"God, our Father, by the waters of baptism you gave new life to the faithful. May we not succumb to the influence of evil but remain true to your gift of life….." (Mass Prayer in the Season of Easter)
The third of the 15 promises of the Virgin Mary to Christians to recite the Rosary is this:
"The Rosary will be a powerful armor against hell; it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies."
The secret of not succumbing to the influence of evil is to say the Rosary every day.
"In baptism we have died with Christ, and we have risen to new life in heaven, because we believed in the power of God who raised him, from the dead." Colossians 2: 12)
We died with Christ in baptism. Immersion in water symbolized our dying. We also rose to new life in baptism.
"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in that person." (John 6: 56)
Thank you Jesus for the gift of the Eucharist. I accept your word as true. May it be done to me according to your word.
"Go, for this is my chosen instrument to bring my name before gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel." (Acts 9: 5)
Paul is Christ's instrument for world evangelization. Find out what you have been chosen for.
"Let the peace of Christ control your hearts." (Colossians 3: 15)
Let the peace of Christ provide you with immunity from the turbulence in the world. The peace of Christ acts on the soul like immunization acts on the body. It protects the soul from viral attacks that destabilize the soul. Exposed to these attacks without protection, the soul is in mortal danger of great damage. The enemy of mankind is most potent when the soul is destabilized by worries, doubts, anxieties and fears.
"Let the peace of Christ control your hearts." (Colossians 3: 15)
"Lord God, by this holy exchange of gifts you share with us your divine life. Grant that everything we do may be directed by the knowledge of your truth……"
We bring bread and wine, the fruits of human labor to God in the Eucharist. We take from God the gift of the Body and Blood of His Son, Jesus. Through this gift, we share in God's divine life.
If all our thoughts, words and deeds are directed by the knowledge of God's truth, then we live truly as Jesus lived.
"I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world." (John 6: 51)
Two promises of the Eucharist to note today:
"Let all the earth cry out to God with joy….. Hear now all you who fear God, while I declare what he has done for me. When I appeal to him in words, praise was on the tip of my tongue." (Psalm 66)
Spiritual Principle: Praise must precede and go with the prayer of petition. The power of praise!
"The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, 'Set out at noon and go along the road that leads from Jerusalem down to Gaza, the desert road." (Acts 8: 26)
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of mission. The Holy Spirit is the main principle behind apostolic productivity and fruitfulness. Docility to the Holy Spirit is the key to empowerment.
"Father, in this holy season we come to know the full depth of your love. You have freed us from the darkness of error and sin. Help us to cling to your truths with fidelity…." (Mass Prayer in the Season of Easter)
How do we come to know the full depth of God's love for us? The Father loves us so much that He gave up His Son Jesus to save us. (John 3:16)
How does the Father free us from the darkness of error and sin? He frees us through His word and through the Sacraments. As we gird our loins in the truth of His word, we are freed from errors. As we come to Jesus in the Eucharist, we are freed from sin.
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"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf of bread, 5
or a snake when he asks for a fish?
If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.
(Matthew 7: 7-11)
What promises does Jesus make in the above verses on Prayer?
In one phrase, the promise of the infallibility of Prayer. Awesome! Very few promises in Scripture have been guaranteed as Prayer. Few promises are misunderstood as Prayer. Even good Christians may be tempted to rationalize or dilute the promise on Prayer.
Prayer is a spiritual law like the law of the Beatitudes. If you want the type of happiness promised by Jesus in the Beatitudes, live the Beatitudes. Similarly, if you want the type of answers to prayers promised by Jesus, apply the laws of Prayer.
"Lord, may this celebration of our redemption help us in this life and lead us to eternal happiness……" (Mass Prayer)
Whenever we participate in the Eucharist, we celebrate the primary event of our redemption. The Eucharist renews our mind, our soul and our body. It destroys the hunger and thirst for anything that is not Christ.
"We can approach God with confidence for this: if we make requests which accord with his will he listens to us; and if we know our requests are heard, we know that the things we ask for are ours" (1 John 5:14-15)
This seems utterly reasonable. If somebody asks me something that I have and which agrees with my plan for the person, I give it. So it is important to ensure that our prayers agree with God's will for us. How do we know God's will for us? How do I find out God's will for me in the Enterprise?
The believer who is in fellowship with God will not ask anything that is contrary to God's will. The Holy Spirit will see to it that our desires and prayers accord with God's will for us.
"Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it" (John 14: 13-14; Cf Matthew 7:7, 18:9).
To pray in Jesus' name, to pray as he prayed, is to offer perfect prayer. It is prayer that accords in His will. Such prayer is always answered, though the answer may be delayed and different from our expectations. The assurance that God hears and answers our prayer is for the Christian the final confidence in victory - that he is guarded by God and no power of evil can ultimately triumph over him. (THE INTERPRETERS ONE VOLUME COMMENTARY OF THE BIBLE.)
John sees prayer as having a wider scope for he speaks of asking for anything, but he immediately qualifies this "with accordance to his will." Prayer is not a device for inducing God to change his mind and do whatever we want. It must be offered in accord to God's will if it is to be effective. When it is offered in this way, God hears us. Elsewhere we learn that prayer must be in faith (Mk 11:24), in the name of Jesus (Jn 14:14), offered by those who abide in Christ (Jn 15:7), who have forgiven those who offend them (Mk 11:25); it must be accompanied by obedience (1 Jn 3:22), and it must not be for the gratification of one's passions (James 4:3). All this is involved in praying according to the will of God. From the thought that God hears us, we move to the consequences, namely that he grants our requests. (NEW BIBLE COMMENTARY R220.7N532)
John presents prayer as a privilege belonging to faith in Christ. The Lord Christ emboldens us to come to God in all circumstances. Through Jesus, our petitions are accepted by God. The matter of our prayer must be agreeable to the declared will of God. We may have confidence that the prayer of faith shall be heard in heaven.
The advantage accruing to us by such privilege, v15. To know that his petitions are heard or accepted is as good as to know that they are answered. (MATTHEW HENRY'S COMMENTARY IN ONE VOLUME - R220.7 H523)
When believers are so responsive to the guidance of the Spirit of truth that their prayers accord with God's will, God hears their prayers and grants their requests. (HARPERS BIBLE COMMENTARY - R220.7H215)
"Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it" (Jn 14: 13-14)
Whatever: the scope of the prayer. Eg: To do God's will, faith, patience, wisdom, humility and courage.
Ask: The condition of prayer - Ask and keep asking.
In my name: The ground of prayer. This involves at least two things: praying in the authority Christ gives (cf Mt 28:19; Acts 3:6) and praying in union with Him, so that one does not pray outside His will.
That I will do: The certainty of prayer.
That the Father may be glorified in the Son: the purpose of prayer. (WYCLIFFE BIBLE COMMENTARY)
"Lord, restore us by these Easter mysteries. May the continuing work of our Redeemer bring us eternal joy…." (Mass Prayer in the Season of Easter)
The greatest of the Easter mysteries is the Eucharist. In the Eucharist, we enjoy the real presence of the Risen Christ. In the Blessed Sacrament, we enjoy the comfort of His real presence on our altar. The Eucharist renews our spiritual vitality in a way that nothing else could come close to. It is our true Daily Bread. St. Ambrose, doctor and father of the Church asks, "Why receive once a year that which is offered daily?"
"I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever hunger; no one who believes in me will ever thirst." (John 6: 35)
You cannot serve God and mammon. Both are mutually exclusive. If you pick up one, you drop the other. The Bread of life destroys hunger for mammon in our lives. Hunger for mammon destroys hunger for the Bread of life. It is either one or the other. Never the two at the same time. These words of Jesus in John 6: 35 is well a tested principle like the Beatitudes. If you ask, "Is it true?' You try it and see for yourself.
Lord, let your flesh which is the Bread of life destroy in me all hunger and thirst for mammon. Amen!
"Once they had scattered, they went from place to place preaching the good news." (Acts 8: 4)
The persecution ushers in missionary activity. Like the crucifixion of Jesus, t he persecutors did not foresee the consequence otherwise they would not have persecuted the disciples of Jesus.
"All things work together for good to those who love God."
"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5: 10)
"Father, you called St. Anslem to study and teach the sublime truths you have revealed. Let your gift of faith come to the aid of our understanding and open our hearts to your truth…." (Opening Prayer on the feast of St. Anslem)
God called St. Anslem.
He called Peter and Paul.
He called Augustine and Ignatius.
Is God calling me?
God called St. Anslem to learn and to teach the sublime truths of faith. What is my vocation? I love to learn and to communicate.
The gift of faith comes to the aid of our intellect and opens our heart to God's truth.
"Merciful Lord, hear the prayers of your people. May we who have received your gift of faith share forever in the new life of Christ…." (Prayer at Mass)
The gift of faith is one of the most important gifts we receive from our merciful Father.
"I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever hunger; no one who believes in me will ever thirst." (John 6: 35)
Jesus is the bread of life. The Bread of life destroys hunger and thirst for material things. This is a promise that can be trusted.
"Into your hands, O Lord, I entrust my spirit…. You are my rock and my fortress; for your name's sake, you will lead me and guide me." (Psalm 31: 6, 4)
God is my rock and my refuge. For the sake of your name, Jesus, lead me, guide me and use me.
