Opening Prayer Series: 31 Sunday of Year C

OPENING PRAYER SERIES

THE MASS: OPENING PRAYER SERIES ICON.

OPENING PRAYER

The Opening Prayer for the 31st Sunday of the Year reads as follows:

Let us pray
(that our lives will reflect our faith)
God of power and mercy,
only with Your help can we offer You fitting service and praise,
May we live the faith we profess 
and trust Your promise of eternal life. 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

In making this prayer tangible, the following reflection questions emerged:

1.            What is faith and how might I ask God to increase it during this
          coming week? 

2.            Name the areas of my life that reflect my faith?

3.            Name the areas of my life that need adjustment to reflect my faith?

4.            How can God help me this coming week to offer Him fitting service
         and praise?

5.            What does it mean to me to live the faith I profess?

6.            Do I know my faith- how might I educate myself more in my faith
          this coming week/month?

7.            Why do I need to trust God's promise of eternal life?

GOSPEL REFLECTION.

 In today's Gospel, we meet the lovely Zacchaeus. I have to say that I have a soft spot for Zacchaeus because I can identify with his shortness of stature and appreciate the frustration of not being able to see clearly in a crowd and at times even at Mass. Anyway, I will get off my hobby horse before I go any further.

Still shortness of stature did not hinder Zacchaeus because we are told that he was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was.  He climbs the sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus.  Thankfully, Jesus notices him up the sycamore tree and invites himself to the house of Zacchaeus.  Then Zacchaeus is able to stand his ground after the crowd complain, and acknowledge his failures and wrongdoing.  Indeed, salvation came to his house that day.

What about us- are we anxious to see who Jesus is? Do our shortcomings hinder us, or are we prepared, like Zacchaeus, to think outside the square to catch a glimpse of Jesus?  Are we able to stand our ground when we are ridiculed in a crowd? Are we able to acknowledge our own shortcomings to Jesus and accept the salvation He offers us (through the sacrament of reconciliation)?

During this coming week let us catch a glimpse of Jesus by not allowing our weakness and shortcomings to hinder us from receiving the salvation Jesus wishes to offer us.