Weekly Guidelines
Read this week's guidelines and be nourished as you journey with our Community in Cebu.
"Become what you receive"May 21-27, 2018 General Objectives: - to discover the generous love of God in our daily life as one experience it being in contact with this love in the Eucharist Objective of the week: -To renew the presence of the Eucharist in us, allowing that Jesus transforms our inner life
INTRODUCTION This week we are reminded that Jesus comes in the Eucharist. Christ is, truly, substantially, and really present in the Eucharist. This is the constant teaching of the Church. In fact, it is very clear in every Mass we hear, Christ tells us through the lips of the priest: “This is my body.” We too are called to be transformed by our participation in the Eucharist. “The sharing in the body and blood of Christ has no other effect than to accomplish our transformation into that which we receive.” (St. Leo the Great, 4th Century) What is the transformation that Christ is molding in us through the Eucharist? It is through love of service, a Eucharistic love of serving others. Jesus does not want us, as his followers to be mere passive spectators in his Eucharistic love. We are called to become living bread and nourishment for others with our words and life. “As Christians, we are called to become what we receive.” (Lumen Gentium no. 26) We as Christians, are called to be the body and blood of Christ through authentic self-giving like him. Doing it does not need to be dramatic or spectaculars, but simply sharing to others the Eucharistic love we receive from Jesus. Like: being patient and humble as a wife, mother, son, daughter or to what reality we belong at home, school, workplaces, and neighbourhood. Christ is still asking for active collaborators to transform this world. He wants that his blood still flows through the self-giving of many Christians today, and we are one of them. “Our prayers and love would be mediocre and childish if we limit ourselves to adore the Eucharist, and if we will just remain contemplating and admiring it. We will be very far from the ideal and goal that Jesus aspires for us in his Eucharistic sacrifice. Jesus claims and looks on decided imitators more than adorers and admirers.” (Fr. Jaime Bonet, FMVD A Heart on Fire page 37) Let us enjoy and give thanks to God for his real presence in the consecrated host. Let us continue to participate in the Eucharistic love of Jesus Christ in order to transform us into what we receive and become the presence of Christ in the world of today. MONDAY “To be transformed into the same Eucharistic love that we receive” FMVDSt 225 “Our assistance of the Eucharist sacrifice doesn’t allow us to be just spectators. We receive the constant call to be participants and actors of the sane 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 Jesus.” Are you grateful of God’s desire that we are called as participants and actors of his Eucharistic love? Why? Are you willing to be transformed by God with that same Eucharistic love? When? Is it right now? Starting today? TUESDAY “It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me” Gal 2:20 So that it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. This life that I live now, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me. Today we are reminded that as Christians we too are to be like Christ. We can never be strongly confirmed as Christians if we can’t make our life be Christ-like. We need to live this by faith in Jesus who loved and gave his life for us in order to save us. Through the Eucharist, we are always renewed and reminded again that Jesus freed us from physical death, from our fear of dying as well as protecting us from evil and sin in order to be free from spiritual death. We need to believe and have faith on this. Faith is a gift, why not ask God for it more than enough in order to perform the “Christ in us” to others. WEDNESDAY “Let God transform your mind” Rom 12: 1-3 So then, my friends, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer. Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God—what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect. And because of God's gracious gift to me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you should. Instead, be modest in your thinking, and judge yourself according to the amount of faith that God has given you. Jesus will be teaching us today very clearly that his flesh is the real food that we must eat it if we want to have life. The reason we receive the body and blood of Christ is for our transformation “so that we can be like Christ.” Take note, Jesus is waiting for our yes, for our yes to him is a requirement in order that we can be attached to faith. Remember, our communion is to live the values of Jesus Christ. THURSDAY “Have the same love of Christ” Phil 2:1-5 Your life in Christ makes you strong, and his love comforts you. You have fellowship with the Spirit,and you have kindness and compassion for one another. I urge you, then, to make me completely happy by having the same thoughts, sharing the same love, and being one in soul and mind. Don't do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves. And look out for one another's interests, not just for your own. The attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had. How much do you understand about the Eucharist? Is the Eucharist valuable to you? Why? Is it simply a mere symbol? Do you believe the fact that the Eucharist is the true body and blood of Jesus Christ? Bear it in mind that the Eucharist has the ability to transform our hearts and minds in order to be like him. We must be grateful that we are with Jesus Christ having the same love and being one in soul and mind. FRIDAY “I can do all things in him who strengthen me” Phil 4:10-13 In my life in union with the Lord it is a great joy to me that after so long a time you once more had the chance of showing that you care for me. I don't mean that you had stopped caring for me—you just had no chance to show it. And I am not saying this because I feel neglected, for I have learned to be satisfied with what I have. I know what it is to be in need and what it is to have more than enough. I have learned this secret, so that anywhere, at any time, I am content, whether I am full or hungry, whether I have too much or too little. I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me. Jesus is reminding us today that we need to allow him to transform us. It is not our own will which can transform our lives. Are you willing to submit yourself to Jesus to transform your life? Let him be the one, he can do everything in us out of his love. Just be open to him. Believe that all our challenges, problems, difficulties, and temptations that we face daily require a supernatural strength to overcome them. Remember, the Eucharist is the source of energy and strength that can transform our will in order to live in freedom. SATURDAY “Who sees you can see me” Heb 10:1-7 The Jewish Law is not a full and faithful model of the real things; it is only a faint outline of the good things to come. The same sacrifices are offered forever, year after year. How can the Law, then, by means of these sacrifices make perfect the people who come to God? 2 If the people worshiping God had really been purified from their sins, they would not feel guilty of sin any more, and all sacrifices would stop. 3 As it is, however, the sacrifices serve year after year to remind people of their sins. 4 For the blood of bulls and goats can never take away sins. 5 For this reason, when Christ was about to come into the world, he said to God:“You do not want sacrifices and offerings, but you have prepared a body for me. You are not pleased with animals burned whole on the altar or with sacrifices to take away sins. Then I said, ‘Here I am, to do your will, O God, just as it is written of me in the book of the Law.’” We are chosen to be another Christ for others. What kind of Eucharistic love do you receive from Jesus? The Eucharist transforms us into the sacrament of his presence in the world, which means we are the visible symbol of the reality of God as well as he enacts his grace through us. We are invited today to let make our bodies a sacrament of his Eucharistic love. How? It is through our authentic self-giving, it is seen through our humble service in the mission as Verbum Dei disciples. Let us be really participative to what the Verbum Dei community is leading us in order to say to God “Here I am to do your will.” SUNDAY The Most Holy Trinity First Reading: Dt 4:32-34,39-40
Psalm: Ps 33:4-5,6,9,18-19,20,22 Second Reading: Rom 8:14-17 Gospel: Mt 28:16-20 |
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