A method for breaking open the Gospel, these prompts propose a pathway to peace as we pursue a purposeful life with Jesus Christ, our Prince of Peace.
“Pondering With Prompts” breaks open the Gospel each week with you in a way that helps you to reflect on how God’s Word can apply to your every day life. It will highlight specific points in the Gospel and give you questions to ponder. You can use these prompts in private prayer, with your family during dinner, over coffee with a friend, in a faith-sharing group, or wherever two or three are gathered in His name.
In Preparation for August 4, 2024
Lead in: “When the crowd saw that Jesus and his disciples weren’t there, they got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.” (John 6:24) People of today are still getting into their boats searching for Jesus. But the question is, which Jesus are they looking...
In Preparation for July 28, 2024
Lead in: The story in John 6 of the feeding of the five thousand marks yet another one of Jesus’ miracles. Yet miracles are not always about performing mighty deeds. Author Jay Connier reminds us that miracles happen when “acting out of the humble love of God, we make...
In Preparation for July 21, 2024
Lead in: In Mark 6, the disciples have just returned from their first experience proclaiming the Good News. The overwhelming success of that mission trip has left them focusing too much on their success and not enough on those they are called to serve.Prompt: Reflect...
In Preparation for July 14, 2024
Lead in: In Mark 6:7-13, Jesus sends the twelve out on their first mission. In this passage, Jesus can be likened to a coach givinginstructions to his team before they take to the field. “Your equipment provides you with all the protection you need. You are the...
In Preparation for July 7, 2024
Lead in: When Jesus returned to his hometown and was invited to speak, he stole the show.The people couldn’t believe this was the same person whom they’d known as a little boy. But then their insecurity took over and they closed their hearts to him. When our minds are...
In Preparation for June 30, 2024
Lead in: In Mark 5, two seemingly unrelated stories are woven together with a common thread of trust and faith. Out of love for his daughter, Jarius puts aside his position in the community and approaches Jesus to ask that he lay his hands on his daughter. A woman...
In Preparation for June 23, 2024
Lead in: In Mark 4, in the midst of a violent storm at sea, the panicky disciples are paralyzed by fear. Their boat is taking on water, and it looks like the swell of huge waves is about to overtake them. Amazingly Jesus, the sound sleeper he is, is oblivious to the...
In Preparation for June 16, 2024
Lead in: Ezekiel 17:22-24 speaks of the towering Lebanon cedar. In Mark 4, Jesus speaks of the gangly mustard bush. The Lebanon cedar of the Middle East is the equivalent to the mighty redwood of California. The mustard bush is the equivalent of the unattractive...
In Preparation for June 9, 2024
Lead in: In Mark 3:20, we find Jesus in the early part of his ministry, but he was already widely known. So when word got out that Jesus had come back to his hometown, a huge crowdgathered pressing in on him. So much so that he didn’t even have time to eat. Like...
In Preparation for June 2, 2024
Lead in: In Mark 14, we hear the story of the first Eucharist. Popular Catholic speaker and teacher Scott Hahn says that if the Eucharist is nothing more than a meal, then Christ’s death on the cross at Calvary was nothing more than an execution. True, the Eucharist...