Opening Prayer Series: 16th Sunday of Year A

The Opening Prayer for the 16th Sunday of Year A reads as follows:

Let us pray

(to be kept faithful to the service of God)

Lord,

be merciful to Your people.

Fill us with your gifts 

and make us always eager to serve You 

in faith, hope and love. 

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

1. What does it mean to be me to be faithful in the service  of God?
2. How can I be more faithful this coming week?
3. Why do I need God's mercy to be faithful to His service?
4. What are the gifts God has given me?
5. What gifts can I enhance with God's help?
6. What gifts would I like to receive from God should it be His will for me?
7. Why is the quality of eagerness required to serve God?
8. How can I serve God in faith, hope and love.

There is no doubt about what Jesus is telling us in today's Gospel, whether we want to hear it or not.

There is the battle for us pilgrims on the journey to follow Him. If we do, then we can hope that we will be gathered into the kingdom with all those who have been virtuous.  Those who do evil will suffer the punishment that they themselves have deserved.  God does not want to send anyone to Hell.  We are told in scripture that God wants to save everyone.  God gives us free will.  We need to choose to do good not evil.

So if we have lost some of our spiritual zest and vigor, then perhaps this gospel will motivate you to review your spiritual journey.   We are now almost half way through the ordinary Sundays of the Year.  If your spiritual life has been 'ordinary' up to now, then why not get it back into shape.  We only need the faith of a mustard seed to get started/started afresh. Let us grow to the best of our ability whilst we have the time, since we do not know when the time nor the hour may be.   I sure want to be gathered into the kingdom. 

What about You?