22nd Sunday of the Year A

The following resources are in the form of a video presentation
  • The readings for the day
    (a useful commentary on these readings here    )
  • A Gospel Reflection by Fr Alex and Fr Mike
  • Prayers of Intercession
  • Final Blessing
  • Closing reflective music
After you have watched our Prayer Resources we would encourage you to sit and reflect quietly on what the Word of God is saying to you this weekend. The questions below are simply suggestions but if you find them helpful then use them.

If you are interested  in joining a small group to share your thoughts and feelings about God's Word from any of the resources you have watched please email us.         cluster.alpha@outlook.com

Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)
In last week’s gospel, Peter is the rock: praise such as this from Jesus must have made him happy. In this week’s gospel Jesus says, “Get behind me Satan!” He goes from being hero to zero in a few verses. Like the rest of us, Peter had his ups and downs in his faith journey and learned from them.
1.  Consider an event or situation involving you or someone you loved which led to you questioning your faith in God. Who or what helped you through that crisis? Share with your group if you are in one.
2.  Jesus knew that doing God’s will meant being a troublemaker in the eyes of the world. In what ways are you challenging the way the world thinks about: the environment or racism or the economy or inequality?

What is the shape of your cross right now? (What is troubling you or what are you finding hard to bear at this time?)
3.  Bring your thoughts to Jesus in prayer who said “my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Ask for guidance on who or what will share this burden with you and be attentive for an answer during the week.
Preparing for next week
For those who would like to start reflecting on next week's gospel, the text can be found here.
Preparing for next week’s gospel: Matthew 18: 15-20
If s/he listens to you, you have won back your sister/brother

Here are some suggested questions you may find helpful.
1.  Think of someone who has wronged you in some way. Write down just the facts (no emotion, no judgement), perhaps as a list and write the person's name on it: "X did this". Now make an exact copy of the list and write on it "I did this". It is important to do this before proceeding here.
2.  Last week, the conflict between Jesus and Peter was because "the way you think is not God's way but man's" (Matt 16:20). Right now, what issue or situation in your life is making it difficult for you to think or act as God would want you to?
Ask for God's help to see a way forward.
End of Prayer resource

You should read this only if you have completed the first task, otherwise the task will be distorted.



Find yourself in the presence of God and have your two lists from task 1 to hand. Take the list headed "I did this" and read it out loud as if you wanted all the world to hear how you were wronged: you didn't do any of this - this was done to you! 

Now wait for God to bring to mind ways in which you have wronged other people. Add one of these ways to the list you read out. Read the new list and thank God for his love and forgiveness both to you as well as to the person who has wronged you. Say the Our Father slowly.