 
General Theme: Pilgrims of Hope General Objective: To live with faith and hope this Jubilee Year Objective of the week: To remain faithful to our calling and our hope in the promises of the Lord. INTRODUCTION After the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, we continue our journey during this Jubilee Year with the perspective of increasing our faith, love and hope. We are now in the ordinary time of the liturgical year. For the following weeks we will focus our reflections on the passages for the daily mass hoping that it will lead us to walk as Pilgrims of Hope. MONDAY Genesis 12:1-9; The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev. Psalm 33:12-13,18-19, 20,22 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance. From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. Matthew 7:1-5; “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. "Blessed are the people the Lord has chosen to be his own." (Ps. 33:12) As the Lord called Abraham to go to the land he promised and do what he commanded him to do, we too are personally called by our name to be his own and to do his commands to go forth spiritually by leaving our comfort zone to reach the promised land which is heaven. Leaving our comfort zone is a journey of sacrifice to follow his will. Being in this community is a great blessing to recognize his calling, his voice deep within our soul if we do right actions and decisions. It doesn't mean that we are in this community, we are better than others and make harsh judgments on them. We are all alike, we are imperfect, we have flaws and are trying hard to make perfect in our individual journey. As Jesus said in the gospel, "Remove the wooden beam from your eye so that you may be able to see clearly the splinter from your brother's eye."(Mt. 7:4) Being chosen, let us fix our eyes on the Sacred Heart of Jesus who does not make harsh judgment but is full of mercy and compassion to everyone. By our obedience we can be a blessing to everyone who is astray on their journey to heaven. Let us walk with faith making Jesus the center of our hearts. Be obedient to his commands by taking a step of sacrifice by being compassionate and forgiving to one another. Let us also ask Mother Mary to pray for us to endure temptations in order to reach the land the Lord had promised us.
TUESDAY Isaiah 49:1-6; Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the Lord called me; from my mother’s womb he had spoken my name. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; He made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.” But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.” And now the Lord says-- he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am[a] honored in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my strength-- he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” Acts 13:22-26; After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ “From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised. Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. As John was completing his work, he said: ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for. But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’ “Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. Luke 1:57, 66, 80; When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him. And the child grew and became strong in spirit[a]; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel. God's call to His chosen people is profound and multifaceted that resonates deeply in us. At its core, it's about God's sovereignty and love, as seen in the history of the Church in the Scriptures. God chose, not because of one's size or merit, but to fulfill His promises and show His faithfulness. We were called to be light to the nations. God's plan extends beyond Israel, aiming to bless all nations through His chosen people.
WEDNESDAY Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring[d] be.” Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. He also said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.” But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?” So the Lord said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi[a] of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates Matthew 7:15-20; “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Faith in God is not based solely on evidence that can be seen. Trust that is not without struggle or questioning is enough for God to pour upon His boundless blessings toward us. When we spiritually discern the outcomes of our prayer in word and action, we can recognize God’s will for us. Christ calls us to always be alert, vigilant, wise, and rooted in truth. We are reminded that faith involves trusting God completely and responsibly discerning what or who to follow.
THURSDAY Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16; Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan for ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.” “Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think is best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her. The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered. Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.” The angel of the Lord also said to her: “You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.” So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael. Matthew 7:21-29; “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. Jesus reminds us in the Gospel of today that the firm foundation in our discipleship is to listen to His words and obey it! Active listening through constant dialogue with Him is very much essential. Prayer with His Word is our first call and acting on it as a result of our prayer is our second call, in Verbum Dei, we call it testimony of life. Jesus is pointing to us, that the way to an authentic discipleship is through obedience, as He said in Jn 4:24“My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. We are reminded today of our missionary intentionality, to do everything for God and for our obedience to His will, rather than for our self vested interest and false recognition. May our prayer and obedience to do His will make us always faithful to our call as disciples, as we continue to be hopeful for His eternal promises.
FRIDAY Ezekiel 34:11-16; “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice. Romans 5:5b-11; And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Luke 15:3-7; Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Today is the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Since LOVE is abstract then the HEART is the best symbolism for it. The heart of Jesus is radiant with love and a heart that is wounded because of love. Through this heart we are constantly reminded that he is our Good Shepherd. The person who is always willing to search for the lost sheep and rejoices as he found the sheep. He even carries the sheep on his shoulders with great joy as he finds it.( Lk 15:3-6) How faithful are we to his call as he proclaims about the Kingdom of Heaven. Where he asks all of us to repent. For he is very willing to forgive the sins for those who believe in him. For, " God proves his LOVE for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us."(Rom 5:8) That is why we need not to stop hoping, for "heaven is more joyful over one sinner to repent than over the ninety - nine righteous people who have no need for repentance."(Jn 15:7) Today we are reminded to listen intently to his call and also to his teachings. Emphasizing that we have a God whose heart we have wounded, but has never given up on us. Despite what he has done to us, he never expects us to pay back to him. Let us ask the help of our Mother Mary. That like her we may have a heart that is ready to beat in unison to the heart of Jesus. For Jesus and Mary show us the way of unity in love.
THE JUBILEE PRAYER Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom. May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally. May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth. To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever. Amen
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General Theme: Pilgrims of Hope General Objective: To live with faith and hope this Jubilee Year Objective of the week: To prepare ourselves for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. INTRODUCTION The Sunday after the Trinity Sunday, we celebrate the Solemnity of the “Corpus Christi.” The words Corpus Christi means “Body of Christ”, and, for that reason, this liturgical feast is also known as the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. We celebrate the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. As the Church teaches, the Eucharist is the “source and summit of Christian life” (Lumen Gentium, 11; Catechism of Catholic Church, 1324). In the Catholic Church we have the tradition to have foot procession after the celebration of the Eucharist. We desire to give public witness to the faith of the Christian people and to manifest our devotion to the Blessed Sacrament but the celebration of Corpus Christi is impoverished if we limit ourselves to the adoration or to the foot procession. We need to understand the Eucharist in the context of Jesus’ life especially of his suffering and death and what this means to our lives. In the Institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper (Mk 14:12-16,22-26), Jesus says: “Take it, this is my body” and “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many”. In the Bible, “body” and “blood” signify and indicate the very life of the person, his very self. Therefore, the bread and wine at the Last Supper are no other than Jesus, He whose body will be broken by suffering and death on Calvary, and whose blood will be poured out in death for the salvation of all. The Holy Eucharist is also a source of spirituality in the Verbum Dei. “In the sacrifice and sacrament of the Eucharist, we are given the divine-human love of our God. And we renovate in a graphic and palpable way the real presence of the Trinity in us.” (Statutes VDMF 221). MONDAY John 6:32-35 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. Sir, they said, always give us this bread. Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” Pope Francis says: “The Feast of Corpus Christi is a time for Christians to remember that God will meet their basic needs to eat and to be filled with the joy and amazement of receiving loving nourishment from Jesus Christ. In the Eucharist, everyone can experience this loving and concrete attention of the Lord. Those who receive the Body and Blood of Christ with faith not only eat, but are satisfied. To eat and to be satisfied: These are two basic necessities that are satisfied in the Eucharist.” (Feast of Corpus Christi 2022).
TUESDAY John 6:53-58 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” “The person of Christ, Sacrament of the Father, his flesh and blood made bread and wine, is the nutrition with which Jesus has wanted to help the divine life of all mankind, until the end of time.” (Statutes VDMF, 222) We are nourished spiritually every time we are fed by Jesus’ love.
WEDNESDAY John 4:10 “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.” John 10:10 “I have come in order that you might have life- life in its fullness.” Pope Francis says: “Sometimes there is the risk of confining the Eucharist to a vague, distant dimension, perhaps bright and perfumed with incense, but rather distant from the straits of everyday life. The Lord takes all our needs to heart, beginning with the most basic. We certainly need to nourish ourselves, but we also need to be satisfied, to know that the nourishment is given to us out of love. In the Body and Blood of Christ, we find his presence, his life given for each of us. He not only gives us help to go forward, but he gives us himself — he makes himself our traveling companion, he enters into our affairs, he visits us when we are lonely, giving us back a sense of enthusiasm. We are satisfied when the Lord gives meaning to our life, our obscurities, our doubts; he sees the meaning, and this meaning that the Lord gives satisfies us. Everyone is looking for the presence of the Lord, because in the warmth of his presence, our lives change.” (Feast of Corpus Christi 2022) In front of the Blessed Sacrament we can pray: “Lord, give me that daily bread to go forward. Lord, satisfy me with your presence! THURSDAY Luke 9:10-17 The apostles came back and told Jesus everything they had done. He took them with him, and they went off by themselves to a town named Bethsaida. When the crowds heard about it, they followed him. He welcomed them, spoke to them about the Kingdom of God, and healed those who needed it. When the sun was beginning to set, the twelve disciples came to him and said, "Send the people away so that they can go to the villages and farms around here and find food and lodging, because this is a lonely place." But Jesus said to them, "You yourselves give them something to eat." They answered, "All we have are five loaves and two fish. Do you want us to go and buy food for this whole crowd?"(There were about five thousand men there) Jesus said to his disciples, "Make the people sit down in groups of about fifty each." After the disciples had done so, Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up to heaven, thanked God for them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. They all ate and had enough, and the disciples took up twelve baskets of what was left over.” Reflecting on the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, Pope Francis says: “Jesus Christ’s self-giving presence is key to understanding the Eucharist. The Lord present in the Eucharist is calling us to be citizens of heaven, but at the same time he takes into account the journey we have to face here on earth. If I have hardly any breath in my sack, he knows and takes care of it himself. The miracle of the loaves and fishes does not happen in a spectacular way, but almost secretly, the bread increases as it passes from hand to hand. And as the crowd eats, they realize that Jesus is taking care of everything. We can evaluate our Eucharistic Adoration when we take care of our neighbor like Jesus does. There is hunger for food around us, but also for companionship; there is hunger for consolation, friendship, good humor; there is hunger for attention, there is hunger to be evangelized. We find this in the Eucharistic Bread — the attention of Christ to our needs and the invitation to do the same toward those who are beside us. We need to eat and feed others.” (Feast of Corpus Christi 2022)
FRIDAY Today we´ll focus our reflection on the Statutes of the Verbum Dei. Through it we can grasp more why the Holy Eucharist is a source of spirituality for those who partake in the Verbum Dei´s charism and mission. “The Sacrament is the forge where, in intimate dialogue that transforms us, the genuine personality of the disciples of Christ is forged. It is the Sacrament of the real presence of Christ among us and in us, who unceasingly elaborates the essence and the bond of vital communion of all the Fraternity.” (Statutes VDMF 227). “We will make the effort so that our intimacy with Jesus and reciprocal hope with him may be long-lasting. We would be going only halfway and our dialogue and love would be very mediocre and infantile if we limited ourselves to admiring the Sacrament and the greatness of the love of Jesus, and if we stayed contemplating and admiring. That would be far from the ideal for which Jesus aspires in us in his Eucharistic Sacrifice and in his permanency in the Tabernacles. More than worshipers and admirers, Jesus seeks decided imitators.” (Statutes VDMF 224) “Our attendance to the Eucharistic Sacrifice should not be as mere spectators. We receive the constant call to be participants in the same offering and consecration, to become the same Eucharistic Love that we receive.” (Statutes VDMF 225) “Along with the bread and wine, the disciples of Jesus can be consecrated. This can be achieved by uniting in the pure and perfect love of the Lord. Happy with Jesus and living like him, one can live through similar challenges and approach a similar destination. One can surrender one's flesh and blood in a similar way. With Christ, and following Him, our life will follow the steps of the Lamb to cure the sins of the world.” (Statutes VDMF 229)
THE JUBILEE PRAYER Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom. May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally. May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth. To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever. Amen. 
General Theme: Pilgrims of Hope General Objective: To live with faith and hope this Jubilee Year Objective of the week: To deepen the fruits of the Holy Spirit. INTRODUCTION The Solemnity of Pentecost is at hand. We will continue in our reflection and prayer to deepen on the fruits of the Holy Spirit. We are constantly under the action of the Holy Spirit who wants us to be joyful children of the Father and faithful disciples of Jesus. We have again in our hands the option for openness to His action so that we can live this Jubilee Year full of hope. Let´s intensify our close relationship with the Spirit of love and truth during this week. MONDAY “The Holy Spirit is the source of kindness and goodness” Kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous and considerate. Synonyms for kindness are altruism (selfless concern for the wellbeing of others), compassion, sympathy, hospitality, tolerance and patience. Kindness is a type of behavior marked by acts of generosity, consideration, or concern for others, without expecting praise or reward in return. Colossians 3:12-13 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. Kindness is important because it fosters positive emotions, strengthens relationships, and can even improve physical and mental health. It encourages gratitude, reduces stress and anxiety, and promotes empathy, leading to a more joyful and fulfilling life. Furthermore, kindness can create a ripple effect of positivity, inspiring others to be kind and contribute to a more compassionate community. In the words of Mother Teresa of Calcutta: “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” Goodness is virtue and holiness in action. It results in a life characterized by deeds motivated by righteousness and a desire to be a blessing. It’s a moral characteristic of a Spirit-filled person. The Greek word translated “goodness,” agathosune, is defined as "uprightness of heart and life." Agathosune is goodness for the benefit of others, not goodness simply for the sake of being virtuous. Someone with agathosune will selflessly act on behalf of others. Confronting someone about a sin demonstrates goodness. So do giving to the poor, providing for one’s children, visiting the sick, volunteering to clean up after a storm, and praying for an enemy. Expressions of goodness are as varied as the Spirit is creative. Goodness is not a quality we can manufacture on our own. James 1:17 says, "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights." This certainly includes a life characterized by goodness. In letting the Holy Spirit control us, we are blessed with the fruit of goodness. Luke 6:45 A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. 3 John 1:11 Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does what is good is of God; whoever does what is evil has never seen God. Galatians 6:1 So then, while we have the opportunity, let us do good to all, but especially to those who belong to the family of the faith. As others see our good works, they will praise our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16) Thanks be to God whose constant love manifests in us through the Holy Spirit, our advocate, inspiring us to incarnate Christ by doing goodness and kindness to others. As listeners and sharers of the gospel is a great opportunity for us to get closer to Jesus. A time to ponder his words and be reminded of our way of living if we have lived the way Christ lived and loved. There are moments that we are like Christ in a way that we become sensitive to the feelings of others. We move to pity and trying to understand their situations, and if we brush them off, we start feeling uncomfortable and guilty of neglecting them. This is the invitation of the Holy Spirit to be one in the suffering of our brothers and sisters who need us. We, the VD disciples, are being reminded by our great responsibility to one another. As we open to the Holy Spirit, he works and moves in us to live as Jesus lives to respond to the needy ones without expecting something in return. These acts of goodness and kindness are the fruits of the Holy Spirit indicating that we are alive in Christ. However, it is not easy to be kind and to be good to others by our human capacity alone for we are too weak to do it; we are influenced by our fears, pride, and prejudices and we rationalize to overcome our guilt. But let us be grateful to the Holy Spirit who empowers us to do simple acts of goodness and kindness so that others may be able to open to the Holy Spirit that move them to see Christ in us. "As others see our good works, they will praise our Father in heaven." (Mt. 5:16)
TUESDAY “The Holy Spirit is the source of joy of deliverance” The Greek word for joy is chara. The Greek chara is closely related to charis, which means “grace” or “a gift.” Chara is the normal response to charis—we have joy because of God’s grace. The next step in the progression is to allow our joy to become an action as we express it, although sometimes joy can be so great it is inexpressible (1 Peter 1:8). Possessing joy is a choice. We choose whether to value God’s presence, promises, and work in our lives. When we yield to the Spirit, He opens our eyes to God’s grace around us and fills us with joy (Romans 15:13). Joy is not to be found in a fallen world; it is only fellowship with God that can make our joy complete (1 John 1:4). The joy, fruit of the Holy Spirit can be manifested in different ways: a) The joy of deliverance b) The joy of salvation c) The joy of spiritual maturity d) The joy of God´s presence *The joy of deliverance: When God sets someone free, rejoicing is in order. 1 Samuel 2:1 Hannah prayed: "The Lord has filled my heart with joy; how happy I am because of what he has done! I laugh at my enemies; how joyful I am because God has helped me! Acts 12:13-16 Peter knocked at the outside door, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer it. She recognized Peter's voice and was so happy that she ran back in without opening the door, and announced that Peter was standing outside. "You are crazy!" they told her. But she insisted that it was true. So, they answered, "It is his angel." Meanwhile Peter kept on knocking. At last, they opened the door, and when they saw him, they were amazed. Most often than not, we are trapped with the idea or in a situation where we find ourselves stagnant with the pressing concerns that haunt us again and again. With the grace of God, through The Holy Spirit, He opens our eyes to that truth that grace of God abounds all the more when we need it the most, it is always His desire and His Joy to deliver us from all infirmities, destruction, oppressions or our spiritual battles. It is also our Joy to be rescued and be freed by God through all these challenges and difficulties, this can only happen through the grace of God and our daily recognition of his continuous work of deliverance for all of us that our joy may be in Him and for Him. all of us, I guess, had experiences of doing the right thing amidst the prejudice of the world yet God prevailed because we decide in discernment and for God’s favor instead of Men, in the end we are joyful and freed from whatever guilt because we do what God wills at that very moment.
WEDNESDAY “The Holy Spirit is the source of joy of salvation” *The joy of salvation: Our greatest reason to be joyful is that God wants to save us and spend eternity with us. Nothing is better than this. Luke 15:7 In the same way, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine respectable people who do not need to repent. Acts 8:5-8 Philip went to the principal city in Samaria and preached the Messiah to the people there. The crowds paid close attention to what Philip said, as they listened to him and saw the miracles that he performed. Evil spirits came out from many people with a loud cry, and many paralyzed and lame people were healed. So, there was great joy in that city. Acts 13:47-52; 15:3 For this is the commandment that the Lord has given us: "I have made you a light for the Gentiles, so that all the world may be saved.” When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and praised the Lord's message; and those who had been chosen for eternal life became believers. The word of the Lord spread everywhere in that region. But the Jews stirred up the leading men of the city and the Gentile women of high social standing who worshiped God. They started a persecution against Paul and Barnabas and threw them out of their region. The apostles shook the dust off their feet in protest against them and went on to Iconium. The believers in Antioch were full of joy and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us understand more the heart of God and the joy of salvation. We might be tempted to focus on numbers, prestige, or impact of others, but God rejoices when even one heart turns back to Him. The Spirit reminds us to never overlook the small moments or individuals that God puts in our path. When Christ is truly preached - whether through words or compassionate action - hearts are lifted and lives are changed for the better. The Gospel work isn’t always easy or universally accepted, but when people embrace the truth, joy and the Holy Spirit follow powerfully. The joy of salvation isn’t limited to the newly converted - it overflows into the Church, for joy is contagious when it is rooted in God’s work.
THURSDAY “The Holy Spirit is the source of joy of spiritual maturity” *The joy of spiritual maturity: As the Holy Spirit works in us to bear more fruit, we become confident in God’s promises and rejoice in our walk with Him and with other believers. John 15:11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 2 Corinthians 1:24; 2:3; 7:4; 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20; 3:9. In these passages Paul knew joy as the churches gave evidence of the Holy Spirit working among them. Philippians 2:2 I urge you, then, to make me completely happy by having the same thoughts, sharing the same love, and being one in soul and mind. Hebrews 10:34 Remember how it was with you in the past. In those days, after God's light had shone on you, you suffered many things, yet were not defeated by the struggle. You were at times publicly insulted and mistreated, and at other times you were ready to join those who were being treated in this way. You shared the sufferings of prisoners, and when all your belongings were seized, you endured your loss gladly, because you knew that you still possessed something much better, which would last forever. Do not lose your courage, then, because it brings with it a great reward. As human beings it is our natural tendency to avoid suffering, to fear difficulties and pain. This is the very reason why many opted to avoid commitments: in marriage, in friendship and even in missionary works. Many do not want the cross. But as Christians, we know that we cannot follow our Master Jesus Christ if we will not embrace the cross. To be a witness to His unconditional love and to imitate Him, is to bear the cross itself. As disciples of Christ, how can we then be joyful in face of our own personal, marital, family and Christian community struggles? It is through the power of the Holy Spirit! The source of joy of spiritual maturity. Spiritual maturity is when we can be joyful in our following amidst all the challenges/trials that we met along the way. It is maturity that disposes us to place our total trust and confidence on the One who is Most Powerful and Omnipotent. It is the maturity that we will not abandon Jesus when we are persecuted or humiliated because of Him. Let us always invite the Holy Spirit to give us this spiritual maturity, to battle against our very own weaknesses and to stand up for Jesus as a daily option. When we lack the zeal to continue the mission, when we are spiritually dry-we can always go back to our dialogue to the Holy Spirit, to give us inspiration. This will empower us once again to continue our discipleship.
FRIDAY “The Holy Spirit is the source of joy of God's presence” *The joy of God’s presence: The Holy Spirit draws us to God in whose presence we can know true joy. Without the Holy Spirit, no one would seek God. Psalm 16:11 “You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Matthew 2:10; Luke 1:14. In these passages Mary and the shepherds were joyful because Immanuel had been born. Matthew 28:8; Luke 24:41. In these passages we discover that the women who went to Jesus’ tomb and the disciples were overjoyed that He rose from the dead. How do we comprehend about the Holy Spirit being the third person in the Holy Trinity? This week has started in the Ascension of the Lord Sunday. This is also the 7th and the last week after Easter. This Ascension of Jesus culminates his earthly life. This is one of the very important events in the life of Jesus, to be taken up to heaven. Why? Because without his ascension, the Holy Spirit our advocate, cannot come to us. As Jesus ascended to the Father, he also ensured us the effusion of the Holy Spirit, of his Spirit. In this way, making Jesus be always present in us up to this very moment of our lives. The Holy Spirit is the very source of Joy of God's presence in us. Jesus is also very clear in his words in Jn 15:11 that says," I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete." Jesus our Lord is always seeking our presence. For he himself finds joy in our presence in front of him. He even leaves the 99 just to find 1 that is lost. It is through this action of Jesus that we are able to see and experience the love of our Father in heaven. Always seeking for his lost children. What about us? Do we seek God's presence with a joyful heart? Our worldly nature never seeks God's presence. It even makes us blind to see the real joy that our hearts need. Because of this human nature in us, Jesus assures us that after his ascension we can receive the gift from the Father, the Holy Spirit. Without his presence we can never find the joy in God's presence in us. It is the Holy Spirit who can make us thirsty and seek the very presence of God. For it is in his presence that can bring us true and eternal happiness that the world cannot give. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to come and breathe in us the fire of his love. A love that can make us become faithful Christian Catholics. Disciples of Christ Jesus bringing joy to others for God is with us, within us, and very present in us.
THE JUBILEE PRAYER Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom. May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally. May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth. To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever. Amen |
About the Guidelines SheetThe Guidelines sheet is a prayer guide with the Word of God to help us journey together and be one in our weekly prayer as one community. This contains daily passages from scriptures together with reflections focused on a common theme and intention for the week. Archives
July 2025
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