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!