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)
Look into my eyes, sweet Jesus good; look into my eyes, let me die.
Whoever wants to see roses and jasmines, if I see you, I will see a thousand gardens, flower of seraphim;
Jesus of Nazareth, see before my eyes, then die to me.
I do not want contentment, my absent Jesus, for all is torment to him who feels this; only his love and desire sustains me;
Look into my eyes, sweet Jesus good; look into my eyes, let me die later (St. Teresa of Avila).
Gospel of the day (to guide your meditation)
From the Holy Gospel according to John 1:35-42
At that time John the Baptist was with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he passed by and said, “This is the Lamb of God. When the two disciples heard these words, they followed Jesus, and when he turned to them, and saw that they were following him, he asked them, ”What do you seek?“ They replied, ”Where do you live, Rabbi?“ (Rabbi means ”teacher‘). He said to them, ’Come and see.“ So they went and saw where he lived and stayed with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John the Baptist said and followed Jesus. The first one Andrew met was his brother Simon, and he said to him, ”We have found the Messiah“ (which means ”the anointed one‘). He brought him to where Jesus was, and Jesus looked at him and said to him, ’You are Simon, son of John. You shall be called Kephas“ (which means Peter, that is, ”rock‘).
Word of the Lord.
Meditate on what God tells you in the Gospel
Today's Gospel puts us in a contemplative mood. In a few lines we find four gazes: John who looks at Jesus; Jesus looks at the two who follow him; they, in turn, see where Jesus lives; finally Jesus who looks at Peter. Let us enter into this play of views during prayer. Let us look at Jesus, let us allow ourselves to be looked at by Him, let us ask Him to look at us and to allow us to see Him....
Christ's gaze goes to the depths of the heart: the man, Jesus of Nazareth, is at the same time the true God, the God who created us in view of a vocation and a mission. Our gaze, on the other hand, does not reach so far. When we look at him, we hear the words «Behold the Lamb of God», or we receive a new name, as happened to Peter. At first everything is unknown. There are still many truths of faith that we do not fully perceive, just as there are still unknown names within our own hearts. A mystery opens up before us whenever we come into contact with God.
However, the mystery of God is not like a dark night, or an obscure knowledge reserved to a few «enlightened ones». Mystery means a reality to be discovered, a horizon that little by little lets the sun rise... until one day, like the Apostle John, we can say: «The Life has appeared, and we who have seen it testify and proclaim to you the eternal Life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us» (1 John 1:2). ”Come and see.« Do we want to come and see Him today?
«The right word is precisely compassion: love leads him to “suffer with” them, to get involved in people's lives. And the Lord is always there, loving first: he waits for us, he is the surprise. This is precisely what happens to Andrew when he goes to Peter and tells him: “We have found the Messiah, come! Peter goes to Jesus, who looks at him and says: “Are you Simon? You will be Peter. He was waiting for him with a mission. He had loved him before”.
(Cf Homily of H.H. Francis, January 15, 2016).
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.
I will dedicate ten to fifteen minutes of Eucharistic adoration.
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.
