Opening Prayer Series: 28th Sunday of Year

OPENING PRAYER SERIES

THE MASS: OPENING PRAYER SERIES.

OPENING PRAYER

The Opening Prayer for the 28th Sunday of the Year reads as follows:

Let us pray

(that God will help us to love one another)

Lord,

our help and guide,

make Your love the foundation of our lives.

May our love for You express itself

in our eagerness to do good for others.

In making this prayer tangible the following reflection questions emerged.

1.            What does Scripture say about doing good for others and the commandment of love. 

2.            Do I pray for God's help to love my family, colleagues, parishioners and those I struggle to love?

3.            How is God my help and guide in my life?

4.            What is God's love and why should we strive to make it the foundation of my life?

5.            How well do I keep the commandment of love in loving God, neighbour and myself? 

6.            How will I endeavour to improve living this commandment this coming week- name one area/person upon which I will focus.

7.            What are the hindrances which prevent me from being eager to do

8.            good to others? What do I need to change?
 

GOSPEL REFLECTION.

Today's Gospel is the parable of the Ten lepers.  It highlights the following aspects:

·                     Jesus did not discriminate against the 10 lepers, but gave them the help and ultimately the healing they desired-'He took pity on them'.

·                     10 lepers were healed, but only the Samaritan man who was classed as a foreigner came back to acknowledge the healing was from God and to thank Jesus.

·                     The other 9 lepers were also healed but did not give thanks to God. They received their desire to be healed and accepted the stupendous gift without thanking the giver-God. They did not show their gratitude to God.

·                     It is important to remember that lepers lived outside the community and were outcasts physically and socially. The healing of Jesus gave them back their place in community, and yet such a huge gift was not acknowledged nor was any gratitude shown.

·                     The Samaritan man seemed to be re-commissioned into the community with the words 'Stand and go on your way'. These words indicate a type of freedom- no longer restricted to being outside the community, but able to move freely.

·                     The Samaritan man showed faith in turning back to acknowledge his healing, and moving forward to a better future.

The question we need to ask ourselves here is ' Who are we like- the 9 lepers who failed to acknowledge the healing that they desired, or the Samaritan man who  recognized the power of God in his midst..
The Responsorial Psalm says' The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power'.

When God reveals His saving power this coming week in my life,
what will be my response?