 
General Theme: Means of perseverance General Objective: To appreciate the exercise of humility and of the cross as a means of perseverance Objective of the week: How to practice the exercise of humility and of the cross INTRODUCTION We continue the reflection on our four spiritual exercises that are needed for us to persevere as disciples of Christ. This week we will deepen the exercise of humility and the cross. To be humble is necessary in our relationship with God because we can get closer to Him when we humbly listen to Him through his Word. When we have the tendency to center our prayer more in our needs or personal situations, it is required to exercise the self-denial of not talking so much in order to listen to Jesus. We can practice in this way the exercise of the cross. To love one another as Jesus did is not easy many times but it's not impossible. Acts of love can come out or take place when we consider others worthy of our love. If we are humble, we think that others deserve our concern and our self-giving for them. Is it not a cross to deny ourselves to focus our attention on others? The love among us is possible when we practice to look at others higher than ourselves. To opt to love others more than oneself is a chance to grow in love. We live the mission when we humbly accept the task to evangelize. If we desire to transmit God's love to all, we must be willing to allow the Trinity to transform us into the likeness of Jesus. This transformation is a patient process which implies to carry the cross of getting rid of our “old self” to reproduce Jesus´ life and love. Hebrews 12:1-2 “As for us, we have this large crowd of witnesses around us. So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end. He did not give up because of the cross! On the contrary, because of the joy that was waiting for him, he thought nothing of the disgrace of dying on the cross, and he is now seated at the right side of God's throne.” John 3:16-17 For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its savior. From the fullness of this loving union between the Father and the Son we receive grace upon grace (Jn 1:16). This loving union was not broken but was revealed even more strongly through the Passion, death and resurrection of the Lord. The cross of Christ stands at the center of our faith, and from it we draw healing and strength, peace and reconciliation. MONDAY “Do what God pleases” IMVDMFa 73 The Christian life, expression of the baptismal consecration, is characterized by a style of life like that of Jesus, according to the spirit of the beatitudes and the evangelical counsels. Like Jesus we will live a simple life, in purity of heart, in humble search for the will of God and in active obedience to the Holy Spirit. Matthew 26: 36-39 36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 23:12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Luke 14:7-11 7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. 11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Sirach 3:17-21 17 My child, be humble in everything you do, and people will appreciate it more than gifts.[a] 18 The greater you become, the more humble you should be; then the Lord will be pleased with you.[b] 20 The Lord's power is great, and he is honored by those who are humble. 21 Don't try to understand things that are too hard for you, or investigate matters that are beyond your power to know. Romans 6:3-5 3 For surely you know that when we were baptized into union with Christ Jesus, we were baptized into union with his death. 4 By our baptism, then, we were buried with him and shared his death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from death by the glorious power of the Father, so also we might live a new life. 5 For since we have become one with him in dying as he did, in the same way we shall be one with him by being raised to life as he was. Jesus is inviting us to live in simplicity, humility, and purity. These are essentials to win heaven and are basically demonstrated by our actions and practices. Living out these virtues create in us a purity of heart that makes us free from the sin of impure thoughts and actions that weaken our intention to love. It brings us into perfection and fullness of life as we live in the love of Christ without hesitation and pride, but only the joy of doing what is pleasing to Him despite the difficulty of tasks and the busyness of life. Though, we appear to be poor and lowly servants before the eyes of the world, yet are great in the eyes of the Lord because we are trying our best to be obedient to His will and be molded by the Holy Spirit to reproduce Christ through our examples. As Jesus said: "For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." (Mt. 23:12)
TUESDAY “The Cross and our daily conversion” VDMD REGULATION 82 The exercise of fraternal love brings with it the cross. As followers of Christ, we see the cross as the way from the "Old" to the "New Creation in Christ", moving from our worldly values to the values of Christ. In taking up the exercise of the cross, we choose to learn from Jesus' example of humility in an attitude of daily conversion. Mark 10:17-18 As Jesus was starting on his way again, a man ran up, knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus asked him. "No one is good except God alone. Colossians 3:1-16 3 You have been raised to life with Christ, so set your hearts on the things that are in heaven, where Christ sits on his throne at the right side of God. 2 Keep your minds fixed on things there, not on things here on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 Your real life is Christ and when he appears, then you too will appear with him and share his glory! 5 You must put to death, then, the earthly desires at work in you, such as sexual immorality, indecency, lust, evil passions, and greed (for greed is a form of idolatry). 6 Because of such things God's anger will come upon those who do not obey him.[a] 7 At one time you yourselves used to live according to such desires, when your life was dominated by them. 8 But now you must get rid of all these things: anger, passion, and hateful feelings. No insults or obscene talk must ever come from your lips. 9 Do not lie to one another, for you have put off the old self with its habits 10 and have put on the new self. This is the new being which God, its Creator, is constantly renewing in his own image, in order to bring you to a full knowledge of himself. 11 As a result, there is no longer any distinction between Gentiles and Jews, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarians, savages, slaves, and free, but Christ is all, Christ is in all. 12 You are the people of God; he loved you and chose you for his own. So then, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you. 14 And to all these qualities add love, which binds all things together in perfect unity. 15 The peace that Christ gives is to guide you in the decisions you make; for it is to this peace that God has called you together in the one body. And be thankful. 16 Christ's message in all its richness must live in your hearts. Teach and instruct one another with all wisdom. Sing psalms, hymns, and sacred songs; sing to God with thanksgiving in your hearts. 2 Corinthians 5:17 17 Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come. Fixing our eyes on Jesus on the cross enables us to understand deeper the kind of love that brings us to carry our own cross. Jesus’ humility on the cross helps us face our own concrete situations, our own cross, that calls for us a humble heart which leads to our daily conversion(s) making a new us in Christ. The cross is essential for our daily conversion, without it we will not be able to experience a profound love that changes us from within. Our conversion entails humility, forgiveness towards others, and obedience to the call of the Spirit following a constant path to holiness throughout one’s life. Our conversion is not a one time event, instead it is a continuous and sometimes slow daily process that little by little transforms us into a new us, a new us that pleases the Father and brings about our own salvation in Christ Jesus.
WEDNESDAY “Listening to the voice of the Spirit” VDMD REGULATION 83 We will try to be humble and renounce ourselves in order to follow Jesus. We will examine ourselves before God to see how we react when we feel humiliated by people or events. This will depend on how sensitive and responsive we are to the promptings of the Holy Spirit who lives within us. The fruit of this daily exercise is the inner freedom of a child of God. It is also a test to see how faith is integrated into our life. James 4:1-12 Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? Is it not from your passions[b] that make war within your members? You covet but do not possess. You kill and envy but you cannot obtain; you fight and wage war. You do not possess because you do not ask. You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. Adulterers! Do you not know that to be a lover of the world means enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wants to be a lover of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose that the scripture speaks without meaning when it says, “The spirit that he has made to dwell in us tends toward jealousy”? But he bestows a greater grace; therefore, it says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” So submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you of two minds. Begin to lament, to mourn, to weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you. Do not speak evil of one another, brothers. Whoever speaks evil of a brother or judges his brother speaks evil of the law and judges the law. If you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save or to destroy. Who then are you to judge your neighbor? James 3:13-18 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show his works by a good life in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. Wisdom of this kind does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace. Matthew 16:24-26 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct. Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” To follow Jesus, there is a need for us to examine ourselves, our intentions, attitude and desires. For we cannot call ourselves followers of Christ if our life does not reflect the values of Christ. This exercise of humility and transparency allows us to be guided by the Spirit as we carry our cross every day. When we allow the Spirit of God to guide us in our life, we are molded into His image and likeness.
THURSDAY “A call of humility” VDMD REGULATION 83 We will try to be humble and renounce ourselves in order to follow Jesus. We will examine ourselves before God to see how we react when we feel humiliated by people or events. This will depend on how sensitive and responsive we are to the promptings of the Holy Spirit who lives within us. The fruit of this daily exercise is the inner freedom of a child of God. It is also a test to see how faith is integrated into our life. John 16:12-15 12 “I have much more to tell you, but you would not be able to bear it now.13 But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own authority, but he will speak what he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are coming.14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and communicate it to you.15 Everything that the Father has is mine. That is why I said that he will take what is mine and communicate it to you.16 “In a little while you will no longer see me, and then a short time later you will see me again.” Galatians 5:13-26 Brethren, you were called to freedom. However, make sure that you do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Instead, serve one another in love. 14 For the entire Law can be summed up in a single commandment: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you continue biting and tearing one another to pieces, at least be on your guard lest you be consumed by one another. 16 Hence, I advise you to be guided by the Spirit, so that you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the Spirit, and those of the Spirit are opposed to the flesh. They are in conflict with one another, so that you cannot do what you want. 18 But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not subject to the Law.19 [d]Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you previously, that no one who does such things will inherit the kingdom of God. 22 In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. Being a VDMD is a call of humility before God. Each day is a call for a conversion to be open to the Holy Spirit to renounce what pleases us-the call of the flesh. Renouncing oneself and being open to what pleases God rather than what pleases us is an exercise of the cross. It is truly difficult to be humble before others but it is not impossible, when we fix our eyes on Jesus who exemplified humility. This is truly a missionary call to “take up His cross and follow Him”. The path to be Christ, is the journey of the cross, and there is no other path to follow Him but through the cross. Let us trust the process of the cross as it says in Heb. 12:7 Endure the trials you receive as a form of discipline. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there who is not disciplined by his father? It is only through this cross that we will bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Let us be open to Jesus who shows us the way to follow Him through the cross on our daily life
FRIDAY “We Can Pass From Death To Life By Listening To The Words Of Love... Our God” VDMD REGULATION 84 Each person's cross comes in different shapes and sizes. The charism we share as VDMFa strengthens us and helps us face our cross, knowing that we are never alone. By the grace of God, we pass from death to life in the ordinary and extraordinary settings of life. In a world that seeks to avoid pain and suffering, our quiet dying and rising again with Christ is an eloquent witness to the faith we profess. The words of Christ come true in our lives, "When I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all people to myself." John 3:1-8 There was a Jewish leader named Nicodemus, who belonged to the party of the Pharisees. 2 One night he went to Jesus and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher sent by God. No one could perform the miracles you are doing unless God were with him.” 3 Jesus answered, “I am telling you the truth: no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born again.”[a] 4 “How can a grown man be born again?” Nicodemus asked. “He certainly cannot enter his mother's womb and be born a second time!” 5 “I am telling you the truth,” replied Jesus, “that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 A person is born physically of human parents, but is born spiritually of the Spirit. 7 Do not be surprised because I tell you that you must all be born again.[b] 8 The wind blows wherever it wishes; you hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. It is like that with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 1 Peter 1:3-4.13-16.22-25 3 Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Because of his great mercy he gave us new life by raising Jesus Christ from death. This fills us with a living hope, 4 and so we look forward to possessing the rich blessings that God keeps for his people. He keeps them for you in heaven, where they cannot decay or spoil or fade away 13 So then, have your minds ready for action. Keep alert and set your hope completely on the blessing which will be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 Be obedient to God, and do not allow your lives to be shaped by those desires you had when you were still ignorant. 15 Instead, be holy in all that you do, just as God who called you is holy. 16 The scripture says, “Be holy because I am holy.” 22 Now that by your obedience to the truth you have purified yourselves and have come to have a sincere love for other believers, love one another earnestly with all your heart.[b] 23 For through the living and eternal word of God you have been born again as the children of a parent who is immortal, not mortal. 24 As the scripture says, “All human beings are like grass, and all their glory is like wild flowers. The grass withers, and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.” This word is the Good News that was proclaimed to you. The question that Nicodemus addresses to Jesus is so beautiful and a challenging one, "How can I be born again as a grown up person?" As we encounter Jesus in our prayer, we too can ask a similar question which we ardently want to hear from Him. Does it mean to pass from death to life? How wonderful it would be if we could leave our old life and begin to live a new life! Like a person who once unloving became a loving individual, who forgets himself upon seeing others in need. All of us are called to be born again to live and to love like Christ, but we cannot do it alone; we need the power of the Holy Spirit to fix our eyes in Jesus most especially His passion, death, and resurrection - the tremendous evidence of His great love in each one of us. It is only through Jesus that we will be born again by constant listening to His Word. His Word will never pass away and brings transformation from death to life, from sin to redemption.
SUNDAY 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time 1st Reading: Gn 2:18-24
Psalm Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6 2nd Reading: Heb 2:9-11 Gospel: Mk 10:2-16 or 10:2-12
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General Theme: Means of perseverance General Objective: To grow in our relationship with God through fraternal love Objective of the week: How to love as Jesus did? Characteristics of fraternal love INTRODUCTION We continue this week with the reflection on fraternal love. We usually prioritize prayer thinking that it´s the main means of perseverance. Be reminded of the four means of perseverance that are interconnected in a way that we need to practice the four exercises(prayer, fraternal love, humility and cross and mission) in following Jesus closely. REGULATION VDMDs 79: The exercise of fraternal love is a visible fruit of a truly affective and effective prayer and fruit of a living faith. In prayer, we love Christ the Head, and in exercising love for those around us, we love Christ in his members. It is this deepening friendship with Jesus which makes his love permeate our relationships with others. We desire the best for them by giving them what will truly satisfy the heart, the love of God. We are the bearers of Christ, his living letters to others, to show that Christ is alive. 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 “You yourselves are the letter we have, written on our hearts for everyone to know and read. It is clear that Christ himself wrote this letter and sent it to us. It is written, not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, and not on stone tablets but on human hearts.” REGULATION VDMDs 80: First of all, faith transforms our way of seeing, such that we come to treat the other as a child of God. Also, in small or large gestures, visible or not, this exercise gradually transforms our quality of love into the same love of Christ, who loved his own to the end (Jn 13:1) REGULATION VDMDs 94: Our desire as VDMDs is to express God's love by making the command of Jesus visible in our everyday life: "Love one another as I have loved you. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."(Jn 13:33-34). God invites us to be the human cords of love with which God draws people to Himself (Hosea 11:4) This means incarnating in us the attitudes and gestures of Jesus' love in our lives: humility, gentleness, service, forgiveness, acceptance, generosity and respect. MONDAY “Unconditional love, a transparency of faith” IMVDMFa 79 The unconditional love of God, who first loved us, leads us to desire that all his children may participate in the family of God. His love for humanity is a love like that of a father and mother, a faithful spouse, a brother and friend, forming the basis of the warmth of home and gratuitous relationships that unite us as God’s family. IMVDMFa 87 The fraternal love lived out in the VDMFa signifies friendship, and gratuitous, committed and unconditional love; it supposes environments of trust in which each one may grow as a person and as a disciple of Jesus, where they can enjoy the closeness of the other and the gift that each one is for the whole VDMFa. Luke 6: 27-38 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Romans 12:17-21 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[a] says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[b] 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Prayer defines our faith in God while fraternal love defines our faith in action. Fraternal love is a reflection of our intimacy with Jesus. Each person is God's instrument of love and a gift for us to demonstrate our intimate relationship with Him, where we can exercise our hearts to love, to care, to forgive, and to transmit Christ. Our transparency creates an atmosphere of the living presence of God. Let us not waste the grace and the privilege of the Word of God to ponder, live, and enjoy the source of the fullness of life.
TUESDAY “Mutual help co-responsible for one another” IMVDMFa 88 Fraternal love is translated into mutual help to live the Verbum Dei charism from the concrete reality of each one. This implies, according to the different ways of belonging, the sharing of faith and the communion of material and spiritual goods, necessary so that everyone may live the charism according to their possibilities. Our commitment in the help to form and capacitate ourselves to carry out faithfully our mission is reflected in concrete gestures which express the co responsibility with our brothers and sisters in the various dimensión of human life. IMVDMFa 86 For each member, the VDMFa will constitute a support network, a homely environment, especially in the midst of the dispersion of life in the great urban centers, where Christian identity is also dispersed amidst a globalized context. The members of the VDMFa feel co-responsible for one another, mutually helping each other to discover and develop to the maximum their vocation to love and baptismal consecration. The love of Christ brings us to welcome and value the individuality and diversity of each one, promoting their personal and communitarian response. Romans 12:9-13 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 13:8-10 8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”[a] and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Galatians 6:10 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Dearest brothers and sisters showing concerns also for the good of our brothers and sisters and working side by side respecting the uniqueness of each on is another manifestation that we mature in our loving and this is a continuous process, an act worth to exercise each day not only to people closest to us but to everybody we meet, believing that each one of us is special in the eyes of God and we are all brothers and sisters. We are all invited by Jesus to be his disciple in the manner of how he Loves each one of His disciples and to all the people He met, and also learn the meaning of His Word when He said, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
WEDNESDAY “Specific mutual help: revision of life” REGULATION VDMDs 99 The lived experience of fraternal love in the VDMFa is born from the heart of God and compels us to mission. The fraternal commitment among us leads us to form fraternal communities within the VDMFa. In addition, we want to take care of shared moments of prayer and liturgical celebration and express our communion with fraternal gestures and attitudes. One of the ways we can express our fraternal commitment to one another is our mutual help through the Revision of Life. IMVDMFa 90.8 Having the revision of life, which is an effective means for living out the fraternal and communitarian commitment, helps us to realize the authentic meaning of a family forged in the love of Christ. It is a real contagion of faith and of the love of Jesus. In it, respecting the freedom of each one, we commit ourselves to defend and to maximize the potential of each person, their values and talents, to better respond to the vocation and mission to which the Lord has called and gathered us together in a common ideal. VD STATUES 266 The revision of life has as objective the fraternal help so that the following of Jesus be faithful. It helps to assure that the vocation be holy and that the mission be effective. VD STATUTES 270 This concrete, real and effective application of true charity and fraternal love, that is defended by the revision of life responsibly taken, constitutes our principal mission and apostolic activity. VD STATUTES 273 An authentic revision of life, guided and revised from Christ's evangelical optics, will maintain alive among us the same love of Jesus, and increase it, for which we will be able to live in the same life as the Trinity and the life of Christ's Mystical Body. Thereby we may reveal to the world the genuine face of God. Ephesians 3:14-19 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Revision of life is a way for us to support each other to journey in faith throughout our realities of life. Through the eyes of faith we learn to see Jesus at work in our life and that of others widens, deepens, strengthens our understanding of God and his presence in our life. When we reflect on how God works in our life through the experiences of faith of our brothers and sisters we learn to discover how Christ’s way of life transforms ours.
THURSDAY “Specific mutual help: spiritual direction” REGULATION VDMDs 59 In this stage of discipleship we can choose a qualified spiritual director. 34 This accompaniment is vital to be able to discern the will of God in our life. As VDMD, we will have an open dialogue with our spiritual director about specific situations relating to our conscience and internal forum. The Revision of Life and spiritual accompaniment are two means with a different purpose. While the Revision of Life is a commitment to mutual help and to share faith in everyday circumstances, spiritual accompaniment is a means that helps to discern the will of God. VD STATUTES 275 The spiritual direction that we also call ‘opening’, is a half indispensable one that helps us to discern the light of the Spirit and the Father's will for us in each situation and circumstance, above our own personal desires, and to be faithful in sharing it. It frees us from being conditioned by people or things that would impede or slow down our following of Jesus. VD STATUTES 277 The spiritual direction will consist in accompanying the people so that they obey the initiatives of God with readiness and fidelity and so that they learn to be governed by the faith, until they have an attitude of total docility and joy in the Lord. Our life can then be a clear testimony of how God frees people from the selfishness that would constantly interfere with and hinder our following of Christ. VD STATUTES 278 Until we are clearly faithful to the guidance of the Spirit and the fruits of the Spirit are seen in our lives, our continuous exercise of formation will consist of practicing an active and generous obedience to the same Spirit that is our guide and is the strength in us. We will pray to the Father with ineffable wailings in favour of our sanctification. Romans 8:5-8 Those who live according to the flesh fix their attention on the things of the flesh, while those who live according to the Spirit set their thoughts on spiritual things. 6 The desires of the flesh result in death, but the desires of the Spirit result in life and peace. 7 Indeed, the desires of the flesh will be hostile to God, for they do not submit to the Law of God, nor could they do so. 8 Those who live according to the flesh can never be pleasing to God. Romans 12:1-2 1 Therefore, brethren, I implore you by the mercies of God to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and acceptable to God—a spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewal of your minds, so that you will be able to discern the will of God and to know what is good and acceptable and perfect. The journey of discipleship is a challenging one. We are constantly exposed to so many worldly influences that can threaten our calling to remain with Jesus, thus we need to be accompanied spiritually, in order to discern the will of God through spiritual direction. Spiritual direction is to direct the disciple according to the light of the Holy Spirit. As it is said in our VD Statutes that it's an “opening” that helps us to discern the light of the Spirit and the Father's will for us in each situation and circumstance, above our own personal desires, and to be faithful in sharing it. It frees us from being conditioned by people or things that would impede or slow down our following of Jesus. Our spiritual director will guide us so we become open to the Holy Spirit, so that in doing so, we will not conform to the world but rather desire to be pleasing and perfect to God (Rom 12:2). Let us be humble enough to recognize our need for spiritual direction because each one of us needs one. Let us be grateful for this means offered by our community in order for us to truly discern the will of God.
FRIDAY “To Grow Together in Loving and Caring As One Big Family of God” IMVDMFa 90 The experience of fraternal love that is born from the heart of God opens itself to the mission, making fraternal love itself a mission. Fraternal love leads us to:
IMVDMFa 94 The mission configures our way of living as a community of faith. As a Missionary Family we understand ourselves as a community of apostles that aims to live and share the Kingdom, through the creation of evangelizing communities that pray and teach others experientially to pray, and that strive to live the Gospel and transmit it. IMVDMFa 95 Creating evangelizing communities presupposes a solid formation in fraternal love, in teamwork and in humility to promote one another in our vocation and mission. In this way, we will be instruments of communion amid the differences and we will learn to work together with other charisms, in the project of each particular Church Matthew 20:25-28 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Philippians 2:1-11 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledges that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Today, Jesus strongly entrusted to us the mission to love everyone unconditionally - the key to human redemption. He believes that our human heart is a vessel of love that contains treasures: humility, charity, and service, capable of loving the way Jesus loves. Our Christian behavior can motivate others to discover Christ and be one in the community. How blessed we are to have this Verbum Dei community where Jesus clearly reveals to us that we are in His heart. He also makes this community the right venue in forming discipleship. Where we can participate in establishing His kingdom by accompanying our brothers and sisters with perseverance.
SUNDAY 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time 1st Reading: Nm 11:25-29
Psalm Ps 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14 2nd Reading: Jas 5:1-6 Gospel: Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48 
General Theme: Means of perseverance General Objective: To grow in our relationship with God through fraternal love Objective of the week: To reflect and deepen on Fraternal love INTRODUCTION We continue deepening in the means of perseverance. For several weeks we focused our reflection on prayer in order to improve our relationship with God. During our life here on earth we face a constant growth in our friendship with God and in our prayer life which leads us to live out the great commandment of Jesus as written in Mt 22:36-40 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus answered, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like it: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. The whole Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets depend on these two commandments." VDMD[1] Regulation # 75 “The VDMFa[2] has the Four Exercises as a means for us to live out our spirituality and mission. These are: - exercise of prayer - exercise of fraternal love - exercise of the cross and humility -exercise of mission The four exercises have their foundation in the life of Jesus. He taught His disciples to pray, love, and evangelize based on a foundation of humility. Through these exercises, the Holy Spirit forms and transforms the disciple into Christ.” The “Four Exercises” were introduced by our founder, Jaime Bonet, in his preaching in the spiritual exercises of 1993-1994. He saw that they were a help to discover the will of God in a way that is affective, in that the person feels loved and called to participate in the Trinitarian Love and it is effective, as one discovers the best way to make God’s will for him/her into reality. Secondly, Jaime saw that in order to allow God’s will to truly condition and permeate one’s life and vocation, the disciple’s hierarchy of values needed to be transformed; this is the fruit of the “Four Exercises” and of our daily prayer. What our world lacks are not ideas but people who are in love with God and who are living out their faith effectively in their daily options. The two following weeks we will center our reflection on “Fraternal Love” which is very vital and necessary if we wish to be effective in the task of evangelization. IMVDMFa[3] # 76 “The experience of fraternal love established by Jesus centers the existence of the VDMFa in making the Kingdom visible and committing to it. This is, in effect, the distinguishing mark of the VDMFa, as a Christian community.” [1] VDMD - Verbum Dei Missionary Disciples [2] VDMFa – Verbum Dei Missionary Family [3] IMVDMFa - Identity and Mission of the Verbum Dei Missionary Family MONDAY “Be One in the Journey With the Spirit of Christian Community” VDMD Regulation # 80 The VDMFa, gathers around the table of the Eucharist: around common prayer, the breaking of the bread, the fraternal community of goods, and the teachings. In this way, in the same Euchariatic love, we become the seed of small evangelizing communities that are transforming the world through the prayer of the Word of God IMVDMFa # 77 The sources of the Verbum Dei spirituality, from which we drink and in which we consolidate our self-giving, are also the first foundation of our fraternal love. John 15:1-27 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other. 18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’[b] If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’[c] 26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. John 7:37-39; 37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”[a] 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. It is a beautiful picture of Fraternal Love in which Jesus Himself is so concerned for each one of us not to be astray from His flock. To sustain our journey together to heaven, He invites us to come to Him and drink in His fountain of love to be spiritually strong for our journey is a long and rough road to travel. As much as Jesus promised us to abide in Him and He in us to bear much fruit, we too shall embrace our brothers and sisters who need our special care and attention so that they could be guided back to the flock where Christ is our real Vine. Our self-giving is an essential tool in increasing a community of faith.
TUESDAY “Trinitarian Love of The Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit is the origin and source of all love” IMVDMFa # 78 The personal and communitarian living of the Trinitarian love is, for the VDMFa, the best source of communion, making his Kingdom present among us. The love shared by the Trinity unites us with stable bonds of love and friendship, and makes it possible to present to the world in a credible way the project of love of God the Father: that we come to love as Jesus has loved us, through the power of his Spirit. VD Statutes # 72 The divine charity, essence of the same God, without which nothing can be and many things can take advantage of us, is the vital nucleus of the Kingdom of God, of all the fraternity and of each individual. This fontal love of God, is the origin and source of all loves, laws and norms of all Christian life. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7. 11-13; 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. Matthew 20:25-28; 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” The Trinity shows us what fraternal love and how it is expressed to our brothers and sisters. The Trinity is our model in practicing Fraternal love. Fraternal love that unites us the members of the community, for the simplicity of our lives, for the mission we undertake, and for persevering fidelity to the charism. Fraternal love is said to be a constant diffusion of the sweet perfume of Trinity's love so that the most diverse circumstances may point to peace even for the confused and fragmented members of our modern society.
WEDNESDAY “The Spirit of” IMVDMFa # 80 With the spirit of the first Christian community, the VDMFa gathers around the table of the Eucharist: around common prayer, the breaking of the bread, the fraternal communion of goods and the teaching. In this way, in the same Eucharistic love, we become the seed of small evangelizing communities that are transforming the world through the power of the Word of God. Acts 2:43-47; 4:32-35 43 Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one’s need. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and enjoying favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. 32 The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. 34 There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, 35 and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need. Prayer brings us together as a community with shared purpose and intention to serve and to love the Lord and each other. The Word of God unites us towards a common mission and desire to proclaim His word and love. Prayer also nourishes our fraternal love. It makes us sensitive to the needs of our brothers and sisters, and moves us to reach out to them.
THURSDAY “We are brothers and sisters in union with Christ” IMVDMFa # 81 The intimate union of the apostle with the Total Christ will make us feel vitally linked with all our brothers and sisters, with ties stronger than those of flesh and blood. This awareness in the members of the VDMFa becomes the source and motor of our fraternal relations with everyone, raising up the desire for a universal love for those who are near and those who are far away. Feeling, with the Church, the fraternal heartbeat, healthy or sick, leads us to love everyone with Christ and like Him, without exception or any discrimination. VD Statutes # 71 The Verbum Dei community, fed by the Trinitarian Love of God in the breast of our Mother, the Catholic Church, won’t do less than assimilate the same impulse and universal dynamism that transforms the community into a living and revitalizing cell of Christ's Mystical Body and expression of the Kingdom of God on earth. Matthew 10:37 “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” Matthew 12:46-50 While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brethren appeared. They were standing outside, wishing to speak with him. Someone told him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers are standing outside. They want to speak with you.” But Jesus replied to that man, “Who is my mother? Who are my brethren? Then, pointing to his disciples, he said, “Behold, my mother and my brethren. Whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother and sister and mother.” It is human nature that we are attached or close to those with whom we have blood relations, especially our immediate family. This is a cherished family value, however, this can also become a reason for some families or individuals to be exclusive, limiting the possibility to extend their tents beyond family ties. Fraternal love as exemplified by Jesus however, teaches us that our ties are not limited to blood relations. Rather, our union with Christ makes us all brothers and sisters. Jesus makes us His family members sinners and righteous alike. He saves all of us, without exception. We are invited to love like Jesus. To do this, we should always be vitally united to Him, so that we can love and obey Him. By doing so, fraternal loving becomes a necessity, we can love our brothers and sisters unconditionally. We can become open to universal love without reservation or prejudices.
FRIDAY “Fraternal Love... A Grace and A Gift, Accompanied by Mary our Mother” IMVDMFa # 82 The growth in love involves a path of progress and setbacks, fruit of the constant and renewed effort, founded in the grace of God and especially in his mercy. The presence of Mary, Mother of the Church and of Verbum Dei, is fundamental in this patient path of gestating a family of faith according to the values of the Gospel. VD Statues # 210 All our existence is projected with Mary's maternal look on the Mystical Body of Christ that is still suffering today. It is dying and resurrecting in its members in all latitudes. Mary accompanies us and she encourages us to repeat in our lives Christ's Paschal mystery, of death and resurrection, for her children's redemption. John 19:25-27 25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman,[a] here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. Acts 1:12-14 12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk[a] from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. Have you realized why you still exist in your discipleship up to this present moment? What holds you here? "Fraternal Love is like this, " It is the kind of love where I would do anything to help him and I know he would do the same." A grace and a gift to your discipleship is the answer. The love of our Father in heaven flows us through Jesus. A love that flows from God to the whole of humanity. What a lovely gesture from our God! Jesus is showing to us concretely today that He himself is trusted by the Father to become the source of this love. That even to the point of His death He entrusted us to His own Mother Mary. Whom, very willing to extend the love of God to all of us. Where she became the mother of the whole of humanity. We are reminded today that we must have an open heart to be accompanied in both personal and communitarian ways. That way, we can learn how to accompany others. Fraternal Love is like this: " It is the kind of love where I would do anything to help him and I know he would do the same." Let us be grateful to our Mother Mary, for she continues to guide and teach us about fraternal love until this very moment.
SUNDAY 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time 1st Reading: Wisdom 2:2,17-20
Psalm: Psalm 54:3-8 2nd Reading: James 3:16-4:3 Gospel: Mark 9:30-37 
General Theme: Means of perseverance General Objective: To grow in our relationship with God through prayer Objective of the week: The prayer of thanksgiving and of praise INTRODUCTION TO “PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING” “As part of our continuing catechesis on prayer, we now turn to the prayer of thanksgiving. This prayer of thanksgiving always begin from here: from the recognition that grace precedes us. We were "thought of before" then we learned how to think; we were "loved before" then we learned how to love; we were "desired before" then our hearts conceived a desire. If we view life like this, then to “thank you” becomes the driving force of our day. But how often we forget to say “thank you.” Above all, let us not forget the value of saying thank you. Why? Because if we are bearers of gratitude, even if it is only a "bit " of it, then the world itself will become better. That " little bit" of thank you is already enough to transmit "hope". Therefore our gratitude must be expressed in an attitude of thanksgiving that can transmit even a little bit of hope to our world that needs it. "Everything is united and everything is connected, and each one can do their part wherever they are.” (Pope Francis, General Audience, 30 December 2020) MONDAY Give thanks to God for His goodness Psalms 100:1-5 “Sing to the Lord, all the world! Worship the Lord with joy; come before him with happy songs! Acknowledge that the Lord is God. He made us, and we belong to him; we are his people, we are his flock. Enter the Temple gates with thanksgiving; go into its courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise him. The Lord is good; his love is eternal and his faithfulness lasts forever.” Psalm 128:28-29 “You are my God, and I give you thanks; I will proclaim your greatness. Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good, and his love is eternal.”
TUESDAY Jesus teaches us to be thankful Luke 17:11-19 “As Jesus made his way to Jerusalem, he went along the border between Samaria and Galilee. He was going into a village when he was met by ten men suffering from a dreaded skin disease. They stood at a distance and shouted, "Jesus! Master! Have pity on us!" Jesus saw them and said to them, "Go and let the priests examine you." On the way they were made clean. When one of them saw that he was healed, he came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself to the ground at Jesus' feet and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan. Jesus spoke up, ´There were ten who were healed; where are the other nine? Why is this foreigner the only one who came back to give thanks to God? ´ And Jesus said to him, "Get up and go; your faith has made you well." From the Pope’s General Audience (30 December 2020) The Pope continues emphasizing about the prayer of thanksgiving: “This passage reminds us of the importance of gratitude. It shows the great difference between hearts that are thankful and those that are not; between people who see everything as their entitlement and those who receive everything as grace. The 10 lepers were marginalized. Jesus did not back off from meeting them. Those 10 lepers trusted, they did not remain there until they were cured, no: they trusted and they went immediately, and while they were on their way, all 10 of them were cured. The priests would have therefore been able to verify their healing and readmit them to normal life. But here is the most important point: only one in the group, before going to the priests, returned to thank Jesus and to praise God for the grace received. Only one, the other nine continued on their way. And Jesus points out that that man was a Samaritan, a sort of “heretic” for the Jews of that time. Jesus comments: “Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” This narrative is touching. Naturally, the 10 lepers were all happy about having recovered their health, thus being allowed to end that unending forced quarantine that excluded them from the community. But among them, there was one who experienced an additional joy: in addition to being healed, he rejoices at the encounter with Jesus. He is not only freed from evil, but he now possesses the certainty of being loved.
WEDNESDAY Be thankful and joyful Ephesians 5:20 “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, always give thanks for everything to God the Father.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-20 “Be joyful always, pray at all times, be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus. Do not restrain the Holy Spirit; do not despise inspired messages.” From the Pope’s General Audience (30 December 2020) The Pope continues saying: “Therefore, brothers and sisters, let us seek to remain always in the joy of the encounter with Jesus. Let us cultivate joyfulness. The devil, instead, after having deluded us — with whatever temptation — always leaves us sad and alone. If we are in Christ, there is no sin and no threat that can ever prevent us from continuing our journey with joy, along with many fellow travel companions. The path to happiness is the one that Saint Paul described at the end of one of his letters: “Pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit” (1Thess 5:17-19). Do not quench the Spirit, what a beautiful project of life! Not quenching the Spirit that we have within leads us to gratitude.” INTRODUCTION TO “PRAYER OF PRAISE” “Dear Brothers and Sisters, in our continuing catechesis on Christian prayer, we now consider the prayer of praise. To whom is praise helpful? To us or to God? A text of the Eucharistic liturgy invites us to pray to God in this way, it says this: “Although you have no need of our praise, yet our thanksgiving is itself your gift, since our praises add nothing to your greatness, but profit us for salvation” (Roman Missal , Common Preface IV). By giving praise, we are saved. The prayer of praise is helpful to us. The Catechism defines it this way: it “shares in the blessed happiness of the pure of heart who love God in faith before seeing him in glory” (no. 2639). Paradoxically it must be practiced not only when life fills us with happiness, but above all in difficult moments, in moments of darkness when the path becomes an uphill climb. That too is the time for praise, like Jesus who in the dark moment praises the Father. Because we learn that, through that ascent, that difficult path, that wearisome path, those demanding passages, we get to see a new panorama, a broader horizon. Giving praise is like breathing pure oxygen: it purifies the soul, it makes you look far ahead, it does not leave you imprisoned in the difficult and dark moment of hardship. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 13 January 2021) THURSDAY Praise God Always Psalm 42: 9-11 To God, my defender, I say, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go on suffering from the cruelty of my enemies?" I am crushed by their insults, as they keep on asking me, "Where is your God?" Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him, my Savior, and my God. Psalm 105:1-5 Give thanks to the Lord, proclaim his greatness; tell the nations what he has done. Sing praise to the Lord; tell the wonderful things he has done. Be glad that we belong to him; let all who worship him rejoice. Go to the Lord for help; and worship him continually. Matthew 11:20-26 The people in the towns where Jesus had performed most of his miracles did not turn from their sins, so he reproached those towns. "How terrible it will be for you, Chorazin! How terrible for you too, Bethsaida! If the miracles which were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, the people there would have long ago put on sackcloth and sprinkled ashes on themselves, to show that they had turned from their sins! I assure you that on the Judgment Day God will show more mercy to the people of Tyre and Sidon than to you! And as for you, Capernaum! Did you want to lift yourself up to heaven? You will be thrown down to hell! If the miracles which were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would still be in existence today! You can be sure that on the Judgment Day God will show more mercy to Sodom than to you!" At that time Jesus said, "Father, Lord of heaven and earth! I thank you because you have shown to the unlearned what you have hidden from the wise and learned. Yes, Father, this was how you were pleased to have it happen. Pope Francis comments about the last passage: “Matthew’s Gospel tells us that Jesus himself, in facing hostility and rejection, responds by praising God. He thanks the Father for who he is and for his love in revealing himself “to mere children” (Mt 11:25), to the poor and humble of our world. Jesus’ example of praise calls us to respond as he did at times when we feel God is absent or evil seems victorious. Jesus, who highly recommended the prayer of asking, at the very moment when he would have had reason to ask the Father for explanations, instead begins to praise him. It seems to be a contradiction, but therein lies the truth.
FRIDAY Canticle of the Creatures by St. Francis of Assisi
Pope Francis remarks: “We see clearly the prayer of praise in the example of Saint Francis of Assisi, who composed his famous Canticle of the Creatures when he was troubled by sickness and impending blindness. In praising God for everything, even “Sister Death.” Francis, together with all the saints, show us that we can always give praise, in good times and bad, because God is the faithful Friend. This is the foundation of praise: God is the faithful Friend, and his love never fails. He is always beside us. He always awaits us. In difficult and dark moments, let us have the courage to say: “Blessed are you, O Lord.” Praising the Lord. This will do us much good.”
Let´s repeat this prayer several times: Blessed are you, Lord. I praise you. 
General Theme: Means of perseverance General Objective: To grow in our relationship with God through prayer Objective of the week: Prayer of petition and intercession INTRODUCTION In this introduction we´ll collect some inputs from Pope Francis during the General Audiences on December 9 and 16, 2020. The themes were prayer of petition and prayer of intercession. The prayer of petition (December 9,2020) The human heart tends toward prayer. It is simply human to ask, to supplicate. This is very human. Let us listen to the Catechism of the Catholic church: “By prayer of petition we express awareness of our relationship with God. We are creatures who are not our own beginning, not the masters of adversity, not our own last end. Therefore, we should not be shocked if we feel the need to pray, we should not be ashamed. And many of us have this feeling: we are ashamed to ask, to ask for help, to ask something of someone who can help us, to reach our purpose, and ashamed to ask God. One should not be ashamed to pray and to say: “Lord, I need this,” “Lord, I am in difficulty,” “Help me!”: It is the cry of the heart to God who is the Father. And we must learn to do so also in happy moments, to thank God for everything that is given to us, and not to take anything for granted or as if it were owed to us: everything is grace. The Lord always gives to us, always, and everything is grace, everything. The grace of God. However, we must not suffocate the supplication that rises up in us spontaneously. Prayer of petition goes in step with acceptance of our limitations and our nature as creatures. We make our prayers of petition with confidence in him who has triumphed over all evil through the cross and resurrection of his Son and the sending of the Holy Spirit, who intercedes on our behalf and quietly works to transform all things.” The prayer of intercession (December 16,2020) “In our continuing catechesis on Christian prayer, we now turn to the prayer of intercession. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we read: “intercession - asking on behalf of another (…) has been characteristic of a heart attuned to God's mercy.” This is beautiful. Those who pray never turn their backs on the world. If prayer does not gather the joys and sorrows, the hopes, and the anxieties of humanity, it becomes a “decorative” activity, a superficial, theatrical, solitary way of behaving. Following the example and teaching of Jesus, whenever we pray in silence and solitude, so as better to listen to the Lord, we do not hide from the needs of others, but open our hearts to their sorrows and fears. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that our intercessory prayer, in communion with all the saints, participates in Christ’s own prayer (cf. No. 2635) The Church, in all her members, has the mission to practice the prayer of intercession: to intercede for others. This is especially so for those who exercise roles of responsibility: parents, teachers, ordained ministers, superiors of communities… Like Abraham and Moses, they must at times “defend” the people entrusted to them before God. We are talking about protecting them with God’s eyes and heart, with His same invincible compassion and tenderness. Pray with tenderness for others.” This week we will pray on John 17 to renew our trust in Jesus who is continuously praying for us. Let´s unite our prayer to Jesus for one another. MONDAY “Jesus prays for our firmness in faith” Luke 22:24-34 An argument broke out among the disciples as to which one of them should be thought of as the greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the pagans have power over their people, and the rulers claim the title ‘Friends of the People.’ But this is not the way it is with you; rather, the greatest one among you must be like the youngest, and the leader must be like the servant. Who is greater, the one who sits down to eat or the one who serves? The one who sits down, of course. But I am among you as one who serves. “You have stayed with me all through my trials; and just as my Father has given me the right to rule, so I will give you the same right. You will eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and you will sit on thrones to rule over the twelve tribes of Israel. “Simon, Simon! Listen! Satan has received permission to test all of you, to separate the good from the bad, as a farmer separates the wheat from the chaff. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you turn back to me, you must strengthen your brothers.” Peter answered, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you and to die with you!” “I tell you, Peter,” Jesus said, “the rooster will not crow tonight until you have said three times that you do not know me.” 1 Peter 1:6-7 Be glad about this, even though it may now be necessary for you to be sad for a while because of the many kinds of trials you suffer. 7 Their purpose is to prove that your faith is genuine. Even gold, which can be destroyed, is tested by fire; and so your faith, which is much more precious than gold, must also be tested, so that it may endure. Then you will receive praise and glory and honor on the Day when Jesus Christ is revealed. I am inviting you to observe deeply in your thoughts the gesture of Jesus praying for all us. He is encouraging us to develop the attitude to pray for others. He puts emphasis that our life is designed by God not only to pray for our own selves but also to pray for the people around us. Jesus is also reminding us that our trials and difficulties are opportunities in order to develop endurance. That can lead us to be more aware of the real presence of God in our lives. Generously supplying us His own strength. He is also encouraging us not to focus only on our sadness because of our sufferings. But instead to present everything in front of God with the firmness of faith. For as we surpass from it, then it will become light for others. To those people who are in darkness because of their difficulties and trials. In this way our experience of having a firm faith in God can strengthen them. Let us thank our Lord Jesus for his self-giving, where He always spends time to pray for all of us, so that we can possess a firm faith in God.
TUESDAY "Jesus prays for us to know Him” John 17:1-10 1 When Jesus had said this, he raised his eyes to heaven[b] and said, “Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, 2 [c]just as you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to all you gave him. 3 [d]Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. 4 I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do. 5 Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began. 6 “I revealed your name[e] to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything you gave me is from you, 8 because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, 10 and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them. Ephesians 3:14-19 14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[h] in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Prayer is connecting to the ultimate source of life. It is recognizing the omnipotent presence of God who gratuitously shows love and compassion to all humankind. Jesus' prayer to the Father shows how God moves to pity for our supplications and how sensitive He is to our needs and thanksgiving. He also prays to each one of us that we may be one and strengthened by the Holy Spirit in following Him. Let us never hesitate to ask the Lord and have a heart-to-heart talk with Him, that we may never be magnetized by the forces of the world that weaken our faith. Let us also bring the needs of our brothers and sisters pleading before God for them. In all this, we glorify God.
WEDNESDAY “Jesus prays for our sanctification” John 17:11-19 And now I am coming to you; I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world. Holy father! Keep them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one just as you and I are one. While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me. I protected them, and not one of them was lost, except the man who was bound to be lost—so that the scripture might come true. And now I am coming to you, and I say these things in the world so that they might have my joy in their hearts in all its fullness. I gave them your message, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but I do ask you to keep them safe from the Evil One. Just as I do not belong to the world, they do not belong to the world. Dedicate them to yourself by means of the truth; your word is truth. I sent them into the world, just as you sent me into the world. And for their sake I dedicate myself to you, in order that they, too, may be truly dedicated to you. 1 Peter 1:13-16 So then, have your minds ready for action. Keep alert and set your hope completely on the blessing which will be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14Be obedient to God, and do not allow your lives to be shaped by those desires you had when you were still ignorant. 15Instead, be holy in all that you do, just as God who called you is holy. 16 The scripture says, “Be holy because I am holy.” Jesus has shared everything to his disciples how to live a life to the full for them to follow, yet Jesus is so aware of their frailties and limitations. With His compassion to them He intercedes for them and asks the Father to give them what they need to be sustained, the grace to always choose what is His will for them every moment of their life for temptation is real. How beautiful it is to recognize that Jesus our Lord is also praying for us to be holy, each one of us trying our best to follow Him. Isn’t it an invitation as well for us to pray to those brothers and sisters of ours who are giving their life to follow and serve the Lord?
THURSDAY “Jesus prays for us to be one” John 17:20-23 20 “I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. 22 And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me. Ephesians 4:1-6 Unity in the Body. 1 [a]I, then, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, 3 striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: 4 [b]one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Our Lord especially prayed, that all believers might be as one body under one head, animated by one soul, by their union with Christ and the Father in him, through the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. Let us endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, praying that all believers may be more and more united in one mind and one heart. Prayer unites us with Christ in the same way constant communication with our friends and family keeps us on the same page. FRIDAY “Jesus prays for us to be with Him in heaven” John 17:24-26 Father! You have given them to me, and I want them to be with me where I am, so that they may see my glory, the glory you gave me; for you loved me before the world was made. Righteous Father! The world does not know you, but I know you, and these know that you sent me. I made you known to them, and I will continue to do so, in order that the love you have for me may be in them, and so that I also may be in them.” John 14:1-6 “Do not be worried and upset,” Jesus told them. “Believe in God and believe also in me. There are many rooms in my Father's house, and I am going to prepare a place for you. I would not tell you this if it were not so. And after I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to myself, so that you will be where I am. You know the way that leads to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; so how can we know the way to get there?” Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me. Christ, as one with the Father, claimed on behalf of all that had been given to him, and should in due time believe on him, that they should be brought to heaven; and that there the whole company of the redeemed might behold his glory as their beloved Friend and Brother, and therein find happiness. Do not let your hearts be troubled. You place your trust in God. Trust also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, you may also be. You know the way to the place I am going.” Jesus praying for us to be in Him in heaven validates further His great love for each of us! He desires that we will be with Him here on Earth but more so in our final destination, in heaven-the dwelling place of the Holy Trinity. It is not enough that He died for us in the cross and saves us, rather, He continues to pray that we will be one with Him. So we can remain united with Him in all the circumstances/realities that we are facing-while still in this pilgrimage. Jesus praying for us so we can reach our final destination gives us faith, joy, trust and hope of something to look forward to-the reward of eternal life. This is where we are destined to be, as we are created for Him. Jesus' prayers invites us to always look up-heaven bound, no matter all the challenges we are facing. It also develops in us the attitude of worldly detachment knowing that everything is temporary. When we are one in prayer with Jesus, it cultivates in us eternal values that look forward to that great prize of heaven. Indeed as St. Paul confirms in Phil. 3:20 that “our citizenship is in heaven”.
SUNDAY 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time PRAYER FOR THE CONGRESS To be held in Loeches, Spain from August 30 – September 27, 2024 “Communion, Consecration and Participation in the Mission" Father, you who create and sustain all things with your love, we ask you to make us artisans of communion, so that as we journey towards the Congress we may know how to welcome the diversity that characterises us as the Verbum Dei Missionary Family.
Jesus, human face of God, consecrate us to your Word so that the Congress may be prepared and carried out in profound fidelity to your voice, listening to each one of us and to the signs of the times. Holy Spirit, you who open rivers in the desert, guide us in this time of discernment and decision, so that we may live, embody and offer our charism ever more fully, so that all the baptised may participate in the mission of Jesus entrusted to the Church. Accompany us, Mary, with your loving motherly presence and intercession, so that this Congress may be a channel of hope in which God transforms us and makes all things new. 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
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