“Entrust them to reliable people who will be able to teach others also.”
IntroductionFor the past weeks we have deepened on prayer, revision of life and personal accompaniment as a means to grow and persevere in our charism. At the same time, we are formed as disciples of Jesus and in turn do the same. This week we will be deepening on the mission as another means and the last one. These means are inseparable. The mission’s real essence comes from the fresh experience of God`s love everyday through prayer and with the intention of sharing it to all. We can live it in the revision of life group as a field of mission and to all the people where we are, and as we allow ourselves to be accompanied personally. Jesus Himself is the model of living out the mission which brings us to the very heart of his people. How good it is for us to contemplate the closeness which he shows to everyone! If he speaks to someone, he looks into their eyes with deep love and concern: “Jesus, looking upon him, loved him” (Mk 10:21). We see how accessible he is, as he draws near the blind man (cf. Mk 10:46-52) and eats and drinks with sinners (cf. Mk 2:16) without worrying about being thought a glutton and a drunkard himself (cf. Mt 11:19). We see his sensitivity in allowing a sinful woman to anoint his feet (cf. Lk 7:36-50) and in receiving Nicodemus by night (cf. Jn 3:1-15). …Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is nothing else than the culmination of the way he lived his entire life. Moved by his example, we want to enter fully into the fabric of society, sharing the lives of all, listening to their concerns, helping them materially and spiritually in their needs, rejoicing with those who rejoice, weeping with those who weep; arm in arm with others, we are committed to building a new world. But we do so not from a sense of obligation, not as a burdensome duty, but as the result of a personal decision which brings us joy and gives meaning to our lives. (Evangelii Gaudium 269) This could be so only if each one of us could enter into the heart of Jesus as our Good Samaritan, allowing ourselves to be drenched by His love, formed by Him and so we do the same to others with that same zeal. MondayAllow God to Love you There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” 27He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” (Luke 10: 25-28) Living out our mission springs up from the fresh experience of His love every day and a response of love and gratitude to Him. This is the fullness of life and joy of a disciple. …Mission is at once a passion for Jesus and a passion for His people. When we stand before Jesus crucified, we see the depth of his love which exalts and sustains us, but at the same time, unless we are blind, we begin to realize that Jesus’ gaze, burning with love, expands to embrace all his people. We realize once more that he wants to make use of us to draw closer to his beloved people. He takes us from the midst of his people and he sends us to his people. Only in this belongingness we could understand our deepest identity. (Evangelii Gaudium 268) TuesdayJesus teaches us to be concerned with others But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. (Luke 10: 33) If we are to share our lives with others and generously give of ourselves, we also have to realize that every person is worthy of our giving. Not for their physical appearance, their abilities, their language, their way of thinking, or for any satisfaction that we might receive, but rather because they are God`s handiwork, his creation. God created every person in his image and he or she reflects God`s glory. Every human being is the object of God`s infinite tenderness, and He Himself is present in their lives. Jesus offered His precious blood on the cross for that person. Every person is immensely holy and deserves our love. Consequently if I can help at least one person to have a better life that already justifies the offering of my life. It is wonderful thing to be God`s faithful people. We achieve fulfillment when we break down walls and our heart is filled with faces and names. (Evangelii Gaudium 274) Seeing the true situation of the world and hearing the cry of the members of Christ, our brothers and sisters, we will feel ourselves exhaustively taken up by the urgency of the mission. Neither day nor night will be sufficient t o attend to it. We will apply ourselves fully to the whole person of Jesus, and we will find the obligation to ask for and to seek workers for so much labor (Mat 9:37-38). (Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity Statutes 149) WednesdayBring Jesus closer to other people He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him. (Luke 10: 34) We are aware that preaching of the living Word of God puts people in contact with Christ and that we make disciples of Christ when they “come “to know” Him, follow Him and in turn, make other disciples… (Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity Constitutions 17) Our specific mission is to form disciples of all people through pouring to them the Word of God, praying the Word of God, assimilating it until it becomes their own life, transforming themselves in it and teaching them to do the same, so that they may pray, live and teach it experientially to others. We make ourselves responsible in the exercise of the mission welcome or unwelcome, because of the certainty that only in prayer of the interpersonal relating with our God, can people discover their true identity of being child in the Son, to live from Him and reach the supreme ideal of their transformation in Christ himself. (2 Tim. 4:2) (Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity Statutes 62) ThursdayDo the Extra MileHe approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back. (Luke 10: 34 – 35) Our mission aims at a continuous process of growth which entails taking seriously each person and God`s plan for his or her life. All of us need to grow in Christ. Our mission should stimulate a desire for this growth, so that each of us can say wholeheartedly “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Gal 2:20. The ordinary methods of evangelization, which are also the most profound and effective, we use in our ministry of the Word, are:
(Verbum Dei Family Statutes 41) FridayEntrust to the Lord all your Efforts He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. (Luke 10:27b) In living out the mission, paying forward what he has done for us is always fruitful. The announcement of the Kingdom, in fact is no more than our response and giving ourselves to the plan of infinite and free love of the Father and the following of Jesus. It is the response to the ardent desire of the Father who wants everyone to be saved and reach the knowledge of the truth that everyone may have life and have it to the full. That everyone can know, live and live together the free gift of God that is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. We announce the Kingdom so that the humanity may discover and live their true identity of child of God and may share the happiness and supreme joy of their union with God and communion with all men. (Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity Statutes 122) …This fruitfulness is often invisible, elusive and unquantifiable. We can know quite well that our lives will be fruitful, without claiming to know how, or where, or when. We may be sure that none of our acts of love will be lost, nor any of our acts of sincere concern for others. No single act of love for God will be lost, no generous effort is meaningless, no painful endurance is wasted… (Evangelii Gaudium 279) SaturdayAllow God to bear fruit in youSt. Paul who have experienced this and lived the mission with the same zeal summons us in 2 Timothy 2: 1-7. The proclamation of the Word of God, preceded and accompanied by prayer and witness of life, will always be the best means for the propagation of the faith. We will sow the good seed of the Word in all fields, trusting in the growth that God gives, knowing that the Word, like "the rain which falls from heaven will not return empty," because certainly, "the Word of God is alive and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword." (Verbum Dei Family Statutes 38) The evangelization through the Word of God is unfolded as a transforming dynamism in persons, realities, and of society in each of their atmospheres: familial, social, educational, economic, political, ecological, health, cultural, and spiritual. In a world where selfishness and the lack of generosity are evident and produce various forms of poverty and injustice, our mission contributes to social transformation from the proper guidelines of the Gospel and the social doctrine of the Church. (Verbum Dei Family Statutes 8) Sunday22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time1st Reading: Jeremiah 20:7-9
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 63:2-6, 8-9 2nd Reading: Romans 12:1-2 Gospel: Matthew 16:21-27 Comments are closed.
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