D.R.R.
January 4th 2004, 11:14 PM
January 4, 2004 Daily Prayer with Regnum Christi
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That all world leaders, grateful to God for the gifts and blessings he has showered on their nations, may make prudent use of the authority and responsibility he has given them, we pray to the Lord.
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Revelation Now
January 4, 2004
Epiphany of the Lord
Matthew 2:1-12
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: ´And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.´" Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star´s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage." After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.
Introductory Prayer:My courage often fails in the mission to give Christ to others. I do trust in your promises of grace and your presence, but I am often slack in doing what you want. Enable me to overcome my weakness and become more what I should be as your apostle.
Petition:Lord, help me be a revealer of your love and concern for all men. Grant me the grace to work for you.
1. God’s show. Epiphanein is Greek for “to show, manifest.” Today’s feast shows God’s desire to save all people from sin, not just the Jews. We have to admire how God works: he begins his plan to save all people by calling one single man, Abraham, and making a nation of him over a period of thousands of years. Through patriarchs, prophets, and kings, he shows this people who he is and how much he loves them. When they are ready, God sends them his own Son, at the same time widening their understanding of what it means to be “chosen.”
2. Faith first. Like the wise men, we are chosen for a mission, chosen to make our knowledge of God and our love of him concrete in our actions, words, and in the thoughts of our hearts. This witnessing is not easy, we need faith in order to manifest God to others, faith that God really does value the small but sharp sacrifice of my being patient, of putting aside my desires in order to serve someone else, of becoming active in an apostolate in order to make Christ better known and loved by others. The magi also needed faith to follow the star—sometimes the sun was so bright they lost track of it, sometimes the nights were so clouded they caught no glimpse of light. Yet they forged ahead, trusting. Believing leads to knowing, which leads to action, and action authenticates the love we profess.
3. In God we trust. Accustomed as we are to instant messaging and fast food, it can be disconcerting to have to wait for things, even God’s things, so we beg for signs. We want to know everything, to have God reveal his plans—perhaps to submit them for our approval. Loving God means trusting him, having the confidence he is looking out for me with dedicated love. I have to allow God to do what he wants with me, to use me for his purposes, without always demanding explanations. My submission to God is not passive, but a self-giving out of love that demands my best, that requires effort and time spent on Christ.
Dialogue with Christ: Trust is not my greatest virtue. I rely on myself so much and leave my faith to the back shelf. As my awareness of my call as a Christian, a bearer of the Good News grows, I need to grow in trust so that I can give myself more energetically to your work of saving souls.
Resolution: To be courageous in witnessing to Christ today.
By Father Andre LaSana, LC
Want to help us maintain this free service? Make a tax-deductible donation online by clicking here.This link will take you to the online donation page of the Legion of Christ, but accessing it by this specific link will create a report letting us know your donation is for the daily meditation service from RegnumChristi.org.Thank you and God bless you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can send your testimony to testimonies@regnumchristi.org
If you would like any further information please contact infoeng@regnumchristi.org
If you did not subscribe to this service or you would like to cancel your subscription please click here or send an email to meditation-request@regnumchristi.org with the word unsubscribe in the subject line.
© Regnum Christi http://www.regnumchristi.org/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That all world leaders, grateful to God for the gifts and blessings he has showered on their nations, may make prudent use of the authority and responsibility he has given them, we pray to the Lord.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Revelation Now
January 4, 2004
Epiphany of the Lord
Matthew 2:1-12
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: ´And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.´" Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star´s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage." After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.
Introductory Prayer:My courage often fails in the mission to give Christ to others. I do trust in your promises of grace and your presence, but I am often slack in doing what you want. Enable me to overcome my weakness and become more what I should be as your apostle.
Petition:Lord, help me be a revealer of your love and concern for all men. Grant me the grace to work for you.
1. God’s show. Epiphanein is Greek for “to show, manifest.” Today’s feast shows God’s desire to save all people from sin, not just the Jews. We have to admire how God works: he begins his plan to save all people by calling one single man, Abraham, and making a nation of him over a period of thousands of years. Through patriarchs, prophets, and kings, he shows this people who he is and how much he loves them. When they are ready, God sends them his own Son, at the same time widening their understanding of what it means to be “chosen.”
2. Faith first. Like the wise men, we are chosen for a mission, chosen to make our knowledge of God and our love of him concrete in our actions, words, and in the thoughts of our hearts. This witnessing is not easy, we need faith in order to manifest God to others, faith that God really does value the small but sharp sacrifice of my being patient, of putting aside my desires in order to serve someone else, of becoming active in an apostolate in order to make Christ better known and loved by others. The magi also needed faith to follow the star—sometimes the sun was so bright they lost track of it, sometimes the nights were so clouded they caught no glimpse of light. Yet they forged ahead, trusting. Believing leads to knowing, which leads to action, and action authenticates the love we profess.
3. In God we trust. Accustomed as we are to instant messaging and fast food, it can be disconcerting to have to wait for things, even God’s things, so we beg for signs. We want to know everything, to have God reveal his plans—perhaps to submit them for our approval. Loving God means trusting him, having the confidence he is looking out for me with dedicated love. I have to allow God to do what he wants with me, to use me for his purposes, without always demanding explanations. My submission to God is not passive, but a self-giving out of love that demands my best, that requires effort and time spent on Christ.
Dialogue with Christ: Trust is not my greatest virtue. I rely on myself so much and leave my faith to the back shelf. As my awareness of my call as a Christian, a bearer of the Good News grows, I need to grow in trust so that I can give myself more energetically to your work of saving souls.
Resolution: To be courageous in witnessing to Christ today.
By Father Andre LaSana, LC
Want to help us maintain this free service? Make a tax-deductible donation online by clicking here.This link will take you to the online donation page of the Legion of Christ, but accessing it by this specific link will create a report letting us know your donation is for the daily meditation service from RegnumChristi.org.Thank you and God bless you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can send your testimony to testimonies@regnumchristi.org
If you would like any further information please contact infoeng@regnumchristi.org
If you did not subscribe to this service or you would like to cancel your subscription please click here or send an email to meditation-request@regnumchristi.org with the word unsubscribe in the subject line.
© Regnum Christi http://www.regnumchristi.org/