D.R.R.
April 7th 2004, 07:21 PM
April 7, 2004 Daily Prayer with Regnum Christi
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For the unity and preservation of marriages, the fundamental unit of society and the Church.
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Is It I Lord?
April 7, 2004
Wednesday of Holy Week
Matthew 26:14-25
One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?" He said, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ´The teacher says, "My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples."´" The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me." Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, "Surely it is not I, Lord?" He said in reply, "He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born." Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" He answered, "You have said so."
Introductory Prayer:Lord, your passion is fast approaching. Tomorrow we will begin the Sacred Triduum celebrating your passion, death and resurrection. I know I am not an innocent bystander but that my sins have helped to nail you to the cross. I know that you died on the cross to redeem me from sin. Help me to appreciate what you have done for me. Help me in this meditation to be aware of how I have collaborated in your death with my sin. Many times I think I am doing the right thing but perhaps I do not really understand that I am the betrayer.
Petition:Lord, show me how I have betrayed you.
1. Betrayed by a Friend. Jesus is betrayed by a friend, someone with whom he has shared his time, his trust, his love. Judas is not an enemy. He is not one of the chief priests, he is not a Roman soldier. He is a close friend, chosen by name, trained in the ways of the Kingdom and entrusted with an apostolic mission. Is not this betrayal by a friend so much more painful because of the friendship? And I consider myself a close friend of Christ. Am I not just as capable of betraying Jesus as Judas was? My friendship with Christ is something I must defend and cultivate. It is not immune from the cancer of pride and egoism.
2. Is It I? What was Christ thinking as each of the disciples asked, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” Was he thinking badly of them? He knew each disciple intimately. He knew their failures and shortcomings. He also knew their good intentions, their desire to do the right thing, to be faithful disciples. I must not be afraid to ask the question, “Is it I?” I must ask it with sincerity and humility. Jesus knows my good intentions. Surely he will look on me with kindness. Christ is not interested in my demise but in my salvation. He will speak to me in my conscience if I have betrayed him in any way.
3. Thirty Pieces of Silver. Judas accepts thirty pieces of silver from the chief priests in return for handing Jesus over. Jesus comments, “Woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” Is there any comparison between thirty pieces of silver and eternal damnation? Is there any comparison between thirty pieces of silver and the life of the Savior? Why such a lopsided and distorted calculation? I must not be as naïve. I must weigh out the options before I make my decisions. I must not let the glitter of the “silver” of the world distort my choices. Life with Christ is the ultimate value that must guide my decisions.
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, I know that in the past I have betrayed you with my sin. I have sold your friendship for the silver of the world. Help me to be aware of this and not to allow the distorted reasoning of Judas to infect my mind. I want to live my life so that there is no doubt in my mind that I am not the one who will betray you––your friendship is too important for me. As we prepare to begin the Sacred Triduum, I come to you with humility and sincerity. Please make it known to me beyond a doubt: “Is it I, Lord?”
Resolution: I will do some small penance in reparation for my past sins.
By Father Daniel Polzer, LC
If you are discerning a vocation or know someone who is, check out Vocation.com, the web´s Catholic Vocation Resource.
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 the unity and preservation of marriages, the fundamental unit of society and the Church.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Is It I Lord?
April 7, 2004
Wednesday of Holy Week
Matthew 26:14-25
One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?" He said, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ´The teacher says, "My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples."´" The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me." Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, "Surely it is not I, Lord?" He said in reply, "He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born." Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" He answered, "You have said so."
Introductory Prayer:Lord, your passion is fast approaching. Tomorrow we will begin the Sacred Triduum celebrating your passion, death and resurrection. I know I am not an innocent bystander but that my sins have helped to nail you to the cross. I know that you died on the cross to redeem me from sin. Help me to appreciate what you have done for me. Help me in this meditation to be aware of how I have collaborated in your death with my sin. Many times I think I am doing the right thing but perhaps I do not really understand that I am the betrayer.
Petition:Lord, show me how I have betrayed you.
1. Betrayed by a Friend. Jesus is betrayed by a friend, someone with whom he has shared his time, his trust, his love. Judas is not an enemy. He is not one of the chief priests, he is not a Roman soldier. He is a close friend, chosen by name, trained in the ways of the Kingdom and entrusted with an apostolic mission. Is not this betrayal by a friend so much more painful because of the friendship? And I consider myself a close friend of Christ. Am I not just as capable of betraying Jesus as Judas was? My friendship with Christ is something I must defend and cultivate. It is not immune from the cancer of pride and egoism.
2. Is It I? What was Christ thinking as each of the disciples asked, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” Was he thinking badly of them? He knew each disciple intimately. He knew their failures and shortcomings. He also knew their good intentions, their desire to do the right thing, to be faithful disciples. I must not be afraid to ask the question, “Is it I?” I must ask it with sincerity and humility. Jesus knows my good intentions. Surely he will look on me with kindness. Christ is not interested in my demise but in my salvation. He will speak to me in my conscience if I have betrayed him in any way.
3. Thirty Pieces of Silver. Judas accepts thirty pieces of silver from the chief priests in return for handing Jesus over. Jesus comments, “Woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” Is there any comparison between thirty pieces of silver and eternal damnation? Is there any comparison between thirty pieces of silver and the life of the Savior? Why such a lopsided and distorted calculation? I must not be as naïve. I must weigh out the options before I make my decisions. I must not let the glitter of the “silver” of the world distort my choices. Life with Christ is the ultimate value that must guide my decisions.
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, I know that in the past I have betrayed you with my sin. I have sold your friendship for the silver of the world. Help me to be aware of this and not to allow the distorted reasoning of Judas to infect my mind. I want to live my life so that there is no doubt in my mind that I am not the one who will betray you––your friendship is too important for me. As we prepare to begin the Sacred Triduum, I come to you with humility and sincerity. Please make it known to me beyond a doubt: “Is it I, Lord?”
Resolution: I will do some small penance in reparation for my past sins.
By Father Daniel Polzer, LC
If you are discerning a vocation or know someone who is, check out Vocation.com, the web´s Catholic Vocation Resource.
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/