Opening Prayers
V/. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
R/. Amen.
V/. Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful,
R/. And kindle in them the fire of Your love.
V/. Send forth your spirit and they shall be created.
R/. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
V/. Let us pray.
O God , who taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant
that by the gift of the same Spirit, we may be always truly wise and ever rejoice
in His consolations. Though Christ our Lord.
R/. Amen.
■ V/. Holy Mary, Our Hope, Seat of Wisdom.
■ R/. Pray for us.
■ V/. Saint Raphael.
■ R/. Pray for us.
■ V/. Saint John.
■ R/. Pray for us.
Recapitulation
■ Unity of life
■ The call to holiness is for everyone.
■ Means to achieve unity of life:
– Frequenting the sacraments (confession, Holy Eucharist).
– Serious work, with rectitude of intention.
– Pray for help and advice in spiritual counsels.
Gospel Reading
MATTHEW 12:46-50
While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his
mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak
to him. But he replied to the man who told him, "Who
is my mother, and who are my brothers?" And
stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said,
"Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever
does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and
sister, and mother."
Our Lady was presented in
the temple by Joachim and
Ann when she was 3 years
old. She dedicated her life
to doing God’s will.
We too want to do the will
of Our Father- God, and so,
we are God’s brothers,
sisters, and mother.
GRACE
The Christian grows accompanied
EXAMINATION OF
CONSCIENCE
Silence. Consideration.
1. Have I done the mental
prayer each day?
2. Do I realize frequently that
I am in the presence of God?
3. Have I said the Holy Rosary
every day, and the customary
aspirations?
4. Have I done the
examination of conscience?
5. Did I daily visit Jesus
Christ in the Tabernacle?
6. Have I denied myself on some
occasions each day, offering this
mortification to our Lord?
7. Have I spent enough time
studying, knowing that for me
study is a grave obligation?
8. Have I wasted time?
9. Have I made others waste time
by breaking the silence, by
disturbing them, or by failing to be
punctual?
10. Have I lived the respect
and obedience I owe to my
parents and superiors?
11. Because of selfishness, lack of
interest or carelessness, have I
neglected my duties of fraternity
toward others?
12. Am I at the moment making
friends with someone who could
come to share our formation?
SHORT GET-
TOGETHER
Matters of the Week
Spiritual Reading
■ The greater you are, the more in all things abase yourself, and you shall find
favor with God.”23 If we are humble, God will never abandon us. He humbles
the arrogance of the proud, but he saves the humble. He frees the innocent
man, who is rescued because his hands are clean.24 The infinite mercy of
our Lord is not slow in coming to the aid of those who humbly call upon him.
And then he acts as he truly is, as God Almighty. Although there may be
many dangers, though the soul may feel harassed and find itself surrounded
on all sides by the enemies of its salvation, it will not perish. This is not
merely something that was true in days gone by. It continues to happen now.
■ 105
■ As I read today’s Epistle, I pictured Daniel there surrounded by hungry lions
and, without wishing to be pessimistic, for I cannot say that “old times were
better” since every age has its good and bad aspects, I was thinking that at
the present time there are also many lions running loose, and that we have
to live in this environment. They are lions looking for someone to devour.
Spiritual Reading
■ What can we do to avoid these wild beasts? Perhaps our lot won’t be the
same as Daniel’s. While I am not one for miraculous solutions, I love the
wondrous greatness of God when he performs them, and I realize that it
would have been easier for God to allay the prophet’s hunger, or to place
food in front of him. Yet God did not do it that way. Rather he arranged for
another prophet, Habakuk, to be transported miraculously from Judea to
bring him food. God did not mind working a great miracle here, because
Daniel was in the lions’ den not through any fault of his own, but on account
of the injustice of the devil’s hirelings, because he was a servant of God and
a destroyer of idols.
■ We ourselves are also called to destroy many idols, not by doing anything
spectacular but by living with the naturalness of an ordinary Christian,
sowing peace and joy around us. In this way we will topple the idols of
misunderstanding, of injustice, of ignorance, and of those who claim to be
self-sufficient and arrogantly turn their backs on God.
■ Don’t be frightened; don’t fear any harm, even though the circumstances in
which you work are terrible, worse even than those of Daniel in the pit with
Spiritual Reading
■ Let me remind you that if you are sincere, if you show yourselves as you
really are, if you acquire that “true godliness” by being humble and not
proud, then you and I will be safe in any environment. We will always be able
to talk of battles won and call ourselves the victors. Ours will be the intimate
victories of God’s love, which bring peace, understanding, and happiness to
the soul.
■ Humility will spur us on to carry out great tasks, but only on condition that
we never lose sight of our inadequacy, and that we are convinced, and more
so each day, of our own helplessness. Saint Ambrose says: Admit without
hesitation that you are a servant obliged to carry out a great number of
tasks. Do not swagger about because you are called a child of God. Let us
acknowledge the grace, but not forget our nature. Do not become swollen
headed if you have served well, because you have done what you were
supposed to do. The sun carries out its task and the moon obeys; the angels
perform their duties. The instrument chosen by God for the Gentiles says: ‘I
do not deserve the name of Apostle, because I have persecuted the Church
of God’ (1 Cor 15: 9)…. May we also refrain from seeking praise for
Final Prayers
■ V/. Hail Mary (three times)
■ V/. We give You thanks, Almighty God, for all your benefits, Who lives
and reigns forever and ever
■ R/. Amen.
■ V/. May the Lord grant us his peace.
■ R/. And life everlasting. Amen
