Our Lady of Grace
&
The Holy
Spirit
Fellowship
Groups
FORMAT
FOR DECEMBER MEETING
Life after death
Brief welcome
(with tea)
Opening prayer: preferably a few words from a member
of the group.
( Eg Thank
you for bringing us together and for the opportunity to listen to your
word and learn from your Holy Spirit and grow in our faith. Help us to
share, to be open and attentive, and help us to practise in our lives
what we learn from you. Amen.
Or, for example: Lord God, Lead us by your Holy Spirit. We ask you to
come into our lives, our Parish, this group, and lead us where you want
us to go. Amen)
Read passage aloud Matthew
25:31-46 and Matthew 12 36-37
(Revelations
Chapter 21 has a picture of the heavenly Jerusalem for further optional
reading)
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with
him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations 15 will
be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as
a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep
on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those
on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and
you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and
you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in
prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous 16 will answer him and
say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give
you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and
clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?' And
the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you
did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.' Then he
will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the
eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and
you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger
and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and
in prison, and you did not care for me.' Then they will answer and say,
'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or
ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?' He will answer them,
'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones,
you did not do for me.' And these will go off to eternal punishment, but
the righteous to eternal life."
I tell you,
on the Day of Judgment, people will render an account for every careless
word they speak. By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words
you will be condemned."
Questions on the passage for discussion
How do the Christian teachings about the last things give you hope that
this life has meaning?
What poetic image could you use to describe our eternal life with God
in Heaven?
In what way can this life be considered a purgatory?
In what specific ways would your life change if you truly lived today
as if it were your last?
Re-read
the passage aloud, followed by silent reflection.
Prayers resulting from silent reflection and also prayers for the needs
of the group members or others as arises.
Finish with daily group prayer: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth.
Social: shared
table
Grace before food: For example: Bless us, O Lord, and these your gifts
which we are about to receive from your bounty, through Christ our Lord.
Amen
Grace after
food: For example: We give you thanks, almighty God, for all your benefits,
who lives and reigns, for ever and ever. Amen