Small Groups

March 3 thru March 9

The Way of the Chosen

Week 3

Grieve As Jesus Grieves

 

OPENING PRAYER

Lord Jesus, I know that You are close to those who are broken-hearted.  You are grieving with them, and You rescue those who are crushed in spirit.  Draw near to Your many children who are facing times of sadness and loss, and draw each one ever closer into Your precious arms of love and support.

And Lord, give me a heart that is sensitive to those who are grieving, the wisdom to know when to speak words of comfort or when to keep silent.  Use my life as a channel of encouragement and hope, through which You, Lord Jesus, will flow into their hearts, to heal and to help.  Amen

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the Poor.  He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  Luke 4:18-19

“To know Jesus is to know the Comforter in Chief.  Once we know Him, we can grieve with Him and respond to others the way He does.  Sin should break our hearts because it destroys God’s perfect and beautiful creation. When we surrender our confusion, pain, and grief to the Lord, His peace rushes in.  His abundant mercy guards our hearts and overflows to the hurting people around us.  His steadfast love compels us to keep putting one foot in front of the other, while He leads us out of bondage and toward the promised land of heaven.  And there, God, Our Father Himself will wipe away our tears.” 

(Chosen Study Guide Pg 34-38)

 
 
 
 

WATCH THE VIDEO

Chosen Season 3

Episode 3
Physician, Heal Yourself
 
Click the following link to watch on The Chosen website.
 
 
 
 

 

THE SACRAMENT OF THE DYING
The Sacrament of Those Departing

“He called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases, and He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal…So they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the Good News and healing everywhere.” Luke 9:1-6

“Jesus said: ‘I am the resurrection. If anyone believes in me, even though he dies, he will live, and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.” John 11:25-26

Catechism of the Catholic Church – “A preparation for the final journey. If the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is given to all who suffer from serious illness and infirmity, even more rightly is it given to those at the point of departing this life; so, it is also called The Sacrament of Those Departing. The Anointing of the Sick completes our conformity to the Death and Resurrection of Christ, just as Baptism began it. It completes the holy anointings that mark the whole Christian life: that of Baptism which sealed the new life in us, and that of Confirmation which strengthened us for the combat of this life. This last anointing fortifies the end of our earthly life like a solid rampart for the final struggles before entering the Father’s house.” CCC 1523

“I will tell you something that has been secret: that we are not all going to die, but we shall all be changed. This will be instantaneous, in the twinkling of an eye, when the last trumpet sounds. It will sound, and the dead will be raised, imperishable, and we shall be changed as well, because our present perishable nature must put on imperishability and this mortal nature must put on immortality.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-53

 
 

Before leaving this earth Jesus gave us His beautiful gift of Anointing and Praying for the Dying, through His own hands, and then through the apostles and those ordained to follow them.

 
 
 
PSALM 23
(Passion Translation)
 
The Lord is my Best Friend and my Shepherd. I always have more than enough.
He offers a resting place for me in His luxurious love.
 
His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss.
That’s where He restores and revives my life.
He opens before me pathways to God’s pleasure,
And leads me along in His footsteps of righteousness
so that I can bring honor to His Name.
 
Lord, even when Your path takes me through the valley of deepest darkness,
Fear will never conquer me, for You already have!
You remain close to me and lead me through it all the way.
Your authority is my strength and my peace.
 
The comfort of Your love takes away my fear.
I’ll never be lonely, for You are near.
You become my delicious feast…
You anoint me with the fragrance of Your Holy Spirit,
You give me all I can drink of You until my heart overflows.
 
So why would I fear the future?
For I’m being pursued only by Your goodness and unfailing love.
Then afterwards – when my life is through,
I’ll return to Your glorious presence to be forever with You!
 
 
 
GRIEVE AS JESUS GRIEVES
 
 

 

THOUGHTS TO SHARE WITH OUR GROUP
 
  1. What, or Who, impacted you most in this video today, and why? And what new insight did you receive from the Sermon this Sunday?
  2. “Jesus said, “Do you not say, ‘In four months the harvest will be here?’ I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest.  The reaper is already receiving payment and gathering crops for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together.”  John 4:35-36
    Question:  What are your feelings about this Sacrament – surprise, amazement?  What do you wonder about?
  3. “Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not be lost, but may have eternal life. For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved.”  John 3:16-17
    Question, Page 50:  What do you understand God’s love and grief led Him to do?
  4. “Jesus said, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in Me, even though they die will live…’”
    John 11:25-26
    God’s Grace is greater than our grief and our fears.  Question – Page 54: How can this beautiful scripture promise give us hope and joy in the face of ending our time on earth?
 


AT HOME

PRAYER FOCUS:  Praise God for remaining present with you in grief.  Thank Him for drawing near in spite of your sin and self-inflicted struggle, and for the narrow gate that leads to eternal life.  Ask for renewed strength and grace to keep moving forward and to follow Jesus no matter your circumstances. And pray for opportunities to extend God’s grace and comfort to others, especially at the time of death.