SCRIPTURE THEMES FOR PRAYER

 

Theme 1       God, the Caring One, loves us and cares for us

Theme 2       God Creates us

Theme 3       God gives God's very self to us in a relationship of love

Theme 4       All I have comes from God

Theme 5       God desires to forgive us

Theme 6       Jesus desires to save us personally

Theme 7       God calls us in freedom and radically

Theme 8       God calls us beyond everything

Theme 9       Following of Jesus

Theme 10     I am called to cooperate with Jesus' Spirit in establishing a realm of justice                    

Theme 11     I am called to exercise responsibility as part of the paschal mystery

Theme 12     The body of Christ

Theme 13     The Spirit works continually in us and through the events of our life

 

  

Theme 1      God, the Caring One, loves us and cares for us

 

      Grace     Deep confidence and trust in God's desire to nurture us

 

 

         Lk 11:1-13          Rabbi, teach us to pray ... how much more will the heavenly Abba give the Holy Spirit

         Lk 12:22-31        Lilies of the field .seek first the realm of God

         1 Jn 4:7-19         Love consists in this: not that we have loved God but that God has loved us first

         Psalm 121         Our guardian God is at your right hand

 

      Supplementary Readings

 

            Ps 23              God our true Shepherd

            Ps 62              Trust in God alone

            Ps 63:1-8        O God, you are my God whom I seek

            Ps 91              You who dwell in the shelter of the most high

            Ps 131            Trust ... like a child at its mother's breast

            Ps 145            Give praise for God's greatness ... you open your hand and satisfy every living thing

            Deut 32:1-14   Song of Moses praising God for taking care of Israel, the apple of God's eye

            Is 25:1-9          On this mountain the Holy One will provide for all peoples; you are a refuge for the poor

            Is 41:8-16        Israel, I grasp your right hand

            Jn 14:16-28      I will not leave you orphans ... peace   is my gift to you ...

            Rom 5:1-11      The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit ...

            Rom 8:26-34    The Spirit helps us in our weakness ... God is for us

            Eph 3:14-21     May our God, both mother and father, strengthen you inwardly through the working

                                  of the Spirit ... God's power in us can do more than we can ask or imagine

            Heb 4:14-16     We have a compassionate high priest

 

  ___________

 

Theme 2       God Creates us

 

      Grace     Deep wonder and awe before the mystery of our personal existence

 

      Ps 139:1-18          My God, you have probed me and you know me

      Ps 8                     Who are we that you should be mindful of us, that you should care for us?

      Is 45:9-12              Dare the clay say to its potter, "What are you doing?"

      Ex 3:1-14              Moses bows down before the burning bush

 

      Supplementary Readings

 

            Ps 104            Praise God the creator

            Job 38 & 39     Where were you when I made the universe?

            Wis 11:21-26   Before you the whole universe is a grain

            Wis 13:1-9       From the beauty of created things, by analogy, their original author is seen

            Jer 18:1-10      Potter's vessel .rise up be off to the potter's house, there I will give you my message

            Dan 3:51-90     Canticle of praise

            Gen 1:24-2:3   We were created in God's image

            Rom 9:19-21    Does not the potter have the right to make plain vessels and fancy ones

            Job 1:21          Naked I came from my mother's womb, naked I shall return

 ________________

 

 

Theme 3       God gives God's very self to us in a relationship of love

 

      Grace     Amazement that God relates to us personally

 

         Is 4:1-4              You are precious in my eyes

         Hos 11:1-9         When Israel was a child

         Lk 22:14-20        Jesus gives the eucharist

         Rom 8:26-39      Spirit helps us in our weakness

 

      Supplementary Readings

 

            Deut 1:29-33   The Lord goes before you and will fight for you ... God carries you as a parent does one's own child

            Deut 7:7-9       Not because you are the largest of nations does God love you

            Is 49:13-16      Can a mother forget her infant ... your name is written on my palms

            Is 54:5-10        For the one who has become your spouse is your maker

            Jn 3:16-17       For God so loved the world

            Jn 14:16-28      I will not leave you orphans; the spirit will instruct you in all things ... peace is my gift

            Eph 1:3-14      God's plan of salvation ... in Christ Jesus we were chosen

            Deut 8:1-5       God's care as manifested in the exodus ... God disciplines you as a parent does one's own child

 ________________

 

Theme 4       All I have comes from God

 

      Grace     Deep-felt knowledge that all is gift

 

         Jm 1:16-19       Every worthwhile gift comes from above

         Job 1:21           Naked I came forth from my mother's womb

         1Cor 4:7           Name something you have not received

         Eph 1:3-14       God's plan of salvation ... in Christ Jesus we were chosen

 

      Supplementary Readings

 

            Deut 8:6-20     For the Holy One is bringing you into a land of wheat. Do not forget where your prosperity comes from

            Lk 12:22-31     Which of you by worrying can add a moment to your life-span

            Matt 10:29-33  As for you every hair on your head has been counted

            Jn 15:1-8         Apart from me you can do nothing

            Eph 2:1-10      It is owing to the Caring One alone that salvation is yours through faith ... it is God's gift

            Phil 2:13         God, our mother in labour brings to birth in you every measure of desire or achievement

            Rom 9:19-21   Does not the potter have the right to make plain vessels or fancy ones

            2Cor 4:5-18     The treasure we possess is in earthen vessels to make clear that power comes

                                  from God and not from us ... continually we carry within our bodies the dying of Jesus

            1 P 2:9-10       You are a chosen race ... a people Jesus the Lord claims for his own

            Job 38:1-40:5  Where were you when I made the universe

            Ti 3:3-8           We were once foolish but when the kindness of God appeared we were saved not

                                  because of any righteous deeds

 ________________

 

Theme 5       God desires to forgive us

 

      Grace     Deep awareness of God's eagerness to forgive us 

 

         Ps 103               For as the heavens are high above the earth so surpassing is the Holy One's kindness

         Lk 15:11-32        Prodigal son and prodigal father

         Lk 5:12-14          Healing of the leper ... of course I want to

        1 Jn 1:5-2:2         If we acknowledge our sins, the Just One can be trusted to forgive us

 

      Supplementary readings

 

            Ps 130              Out of the depths I cry ... with God is plenteous redemption

            Ps 107              God, the saviour of all in distress

            Is 55:1-13          All you who are thirsty come ... my thoughts are not your thoughts ...

            Ez 16:1-22;59-63

                                    Allegory on the faithless spouse

            Lk 18:9-14         Parable of the pharisee and the publican

            Jn 10:7-18         I am the good shepherd; I lay down my life for my sheep

            Rom 5:12-21      Humanity's sin through Adam ... grace and life through Jesus

            Rom 8:28-39      If God is for us who can be against us ... is it possible that the one whose own son

                                     was not spared would not be on our side

            2Cor 5:17-21      Anyone in Christ is a new creation ... God in Christ was reconciling the world to

                                     God's self For our sakes God made Jesus to be sin

            Rev 7:9-17         Huge crowd before the lamb ... salvation is from our God ... God will lead them to

                                     springs of life-giving water ... and God will wipe every tear from their eyes

 ________________

 

 

Theme 6       Jesus desires to save us personally

 

      Grace     To appreciate more deeply that only Jesus is my saviour

 

            Lk 19:1-10      Story of Zacchaeus

            Lk 7:36-50      Sinful woman washes the feet of Jesus

            Mk 5:21-43     Woman with a haemorrhage; daughter of Jairus

            Jn 13:1-9;12-17

                                 Jesus washes the feet of his disciples

 

            Supplementary readings

 

                 Lk 23:32-43     Three helpless people on the cross, one of whom is our saviour

                 Jn 8:3-11         Woman caught in adultery

                 Acts 3:1-16     Cure of the cripple -- neither silver nor gold ... it is Jesus' name that has

                                       strengthened the limbs of this man

                 Rom 5:6-11     While we were powerless Jesus died for us

                 Rom 7:14-25   What happens is that I do not do the good I will to do, but the evil I do not intend

                 Col 1:15-23     Jesus the Lord is the image of the invisible God ... you yourselves were once alienated

                 Eph 2:1-10      God rich in mercy ... we were brought to life in Christ ... this is not your own doing

                 Eph 2:12-22    You were without hope ... Christ broke down the barrier of hostility ... now you

                                       are strangers no longer

                 Gal 4:3-7         God sent forth a son born of a woman ... sent into our hearts the Spirit ...

                                       you are no longer slaves but God's own children

                 Ti 2:11-14        Grace of God has appeared in Christ Jesus who gathers a Abba's people

 ________________

 

 

Theme 7       God calls us in freedom and radically

 

      Grace     To appreciate the freedom necessary to respond to God's call

 

            Gen 22:1-19    Abraham and Isaac

            Phil 3:7-16      I count everything as loss except knowing Christ Jesus

            Lk 9:59-62       But first let me bury my mother ... let the dead bury the dead

            Mk 10:17-27    Call of the rich person

 

            Supplementary readings

 

                 Ps 42                     As a hind longs for running waters, so my soul longs for you

                 Ps 63:1-8               Ardent longing for God

                 Wis 8:17-9:18         Solomon realizes wisdom is God's gift and prays for wisdom

                 Deut 6:4-9              You shall love your God will all your heart and with all your soul

                 Jer 17:5-11             Cursed is the one who seeks strength in the flesh ... blessed is the one who trusts

                                              in the Holy One

                 Matt 4:18-22           Call of the first disciples who left all things

                 Matt 9:9-13             Call of Matthew

                 Matt 13:44-46         Parable of the treasure and the pearl

                 Matt 25:14-29         Parable of the talents

                 Jn 15:1-8;16-17       Vine and the branches                

                 Eph 3:14-21            May Christ Jesus' love be the root and foundation of your life

                 Heb 11:8-19            Faith of Abraham

 ________________

 

 

Theme 8       God calls us beyond everything

 

      Grace     To appreciate how Jesus' love sets us free to cooperate in nurturing the divine

                       human community of God's household

 

 

            Lk 1:26-38      Annunciation ... let it be done to me according to your will

            Lk 5:1-11        Call of Peter and the first disciples

            Jn 3:22-30      He must increase, I must decrease

            Lk 18:18-34    Call of the rich man and prediction of the passion

 

 

            Supplementary readings

 

                 Gen 12:1-9             Call of Abraham

                 Jer 1:1-10               Call of Jeremiah

                 Is 6:1-10                 Call of Isaiah

                 Jn 1:35-51              Call of the first disciples

                 Phil 1:18-26            Indifference of Paul ... I do not know which to prefer life or death ...

                 2Cor 12:1-10           Called in spite of weakness ... Christ Jesus is our strength

                 Eph 3:14-21            May Christ's charity be the root and foundation of your life ... to the one

                                               whose power now at work in us can do more ... .

 ________________


Theme 9       Following of Jesus

 

      Grace    To ask for an intimate knowledge of Jesus, who has become human for me, that I may love him more and follow him more closely

 

            Matt 3:13-17    Jesus leaves home and is baptized in the river Jordan

            Matt 4:1-11  &n