June 2023: Seeing Your Life Through The Lens of The Gospel

Seeing Your Life Through The Lens of The Gospel

John Byrne OSA
Email jpbyrneosa@gmail.com

The Most Holy Trinity
4 June 2023

The reading evokes contrasting images of God, a God who judges and a God who saves. We might reflect on how our image of God has changed with the years. What has helped you to believe in a God whose will is that you should have eternal life?
God sent his Son into the world for this purpose, that we might have eternal life. How has the story of Jesus helped you to have that kind of faith?
The eternal life promised, is life that begins now, and survives all forms of death, failure, defeat and humiliation. What has helped you to have that sense of being alive, even in painful and disappointing circumstances?

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The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)
11 June 2023

Jesus tells us that to have life we need more than physical nourishment. How have you been aware of deeper hungers? What has met that deeper longing in you?
Jesus tells us that it is not just something he gives us which will give us life, but himself in his life, death and resurrection. How has your faith in the person of Jesus fed you?
Jesus speaks about ‘drawing life’ from him. In day to day living what are the practices which support your faith and help you to draw life from Jesus?
The Eucharist is one of the ways in which we draw life from Jesus. Recall with gratitude how the Eucharist has been a source of nourishment and life for you.
Perhaps you can also think of human examples of people drawing life from one another. From whom have you drawn life? Who has been able to draw life from you?

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Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
18 June 2023

Jesus allowed himself to be touched by the needs of the crowd. When you are with people, what difference does it make to the way you relate to them when you have empathy with them?
The commission Jesus gave the twelve ‘to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness’ is a reminder to us that we all have the capacity to be an influence for good in the lives of others. In this we continue the mission of Jesus (cf. St Teresa’s Prayer). When have you experienced yourself as having a healing or life-giving influence on another person? Who has had that influence on you?
At a first glance it might seem that Jesus made some bad choices in his twelve apostles. One will deny Jesus, another will betray him and others are only interested in who will be first. All of them will run away in the end. This reminds us that all kinds can share in the mission of Jesus, no matter how we see ourselves.
The instructions Jesus gave the disciples before he sent them out have a note of urgency about them. What difference does it make for you when you approach a task with a sense of urgency?
He also tells them their service should be ‘without charge’, keeping in mind what they have received without charge from God. Remember when you have received generous and undemanding love from another.

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Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
25 June 2023

‘Do not fear’ is the unifying theme in this passage which is set in the context of a mission sermon by Jesus, preparing his disciples for what lay ahead. He urges them to have courage in speaking his message and living his message, drawing strength from their trust in the Father whose care for us exceeds his care for hundreds of sparrows. How has trust in God been a source of strength in life for you?
The body/soul terminology presupposes an anthropology in which the soul represents one’s real self and the body is the perishable shell. For Jesus the important thing is to be true to one’s real self, even if this does involve some material or physical loss or pain. When you have had that kind of courage, what was it like for you?
There is no such thing as secret discipleship. It is in declaring their allegiance to Jesus that his followers will find life. They will be the losers if they hide their discipleship. Does this resonate with your experience?

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