FORMATION
FORMATION 1999
THEME NO. 2
‘Thy Kingdom come’
1. Opening Prayer
(To be introduced by the leader then
prayed by all present.)
Leader: My brothers in Christ, as the great
Jubilee draws near, let us prepare our minds and hearts and pray to the God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ for the renewal of the Church and the salvation of the world.
All: God our Father, in your care and
wisdom you extend the kingdom of Christ to embrace the world and to bring all people
salvation. May the Catholic Church be a sign of this salvation, may it reveal to us the
mystery of your love, and may that love become effective in our lives. We ask this through
Christ our Lord. Amen.
2. Scripture Reading – Matthew
18: 1–8
(Read by the discussion leader or
member nominated by him.)
If you do not repent, you will not enter
the kingdom of Heaven. At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is
the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a child, whom he put among them,
and said, ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will
never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest
in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. If any
of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would
be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned
in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! Occasions for
stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes! If your
hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for
you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into
the eternal fire.’
(The reading of scripture is followed
by several minutes silent reflection before the reading of the Message.)
3. The Message
(Read by the discussion leader or the
member nominated by him.)
The kingdom belongs to God and only God can
bring it about. Jesus has come to inaugurate the time of the kingdom of God, in him
God’s kingdom is brought to the reach of all people. But we must shape our lives in
order to attain this. When we find division among those who believe in Christ, communities
split by fighting and disagreements, people who thirst for power and are dominated by
pride and egotism, the task of the Christian is clear. These are not the values of the
kingdom of God, this is not what we find in the presence of the humble of heart. We must
strive to be shapers of the kingdom, bringers of peace and hope, those in whom the kingdom
of God is made present. In our lives we are asked for conversion of heart, watchfulness,
trust in God’s actions and openness to the work of the Spirit.
4. The Exercise
(Five minutes of reflection by all
members.)
What do you consider to be ‘stumbling
blocks’ in the life of the Church today?
What values do you hold as most important
in your life at this time?
How can these values contribute to the
building up of the kingdom in today’s world?
5. The Sharing
(Members share aspects of their
personal faith and its place in their lives that have come to them through the Exercise.)
6. The Word
(The basis of meditation and reflection
for the ensuing month given by the discussion leader.)
1. ‘He said, "What is the kingdom
of God like? And to what should I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that someone took
and sowed in a garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in
its branches."’ Luke 13: 18–19
2. From the Catechism of the Catholic
Church # 2816 – 2821
7. Closing Prayer
(Prayed by all members.)
Father, you open the kingdom of heaven to
those born again by water and the Spirit. You have freed us from sin; grant us conversion
of heart to always choose what is good and to reject violence and intolerance. We ask this
in the name of Jesus who is Saviour. Amen.
