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Feast of the Sacred Heart
(Need large picture of a Fire blazing; or a video of a Fire burning)
Introduction: (Leader)
Jesus proclaims:
‘I have come to cast FIRE on the earth and how I wish it were blazing already.” (Luke 12: 49)
Let’s spend some time reflecting on the meaning of ‘FIRE’.
Gaze on a picture/ photo/ or video of fire (if one is available).
What does it mean to you? (light, smell, touch, heat, logs, kindling???)
What do you think ‘fire’ meant to Jesus as he used this image of his ‘work’?
Silent Reflection
Leader: There is a story in Joan Chittister, OSB’s book, The Fire in the Ashes, (p. 32)
Once upon a time, the story goes, Abba Lot went to see Abba Joseph and said: ‘Abba, as much as I am able I practise a small rule, all the little fasts, some prayer and meditation, and remain quiet, and as much as possible I keep my thoughts clean. What else should I do?’ Then the old monastic stood up and stretched out his hands towards heaven, and his fingers became like ten torches of flame. And he said, ‘Why not be completely turned into fire?
Maybe Jesus’ words meant the same thing: “I have come to cast FIRE on the earth and how I wish it were blazing already.”
OR
“I want to spread the fire of love; do you want to be a ‘fire-maker’, too?”
Silent reflection (with or without instrumental music)
Leader: The disciple, Timothy, has this mission of fire-making: (2 Tim. 1: 6-8)
“Fan into a flame the gift that God gave you....
God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power and love, and self-control.”
Let’s reflect on our own story:
Gerald Arbuckle speaks and writes about ‘Refounding the Church’, principally through ‘Gospel Communities’.
So, what is my experience of a Gospel community? Is it one of ‘fire’?
What is my vision of a Gospel community?
What would I like it to look like?
What would I want to do to help form a ‘Gospel Community’, a ‘community of fire’?
Silent Reflection
Sharing
Closing Prayer: May our hearts burn within us as You talk to us, and explain
the Scriptures to us....” (Lk. 24: 31-32)
Music Maureen Currie rscj
Province of Canada
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