love

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!

Very Near to You

Questioning the meaning of life and especially your specific purpose is as common as breathing. It can be daunting to think about what you were called to do. And it can seem like there is a lot of pressure to get it right.

As a child, you might have answered the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up” with ease. That is because as a child the options seem endless, and you can choose to be a doctor or a princess without the understanding the cost of medical school or how few actual princesses there are in the world.

Then in high school, choosing the college and the degree you wanted to graduate with could have been super overwhelming. It is a lot to put on a young person to decide what kind of job or career they want to have for the rest of their life.  So, many base their decisions on the path of least resistance.  Sometimes it means choosing what you think your parents want or whatever sounds interesting at the time.  This is how so many students choose sports marketing and sports related degrees or psychology or sociology because they have an interest in sports or because they are interested in finding out who they are and their role in the world.

However, this is not the same as the questioning the meaning of life or your specific purpose. The meaning of life is spelled out very simply in the scripture as is your specific purpose. Listen to the voice of the one who created you, GOD.  In the first reading (Deuteronomy 30:10-14) and the Gospel (Luke 10:25-37), it is very clear that the meaning of life is to love God and to love others, and when you do this, you are fulfilling your purpose.

The crazy part of it all is when you ask the questions, the answer is always something you have within you or near you.  It’s a lot like the ruby slippers that Dorothy wore in the Wizard of OZ, how she always had the ability to go home, she just didn’t realize the power had been within reach all along. You too have the power within reach.  The realization just doesn’t come at the same time or in the same way for everyone.

It is in the scripture you learn that it is in the Holy Spirit which dwells in you where you can unveil your specific purpose.  It is the connection to who God created you to be that gives you the power to change the world.  And the way to learn this is by paying attention to the specific gifts God has given you to share, the gifts that give you the opportunity to be love to everyone you meet.

But it is not entirely up to you to determine your specific purpose.  It is the role of the community of believers who surround you, those who know you and can help you identify those special gifts that you have been given.  Now of course there are personality tests and career finder tests that you can take to help point you in a specific direction, but God planted the gifts in you as well as a desire for you to achieve it.

Listen.  Watch.  Wait.  And you will know.  Sit with this a while and listen for God to speak clearly into your heart, soul and mind the steps you need to take to fulfill His plan for you.  And if in doubt, ask those around you, those who know you such as your family, teammates/coworkers, mentors, and teachers.  Sometimes it is hard for you to see it since you are so close to it.  So, don’t be afraid to ask others to help you in your search to find your purpose in life and when you do, you will understand the meaning of life and your role in it.

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

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!