17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

1. Genesis 18: 20-32
   
2. Psalms 138: 1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8
3. Colossians 2: 12-14
   
4. Luke 11: 1-13
   

• Driving a hard bargain with God
• Abraham argued that God's own nature dictated that God behave in a certain way.  Often, we tell God how important something is to us, why it is important, what will happen if He does not give us what we want.  Rarely do we appeal to God based on His own nature.
• Think of a time that you really, really wanted God to do something for you.  What was it that you asked for?
• Did you try to help God understand how important this was?
• How did you try to influence God's answer?
• Did it work?
• How can you tell?
• Would you recommend that technique to anyone else?
  

• Answers to prayer
  
• Answers to prayer come in many forms, through many people, maybe even disguised.  Especially if we are not looking in the right places for those answers.
• If someone were to tell you flat out that God always answers prayers, and He answers them the very day that you raise those prayers up to Him, how would that change the way that you pray?
• How would that change the way that you look at your prayer life up to this point?
• Do you have an example of a prayer that was not answered, at all, ever?
• How do you know that God did not answer your prayer?
• Did you pray about that apparent abandonment?
  

• Trust me, trust in me, trust me in you
  
• How deep is your trust in God?
• What has that trust enabled you to do in your life that you would not have been able to accomplish without that trust?
• What has God done to earn that trust?
•  Do you trust that God is within you?
• Do you trust that Presence within you?
  

• Gifts from God
  
• How do you pray?
• Why do you pray?
• How has your prayer changed things?
• How has your prayer changed you?
• Do you think the words of your prayer are terribly important?
• Why?
  

• Preparation for Reconciliation
  

1. Where is God revealing Himself to me in my prayer?  Who is He becoming in my life?
   
2. Where is God answering my prayer and I do not see/accept His answer?
3. Where might God be calling me to deepen my trust in Him?
4. What is God calling me to open my life to in my prayer life?

 Shalom!