Increase of the Chosen People

"God and Father of all who believe in you, you promised Abraham that he will become the father of all nations, and through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ you fulfill that promise. Everywhere throughout the world you increase your chosen people. May we respond to your call by joyfully accepting your invitation to the new life of grace ….." (Prayer at the Mass of Easter Vigil)

At the Easter Vigil everywhere in the world, new members are added to the Church through the baptism of catechumens and the welcoming of candidates into the Church.

Jesus Christ is the means through which the promise to Abraham is fulfilled.

Obey Christ

"Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him." (Hebrew 5: 8-9)

What does it mean to obey Christ?

• Love one another as I love you.
  
• Forgive one another as I forgive you.
  
• I provide all your needs. Do the same for your needy brothers and sisters. Share what you have.
  

Christ becomes the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him. Salvation here and now means freedom from sin and the consequences of sin.

My Destiny2

"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit ….. But I trust in you, O Lord; I say 'You are my God. In your hands is my destiny; rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and persecutors." (Psalm 31: 6, 15-16)

What would I do if I know for certain that my destiny is in the hands of my Father?

• Deeper trust
  
• Total surrender
  
• Peace and tranquility
  

Psalm 31:15 is an example of healing truth. That is, the type of truth that heals us from worry and fear.

My life is solidly in God's hands! Hurrah!

"Take courage and be stouthearted, all you who hope in the Lord."

Since my destiny is in God's hands, I take courage and I am stouthearted as I entrust every aspect of the Enterprise to God. I trust Him to press all the buttons and open all the doors.

 

 

My Destiny

"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit ….. But I trust in you, O Lord; I say 'You are my God. In your hands is my destiny; rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and persecutors." (Psalm 31: 6, 15-16)

What would I do if I know for certain that my destiny is in the hands of my Father?

• Deeper trust
  
• Total surrender
  
• Peace and tranquility
  

Psalm 31:15 is an example of healing truth. That is, the type of truth that heals us from worry and fear.

My life is solidly in God's hands! Hurrah!

Divine Filiation2

"Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured, while we thought of him as stricken, as one smitten by God and afflicted. But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins; upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53: 4-5)

Christ reconciled us to the Father through His passion. We become the adopted children of God. The truth of our new enhanced status should make us free from the tyranny of physical limitations and disabilities. We can and must now triumph over these conditions.

How to do for others

"If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do." (John 13: 14-15)

As Christ does for me, He wants me to do for others. What does Christ do for me here and now?

• Eucharist
  
• Word of God
  
• Casa
  
• Food
  
• Health
  
• Peace and Security
  
• Faith
  

Jesus wants me to touch the lives of others with these gifts.

Maranatha

"For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes." (1 Corinthians 11: 26)

Proclaim the death of the Lord – "Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again."

Maranatha!

Blood of the Lamb

"This day shall be a memorial feast for you, which all your generations shall celebrate with pilgrimage to the Lord, as a perpetual institution." (Exodus 12: 14)

"Do this in memory of me."

The Passover foreshadows both the Last Supper and Calvary.

"This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

You shall be saved through the blood of the Lamb.

The Other Big Command

"God our Father, we are gathered here to share in the supper which your only Son left to his Church to reveal his love. He gave it to us when he was about to die and commanded us to celebrate it as the new and eternal sacrifice. We pray that in this Eucharist, we may find the fullness of love and life…." (Prayer at Mass)

The Eucharist reveals Christ's love for His Church. We see why the Church has guarded the Eucharist jealously for the past 2000 years. Not to do so would be much more grievous than being flippant with a wedding ring given by a much beloved spouse.

Jesus Christ invites us to the Eucharist but some people hear this invitation every day. The invitation and the answer prove Christ's immense love for them.

"I have come that they may have life and have it to the full." The Eucharist promises fullness of love and life. May I find both in the Eucharist, O Jesus. The Eucharist is a celebration of love and thanks.

Glorious Cross

"We should glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ for he is our salvation, our life and our resurrection; through him we are saved and made free." (Galatians 6: 14)

Glory in the cross of Jesus Christ. Do not be ashamed of it. The cross is the means of our salvation. But it is Jesus who is our salvation and life. Glory in your personal crosses. Do not be ashamed of them or reject them. Your personal crosses are also the means through which Jesus is saving you here and now. In your crosses, remember: "My grace is sufficient for you. For my strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12: 9)

Eucharist and Memorial

"All-powerful God, the Eucharist proclaims the death of your Son. Increase our faith in its saving power and strengthen our hope in the life it promises." (Prayer at Mass)

Christ commanded us to do the Eucharist in memory of Him. The Eucharist is not just the wish of Christ to be fulfilled by His followers. It is the greatest gift He left us. Jesus said, "I am the bread of life." It is in the Eucharist that we eat this bread and appropriate the promise of life it makes. Have faith in the Eucharist and have life.

Betray2

"And while they were eating he said, "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me." (Matthew 26: 21)

Lord Jesus, have mercy on me. May your grace protect me so that I do not betray you again. Look at my weakness and have pity on me.

A Cry of Anguish

"Answer me Lord in your generous love; in your great mercy turn to me. Do not hide your face from your servant; in my distress hasten to answer me. Come and ransom my life; because of my enemies redeem me. You know my reproach, my shame, my disgrace; before you stand all my foes. Insult has broken my heart, and I am weak; I looked for compassion, but there was none, for comforters, but found none. Instead they put gall in my food; for my thirst they gave me vinegar." (Psalm 69: 17-22)

A cry of anguish in great distress.

If you want to be my disciple, take up your cross everyday and follow me.

A Well-trained tongue

"The Lord God has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear…." (Isaiah 50: 4)

Before you speak, you must learn what to say. You sit at the feet of Jesus and the Holy Spirit instructs you by means of the word. When you have mastered the lessons, all the lessons, the Spirit of truth sends you to the "weary."

Thank you Father for this word. I believe it. Consecrate me in the truth. Your word is truth. Consecrate my tongue, my hands, all of men.

"Consecrate me in the truth." Set me apart exclusively for the work of the truth.

"A word that will rouse them (the weary)" - Rouse them to conversion; strengthen the discouraged; warn the complacent.

The Power of Acceptance

"Father, in your plan of salvation your Son Jesus Christ accepted the cross and freed us from the power of the enemy. May we come to share the glory of his resurrection….." (Prayer at Mass)

Note the power of acceptance. When we accept God's will in our life, we become free to enjoy God's power in every circumstance. In dying, we find life. In accepting tribulations, we overcome the fear of suffering and become free. Jesus achieved freedom for us through the acceptance of His Father's will to suffer and die.

Name of Jesus

"At the name of Jesus, every knee must bend, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth; … Jesus Christ is Lord." (Philippians 2: 10-11)

Jesus is Lord!

Jesus Prayer

Come Lord Jesus!

Jesus' name is one of my greatest gifts.

Eucharist and the Promise of Life

"Lord, look at mercy on our offerings. May we who share the holy gifts receive the life they promise….." (Prayer at Mass)

Look at mercy on our offerings – We are weak and inadequate. So are our offerings. Instead of looking at our miserable offerings, look rather on your Son who offers Himself for us.

The Eucharist promises life to those who receive it worthily.

Betrayal

"You will lay down your life for me, will you?' Jesus answered. 'I tell you truly, the cock will not crow before you have three times disowned me!" (John 13: 38)

Dearest Jesus, you are right. I can betray you and I will betray you unless you help me. Help me for I am weak. Help me for I do not want to betray you.

My Hope and My Trust

"I will sing of your salvation… For you are my hope, O Lord, my trust, O God, from my youth. On you I depend from my mother's womb; you are my strength." (Psalm 71: 8, 5-6)

God is my hope. I trust in Him in everything. He has taught me from my youth and till the present I proclaim His wondrous deeds.

A Sharp-edged Sword

"The Lord called me from birth, from my mother's womb he gave me my name. He made me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm." (Isaiah 49: 1-2)

The Lord called me from birth and gave me the name Emmanuel. He is training me today, forming me into a sharp-edged sword.

Father, let your plan for me life be fully accomplished.