Monday, February 12, 2018

1st Sunday of Lent

Our readings for the 1st Sunday of Lent are:
  1. Genesis 9: 8-15
  2. Psalms 25: 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
  3. 1 Peter 3: 18-22
  4. Mark 1: 12-15
  • Making all things new
    • As devastating as the Flood was, God could have simply started from scratch.  But He saved a remnant of His children.  By emerging from the waters, Noah and his family point us toward Easter.
    • Think back to some past events in your life that were really tough at the time.  Did you come to see those in a different light later in life?
    • What good did you eventually find in those circumstances?
    • How did that goodness eventually come to light?
    • Do you think that resurrection experience is over yet? 
  • Lessons in humility
    • In some circles, it's fashionable to pray for humility as though it's the same as humiliation.
    • How would you define true humility?
    • How do you think that God has taught you humility?
    • Once you learn humility, how do you stay in that state of grace?
  • Looking for a clear conscience
    • Do you ever have something come back to mind that you've done, said, or thought, and it makes you cringe all over again?
    • Where do you think those memories come from?
    • Is it worthwhile to bring those random memories to confession?
    • What if you've already confessed that very sin, either specifically or in general?
  • Living the eternal "now"
    • If you had to describe Mark in one word, that word might be "urgent".
    • Do you think that this present day in age, this year, this day are all times of fulfillment?
    • Just what is it that is coming to fulfillment right now?
    • Do you believe that repentance is strictly an individual matter, or do we need to repent as families, communities, nations?
    • Who is there to lead us in such repentance?
Preparation for Reconciliation:
  1. What is God renewing in my life today?
  2. What am I doing with the second chances that God has given me?
  3. Where is my conscience before God?
  4. Where is God waiting for me to repent?

Shalom!


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