Questions from Last Week:
What are exercises that we can do to help us be desperate for God, willing to submit us to Him like we saw from Jairus and the woman with the flow of blood.
Spiritual Disciplines (Exercises) are designed to bring us to repentance and healthy spiritual life:
- Prayer
- The Sacrament of Sacred Confession
- Saying (reciting) prayers
- The Jesus Prayer
- Kyrie Eleison
- Daily Offices of Prayer
- Canons
- Hymns
- Prayers of the Heart
- Free Thought Prayer
- Wordless Prayer (Listening)
- Reading/Listening
- The Bible
- Spiritual writings
- Spiritual meditation
- Fasting (Voluntarily limiting and focusing ourselves and our actions, not an exercise of self-will)
- Food
- Needless Speaking
- Coarse Jesting
- Time-Wasting
- Certain Entertainments
- Limiting Comfort in garments or positions
- Almsgiving
- Tithing
- Charitable Giving
- Hospitality
- Volunteering
- Tutoring
- Encouraging
- Cooking
- Cleaning
This is of course an incomplete list. For a more thorough explanation read this:
Also, Listen to this AMAZING SERMON SERIES by Father Anthony Messeh:
really, any of his sermon series are amazing. Try the Body Shop. It's SOO goooood.
First Reading — Ezekiel 2:2-5
2 And when he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me upon my feet; and I heard him speaking to me.
3 And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to a nation of rebels, who have rebelled against
me; they and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. 4 The people also are impudent and
stubborn: I send you to them; and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ 5 And whether they hear or
refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that there has been a prophet among them.
1. Different temperaments would respond to this assignment in different ways. How would you have responded?
2. What provision did God make for Ezekiel to fulfill this assignment?
3. Are there prophets in your life? Are you sometimes stubborn and closed about listening to their messages? Why? Why would you reject the person or the message?
4. Do you think the ordinary prophet has great success or runs into opposition most of the time? Have you and/or your ideas ever been rejected when you tried to change something for the better? How do you handle rejection?
Second Reading — 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
7 and to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a
messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. 8 Three times I besought the Lord about this,
that it should leave me; 9 but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness.” I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the
sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am
weak, then I am strong.
1. If you went out shopping for weaknesses or crosses to bear would you pick the ones you already have or would you pick different ones? Why? Do you find God in your weakness? Can it be a constant source of grace?
2. “My grace is sufficient for you.” Do you rely on these words? How often do you bring them out and use them?
3. How have you seen God glorified through someone’s problems and difficulties?
4. What attitude or belief is at the heart of Paul’s contentment?
Gospel Reading — Mark 6:1-6
1 He went away from there and came to his own country; and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the sabbath he
began to teach in the synagogue; and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get all
this? What is the wisdom given to him? What mighty works are wrought by his hands! 3 Is not this the carpenter, the
son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they
took offense at him. 4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and
among his own kin, and in his own house.” 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands
upon a few sick people and healed them. 6And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the
villages teaching.
1. Can you think of theologians, saints, or scientists who were rejected for their ideas? Do you know any prophets today? Where can you find them? What besides immigration and care for the environment might they be trying to change for the better? For what cause could you be a prophet?
2. Do you agree with Pope Francis' description of prophets below: that they are people who keep the promise of God alive, see the suffering of their people, and bring us the strength to look ahead?
2. Do you agree with Pope Francis' description of prophets below: that they are people who keep the promise of God alive, see the suffering of their people, and bring us the strength to look ahead?
A prophet is someone who listens to the words of God, who reads the spirit of the times, and who knows how to move forward towards the future. …
In the Gospel, for example, the priests ask Jesus: “With what authority do you do these things? We are the masters of the Temple!” They didn't understand the prophecy … they had forgotten the promise. They didn't know how to read the spirit of the times, they didn't listen to the words of God, they had only their authority. …
Lord, let us not lack prophets amongst your people! All those who are baptized are prophets: let us not forget God's promise, let us not tire of moving forward.Mass at Casa Santa Marta, December 16, 2015
5. How do you view the miracles and power of Christ?
6. Why do you think people take offense at Jesus’ words and works?
7. Define skepticism and unbelief.
8. How can we avoid responding to Jesus’ words and works with skepticism and unbelief?
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