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Showing posts from April, 2016

Thursday of the 4th week of Eastertide

Be God's servants John 13:16-20 When was the last time we placed ourselves under the total service of the Lord? Our Lord Jesus Christ showed us the way, by making himself a servant. Everything in the Eucharist serves us so that we might serve God.  The fruit of the Eucharist is the offering of ones life to God. In order to live out the life of servanthood, we have to know our Master through and through.  We have to lose ourselves to fall in love with the Master and to follow him at all cost. To be a servant also means we now know who are are: servants entrusted with a task.  Obedience is a mark of a true servant. Finally, we have to live out servanthood in our entire lives.  All time and space become opportunities of service, giving life to others and glorifying God. In a world where people want to serve themselves let us show how to gain true life and happiness - by being God's servants.

Tuesday of the 3rd week of Eastertide

Eucharist and martyria John 6:30-35  Martyria simply means witnessing.  We give witness to the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist through his body and blood. We give witness to Jesus as the bread of life that comes down from heaven to save us and to free us from sin. We give witness to Jesus' words and actions and take them as our own. We give witness to Jesus to lead us and other loved ones to salvation. We give witness to Jesus even if it means offering our lives to him. Our participation in the Eucharist means that we take upon ourselves the very body and blood of Jesus and that we too become his body and blood for the salvation of the world.

Thursday of the 2nd week of Eastertide

Alter Christus John 3:31-36 Eventually, the goal of ever Eucharist is to make us "Alter Christus" or another Christ.  This can only be attained if we desire to be close to Christ and follow his will unreservedly rather than our own.  This is the conviction of Peter, "Better to follow God rather than man." We need to be fully convinced why God's will is better than ours.  It brings about social order.  God's will is for the common good.  It brings about development.  But most of all, it causes our salvation when we adhere to God's will unlike our first parents who disobeyed God.  Jesus leads us to the new creation of the Father.

Tuesday of the 2nd week of Eastertide

The Eucharist and rebirth in the Spirit John 3:7-15  The Eucharist is the instrument of God's loving mercy in the world. It is also a powerful tool for interior conversion and of being filled with the Holy Spirit. We who participate in the Holy Eucharist and receive the body and blood of Jesus are called to live him out 24 hours a day.  We are called to a deeper sensitivity to a Spirit-filled life. The Christian who patterns his life after Jesus becomes an "Alter Christus" and not just a "good person".  One could be good, and yet, not adhere to the will of Jesus nor follow his path.  They are good in themselves and not according to how Jesus forms them. A life patterned after Jesus is living a life of the Holy Spirit.  We can only ensure this life if according to St. Ignatius, our discernment starts in the Holy Spirit, proceeds in the Holy Spirit, and ends in the Holy Spirit. It starts in the Holy Spirit if in the very start, it is objectively good a