FORMATION
FORMATION 1999
THEME NO. 7
‘Deliver us from
evil‘
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: Father, through the obedience of
Jesus, your servant and your Son, you raised a fallen world. Free us from sin and bring us
the joy that lasts forever. We ask this through Jesus who is Lord. Amen.
2. Scripture Reading – Matthew
7: 21–27
(Read by the discussion leader or
member nominated by him.)
The Truth will make you free. Then Jesus
said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly
my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’ They
answered him, ‘We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone.
What do you mean by saying, "You will be made free"?’ Jesus answered them,
‘Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does
not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. So if the
Son makes you free you will be free indeed.’
(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.)
God the Father sent his only Son into the
world to free the human family from slavery to the Devil. Asking to be freed from the Evil
One, we pray at the same time to be freed from all evils, present, past and future, which
have the evil one as the instigator. We pray that we will withstand the forces in the
world which seek to draw us away from the presence of God and the establishment of the
kingdom of God on earth. We must always remember the words of St Paul and
St Ambrose: ‘The Lord, who has cancelled out your sins and has forgiven your
faults, is able to protect you and keep you safe from the traps of the devil who is your
enemy, so that the enemy, who wants to create sin, does not take you by surprise. Those
who trust in God do not fear the devil. "If in fact God is on our side, who can be
against us?"’
4. The Exercise
(Five minutes of reflection by all
members.)
What are the signs of slavery and evil in
our society and community today?
In my life, how can I counteract the
tendency to evil which is ever-present in family, community and Church life?
How can we affirm the freedom given us by
God in our lives and in the lives of those with whom we come in contact?
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. ‘For all who are led by the Spirit
are children of God.’ (Romans 8: 14)
2. From the Catechism of the Catholic
Church # 2850 – 2854.
7. Closing Prayer
(Prayed by all members.)
Deliver us Lord from every evil and grant
us peace in our day. In your mercy keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety
as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit One God for ever and ever. Amen.
