Michael Vargas, 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)
Lord Jesus, please help me to feel your love in my life.
Gospel of the day (to guide your meditation)
From the Holy Gospel according to John 15:18-21
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but the world hates you because you are not of the world, for by choosing you, I have separated you from the world. Remember what I told you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you, and they will treat my words the same way they treat yours. They will do all this to you because of me, for they do not know the one who sent me.”.
Word of the Lord.
Meditate on what God tells you in the Gospel
"I have chosen you!" Beautiful words that we cannot forget, and that should echo little by little in our hearts. Perhaps the question will arise: Why? Yes, it seems like a simple phrase, and it is, but what makes the difference is not a simple phrase; these are words that hide a free, personal, and loving choice of Jesus Christ for each of his children.
It's that simple: Jesus has personally chosen us, and we should feel joy because of it. Today, more than ever, He has chosen us freely because He loves us. He doesn't love us like the world does, often based on situations, social conditions, or the positions and responsibilities we may have. No, on the contrary, Jesus loves us just as we are. But we must also remember that love must be reciprocated with love.
It is certain that He rejoices when love is reciprocated, not only with grand gestures, but with small details in our daily lives, small details that make a difference, because when it comes to love, it is necessary to have small details with the person or people we love.
That's the difference, and the important thing is to feel loved and to be able to love without measure, not as the world does, but as those who have experienced God's love in their lives do.
«Jesus teaches us a different way of looking at the field of the world, of observing reality. We are called to learn God's timing—which is not our timing—and also God's “gaze”: thanks to the beneficial influence of a fervent expectation, what was weed or seemed like weed can become a good product. This is the reality of conversion. It is the perspective of hope! May the Virgin Mary help us to perceive in the reality that surrounds us not only the dirt and evil, but also the good and the beautiful; to unmask Satan's work, but above all to trust in God's action that makes history fruitful.
(Homily of H.H. Francis, July 23, 2017).
Dialogue with Christ
This is the most important part of your prayer, prepare yourself 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.
Today I will bear witness to love, joy, and peace in every act I perform in my life.
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.
