Iván Yoed González Aréchiga, LC
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Christ, Our King.
Thy Kingdom come!
Preparatory prayer (to put me in the presence of God)
And if ever I should feel abandoned, my God, help me to understand that it is only a feeling; for You will never, never abandon me. I want to grow in the awareness of Your love, to know You better this day and to imitate You with ardor.
Gospel of the day (to guide your meditation)
From the Holy Gospel according to Luke 19:45-48
On that day Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and buying there, saying to them, “It is written, ”My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.'" Jesus taught every day in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes and the rulers of the people tried to kill him, but they could not find a way to do it, because all the people were watching his words.
Word of the Lord.
Meditate on what God tells you in the Gospel
I think it may help to think of the following scene: a loved one is in serious health, a loved one whom, moreover, everyone holds in high esteem. So do I. He is in a delicate state, perhaps in agony, and I want to visit him. Just by going to his house, I seem to slowly slip into a silence of respect, of deep reverence. Then, arriving at the door, looking at it with reserve, knocking, each gesture I make transports me slightly in the sober atmosphere, where the most precise thing is to be silent, to accompany, simply to be.
As soon as I pass the entrance, I am part of those who really want to be and comfort the family, to stay by the side of their loved one, no matter the time, aware of the deep weight of that instant. All stealth and respect is motivated by a deep love, and everything is even natural.
On that day, it is not important to stay there «too long». On the contrary, it is important to be there. And if I could only spend a few seconds with the sick person, it would be worth it all. At the end of the day, my only wish was to be able to accompany.
Well. The scene is probably real. And it can be compared to the reverence that Jesus felt every time he visited his Father's house.
I wonder, Lord, if my heart resembles yours.
«In the temple Jesus comes to meet us and we go to meet him [...] Whoever truly encounters Jesus cannot remain the same as before. He is the newness that makes all things new. Whoever lives this encounter becomes a witness and makes the encounter possible for others; and also becomes a promoter of the culture of encounter, avoiding the self-referentiality that makes us remain closed in on ourselves».
(Homily of H.H. Francis, February 2, 2016).
Dialogue with Christ
This is the most important part of your prayer. Be willing to talk with much love with the One who loves you.
Purpose
Propose a personal one. The one that involves the most love in response to the Beloved... or, if you believe that this is what God is asking of you, live what is suggested below.
While I am in church I will be silent, with the intention of opening my mind to the awareness of the place where I am, with the intention of opening my heart to receive the grace of delicate respect for Jesus present.
Farewell
We thank you, Lord, for all your benefits, you who live and reign forever and ever.
Amen.
Christ, our King!
Thy Kingdom come!
Most prudent Virgin, Mary, Mother of the Church.
Pray for us.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
