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Posts Tagged ‘Increase our faith’
Reflection Guide Divine Mercy Sunday
Discussion Questions
• We are Easter people and Alleluia is our song. Easter lasts 7 weeks in the Catholic experience. It is called Eastertide and marks 50 days between Easter – Pentecost. What practice or ritual could you live for the next 50 days to truly celebrate the meaning of Easter and let its message get ‘under your skin’ and change you?
• The followers of Christ became a “community”. The love in their hearts was expressed in love to others – especially those ‘in need’. What transformation happened to the disciples to enable them to live so generously? When have you experienced God’s transforming mercy? Ask Jesus to reveal His mercy to you this week. What change am I invited to make in my life regarding possessions? How could I show deeper commitment in my parish community?
• Victory that conquers the world is ‘our faith’. Victory and conquer are ‘battleʼ words. Faith is to be victorious over the ‘world’– not by ‘water’ (baptism) alone but also by ‘blood’ (sacrifice) and the Spirit. Easter challenges us: am I willing to work with Christ to overcome injustice, discrimination and fear with mercy? Only then can Easter Sunday Victory swallow up the evil of Friday.
• It is significant that immediately after Jesus’ resurrection the disciples are afraid. Locked in a room. Scared. They are followers of a ‘rebel’ who has been crucified as a threat to the religious and political status- quo. Consider rebel fighters today as a possible contemporary image. Yet this rebellion is to bring mercy, peace and forgiveness. Can you imagine the scene; try to experience their fear and pray with it?
• The disciples are huddled in a locked room in fear and Jesus brings peace and the guaranteed forgiveness of their sins through the Holy Spirit in the Church. What is the source of your ‘un-peace’ and fear that Jesus wishes to heal? Share those fears with Jesus.
• Thomas likes to check the truth of things, he doesn’t believe simply because others do. Sound familiar? Thomas needs to see and touch Jesus. God honours that need in Thomas and promises that the transformative joy and happiness of Thomas and the other disciples can truly be ours today. We may not ‘see’ with our physical eyes but are promised that faith can allow us to experience the Risen Lord through His Spirit and to ‘touch’ His wounds and receive Him fully in Eucharist. We are invited today
to make the same full faith commitment of Thomas to Jesus – “My Lord and my God!” What do you need to help you believe, grow in faith and joy and put God in the centre of your life like Thomas? Spend time asking Jesus for that.
• The South African civil rights proponent Allan Boesak stated that Jesus, at the pearly gates, won’t question us about how well we carried out our religious obligations. He’ll only ask us to show our wounds, that are the outward sign we’ve spent our lives imitating him. God’s love ignites mercy
within us and through us for others. Mercy, forgiveness, faith, truth; theses take courage and form wounds of love within us. What if the only question Jesus asks on entry to heaven is: ‘show me your wounds’?
• What is one action that you will do to ‘livetheword’ this week?
Download 27th Sunday Reflection Document
Reflection Questions
- Today is the only time this year we hear from the prophet Habakkuk. Disheartened by the violence and the harm done to the innocent he receives a vision and instruction from God. Literally, he is told to ʻwrite a sign so that those who run by may be able to read itʼ. The first Billboard! God will save the just. He is asked to trust that the Babylonian army entering Israel will ultimately serve Godʼs purpose of a renewal of faith in Israel. What disheartens you? What words of comfort have you heard from God or friends? What ʻbillboardʼ sign would you create to help and comfort people to trust in God?
- Timothy is a young man appointed by Paul to lead his community in Ephesus. He has become discouraged and is thinking about giving up preaching and leading the community. Paul writes to encourage him to ʻstir into a flameʼ the gifts that God has given him. He is not to be a coward and he is not to be ashamed of his youth and how God has worked in his life. You have been given a ʻrich trustʼ, a big responsibility of looking after Godʼs family. What gifts have you recognised in yourself? Are these being celebrated and grown? Is cowardice, fear, shame, limiting you at the moment?
- When a text is confusing it is often helpful to place the ʻtext in contextʼ. Luke 17 has a number of small teachings given by Jesus to his disciples on their way to Jerusalem. Jesus guides his disciples on their leadership responsibilities in their future communities. They are not to cause the downfall of a ʻsingle little oneʼ (17,2). They are to forgive people in their community seven times a day (17,4)! This challenge makes the disciples ask ʻincrease our faithʼ (17,5). The word ʻfaithʼ can also be understood as ʻloyaltyʼ in following the instructions of a teacher. Is there a ʻlittle oneʼ you may be bringing down by your example? Is there anyone who is difficult to forgive seven times?
- The disciples do not ask for more teaching. They ask for help in surrendering more fully to God. Write a one line prayer / mantra for a deeper trust in and surrender to God.
- A servant was normally working in the fields or in domestic house work. Strikingly this servant is doing ʻdouble dutiesʼ. And is expected to do so without complaining. The ʻdouble dutyʼ of gentle, faithful leadership and extravagant forgiveness is a minimum for discipleship in Christ. How do you feel about being a ʻservantʼ with a ʻdouble dutyʼ?
- The image of Master and Servant stirs up feelings and even resentments. Our consciousness forms expectations and it is often expectations that are at the source of our ʻfeelingsʼ. What expectations do you have in working for and ʻservingʼ God? Do you run away from the identity of being a ʻservantʼ? A joyful servant recognises the gift of work, housing, responsibilities, food and needs being provided for. Am I able to say truthfully ʻI am merely a servantʼ? What are some frequent feelings that you experience that may reveal your expectations and consciousness (identity)?
- What is one action that you will do to be ʻlivingthewordʼ this week?