Opening Prayer Series: 12th Sunday of the Year

OPENING PRAYER SERIES.

OPENING PRAYER

The Opening Prayer of the Mass for the 12^th Sunday of the Year reads as follows:

Let us pray 

(that we may grow in the love of God)

Father,

guide and protector of your people 
grant us an unfailing respect for Your name,
and keep us always in Your love.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

In making this prayer tangible for my life during this week, the following reflection questions emerged:

1. How will I grow in the love of God this week?

2. What is my relationship with Father God like? How can I nurture this relationship?

3. How is Father God guide and protector in my life?

4. In what areas of my life do I not respect Your name?  

5. What do I need to do to keep always in Your love this week? What changes will I implement?

6. What does it mean to me to live according to God's will?

 GOSPEL REFLECTION.

In today's Gospel, Jesus challenges his disciples with a question' Who do you say I am?'.  Jesus also asks us this question. We must be able to give our own authentic answer. Discipleship also comes at a cost- we must be prepared to renounce ourselves and carry our cross every day.  We are also given hope because Jesus tells us that if we 'lose our life for his sake, we will save it.'.

Let us renew the life of God within us this week and grow in the love of God. May the words of the psalm be ours during this week 

" My soul is thirsting for you O Lord my God.