Sunday, February 12th Readings

6th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer

Father,

Give me the eyes to see you!

I want to choose you,

I want to run to you,

I want to love you,

but I find it difficult at times

to embrace what I cannot see.

Fill me with the faith to choose you,

even when I cannot see!

AMEN

Journal/Reflection Questions

Sirach 15:15-20

Why do you think God trusts humanity with free will? Are you 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?
Is it enough to simply say you choose God? Why or why not? How do your words and actions show you choose God?

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 God’s beauty?
How do you see God? How do you hear God? What does God smell like, taste like, feel like? What does your heart tell you about God?

Matthew 5:17-37

Is there anger in your heart? How would God judge?
How can what you do or say contradict the truth?
What does the “spirit of the law” mean? How can you apply it to your life?
Can you love God and others without the law? Are the commandments necessary? Why or why not?
Have you ever done 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?

General Questions for Journaling

When you are faced with a choice, do you consult God before making your decision?
Are there decisions you need to make each day which you don’t need to consult with God? What are they?
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 do you define “fear”?

How do you know the will you have chosen is God’s will?
If you believe God sees all things, why do you still sin?
Is it easy or difficult to choose between good and evil? How can you tell the difference?
Identify the ways in which the commandments help you.
What does fear of God look like to you?
How is wisdom different than knowledge or understanding?
How do you live out the law?
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?
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 is there of this?
How can righteousness keep you from loving God or your neighbor. Reflect on a time when you experienced this firsthand.
Is it possible to live beyond the law? What would that look like?

Closing Prayer

Leader: You give Your love

ALL: in all of creation.

Leader: You give Your love

ALL: with a rainbow.

Leader: You give Your love

ALL: in the commandments.

Leader: You give Your love

ALL: on a cross.

Leader: You give Your love

ALL: in the Word & Eucharist.

Leader: You give Your love

ALL: through ME!

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.

AND/OR

How does God influence your decisions? Do you turn to God to help you discern your life choices or are there others in your life who help you? Allow yourself to consider the decisions you make and the process in which you make them. Do the people whom you ask for help have your best interests at heart or do they have something to lose or gain? How do the commandments play a role in the decisions you make? Reflect on the 10 commandments this week and come up with questions you can ask yourself when you are faced with a decision. Allow these questions to help you make a choice which falls in line with your beliefs and follows God’s plan for you in your life. Give God room in your life and in your decisions to guide you.

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Sunday, July 10th Readings

15^th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer

Dear God

YOU created a complex world

and in it YOU give beauty beyond words.

YOU told the sun when to rise

and provide all creatures with their needs.

YOU wrote on the hearts of Your people

the desire to love and care for one another.

Let the material things and the lies of the world

be tossed away and take up space, no more.

Let YOUR Word fill me

until they overflow from my lips.

AMEN!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Deuteronomy 30:10-14

What do you do with all of your heart and soul? Are there a lot of things? A few?
How do know God has a plan for you?

Colossians 1:15-20

What do you learn about Jesus in this scripture?
What does it encourage you to do to be more like Jesus?

Luke 10:25-37

Identify your neighbors. What are their needs? How can you show them the love of God?
Have you seen this parable lived out in your life? When have you been robbed and left for dead? When have you been the one who passed by? When have you been the one who helped? When have you been like the innkeeper?

General Questions for Journaling

How do you hear the voice of God? When?
How often do you follow God’s voice/words when you hear them?
Where do you go to find purpose or meaning in your life?
What does it mean to have something “written on your heart”?
Who are your confidants? What qualities do they have that you go to them for advice?
Do you live your life so others know God is first? Or is someone else put first in your life? Spouse? Greed? Children? Self?
Does peace come to you or is it something you work for?
What does reconciliation feel like? Is it easy or difficult to achieve reconciliation?
Is there a limit to how much you can help another? Have you ever hit the limit?
When you are in need, are you open to others helping you? Why or why not?

Closing Prayer

Leader: When I feel I’ve hit a dead end and don’t know what to do…

ALL: YOU have the power to create a new path!

Leader: When I am left with nothing and don’t know what to do…

ALL: YOU have the power to share what I need!

Leader: When I feel lost and don’t know what to do…

ALL: YOU have the power to welcome with open arms!

Leader: When I am blinded by fear/money/arrogance…

ALL: YOU have the power to forgive my wrongs!

Leader: When I feel I am on empty and don’t know what to do…

ALL: YOU have the power to fill me up!

Leader: Father, giver all good things…

ALL: may I live my life in these truths!

Challenge for the Week: How are the commandments relevant today? Where do you see them lived out? Spend time this week re-writing the commandments to make them specific to you. Highlight the ones you struggle with so you can pay more attention to them.

Sunday, May 15th Readings

5^th Sunday of Easter

Opening Prayer

Generous Lord,

There is no limit to your love!

You come to me

and lead me to safety when I encounter danger.

You embrace me

and give me comfort when I stumble and fall.

You open the gate

and usher me through even when I turn away.

May I learn from YOUR generosity

and be more generous in my own life!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Acts 14:21-27

Paul and Barnabas opened doors of faith to others; what doors do you open?
Who are the gentiles in the world today who need to hear God’s Word from you?

Revelation 21:1-5a

Describe how God has made things new in your experiences? What specifically was done?
What does it mean that “God’s dwelling is with the human race”? How is this lived out in the world?

John 13:31-33a, 34-35

How do you let God work through you? Do you believe you can work a miracle?
Where have you shared God’s love? Where have you received it?

General Questions for Journaling

How is faith expressed in your home? Is it the same or different than how you express your faith personally?
What traditions do you have in your family which flow from your faith?
Are there traditions you have in your family which you could tweak to add an element of faith?
How does your faith carry with you when you travel? Is it something you pack with you or do you leave it behind?
What are some of the things that make loving your neighbor so difficult? What stands in the way? How can you work to break down the obstacle(s)?
Where do you see examples of God’s selfless love? How has it been modelled for you?
When was the last time you did something with expectation? Where do you share God’s selfless love?
Where can you inspire positive change? How much effort would it take? Are there others who can help you?
How do you define the human race? What is human? Why race? Where is God in the definition?
Does God need to increase or decrease in your life? How does this happen?
Faith is like a bumper sticker on your soul. What does your bumper sticker say?

Closing Prayer

Leader: Lord, may I proclaim Your love