Word, may we learn how to be
builders of your kingdom here on earth;
And may we point others to you
by our words and actions like John.

Journal/Reflection Questions

Isaiah 49:3,5-6
• Do you believe there is such a thing as “purposeful suffering”? How have you survived suffering or a painful situation? What makes a person a survivor?
• How does this reading give you strength to continue?

1Corinthians 1:1-3
• What does it mean to be holy? How is John the Baptist Holy?
• What does the Bible say about what is holy? You were called to holiness in your Baptism, what steps can you take to become more holy?
• Is being holy only about oneself or is it about others too?

John 1:29-34
• Many people know Jesus, that is to say they know the story of Jesus’ life. How would you describe your relationship with Jesus?
• How did John know Jesus was filled with the Spirit? Have you met people filled with the Spirit? What does it look like?
• Do you let the Holy Spirit lead you in your life and your decisions? When was the last time you let the Spirit lead you? What happened? Where do you find the Holy Spirit?

General Questions for Journaling
• The phrase Déjà vu means “already seen”. This week’s readings are so similar to last week, you might think you are hearing the same readings again. What new insight do you find this week that might have been hidden last week?
• Jesus is referred to as the “Lamb of God”, why is this significant? Consider all of the references to Lambs and the Shepherds who tend the sheep. What can you learn from this simile and what can this knowledge do to strengthen your faith in the coming year?
• Jesus comes to you every day. Where was He yesterday? Where is He today? Where will He be tomorrow?
• Is there a routine which you dread? How might putting God into it make it a little easier to do? Try to put the “extraordinary” into the everyday “ordinary” and see what He can do!
• Jesus came to save us and forgive us. How can we show we are followers of Jesus? Whom do we know who needs to be saved and forgiven?

Closing Prayer

Leader: Come to us,

ALL: from heaven and lift us up.

Leader: Fill us,

ALL: with faithfulness and grace.

Leader: Create in us

ALL: lives that are light to others.

Challenge for the Week: Do you ever feel like you are repeating yourself in prayer? Do you feel like your prayer is stale? Check yourself to be sure you are seeking God in your prayer life and not simply spouting out words. Even if the words are good and true and meaningful, our intentions are not always in the right place. Take some time this week to work on seeking God in your prayer first. If you feel rushed when you pray, perhaps you need to adjust when you pray to allow more time to rest in God. If your prayer time is filled with lists of people and things you want to pray for, be sure your prayers are intentional. Consider the place where God felt the most close to you and recreate this space in your home as a specific, sacred prayer space for you to go pray or maybe you can go to that specific place to pray once a week. God never tires of us but He knows when we are not “in it” when we pray. Make the most of your prayer life!

Opening Prayer – Baptism of the Lord
Holy Spirit,
Move us off well-worn paths,
shatter our human expectations,
heal our pain and hurt,
mend our brokenness.
Cleanse our hearts and renew our faith.
Our hope is restored in your Son, Jesus.
All Glory to the GOD of heaven and earth!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7
• Where do you see enlightenment in the world today? How can you help make a difference?
• What can Christians do to bring light into the dark places of the world?
• Where do you see God’s salvation in the world?

Acts 10:34-38
• What do you believe God’s plan is for you? What supports this belief?
• What do you believe is God’s plan for the entire world? Share examples of this plan coming to fruition.

Matthew 3:13-17
• Jesus is presented at baptism as, “God’s beloved Son”. Have you ever thought of yourself as God’s beloved child? How might our attitude change if we lived our life KNOWING this to be true?
• Meditate on how the Trinity is present at Jesus’ baptism. How does this compare to your own baptism?

General Questions for Journaling
• You have been filled with the Spirit at your own baptism; God’s favor rests upon you. What can you do to thank God for this gift?
• How does God show you His love for you? Share a time when you felt God’s love in abundance. Where were you, who was with you?
• What are things you can do to remember and celebrate your own baptism every day?
• How can you live your life as if you ARE baptized instead of living as though you WERE baptized? Can you explain the difference?
• When you are in the midst of goodness, can you like John the Baptist embrace it, or does your humanness get in the way? Meditate on a time when you were too wrapped up in your own agenda that you missed out on the goodness that was presented to you. What can you do differently so you can be more open to God?
• John the Baptist pointed to Jesus through his words and actions. What do you do in your daily life to point to Jesus?
• Does your life point others to Jesus or turn people away? Do you have a do as I say and not as I do attitude? Where might you need some work or improvement?

Closing Prayer – Prayer to the Holy Spirit
ALL: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
Leader: O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Challenge for the Week: When were you baptized? Where was it? How old were you? Who was there? Are there pictures capturing the event? Did you wear something special? Make a point to find out the exact date of your baptism and celebrate it in a special way this year.

Opening Prayer – Epiphany

Shine your light on us

Pour out your radiance on the earth

You have changed our lives forever

Open our sleepy eyes to your promises

Make us beacons of your grace

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Isaiah 60:1-6

• The Magi were drawn to the baby Jesus because of the “great light”.  What draws people to a relationship with Jesus today?  What draws you into a relationship with Jesus?
• God calls you into the light.  Are there areas of your life which you close off to God or to others because they are dark?  Identify the darkness in your life and resolve to let God begin to shine light onto it.  Make a resolution to seek help from people who can help shed light onto a dark situation.

Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6

• What brings light into your life?  Take a piece of paper and write down the things that bring light to your life and draw a star around each one.  Place this paper in a significant place in your house, on the refrigerator, on your bathroom mirror, in your prayer space, where ever you will see it and be reminded and encouraged.
  • Can you identify where God is working in your life?  How do you help or hinder God’s work in your life?

Matthew 2:1-12

• The Magi travelled a great distance to find Jesus.  How far have you travelled to find Jesus?  What makes the journey worth it?
• What gifts do you bring to Jesus?

General Questions for Journaling

• How is it that you came to know Jesus?
• How do you relate to Jesus as a baby?  What are we to learn or take away from the circumstances of Jesus’ birth?
• Is there someone or something that threatens you and your growth in the Spirit?  Is there an obstacle in your life, you must overcome?  Name the Herod in your life, then ask God to guide you to safety.
• Things don’t always work out like we expect…look at the story of Jesus’ birth.  Are there prayers in your life which have been answered, just not in the way you expected?
• Saint Paul says all people are heirs to the kingdom of God.  Do your actions express this truth?  Who in your life needs to be shown God’s unconditional love?  What steps can you take to make them feel like a child of God?

Closing Prayer

Leader:  We meet you, Jesus, in the manger.

ALL:  Your light is strong; Your love is near.

Leader:  We meet you, Jesus, in the stranger.

ALL:  Your light is strong; Your love is near.

Leader:  We see you, Jesus, day and night.

ALL:  Your light is strong; Your love is near.

Leader:  We see you, Jesus, shining bright.

ALL:  Your light is strong; Your love is near. 

Challenge for the Week:  Read the entire story of Jesus’ birth from conception to Joseph taking the family to Nazareth.  Spend some time meditating on the circumstances, the decisions, the obstacles.  Think about each of the people, Mary, Joseph, Angel Gabriel, Innkeeper, Harod, Shepherds, and Magi and what they might have been thinking and feeling.  Is there someone whom you feel shares your struggles or attitudes?  Is there someone whom you feel has a quality of faith or character which you wish you could cultivate in your life?  Consider working to overcome this obstacle or growing this quality in your life this year.