Children play on a playground and we see a glimpse of how boundaries make us free.

All areas of life have boundaries or “rules.” From our homes, our schools, places of employment to playing sports and driving on the road. So why do we think our spiritual life should be any different? This film helps us see how boundaries are actually good for us. They are put in place to help free us from what can be harmful, ultimately allowing us to live and function more freely.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:

1. When you hear the words “boundary” and “rules,” what do you think? Feel? Are they negative words?
2. Why are boundaries/rules needed? What purpose do they serve?
3. Why did God give Adam and Eve boundaries? What happened when they did not stay within the boundaries? Were they more free with or without the boundaries?
4. Why do you think He gave us boundaries?
5. Do you believe that God has only our best interest at heart and that He wants only want what is good for us and that somehow His boundaries are to help us be our happiest?

Take-Away Box:
Is there a “no” or a “boundary” that you hear from the Church that bothers you? Can you look at it with new eyes? Can you see the love behind the boundary? Try praying that the Holy Spirit will change your heart about this boundary and try to understand why God gave it to you.

Jenny is on trail for being Catholic. The Prosecutor thinks he has a pretty easy case until Jenny’s delinquent Defense Attorney finally shows-up and presents a very compelling argument.

This film demonstrates how we can become lax in our faith and take it for granted to the point where people would not recognize us as Catholics. It challenges us to ask ourselves: “What sets me apart from the ways of the world and what do I do that nurtures my Catholicism?”

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:

1. Early in the film the defendant is asked: “Are you Catholic? Why?” Can you answer that question?
2. What makes a person uniquely Catholic?
3. Would your answer to question #1 stand up in court? Would you have enough evidence in court to prove you are Catholic? If so, why? If not, what can you do to change that?
4. What are the Corporal Works of Mercy and can you recall the last time you performed one?
5. What about your life as a Catholic sets you apart from the rest of the world?

Take-Away Box:
We’ve been focusing this journey on spending more time with God and rediscovering what your faith means to you. This week, dig deep into what being Catholic really means to you and what changes you may need to make so you can live your faith more fully. Learn the Corporal Works of Mercy.

Follow Lesley as she tells her story of total surrender to God for the most unusual reason at the most unsuspecting time.

What some people consider “coincidences” others consider Divine Providence. God is always with us, just waiting for us to reach out to Him, to speak to Him, to ask Him for His help. How often do we totally surrender to Him and trust that He has our back?

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:

1. Lesley was faced with a difficult situation. Why do you think she turned to God in prayer when she never had before?
2. What makes people turn to God in difficult times?
3. Is there an instance in your life where you have turned to God in total
   surrender, trusting in Him alone?
4. Have you ever had a “green rubber band” experience?
5. Do you look at most unexplainable moments as “coincidences” or as God
   speaking to you? What can you do to better recognize when God answers your prayers?

Take-Away Box:
This week, ask God to help you see more clearly how He is speaking to you directly. Pay attention to the little things that happen to you without explanation.

Is there a difference between believing there is a God and believing in God?

This video is great for reflecting on what we believe as Catholics and why we believe it. As you are taking time this summer to quiet down and allowing God to speak to you, think about the components of the Creed and why they are essential to the Catholic faith.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:

1. When you recite the Creed do you know what you are saying or are you being a robot?
2. Have you ever taken the time to really look at the words of the Creed and what you profess to believe in?
3. What does it mean to believe in one God, and in Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God, and in the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life?
4. What did Christ do for our sake and our salvation? Why did He do all of that for us?
5. What is the difference between believing there is a God and believing in God? Who is He to you?

Take-Away Box:
Pray the Creed at least once every day this week, and take the time to really pray the words and ask God to help you understand them and how they personally affect you.

We always ask for more hours in a day, but what if the hours we’ve been given aren’t enough because they’ve been stolen? And what if we’re the ones doing the stealing? Explore the possibility that we can take back time by doing one simple, but difficult thing.

Focus on freeing up your mind by cutting back on your electronic devices! Remove the noise, distraction, and gadgets, and allow God to speak to you in the quiet moments. Get back in touch with your family, your faith, and yourself.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:

1. Have you ever thought of your electronic devices as “stealing” your time?
2. How many different devices do you use during the day? And how many of those would you label as critical or indispensable?
3. The narrator in the film mentions that Pope Francis asks us for an “openness to letting God encounter us in the little moments.” Why is focusing on “little moments” important?
4. How would limiting your use of social media help you notice the little moments?
5. How would your relationship with your family, your friends, and with God change if you took more time interacting with them and less time on social media and looking at your devices?

Take-Away Box:
This week, try to cut back on social media and gadgets and work on having more personal interactions with those around you. Make eye contact!