"I tell you, therefore, everything you ask and pray for, believe that you have it already, and it will be yours." (Mark 11:24)
What do I pray for today?
Jesus promises that if I believe they are mine already, they are mine. Lord, help me to believe.
"Father in heaven, form in us the likeness of your Son and deepen his life within us. Send us as witnesses of gospel joy into a world of fragile peace and broken promises. Touch the hearts of all men with your love that they in turn may love one another ……." (Opening Mass Prayer)
Form in us the likeness of Jesus.
Deepen His life within us.
Send us as witnesses of gospel joy to our families, friends and work places.
Touch our hearts with your love so that we can love others.
"By the words of the Lord his works come into being and all creation obeys his will." (Sirach 42: 15)
All things obey God. (Psalm 119: 91)
I delight so much in this attribute of God. Whatever God wills, He accomplishes. I can trust Him.
"Father, by the preaching of St. Augustine of Canterbury, you led the people of England to the gospel. May the fruits of his work continue in your Church…" (Feast of St. Augustine of Canterbury)
God inspired and blessed the preaching of St. Augustine of Canterbury and used it to convert England.
"Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing." (John 15: 5)
"I will look after my sheep, says the Lord, and I will raise up one shepherd who will pasture them. I, the Lord, will be their God." (Ezekiel 34: 11, 23-24)
God will always provide pasture for his flock.
One flock, one shepherd. One Church, one pastor.
"Lord, strengthen us with the bread of life. May we always imitate St. Philip by hungering after the sacrament in which we find true life…" (Communion Prayer in the feast of St. Philip Neri)
The Eucharist is one critical path to this abundance of life promised by Jesus Christ. The Eucharist strengthens our inner being. By diminishing and eventually eliminating desire for that which is material and transitory, it elevates that which is permanent, that is the true life in us.
We ask the Lord to increase our hunger for the Eucharist always.
"I solemnly tell you: those who have left everything and followed me will be repaid a hundredfold and will gain eternal life." (Matthew 19: 27 – 29)
Lord, I believe in your promise. Help me to leave everything and follow you with all my heart.
You also promised:
"Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides." (Matthew 6: 33)
Lord, I also believe in this promise. Help me to seek you first in every thought word and deed. Let it be done to me according to your word.
"For look, today I have made you into a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of bronze to stand against the whole country: the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests and the people of the country." (Jeremiah 1: 18)
How does God make us a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of bronze? What resources does He provide us here and now to make these promises true?
Constant use of the above resources would constitute anybody into a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of bronze.
"Lord, help us who offer this sacrifice of praise to follow the example of St. Philip. Keep us always cheerful in our work for the glory of your name and the good of our neighbor…." (Prayer in the Mass of St. Philip Neri)
The Eucharist is a sacrifice of praise.
Cheerfulness is an important gift in ministry. I will be cheerful today. I resolve to be always cheerful.
"For the Son of Man himself came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10: 45)
Lord, I am humbled by your servant spirit. Give me the same spirit. Teach me how to serve.
"Once more taking the twelve aside he began to tell them what was going to happen to him." (Mark 10: 32)
Jesus prepares His disciples for the future by telling them what was going to happen to Him. In another passage, He tells them what was going to happen to them when He was gone from their presence. I attended a retreat once where the retreat director prepared us for life after the mountain-top experience of the retreat. The warning helped me.
Every genuine Christian experiences the truth of mountain-top and down-the-valley experience in our walk with Christ. The crucial message is that one must always be prepared.
"Reward those who hoped in you and let your prophets be proved true. Hear the prayer of your servants, for you are ever gracious to your people. Thus it will be known to the very ends of the earth that you are the eternal God." (Sirach 36: 15-17)
Lex orandi, lex credendi. The rule of prayer is the rule of faith. Surely, God will reward those who wait for Him.
"The Lord is my inheritance and my cup; he alone will give me my reward." (Psalm 16: 5)
Father, grant me the patience and perseverance to wait for your reward. Amen.
How do I wait for God's kairos? Prayer / 7-Way Plan.
The apostles and Mary waited for the Holy Spirit in prayer.
"Father, you continually raises up your faithful to the glory of holiness. In your love kindle in us the fire of the Holy Spirit who so filled the heart of St. Philip Neri…." (Prayer on the feast of St. Philip Neri)
It is God who raises up saints. Our task is to cooperate with His grace. The path to sanctity runs across every single occupation and is completely accessible to every person. It is God's desire that everybody aspire to holiness. The Church provides the means of sanctification primarily through the Sacraments. The Holy Spirit is the sanctifier. He prompts us, He nudges us and inspires us to accept the means of holiness.
"The Lord is my inheritance and my cup; he alone will give me my reward. The measuring line has marked a lovely place for me; my inheritance is my great delight." (Psalm 16: 5-6)
I seek my reward only from God. I seek my salvation only from my God. I seek peace only from God. God says to me: "I am your inheritance and your cup. I alone will give you your reward." Why should I doubt God? Is He a man to lie? Is anything too difficult for Him to accomplish?
God further promises me: "The measuring line has marked a lovely place for you." What place has God marked for me here and now?
Thank you Father.
"Lord, by this celebration, may your Spirit fill us with the same light of faith that shines in the teaching of St. Bede." (Communion Prayer on the feast of St. Bede)
The Eucharist provides a point of contact with the Holy Spirit. The Eucharist is a formidable resource in spiritual, physical and mental renewal.
"Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom." (Matthew 11: 25)
What are the mysteries of the kingdom?
The mysteries of the kingdom are the deposit of faith enshrined in the Creed we repeat on Sundays and feast days. The mysteries of the kingdom are also the seven Sacraments. The mysteries of the kingdom are the body of truth revealed by Jesus to His Church. God chooses to reveal the mysteries of the kingdom to the humble.
How do we come by the knowledge of salvation? How do we learn the mysteries of the kingdom?
"Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me." (Luke 10: 16) Jesus gave to the apostles and their successors authority to teach the mysteries of the kingdom.
"In truth, I tell you, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, who will not receive a hundred times as much, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land – and persecutions too – now in the present time and , in the world to come, eternal life." (Mark 10: 10: 29-30)
Whenever I read the above scripture, I think of the many priests, religious, missionaries and all those that live the consecrated life. Is the above promise true in their regard, I wonder? From what I can tell from those of them that I know, the promise is absolutely true. God is faithful. He is not a man to lie. But a few that are called, seem to overlook the fulfillment of this promise and present a sometimes sorry image to the world. Do they listen to word of man more than they listen to the word of God? Just as your heart follows your treasure, so does your mind follow the preponderance of the words it receives.
"Offer praise as your sacrifice to God; fulfill your vows to the Most High. Then call on me in time of distress; I will rescue you, and you shall honor me….
Those who offer praise as a sacrifice honor me; to the obedient I will show the salvation of God." (Psalm 50: 14-15, 23)
Praise and thank God at all times. Fulfill your vows to the Most High.
Praise is the key to God's heart.
"Give to the Most High as he has given to you, as generously as your means can afford; for the Lord is a good rewarder, he will reward you seven times over." (Sirach 35: 9-10)
Who can rival the Lord in generosity? Nobody. Always remember that nobody can out do God in generosity.
Be generous to God with your time, talent and treasure. God is a generous rewarder
"Add a smiling face to all your gifts, and be cheerful as you dedicate your tithes." (Sirach 35: 8)
Be joyful in giving. God loves a cheerful giver.
