General Theme: Until Christ is formed in You and in Them General Objective: To continue deepening in the love of Christ for others that entails a daily encounter with Him. Objective of the week: In my personal encounter of Christ, I receive His call to bring others to a personal relationship with Him
IntroductionThe National Encounter has been a great opportunity to be gathered as a family to listen to the personal call of Jesus to make disciples of all nations. This call can only be sustained by His grace and the daily encounter with Him in prayer and in His Word. “There is no doubt that an intimacy and living with Jesus will lead to an unstoppable enthusiasm to communicate Christ and a life of living faith will oblige us to speak at least with our immediate brothers and sisters. (VD Statutes #148). We, who have personally touched and experienced His love and trust in our lives cannot help but move to the margins, to reach out for our brothers and sisters who are crying out for a personal relationship with Him. In our Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus is completely aware of the needs of His family, many are poor, oppressed, suffering, persecuted, overburdened for life’s circumstances and He leads them to live it in faith. These realities remain true until today and Jesus is calling us to be His voice, His hands and feet and lead them to Him, the source of all life and love. Like the encounter of the Samaritan Woman with the Lord, she cannot help but leave her jar and share the joy of her encounter to the people closest to her who in turn are able to allow Jesus to stay with them. In our present time, we are the bearers of the Word of God that can bring hope, meaning, understanding, direction, life and enkindle the fire of love of Christ in the hearts of the people. In the mission that Jesus shared and entrusted to us, we are assured that He prayed for us before the Father in order that we can be faithful to His call. We can ask the help of our Mother Mary to enkindle the missionary heart in us that we can respond with missionary urgency and sensitivity of the needs of our brothers and sisters. May we, like Mary, run in haste to lead them to an encounter with Jesus. MondayJesus is completely aware of the needs of His brothers and sisters1Jesus saw the crowds and went up a hill, where he sat down. His disciples gathered around him, 2 and he began to teach them: True Happiness 3 “Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them! 4 “Happy are those who mourn; God will comfort them! 5 “Happy are those who are humble; they will receive what God has promised! 6 “Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires; God will satisfy them fully! 7 “Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them! 8 “Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God! 9 “Happy are those who work for peace; God will call them his children! 10 “Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them! 11 “Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy and glad, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven. This is how the prophets who lived before you were persecuted. (Matthew 5:1-12) In constant prayer and union with the Father, Jesus is able to perceive the deep need of the family of God. He proclaims with urgency the hope of the presence of God in the middle of their challenges. Today, am I able to perceive the love of Christ for my brothers and sisters? TuesdayThe gaze of love of Jesus transfosrms us and in gratitude, we share the same love to others.7 A Samaritan woman came to draw some water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink of water.” (8 His disciples had gone into town to buy food.) 9 The woman answered, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan—so how can you ask me for a drink?” (Jews will not use the same cups and bowls that Samaritans use.)[a] 10 Jesus answered, “If you only knew what God gives and who it is that is asking you for a drink, you would ask him, and he would give you life-giving water.” 15 “Sir,” the woman said, “give me that water! Then I will never be thirsty again, nor will I have to come here to draw water.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman..25 The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah will come, and when he comes, he will tell us everything.” 26 Jesus answered, “I am he, I who am talking with you.” (John 4:7-10;15,21, 25-26) In the busyness of everyday filling our jars with accomplishments, concerns, activities, many times we find ourselves empty and end up possessing nothing. Yet Jesus comes and meets us in where we are, gazes us with compasión and fills us with HIs love. That gaze and dialogue transforms us and we are no longer the same. Today, do I experience the gaze of Jesus in my life? Do I also find the means to remain united with HIm in prayer in the daily life? WednesdayThis love I encountered moves me to go to my brothers and sisters and share with enthusiasm my personal encounter with HIm.39 Many of the Samaritans in that town believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I have ever done.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they begged him to stay with them, and Jesus stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of his message, 42 and they told the woman, “We believe now, not because of what you said, but because we ourselves have heard him, and we know that he really is the Savior of the world.” (John4 :39-41) When we truly encounter the love of Christ, we are filled with so much joy and gratitude that with urgency, we share the same experience to the people closest to us. It is an unstoppable fire within that doesn’t count the cost. In where I am, who are the people He is calling me to reach out? Is it my mother, my father, my siblings, relatives, friends or the reality/ ministry where I am in? In what way can I share the Good News? ThursdayJesus prays for us in the mission that He shares with us9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those you gave me, for they belong to you. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine; and my glory is shown through them. 7 Consecrate them to yourself by means of the truth; your word is truth. 18 I sent them into the world, just as you sent me into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself to you, in order that they, too, may be truly consecrated to you. 20 “I pray not only for them, but also for those who believe in me because of their message. 21 I pray that they may all be one. (John 17:9-10, 17-21) Oftentimes in the mission where He calls us, there are moments when we feel overwhelmed, tired and say “I cannot go further anymore”. But it is beautiful to be reminded that it is a Divine call. Jesus Himself prayed before the Father that many may believe by our witness of faith. FridayOur life in union with Christ is a light to the world.14 “You are like light for the whole world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl; instead it is put on the lampstand, where it gives light for everyone in the house. 16 In the same way your light must shine before people, so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16) When we are united with Christ in every moment, we become the light for others. This light can only be sustained when it is constantly connected to the Source. Dear Jesus I am in the world. Help me to remain close to you in the ordinariness of this day that I may shine your light in me. Amen. SaturdayA heart on fire of His love responds with missionary urgency 39 Soon afterward Mary got ready and hurried off to a town in the hill country of Judea. 40 She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby moved within her. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and said in a loud voice, “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 Why should this great thing happen to me, that my Lord's mother comes to visit me? 44 For as soon as I heard your greeting, the baby within me jumped with gladness. 45 How happy you are to believe that the Lord's message to you will come true!” (Luke 1:39-45) Mary’s heart was on fire with the love and choice of God for her life. She moves beyond frontiers, beyond her comfort zone, what is familiar to her and even in her physical discomfort she runs in haste to respond to the needs of her relative Elizabeth. Mother Mary, share with me today your missionary heart that I too may love Jesus and keep that fire burning for love of Him through my brothers and sisters. Sunday32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 1st Reading: 1 Kings 17:10-16
Responsorial Psalm:Psalm 146:7-10 2nd Reading: Hebrews 9:24-28 Gospel:Mark 12:38-44 Comments are closed.
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