"Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart…"(Matthew 11:29) January 13-19, 2014 Objective of the week: 1. To learn from Jesus in his process of growth. 2. To value more our being baptized Christians as people called to holiness. 3. To get to know more my Verbum Dei Family as a preparation for the Local Assembly.
IntroductionWe celebrated last Sunday the Baptism of the Lord which also ends the Christmas season. This week, we continue to be more united in the process of the growth of Jesus and once again renew the gifts and responsibilities we have received from our Baptism. One of the sentences written in the liturgy these days was, “Christ is baptized, the world is made holy…” Through the Baptism of Jesus, we have been made holy. We have been made holy in our Baptism. Christ has made us holy and it is our right to live in holiness. To live holy means, as a Family, we are more taken by the realities of heaven – for the essential things and not only for the worldly realities. We are equally rooted in Baptism. Fr. Jaime Bonet our founder, saw this. He saw the richness of our Baptism. His dream was that we can all live the same consecration from our Baptism. Jaime promoted each person who is baptized, to give of himself/herself to God being aware of our rights, duties and roles as baptized. This means that everyone can preach, everyone can follow Jesus more radically and more closely. Of course with all the richness we have received, we need to let them grow and develop. For this, we are invited to learn from Jesus his same attitudes in this process of growth. This week we can learn from Jesus his humility. Christ humbled himself and was baptized. He humbled himself in order to show us the way of humility. During his life, he humbled himself to learn in his process of growth. He learned how to be a Son of God by allowing himself to be guided and formed by his parents. As part of a big family, we are called like Jesus to learn through humility, allowing other members to teach us, allowing them to grow knowing that this Family is from God. This is not just a human organization, but the work of the Spirit. Each one needs to be humble to be stretched, to be expanded. Perhaps, to defend and promote the other realities and groups in the Family because we are aware of what they also have received and have been made in Baptism. At the same time, we are called to encourage, to lift up and push those who remain stagnant, and has lost the vision and hope in following Jesus. MondayWe are made holy21 After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." (Luke 3:21-22) 14 Do not allow yourselves to be shaped by the passions of your old ignorance, 15 but as obedient children, be yourselves holy in all your activity, after the model of the Holy One who calls us, 16 since scripture says, 'Be holy, for I am holy.' (1 Peter 1:14-16) When Jesus was baptized, the world is made holy. We are made holy. Heaven is opened for us and for all people. We as a Family are called to live this holiness of life that we were made from Baptism. To be holy in all our activities modeling ourselves to the one who is holy. TuesdayBe taken by the heavenly realities as a Family 20 But our homeland is in heaven and it is from there that we are expecting a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, (Philippians 3:20) 14 There is no permanent city for us here; we are looking for the one which is yet to be. (Hebrews 13:14) Since you have been raised up to be with Christ, you must look for the things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at God's right hand. 2 Let your thoughts be on things above, not on the things that are on the earth, 3 because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-3) 38 In the course of their journey he came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord's feet and listened to him speaking. 40 Now Martha, who was distracted with all the serving, came to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.' 41 But the Lord answered, 'Martha, Martha,' he said, 'you worry and fret about so many things, 42 and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part, and it is not to be taken from her.' (Luke 10:38-42) It is always a privilege to discover and renew once again the richness of our Baptism. Let us lift up our eyes and see that we are called for a holy life. Yes, we are of this world, but we do not belong to this world. We are made for something eternal and this is what we are invited as our perspective in daily life. As a Family, we can defend always the rights of each person to enjoy living the heavenly realities here on earth. How can I keep up and as a Family my attention towards the heavenly realities and not just focused on worldly concerns? WednesdayLearn from me29 Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.' (Matthew 11:29-30) 47 and all those who heard him were astounded at his intelligence and his replies. 48 They were overcome when they saw him, and his mother said to him, 'My child, why have you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been, looking for you.' 49 He replied, 'Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?' 50 But they did not understand what he meant. 51 He went down with them then and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority. His mother stored up all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favour with God and with people. (Luke 2:47-52) To grow and develop as a true child of God, we need to follow Jesus and learn from Him how he grew up. He also passed through this process of learning what it means to be a true Son of the Father. He humbled himself and discovered God’s will through the guidance of his parents. What is God’s will for my own growth and our growth as a Family? ThursdayHumility in learning how to build up the Kingdom of God 9 As Jesus was walking on from there he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, 'Follow me.' And he got up and followed him. 10 Now while he was at table in the house it happened that a number of tax collectors and sinners came to sit at the table with Jesus and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, 'Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?' 12 When he heard this he replied, 'It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. 13 Go and learn the meaning of the words: Mercy is what pleases me, not sacrifice. And indeed I came to call not the upright, but sinners.' (Matthew 9:9-13) 2 He does not cry out or raise his voice, his voice is not heard in the street; 3 he does not break the crushed reed or snuff the faltering wick. Faithfully he presents fair judgement; (Isaiah 42:1-3) Looking at Jesus, we see in His life how he was always trying to build up the Kingdom of Heaven by reaching out to all peoples. He humbled himself even becoming one with them where they are. In the midst of criticisms and opinions of people around, he defended and lifted up the holiness of each one. FridayHumility in learning how to be formedAt this time the disciples came to Jesus and said, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?' 2 So he called a little child to him whom he set among them. 3 Then he said, 'In truth I tell you, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven. 4 And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 18:1-4) 18 In all truth I tell you, when you were young you put on your own belt and walked where you liked; but when you grow old you will stretch out your hands, and somebody else will put a belt round you and take you where you would rather not go.' 19 In these words he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, 'Follow me.' (John 21:18-19) As part of our growth as a Family of God, we follow the same humility of Jesus to be formed and stretched knowing that we don’t have all the answers, and that we are not meant just for a small group of people in one place, but for a bigger family for the whole world. What do I need to die to myself in order that the Family can help me to grow? SaturdayHumility in learning how to promote and encourage others 2 make my joy complete by being of a single mind, one in love, one in heart and one in mind. 3 Nothing is to be done out of jealousy or vanity; instead, out of humility of mind everyone should give preference to others, 4 everyone pursuing not selfish interests but those of others. 5 Make your own the mind of Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:2-5) 14 We urge you, brothers, to admonish those who are undisciplined, encourage the apprehensive, support the weak and be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that people do not try to repay evil for evil; always aim at what is best for each other and for everyone. (1 Thessalonians 5:14-15) Aware of the richness each one has received from God, each person deserves the place to give of themselves to God in the best way. How wonderful that as a Family, we can provide spaces for everyone to bring out the holiness and the gifts they have received from God. How can I promote others in the Family to give themselves more fully to God and others? Sunday2nd Sunday in Ordinary TimeFirst reading: Isaiah 49:3, 5-6 Responsorial psalm: Psalm 40 Second reading: 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 Gospel: John 1:29-34 Feast of Sto. NiñoFirst reading: Isaiah 9:1-6
Responsorial psalm: Psalm 97 Second reading: Ephesians 1:3-18 Gospel: Matthew 18:1-10 Comments are closed.
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