Weekly Guidelines
Read this week's guidelines and be nourished as you journey with our Community in Cebu.
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5/15/2017
Guidelines for prayer: May 15-21, 2017 - Apostles, what are you discussing as you walk along? "Apostles, what are you discussing as you walk along?"May 15-21, 2017 General Theme: Jesus himself drew near and walked along with them.” (Lk.24:15) General Objective: To teach the apostles to accompany the new people with their life and their words based on how Jesus accompanied his apostles after the resurrection. Objective of the week: To learn the details of Jesus’ accompaniment.
INTRODUCTION
Last week we were invited to be a shepherd for the people that God has entrusted to us. Jesus is again and again renewing his promise that along with our shepherding it is he who will teach us how to be a good shepherd. This week we are invited to learn further on how Jesus accompany his disciples (God’s flock). How has Jesus accompany us? He shows concern for our life in knowing how we are, how we journeyed our life and listens to whatever we have to say. Jesus has been very willing to accompany us in our journey. He listens to each one of us fervently. He is very much willing to allow us to see the truth in us and teaches us how to deal with all the circumstances that happens in our journey. Jesus is a loving friend, a companion who will never leave us and who is also willing to be with us always. All we have to do is to listen and be faithful in HIS Word that brings us life, strength, and hope. It may be challenging to accompany others but there is also a great JOY in this moment of accompanying. To accompany is to hope for the good of the sheep, their growth and soon their becoming good shepherd themselves. God will supply us the grace, the light, the encouragement, the love, and the strength we need to accompany our brothers and sisters so that they too would learn to walk in the light and fully live their lives in accordance to the will of the Father. MONDAY Feast of St. Isidore the farmer JESUS listens with empathy Luke 24:17-24. 17 He asked them, "What are you discussing as you walk along?" They stopped, looking downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?" 19 And he replied to them, "What sort of things?" They said to him, "The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. 21 But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. 22 Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning 23 and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. 24 Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see." Jesus listens well.He is always in a listening mode every time we pray and share our sorrowful, joyful and glorious moments of our journey. No matter how long or short, in whatever manner of communication we convey our message or in whatever emotions we share to Jesus, He hears and feels how we felt. No message has been filtered or put aside. He will not interrupt until we finish and never put any prejudice on the things we share simply because Jesus hears us from our heart, mind and soul. The good thing is before we finish telling Jesus of our concerns, He knew it all already. How is your listening? Can you listen like Jesus? TUESDAY JESUS reveals the Truth Jn 4:19-26. 19“I see you are a prophet, sir,” the woman said. 20. “My Samaritan ancestors worshipped God on this mountain, but you Jews say that Jerusalem is the place where we should worship God.” 21Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the time will come when people will not worship the Father either on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans do not really know whom you worship; but we Jews know whom we worship, because it is from the Jews that salvation comes. 23But the time is coming and is already here, when by the power of God's Spirit people will worship the Father as he really is, offering him the true worship that he wants. 24God is Spirit, and only by the power of his Spirit can people worship him as he really is.” 25The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah will come, and when he comes, he will tell us everything.” 26Jesus answered, “I am he, I who am talking with you.” Jesus being the Truth will only tell the truth – the absolute truth about himself and about us. Nothing that Jesus says and teaches can lead us astray. If we have the faith and believe in his teachings and obeys it, He did promised that he will be with us until the end of time and even further promise that we would have eternal life, a life in its fullness. How beautiful it is to recognize Jesus intention in telling the truth to all people without boundaries, conditions or limitations nor fear or reservation. How consistent are we in telling the truth about Jesus? Do we truly believe in the truth Jesus is telling us? WEDNESDAY JESUS assumes our weaknesses Acts 3:1-10. 1One day Peter and John went to the Temple at three o'clock in the afternoon, the hour for prayer. 2There at the Beautiful Gate, as it was called, was a man who had been lame all his life. Every day he was carried to the gate to beg for money from the people who were going into the Temple. 3When he saw Peter and John going in, he begged them to give him something. 4They looked straight at him, and Peter said, “Look at us!” 5So he looked at them, expecting to get something from them. 6But Peter said to him, “I have no money at all, but I give you what I have: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth I order you to get up and walk!” 7Then he took him by his right-hand and helped him up. At once the man's feet and ankles became strong; 8he jumped up, stood on his feet, and started walking around. Then he went into the Temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God. 9The people there saw him walking and praising God, 10and when they recognized him as the beggar who had sat at the Beautiful Gate, they were all surprised and amazed at what had happened to him. Our weak spots are not hidden from Jesus. He figures it out. Jesus counts not the transgressions we have committed but offers mercy. He never blames us but teaches us the way to do what is right, He never rejects us rather accepts us whole-heartedly. It is in our weaknesses that the power of Jesus will manifest - in the expression of our humility of needing Him that gives us the power to proclaim HIS mighty words and deeds. Do you perceive Jesus above all our weaknesses? What are we magnifying: our weaknesses or Jesus? THURSDAY Feast of St. John I JESUS is always inviting us to journey with HIM Jn 15:1-8 1 “I am the real vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He breaks off every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and he prunes every branch that does bear fruit, so that it will be clean and bear more fruit. 3You have been made clean already by the teaching I have given you. 4Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you. A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it can do so only if it remains in the vine. In the same way you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine, and you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me. 6Whoever does not remain in me is thrown out like a branch and dries up; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, where they are burnt. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then you will ask for anything you wish, and you shall have it. 8My Father's glory is shown by your bearing much fruit; and in this way you become my disciples Jn 8:12 Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. “I am the light of the world,” he said. “Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.” Jesus is sending us the greatest invitation of all - , the invitation of becoming his friend, a friendship that gives light, a friendship that yields life, and a friendship that bears good fruit in us. We will have no life if we live afar from Jesus for He is the life. He will give us light to lit our way and a friendship of complete trust to the extent of giving his life for his friend. Jesus is always excited and more than willing to journey with us, to give the best journey we could ever imagine. How is your journey this time? Are you letting Jesus to journey with you? FRIDAY JESUS cautions us of the trials we are to face in following HIM Acts 14: 21-23. 21Paul and Barnabas preached the Good News in Derbe and won many disciples. Then they went back to Lystra, to Iconium, and on to Antioch in Pisidia. 22They strengthened the believers and encouraged them to remain true to the faith. “We must pass through many troubles to enter the Kingdom of God,” they taught. 23In each church they appointed elders, and with prayers and fasting they commended them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. Jesus is fully aware of the trials ahead of us in following HIM. He is telling us that these trials are real and it will come at the least expected time and when that time comes, we will remember Jesus and how HE overcame it all. We can also figure it out with HIM with his faithfulness that He overcame those trials as well. How is our acceptance in carrying out our cross or trial as we accompany others? Have we allowed Christ to strengthen us and encourage us to be firm in our faith? SATURDAY St. Bernardine of Siena JESUS assures us :the Holy Spirit will teach us everything we need in our journey. John 14:21-26. 21 “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. My Father will love those who love me; I too will love them and reveal myself to them.” 22Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “Lord, how can it be that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” 23Jesus answered him, “Whoever loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and my Father and I will come to him and live with him. 24Whoever does not love me does not obey my teaching. And the teaching you have heard is not mine, but comes from the Father, who sent me. 25 “I have told you this while I am still with you. 26The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you. John 12:35. 35Jesus answered, “The light will be among you a little longer. Continue on your way while you have the light, so that the darkness will not come upon you; for the one who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Staying in the light will lead us to learn how to accompany others. By living the lights that we receive allows us to lead others to learn to walk in the light as well. How is our living of the lights we have received in our encounter with Jesus? Have we live it with faith? Let our light shines as we accompany others. 6th SUNDAY of Easter 1st Reading – Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 66 2nd Reading – 1 Peter 3:15-18 Gospel – John 14:15-21 |
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