WEEK 5 GREED/CHARITY

Transcription

1 1 WEEK 5 GREED/CHARITY Opening SONG / VIDEO Come and Follow Me by Tom Franzak REFRAIN: If anyone would come and follow me, my disciple you would be; leave the past behind, seek and you will find all you re called to be! If anyone would come and follow me, know the truth will make you free, give and you receive, trust me and believe, come and follow me. Opening prayer Litany of Consolation When the darkness of depression overshadows me, Lord Jesus, you say (ALL) I am the light of the world. When plagued by my fragility and all my limitations, Lord Jesus, you say (ALL) Blessed are the poor in spirit the kingdom of God is theirs. When sadness takes hold of me, Lord Jesus, you say Blessed are the sorrowing they shall be consoled. When tormented by my insecurity and my inadequacy, Lord Jesus, you say Blessed are the lowly; they shall inherit the earth. When lost and unsure about where to turn, Lord Jesus, you say Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. When fretful and obsessive about so many things, Lord Jesus, you say Do not worry about what you are to eat or drink or use for clothing. When lethargy and listlessness take over, Lord Jesus, you say Seek first the Father s kingship over you and all will be given to you. When worry about the future paralyzes me, Lord Jesus, you say Let tomorrow take care of itself.

2 When I feel helpless and forsaken, Lord Jesus, you say Ask and you will receive. When shame and guilt overwhelm me, Lord Jesus you say I have come to call, not the self-righteous, but sinners. When engulfed by anxiety and fear, Lord Jesus, you say Do not be afraid of anything. When my life lacks any purpose or direction, Lord Jesus, you say Follow me. When I believe I am worthless and a total disappointment, Lord Jesus, you say You are worth more than an entire flock of sparrows. When weighed down by the addictions of my life, Lord Jesus, you say Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome. When the harshness and ruthlessness of life assail me, Lord Jesus, you say I am gentle and humble of heart; your souls will find rest. When it seems I have only a little to offer, Lord Jesus, you say To the one who has, more will be given. When I crave approval and fear the judgment of others, Lord Jesus, you say Whoever becomes lowly like a little child is of greatest importance in the Kingdom of God. When I m feeling discouraged because of my body, Lord Jesus, you say Remain in me. When my situation seems hopeless, Lord Jesus, you say For God, all things are possible. When I fear that my life is irrelevant and insignificant, Lord Jesus, you say The last shall be first. When I m afraid to face the truth about myself, Lord Jesus, you say Whoever humbles himself shall be exalted. When exhausted by tedium, tiresomeness, and stress, Lord Jesus, you say Come by yourselves to an out-of-the-way place and rest a little. When terrified by the raging storms of life, Lord Jesus, you say Do not be afraid; it is I. When I am full of doubt, with no one to depend on, Lord Jesus, you say Everything is possible to one who trusts. When it s hard to persevere and I m tempted to give up, Lord Jesus, you say By patient endurance you will save your lives. When bitterness and resentment poison my heart, Lord Jesus, you say If the Son frees you, you will truly be free. 2

3 3 When I feel like I belong to no one, Lord Jesus, you say I know my sheep and my sheep know me. When I see nothing but my wrongdoing and failures, Lord Jesus, you say Do not let your heart be troubled; have faith in me. When swayed by moralism, relativism and nihilism, Lord Jesus, you say I am the way, the truth, and the life. When I m feeling cut off, alienated, and alone, Lord Jesus, you say I am the vine, you are the branches. When duped by self-absorption and self-obsessiveness, Lord Jesus, you say Apart from me you can do nothing. When despairing because of isolation and alienation, Lord Jesus, you say I will not leave you orphans. When downcast from feeling friendless and betrayed, Lord Jesus, you say I call you friends. When I refuse to believe that anyone could love me, Lord Jesus, you say It was not you who chose me, it was I who chose you. When tempted to apathy, cynicism, and dread, Lord Jesus, you say Ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full. When polluted by the hatred and violence of the world, Lord Jesus, you say Take courage; I have overcome the world. When I think that happiness is nothing but a delusion, Lord Jesus, you say When my life reaches a dead-end, and I lack all desire, Lord Jesus, you say When I decide that life has no meaning, Lord Jesus, you say When I say, Yes Lord, Jesus, I do! you say Live on in my love. GREED: An excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth; an inordinate love of money or material acquisitions and the dedication to if not the obsession with - their pursuit.

4 4 The 3 Facets of Greed: 1. Love of things 2. Love of fame 3. Love of pleasure Some ways in which greed manifests itself: A lack of moderation in life The belief that more is always better The feeling that financial wealth makes one superior An eroding of the sense of the spiritual Dehumanization or desensitization Greed in the Scriptures: Matthew 6:19-24 Jesus is clear in teaching not to lay up earthly treasures for ourselves and that You cannot give yourself to God and money. Matthew 19:23 I assure you, only with difficulty will a rich man enter into the kingdom of God. Matthew 19:16-30 Go, sell what you have and give to the poor. Luke 6:20, 24 Blest are you poor; the reign of God is yours But woe to you rich, for your consolation is now. Luke 12:13-21 Avoid greed in all its forms. A man may be wealthy, but his possessions do not guarantee him life.

5 5 CHARITY/STEWARDSHIP POVERTY OF SPIRIT by Johannes Baptist Metz Poverty of the common place Poverty of misery and neediness (each of us is a beggar) Poverty of uniqueness and superiority Poverty of our provisional nature as human beings (we are all linked) Poverty of finiteness (see the transcendent) Poverty of death Charity in the Bible: Gospel of Matthew: I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me 1 John 3:17-18: If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 1 John 4:19: The primary thing to remember in charity is that all we have belongs to God, and all we give is a response to His love for us. CLOSING SONG He s Got the Whole World In His Hands He s got the whole world in his hands He s got the wind and the rain in his hands He s got the sun and the moon in his hands He s got you and me, brother, in his hands He s got you and me sister, in his hands He s got everybody in his hands He s got the whole world in his hands.