Opening Prayer Series: Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

OPENING PRAYER SERIES:

THE MASS: OPENING PRAYER SERIES.

OPENING PRAYER

The Opening Prayer for the second Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A reads as follows:

Let us pray

(to our Father for the gift of peace)

Father of Heaven and earth, 

Hear our prayers,

and show us the way to peace in the world.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

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

1.            What do I understand by God's gift of peace?

2.            What is my relationship with Father God?

3.            How might I nurture this relationship during this coming week?

4.            What does it mean to me for God to hear our prayers?

5.            How can I show the way to peace in my world this coming week?

GOSPEL REFLECTION.

In today's Gospel, John the Baptist says' Look, Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world". In other words, he identifies Jesus as the Messiah since only God can take away the sins of the world. He then goes on to identify other characteristics of Jesus to make sure that there is no doubt of the identity of Jesus.

We too can be like John the Baptist in that we point the way for others to Jesus by the way we live our lives, and by leading lives according to the commandments of Jesus, we show His characteristics.  People should not doubt who we are, since Jesus lives in us. They need to be able to also look and identify Jesus.

As we begin Ordinary Time, why not we make our spiritual plan so that we can grow more like Jesus each week. Even when progress is slow and minimal, let us hear the words of Jesus to His disciples

' Do not be afraid, I am with you until the end of time'.