Opening Prayer Led by Group Facilitator

Psalm 12

Pray the Psalm together aloud, alternating verses between two sides.  When finished, share reflections on the Psalm as a group

1  Help, LORD; for there is no longer any one that is godly; for the faithful have vanished from among the sons of men.

2  Every one utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

3  May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts,

4  those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is our master?”

5  “Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the LORD; “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”

6  The promises of the LORD are promises that are pure, silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.

7  Do, O Lord, protect us, guard us for ever from this generation.

8  On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen.

Abram & Hagar

Genesis 16

1.       Whom does Sarah blame for her barrenness? To whom does she appeal for a resolution? Is Abram’s response worthy of imitation?

2.       Compare Adam in Genesis 3:17 and Abram in Genesis 16:2. What do both Patriarchs do? What are the results?

3.       Whom does Sarah blame for “contempt”? To whom does she appeal for a resolution? Is Abram’s response worthy of imitation?

4.       Abram is a man of very few words in this chapter. What do his words reveal in the midst of all the drama and conflict?

5.       What does the angel of the LORD offer, to bring good out of evil? How does Hagar respond?

Resolutions

Choose a resolution for this week from the suggestions below or make your own.  Tap on a resolution to email it to yourself:

1.    I will show my wife that I choose her each day by words and/or actions.
2.    I will read a chapter of one of the Gospels every day and ask the LORD to speak to me through the scripture.
3.    I will prioritize my time every morning this week to be attentive to my responsibilities and to combat apathy and passiveness.
4.    I will read the Catechism passages about the gift of children (CCC 2373-2379).
5.    I will address a familial dispute that has been ignored.

Previous Resolutions - Genesis 14-15

Prayer Partners

Discuss with your prayer partner the success/failure of your previous resolution & offer a vocal prayer for one another.