5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

1. Job 7: 1-4, 6-7
2. Psalms 95: 147: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6
3. 1 Corinthians 9: 16-19, 22-23
4. Mark 1: 29-39

• Reason for hope
• Have you ever had someone in your life with a terminal illness, or perhaps they were simply well along in life and it seemed the only thing that changed from one month to the next was the load of medication they were taking or what new limitation they had to live with?
• Is there any reason for hope in such situations?
• What sort of meaning can be had from a life that apparently has so little to look forward to?
• Is there any way that such a person can be an inspiration to others? 

• Called by name
• In our Western world, our name has become nothing more than a text-based alternative to our social security number.  But that name means far more.  To be called by name means that we are understood, appreciated, accepted by the other.
• Do you feel that God accepts you right the way that you are, or do you feel that God has a "to do" list for you of things that need work?
• If you feel that God has that list for you, what would be different in your life if you ever worked through that list?  Would God love you better then?
• Have you ever thought about giving that list up to God?

• The drive of the Gospel - (The bracketed sections are optional)
• Among ourselves, we would all likely say that God has blessed us over and over[, that our relationship to Jesus is the single thing that truly defines us, that life makes sense in the context of God, and no other].
• And, sadly, we all know others who struggle to find meaning in life[, who struggle with catastrophes in their lives from health issues, children who don't share their parent's values, jobs that seem calculated to grind them into dust,] and we wonder whether the faith that we have could help that other person somehow.
• If you were to invite some friend to Church with you, where would you take them?
• Are you sure that they would find a warm welcome there?

• Taking time to pray
• Jesus apparently struggled with a work/life balance as well.  He had to almost "sneak away" to get prayer time along with His Father.
• Why do you think that the Gospels have so little recorded teaching from Jesus about prayer, yet you go into any Christian bookstore and you can find row upon row of books about prayer?
• What do you think Jesus had to pray about?
• Why is it that we never hear in the Gospels about group prayer?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. What do I hope for/hope in?
2. Am I living the name, the destiny that God has for me?
3. How can I make my parish more inviting?
4. What am I doing to better my prayer life?

Shalom!

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

1. Deuteronomy 18: 15-20
2. Psalms 95: 1-2, 6-7, 7-9
3. 1 Corinthians 7: 32-35
4. Mark 1: 21-28

• Being accountable
• Every once in a great while, someone will let me know that they were paying attention to something that I'd said, something about the way that I live, and it makes me feel appreciated, until I realize with a jolt the responsibility that puts on me.
• Our very lives speak of our relationship to God.  Is there anyone on your life that you would trust to let you know if you are straying from God's best for you?
• Would you be willing to be that witness for anyone else? 

• Praying for the desire
• One of the freeing tenets of Ignatian spirituality is that God meets us wherever we are.  If we have no desire for, say humility, praying to have the desire to pray for humility is enough for God's graces to start coming our way.  I'm not sure about praying for the desire for the desire for humility though ...
• In a similar way, it's worthy of us as His children to pray that our hearts be softened, knowing that this can often be a long process, and there may be setbacks along the way.
• Are there any issues, perspectives, tightly held prejudices that you have that you would like to open up to God?
• Such softening of the heart is often a frightening thing for us.  Why do you think that is?
• What do those fears say of us and our relationship to God?

• Walk in a Relaxed Manner
• Sr. Joyce Rupp, in her book Walk in a Relaxed Manner mentions intentionally giving up things in her life in order to make room for better, more important things.
• Why do you think that we get so attached to items like a sense of accomplishment, a sense of belonging, or a sense of security?
• Do you think that God will always be faithful to us in those areas?
• How do you simplify your life as you have gone along lately?
• What else do you think you'll shed in the years to come?

• Taking time to ponder
• This Gospel reading is full of drama.  You have to wonder whether any of those who witnessed this liberation pondered what they had seen and wondered what it really meant.
• Are there any things that you would like to be liberated from in your life?
• Jesus Himself isn't going to be in the temple anytime soon, so how do you think you might bring something like that to Him to free you?
• What makes you think that God wants to free you of that burden?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Who are the prophets in my life?
2. What are the areas in my life that I need to be more open about?
3. What am I most attached to?  Are any of those getting in the way between me and God?
4. What has Jesus freed me of lately?

Shalom!

3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

1. Jonah 3: 1-5, 10
2. Psalms 25: 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
3. 1 Corinthians 7: 29-31
4. Mark 1: 14-2

• Being accountable
• Oddly, we are not given any idea of what had aroused God's wrath towards the Ninevites, only that He wanted to warn them.
• When bad things happen to us when we make bad decisions, is that God punishing us?
• When bad things happen to us at all, what do they mean?
• Have you ever had a graced moment, when you were especially close to God, in the setting of hardship or tragedy?
• What made it possible for God to give you that grace?
• What made it possible for you to receive it? 

• The ways of God
• In some ways, Star Wars characters are bigger than life, far far removed from our day to day existence, but maybe not so much.
• Do you see yourself as a knight - someone to defend the defenseless, bring justice to the land, hold evil doers accountable, or do you feel it's fine to support the retired Jedi fund regularly and leave it go at that?
• Do you have a Yoda in your life?
• Would you like one?

• In it for the long run
• There's a great scene in the movie The Intern where Robert De Niro is interviewing for an intern job.  He's 70 years old in the film and they perky young interviewer asks him "where do you see yourself in 10 years?"
• We don't have much of an idea how much longer we have.  For my part, if I knew it was only going to be 10 years, I'd cash out my IRA and to heck with the income tax implications, but I think I'll leave that portfolio where it is for now.  So, how do we live in anticipation of the end of history?
• What are the things about this life that you won't see in the next life that you are going to miss the most?
• What makes you sure those won't be there waiting for you?

• Counting my sins and failings
• At one time, the popular perception of confession was an inventory of the specific sins that you had committed since the last time in the confessional.
• What would you rather be healed of, individual infractions of God's Law, lapses in your faith, distance from God, ...?
• How do you think that you can get to the root of sin in your life?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Who are the prophets in my life?
2. How is God showing me His ways in my life?
3. What am I most attached to?  Are any of those getting in the way between me and God?
4. What have I given up lately to be with Jesus?

Shalom!

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

1. Samuel 3: 3b-10, 19
2. Psalms 40: 2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10
3. 1 Corinthians 6: 13c-15a, 17-20
4. John 1: 35-42

• Listening can be so hard
• Do you feel that you have a calling, or do you feel that your life has been just a random sequence of lucky (or not so lucky) breaks and seized opportunities?
• If you had the chance, what would you have done differently with your life?
• Why?
• Do you think that God always calls us to what will make us happy?
• If we feel happy, does that necessarily mean that we are holy?

• I have come to do your will, now would you please tell me what it is?
• How do you find God's will in your life?
• How often do you check up on that direction?  Every few years, once a month, minute by minute?
• Do you think that if anything changed in God's will for your life, He might tell you?
• How has He told you of those changes in the past?

• Bought and paid for
• We speak of redemption from sin, but that word redeem is a strong one.  It implies that we were slaves before we were redeemed.
• Imagine that you've inherited an enormous debt from your parents upon their death, and now you are responsible for paying that debt off, or you end up leaving some or all of that to your children.
• What might you be willing to do to have such an enormous debt forgiven?
• What might be your attitude toward the person who forgave you that debt?
• How can we become more aware of what God has done for us by our redemption?

• Expect the unexpected
• You have to give the early disciples credit for being willing to plunge into the unknown.
• A good friend of yours moves into the neighborhood and asks you about local parishes.  You volunteer to show them around yours.
• Where would you start such a tour, what would you say?  How would you know that you are doing them a favor by getting them involved?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Who/what am I listening to lately?
2. What would I be willing to give up, just to know God's perfect will for me, perfectly?
3. How am I living the freedom that Jesus has given me?
4. What about me, my life, would draw anyone else into my community?

Shalom!

The Epiphany of the Lord

Our readings for the Feast of the Epiphany are:

1. Isaiah 6: 1-6
2. Psalms 72: 1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13
3. Ephesians 3: 2-3a, 5-6
4. Matthew 2: 1-12

• And what are you radiating today?
• What are some of the lessons that you've learned from the lives of others?
• How did you become aware of those lessons?  Was it when you tried to describe the influence that person has had on you to someone else, or maybe when they passed, or you had the occasion to think about your relationship with that other person?
• Who might be some folks who are influenced/inspired by you?
• What do you think that you might be inspiring them to?

• Politics as usual
• It's somewhat fashionable to be cynical about government, but there are no end of prayers in the Bible for God to bless the king.  Why is that?
• Do you think any of those reasons apply today?
• Do you think God is a Democrat or a Republican, maybe He's a Green?

• What are you stewarding today?
• A steward administers his master's assets on the master's behalf.
• What has God given you to be steward over?
• How is that going?
• Do you think that the blessings/assets that we steward changes over time?
• How do you know when your "portfolio" goes through a change like that?

• The King of the Jews hits it big and goes global, no, cosmic!
• If Jesus isn't just King of the Jews, or Lord of the Christians, why is it that the rest of the world doesn't believe the way we do?  After all, they seem like rational people.  Don't they have the internet "over there"?
• How can we be more hospitable to others seeking to know Jesus better?
• What might we be able to learn from other traditions/cultures/world views?
• What really is ecumenism, and why should we care?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Who are the influential people in my life?  Do they know that?
2. When was the last time that I prayed for anyone in office?
3. How am I growing the gifts within me?
4. Do I live a life that would be at all appealing to anyone else?

Shalom!