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helloo! here are the reflection qns, there will be no session this week^

Readings:
https://universalis.com/20211010/mass.htm

Reflection qns:
At this current stage of your life, do you think you are ready to give up everything and follow him? What is the first step that we can make today?

What are the things that we hold so dearly to us that we find it difficult to let go of?

Why do you think it is so hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God?

Just a reflection to ponder on:
A quote in relation to this Sunday's Gospel from Pope Francis often speaking of wealth as we continue carrying our crosses, living out our faith: "Wealth ensures nothing".. can it truly make one happy? does one get to enjoy the most important things in life? is it a "ticket" to heaven/eternal life?

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hello these are the reflection questions for this Sunday, there'll be sessions this week!

Readings:
https://universalis.com/20211017/mass.htm

1. What is my attitude towards the sufferings that come my way? How can I grow in unity with Jesus in embracing these sufferings?

2.  How can I be more like Jesus, as a servant leader, in the different aspects of my life? What stops me from excercising servant leadership?

also found smth that we can all ponder on as we reflect on the questions for this week :--) have a blessed week ahead!

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/oh-the-deep-deep-joy-of-jesus

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1. I think it depends on the hardship that I am suffering but usually what I try to do is to understand why I am going through that hardship. Sometimes it helps to step back and try to make sense of the crosses that God asks us to carry. I find that a lot of the mental struggles I've faced or stress in school has helped me to better empathize with the people around me and value those that I love. I think we can grow in unity with Jesus by remembering that God sends us these tribulations with purpose. Jesus himself had fears and doubts when carrying his cross, so it makes sense that we do too. However, Jesus was motivated by the knowledge that his struggle was for humanity's sake. So, in that sense, what can motivate us is to realize that God has a purpose in making us go through our struggles.

2. Since I've graduated, I don't really have any leadership roles right now which makes it hard for me to truly practice being a servant leader. To be a servant leader is to lead other people without caring for status or hierarchy but to instead be concerned on helping everyone. I think for now the best I can do is to try and still be there for my friends and to never allow myself to fall into the traps of elitism or looking down on others

-Ryqx

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1. Just like most people, facing it is definitely not easy, but it is part and parcel of life, and we all have to go through it, so though I know that it is going to be difficult, I do try to accept it and keep myself grounded in facing it rather than avoid it because I know that it will get better. When I allow Jesus to take over my circumstances, to depend on him and live everything up to him, I will be able to deepen my relationship with him by building my trust in him.

2. For me, his greatest gift is his love which was shown through his sacrifice, so what I can do is to bring and spread his love around, to my fellow Brothers and Sisters and even looking out for those in need, to offer my help and to serve others, just like in the Gospel, to serve than to be served, I feel that that is the aim for me. What stops me would be the many distractions, being caught up which I spend my time on other things that makes me forget about my true purpose, and sometimes because of pride, I do turn away from trying to help others, finding other reasons to avoid being of service to others.

- Lisa

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1. Back then, my biggest question would be "Why?" I used to question His motives and reasons behind all the unfortunate things that I experienced and once thought to myself: "Is God playing games with me?" Despite all these questions, I remind myself that the Lord does not take pleasure in the suffering itself but in the fruits and who we grow to become when we suffer. Suffering is not a state of complete separation from Jesus but instead a place for greater intimacy with Him. That being said, I am reminded of St Catherine's line which goes "Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring". Discerning how there is a greater purpose behind suffering and joy and glory awaits in the end would be something i hope to grow more in, as I embrace the crosses that He hands me in the future.

2. By giving more of myself to others and being more intentional in bringing them closer to Christ. To give and not to count the cost. By thinking of them and interceding for them in my prayers. What stops me from exercising all these sometimes would be my self-centredness attitude and pride. I become way too caught up with myself that I fail to put the needs of others before me.

- Lia

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1.

Before, I would always put the blame to God or to myself. Now, i would be lying if i said i don’t but  although i realise that difference, it is not God’s fault. And i should not be looking at these sufferings as anguish but instead look at the suffering with hope that when i get out of it, because i definitely will because God will guide me, i would have come out of it stronger and a better person. Now I try my best to look at these sufferings with hope that God will guide me though it so as to get out of it fruitfully? This also reminds me of the importance of praying. Wallowing in my suffering is only human, which i do but praying allows me to snap out of it and remind me of God’s love for me and faith that he will answer my prayers. As long as I seek God and his kingdom, then all these things will be added unto me

2.

I think to be like a servant leader. I must first want to be a servant leader. To want to be more like Jesus. Of course I want to serve Jesus and his people as a servant leader but at the same time, I do not want the pain and suffering that comes with it. Which kinda brings me back to my first point which is to look at suffering as not as something bad but as something to have hope for. Which is something i am working on

- christine

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hey y'all these are the reflection questions for this Sunday, there won't  be sessions this week!

Readings: https://universalis.com/20211024/mass.htm

1. The Lord's high priests were chosen from the flock of His sheep. On this day, what has God called you to be?

2.  How can I model myself to be more like Bartimaeus, a blind man whose courage, faith and persistence has bought him new life in Jesus?

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Hey my dears, here are the reflection questions for this week!

Readings: https://universalis.com/20211031/mass.htm

1. How are we as individuals, living out his commandments?
2. Is there a difference between loving God with all your heart and loving your neighbor as yourself? If we cannot love the neighbor we can see, how can we love the God we cannot see?
3. How far are you from the Kingdom of God?

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You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart

Moses said to the people: 'If you fear the Lord your God all the days of your life and if you keep all his laws and commandments which I lay on you, you will have a long life, you and your son and your grandson. Listen then, Israel, keep and observe what will make you prosper and give you great increase, as the Lord the God of your fathers has promised you, giving you a land where milk and honey flow.

'Listen, Israel: the Lord our God is the one Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. Let these words I urge on you today be written on your heart.'
I love you, Lord, my strength.
I love you, Lord, my strength,

my rock, my fortress, my saviour.

My God is the rock where I take refuge;

my shield, my mighty help, my stronghold.

The Lord is worthy of all praise,

when I call I am saved from my foes.
I love you, Lord, my strength.
Long life to the Lord, my rock!

Praised be the God who saves me,

He has given great victories to his king

and shown his love for his anointed.
I love you, Lord, my strength.
Christ, because he remains for ever, can never lose his priesthood

There used to be a great number of priests under the former covenant, because death put an end to each one of them; but this one, because he remains for ever, can never lose his priesthood. It follows, then, that his power to save is utterly certain, since he is living for ever to intercede for all who come to God through him.

To suit us, the ideal high priest would have to be holy, innocent and uncontaminated, beyond the influence of sinners, and raised up above the heavens; one who would not need to offer sacrifices every day, as the other high priests do for their own sins and then for those of the people, because he has done this once and for all by offering himself. The Law appoints high priests who are men subject to weakness; but the promise on oath, which came after the Law, appointed the Son who is made perfect for ever.

Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life;

you have the message of eternal life.

Alleluia!

Jesus said: 'If anyone loves me he will keep my word,

and my Father will love him,

and we shall come to him.'

Alleluia!

'You are not far from the kingdom of God'

One of the scribes came up to Jesus and put a question to him, 'Which is the first of all the commandments?' Jesus replied, 'This is the first: Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You must love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.' The scribe said to him, 'Well spoken, Master; what you have said is true: that he is one and there is no other. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself, this is far more important than any holocaust or sacrifice.' Jesus, seeing how wisely he had spoken, said, 'You are not far from the kingdom of God.' And after that no one dared to question him any more.

The readings on this page are from the Jerusalem Bible, which is used at Mass in most of the English-speaking world. The New American Bible readings, which are used at Mass in the United States, are available in the Universalis apps, programs and downloads.

You can also view this page with the Gospel in Greek and English.

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You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart Moses said to the people: 'If you fear the Lord your God all the days of your life and if you keep all his laws and commandments which I lay on you, you will have a long life, you and your son and your grandson.

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1. I believe we live out the commandments whenever we try to do good in our everyday lives. Be it serving others through acts of kindness, doing our part to help serve others in our vocation or our work, or even just praying to God. Whenever we perform an at of kindness, we live out and honour God's commandments of loving others, showing that we love God as well. When we perform out vocation, we enable others to get to know God, serving him in the process. The act of prayer itself is the simplest form of loving God by letting God occupy our minds and nothing else. In that sense, it is relatively easy for us to try and live out God's commandments because any good we do, God will be present in that action.

2. I think there is a small difference between the two commandments. As catholics, whenever we do or receive a good act, we need to remind ourselves that these actions are in lieu of God's grace. When we do good, we must remember that we do good for God, not to receive some sort of repayment. When we receive a gift in our life, we must remember that it is by God's blessing that re receive it, not because we are owed it. Loving the people around us is a way for us to fulfill the first commandment, however the first commandment also calls us to remember God's presence in the actions we perform.

3. It's honestly hard for me to definitively say how far I am. On the one hand, I feel like I have the drive to help others that can motivate me to want to become closer to God. At the same time, there are many things in this life that I feel still tether me to Earth. From things like lingering grudges to Earthly attachments, I doubt that if Jesus came to me and asked me to give up everything I would say yes. So if one day I were to die, I don't know for sure if I'd belong to the kingdom of heaven. In that sense, I'm still working to learn to let go of my Earthly attachments.

-Ryqx

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1) I would say through actions? that really shows how we have been living out our faith, whatever we have been doing what we are called to do. I would say by living out his commandments, like mentioned, would be showing love, to our brothers and sisters and those who needs it, the love that God has blessed us with.

2) I would say loving my neighbors is a true measure of how much we love God with all our heart, it is only when we are able to spread this love, how much we are willing to give to them, how much we are willing to sacrifice for them, shows how much we love God, following his commandments. We only can love our neighbors when we love God with all our hearts. And the love has to come from the heart, not the head because you cannot tell yourself to love this person, it has to be a feeling of being able to love someone, an expression not a statement.

3) I feel that I am still a very long way from the kingdom of God? I do not have the ability to be so wise just like what the scribe says, I do not see things so clearly and I have not really fully lived out what I am called to do.

- Lisa

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Hi guys! Hope everyone's been having a great week! Here are the reflection questions:             1. Constantly, we are called to achieve, to strive and to improve. In doing so, have you ever felt challenged to be humble?                                            2. Do you sometimes catch yourself setting impossible standards for yourself or others to live up to? How can you maintain realistic expectations of yourself and your relationships?                      3.What act of generosity do you often think about? How has it impacted your perspective of love and sacrifice?                     You can find the mass readings here:https://universalis.com/20211107/mass.htm(Also do note that there's *no session* this week) 

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Hi guys! Hope everyone's been having a great week! Here are the reflection questions:             1. Constantly, we are called to achieve, to strive and to improve. In doing so, have you ever felt challenged to be humble?                                            2. Do you sometimes catch yourself setting impossible standards for yourself or others to live up to? How can you maintain realistic expectations of yourself and your relationships?                      3.What act of generosity do you often think about? How has it impacted your perspective of love and sacrifice?                     You can find the mass readings here:https://universalis.com/20211107/mass.htm(Also do note that there's *no session* this week) 

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Apologies for churning these out so late! Here are this week's reflection questions

Readings: https://universalis.com/20211114/mass.htm

1. Jesus foretells tims of distress before the arrival of God's angels and glory. What were the times of distress that we have experienced? How did God's glory show itself during these dark times?

2. There have been many times during these recent years that felt disastrous. How do we hold on to the hope in these troubling times?

3. The Gospel talks about the second coming of Jesus. How ready are we for when that time comes? What things are holding us back from entering God's kingdom?

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Some will wake to everlasting life, some to shame and disgrace

'At that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who mounts guard over your people. There is going to be a time of great distress, unparalleled since nations first came into existence. When that time comes, your own people will be spared, all those whose names are found written in the Book. Of those who lie sleeping in the dust of the earth many will awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting disgrace. The learned will shine as brightly as the vault of heaven, and those who have instructed many in virtue, as bright as stars for all eternity.'
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;

it is you yourself who are my prize.

I keep the Lord ever in my sight:

since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;

even my body shall rest in safety.

For you will not leave my soul among the dead,

nor let your beloved know decay.
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
You will show me the path of life,

the fullness of joy in your presence,

at your right hand happiness for ever.
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
When all sins have been forgiven, there can be no more sin-offerings

All the priests stand at their duties every day, offering over and over again the same sacrifices which are quite incapable of taking sins away. He, on the other hand, has offered one single sacrifice for sins, and then taken his place forever, at the right hand of God, where he is now waiting until his enemies are made into a footstool for him. By virtue of that one single offering, he has achieved the eternal perfection of all whom he is sanctifying. When all sins have been forgiven, there can be no more sin offerings.

Stay awake and stand ready,

because you do not know the hour

when the Son of Man is coming.

Alleluia!

Stay awake, praying at all times

for the strength to stand with confidence

before the Son of Man.

Alleluia!

The stars will fall from heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken

Jesus said to his disciples: 'In those days, after the time of distress, the sun will be darkened, the moon will lose its brightness, the stars will come falling from heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory; then too he will send the angels to gather his chosen from the four winds, from the ends of the world to the ends of heaven.

'Take the fig tree as a parable: as soon as its twigs grow supple and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. So with you when you see these things happening: know that he is near, at the very gates. I tell you solemnly, before this generation has passed away all these things will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

'But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son; no one but the Father.'

The readings on this page are from the Jerusalem Bible, which is used at Mass in most of the English-speaking world. The New American Bible readings, which are used at Mass in the United States, are available in the Universalis apps, programs and downloads.

You can also view this page with the Gospel in Greek and English.

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Some will wake to everlasting life, some to shame and disgrace 'At that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who mounts guard over your people. There is going to be a time of great distress, unparalleled since nations first came into existence.

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1) When things get overwhelming and just feel that things keep piling up and there are no ends to it. During these times, I feel like it would be too difficult to get through, there will be too many things going on, I won't have the time to take a break. However, I feel that after going through these times, I realized that it is always not as difficult as I thought it would be, things were smoother and it wasn't as tiring, I could still feel comfort, peace even those dark times.

2) It can be quite difficult especially when feeling that it wouldn't stop and it just feels like it will keep going on. But is not that the situation will get better, but rather we just learn to adjust and live with it instead, to find better ways to get through it and to find comfort in the uncomfortable, adjusting and knowing that there will always be light at the end.

3) This reminds me of the constant question I always fear and ask myself about "when the time comes, will I be found ready, will I be aware, will I ever be ready to face him?" but I guess that is also human thinking, while juggling so many things in life, it is really hard to keep myself grounded and to think about these things, so I feel that it is really hard to stay focus and be ready because there is a lot of distractions, and to be ready is really a big question for me, because if I was ready, I definitely would have been happily waiting for the second coming but I guess being fearful is part of the process.

- Lisa

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1.  There have been times in my life where I struggled in recognizing my own worth, which to me were times of extreme distress. I used to have trouble with understanding why exactly God would choose love someone as sinful as myself. For me, God's grace had manifested through the people around me that allowed me to feel his love through them. Simple acts of love, such as checking in on me or acts of kindness or even simply being there to talk to helped to channel God's love. Love is a gift that is uniquely bestowed upon us from God, so I think it is one of the more effective ways to show that he is here with us.

2. I think, aside from showing kindness to others, the act of prayer is a powerful way to maintain that hope that God provides us. For me, regular prayer helps to create a sort of comfort activity or space that I know that I can rely on to always be there. Even if God does not always directly answer our prayers, I find that simply talking to God about our hang ups or problems can help to alleviate the stress they bring us. By praying, we remind ourselves that we can always turn to God in our darkest times.

3. I still think I have a ways to go before I can truly say that I am completely ready to enter the kingdom of God, mainly because there are so many things that I feel I have left to do on Earth. There are people on Earth that still want to talk to, misdeeds that I need to make up for, experiences I would like to have. To give it all up to enter God's kingdom feels like an impossible task and is hard to reconcile with what God calls us to do here on Earth. I think it is a continuous journey, to keep improving ourselves such that each day, we have fewer sins, fewer attachments that bind us to this Earth until one day, we feel at peace with our lives. In that sense, our journey on Earth calls us to do better everyday to reach that point.

-Ryqx

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sorry guys for sending the qns rlly late!! but here they are!
No sessions this week as well!

https://www.catholic.sg/mass-readings/

https://padlet.com/lisasean17/a6lljgjnf79var2p

1) How can we bring forth God’s kingdom within us to help grow our relationship with God?

2)Are we afraid of our duty to work towards the establishment of God’s kingdom? what is stopping us from spreading his good kingdom with others?

3) In what ways do you think is Jesus misunderstood or misinterpreted in today’s context?

Have a good week yall!☺️

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helluu, here are the reflection qns for this week!^

https://universalis.com/20211128/mass.htm

https://padlet.com/lisasean17/a6lljgjnf79var2p

Reflection qns:

1) What are the worries and cares of life that weigh me down today?

2) How do I need Jesus to ‘come’ into my life this Christmas?

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Hey dears,

Here are the reflection questions for tmr!

https://universalis.com/20211226/mass.htm

https://padlet.com/lisasean17/a6lljgjnf79var2p

What do you take away from the verse, 'Did you not know that I must be busy with my Father’s affairs?’

What did Jesus know about himself?

How does this relate to us, What do we know about ourselves?

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Happy New Year everyone!

Here are the Gospel Reflection questions for this week!

1. The Magi recognised the infant Jesus through the star that guided them. What is God using to call you to Himself? Do we remember to do him homage like the Magi did?

2. The Gospel has blessed us with an understanding of Jesus' death and resurrection. What are the things that are still holding us back from fully giving ourselves up to the Lord?

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Hi guys here are the reflection questions for this week:)

https://universalis.com/asia.singapore/20220109/mass.htm

https://padlet.com/lisasean17/a6lljgjnf79var2p

1. Whenever we seek something, who is the first person we turn to? Whenever we ask something of God, do we patiently wait for the Lord's answer? What is our reaction like when we don’t receive an answer we expect to receive?

2. Do we turn to God and love him only because he is good?

3. How can I be a joyful messenger of Zion, shouting with a loud voice, without fear with so many distractions around me? How do I remain focused on the Lord?

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I am always reminded of this verse: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God ; Philippians 4:6. I used to think and ask myself first, is this worth asking God for help? Is it a reasonable request and one that is not dumb? But i soon came to realize that there is no such thing as a dumb or stupid prayer or one that is too small, not worth listening. Even something as small as ‘oh i hope there's still chicken floss left in the store’ haha it is also something i humbly ask God. And of course, with bigger prayers I have faith and trust in the Lord. At the same time, I learn to accept whatever God’s answer is. And if he doesn't reply in a way I was expecting, I look at the bigger picture, for I won't know what will happen in the future only God does.

When i thought of this i was reminded that i should be loving God because he is God and not because he is someone who can answer my requests. I shouldn't be looking at him with love only because he provides. So does that mean if he doesn't provide, I will stop loving him? If he doesn't answer my prayers, will I lose love for him? I learnt that it shouldn't be that way. I always remind myself to let go and let God, if things doesn't go my way, i should continuously trust him and pray without stopping, because the fact is, he will never NOT provide, it is up to me to believe that he has better plans for me

A big distraction is definitely myself. I am always fighting in my mind on what i should or should not do where in fact, all my decisions should be based on whether God was in the center of it all. Especially these past few months, i was so overwhelmed with exams, i prioritize my studies over God, which shouldn't be the case. Being able to be a joyful messenger begins with me knowing and standing with my belief strongly that God should be my priority, only then i will be able to experience the true peace where i will be able to rely totally on the Lord and share my testimony with others around me.

- christine

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More often than not, it is difficult to seek and ask things from God, because I tend to depend on things that are tangible or that I can get my response quickly, turning to other people instead. However, I feel that patience is a virtue and I should try to depend on him instead, because there are always reasons for what he does, he knows when we need certain things and answers our prayers in his own time, and we do not always get what we want because it is not what we truly need. No one will know what we need as much as he does.

This year instead of turning to God, always asking him for requests, answers. I want to try to continue to deepen my relationship with him instead through a two-ways conversation instead, not just always asking for things but more importantly, to find out what does he want me to do, what does he want from me this year and in time to come, to listen as well.

I am a person with a lot of fear, and one of them is the fear of being judged, being heard, sharing my opinions. That has really prevented me in trying to go out to evangelize and speak out, to share my faith. But this is why I feel that I am given a cross to carry, it might be heavy, it might be difficult, it is never meant to be easy, there are times when we end up falling, but it is a journey and there are always many opportunities to get back up and live out the faith in our own ways, while knowing God is always there, and truly knowing that it is for him and nothing else.

- Lisa

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1. In all honesty, I tend to avoid relying on God whenever I am seeking something. I have this mentality that I should have to work for the things that I want rather than rely on God as a crux. While I still believe that  we shouldn't take God's grace for granted, I realise that I shouldn't view a reliance on God as a sign of weakness. All things are given to us due to his grace, even the strength to pursue our wants is a gift granted by God. I do find myself feeling distraught whenever God's answer is different from my expectations because I can be scared of adjusting my plans to match whatever God has planned for me. It's a fear of not knowing what lies on God's path for me, especially since I also do not always rely on Him.

2.  To an extent, yes. The things that I admire most about God is his capacity for love and forgiveness. I fear him for his magnificent power, but I praise him for his goodness. I think the problem is sometimes we fail to see what God plans for us as good. Whenever things that we do not want happen, we may feel like maybe God isn't good, or that He is forsaking our desires. However, everything God does he does for our sake, so at all times we must remind ourselves to always love God the same way He loves us.

3. It's difficult to maintain focus on the Lord with all the different distractions in our life. From superficial stuff like social media to important things like work or studies. I think the key to remaining focused on the Lord is to dedicate all that we do to him, and thank him for the things he allows us to do. By associating God with the things in our daily lives, we can remember to always be grateful for the gifts that God has given us.

-Ryqx

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hi all these are the reflection questions for this week, reminder that there are sessions too!

https://universalis.com/asia.singapore/20220123/mass.htm

1. Do I make time to reflect on Holy Scripture? If so, how has it been helpful? If not, how can I make time to read Holy Scripture ?

2. How do you use your gifts to serve in the church? What is one step you can take to grow in using your gifts to build up the body of Christ?

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Hey guys! Here are the reflection questions for this week. There isn't session this week.

https://universalis.com/asia.singapore/20220130/mass.htm

1. We are often more critical of people we know or are closer to us. Our negative experiences with them become like baggage to us. How then can we look through their shortcomings/ sins to see the goodness of God work through their lives?

2. How do we listen to what God wants to say to us through our family?

3. How open are we to our family so as to accept them as the messenger of God's Gospel?