Opening Prayer Series: 19th Sunday of Year C

Opening Prayer Series:

OPENING PRAYER

The Opening Prayer of the Mass for the 19th Sunday of the Year reads as follows:

Let us pray 

(in the Spirit that we may grow in the love of God)

Almighty ever-living God, 

Your Spirit made us Your children, 

confident to call You Father.

Increase Your Spirit within us,

and bring us to our promised inheritance

.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS 

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

1. What does it mean to me to pray in the Spirit?

2. How will I grow in the love of God this week-Name one area to which I will commit?

3. What are the areas in my life that need further growth in God's love?

4. What does it mean to me to be a Child of God?

5. What is my relationship with the Holy Spirit?

6. What steps will I take this week to increase the Holy Spirit within me?

7. How important is it to me to reach my promised inheritance? 

8. What does being safe in God's love mean to me and how does God keep me safe in His love?

GOSPEL REFLECTION.

Today's Gospel is like a mini advent-it is a wakeup call for those of us who have become sleepy in our faith and commitment to Christ. Today's Gospel highlights the need to:

·     ensure that our treasure and heart are in union with our goal- our heavenly inheritance.

·   Be ready for action at all times by the way we live since we do not know the hour that Jesus will knock at our door.

·    Be faithful to our commitment/vocation since being faithful in small things is a stepping stone to being faithful in greater things.

·    Be aware of the gifts God has given us because the more God has given, the more He expects of us.

We are over half way through the liturgical year. During this week review the commitment that you made at the beginning of the liturgical year in Advent  to grow in your faith.  How are you going with that commitment?

Are you making progress or have you backslid?

Jesus is patient with our failures.  It is better that we start afresh this week and grow in the love of God and in our faith for the remaining of the year than throw in the towel and not bother.  Let us redouble our efforts this week as we take a stock take of our commitment.

Let us be in union with today's Responsorial Psalm- Psalm 32-

' Happy the people the Lord has chosen to be his own'