Tag: discipleship

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

Free lectio divina prayer guide: quarryapps.gumroad.com/l/jojqau

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 3:22-30)

Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him.”

The scribes say that Jesus drives out demons by the prince of demons and that he is possessed by Beelzebul, but Jesus refutes their argument, reducing it to absurdity. In the same way a house or kingdom cannot be divided and remain standing, Satan cannot rise up against himself and stand. Who speaks these words but the Jesus Christ in the trinitarian unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? The strong man Jesus refers to in the parable, the Holy Spirit, comes to dwell in the house of the body, where no evil can possess it. “But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness,” Jesus says, “but is guilty of an everlasting sin.”

God, you sent Jesus your Son to liberate all of humanity from the bondage of sin and evil. In this liberation, Jesus reconciles us to you and brings the hope of the resurrection, sharers in this gift. Right here at this moment in time, Jesus calls me by name to offer me the same. What is it to participate in the paschal mystery but to pick up my cross and follow him? In that unity with Christ, can I ever be broken from it except by my own free will? Help me, Lord, to remain in unity with you and make for the Holy Spirit an undivided place to dwell.

From the responsorial psalm: “Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel.” Father in heaven, protect the lives of the unborn and give us courage to fight for the protection of all human life, especially life in the womb.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“They abandoned their nets.” | Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Free lectio divina prayer guide: quarryapps.gumroad.com/l/jojqau

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 3:20-21)

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

Jesus calls Simon and Andrew in the midst of their workday. They are in a boat, working for their sustenance and casting their nets into the sea. James and John, brothers in a family business, are mending their nets. In their livelihood, they are literally and figuratively in the same boat. When Jesus calls them, he refers to their occupation to make clear that what they have done as humble fisherman will be relevant to their work as disciples. Jesus invites them to get out of their boat and into his, not literally but figuratively, and they did. “They abandoned their nets and followed him.” Mark adds that Zebedee was not left to work alone but had hired men there to help him, a subtle suggestion that God takes care of all of the details when his invitation to follow is accepted. In the words of Christ, here is his invitation: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

God, help me understand the depth of today’s Gospel, how it was that the first apostles abandoned their way of life to follow Jesus Christ your Son. There are levels of understanding in the reading, ways to approach it. What did it mean for each of the apostles to follow Christ? Where did it lead them? And then I might ask what it means to me to hear Christ’s invitation to follow, to fail to follow, repent, and try all over again through the sacrament of reconciliation. The rich young man who appears elsewhere in Mark, could not bring himself to do what humble fisherman accomplished: they abandoned their nets. Give me the grace to remain humble, to recognize that whatever I do for worldly gain means nothing if it prevents me from following you. Help me recognize, Lord, as Paul says, that time is running out and that “the world in its present form is passing away.” Lord, give me clarity and wisdom in hearing and responding to your call.

From the responsorial psalm: “Your ways, O LORD, make known to me; teach me your paths, Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior. Teach me your ways, O Lord.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Thursday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 5:1-11)

Jesus said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”

Peter had been working hard all night in a futile attempt to catch fish, so he must have taken Jesus’ words “Put out into deep water” with a grain of salt. But after bringing in a large catch of fish—a miraculous sign of God’s extraordinary generosity—he confesses his sinfulness and responds immediately to Jesus’ call to follow him. “When they brought their boats to the shore,” Luke tells us, “they left everything and followed him.” By using the metaphor of fishing, Jesus demonstrates that discipleship is not limited or limiting, but they are called to cast their nets wide and bring people from all walks of life into the Kingdom of God.

God, help me understand today’s Gospel message. I so often get caught up in the plans I have for any given day only to find that I accomplished little of what I strived for. Peter’s reply to Jesus, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man,” reminds me that unless I listen out for your voice and do what is pleasing to you, my efforts are in vain. Give me the grace of humility to work today not for attaining and exceeding my own expectations but to be attentive to your Son. Just as Jesus approaches Simon and Andrew and invites them to follow him, he also calls me to work with him to accomplish your will.

From the Gospel acclamation: “Come after me, says the Lord, and I will make you fishers of men.” Lord, make known your ways to me as I set out on this day.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 19:23-30)

Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

Having just spoken to the wealthy young man, Jesus then turns to his disciples and tells them how hard it is for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Peter tells Jesus that they have given up everything to follow him. “What will there be for us?” he asks Jesus. To Peter and the disciples Jesus says that when he sits on his throne of glory in the world to come, they also will sit on twelve thrones. To anyone who detaches from the things of this world and selflessly follows him, Jesus says they “will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life.”

God, help me understand the words of Jesus. Being a disciple means putting myself behind others in a life dedicated to service for the sake of your name. What is impossible for me you make possible from your very being, the source of all good. Help me put in right relationship to you the things of this world. Rather than seeking to attain as much as I believe I need in a given week or month or year, instead teach me to trust you for what I need. Help me see the actual value of wealth and material possessions so that I can use them justly for the good of all.

From the responsorial psalm: “I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD–for he proclaims peace to his people, and to his faithful ones, and to those who put in him their hope.” Mary, Queen assumed into heaven, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus said to his apostles: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

With these challenging words, Jesus invites not only the apostles but anybody who hears him to take up his cross and follow after him. It’s hard to imagine a love greater than that of love for parents or children. Yet, in speaking to the apostles, that is the standard he calls us to strive for. The demand of discipleship to set aside the quest of self-fulfillment has a paradoxical result. In Jesus’ own words, what is that result? “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Whoever finds himself worthy of the Lord is the one who loves him more than father or mother or son or daughter. In that worthy state of grace, love of father and mother and son and daughter becomes ever greater.

God, help me remember this way of life that Jesus calls me to and that you, the author of life, give me your Son as the way, the truth, and the life. Calling this to mind, give me the courage to find my life by losing it for your sake. Jesus says, “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” Give me the grace to recognize that I am an instrument of your love for your people, your “little ones.” In showing them mercy and kindness, I do your will by giving them a cup of cold water to drink.

Lord, be with me today as I put self-interest aside. Stay with me as I receive others, knowing that I love them all the more as I strive to be worthy of you.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.