Opening Prayer – 2nd Sunday of Easter
Alleluia! Jesus has risen!
Give us the faith to believe in the promises
of the risen Lord without seeing.
Give us the hope to believe in the promises
of forgiveness of sin and everlasting life.
Give us the love to believe in the promises
of the one who created us to love.
Praise to YOU, Lord Jesus Christ!

Journal/Reflection Questions
Acts 2:42-47
• How do you feel called to give your time, talent and treasure to others in the community? What are you holding back?
• Identify in your own family the gifts each of you bring to each other and the community. What can you do to share these gifts in a more prominent way this Easter season?

1Peter 1:3-9
• How do you feel like you have risen this Easter? Did you “die” to something this Lenten season? How can you relate to the “new life” the resurrection brings?
• Jesus rose from the dead to give us life…what can we do to live out the resurrection today?

John 20:19-31
• Nothing can be hidden from Christ. What do you hide from God? From your spouse? Your friends? What sin do you hold onto which you cannot forgive?
• Who do you connect to in this reading? What similar feelings would you have if you were present? What do you feel you are called to do through this experience?

General Questions for Journaling
• How do you define a Christian? What qualities and values does a Christian have?
• Are you a part of a Christian community? How does this community help strengthen your faith?
• How does God have a hand or a grasp on you? What areas of your life do you need God to grab onto? Do you feel God’s hold or are you holding on too tightly?
• What evidence do you have that Jesus is alive in your life?
• Identify areas in your life where you doubt, or situations where you feel or show doubt? Is it with your abilities? The promises of others? How does your doubt affect your faith? How does it affect others?
• Do you believe Thomas truly didn’t believe? Have you ever lost someone whom you deeply loved and had a hard time believing they were gone? How have you been able to cope with this loss? How can the resurrection bring comfort or closure to the unbelief?

Closing Prayer – Blessing from Pope Francis
Our belief in Christ’s Resurrection is the very heart of our faith, the basis of our hope in God’s promises and our trust in his victory over sin and death…with the eyes of faith, we too encounter the risen Lord in the many signs of his presence: the Scriptures, the Eucharist and the other sacraments, and the acts of charity, goodness, forgiveness and mercy which bring a ray of his Resurrection into our world. May our faith in the risen Christ enable us to be living signs in our world of the triumph of life and hope over evil, sin and death.

Challenge for the Week: The forty days of Lent are meant to prepare us for Easter. We fast, give alms and pray in order to help us build a better relationship with Christ. Easter is not only ONE day, in the Catholic Church the Easter season lasts for six weeks. Jesus ROSE FROM THE DEAD! We should celebrate it for more than ONE day! This Easter Season, continue to grow into a deeper relationship with Christ. Research a new type of prayer or use an everyday task like washing the dishes to create more time to spend in prayer, talking with God. Remember prayer is a conversation; don’t let it be one sided.

Opening Prayer – Easter Sunday
Lord
You conquered death to make us new.
Let us work to die to the things of this world
so we may better reflect your love to others.
Help us to be renewed by the trials we face
so we proclaim Your Word through our lives.
Fill us with kindness, tenderness, peace, humility and joy.
Alleluia!

Journal/Reflection Questions
Acts 10:34a, 37:43
• How do you define the word witness? Do you define it as a noun (person) or a verb (an action)? What is the difference?
• What can you learn from Peter in this reading? What example does he set that we should learn to follow?

Colossians 3:1-4
• Saint Paul tells us we are raised with Christ. What does this mean? How do you live out this truth?
• What does it mean to seek what is above? What does this look like? Write three practical ways you can seek what is above this Easter Season.

John 20:1-9
• Put yourself in the place of the women who came to anoint Jesus’ body. What are your reactions? Would you feel fear? Confusion? What would you do? Who would you tell? What words would you use?
• Name the things in your life you don’t see but you still believe. Are there few or many? What makes it easier to believe after you have seen?

General Questions for Journaling
• How are you a witness of all Jesus did?
• How can you be a better witness to the truth of the Gospels?
• What brings you peace? Describe the feeling of peace/peacefulness. Would you say peace is a state of mind or a feeling of the heart? Is it something that is given to you or something you work for?
• How can you allow peace to control your heart?
• Do you ever experience feelings of confusion? Have you ever been paralyzed by feelings of fear? What was the circumstance and how were you able to overcome or get past these feelings?
• Jesus overcomes death on Easter. What do you believe will happen when you die? What feelings do you have about death?
• How does Jesus live on? How can we find comfort in Jesus’ resurrection?
• Easter is a day of joy. Consider how you can share the joy of Easter with others.

Closing Prayer – from The Story of Redemption for Children,
Copyright by the Gregorian Institute of America, Toledo, OH

They placed Him in a tomb of stone,
Dead, all helpless, and alone.
But Easter morn, before the light,
He rose alive in glory bright.

Challenge for the Week: Consider what moves you to feel compassion. Is it when you see suffering? When someone is sick or dying? When you know someone is doing without or is lonely or alone? Pope Francis calls us to act on our feelings of compassion and to go to the aid or service of others. Make it a point this week to intentionally show compassion toward someone. Go visit a shut-in, send a note to someone who may be feeling lonely, volunteer at a pantry or shelter, help your neighbor who is need, the options are endless. Go forth and show someone compassion; may they see the risen Christ in YOU!

Opening Prayer – Palm Sunday
Lord, grant us the humility to turn to you
when others drag us down;
Lead us down the path of mercy and forgiveness
so the burdens we carry become lightened
by your sacrifice on the Cross;
May we learn from your example
shared with us through Your Word.

Journal/Reflection Questions
Isaiah 50:4-7
• From whose perspective is this reading? What does it tell you about speaking out against injustice?
• What does God promise to those who hear His word and act on it?

Philippians 2:6-11
• How do I show love? Do I love others with conditions? What can I do to love others more fully?
• What are you selfish about? With whom are you selfish? Are there people in your life whom you do not share openly? Why?

Matthew 26:14-27:66
• Have you ever been in a state of extreme physical pain? How were you able to cope? Have you been with someone who has been in extreme physical pain? What can you do to help those who suffer?
• If you were there on the day of Jesus’ crucifixion, could you have stayed with Jesus until the very end? Who in this scripture can you relate to the most? Why?

General Questions for Journaling
• Name qualities of a humble person. Do you have any of these qualities? Do you know anyone who does?
• What gets in your way when you try to give your time to Jesus in prayer? What distracts you?
• If you believe Jesus is the King of Glory, how do you show your obedience to Him?
• Have you experienced a time when you were able to turn your back to people or actions which had taken control over you? How were you able to overcome? How can you continue to resist the temptation to give up or give in?
• Do you know anyone who is selfless? What qualities do they have that you can model?
• How do you respond to people who question the existence of God because He allows suffering?
• Have you ever felt your faith shaken? Write down the experience.
• If you have had your faith shaken, what was the outcome of the experience?
• What in your life is worth dying for? How do you determine worth?

Closing Prayer
Savior.
You brought us out of the desert and
gave us living water, cured us of our blindness,
and call us from out of our graves into new life.
May we be fully aware of the sacrifice you have given so we may truly live the life you want us to live in joyful abundance!

Challenge for the Week: The Romans hung Jesus on the cross to bring attention to him, ridicule and humiliate. Even in this state, Jesus was able to forgive those who had scourged, tortured and spat on him. How do we act when someone lies to us, cheats or tells lies about us? What do we do when people throw daggers at us with their words and actions? How do we forgive those who hurt us? On the flip side, what do our actions say? Do we consistently treat others kindly or are we guilty of spreading rumors or gossiping? Do we turn the other way when someone is being treated unjustly? This week, take some time to really look at your actions; what are they really saying? Do we look more like Jesus in these readings or like those condemning him? Make a commitment to make a permanent change in how you treat others, even if it is a baby step. Take the opportunity given to pray more intently this last week of Lent to make a positive change.

Opening Prayer – Fifth Sunday of Lent
Creator God; You breathe life into us.
Savior Jesus; You died so our life can be eternal.
Holy Spirit; You fill us each day with new life.
May Your holy Word penetrate our souls today,
and give us new life in YOU!

Journal/Reflection Questions
Ezekiel 37:12-14
• God promises the Israelites He will bring them out of darkness, when has God fulfilled this promise to you?
• Where is the Holy Spirit working in your life? Do you see it daily or just occasionally?

Romans 8:8-11
• Saint Paul urges us to be guided by the Spirit rather than the flesh. It is easier said than done. What practices can you put into practice in your life to help you be directed by the Holy Spirit more often?
• Is there a temptation of the flesh of which you struggle? Write a prayer to pray when you are faced with the temptation.

John 11:1-45
• When was the last time you saw the glory of God? Where was it? Who was with you? What did it look like? How do you know it was God’s glory?
• Does knowing God has already died and risen so you might have eternal life affect how you live?

General Questions for Journaling
• The phrase, “Jesus wept” occurs only twice in the Bible. Do you think these were the only times Jesus cried? What do you believe brought Jesus to tears? What do you believe brings Jesus to tears today?
• Have you experienced a time when death brought new life? Consider the seasons of winter and spring…use the symbolism of how the dead, frozen winter brings new growth to the spring.
• This story of Lazarus coming from his tomb is symbolic of how each of us will be called “back to life” after our earthly death. Imagine how you will feel when you are called to come out by Jesus. What do you imagine feeling? What might you say?
• Do you relate to Martha and Mary in this story? How do you imagine they were feeling? Have you ever shared similar feelings? What was the situation? How did it turn out? Have you forgiven the person whom you harbored negative thoughts or feelings towards?
• Death is a part of life, so why is it so difficult for us to accept? What can we take from the readings this week to help us deal and cope with the death we deal with in our lives?
• Spend some time reflecting on how the story of Lazarus can teach us about waiting for God’s timing.

Closing Prayer
Leader: Lord, you have the power to free us…
ALL: Set us free of all that bind us!
Leader: Lord, you have the power to forgive us…
ALL: Set us free of the sin that weighs us down!
Leader: Lord, you have the power to heal us…
ALL: Set us free from the pain of death!

Challenge for the Week: Scripture tells us, Lazarus was Jesus’ best friend. Throughout our lives, we have friends come in and out of our lives. Take some time this week to think about the friendships you have and have had over the years. Are there friendships we’d like to “resurrect”? Do we have friendships which require some healing? Do we have friends who lead us into temptation and away from God? Identify the friends who fill you with the Holy Spirit and help lead you to live in God’s glory. Make a point to connect with these friends on a more regular basis.

Opening Prayer – Fourth Sunday of Lent
Open our eyes…
Open our ears…
Open our hearts…
So we may see, hear and feel You in the scriptures.

Journal/Reflection Questions
1Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a
• Consider the next big decision you need to make. Try to think of the situation through God’s eyes. What would Jesus do? Is there a story in the Bible which can help you see how God sees the situation?
• Have you ever questioned how God handled something? What can we learn from Samuel’s doubt of God choosing David to be King about our own doubt?

Ephesians 5:8-14
• Saint Paul says to “live as children of light”, how can you do this?
• Do you see Christ’s light in the world today?

John 9:1-41
• The Blind Man is thrown out of the synagogue for defending Jesus, have you ever been thrown out because of your belief? What caused this division? How did you react? Was it resolved?
• Reflect on how Jesus used clay to cover the blind man’s eyes and heal them. What in your life has Jesus covered with clay or mud in order for you to transform?

General Questions for Journaling
• Compare and contrast King David from the first reading and the Blind Man in the Gospel. What qualities do you admire and wish to emulate?
• Have you ever felt God call you to do something you felt was too big or too much for you to handle? What did you do?
• Are there areas of darkness in the world? What light do you see in the darkness? What can you do to be light in this darkness?
• Jesus is healer; do you think those who suffer have a deeper connection to Jesus because of their desire to be healed? Explain.
• Have you experienced blindness in a situation before? What was the situation? How did you know you were blind? What changed in the situation so you could see?
• Are there areas in our lives which we choose to be “blind”?

Closing Prayer – words by Jesse Manibusan from the song “Open My Eyes”
Leader: Open my eyes Lord,
ALL: Help me to see your face.
Leader: Open my ears Lord,
ALL: Help me to hear your voice.
Leader: Open my heart Lord,
ALL: Help me to love like you.

Challenge for the Week: At the Ash Wednesday service, when Catholics receive the ashes on their foreheads, the priest or layperson says, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return” OR they say, “Turn away from sin and be true to the Gospel”. In either case, we are called to conversion during Lent. How are you doing keeping your Lenten sacrifices? Has the fasting, prayer and almsgiving began to change you in a positive way? What do you need to do in order to be able to make it through these final weeks of Lent? What obstacles do you face? Use these words, heard on Ash Wednesday as a mantra to help you get through these challenging final days of Lent.

Opening Prayer – Third Sunday of Lent
Father,
You put a thirst in us that only You can quench.
You lead us through rocky and desert places
to a wellspring with the water of life.
May the Word we read today satisfy our desire
and fill us with Your Spirit so we may overflow!

Journal/Reflection Questions
Exodus 17:3-7
• Can you relate to this feeling of thirst? Have you ever been “dying of thirst”? How does this translate into ones spiritual life?
• Why was Moses afraid? When have you felt like Moses? Where was God? How did God help you?

Romans 5:1-2, 5-8
• An agreement made between two people requires each side to give something. God gave us His Son, Jesus gave us His life and the Holy Spirit gave us the Bible. What are you being called to give?
• Where do you see the Holy Spirit working in your life? What does it look like? Feel like? How do you know it is the Holy Spirit?

John 4:5-42
• What does Jesus ask for and then offer in return? Imagine Jesus asking you the same thing. How might you respond, how have you already responded? What has He asked for in return, what do you give?
• Define “living water”.

General Questions for Journaling
• The Trinity is God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. How do you relate to each part of the Trinity?
• Do you thirst for things in your life? Take time to be honest with yourself and reflect on things you thirst for each day. Are these things life giving or do they drain life from you?
• What do you think the woman at the well was feeling when Jesus told her all of the things of her past. How would it make you feel if a stranger did the same to you? How does it feel to know Jesus does know your past?
• Put yourself in the Gospel story as one of the villagers. How would you react when the woman came back to share what had just happened at the well? Would you believe her? Would the encounter change how you felt about her?
• The woman at the well shows how humans long to be loved and Jesus is the only one who can give the everlasting love humans desire. What do you desire? Are there things in your life you cannot live without?
• When you are in the desert and look out into the horizon, you can see a mirage, an image of water in the distance. Use this image to describe an experience in your life. What was your desert experience? What was your mirage?
• How does the story of the woman at the well, help give you encouragement to continue to work on your Lenten sacrifices?

Closing Prayer
Rain down your love, oh Lord
Rain down your peace.
Rain down your mercy, oh Lord
Rain down your compassion.
Rain down your grace, oh Lord
You are our living water!

Challenge for the Week: Consider all of the ways we use water every day. It is one of life’s necessities. As Americans, we often take for granted how much we use water. We use water when we flush the toilet, take a shower, brush our teeth all just to get “ready” in the morning. Water is needed to brew coffee or tea and to prepare or cook our food. If you have ever had to turn off the water to your house or gone camping in a primitive spot then you might begin to be able to understand what was like for the Israelites. Despite all of our advances, there are still people in the world who live without clean water to drink, cook or wash. It is also important to drink plenty of water for our bodies to run better because water for our bodies is like oil for our car. The challenge this week is to be more aware of the water we use and why we use it. Say a prayer of thanksgiving each time you use water, pray for those who don’t have clean water, ask God to help you trust in him to provide for you just like you rely on the water to come out of your faucet. Also try to drink the recommended amount of water and pray each time you go to fill up your cup. At first, drinking so much water will cause extra trips to the bathroom to use more water, but then our bodies adjust; but the extra water equates to more time spent in prayer and perhaps we will adjust to having Christ with us more often too!

Opening Prayer – Second Sunday of Lent
Let our words and actions become a blessing to others.
Let our burdens be lightened through your grace.
And may we find your light shining, even in the dark places.
May we turn to you, O God, to be our example for life.

Journal/Reflection Questions
Genesis 12:1-4a
• Would you respond in the same way as Abraham to God’s request?
• How are you a “blessing” to others? How can you be more of a “blessing” to others?

2Timothy 1:8b-10
• What does Paul say about the hardships expected for those who follow Christ? What does he say of joy?
• Are there burdens you carry because of you are a Christian?

Matthew 17:1-9
• On a scale from 1-10, how well do you think you listen to God?
• “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” was spoken to Jesus at His baptism too, what are the similarities in these two passages? Why would God say the same thing again? What significance does it hold?

General Questions for Journaling
• How is God calling you out of your comfort zone?
• Are there limits to what you will do for God? On where you will go? How does this affect your relationship with Him?
• How can you be Christ to another person? Plan to be intentional with your words and actions when interacting with others for an entire day.
• If it is God’s grace that has saving power, how do you experience it in your life?
• Have you heard God speak to you? When was it? Where were you? What did you do when you heard it? Who did you share the experience with?

Closing Prayer
Leader: Let our attitude be Christ’s.
ALL: May we recognize the life-giving power in our love for others.
Leader: Let our attitude be Christ’s.
ALL: May we transform our lives to reveal your purpose for us.
Leader: Let our attitude be Christ’s.
ALL: May we bless all people, even those with whom we have conflicts.
Leader: Let our attitude be Christ’s.
ALL: May we be able to recognize God working in our lives.
Leader: Let our attitude be Christ’s. May our love give life.
ALL: AMEN!

Challenge for the Week: Jesus is clothed in dazzling white, He is transfigured. For what events in our lives do we wear white? How are we changed through those experiences? What can we do to be more committed to living out our baptismal call and transform into the person God calls us to be? Furthermore, our sin brings darkness to our lives; are there habits that we can eliminate from our lives so we can shine brighter? Make a commitment to change a habit, which causes you to sin into something which gives God glory and makes His light shine!

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?