These studies are courtesy of The National Fellowship of Catholic Men
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Here is the study for 6:30 am, Saturday morning, July 2nd, 2005 in the Hearth Room at Epiphany.
(We did a show of hands at the last meeting, and it looked like several were planning on being in town, so we decided to go ahead and schedule a meeting for the 2nd)
Coming to Jesus, Learning From Him, and Finding Our Rest in Him
Sunday, July 3, 2005
Zechariah 9:9-10
Psalm 145:1-2,8-11,13-14
Romans 8:9,11-13
Matthew 11:25-30
“The list of time- and labor-saving devices at our disposal seems to stretch from here to eternity, and I still feel tired and pressed for time.” If this statement describes you in any way, then Jesus wants to speak to you. “Come to me . . . and I will give you rest. Learn from me . . . and you will find rest” (Matthew 11:28-29). Here is our hope, the promise of comfort and release from all the pressures we experience.
Come to me: Come, sit with me for a few minutes. Come, tell me your troubles, your hopes, your dreams. Let me comfort you. Let me soothe your mind and spirit. Enjoy my company, and let me enjoy yours. Make no mistake about it: Jesus actually enjoys being with us. He created us, he loves us, he wants to share our lives—both the good and the not so good.
Learn from me: Learn my love for you. Learn my delight in you. Let me tell you my thoughts and desires for you. Let me tell you about my Father, about his kindness, compassion, and faithfulness. Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to teach us and to revive us as we open our hearts and minds to God in prayer. He gave us the Spirit to refresh us as we celebrate the Eucharist, as we enjoy our families, even as we go about our daily activities. All that is needed is that we come to him.
I will give you rest: I will lift you up. I will feed you. I will pour out grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Sit with me. Rest in me. Receive my teaching. At Mass, in our prayer, as we are waking up, as we are going to sleep at night—at all these times, we can relax in God’s presence. We can trust that he will do the work needed to build us up. Distractions might abound, but God is faithful, and he will give us his rest.
“Jesus, on this day of sabbath rest, I want to sit quietly with you. I open myself to you. Thank you for spending time with me, restoring and reviving me.”
Questions for Reflection/Discussion by Catholic Men
1.
In the first reading, we see the contrast between the Savior who is “meek” and his powerful impact on bringing “peace to the nations.” Can you share an example from your own life where you succeeded by meekness instead of power?2.
In the first reading, the Lord also tells us to “Rejoice heartily” and to “shout for joy.” In the responsorial psalm, the psalmist tells us to praise, extol, and bless the Lord. What are some things the Lord has done in your life that would cause you to do this?3.
In the responsorial psalm, we also read of the Lord who is “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness”. With whom might the Lord be asking you to respond in this matter this week?4.
In the letter to the Romans, St. Paul asks us to “put to death the deeds of the body.” You can do this because, “You are not in the flesh; on the contrary you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you” (Romans 8:9). In your life, what “deeds of the body” do you need “to put to death”? How do you think the Lord wants you to do it?5.
In the Gospel, Jesus says that when it comes to revelation, his Father has “hidden these things from the wise and learned,” but he has “revealed them to little ones.” What do you think this means? What specifically can you do this week to hear from the Lord in prayer, through Scriptures, or at Mass?6.
Jesus also says in the Gospel that he will make the Father known to us. In light of the following words of Jesus, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9), what do you think the Father is like?7.
The italicized words in the meditation are meant to illustrate how Jesus desires to speak to each of us. They also help to reveal the heart of Jesus toward us. What impact do these words have on you, especially in terms of your desire to spend time with Jesus in prayer?8. In the prayer at the end of the meditation, we prayed that we would “sit quietly” with Jesus and “open” ourselves to him. What can you do in your times of prayer to allow this to happen?
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