A personal gift for you from the Team at PastoralPlanning.com Abraham Bloemart, 1622: Supper at Emmaus Year A 2011 The Supper at Emmaus Sacred Calendar for Mystagogy s & Feasts Questions of the Week Spiritual Goals Reflection Questions
The week of 24, 2011 24 Resurrection of Christ 25 John 20:1-9 (Peter and the disciple at the tomb) Question of the Week: What is your experience of resurrection in your own life or the life of your family? Jesus is with us today. How can you see him in the people around you in Church, at work or school, or at home? We spend this week reflecting on the Liturgy from last, and on the mystery of the Resurrection. As the two did at Emmaus, we will see him in the shared meal: bread broken and shared. 26 Spiritual goal for this week: I will make sure my own spiritual house is in order by carving out time to pray. Looking back, what was the experience of Holy Week like for you? What sight, sound or smell still lingers in your memory? 27 Share a meal with someone today, even if only a light one. In the meal, explore how you allow the energy of Christ to permeate you. How are you moved to choose what is most loving and avoid what is most selfish? 28 Today s resolution: Choose one person to whom you will send a note of affirmation today! 29 This question is one we keep on our minds as we move through these 50 days: How am I called today to die in Christ? In other words, how am I called to donate myself in love to others? 30 In your idle moments today, practice turning your heart naturally to your connection with God: what or who comes to mind when you do that?
The week of 1, 2011 1 2 nd of Holocaust Remembrance Day 2 John 20:19-31 (appearance to the disciples; Thomas) Question of the Week: We show our faith when we demonstrate faith even when it s difficult to believe. What could you do this week to help strengthen someone? What could you do this week to encourage someone who is sad or discouraged? Spiritual goal for this week: In my prayer, I will open my heart to intimacy with Christ trust him with my very life! 3 We spend this week reflecting on the Liturgy from last, and on the mystery of the Resurrection. Feast today! Saints Philip & James we dedicate ourselves to being Christ in the world as these two holy men have done. 4 Today s resolution: Invite someone to share lunch or supper with you this week, someone whom you ve been thinking about lately. 5 Two weeks ago tonight, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. What touches you about that incident? How does it inform your life? Cinco de o 6 Find a moment today to be still. Allow God s presence to well up around you and bring you comfort and consolation. Open a new doorway to the Sacred within your own heart. 7 We hope you realize how important you are to life in today s Church! Where would we be without you?
The week of 8, 2011 8 3 rd of Mother s Day 9 Luke 24:13-35 (Emmaus) Question of the Week: In what way have you come to know Jesus better through the breaking of the bread at Eucharist? When you join Jesus at the table of the Eucharist next, what would you like to thank him for? Spiritual goal for this week: In order to really hear God speaking, I must quiet myself and listen. This week, I will allow my inner ear to do the hearing. 10 We spend this week reflecting on the Liturgy from last, and on the mystery of the Resurrection. Spring is a good time to watch what you eat! Seek fresh foods and more fish for a healthy diet. 11 St Damien Today s resolution: Give away some money this week to someone unsuspecting but worthy. Just give it without telling anyone, even the recipient. 12 Remember that you are called to the ministry you have in the parish! Thank you for responding! 13 Three weeks since Good. Pause today to recall the story of Jesus going to his death. Re-read part of that story today and just let the text dwell within you. 14 Our Lady of Fatima Feast Today: St Matthias Chosen by the apostles to replace Judas Iscariot, may St Matthias inspire us to respond when we are called to serve.
The week of 15, 2011 15 John 10:1-10 (the Good Shepherd) Question of the Week: How are you a shepherd to those in your care? What will you do this week to show you love those around you? 4 th of World day of prayer for vocations. We spend this week reflecting on the Liturgy from last, and on the mystery of the Resurrection. 16 17 We reflect this week on Jesus as the good shepherd. A shepherd cares for his or her sheep with tenderness and love. Who is waiting for your tender care? After, like every Christian (whether recently baptized or not), we carry with us the Risen Christ, who is the energy that 18 holds the universe together. (Col 1:17) 19 Today s resolution: Identify for yourself that one person whom you struggle most to love -- and today, for just one day, change that! 20 21 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. You also were with Jesus of Galilee, she said. But he denied it before them all. I don t know what you re talking about, he said. (Mt 26: 69-70) It s impossible to know how many people you touch through the ministry you have but God knows!
The week of 22, 2011 22 5 th of John 14:1-12 (last discourse: the way, the truth, and the life) Question of the Week: In a challenge you face right now, what will it mean to live the way of Jesus Christ? Name some ways you can be more like Jesus when you are interacting with your friends or family. 23 Spiritual goal for this week: I want to become able to see my own failure to live up to my created purpose and calling to see my own sinfulness. 24 25 We spend this week reflecting on the Liturgy from last, and on the mystery of the Resurrection. We do not celebrate Resurrection only on. Today: think about the people with whom you share meals. Do you experience solidarity with them? Do you love each other? Is there the sense of a Christ presence among you? That is the Resurrection! Turn your heart toward Christ at every still moment. Create within yourself the habit of being oriented toward Christ. 26 Feast today! St Philip Neri the work of this holy man inspire us to follow the Spirit in our own lives. 27 28 For what did the women wait at the tomb? Five weeks have passed since we observed Good, but we all still wait. We wait to experience the Risen Christ, who lives among us and is found in our shared lives and solidarity with each other. Image: R. Joseph Hoffmann It s easy to forget that we are doing the work to which Christ calls and sends us.
The week of 29, 2011 29 6 th of 30 John 14:15-21 (promise of the Paraclete) Question of the Week: The Spirit gives us inner wisdom and strength. When have you experienced this? The Holy Spirit makes you strong inside. When do you need to be strong? Spiritual goal for this week: Flowing from s Gospel, I will allow myself this week to be more able to feel God s consolation, the sense of rightness in God s hands. Memorial Day in the U.S. 31 Feast today! Visitation of Mary & Elizabeth Let us visit one another with the same affection with which Mary & Elizabeth met that day. we find gifts within each other to call blessed. Amen. 1 Feast today! St. Justin He dedicated himself to teaching about the mysteries of our faith. 2 Feast today! The Ascension of Christ We celebrate the nearness of God to us today. God is so near that we who arise with Christ in our hearts are within the divine heart. 3 Feast Today! St Charles Lwanga & companions We may not be called to give up our lives for the Faith, but we are called each day to give ourselves to each other. 4 Every single day throughout the church, hundreds of thousands of baptized ministers do the work of Christ in the world.
The week of 5, 2011 5 Feast of the Ascension (in many places) or 7 th of 6 7 Matthew 28:16 20 (I am with you always) (Ascension reading) Question of the Week: Jesus promises to be with us always. How do you experience his presence most? What good news about Jesus could you share with someone? Feast today! St Norbert This is the perfect day on which to recall the celebration of Holy night, when we commemorated Christ washing his disciples feet. the Eucharist lead us always to service, as it did St Norbert. Spiritual goal for this week: Rest. My walk with God is not all work. Often God simply rests with us. I will take the time now to rest. 8 9 Do this for yourself: Set aside some early summer time for yourself this week just to do the things you like most: cooking, reading, sewing, building things, visiting friends, or whatever. Many times we forget that there are people who need our time, just to visit. Summer is a good chance to catch up with them. 10 Do this for yourself: Make an inventory of everything you eat in one day. Adjust it to be healthier just change one food. 11 Feast Today! St Barnabas He worked with St Paul to help people meet Christ. On this last of our 50 Days Journey, may we commit ourselves to let people see the Christ energy in us. Amen.
Pentecost 12 John 20:19-23 (appearance to the disciples) Question of the Week: What important work does Jesus ask of you at this time in your life? How would Jesus want you to treat your friends and family this week? This is not the end of our journey. It is the 50 Days which launch us into a lifetime of faith. we travel with each other and with Christ, and may the Holy Spirit be with us. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Find this free month-by-month Guide along with other e-resources for renewing your parish reproducible and affordable at our web site: www.pastoralplanning.com We re honored to support your ministry or your spiritual journey.