The Fruit of The Spirit is Love (c.f. Gal. 5:22) Holy Spirit (Week 4) - May 27 - June 2, 2013 Objective of the week: To allow Jesus in the Eucharist to nourish our faith and generous response to the Spirit of Love.
IntroductionLast week we are invited to “Live by the Spirit” and to listen to His promptings as we live each day. This week, through the work of the Spirit in us, we ponder on the self-giving of Jesus in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. The mass is a celebration of the miracle of Love. Love is a miracle and love produces miracles. When there is love, nothing is lacking. “Nothing is lacking when everything is given.” (Blessed Isaac of Stella) Nothing is lacking when we give all the love that we have to Jesus for Him to multiply and distribute. Jesus challenges His disciples of today to do the same – to bring everything we have to the Eucharist and to offer it all in complete trust in Him. Is it not true that oftentimes, it is our own fear or reservation that stops us from giving and sharing what we have? To be Eucharist is to break and lose ourselves. Charity and generosity carries with it an act of faith, i.e. an act of trust and believing in a God who will provide for all those who are generous and give in the name of Love. In this episode of the miracle of the loaves, Jesus accepts what little we have, “looked up to heaven, thanked God for them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. They all ate and had enough.” (cf. Lk 9:16-17). Go and share His love to all MondayThe self-giving of Christ in the Eucharist 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 23 For I received from the Lord the teaching that I passed on to you: that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took a piece of bread, 24 gave thanks to God, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in memory of me.” 25 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup and said, “This cup is God's new covenant, sealed with my blood. Whenever you drink it, do so in memory of me.” 26 This means that every time you eat this bread and drink from this cup you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Reflection What is the self-giving of Jesus? What does Eucharist mean for you? TuesdayJesus sets for us an example of love John 13:12-17 12 After Jesus had washed their feet, he put his outer garment back on and returned to his place at the table. “Do you understand what I have just done to you?” he asked. 13 “You call me Teacher and Lord, and it is right that you do so, because that is what I am. 14 I, your Lord and Teacher, have just washed your feet. You, then, should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set an example for you, so that you will do just what I have done for you. 16 I am telling you the truth: no slaves are greater than their master, and no messengers are greater than the one who sent them. 17 Now that you know this truth, how happy you will be if you put it into practice! Reflection The act of washing the feet is an act of both humility and love. Would you let Jesus wash your feet? In what way can you wash the feet of everyone? WednesdayFilled with the love of God Romans 5:5 5 This hope does not disappoint us, for God has poured out his love into our hearts by means of the Holy Spirit, who is God's gift to us. Exodus 34:6 6 The Lord then passed in front of him and called out, “I, the Lord, am a God who is full of compassion and pity, who is not easily angered and who shows great love and faithfulness. Reflection Do you recognize that in the journey that you once thought you traveled on your own; you travel with a dear close friend? Do you see that the world you once thought was hopeless is now in fact abundant in hope? ThursdayWe are called to be Eucharist Sirach 2:1-5 1 My child, if you are going to serve the Lord, be prepared for times when you will be put to the test. 2 Be sincere and determined. Keep calm when trouble comes. 3 Stay with the Lord; never abandon him, and you will be prosperous at the end of your days. 4 Accept whatever happens to you. Even if you suffer humiliation, be patient. 5 Gold is tested by fire, and human character is tested in the furnace of humiliation. Reflection Are you aware that not only blessings are promised to those who endeavor to please God, but also the trials that will accompany that effort? How would you react if you knew that the Lord permits His servants to be tried by fire? FridayLiving as generous givers 2 Corinthians 9:7-8 7 You should each give, then, as you have decided, not with regret or out of a sense of duty; for God loves the one who gives gladly. 8 And God is able to give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause. Luke 21:1-4 1 Jesus looked around and saw rich people dropping their gifts in the Temple treasury, 2 and he also saw a very poor widow dropping in two little copper coins. 3 He said, “I tell you that this poor widow put in more than all the others. 4 For the others offered their gifts from what they had to spare of their riches; but she, poor as she is, gave all she had to live on.” Reflection How can you use your resources of time and money to bring honor and glory to God’s name? Can your life be a reflection of His grace and mercy towards others? SaturdayEvangelizing through fraternal charity Luke 9:11-17 11 When the crowds heard about it, they followed him. He welcomed them, spoke to them about the Kingdom of God, and healed those who needed it. 12 When the sun was beginning to set, the twelve disciples came to him and said, “Send the people away so that they can go to the villages and farms around here and find food and lodging, because this is a lonely place.” 13 But Jesus said to them, “You yourselves give them something to eat.” They answered, “All we have are five loaves and two fish. Do you want us to go and buy food for this whole crowd?” 14 (There were about five thousand men there.) Jesus said to his disciples, “Make the people sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 After the disciples had done so, 16 Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up to heaven, thanked God for them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. 17 They all ate and had enough, and the disciples took up twelve baskets of what was left over. Reflection There is perhaps no more heart-wrenching sight than the malnourished and starving, How do you respond to these demands? How can you share God’s abundant gifts given to you, to those who are in need? SundayFirst Reading:
Genesis 14:18-20 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 110:1-4 Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 Gospel Reading: Luke 9:11-17 Comments are closed.
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