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Men of Epiphany will be meeting this Saturday, October 21st, 6:30 a.m. in the Hearth room. We are resuming our use of these study reflections, so if you can make it, it is a marvelous preparation for this week's Mass readings.

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Accepting God’s Invitation to Come to Him

Sunday, October 22, 2006
Isaiah 53:10-11
Psalm 33:4-5,18-20,22
Hebrews 4:14-16
Mark 10:35-45

Click here for readings  (For quick review only; bring your Bible)

Let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

Every day, God invites us to come and receive gifts from him. Today’s reading from Hebrews mentions specifically the gifts of “mercy” and “help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16), but God’s invitation includes a much wider array of gifts as well: peace, encouragement, hope, joy, healing, grace to forgive, guidance, and insights into God’s path for our lives. In fact, there is no end to the gifts God wants to give us!

In Old Testament times, it was dangerous to approach the throne of a king. According to the Book of Esther, everyone knew that daring to do so could lead to death—unless the king held out the golden scepter as a sign of acceptance (Esther 4:11). But this warning didn’t stop Esther: She took the risk in order to intercede for her people. And the king heard her, granted her request, and even raised her above all other people. This is how it will be for us when we come before the throne of our God. We are his beloved children, and he will always welcome us.

We don’t have to be like Jacob, who tried to trick his father for a blessing. When God sees us, he will put his arms around us, draw us to himself, and ask us what we need. Then, with a huge smile on his face, he will open his box of treasures and give us exactly the right gifts.

So what are you waiting for? On this day of blessing, don’t be afraid to approach Almighty God. He is, after all, your Father!

“Lord, I come to your throne with confidence, knowing that I can ask you for gifts of grace to help me today and always.”

Questions for Reflection/Discussion by Catholic Men

1. In the first reading today, we see an Old Testament prophecy of what our Savior Jesus, out of his great love for us, had to suffer on the cross -- to take away our sins and bring us to eternal life with him. What impact on your life has the knowledge that God loves you so much that he was willing to allow his Son to suffer and die on the cross for your salvation? Share some ways you have personally experienced God’s great love for you.
2. The Responsorial Psalm speaks of putting our trust and our hope in the Lord, and waiting on him. Share on any area of your life where you struggle to trust the Lord. Ask the men to pray with you for those areas.
3. In the second reading, the Letter to the Hebrews tells us that we can approach the “throne of grace” confidently to receive “mercy and find grace for timely help” (Hebrews 4:16) -- because of what Christ has done for us. Share on areas of your life where you have received the Lord’s mercy and grace. What areas of your life do you still need to receive the Lord’s mercy and grace?
4. The Letter to the Hebrews also says that, like us, Christ has “similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). When it comes to our sins, it is easy to be either overly scrupulous or to take them too lightly. What is your attitude towards the sin in your life?
5. In the Gospel, Jesus tells the apostles who were vying for positions of honor what following him would entail. He is calling them to be “servant leaders.” What do you think this term means? In what ways was Jesus a servant leader? In what ways do you relate to your family and to others as a servant leader? In what ways do you not?
6. In today’s meditation, we hear these words, “So what are you waiting for? On this day of blessing, don’t be afraid to approach Almighty God. He is, after all, your Father!” What are the obstacles that keep you from confidently approaching God the Father with your needs?
7. Spend some time at the end of your meeting praying for one another’s needs. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.

Come Holy Spirit!  ~  Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and en kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your spirit and they are created, and you renew the face of the earth. Let us pray: O God, you taught the hearts of your faithful by sending them the light of your Holy Spirit. In that same spirit give us your right judgment and the joy of your consolation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen

Prayer to St. Joseph  ~  Glorious St. Joseph, guide and protector of the Holy Family, we ask that you obtain for us from your son, Jesus, the strength and wisdom to lead our families to their Father in heaven. Most Chaste spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may we imitate your obedience to the will of God and be ever mindful of the vocation to which we have been called. Amen