Posted on 04/02/2002 4:35:58 PM PST by father_elijah
Leader:
We hare gathered here in the presence of God and one another to reflect on our role in His church. Together we will seek guidance from Jesus in whose name we have accepted the call to proclaim God’s Word. When the disciples asked Jesus where he lived, he answered, “Come and see.” And they went with him and spent the day with him. Let us, too, “come and see” where Jesus lives and let us now spend time in his presence.
Allow a few minutes for silent prayer and reflection.
Reader 1:
A reading from the Gospel of Matthew: “Jesus saw the people and went up a hill, where he sat down. His disciples gathered around him and he began to teach them: Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor; the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. Happy are those who mourn; God will comfort them.”
Reader 2:
“Happy are those who are humble’ they will receive what God has promised. Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God asks; God will satisfy them fully. Happy are those who show mercy to others; God will be merciful to them.”
Reader 3:
“Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God. Happy are those who work for peace; they will be called the children of God. Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires; to them, too, the kingdom of heaven belongs.”
The Word of the Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God.
Leader:
No doubt in the quiet of your hearts Jesus spoke to you and you to him. And in the scripture we have just heard, Jesus speaks to us about the qualities he hopes to see in us and in all those who follow him. He asks us to recognize our poverty, to console the sorrowing, to be humble, to seek God’s will, to show mercy, to be single-minded, and to work for peace. But Jesus asks even more.
Reader 4:
“You are the salt of the earth,” Jesus said, “but if salt loses its flavor, what good is it? It can only be thrown out. You are the light of the world. People don’t light candles and then hide them under bushel baskets. Rather, they put them in candlesticks so they can give light to everyone in the house. Let your light shine in such a way that people everywhere can see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
Leader:
We have heard the words of Jesus, and he challenges us in our task as proclaimers of God’s Word. Let us now pray together for the gifts we need to accomplish this great work.
Right side:
Teach us to be all that we can be, Jesus; teach us to be salt for the earth and light for the world.
Left side:
Show us how to do only good works, Jesus, in our homes, in our classes, and in our workplaces.
Right side:
Teach us in all that we do, Jesus, in all our word and action, to give glory to our Father in Heaven.
Leader:
Jesus, present with us, help us to understand what you are asking of us as proclaimers of your Word. Guide us in all our efforts with those we teach.
All:
Amen.
O Catholic Church, true Mother of Christians! Not only dost thou preach to us, as is meet, how purely and chastely we are to worship God Himself, Whom to possess is life most blessed; thou dost moreover so cherish neighborly love and charity, that all the infirmities to which sinful souls are subject, find their most potent remedy in thee. Childlike thou art in molding the child, strong with the young man, gentle with the aged, dealing with each according to his needs of mind and of body. Thou dost subject child to parent in a sort of free servitude, and settest parent over child in a jurisdiction of love. Thou bindest brethren to brethren by the bond of religion, stronger and closer than the bond of blood. . . . Thou unitest citizen to citizen, nation to nation, yea, all men, in a union not of companionship only, but of brotherhood, reminding them of their common origin. Thou teachest kings to care for their people, and biddest people to be subject to their kings. Thou teachest assiduously to whom honor is due, to whom love, to whom reverence, to whom fear, to whom comfort, to whom rebuke, to whom punishment: showing us that whilst not all things nor the same things are due to all, charity is due to all and offense to none. --St. Augustine of Hippo
Thank you! It was a wonderful experience to come back to the back to the Church and I do not regret it. Be Well!
Thanks to all those who supported me here on FR during my Conversion Year.
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