Sharing Guidelines
*Sharing is not a time for teaching or debate; it is a time to sense the marvelous work of the Holy Spirit who leads the gathering.
*Reflection sharing is not meant to teach others but to share the meaning you personally have discovered. Therefore, do not criticize or debate another person’s sharing. Avoid boasting of your own understanding or knowledge.
*Respect the grace of the Holy Spirit, who reveals the meaning of the Word while dwelling among us, and listen attentively to others’ sharing, holding it in your heart.
*Keep confidential any personal reflections or stories shared in the group; practicing brotherly love means not passing along private matters outside the meeting.
*When speaking, always use the first person singular (“I”). Be careful not to distance or generalize your story by using the third person (“he,” “they”) or the first person plural (“we”).
*Keep it short.
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If you have faith
Gospel Luke 17:5-10 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. “Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? Would he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished’?
Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'”
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Today’s Reflection
“Why do You let me see injustice? Why must I watch so much trouble? Everywhere I look there is violence and fighting.”
The cry of the prophet Habakkuk is not only from long ago—it still speaks to us today. We go to Mass, help at church, and pray hard, but the world doesn’t seem to change. Violence and unfairness are still everywhere. So we pray like the disciples did: “Lord, increase our faith!”
Jesus answers, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed…”
You might wonder, Don’t I already have at least that much faith? Maybe the problem is that our doubts and worries are bigger than the tiny seed of faith we do have. Those doubts can press down on our faith before it has a chance to grow.
Saint Paul reminds us that God does not give us a spirit of fear. He gives us power, love, and self-control. Our faith grows when we listen to God’s voice more than to the noise of the world.
True peace is not just from trust in God’s justice and mercy. Let’s keep that in our hearts and pray for real peace. (송용민 사도 요한 신부)
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Sharing:
-Share a verse that touched your heart.
-From “Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded?”, Have you ever served God for your own plans? How should we come to Him when things don’t go as we want?
-Think about mustard-seed faith.
Is your faith easily shaken, or fixed on the Lord? Why do we get discouraged, and how can we stay strong?
