Weekly Guidelines
Read this week's guidelines and be nourished as you journey with our Community in Cebu.
 Forging apostles who persevere until all have life to the fullJuly 30-August 5, 2018 General Theme: The Eucharist forms and transforms apostles General Objective: To renew constantly my identity as an apostle in the Eucharist To follow the same steps of Jesus Objective of the week: To learn how to make the truths of faith more vital for everyone until all have life and have it to the full
INTRODUCTION
The Eucharist, as one of our sources of spirituality is also a source of fire that Jesus desired to bring to the earth wishing that “it was already blazing” (Luke 12:49). This fire in the forge, contributed to the formation and transformation of the apostles. This fire is the very love of Jesus; even up to now he continues to give to us freely every time we participate in the Eucharistic celebration. The more we participate in the Eucharist, the more we see what is the forging of apostles and their perseverance for. As Fr. Jaime's invitation for each one of us to give ourselves totally and to do the same way as Jesus did: "Our assistance to the Eucharistic sacrifice doesn't allow us to be just spectators. We receive the constant call to be participators and actors of the same offering and consecration in order to be transformed into the same Eucharistic love that we receive, host, permanent offering, live victim with Jesus and as him." In other words, Jesus is looking for decided imitators more that adorers and admirers of this forge of love, which Jesus called us to transmit. It must end up in the lives of the listeners as something vital in their lives and to never stop searching for ways in order that these can become the fullness in the lives of the people. MONDAY Forging apostles to be holy Memorial of St. Peter Chrysologus, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Ephesians 4:17-24 In the Lord’s name, then, I warn you: do not continue to live like the heathen, whose thoughts are worthless and whose minds are in the dark. They have no part in the life that God gives, for they are completely ignorant and stubborn. They have lost all feeling of shame; they give themselves over to vice and do all sorts of indecent things without restraint. That was not what you learned about Christ! You certainly heard about him, and as his followers you were taught the truth that is in Jesus. So get rid of your old self, which made you live as you used to – the old self that was being destroyed by its deceitful desires. Your hearts and minds must be made completely new, and you must put on the new self, which is created in God’s likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy. Our participation in the Eucharist daily will raise us from our old self to newness of life. The more we participate in it, the more we learn and embrace a new way of life. A life controlled by faith in Christ and not through the influence of the world and the flesh. As apostles, we are to renounce our own fleshly desires and put off fleshly things to be able to live a life that Jesus desired for us, a holy life. How are we living our life today? Are we still living under the influence of the world and flesh? How can we renounce the world and its dominion over us? TUESDAY Forging apostles to be persistent and patient Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola Jeremiah 18:1-6 The Lord said to me, “Go down to the potter’s house, where I will give you my message.” So I went there and saw the potter working at his wheel. Whenever a piece of pottery turned out imperfect, he would take the clay and make it into something else. Then the Lord said to me, “Don’t I have the right to do with you people of Israel what the potter did with the clay? You are in my hands just like clay in the potter’s hands. Participating in the Eucharist daily teaches us to be more persistent in doing good and what's right to please God and to be more patient to our own process and the others as well. Like Jesus in the Eucharist, persistent and patient, continuously breaking and giving himself to us in order that we too may do the same to others. How persistent are we in doing what Jesus is asking us to do today? Are we patient enough like the potter in dealing with our own flaws and that of others as well? WEDNESDAY Forging apostles to bring new hope Memorial of St. Alphonsus de Ligouri, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Ezekiel 37:4-6 He said, “Prophesy to the bones. Tell these dry bones to listen to the word of the Lord. Tell them that I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying to them: I am going to put breath into you and bring you back to life. I will give you sinews and muscles, and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you and bring you back to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” We come and participate in the Eucharist to be nourished by his words and sealed it with his own body and blood of the new covenant. Jesus' body given up and blood poured out for us to give us new hope through the forgiveness of our sins. This new hope put life and enthusiasm to our following, to our apostleship. What do we hope for in this point of our life? Would these things we hope for do good and put life to our apostleship? THURSDAY Forging apostles to love like the Good Shepherd Memorial of Sts. Eusebius of Vercelli and Peter Julian Eymard John 21:15-17 After they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Take care of my lambs.” A second time Jesus said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep.” A third time Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter became sad because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” and so he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you!” Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep.” The Eucharist is the heart of the Good Shepherd, moved with compassion for the other sheep who are still not in the sheepfold. This heart that beats for God's love for humanity, a heart that is willing to die for the sheep, is what Jesus is inviting us to imitate in order to bring back the lost, strengthen the weak, console the broken hearted, and heal the sick. A heart which produces love that endures for the flock. Do you love me? Are you willing to love my flock for my sake? FRIDAY Forging apostles to be the way to fullness of life John 10:7-10 So Jesus said again, “I am telling you the truth: I am the gate for the sheep. All others who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Those who come in by me will be saved; they will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life – life in all its fullness. Coming to the Eucharist is not only walking through Jesus toward salvation but to lead others toward our Redeemer. How far are we willing to go in order for the others to see the way toward Christ? SATURDAY Forging apostles to complete God’s work Memorial of St. John Baptiste Marie Vianney John 4: 34-35 “My food,” Jesus said to them, “is to obey the will of the one who sent me and to finish the work he gave me to do. You have a saying, ‘Four more months and then the harvest.’ But I tell you, take a good look at the fields; the crops are now ripe and ready to be harvested! Philippians 1:6 And so I am sure that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it on until it is finished on the Day of Christ Jesus. The Eucharist helps to persevere in achieving our mission which is to finish what Jesus had started, doing good work and carrying it on until the end. What good things have I received from the Eucharist? How much of this goodness am I willing to share so that others may have life to its fullness? SUNDAY 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time 1st Reading Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15 Psalm Psalm 78 2nd Reading Ephesians 4:17,20-24 Gospel John 6:24-35 |
Archives
July 2021
Categories |
||||||
RSS Feed
