Praying with Sunday's Scriptures

Editor's note: To help small faith-sharing groups, couples, individuals and others continue the Renew 2000 experience of praying with the Sunday Scriptures, a Diocesan Faith Sharing Writing team has prepared a weekly series for Lent using the Renew model. The series is being distributed to parish leaders and will appear in The Compass the week before that Sunday.

	April 13, 2003, Palm Sunday Reading I: Isaiah 50:4-7 Reading II: Philippians 2:6-11 Gospel: Mark 14:1-15;47

By Gail McAllister

Focus: Humility and service to others make us good stewards of the gifts God has given us.

Opening Prayer:
All: Lord, help me to follow your example.
Leader: You touched the lepers and healed their bodies.
All: Lord, help me to follow your example.
Leader: You forgave transgressions.
All: Lord, help me to follow your example.
Leader: You brought peace to the troubled, food to the hungry, and love to the world.
All: Lord, help me to follow your example.

Scripture Sharing: Read the scriptures aloud. Pause for a moment between the readings. Each group member is invited to share a line from one of the readings that had an impact on him or her.

Lent
• Lent-related articles  • 2003 Lenten Wish List (3/7 issue)  • Lenten rules (2/28 issue)

Reflection: Imagine yourself as a powerful, wealthy and influential person. There is nothing you can't do or have. Now imagine that you have been accused of a crime for which you will die even though you are innocent and you have the power to prevent it. However, you allow yourself to be humiliated and killed because by doing so, you could save millions of other people. This was Jesus' example of the greatest of all acts of humility. In this one act he teaches us love, service and humility.

Faith Sharing

1. Do you ever think of yourself as better than someone else? What can you do at that moment to humble yourself? Do you find yourself bragging at times?

2. What keeps you from helping others? How can we get past these barriers?

3. What daily behaviors can we practice to remind us that we are to serve others?

Action Response: How do you live stewardship as your way of life?

1. Check on your local Food Pantry and make sure that it is never empty.

2. Give away something of value.

3. Write your congressman about an injustice asking him/her to help correct it.

Closing Prayer (Individuals offer their intentions to bring to prayer.)

Keep us humble, Lord, and in constant service to others. Help us to master each look we give to others so that our eyes validate their worthiness and prod us to use our gifts, whatever they may be, for the benefit of others. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

(McAllister is a member of the Diocesan Writing Team for Faith Sharing Sessions, 2003.)