Balam Loza, 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 want to open wide the doors of my heart to You. What can I do if You do not come to my house? I need the perfume of your love to fill my whole life. You are the only one who can give meaning to my life and in you I want to live. How many times like the prodigal son I have gone away! And I realize that life with you is not easy, because you have to carry the cross. The difference is that you carry it with me, with you the burden is light and the cross is light. Come, today, into my heart and into my life.
Gospel of the day (to guide your meditation)
From the holy Gospel according to Luke 11:37-41
At that time, when Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat at his house. He went in and sat at the table. When the Pharisee was surprised to see that he did not wash his hands before eating, the Lord said to him, “You Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are full of robbery and wickedness. You fools! He who has done that which is without, has he not also done that which is within? Give alms of that which is within, and ye shall have all things clean.”.
Word of the Lord.
Meditate on what God tells you in the Gospel
“Give alms from within”. Many times a great number of poor and needy people come to meet us. Many will come to ask for a coin, but others will come to ask for our time, attention or affection. And with the latter it is necessary to give from within. With all our heart. Let us think, for example, of that relative who has had an accident and needs us to accompany him in the hospital, taking time away from sleep, work or my fun. Or how about that elderly person who always talks about the same things and of whom we are already a little bored.
Yes, it is not enough to be or to look coldly. It is necessary to give alms, but in a different currency. The warmth of the heart is needed. The Pharisees invited Jesus to eat, but the doors of their house were formally open, that is to say, it was a committed and not a spontaneous invitation. This explains why they are attentive to each of the Master's acts. They see everything and, at the same time, they criticize everything. How would it have been if that invitation had been from within, from the heart? The protocols would not matter so much... How are our family gatherings? And the meals with friends and loved ones?
That is what Jesus asks of us today. When we invite someone to our home, when we give alms, let us do it from within. It is not enough to give a coin at the time of the offerings during Mass. We must give it with all our heart. Let us think of that widow who put in her two small coins... She did not give large amounts, nor did she go announcing with the trumpet. However, it is touching to see Jesus recognizing in those two coins the great love of that woman. It does not matter how much we give but how we give it.
«True faith is that which makes us more charitable, more merciful, more honest and more human; it is that which animates our hearts and leads us to love everyone freely, without distinction and without preference; it is that which makes us see the other not as an enemy to be defeated, but as a brother to be loved, served and helped; It is the one that leads us to spread, defend and live the culture of encounter, dialogue, respect and fraternity; it gives us the courage to forgive those who have offended us, to help those who have fallen; to clothe the naked; to feed the hungry, to visit the imprisoned; to help orphans; to give drink to the thirsty; to help the elderly and the needy».
(Homily of H.H. Francis, April 29, 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.
This week I am going to give alms to the Church, in a spirit of gratitude, thinking of how much I have received.
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.
