D.R.R.
January 23rd 2004, 07:38 PM
Taking the Call Seriously
Author: Father Edward Hopkins, LC
January 23, 2004
Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Mark 3:13-19
He went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. He appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons: (he appointed the twelve:) Simon, whom he named Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
Introductory Prayer:Lord, I believe in you as my Creator and Redeemer. You have a plan for me and show me the way each day. I trust your way of walking and the light that only you provide. I love you Lord, with my prayer and with my efforts to be faithful to your call. Mary, teach me to be faithful.
Petition:Lord, grant me the grace to see my life as you see it.
1. Up the Mountain The mountain top represents the preferred place of prayer for Jesus, as it was for Moses and the Prophets of the Old Testament. Intense prayer, away from the distraction of the city and the crowds, must precede his choice of the Twelve. He seeks to do his Father’s will and chooses those already appointed by him. His election was to be free of personal preferences and any momentary whim. It would be a critical choice upon which the future of the Church would rest. He would not necessarily choose those easiest to work with. He would choose only those the Father “wanted.” Do I confront all the mysteries, difficulties and important decisions of my life with the same prayer as that of Christ, “above all, God’s will”?
2. The Appointment What did Jesus appoint them to do? Before he chose them to do, he chose them to be. Pope John Paul II many times reminds us that “being” must take priority over doing. The contrary leads to activism, working for ourselves and on our own, with our own poor strength. Jesus calls the apostles “that they might be with him. They would be with him more often and nearer than others. And from this experience would come their knowledge of his life and will. If I am truly identified with what God calls me to be, I will respond the way he wants. “If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world ablaze.” (John Paul II to Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi members, Jan. 4. 2001)
3. By Name The mission was both important and arduous. So he chose 12 men by name to work together to build the Kingdom. Who walked at your side was no accident; the Lord had chosen him to work with you and you with him. He chooses me with my weaknesses and others with theirs. Second-guessing the Lord serves no end. The apostles had to trust. It wasn’t easy for them to be faithful. Each one carried his own vocation and mission, responsible in some way for the good of the rest, but each was irreplaceable. In God they trusted for the grace they needed. Do I see my responsibilities and vocation in light of God’s providential plan for the world?
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, help me to depend more totally upon you in prayer. Make my prayer the guide and strength of my life. Keep my heart focused on you, on your plan and your will. I trust that you have called me to do something important for you with my life and that you will be with me to bless and accomplish what I can’t hope to do alone. Help me to be faithful to you.
Resolution: I will abandon all complaining about my difficulties in order to embrace Christ and his will with prayer and trust.
By Father Edward Hopkins, LC
We would like to announce that Catholic.net will be publishing daily meditations for young people. Many of you have wished to share this wonderful prayer resource with your children. Now you have the chance. To check them out please visit Catholic.net by clicking here.
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How to Explain Jesus
Author: Father Edward Hopkins, LC
January 24, 2004
Saint Francis de Sales
Mark 3:21-30
When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, "He is out of his mind." The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebul," and "By the prince of demons he drives out demons." Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, "How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin." For they had said, "He has an unclean spirit."
Introductory Prayer:Lord, I believe in your goodness and abundant mercy in my life. I trust that you care for me and in your generosity. I love you, Lord, and want my love to be unconditional like yours, trusting like the Blessed Mother’s and enduring unto eternal life. St. Francis, obtain for me the grace to embrace the ways of Our Lord!
Petition:Grant me the grace of self-abandonment to Divine Mercy.
1. “Out of his mind” His relatives, with the exception of Mary, did not yet believe or understand the mission of Jesus. It seemed to them that he had gone mad. He was being mobbed by endless crowds of people, to the point of not eating. With what minds were they judging? The mind of the world: “What counts most is comfort and taking care of oneself.” Human prudence threatens us as well. It makes us calculate the cost of our self-giving, be most concerned for ourselves, see life as temporal, work as though our mission were neither urgent nor important.
2. “He is Possessed” The other extreme sees Jesus’ heroic efforts as a threat or as too good to be true. Pride and vanity try to explain away his dedication and power: “Since he is beyond us, he must be using the power of the devil to drive out the devil.” Jesus warns them of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, calling good evil and evil good. Without going so far, we too can be tempted to doubt God’s mercy and his ability to transform us: ‘Why, I will never change’. If we don’t doubt his mercy, do we at least doubt his patience or think him subject to our own miserly measures of generosity?
3. The Holy Spirit Either Satan is divided against himself or he has been bound and overcome by someone stronger, reasons Jesus. If evil and Satan are powerful and possessive, God is even more powerful and inspiring. If sin and hatred are strong, love and forgiveness are stronger. Christ’s coming is the beginning of the end for evil. Let us not be awed or frightened when evil shows itself. “Where sin abounded, grace super-abounded”, says St. Paul. (Rom.5:20) The Holy Spirit will finish the job of unity and charity, working in us, working in the Church. I must believe in God’s love so to allow him to work in my life. Discouragement is the work of pride; hope is the work of God. Do I continue to hope, even in the face of evil and human weakness?
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, renew my faith and hope in you. Give me the courage and vision of your vicar, John Paul II, who continues to work and pray with confidence, despite the darkness he has witnessed. Never allow me to give in to discouragement, pessimism or frustration. I trust in your grace and in your wisdom. May I give of myself totally as you did, not worrying about the calculations and the false prudence of the world.
Resolution: I will renew my resolution to work on that one area or virtue that seems unconquerable, trusting in God’s goodness and grace.
By Father Edward Hopkins, LC
We would like to announce that Catholic.net will be publishing daily meditations for young people. Many of you have wished to share this wonderful prayer resource with your children. Now you have the chance. To check them out please visit Catholic.net by clicking here.
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 wmeditation-request@regnumchristi.org with the word unsubscribe in the subject line.
© Regnum Christi http://www.regnumchristi.org/
Author: Father Edward Hopkins, LC
January 23, 2004
Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Mark 3:13-19
He went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. He appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons: (he appointed the twelve:) Simon, whom he named Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
Introductory Prayer:Lord, I believe in you as my Creator and Redeemer. You have a plan for me and show me the way each day. I trust your way of walking and the light that only you provide. I love you Lord, with my prayer and with my efforts to be faithful to your call. Mary, teach me to be faithful.
Petition:Lord, grant me the grace to see my life as you see it.
1. Up the Mountain The mountain top represents the preferred place of prayer for Jesus, as it was for Moses and the Prophets of the Old Testament. Intense prayer, away from the distraction of the city and the crowds, must precede his choice of the Twelve. He seeks to do his Father’s will and chooses those already appointed by him. His election was to be free of personal preferences and any momentary whim. It would be a critical choice upon which the future of the Church would rest. He would not necessarily choose those easiest to work with. He would choose only those the Father “wanted.” Do I confront all the mysteries, difficulties and important decisions of my life with the same prayer as that of Christ, “above all, God’s will”?
2. The Appointment What did Jesus appoint them to do? Before he chose them to do, he chose them to be. Pope John Paul II many times reminds us that “being” must take priority over doing. The contrary leads to activism, working for ourselves and on our own, with our own poor strength. Jesus calls the apostles “that they might be with him. They would be with him more often and nearer than others. And from this experience would come their knowledge of his life and will. If I am truly identified with what God calls me to be, I will respond the way he wants. “If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world ablaze.” (John Paul II to Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi members, Jan. 4. 2001)
3. By Name The mission was both important and arduous. So he chose 12 men by name to work together to build the Kingdom. Who walked at your side was no accident; the Lord had chosen him to work with you and you with him. He chooses me with my weaknesses and others with theirs. Second-guessing the Lord serves no end. The apostles had to trust. It wasn’t easy for them to be faithful. Each one carried his own vocation and mission, responsible in some way for the good of the rest, but each was irreplaceable. In God they trusted for the grace they needed. Do I see my responsibilities and vocation in light of God’s providential plan for the world?
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, help me to depend more totally upon you in prayer. Make my prayer the guide and strength of my life. Keep my heart focused on you, on your plan and your will. I trust that you have called me to do something important for you with my life and that you will be with me to bless and accomplish what I can’t hope to do alone. Help me to be faithful to you.
Resolution: I will abandon all complaining about my difficulties in order to embrace Christ and his will with prayer and trust.
By Father Edward Hopkins, LC
We would like to announce that Catholic.net will be publishing daily meditations for young people. Many of you have wished to share this wonderful prayer resource with your children. Now you have the chance. To check them out please visit Catholic.net by clicking here.
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How to Explain Jesus
Author: Father Edward Hopkins, LC
January 24, 2004
Saint Francis de Sales
Mark 3:21-30
When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, "He is out of his mind." The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebul," and "By the prince of demons he drives out demons." Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, "How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin." For they had said, "He has an unclean spirit."
Introductory Prayer:Lord, I believe in your goodness and abundant mercy in my life. I trust that you care for me and in your generosity. I love you, Lord, and want my love to be unconditional like yours, trusting like the Blessed Mother’s and enduring unto eternal life. St. Francis, obtain for me the grace to embrace the ways of Our Lord!
Petition:Grant me the grace of self-abandonment to Divine Mercy.
1. “Out of his mind” His relatives, with the exception of Mary, did not yet believe or understand the mission of Jesus. It seemed to them that he had gone mad. He was being mobbed by endless crowds of people, to the point of not eating. With what minds were they judging? The mind of the world: “What counts most is comfort and taking care of oneself.” Human prudence threatens us as well. It makes us calculate the cost of our self-giving, be most concerned for ourselves, see life as temporal, work as though our mission were neither urgent nor important.
2. “He is Possessed” The other extreme sees Jesus’ heroic efforts as a threat or as too good to be true. Pride and vanity try to explain away his dedication and power: “Since he is beyond us, he must be using the power of the devil to drive out the devil.” Jesus warns them of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, calling good evil and evil good. Without going so far, we too can be tempted to doubt God’s mercy and his ability to transform us: ‘Why, I will never change’. If we don’t doubt his mercy, do we at least doubt his patience or think him subject to our own miserly measures of generosity?
3. The Holy Spirit Either Satan is divided against himself or he has been bound and overcome by someone stronger, reasons Jesus. If evil and Satan are powerful and possessive, God is even more powerful and inspiring. If sin and hatred are strong, love and forgiveness are stronger. Christ’s coming is the beginning of the end for evil. Let us not be awed or frightened when evil shows itself. “Where sin abounded, grace super-abounded”, says St. Paul. (Rom.5:20) The Holy Spirit will finish the job of unity and charity, working in us, working in the Church. I must believe in God’s love so to allow him to work in my life. Discouragement is the work of pride; hope is the work of God. Do I continue to hope, even in the face of evil and human weakness?
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, renew my faith and hope in you. Give me the courage and vision of your vicar, John Paul II, who continues to work and pray with confidence, despite the darkness he has witnessed. Never allow me to give in to discouragement, pessimism or frustration. I trust in your grace and in your wisdom. May I give of myself totally as you did, not worrying about the calculations and the false prudence of the world.
Resolution: I will renew my resolution to work on that one area or virtue that seems unconquerable, trusting in God’s goodness and grace.
By Father Edward Hopkins, LC
We would like to announce that Catholic.net will be publishing daily meditations for young people. Many of you have wished to share this wonderful prayer resource with your children. Now you have the chance. To check them out please visit Catholic.net by clicking here.
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 wmeditation-request@regnumchristi.org with the word unsubscribe in the subject line.
© Regnum Christi http://www.regnumchristi.org/