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)
Holy Mary, pray for us. You are the Mother of God, the mediator of all graces. Intercede for me, and ask the Lord for what you, as a good mother, know I need.
Gospel of the day (to guide your meditation)
From the Holy Gospel according to John 16:16-20
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples, “In a little while you will no longer see me, and in a little while you will see me again”. Some of his disciples asked one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while they will no longer see me, and in a little while they will see me again,’ and by saying, ‘I am going to the Father’?” And they said to one another, “What does this ‘a little while’ mean? We do not understand what it means. Jesus understood that they wanted to ask him something, and he said to them, ”You are confused, because I have said to you, “In a little while you will no longer see me, and in a little while you will see me again. I assure you that you will weep and grieve, while the world will rejoice. You will be sad, but your sadness will be transformed into joy‘.
Word of the Lord.
Meditate on what God tells you in the Gospel
The passion, death and resurrection of Jesus are at the center of our faith. It is like the exact point where the seed of the Gospel was sown. From it spring the deepest roots of the Church. This event is called the Paschal Mystery, precisely because looking at Christ, our Easter, opens the horizon to a reality far greater than we can imagine.
Life is interwoven with sad and happy moments. We go up and down, seemingly without concrete direction, only pushed by moods or external circumstances. Christ comes with a new message. He gives a goal, which is eternal life. He shows us the way, to take up our cross and follow him. He teaches us the truth behind the story: his love for each one of us. Then, it is no longer a meaningless up and down, for sadness unites us to the cross and joy is a sign of his resurrection.
Perhaps we find ourselves or have gone through moments of deep sadness. In them we share the Paschal Mystery: Christ is also there, suffering with us, carrying his cross alongside ours. And with this gaze of faith, then the heart opens to hope. We know that after the cross and burial comes the resurrection. We only have to wait a little while, and sadness will be transformed into joy.
«But I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and no one can take your joy away from you. These are words that must be emphasized. Human joy can be erased by anything, by any difficulty. But this joy that the Lord gives us, that makes us exult, that makes us rejoice in the hope of meeting him, this joy no one can take away, it is lasting. Even in the darkest moments. May the Lord give us the grace of a great joy that is an expression of hope; and a strong hope that becomes joy in our life“.
(Homily of H.H. Francis, May 6, 2016, in Santa Marta).
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 pray before a crucifix at the end of the day to offer Christ my sorrows and joys and tomorrow I will seek to console anyone who is going through a difficulty.
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.
