Weekly Prayer Guidelines: June 11-17, 2018

“Do not work
for food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life”

(cf. John 6:26-27)

​June 11-17, 2018

---

Objective:
​To make them realize that the real food that they need is not perishable, but food that we can find in plenty.

---

vd_guidelines_for_prayer_june_11-17_2018.docx
File Size:	85 kb
File Type:	docx

Download File

---

vd_guidelines_for_prayer_june_11-17_2018.pdf
File Size:	531 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---

---

INTRODUCTION

​The Holy Eucharist, especially, in the part of the Holy Communion augments our union with Christ. What the material food produces in our bodily life, the Holy Communion wonderfully achieves in our spiritual life. Our spirit needs food to grow, to be nourished, and to live. In the Roman Missal the celebrant prays: ”Grant that we who are nourished by his body and blood may be filled with his Holy Spirit and become one body, one spirit in Christ.” And so it is. Jesus is the food that we take in each Eucharist that does not die and is not taken away within us; instead it stays and grows within us. Jesus, himself nourishes us and gives us food that does not perish, but leads us to life eternal.

---

MONDAY
“The Food of Love”

“I may be able to speak the languages of men and even of angels, but if I have not love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell. I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all the knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have all the faith need to move mountains-but if I have no love I am nothing. I may give away everything I have, and even give up my body to be burned-but if I have not love, this does me no good. Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil; but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope and patience never fail. Love is eternal. There are inspired messages, but they are temporary; there are gifts of speaking in strange tongues, but they will cease; there is knowledge, but it will pass, for our gifts of knowledge and inspired messages are only partial; but when what is perfect comes,then what is partial will disappear. When I was I child, my speech, feelings, and thinking were all those of a child; know that I am a man, I have no more use for childish ways.  What we see now is like a dim image in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. What I know now is only partial then it will be complete-as complete as God’s knowledge of me. Meanwhile, these three remain: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love.”
 (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)
 
God desires to feed us with his unconditional LOVE in the Eucharist, to commune with us and be part of us, for us to really grasp the love for which we are created and the love for which we have to live, for we are meant to love the way Christ did. He is the best teacher of Love for He is Love.
 
Have I recognized my need for love and need to give love everyday?

---

TUESDAY
“The Food of Friendship"

“My commandment is these: Love one another just as I love you. The greatest love a person can have for his friend is to give his life for them. And you are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because a servant does not know what his master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard of the Father. You did not choose me; I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit. And the kind of fruit that endures. And so the Father will give you whatever you ask of him in my name. This, then is what I command you: Love one another.
(John 15:12-17)
 
Jesus values friendship, putting his trust and confidence on us he calls friends. Christ desires all of us to be His friends. He called us to share the banquet because we are His friends. In this friendship with him, our life will bear much fruit, the fruit that lasts. The more we share the life of Christ in the Eucharist, the more our friendship with him grows deeper.  
 
Do we consider Jesus as our friend? How is my friendship with Jesus and my brethren?

---

WEDNESDAY
“The Food of Knowledge of God”

“My people are doomed because they do not acknowledge me. You priest have refused to acknowledge me and have rejected my teaching, and so I will reject you and will not acknowledged your sons as my priest. 
(Hosea 4:6)
 
The Eucharist brings us to know Christ more, his love, his sacrifices, and his salvific works for all of us as we are in communion with him. For Jesus said, I will teach you everything I receive from my father and even further said, the Holy Spirit will remind you everything I have taught you.
 
Has the Eucharist been the source or way for us to know Christ himself and his work within us?

---

THURSDAY
“The Spiritual Food”

“There has been enough time for you to be teachers-yet you still need someone to teach you the first lesson of God’s message. Instead of eating solid food, you still have to drink milk. Anyone who has to drink milk is still a child without any experience in the matter of right and wrong. Solid food, on the other hand is for adults, who through practice are able to distinguish between good and evil.
(Hebrews 5:12-14)
 
“All ate the same spiritual bread." 
(1 Corinthians 10:3)
 
If we grow physically healthy in the food we chose to eat daily, in the same way we need to receive the Eucharist for spiritual nourishment. It enables the spirit in us to be more active in knowing the truth and striving to live for what is righteous and holy, choosing life that is eternal.
 
Is receiving the Holy Eucharist important to  me? Am I seeking for spiritual nourishment?

---

FRIDAY
“The Food of Reconciliation”

“All this is done, who through Christ change us from enemies into his friends and gave us the task of making others his friends also. Our message is that God was making all mankind his friends through Christ. God did not keep and account of their sins, and he has given us the message which tells how he makes them his friends.  
(2 Cor 5:18-19)
 
Jesus in the Eucharist enables and capacitates our forgiving, with the grace of reconciliation to be more mature and Christ-like, helping us to reach the point of reconciling even to the most unwanted persons, our enemies.
 
Are we prompt in giving and asking forgiveness? Am I still selective in giving and asking forgiveness?

---

SATURDAY
“The Food of Self-giving”

“Because of our love for you we were ready to share with you not only the good news from God but even our own lives. You were so dear to us! Surely, you remember our brothers how we work and toil! We work day and night so that we would not be any trouble to you as we preached to you the good news from God. You are our witnesses, and so is God, that our conduct toward you who believe was pure, right and without fault. You know that we treated each one of you just as a Father treats his own children.
(1 Thessalonians 2:8-11)
 
Christ has done his part by doing the will of the Father. It is now our time to continue to bring the Good News, the salvation, and the person who can lead us to eternal life. For Christ had made us see in the Eucharist that we are one and in communion with our brothers and sisters.
 
Have I toiled for my brothers and sisters to see hope, friendship, spiritual growth, and love in Christ through the Holy Eucharist?

---

SUNDAY
11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

1st Reading: Ezekiel 1722-24  
Psalm 92
2nd Reading: 2 Corinthians 5-10
Gospel: Mark 4:26-34