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)
I thank you for the gift of being a Christian. My name is after my model: Christ. My virtue is charity. And the source of my strength is not I, but your grace, in whom I place my hope. In your hands my prayer.
Gospel of the day (to guide your meditation)
From the Holy Gospel according to Luke 17, 7-10
Jesus said to his apostles at that time: “Which of you, if he has a servant tilling the ground or feeding the flocks, will say to him when he returns from the field, ‘Come in at once and eat,’ or will he say to him, ‘Prepare me something to eat and prepare to serve me, that I may eat and drink; then you shall eat and drink’? Will he be grateful to the servant because he has done his duty? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ”We are but servants; we have only done what we had to do‘’.
Word of the Lord.
Meditate on what God tells you in the Gospel
I am only a servant, only a handmaid. Certainly the parable referred to me. It is good that sometimes you put me in my place, I must admit, Lord. For it is true: I am aware of all those occasions when I grow, when I recognize myself for what I do, when I feel that I deserve applause for a good deed. Yes, if I ever do something good, I usually think that it was only my own work, coming from my own initiative, coming from my own strength alone.
For example, if I give a smile to a person and I see a good fruit, if I see an externalization of sympathy in the other person because of my gesture, I tend to convince myself that I have done something good because of my merit. Maybe I don't expect to be literally applauded, but I enjoy in some way knowing that I have accomplished something. The same as if I give alms, and I see that the poor person smiles; the same as if I help in the Sunday reading and I know that I served at Holy Mass. I experience in me a natural feeling of triumph.
The problem, certainly, does not lie in enjoying the joy of serving, in feeling satisfaction in completing a praiseworthy deed, in experiencing pleasure in performing an act of virtue. But I must always remember that by myself, by myself I can do nothing. It is You, Lord, who sustains me, who carries me... and who asks even more of me. A «more» that sometimes will mean to increase the quantity of good works, or a «more» that will mean to increase the quality of my works, that love with which I carry out my «services», my responsibilities, whether in my family, in my apostolate, or in my environment. And I trust that you will also sustain me, and that the joy of living according to your heart is always greater - than that of a simple personal triumph.
So «you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are but servants; we have only done what we had to do.’».
«The Lord, through the Church, calls you once again to serve; and it will do your heart good to repeat in prayer the expression that Jesus himself suggested to his disciples to remain humble: “Say: ‘We are simple servants,’” and this not as a formula of good manners but as truth after work “when you have done all that you are commanded.”».
(Homily of H.H. Francis, January 23, 2015).
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.
Today I will pray for a few minutes in the presence of Christ in a chapel, asking for the gift of true humility, so that I can be a good servant.
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.
