- Deuteronomy 4: 1-2, 6-8
- Psalms 15: 2-3, 3-4, 4-5
- James 1: 17-18, 21b-22, 27
- Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23
- Setting an example
- Each of us is called to be a living demonstration of what it is like to be close to God, what the results are of striving to live a meaningful life.
- Who are some folks in your life who have inspired you, in one way or another, to be a better child of God?
- How have you benefited from that inspiration?
- Have you ever thanked them for that?
- Do they continue to inspire you?
- How would you like to inspire others?
- Finding peace
- God promises peace to those who follow Him. As I've gotten older, peace seems to be harder to find. All of the demands on my attention seem to multiply (particularly right before the start of the semester), things to worry about crop up like dandelions in the front yard, and questions about whether I'm spending my time rightly abound.
- Do you think that you deserve to be at peace in your life?
- What disturbs that peace?
- If you had greater peace in your life, how would that improve your relationship with God, your family, yourself?
- Are those things that rob you of peace worth it, or is it maybe time to let them go?
- Conviction
- God speaks to us in many ways. I suspect that He's speaking to us at all times through life experiences, the love of others, the time that we spend in prayer, the sacraments, and so many other means.
- Think of a time when you became convinced that some change was necessary in your life. Maybe that was giving up a habit that was bad for you, cultivating a new (hopefully beneficial) habit, taking on a new ministry, leaving a toxic relationship ... How did you come to see that as God's will or your life?
- Did you discuss that with anyone?
- How did you pray through that experience?
- If you had to go through that discernment again, what would you do differently?
- Are you still convinced that you did the right thing?
- Clinging
- It's easy to fixate on the means, and miss the ends. It helps strengthen a community to ask ourselves "why" from time to time to make sure that we have not lost sight of the root meaning of what we do and say, make sure that we have not "fallen asleep" to the deeper purpose.
- Take a look at a habit that has been with you for awhile.
- How did you start doing that?
- Is that reason still applicable in your life?
- Are there other, newer reasons for you to continue that habit?
- Do you really even know why you are doing that today?
- What would happen if you stopped?
- Preparation for Reconciliation
- How could my life be more inspiring to others?
-
What fears do I have that might be standing in the way of my life with God?
- What is God trying to say to me today, that I might not be comfortable with?
- What is God inviting me into today?
Force of Habit
The withered old man sat in his favorite chair by the window -
Looking out at the tidy lawn that had been there for years.
Remembering happier days filled with bar-b-que, family gatherings, his beloved wife.
He wondered again what she would be saying if only she were still here.
He wondered how he would go about explaining to her how he felt, and why.
She was such a rock to him for so long, he still could not believe that she was gone.
Reaching for his book of prayers, he turned the well-worn pages to the rosary.
The words familiar, memorized long ago, still he sought the printed page -
Drawing comfort from the feel of the paper between his fingertips.
Slowly, the prayer formed on his lips, silently at first, then in a reverent whisper -
As memory of the many times that he and his wife had prayed thus through the decades
And found God in the peace of each other's voice, touch, beating heart.
After a brief silence, he closed the book, put it back where it belonged,
And wondered what he might say if God were there in the room with him.
Whether he would have the courage to cry out in loneliness, fear, and anger.
Such sentiments seemed at odds with the beauty of the rosary.
He still felt her presence in the room with him and did not want to disturb her
By his raw and aching feelings that stalked him day and night since her death.
So he painfully got up, moved outside of the house to the front porch and sat.
Feeling that in this new place, he could start a new conversation,
And not sully the brief peace and connectedness that he had enjoyed earlier.
"It's not fair" he began "that you would take her from me without warning.
We hardly had time to say good bye to each other before she was gone.
Everyone looks at me with my tragedy in their eyes, and little else.
I'm defined by my loss, not my life, and I don't like it one bit.
And to top it all off, you, YOU God seem so very distant these days.
I scarce know where to find you anymore."
Spent, the old many listened, waiting to see what might come of his outburst.
"My son, I am as close to you as your own skin, your own breath.
Reach out to me and touch me in your family, your community, your loved ones.
Above all else, I call for honesty and humility. Hold nothing back from me.
I will never be offended by your feelings, however you express them.
I will never turn my back on you.
You do not have to come search for me.
I am always searching for you, seeking you, my beloved.
Just let me find you."
The old man bowed his head in worship.
The rosary coming once more to his lips.
New charged with his hopes, and regrets, dreams and fears.
And he realized that he was not alone.
Not now.
Not ever.
No comments:
Post a Comment