Javier Castellanos, 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)
May your hand uphold him who is at your right hand; give us back our life and we will call upon your Name.
Gospel of the day (to guide your meditation)
From the Holy Gospel according to John 5, 31-47
At that time, Jesus said to the Jews: “If I were to testify about myself, my testimony would be worthless; it is someone else who testifies about me, and I know that the testimony he bears about me is valid. You sent messengers to John the Baptist and he bore witness to the truth. It is not that I want to rely on the testimony of a man. If I say this, it is so that you may be saved. John was the lamp that burned and shone, and you wanted to rejoice for a moment in his light. But I have a better testimony than that of John: the works which the Father has granted me to do, and which I do, bear witness to me and prove that I am sent by the Father. The Father, who sent me, has borne witness of me. You have never heard his voice or seen his face, and his word does not dwell in you, because you do not believe him whom he has sent. You study the scriptures, thinking to find in them eternal life; well, they are the ones that bear witness to me. And you do not want to come to me that you may have life! I do not seek the glory that comes from men; it is because I know them and I know that the love of God is not in them. I have come in my Father's name and you have not received me. How can it be possible for you to believe that you aspire to receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes only from God? Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; there is already someone who accuses you: Moses, in whom you have your hope. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But if you do not believe his writings, how can you believe my words?.
Word of the Lord.
Meditate on what God tells you in the Gospel
The words in today's Gospel are hard to assimilate. Christ assumes a severe attitude, almost angry and reproachful towards those who did not manage to open themselves to believe in him. He does not cease to insist on his proclamation of conversion. He really wants all men and women to be saved!
If we are honest, we also see in ourselves that there are aspects that still do not fully please Jesus. Perhaps they are small things, details; but for the heart that loves, no detail is too small. Perhaps they are habits already consolidated; but for the heart that loves it is never too late, nothing is ever too hard. And who knows if this will be the Lent in which we have been able to grow a little more in love.
The Lord reproaches without reserve. He does not do it out of some kind of wounded self-love; he does it because he comes to speak to us of the Father's love; he does it because he comes to give us what we so long for in the depths of our souls... May we listen to his voice today! May his reproach not be in vain!
These are the witnesses of reproach: a Father who loves infinitely, and a soul - our own soul! - that thirsts for eternal life. Reproach is hard, and the thought of it makes us uncomfortable, no doubt. But we know that in correction there is hope for change, and that Christ is the first to be interested in us. Let us turn to Him for Life!
«Witness: this is the great heroic missionary activity of the Church: to proclaim Jesus Christ with one's life! I address myself to young people: think about what you want to do with your life. It is time to think and ask the Lord to make you feel his will. But without excluding, please, this possibility of becoming a missionary, to bring love, humanity and faith to other countries. Not to proselytize. That is what those who pursue something else do. The faith is preached first with the testimony and then with the word. Slowly».
(Audience of H.H. Francis, December 2, 2015).
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 work to correct a defect in the way I treat others (words, attitudes...).
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.
