D.R.R.
April 4th 2004, 01:52 PM
April 4, 2004 Daily Prayer with Regnum Christi
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For all those who feel hunger in the world.
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Glorifying the Master
April 4, 2004
Palm Sunday
Luke 19:28-40
Jesus proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem. As he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples. He said, “Go into the village opposite you, and as you enter it you will find a colt tethered on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. And if anyone should ask you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you will answer, ‘The Master has need of it.’” So those who had been sent went off and found everything just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying this colt?” They answered, “The Master has need of it.” So they brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks over the colt, and helped Jesus to mount. As he rode along, the people were spreading their cloaks on the road; and now as he was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of his disciples began to praise God aloud with joy for all the mighty deeds they had seen. They proclaimed: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He said in reply, “I tell you, if they keep silent, the stones will cry out!”
Introductory Prayer:Lord, today begins Holy Week. I do not want this week to go by like any other week of the year. I do not want to be indifferent to the mysteries of your passion and death. So I come to you in prayer to meditate and reflect on what is happening. Every day this week I want to take the time to contemplate these mysteries. Today is Palm Sunday when you road triumphantly into Jerusalem to the cheers of the people. Help me in these few minutes of prayer to penetrate deeper into the meaning of this celebration.
Petition:Lord, show me your glory that I might praise you as the people did that first Palm Sunday.
1. Jesus the Master. Why do the owners of the colt give it up to the disciples so easily? Because the Master needed it. Jesus is the master. He has dominion over all things. The passion he is about to go through is willed by him. St. John Chrysostom comments on this passage, “For both facts are alike wonderful––that they said nothing when their beasts were taken away, and that when they heard that the Lord had need of them they yielded and did not oppose them––especially since they did not see the Lord himself, but only his disciples. From this he teaches us that he could have restrained the Jews, even against their will, when they were getting ready to lay hands on him; and could have stricken them speechless.” Jesus is the master and nothing that is about to happen this week will happen outside of his control. All is willed by him for the salvation of mankind.
2. Untying the Colt. St. Ambrose speaks of the colt as a figure of the gentiles. Jesus comes to release the gentiles from their bondage to sin. The colt has never been ridden, that is to say for the first time the gentiles will be free from sin and come under the rule of the King of Kings. As Jesus rides into Jerusalem and the people cry out “Hosanna!” do they really know what they are witnessing? The King of the universe comes to free mankind from sin and death. These people had seen mighty deeds. They had seen the sick healed and the demons driven out and the leapers cleansed, but what is about to happen in the next few days will overshadow all of those mighty deeds. The Son of Man will rise from the dead in triumph over death.
3. With Voice and Deed. There was a thrill of jubilation that Palm Sunday. The crowd was excited. Perhaps they did not fully comprehend why but the sight of Jesus struck a chord in their souls that made them want to cry out in praise. And they did not only cry out but jubilation overflowed from their voices into their deeds and they spread their cloaks on the road as a sign of honor and respect for Christ. Doesn’t it seem a waste to throw a cloak on the ground to have it stepped on by an animal? Yet there is no waste. This King deserves all of the “wasted” time and effort of celebration. This King deserves the extra liturgical praise.
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, I want to be there with the crowd to praise and glorify you. I do not want to be a mere onlooker. You are truly the King who comes in the name of the Lord. You deserve to be praised for the mighty things you have done and will do. Touch me with your grace that I might cry out in jubilation not only with my words but also with my deeds.
Resolution: I will “waste” some time in prayer in order to glorify God.
By Father Daniel Polzer, LC
To find out more about a vocational retreat for young men ages 16 to 30 from April 7 – 11 in Cheshire, CT click 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 meditation-request@regnumchristi.org with the word unsubscribe in the subject line.
© Regnum Christi http://www.regnumchristi.org/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For all those who feel hunger in the world.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glorifying the Master
April 4, 2004
Palm Sunday
Luke 19:28-40
Jesus proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem. As he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples. He said, “Go into the village opposite you, and as you enter it you will find a colt tethered on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. And if anyone should ask you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you will answer, ‘The Master has need of it.’” So those who had been sent went off and found everything just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying this colt?” They answered, “The Master has need of it.” So they brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks over the colt, and helped Jesus to mount. As he rode along, the people were spreading their cloaks on the road; and now as he was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of his disciples began to praise God aloud with joy for all the mighty deeds they had seen. They proclaimed: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He said in reply, “I tell you, if they keep silent, the stones will cry out!”
Introductory Prayer:Lord, today begins Holy Week. I do not want this week to go by like any other week of the year. I do not want to be indifferent to the mysteries of your passion and death. So I come to you in prayer to meditate and reflect on what is happening. Every day this week I want to take the time to contemplate these mysteries. Today is Palm Sunday when you road triumphantly into Jerusalem to the cheers of the people. Help me in these few minutes of prayer to penetrate deeper into the meaning of this celebration.
Petition:Lord, show me your glory that I might praise you as the people did that first Palm Sunday.
1. Jesus the Master. Why do the owners of the colt give it up to the disciples so easily? Because the Master needed it. Jesus is the master. He has dominion over all things. The passion he is about to go through is willed by him. St. John Chrysostom comments on this passage, “For both facts are alike wonderful––that they said nothing when their beasts were taken away, and that when they heard that the Lord had need of them they yielded and did not oppose them––especially since they did not see the Lord himself, but only his disciples. From this he teaches us that he could have restrained the Jews, even against their will, when they were getting ready to lay hands on him; and could have stricken them speechless.” Jesus is the master and nothing that is about to happen this week will happen outside of his control. All is willed by him for the salvation of mankind.
2. Untying the Colt. St. Ambrose speaks of the colt as a figure of the gentiles. Jesus comes to release the gentiles from their bondage to sin. The colt has never been ridden, that is to say for the first time the gentiles will be free from sin and come under the rule of the King of Kings. As Jesus rides into Jerusalem and the people cry out “Hosanna!” do they really know what they are witnessing? The King of the universe comes to free mankind from sin and death. These people had seen mighty deeds. They had seen the sick healed and the demons driven out and the leapers cleansed, but what is about to happen in the next few days will overshadow all of those mighty deeds. The Son of Man will rise from the dead in triumph over death.
3. With Voice and Deed. There was a thrill of jubilation that Palm Sunday. The crowd was excited. Perhaps they did not fully comprehend why but the sight of Jesus struck a chord in their souls that made them want to cry out in praise. And they did not only cry out but jubilation overflowed from their voices into their deeds and they spread their cloaks on the road as a sign of honor and respect for Christ. Doesn’t it seem a waste to throw a cloak on the ground to have it stepped on by an animal? Yet there is no waste. This King deserves all of the “wasted” time and effort of celebration. This King deserves the extra liturgical praise.
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, I want to be there with the crowd to praise and glorify you. I do not want to be a mere onlooker. You are truly the King who comes in the name of the Lord. You deserve to be praised for the mighty things you have done and will do. Touch me with your grace that I might cry out in jubilation not only with my words but also with my deeds.
Resolution: I will “waste” some time in prayer in order to glorify God.
By Father Daniel Polzer, LC
To find out more about a vocational retreat for young men ages 16 to 30 from April 7 – 11 in Cheshire, CT click 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 meditation-request@regnumchristi.org with the word unsubscribe in the subject line.
© Regnum Christi http://www.regnumchristi.org/