Sunday, August 21st Readings

21st Sunday of Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer

Lord,

YOU call out to me, and I come near.

YOU give me a heart of flesh to love.

YOU give me hands to reach out to help.

YOU give me the will to choose to follow.

May I never lose sight of ALL YOU give,

and always be grateful YOU are there

to give me what I need. AMEN!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Isaiah 66:18-21

Isaiah says the Israelites are God’s chosen people. What indicates that they are chosen? How does that differ from being God’s chosen people by being baptized?
How are the Israelites set apart/chosen? Does God love you in the same way? How do you know?
Describe a time when you saw unity as described in this scripture.

Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13

How does God use discipline to help you become the person you were created to be?
What does the word discipline mean? Is it hard? Does it hurt? Is discipline negative?
Give an example how God uses discipline or has used discipline in your life. Do you think everyone receives the same discipline from God?

Luke 13:22-30

At the center of this reading is relationship. How would you rate your relationship with Jesus?
The narrow gate frightens some believers. Why do you think people are afraid of the narrow gate? How do you feel about it? What are you called to do that will help you fit through the gate? What does Jesus do to ensure you will make it through?
Where do you see mercy in this scripture?

General Questions for Journaling

Can you see anyone or any group of people who are excluded from God? What can you do to be more inclusive when you share God’s love and mercy?
Think of a time when you were “chosen” first. How did it feel? Was there ever a time when you were “chosen” last? How did that experience differ from when you were chosen first?
If you had a choice to be included or excluded, which would you choose? Make a list of things you would like to be included in and a list of things you would like to be excluded from. What can you summarize about the two lists?
What clubs or groups do you belong which give you automatic benefits? As a child of God, you receive automatic benefits. Do you take for granted these benefits or give thanks? Give examples.
Is there a specific saint whose life speaks to you? Who is it and what is it about their life that draws you in? How did God relate to this saint?
Where do you see God’s love in your life right now? Do you see Him in your struggles too? Give examples of each.
A popular phrase is “practice makes perfect”. What happens when you don’t practice faith? How can you strengthen your faith if you don’t practice it?
Where do you learn “spiritual discipline”? How do you practice “spiritual discipline”? What does it mean?
How do you exercise your faith? What areas do you need to work on?
What does your physical body/presence say about your spiritual health? Do you think they are related? How? Why?
Do you ever feel you give and give and give with nothing in return? What makes you continue to give?
What do you offer God? What does He offer you? Is it even?
Are there times when you don’t think you give enough? Whom are you trying to please or satisfy? Is satisfaction achievable?

Closing Prayer

Leader: Lord, strengthen my relationship

ALL: in the prayers I pray.

Leader: Lord, strengthen my understanding

ALL: through the scriptures.

Leader: Lord, strengthen my focus

ALL: as I follow the path.

Leader: Lord, strengthen my witness

ALL: as I speak truth.

Leader: Lord, strengthen my commitment

ALL: in acts of justice and mercy.

Leader: Lord, strengthen me…

ALL: make me your disciple!

Challenge for the Week: Have you ever gone along with something because it was the popular choice, but you didn’t agree? This is one of the challenges in life. It can be difficult to stand up against the majority. But when you become strong in your beliefs, and you know that the direction the crowd is going is unjust or has negative consequences, you can’t just go along. It is a dilemma every person faces at some point in their life, sometimes multiple times. There might even be times when you stand up in faith and still find opposition. Matthew Kelly, founder of Dynamic Catholic, calls it being counter-cultural, when you go against the popular way and do things God’s way. Some might call you a radical for doing this, but isn’t that what they said about John the Baptist too? To live a life of a disciple means you practice what you preach and that means sometimes you will have to stand up against the majority. Reflect this week on how you would rate the strength of your faith and determine if it is strong enough to withstand opposition.

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!

Firm Steps

I had a bilateral hemilaminectomy in 2018. No need to look it up, it is a type of back surgery. Over the years, I experienced minor back pain, and would ice it, stretch, or refrain from the activity that caused the pain. In 2002, my back seized while I was changing over the laundry, and it took my husband, dad, and grandpa to pick me up off the ground so they could get me to the emergency room. That had been the worst pain I’d experienced in my life, childbirth withstanding, before July 30, 2018.

I had begun a new exercise routine which included some activities I’d not done before. I expected to have some sore muscles here and there since I was working out in a different way. I was feeling really good about myself and what I was accomplishing in class, so when I felt a little discomfort in my back, I just figured I needed to do what I had always done and take it easy.

I did my usual ice and stretch but I wanted to get back to the gym, afraid if I took too much time off, I’d have a hard time getting back into it. Prior to this, I’d stuck with low impact cardio and yoga classes; modifying moves when needed, but the day I went back, I attended a HIIT class. There were several stations around the room where you and a partner would take turns completing the specific exercise. It was during this class when I finally pushed the limit.

I left class that day in major pain but figured I just went back too soon. The regular remedies barely made a dent on the pain and things like sleeping or getting dressed became very difficult. I was still keeping my regular schedule, but it was taking me longer to get ready and the pain was slowing me down from completing some of the things that needed to be done. I figured the doctor would prescribe me pain killers and muscle relaxers, which I couldn’t take if I was going to be driving or teaching and I had a contract to fulfill. It was truly a point of surrender to call and make the appointment, literally lying on the ground, pulling myself to the bathroom to use the bathtub as leverage to help me get to my feet.

At the visit, my doctor ordered an MRI and unfortunately due to insurance hang ups, it took over a month for it to get scheduled. I spent that month in such immense pain, unable to find any comfort. Even when I finally had the MRI, I cried because the pain was so bad while holding still as the images were scanned. The entire process lasted 6 months, from injury on July 30^th to surgery on October 29^th and then 90 days of recovery.

The first three months I spent a lot of time crying, feeling like a burden on my family, and that I was letting down the students in my class and the other people who counted on me at my job. I had no answers, only questions and fear. The MRI showed severe damage to my L4 and L5, to the point where I was experiencing atrophy and loss of sensation in my foot, which made walking a challenge at times.

The last three months started the day of surgery. I knew the moment I woke up in the recovery room that the surgery had been a success because the only pain I felt at that point was the pain from the incision; the pain in my back was gone. As soon as I was discharged from the hospital I was supposed to get up and walk every day, beginning with a quarter of a mile and increasing by another quarter each week.

At the beginning, my steps were slow and measured, and always with the help of others until I was able to feel firm on my feet. Over time, I became more confident but still cautious. I thankfully had access to a treadmill, so I was able to continue my recovery on days when there was rain, ice, or snow in the forecast. Still today, I am mindful of where I step when I walk, how I bend down to clean out the dishwasher or do my laundry, and how I get out of bed in the morning.

The journey of going from severe pain and the possibility of never being able to participate in activities that I love such as hiking or biking, to recovery and now living in a climate that provides me ample opportunities to do those things regularly is a redemption story. Through the pain, I had to let go and even in the recovery I had to surrender myself so others could take care of me, even to the point of needing someone else to wash my hair for me or to shave my legs.

I say it is redemptive because I came out of a dark situation to walk in the light. I am changed. Changed by the pain, the unknown future, the kindness of others, and most of all the desire to not take anything for granted. I was reminded that life is short, and it is meant to be lived; lived to the fullest with gratitude and humility. Always allowing God to guide my steps and to stand firm in faith.

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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. It’s more than a book, rather a guide to becoming a stronger disciple through physical and spiritual exercises. Get your copy and begin the journey!

Sunday, August 14th Readings

20^th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer

Father

It is my nature to love you,

but there are so many distractions.

Help me fight off the distractions,

and be persistent in my commitment.

Let me not be limited by love of things which don’t last,

but seek Your love which is limitless.

Keep me open to Your everlasting love,

so I can love without limits too!

AMEN

Journal/Reflection Questions

Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10

When have you interceded for another, like the Court Official in this scripture? Who was it? What were the circumstances?
Have you stood up against the crowd? How did the crowd react to your opposition? Have you ever not spoken out and kept your opposition within? What did that feel like? What would happen if you did stand up? Would you be treated like Jeremiah? Would God be there with you too?
Jeremiah proves to be someone you can rely on. Who else in this reading could you rely on? Who in your life can you rely on? What qualities do these people have that make them good friends?

Hebrews 12:1-4

Describe “cloud of witnesses.” Is it the same for everyone? What is the specific purpose of a “cloud of witnesses?”
What does this scripture say about suffering, specifically about Jesus’ suffering on the cross?
Do you believe God wants you to suffer? Why or why not? Is this belief because of faith or experience?

Luke 12:49-53

How does God set the world on fire? What is consumed? What needs to be consumed? What is role in keeping the fire alive?
Have you ever been filled with “fire” or passion for something? Jesus came to rekindle the “fire” of faith and left the Holy Spirit to light up the world. How do your actions show that you have been baptized? Do you live as if you WERE baptized or ARE baptized?

General Questions for Journaling

Have you ever felt like you were sinking in the mud? What did it feel like? How were you able to get “un-stuck”?
Are there people who offend you? Who? Why? How does it affect how you act around them or how you treat them?
Are there laws which you don’t agree with but follow?
Have you ever worked to change a law which you found to be unjust? Share. What did you do? What did you learn from the experience?
How does your faith/hope/love in Jesus affect how you deal with loss/struggles/suffering?
What would you say to someone who is struggling who doesn’t have a relationship with Jesus? How would you show them support or give comfort?
What do you focus your eyes on? Jesus or something else? What can you do to keep your focus on Jesus?
What divides you from others?
What is the definition of division? What is the opposite?
Where do you see divisions in the world, your community, your church, your family, your own heart? Is there a common thread in these divisions?
What are some of these things that divide the church today? Is there anything you can do to help the division dissipate? What ideas, concepts or theologies are you resistant to that cause division in the church, community, or family?

Closing Prayer

Leader: May I never lose sight of the faith which fills me…

ALL: Pray for me, Father Abraham!

Leader: May I always find hope in the promise of heaven…

ALL: Pray for me, Prophets of the Old Testament!

Leader: May I always be waiting and listening for God…

ALL: Pray for me, Mother Mary!

Leader: May I never forget the sacrifice made on the cross…

ALL: Pray for me, Jesus our Savior!

Leader: May I always keep the Holy Spirit close and follow…

ALL: Pray for me, Prophets of the New Testament!

Leader: May I never turn away from the love which created me…

ALL: Pray for me, Saints of today and yesterday!

Challenge for the Week: Sometimes one little thing can cause a tornado of stress and worry in life. It could be something as simple as a paper cut that can flip your day upside-down. If you look to the Prophets and Saints, you learn quickly that they know how it feels because they were human too. They were also distracted by things (maybe even a paper cut) but persevered in learning to keep Christ centered in their lives. Take time this week to seek out a Prophet or Saint (dead or alive) and consider how you might be able to learn a tip from them to fend off distractions in your life.

Examples: (1) Moses was “crippled” by his speech impediment but was able to put it aside to serve God and save the Israelites from slavery (2) Oscar Romero loved God and serving the Church so much he lived out his call as a priest despite the opposition…even to death.

Architect and Maker

I played a game as a kid that I think was called M.A.S.H but can’t really remember is that was an acronym for something and if it was, what it meant. However, I do remember that one person would ask another person a series of questions where they could give 3 or 4 answers per category. For example, you would ask them to name people they would like to marry, what kind of house they’d like to live in, how many kids they will have, etc.

Depending on who you played with, sometimes there were only a few categories, but others liked to get very detailed in their questions. Such as asking you what type of car you’d like to drive and then asking what color you wanted your car to be. Regardless, once all of the information was collected, you’d begin a process of eliminating the choices until there was only one item left in each category. In the end, you’d have a full description of a person’s life.

Of course, this is completely fictional. No one is able to confidently know what their lives will look like, where they will live, who they will marry and what kind of car they will drive. One could give an educated guess, but to know for certain what your life’s situation will be in five years, or even one year, it would only be a guess.

I mean, one year ago this week, my husband and I were in St. Louis celebrating my husband’s birthday by attending a couple of baseball games, and we got the call that my husband was acquiring a couple of projects in Austin. We have had no idea that we were about to pick up and move after living in Kansas City for our entire 29-year marriage, and after I’d just began a new job in January. It was a bit of a shock, but the decision to move was easy.

I imagine this is how Abraham and Sarah felt when God told them they were going to have descendants as countless as the stars; a little shocked but ready to do and accept whatever God had planned for them. Abraham and Sarah probably had no idea it was possible for them to have a child at such an old age, but God made it happen. For us, it was a desire to move to Colorado where we could spend more time outdoors hiking and biking. We had no idea we could have the lifestyle we desired in Texas!

I realized that in real life, unlike in the game I played as a child, I cannot choose the options in each of the categories because they have already been chosen for me by God. God knows where I will be in five years, and I just need to trust. Yes, I could fight the changes and try to blaze my own trail, but I believe that God will get His way in the end.

God’s will for me will happen whether I let go and let God or if I try to be the captain of my own adventure. I can make decisions (big and small) without God’s help, or I can turn to God for guidance. This is really my only choice, whether or not I will open myself up to listen for God to lead me where I am to go today. So, I choose to let go and let God lead my decisions because in the end, His is the one who created me for a purpose, and He knows what that purpose is. I am not going to stand in the way of God’s plan, whatever it is, I trust it will be better than anything I could have imagined on my own.

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Mind Not at Rest

A Reflection on the scripture Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:21-23

There are times in everyone’s lives when they have a hard time settling down their thoughts and being at rest. It can be caused by stress, worry, excitement or a myriad of other reasons. I can recall it happening to me several times, but especially when I was a kid, the night before the first day of school, my mind would be filled with so many thoughts that it was hard to rest. When I was a kid there weren’t summer camps, sports, and social media to keep kids connected over the summer, like they do today.

I would be worried about what I would wear, if I needed all of the school supplies the first day, if I’d remember my locker combination, and honestly if any of my friends from the previous year would remember me (mostly because I moved around a lot and didn’t have those long-time connections like being classmates in pre-school).

I thought the racing mind was just something that happened occasionally to people, until I met my husband. His mind is churning a thousand miles a minute, thinking, planning, worrying and so much more. Honestly, I get tired sometimes watching him think 😉 but what my husband deals with is just an overactive brain.

There are people in the world whose minds are never at rest because they are filled with traumatic events, stress, grief, and what is finally becoming something people feel comfortable talking about, mental illness. Five or ten years ago people kept it to themselves if they were taking medication or needed to be hospitalized because they needed assistance regulating thoughts, emotions and how to process information.

I feel one of the repercussions of COVID and everyone staying at home, caused a lot of people to crawl up into themselves like a turtle and it stirred up a lot of angst. The first reading this week is from Ecclesiastes, chapter 1:2 and 2:21-23, to me, it opened the door for me to say, if you, in the two years since the world shut down because of COVID feel like a lesser version of yourself, you MUST find some help to navigate back into the world. If you suffer from anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, PTSD, or any other form of mental illness, please talk to someone who will listen and guide you to find yourself again.

I recently had a day when I felt like at every turn, someone was slamming a door in my face, and nothing was turning out right. It was just one day for me, but I know there are people who don’t have the support system that I have (and for me that includes God). For some people, this is an everyday emotion which causes them to be paralyzed and unable to enjoy things they usually would enjoy. It causes them to push family and friends away, so they won’t see this different version of the person they used to be.

I write this message, maybe not for you, but it could be for someone you know and love. I believe the scripture is God saying that it is important to be reaching out and paying attention. It is a reminder that as a disciple, you are called to love Him AND your neighbor. After the time of stay at home, I think people want to be seen, after not being seen for so long.

This means there might be someone you know who could use a little encouragement or to be reminded that they are important to you. Your positive words can help turn a bad day or a day that is headed in that direction into a brighter day. I’m not saying you can cure mental illness with some positive words, but I am saying that every human likes to be seen and be told that they are loved and that they matter.

Again, I think there is an important message in the scripture this week and it is to take care of yourself AND others. Not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually too. Reach out to someone you have spoken to for a while to check in to make sure they are okay and that you care about their wellbeing. This is what God calls His children to do!

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Sunday, July 31st Readings

18^th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer

Lord

Why do you love me?

What causes you to stay with me?

You love me and never leave

even though I neglect you

and persecute you.

May I acknowledge your persistence in love

and come to know you enough

to love others as you love me!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23

How does one labor over wisdom and knowledge?
What do you allow to rule your life? Does work have control? The quest for acceptance or acknowledgement? A desire for wealth or status? What worries keep you awake at night?

Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11

Share an example of how you seek what is above on a regular basis? What does it look like?
How did you learn to seek life in Christ? How do you share what you have learned?

Luke 12:13-21

Are there things which you guard and do not share? What are they and why do you keep them for yourself?
What does this scripture tell you of what God values?

General Questions for Journaling

What causes you anxiety? How do you know it is anxiety? What happens to you physically, emotionally? How do you control it? Can you control it?
Have you ever allowed grief to consume you? What do you risk when you allow grief and sorrow to take over?
When was the last time your mind was at rest? Describe the feeling?
Do the things you invest our time in tell an accurate story about what you value? Are there things you need to change?
What is your image of Christ? What are the qualities of God which you emulate? Which ones do you need to work on more?
Are there times when you hide your belief in God? Why or why not?
What is your definition of treasure or riches?
Where do you go to seek treasure or riches?
Do you consider yourself to be rich? Why or why not?

Closing Prayer