Apostleship of Prayer

As we anticipate the great Solemnity of the Annunciation which we will celebrate tomorrow, we recall that salvation entered the world through a woman, and we pray with Pope Benedict that the nations of the world will recognize the value of women and their unique role. Our reflection is from a homily the Holy Father gave on this feast in 2006.

And yet – today of all days we contemplate this aspect of the Mystery – the divine wellspring flows through a privileged channel: the Virgin Mary. St Bernard speaks of this using the eloquent image of aquaeductus. In celebrating the Incarnation of the Son, therefore, we cannot fail to honor his Mother. The Angel’s proclamation was addressed to her; she accepted it, and when she responded from the depths of her heart: “Here I am… let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1: 38), at that moment the eternal Word began to exist as a human being in time. …

In fact, the Angel, “appearing to her”, does not call her by her earthly name, Mary, but by her divine name, as she has always been seen and characterized by God: “Full of grace”, and the grace is none other than the love of God; thus, in the end, we can translate this word: “beloved” of God (Luke 1: 28). Origen observes that no such title had ever been given to a human being, and that it is unparalleled in all of Sacred Scripture.

It is a title expressed in passive form, but this “passivity” of Mary, who has always been and is for ever “loved” by the Lord, implies her free consent, her personal and original response: in being loved, in receiving the gift of God, Mary is fully active, because she accepts with personal generosity the wave of God’s love poured out upon her. In this too, she is the perfect disciple of her Son, who realizes the fullness of his freedom and thus exercises the freedom through obedience to the Father.

Today’s Readings: Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12;  Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9;  John 5:1-16

St. Fidelis, a name which means “Faithful”, was born in what is now Germany and became known as “the poor man’s lawyer” because he generously gave his time to defend the rights of the poor who could not afford the services of a lawyer. In 1612 he left this profession and became a Capuchin Franciscan. In 1622 the Pope created a special office in the Vatican to coordinate the Church’s missionary activities around the world—the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. St. Fidelis was placed in charge of the Capuchin mission in Switzerland and he was so successful in bringing back Catholics who had left the Church during the Protestant Reformation that he was martyred, making him the Proto-martyr of the Propagation of the Faith. We ask this faithful witness to intercede with us for future priests: may they be courageous and faithful in bringing the Catholic faith to their people. Our reflection is from Pope John Paul’s Apostolic Exhortation, “Shepherds After My Own Heart,” on the Formation of Priests, #46.

There are spiritual and religious values present in today’s culture, and man, notwithstanding appearances to the contrary, cannot help but hunger and thirst for God. However, the Christian religion is often regarded as just one religion among many or reduced to nothing more than a social ethic at the service of man. As a result, its amazing novelty in human history is quite often not apparent. It is a “mystery,” the event of the coming of the Son of God who becomes man and gives to those who welcome him the “power to become children of God” (John 1:12). It is the proclamation, nay the gift, of a personal covenant of love and life between God and human beings. Only if future priests, through a suitable spiritual formation, have become deeply aware and have increasingly experienced this “mystery” will they be able to communicate this amazing and blessed message to others (1 John 1:1-4).The [Second Vatican] Council…, while taking account of the absolute transcendence of the Christian mystery, describes the communion of future priests with Jesus in terms of friendship. And indeed it is not an absurdity for a person to aim at this, for it is the priceless gift of Christ, who said to his apostles, “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15).Today’s Readings:  Acts 15:7-21;  Psalm 96:1-3, 10;  John 15:9-11

In our Mission Intention this month we are praying for the future priests in mission countries, that they may be formed to evangelize their nations and indeed the entire world. Such formation means that each seminarian will grow in an intimate relationship with God. Out of prayer and holiness arise the desire to evangelize, to share the Gospel of God’s love with others. As we pray for this, we reflect once more on Pope Benedict’s Message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations which was celebrated yesterday.

In the beginning, and thereafter, what “impels” the Apostles (2 Corinthians 5: 14) is always “the love of Christ”. Innumerable missionaries, throughout the centuries, as faithful servants of the Church, docile to the action of the Holy Spirit, have followed in the footsteps of the first disciples. The Second Vatican Council notes: “Although every disciple of Christ, as far in him lies, has the duty of spreading the faith, Christ the Lord always calls whomever he will from among the number of his disciples, to be with him and to be sent by him to preach to the nations [Mark 3: 13-15]” (Decree Ad Gentes #23). In fact, the love of Christ must be communicated to the brothers by example and words, with all one’s life. My venerable predecessor John Paul II wrote: “The special vocation of missionaries ‘for life’ retains all its validity: it is the model of the Church’s missionary commitment, which always stands in need of radical and total self-giving, of new and bold endeavors”. (Encyclical Redemptoris Missio #66)Among those totally dedicated to the service of the Gospel, are priests, called to preach the word of God, administer the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation, committed to helping the lowly, the sick, the suffering, the poor, and those who experience hardship in areas of the world where there are, at times, many who still have not had a real encounter with Jesus Christ. Missionaries announce for the first time to these people Christ’s redemptive love. Statistics show that the number of baptized persons increases every year thanks to the pastoral work of these priests, who are wholly consecrated to the salvation of their brothers and sisters. … Let us thank God for all the priests who have suffered even to the sacrifice of their lives in order to serve Christ … Theirs is a moving witness that can inspire many young people to follow Christ and to expend their lives for others, and thus to discover true life” (Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis #26).

Today’s Readings: Acts 11:1-18; Psalm 42:2-3, 43:3-4; John 10:11-18

Today is the World Day of Prayer for Vocations and the theme Pope Benedict has chosen for it is “Vocations at the Service of the Church on Mission.” As we pray for religious and priestly vocations today, let us also remember our monthly Mission Intention that the future priests of mission lands may be formed to evangelize their nations and the entire world. Our reflection is from Pope Benedict’s Message for today.

The Risen Jesus gave to the Apostles this command: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19), assuring them: “I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Matthew 28: 20). The Church is missionary in herself and in each one of her members. Through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, every Christian is called to bear witness and to announce the Gospel, but this missionary dimension is associated in a special and intimate way with the priestly vocation. … Jesus already in his public life, while preaching in Galilee, chose some disciples to be his close collaborators in the messianic ministry. … He was moved to compassion for the people, because while visiting cities and villages, he found the crowds weary and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9: 36). From this gaze of love came the invitation to his disciples: “Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matthew 9: 38), and he sent the Twelve initially “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” with precise instructions.

If we pause to meditate on this passage of Matthew’s Gospel, commonly called the “missionary discourse”, we may take note of those aspects which distinguish the missionary activity of a Christian community, eager to remain faithful to the example and teaching of Jesus. To respond to the Lord’s call means facing in prudence and simplicity every danger and even persecutions, since “a disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master” (Matthew 10: 24). Having become one with their Master, the disciples are no longer alone as they announce the Kingdom of heaven; Jesus himself is acting in them: “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me” (Matthew 10: 40). Furthermore, as true witnesses, “clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24: 49), they preach “repentance and the forgiveness of sins” (Luke 24: 47) to all peoples.

Todays Readings: Acts 2:14a, 36-41; Psalm 23:1-6; 1 Peter 2:20b-25; John 10:1-10

Pope Benedict’s last encyclical letter to us was about Hope. Clearly he feels that in the dark and often hopeless times in which we live, we desperately need this virtue. His General Intention for April is another expression of this as he asks us to join him in praying that Christians may not tire of proclaiming with their lives that Christ’s resurrection is the source of hope and peace. Let us pray with Pope Benedict and a great contemporary witness to hope, Archbishop Michael Sabbah of Jerusalem, by reflecting on the Archbishop’s Easter Sunday homily.

Brothers and Sisters, Christ is risen. Yes, right here, this tomb that we venerate witnessed the events that have been transmitted to us by our faith. Here, the empty tomb, in front of which we celebrate Easter this morning, testifies to our faith. It testifies to God’s love for all of humanity. With the entire Church, we renew our faith and we proclaim that Christ rose here. Yes, He is truly risen. We pray in this Eucharist for Christians, for Muslims, and for Jews, for all religions and for our two peoples, Palestinian and Israeli. We pray so that the hope of the Resurrection might revive and renew the hearts of all, and fill them with the mystery of God and of his love. …

Look up to heaven, contemplate Christ who died and resurrected, in order to learn how to die and resurrect each day and each moment and in order to give new hope to this land. Chosen people, your vocation is the same one that Jesus had: to give new life to the world, but first of all to yourselves…. We are witnesses of the Resurrection, said Saint Peter to the crowd after Pentecost. Like him, here, in this very place, we are witnesses of the Resurrection, in order to give new hope and to maintain this hope in everyone, despite all the evil of the people who destroy this land. Let us pray, my brothers and sisters, so that the Resurrection of the Lord will enable all of us to give new life to our land and to all those with whom we are called to live. With the Psalmist we proclaim our hope: “God will deliver my soul” (Ps 49:16) and deliver our land.

Today’s Readings: Acts 9:31-42; Psalm 116:12-17; John 6:60-69

Praying in a particular way for Pope Benedict’s General Intention, we conclude our reading of his “Urbi et Orbi” Easter Message.

How often relations between individuals, between groups and between peoples are marked not by love but by selfishness, injustice, hatred and violence! These are the scourges of humanity, open and festering in every corner of the planet, although they are often ignored and sometimes deliberately concealed; wounds that torture the souls and bodies of countless of our brothers and sisters. They are waiting to be tended and healed by the glorious wounds of our Risen Lord (1 Peter 2:24-25) and by the solidarity of people who, following in his footsteps, perform deeds of charity in his name, make an active commitment to justice, and spread luminous signs of hope in areas bloodied by conflict and wherever the dignity of the human person continues to be scorned and trampled. It is hoped that these are precisely the places where gestures of moderation and forgiveness will increase!

Dear brothers and sisters! Let us allow the light that streams forth from this solemn day to enlighten us; let us open ourselves in sincere trust to the risen Christ, so that his victory over evil and death may also triumph in each one of us, in our families, in our cities and in our nations. Let it shine forth in every part of the world. In particular, how can we fail to remember certain African regions, such as Darfur and Somalia, the tormented Middle East, especially the Holy Land, Iraq, Lebanon, and finally Tibet, all of whom I encourage to seek solutions that will safeguard peace and the common good! Let us invoke the fullness of his Paschal gifts, through the intercession of Mary who, after sharing the sufferings of the passion and crucifixion of her innocent Son, also experienced the inexpressible joy of his resurrection. Sharing in the glory of Christ, may she be the one to protect us and guide us along the path of fraternal solidarity and peace.

Today’s Readings: Acts 8:26-40; Psalm 66:8-9, 16-17, 20; John 6:44-51

Pope Benedict has asked us to pray with him this month that Christians may not grow tired of proclaiming with their lives that Christ’s resurrection is the source of our hope and peace. In fact, Jesus, who revealed the love of God most clearly through His death on a cross and whose resurrection shows that death is not the end of human existence, is the world’s only hope and peace. We continue to pray with the Holy Father as we reflect on his “Urbi et Orbi” Message of Easter Sunday.

Dear Christian brothers and sisters in every part of the world, dear men and women whose spirit is sincerely open to the truth, let no heart be closed to the omnipotence of this redeeming love! Jesus Christ died and rose for all; he is our hope – true hope for every human being. Today, just as he did with his disciples in Galilee before returning to the Father, the risen Jesus now sends us everywhere as witnesses of his hope, and he reassures us: I am with you always, all days, until the end of the world (Matthew 28:20). Fixing the gaze of our spirit on the glorious wounds of his transfigured body, we can understand the meaning and value of suffering, we can tend the many wounds that continue to disfigure humanity in our own day. In his glorious wounds we recognize the indestructible signs of the infinite mercy of the God of whom the prophet says: it is he who heals the wounds of broken hearts, who defends the weak and proclaims the freedom of slaves, who consoles all the afflicted and bestows upon them the oil of gladness instead of a mourning robe, a song of praise instead of a sorrowful heart (Isaiah 61:1-3). If with humble trust we draw near to him, we encounter in his gaze the response to the deepest longings of our heart: to know God and to establish with him a living relationship in an authentic communion of love, which can fill our lives, our interpersonal and social relations with that same love. For this reason, humanity needs Christ: in him, our hope, “we have been saved” (Romans 8:24).

Today’s Readings: Acts 8:1b-8; Psalm 66:1-3a, 4-7a; John 6:35-40

For the next three days, as we pray that we and all Christians may be living proclamations of Christ’s resurrection, we will reflect on Pope Benedict’s Easter Message.

“I have risen and I am still with you, forever.” These words invite us to contemplate the risen Christ, letting his voice resound in our heart. With his redeeming sacrifice, Jesus of Nazareth has made us adopted children of God, so that we too can now take our place in the mysterious dialogue between him and the Father. We are reminded of what he once said to those who were listening: “All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Matthew 11:27). In this perspective, we note that the words addressed by the risen Jesus to the Father on this day – “I am still with you, forever” – apply indirectly to us as well, “children of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (Romans 8:17). Through the death and resurrection of Christ, we too rise to new life today, and uniting our voice with his, we proclaim that we wish to remain forever with God, our infinitely good and merciful Father. In this way we enter the depths of the Paschal mystery. The astonishing event of the resurrection of Jesus is essentially an event of love: the Father’s love in handing over his Son for the salvation of the world; the Son’s love in abandoning himself to the Father’s will for us all; the Spirit’s love in raising Jesus from the dead in his transfigured body. And there is more: the Father’s love which “newly embraces” the Son, enfolding him in glory; the Son’s love returning to the Father in the power of the Spirit, robed in our transfigured humanity. From today’s solemnity, in which we relive the absolute, once-and-for-all experience of Jesus’ resurrection, we receive an appeal to be converted to Love; we receive an invitation to live by rejecting hatred and selfishness, and to follow with docility in the footsteps of the Lamb that was slain for our salvation, to imitate the Redeemer who is “gentle and lowly in heart”, who is “rest for our souls” (Matthew 11:29).

Today’s Readings: Acts 7:51-8:1a; Psalm 31:3cd-4, 6, 7b, 8a, 17, 21ab

As we savor the joy of Easter, we pray with Pope Benedict that all Christians may never tire of proclaiming with their lives that the resurrection of Jesus is the source of hope and peace. Archbishop Michael Sabbah, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, spoke of this hope and the challenge to forgive in his Easter Sunday homily. Let us reflect on his words which include a reference to today’s Gospel.

Christ is risen. We pray this morning, and our prayer is universal just like Christ’s own prayer. It embraces all of humanity…. That is what Easter means for us: death that leads to life, to the Resurrection. Death, which becomes through the power of love and forgiveness a redemptive power, creates a new man, a new person. To pass from death to life, that is the meaning of Easter, that is the meaning of Christian hope: all death, all difficulties lead to renewed life. Death will not remain a death, and difficulties will not remain the occasion for sterile suffering. No one has the right to turn personal suffering, even great and incomprehensible, into a prison for oneself or for generations to come. The sufferings of Christ, his Passion, were great and incomprehensible. He was counted among criminals, as foretold by the Prophets. But he loved and forgave: “He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end” (John 13: 1). On the cross, as he was suffering, he said: “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23: 33).His disciples also ran the risk of turning their sufferings into a prison for themselves: “We were hoping that he was the one who would set Israel free” (Luke 24: 21), said the disciples of Emmaus. Jesus, walking again with them after the Resurrection, freed them from their frustration and from the failure they thought they had had because they had followed him. After Jesus had instructed them once again, their discouragement was transformed into their walking anew toward Jerusalem, “they returned to Jerusalem,” and into their announcing the Resurrection. We have seen the Lord. He is alive. He has given us life again.

Today’s Readings:  Acts 2:14, 22-23;  Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11;  1 Peter 1:17-21;  Luke 25:13-35

St. Isidore followed his brother St. Leander as Archbishop of Seville, Spain. During the Middle Ages he was looked upon as “the Master” because of his “Etymologies,” twenty books that brought together all the religious and secular learning of his time. As a result, he has been invoked recently as the patron saint of the Internet and computer programmers.

On this First Friday in the Easter Season, let us ask for the grace to love the Sacred Heart of Jesus more faithfully. Because He has risen, His Heart never ceases to beat with love for us. Knowing this love, may we reveal it to the world by the way we live. Our reflection is from Pope John Paul II’s Angelus Meditation of August 27, 1989.

“Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection, have mercy on us.” This invocation from the Litany of the Sacred Heart, strong and persuasive as an act of faith, contains the entire mystery of Christ the Redeemer in a terse phrase. It recalls the words Jesus addressed to Martha: “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, shall live” (John 11: 25).

Jesus is the life which springs eternally from the divine wellspring of the Father…. Jesus is also the resurrection. Nothing is so radically opposed to the holiness of Christ, the Holy One of the Lord (Luke 1: 35; Mark 1: 24), as sin. Nothing is so opposed to him, source of life, as death. There is a mysterious bond between sin and death (Wisdom 2: 24; Romans 5: 12, 6: 23); both are realities which are essentially contrary to God’s plan for man, who was not made for death but rather for life. In the face of every expression of death, Christ’s Heart was deeply moved, and for love of the Father and mankind, his brothers and sisters, he made his life a “combat stupendous” (Easter Sequence) against death.

Today’s Readings:  Acts 5:34-42;  Psalm 27:1,4,13-14;  John 6:1-15