Seeing With God’s Eyes Year C Reflections on the Sunday Readings
Catherine T. Nerney, SSJ, Ph.D.
Contents Acknowledgments.........................................................................................................iv Presenting RENEW International.................................................................................v Introduction.................................................................................................................vi Faith Sharing in a Small Community.........................................................................viii Faith-Sharing Principles and Guidelines.......................................................................xi The Structure and Flow of a Session...........................................................................xiv Session One: To See With Eyes of Faith................................................................................... 1 Session Two: To See the Presence and Action of God.............................................................. 7 Session Three: To See Others’ Needs, and Our Own, as God Sees Them................................ 13 Session Four: To See the God Who Searches for Us............................................................... 20 Session Five: To See the New Things God Is Doing.............................................................. 26 Session Six: To See the Attitude of Christ as Ours............................................................... 33 Music Resources......................................................................................................... 41 Resources from RENEW International...................................................................... 43
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Introduction The Lenten Longings series is based on the three-year cycle of the Lectionary. Each book contains six sessions corresponding to the six weeks of Lent and presents themes drawn from the year’s Lenten readings. Let Yourself Be—Year A: Encourages participants to embrace the teaching of Christ that authentic loving involves self-surrender. For the Life of the World—Year B: Calls participants to commit to works of justice and to the ongoing conversion of hearts. Seeing with God’s Eyes—Year C: Invites participants to see themselves, the other members of their group, and the world at large with the eyes of God. These Lenten reflections are intended to empower Christian communities “to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). They seek to call forth and strengthen communal commitments to the work of justice and to the ongoing conversion of hearts. Only such a response can genuinely embody the gospel imperative. The capacity to live such radical, communal lives is not something we can give ourselves. It comes to us as gift. Our own attitudes may prove our biggest stumbling blocks. The heart of the Lenten mystery and its deepest lessons are about surrender. To such a life, we must give ourselves over. We must let ourselves be ultimately transformed by the One in whom “we live and move and have our being” (Acts of the Apostles 17:38). For this reason, these reflections on the Sunday readings of Lent invite us to “let ourselves be …” so that together and alone we may be moved during this holy season by the Loving Presence who longs for us more than we long for life itself. To this God of our longing, we entrust ourselves throughout this paschal journey, asking only that— little by little or in one great flaming of our hearts—we may let ourselves be set ablaze.
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Introduction Author Catherine Nerney, a Sister of St. Joseph, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, is a professor of religious studies in the Spirituality Graduate Department and director of the Institute for Forgiveness and Reconciliation at Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia. She has ministered to small Christian communities (SCCs) since 1978, when she was a facilitator in her RENEW small community in Bayonne, New Jersey. Inspired by her RENEW experience, Sister Cathy joined the Small Christian Community Department in the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, and served there from 1982 to 1986. Today, Sister Cathy continues to lecture and write on the roles SCCs play in shaping the Church.
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Preface There are some strange reversals I would ask you to consider as we enter this liturgical season of Lent. The first is to identify a “longing for the vision of God,” not so much as seeing God face to face one day, but more as seeing as God sees here and now. It is more accurate to say that God’s Holy Spirit sees in us and enables us to see. These are the gifts of faith, hope, and love already given to us. Throughout this Lenten season, we long to attune our vision, for the gift to see ourselves, one another, and our world “with God’s eyes.” As we begin our journey into Lent and Easter, let us pray for God to become the subject of our seeing, the One who sees in us. This ability has been given to us through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit into our hearts. The Gospel of Luke dominates the liturgical texts for Year C. The Lucan account, including the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, is often called the “Gospel of the Holy Spirit.” So, let us pay close attention to the Spirit’s presence and action throughout these weeks. Begin with Session 1 the week before the First Sunday of Lent in preparation for that Sunday’s Scripture readings. The contents of each session and the readings for Sunday ought to be read prior to each gathering. Appropriate music may be substituted for the suggested music.
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1 To See With Eyes of Faith Suggested Environment A small table with a burning candle and a Bible opened to the Gospel reading for this session. Consider decorating the table with violet, the liturgical color of the Lenten season.
Introductions At this first session, if participants have not been together before, spend some time getting acquainted. A simple introduction of names and perhaps one thing they love about their families or their faith could be shared. Another icebreaker is to name one thing they “gawked” at in the last week or month.
Lenten Longing 1 The leader asks a participant to recite the aim for the session: That our prayer and sharing open us to greater self-understanding of our baptismal faith. May we be Spirit-led to see the good things God has done for us and in us.
Invitation to Pray Leader: Let us put ourselves in the presence of God. The group gives itself over to several moments of deepening silence as each member pays attention to her or his breathing, and slowly prays for stillness. Leader: This time of communal prayer seeks to encourage the awareness that, because of our baptism, God is in us and we are in God. Our greatest longing is to see and taste, feel and savor this truth. We are God’s dwelling place in the Spirit. Our prayer begins as we let ourselves be held in God’s embrace.
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Song: “Tree of Life,” Marty Haugen
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Lenten Longings: Seeing With God’s Eyes
Scripture Readings for the First Sunday of Lent Deuteronomy 26:4-10; Romans 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13 Review the readings. The leader invites a member of the group to proclaim the Gospel.
Silent reflection Take a moment to reflect on what word, phrase, or image from the Scripture passage touches your heart or speaks to your life.
Invitation to Share The leader invites those who so wish to repeat a key word or phrase in the Scripture passage that touched them.
Prayer Divide the group into two and pray alternately. Leader: Side 1:
Side 2:
All:
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Let us pray: Open us, O Holy Spirit of God. Be yeast in us. Let our hearts expand to take in more and more of God’s lavish self-disclosures. Clear away the blocks that hinder us from seeing you in the events of our past. Stir up hope in us, O Holy Spirit, our refuge and our stronghold. You bear us up in mercy and go before us always to deliver us from evil’s way. Lead us, gently but persistently, O loving Spirit of God, toward those people, places, and events where you desire most to meet us. Then, in those choices that invite or confront us, direct us to choose only those things that are for the Father’s glory, and reign in our hearts and in our world. We pray this in the name of Jesus, our teacher, brother, and Lord. Amen.
Session 1: To See With Eyes of Faith
Reflection 1 In the first reading, Moses directs the Hebrew people to remember their own story of deliverance, when God heard their cry and saw their slavery and heavy labor in Egypt and, with outstretched arms and wonders (see Deuteronomy 26:8), brought them into a “land flowing with milk and honey,” where they could settle, grow crops, graze their herds, and care for their families(Deuteronomy 26:9). In remembering their past, the Hebrew people are invited to bow down in God’s presence. Then, united with all the people who are foreign to them but now live among them, the Hebrews, who themselves once were foreigners, rejoice over all the good things God has given them. When did the gift of remembering lead you to God? How is the Spirit of God leading you to revisit those dwelling places where God provided for you a refuge and a fortress? When have you rejoiced over the good things the Lord has done for you? Perhaps that is where the Spirit of God wants to lead you this Lent. In reflecting on this invitation, my mother lures me in vivid memory to her bedside some years ago. Mom had I confess that what I do not been totally incapacitated by a stroke for understand I let pass by. There are almost a year. Exhausted by infections some problems that I like to grapple she could no longer fight, her frail body with, and think about, but I do not finally contracted flesh-eating bacteria. force myself. I am not disturbed by problems, and I further confess . . . Three months of postoperative intensive that I avoid thinking, very often, of care was the final time we were given things I do not understand. with her, though she was unconscious It is so much easier to abandon through most of that period. One oneself to Divine Providence and Saturday, however, stands out in our think of those comforting words, family memory. Three times, Mom “Blessed are those who have not opened her eyes and repeated the exact seen and yet have believed.” And we certainly are blessed, I assure you, same sentence. “God has been so good and I thank God for so blessing me. to me,” she said, closing her eyes each Gratitude brought me into the time without further explanation. By Church and that gratitude grows, the last time, my brother John jokingly and the first word my heart will urged my mother to open her eyes and utter, when I face my God is look around. Her body was broken “Thanks.’’ Dorothy Day open in eight gaping wounds. And she From Union Square to Rome had summed it all up in one simple 3
Lenten Longings: Seeing With God’s Eyes profession of faith: “God has been so good to me.” Amid laughter and tears, we asked, “Are you crazy, Mom, or do you see something we can’t see?”
Invitation to Share • What does it mean to see with eyes of faith? Share an example from experience. • What particular memory invites you to discover again the God who was holding you up in times of trouble?
Reflection 2 Desert places serve as dramatic symbols in the Hebrew-Christian self-understanding. There we encounter ourselves in life-wrenching struggles between good and evil. No one escapes the “desert” over the course of a lifetime, try as we might to direct our course elsewhere. The desert fierceness finds us. We do not usually go there by our own choosing, though how we engage the forces we meet there has everything to do with our choices. We leave a desert experience as changed people. Something happens to us there, and that something has everything to do with how we see. It is fitting we begin Lent each year with the story of Jesus going into the desert; it is more fitting still that we recognize the Spirit of God, who not only filled Jesus but also drove him into that desert to confront the forces of evil. There “he was tempted by the devil” (Luke 4:2). In the Gospel accounts, Jesus’ baptism is described as a revelatory event in which his own identity is disclosed. Jesus hears himself named “God’s Beloved” and realizes in a deeper way his unique relationship with the Father and with the Spirit of God, who rends the heavens to descend upon him (see Luke 3:21, 22). Jesus, the Spirit-bearer, is then powerfully Spirit-driven into the desert, that place where the struggle rages between good and evil, between God and the devil. Everything rests on what and how Jesus sees. The temptations beg Jesus to assuage his hunger (turn the stones to bread); revel in his own prestige (grasp all the power and glory of these kingdoms); glory in his assurance of the power of the Father (throw himself down, and angels will watch over him). The Spirit of God offers another vision of a life, which is not content with pleasures alone: one that rests in humble trust in his Father. It is a life of giving oneself over in praise of the Holy One, who alone is worthy of our adoration. In this posture, we come to see even as we are seen.
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Session 1: To See With Eyes of Faith
Invitation to Share • When and how have you experienced your own periods of desert purification? How have you been changed? What have you discovered? • Where and when have you encountered the struggle between good and evil raging in your own heart or in your family? • What invitation do you hear from the readings, reflections, and sharing?
Invitation to Act Jesus emphasized the connection between faith and action, between what we believe and what we do. In that spirit, decide on an individual or group action that flows from what you have shared in this session. If you decide to act on your own, share your decision with the group. If you decide on a group action, determine among you whether individual members will take responsibility for various aspects of the action. You are likely to benefit most from taking an action that arises from your own response to the session. However, you can consider one of the following suggestions or use these ideas to help develop one of your own:
Some Suggestions: • Write an encouraging letter to a prisoner or someone in a hospital or nursing home, telling the person how you believe God sees him or her. • Befriend a person by listening and sharing interest in his or her life. Share the good things God has done for you. Invite that person to your small community gathering next week.
Before he began his public activity, Jesus, moved by the Holy Spirit, withdrew into the wilderness for 40 days. Here, as we read today in the Gospel, he was put to the test by the devil who presented him with three temptations that are common in every person’s life: the pleasure of material possessions, the seduction of human power and the presumption of subordinating God to our own interests. Jesus’ victorious struggle against the tempter does not end with the days he spent in the desert, but continues during the years of his public life and culminates in the dramatic events of Easter. It is precisely by his death on the Cross that the Redeemer ultimately overcomes evil, liberating humanity from sin and reconciling it with God. . . . Indeed, Christ alone can free man from what enslaves him to evil and selfishness: from the frantic search for material possessions, from the thirst for power and control over others and over things, from the illusion of easy success, from the frenzy of consumerism and hedonism which ultimately destroy the human being.
Pope John Paul II Homily, March 1, 1998
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Lenten Longings: Seeing With God’s Eyes • As a group, decide on a simple, concrete step that you may take together to address one present struggle between good and evil in your local situation (for example, safety of children, lack of decent housing, racial discrimination). • Determine how you would respond as a Christian when someone makes a racist, ethnic, or homophobic remark or joke. Pray for the courage to follow your determination when such occasions arise. • If you are journaling, pay special attention to a particular grace you are asking for during Lent—an area of conversion, reform, or special longing or desire of the heart. A journal can be simply a blank notebook that is compact enough to easily carry with you but expansive enough to let you express yourself. It can also be a book specifically designed for this purpose, such as Gleanings: A Personal Prayer Journal, available from RENEW International.
Invitation to Pray Listen again to the song “Tree of Life.’’ Reflect on the words, and share any new insight or grace that has been offered to you.” The leader invites the participants to offer spontaneous prayers of petition or gratitude. Then all pray together the Lord’s Prayer, and conclude with the following prayer: Holy Spirit of the journey, you not only accompanied, but also led Jesus into those places and events where you could best work through him. Be with us as we enter this holy season of Lent. Give us the vision of Jesus that we may not close our eyes to hardships or evil in our hearts or world, but willingly wrestle with them, trusting that you move in us and act through us to bring about the Father’s reign, the final triumph of goodness over evil, love over hatred, and life over death. This is your great design, O God. We are privileged to share in it through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
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Resources from RENEW International
RESOURCES FROM
PrayerTime Cycle A, B, C: Faith-Sharing Reflections on the Sunday Gospels This faith-sharing resource responds to the U.S. Bishops’ suggestion that “every parish meeting can begin with the reading of the upcoming Sunday’s Gospel, followed by a time of reflection and faith sharing.” With each Sunday’s Gospel as a focus, PrayerTime proposes meaningful reflections, focused faith-sharing questions, related questions for consideration, and prayers as a source of spiritual nourishment and inspiration. Use PrayerTime any time of year, whenever the small community needs. It is also ideal for beginning meetings of the pastoral council, staff, and other parish groups. The themes can also be read personally as a way to prepare for Sunday Mass.
At Prayer with Mary At Prayer with Mary offers seven sessions on the life and mystery of Mary that will deepen your appreciation of and devotion to our Blessed Mother Mary and enrich your prayer experiences. Mary, the mother of Jesus, has been revered since the earliest days of the Church. Over the centuries, her example has inspired Christians to imitate her by saying “yes” to God’s call in their own lives. Mary’s faithfulness, as it is portrayed in the Gospel narratives, is a model of the prayerful kind of life Jesus calls us to. Scripture, Catholic teaching, personal testimonies, and Marian prayer—including the rosary—provide a renewed appreciation of Mary’s place in today’s world, where she, as always, points the way to Christ. Also available as an eBook! A 14-song CD is also available and contains the songs suggested for use during the moments of prayer.
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Resources from RENEW International
Advent Awakenings Prepare for the coming of this holy season. See inside cover flap for more information.
LONGING FOR THE HOLY: Spirituality for Everyday Life Based on selected insights of Ronald Rolheiser, OMI
Experience how the gentle spiritual guidance and practical wisdom of best-selling Catholic author Fr. Ronald Rolheiser, OMI can enliven everyday life. Suitable for small community faith sharing or individual reflection, Longing for the Holy covers different dimensions of contemporary spiritual life for those who want to enrich their sense of the presence of God and develop a deeper spirituality. The Participant’s Book contains twelve sessions with prayers, reflections, sharing questions, and stories from saints and contemporary people of faith. This resource is also available as a four CD-set audio edition, which has both narrated text and songs for all twelve sessions. The songs suggested for the moments of prayer in the faith-sharing sessions are offered on this 13-song anthology CD. The kit includes the essential ingredients to bring this engaging spiritual experience to your parish or small Christian community. Purchase of the kit provides membership benefits including the opportunity for web-based workshops and faith enrichment experiences, as well as a web library of support materials. For more information, visit www.renewintl.org/longing
Resources from RENEW International
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Scenes from a Parish
Special Edition DVD and Film Faith-Sharing Guides In English and Spanish Get a rare glimpse into one parish’s real-world experience as it struggles to reconcile ideals of faith with the realities of today’s changing and diverse culture. View, reflect upon, and share faith with this special edition film and FaithSharing Guide and its important themes of welcoming the stranger, offering compassion, and feeding the hungry. Ideal for parish-wide, small group, and personal viewing and reflection.
GLEANINGS: A Personal Prayer Journal An excellent companion for your personal faith journey, Gleanings will help you tap into the richness of God’s wisdom within you. One hundred and seventy two handsomely decorated pages with spiritual quotations or musings inspire prayerful reflection on your relationship with God. The comfortably sized format (6.5” x 9”) is conducive to many different methods of journaling: writing, poetry, or even sketching.
Finding God@Work Six faith-sharing sessions guide us on a quest: can God be found at work? If so, how? Examine your lived experience of work—both positively and negatively—from a spiritual vantage point, considering relevant passages from Scripture, and principles of Catholic social teaching.
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Resources from RENEW International
WHY CATHOLIC? Journey through the Catechism is a parish-based process of evangelization and adult faith formation from RENEW International. This process, designed for sharing in small Christian communities, is structured around exploring the important truths of our faith as they are presented in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and in the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults. WHY CATHOLIC? helps nourish faith and enhance our sense of Catholic identity. The process and materials encourage us to understand and live the reasons why we are Catholic, and so lead us to a faith that is experienced more authentically, connecting us more deeply and meaningfully to God, and to others. There are four books in the WHY CATHOLIC? series, each offering twelve sessions: PRAY: Christian Prayer BELIEVE: Profession of Faith CELEBRATE: Sacraments LIVE: Christian Morality For each of the four WHY CATHOLIC? books, there is a Song CD. Each CD is a 12-song compilation of the songs suggested for the moments of prayer during the faith-sharing sessions. The CDs are available singly, or as a set.
Resources from RENEW International
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ARISE Together in Christ is a three-year, parishcentered process of spiritual renewal and evangelization that enables people to deepen their faith, develop a closer relationship with Christ, grow in community, and reach out in service to others. It emphasizes people living in good relationship with one another, as they make concrete applications of the gospel to their life situations. ARISE Together in Christ is a total renewal experience for the parish, spiritually transforming people through small Christian communities, special parish activities, reflections for families with teens and children, and Christian social action. There are five six-week seasons: Season One:
Encountering Christ Today
Season Two:
Change Our Hearts
Season Three:
In the Footsteps of Christ
Season Four:
New Heart, New Spirit
Season Five:
We Are the Good News!
For each Season, RENEW International offers a faith-sharing book and a music CD with the songs suggested in the faith-sharing book.
For more information or to order these and other fine resources from RENEW International, please visit our secure online bookstore at www.renewintl.org/store or use our toll free order line: 1-888-433-3221.