Prayer for the Chinese Catholic Community

World Day of Prayer for the Catholic Church in China - 24th May

Prayer composed by Pope Benedict XVI

Virgin Most Holy, Mother of the Incarnate Word and our Mother,
venerated in the Shrine of Sheshan under the title "Help of Christians,"
the entire Church in China looks to you with devout affection.
We come before you today to implore your protection.
Look upon the People of God and, with a mother's care, guide them
along the paths of truth and love, so that they may always be
a leaven of harmonious coexistence among all citizens.

When you obediently said "yes" in the house of Nazareth,
you allowed God's eternal Son to take flesh in your virginal womb
and thus to begin in history the work of our redemption.
You willingly and generously co-operated in that work,
allowing the sword of pain to pierce your soul,
until the supreme hour of the Cross, when you kept watch on Calvary,
standing beside your Son, Who died that we might live.

From that moment, you became, in a new way,
the Mother of all those who receive your Son Jesus in faith
and choose to follow in His footsteps by taking up His Cross.
Mother of hope, in the darkness of Holy Saturday you journeyed
with unfailing trust towards the dawn of Easter.
Grant that your children may discern at all times,
even those that are darkest, the signs of God's loving presence.

Our Lady of Sheshan, sustain all those in China,
who, amid their daily trials, continue to believe, to hope, to love.
May they never be afraid to speak of Jesus to the world,
and of the world to Jesus.
In the statue overlooking the Shrine you lift your Son on high,
offering him to the world with open arms in a gesture of love.
Help Catholics always to be credible witnesses to this love,
ever clinging to the rock of Peter on which the Church is built.
Mother of China and all Asia, pray for us, now and for ever. Amen!

Obedience to God and Freedom of Man

Obedience to God and freedom of Man

Synthesis of the Pope’s homily to the members of the Pontifical Biblical Commission gathered in Rome for its Plenary Assembly.

His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, during the homily he celebrated on the occasion of the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Biblical Commission in Rome pointed out that Peter’s response before the Sanhedrin – very similar to that uttered by Socrates before the Athenian courts – namely, that man owes the primacy of obedience to God alone - should serve as a beacon in a world lured with the prospective of freedom understood as full autonomy. This conception of freedom is nothing but an ontological, political and practical lie. If God did not exist the only authoritative voice to remain would be that of the collective majority, however unfortunate occurrences in history have shown that man can reach a common position to endorse even what is evil is essence.

The obedience of the numerous martyrs who in the history of the church have opposed the rule of dictatorships (which could not accept a God above their ideologies) is an act of liberation in which the freedom given by Christ reaches the whole of mankind.

Even today, the Pope asserted, there exist a number of dictatorships, and the subtle (or in some instance, less subtle) acts of aggressions against the Church illustrate this point clearly.

Subsequently the Pope pointed out that to be in communion with Christ means to embark on a journey towards eternal life. We should not be afraid to tackle this point since a Christianity which refuses to mention this fundamental element would be only part-Christianity.

His holiness explained the nexus between grace and penitence – a word which has been placed in the shadow in the last decades as it was deemed to be too rigorous. In the wake of the attacks hurled by the world when speaking on the sins committed by church-members, the Church experiences an occasion of grace and penitence, that it is necessary to do penance, recognize what is mistaken, opening oneself to forgiveness and transformation.

refer to the original article:

http://www.vatican.va/news_services/or/or_quo/text.html#2

San Guzepp

San Guzepp
Gharus tal-Vergni Mqaddsa Marija
Protettur Ewlieni tal-Ordni Karmelitan

Hu l-Evangelista Mattew li jaghti l-ikbar importanza lill-Missier putattiv ta’ Gesu’, jenfasizza l-fatt li kien permezz tieghu li l-Bambin rrisulta legalment dixxendent ta’ David sabiex b’hekk issehh l-Iskrittura, fejn kien profetizzat li l-Messija bhala “Iben David”. Madankollu l-irwol ta’ Guzeppi majistax jitnaqass ghal-livell legalistiku biss. Huwa hu l-mudell tal-bniedem “gust”, li f’sintonija perfetta ma’ martu jilqa’ lill-Iben t’Alla maghmul bniedem u jishar fuq l-izvilupp uman tieghu. Huwa ghalhekk mill-iktar opportune li nwaqqfu ghamla ta’ kollokju spiritwali ma’ S. Guzepp sabiex jghina nghixu dan il-Misteru tal-Fidi [il-Milied/l-Inkarnazzjoni] fil-milja kollha tieghu.

- Benedittu XVI

On January 18th, the Octave for Prayer for Christian Unity will kick off. This year's theme That they become one in your hand has been taken from the Prophet Ezekiel and preapared taking as inspiration the current religious state in Korea. Prophet Ezekiel lived in a divided country and likewise the Korean region endures diverse sorts of conflicts. However even on an ecclesial level, divisions are prooving counter-productive; they hinder the proclamation of the Gospel to the world as the Church in itself is divided.

For more than hundred years, Christian worldwide have taken the commitment to prayer for the Unity of the Christians for eight days. In the Northern Hemisphere this is done between Jan 18 - Jan 25 so as to include the feasts of Sts. Peter and Paul. This year's theme compels us to meditate on the fact that unity will be only given by God. In Ezekiel chapter 37, the source of inspiration of this year's theme, the Prophet sees the two sticks, representing the two divisions of the Jewish people, uniting once again. However the people must convert, change their lifestyles in accordance to the word of the Lord and re-open their hearts for him. Still, it is clear from this passage that it is the Lord who purifies and re-unifies. This is fundamental for a true ecumenism. As noted by Cardinal Walter Kasper, head of the Vatican office for ecumenism, trued dialogue doesn't consist in foresaking the treasured beliefs but rather re-discovering them, and translating them in a concrete way of living which will ultimately bring towards a greater understanding between the churches. Hence, what is needed is a greater degree of witness. The Cardinal also notices that ecumenism doesn't mean uniformity of faith but unity in faith, sacraments and apostolic ministry.

Follows a list of the daily themes of the octave:

Jan. 18: Christian communities face to face with old and new divisions.

Jan. 19: Christians face to face with war and violence.

Jan. 20: Christians face to face with economic injustice and poverty.
Jan. 21: Christians face to face with ecological crisis.

Jan. 22: Christians face to face with discrimination and social prejudice.

Jan. 23: Christians face to face with disease and suffering.
Jan. 24: Christians face to face with a plurality of religions.

Jan. 25: Christian proclamation of hope in a world of separation.

the whole text can be downloaded from the Vatican's official website: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/weeks-prayer-doc/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_20080630_week-prayer-2009_en.html

Lectio Divina

Lectio Divina - 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time – Cycle B

Lectio

Reading the Text

Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John Jn 1: 35-42
The next day as John stood there again with two of his disciples, Jesus went past, and John looked towards him and said, 'Look, there is the lamb of God.' And the two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned round, saw them following and said, 'What do you want?' They answered, 'Rabbi' -- which means Teacher-'where do you live?' He replied, 'Come and see'; so they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him that day. It was about the tenth hour. One of these two who became followers of Jesus after hearing what John had said was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother and say to him, 'We have found the Messiah' -- which means the Christ -- and he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, 'You are Simon son of John; you are to be called Cephas' -- which means Rock.

moment of prayerful silence.

Understanding the Text:

1) Jesus referred to as The Lamb of God.
In verse 36 John repeats the outcry which he had already uttered the day before. He tags Jesus as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the word”. These expression is laden with biblical underpinnings. The lamb is already mentioned in:

Genesis chapter 22 at the moment of the sacrifice of Isaac; God provides a lamb to be offered as holocaust instead of the son. The lamb descends from heaven and takes upon himself the death of man; the lamb is immolated, so that the son may live.

Exodus chapter 12: The Paschal Lamb is offered. A lamb without blemish, perferct. His blood is poured to save the sons from death which visits every Egyptian House. Every son of God will remain figuratively sealed by that blood of salvation. This blood opens the way of the exodus, a way which will lead to God and to the Promised Land.

The element of sacrifice, of the slaughter, of the total gift accompanies constantly the figure of the lamb; the books of Leviticus and of Numbers continually place before us this holy presence of the lamb: he is offered every day in the daily holocaust; he is immolated in all the sacrifices of expiation, of reparation, of sanctification. The Prophets also speak about a lamb prepared for the sacrifice: a mute sheep, sheared without opening his mouth, like a tame and meek lamb led to the slaughter (Is 53, 7; Jer 11, 19). The Lamb sacrificed on the altar every day.

In the Gospel, it is John the Baptist who announces and manifests Jesus as the true Lamb of God, who takes upon himself the sin of man and cancels it by the shedding of his precious and pure Blood. In fact, He is the Lamb immolated in the place of Isaac; He is the Lamb roasted in the fire on the Pascal night. The Lamb of liberation; He is the perennial sacrifice to the Father, offered for us; He is the suffering servant, who does not rebel himself, does not recriminate but surrenders himself, silently, out of love for us.

Saint Peter says this openly: “You have been liberated from the futile way of your life thanks to the precious blood of Christ, like the lamb, without blemish and spotless”. (I Pt 1, 19).

The Apocalypses reveals openly all things concerning the Lamb: He is the one who can open the seals of history, of the life of every man, of the hidden heart, of truth (Ap 7, 1.3.5.7.9.12; 8, 1); He is the one who obtained victory, the one sitting on the throne (Ap 5, 6), He is the king, worthy of honour, praise, glory, adoration (Ap. 5, 12); He is the Spouse, who invites to his Wedding Banquet (Ap. 19, 7); He is the lamp (Ap 21, 23), the temple (Ap 21, 22), the place of our eternal dwelling; He is the Shepherd (Ap 7, 17), whom we shall follow wherever he goes (Ap 14, 4).

2) Sight
In this passage are repeated five times, expressions concerning seeing, the encounter of the looks.

The first one is John, who already has the eye accustomed to see at depth and to recognize the Lord who comes and passes by; he had to render witness to the light and for this reason has the eyes enlightened from within. In fact, near the Jordan River, he sees the Spirit coming down on Jesus (Mt 3, 16); he recognizes him as the Lamb of God (Jn 1, 29) and continued to fix his look (v. 36) on Him to indicate Him to his disciples. And if John sees in this way, if he is capable of penetrating into the appearances, it means that already before he had been joined by the loving look of Jesus, he had been enlightened before. In the same way as we are. As soon as the witness of the look dies out, the light of the eyes of Christ is attained.

In v. 38 it is said that Jesus sees the disciples who follow him and the Evangelist uses a very beautiful verb, which means “to fix the look on someone, to look penetratingly and intensely” The Lord truly does this with us: He turns toward us, gets close to us, takes to heart our presence, our life, our path following Him and looks at us, for a long time, above all, with love, but also intensely, involving himself, with deep attention. His look never leaves us alone. His eyes are fixed within us; they are designed within us, as Saint John of the Cross sings in his Spiritual Canticle.

And then the Lord invites us, in turn, to open the eyes, to begin to see in a true way; He says: “Come and see”. Every day He repeats this to us, without getting tired of addressing this tender and strong invitation, overflowing with promises and with gifts. “They saw where he was dwelling”, John, points out, using a different verb, very strong, which indicates to see profoundly, which goes beyond superficiality and contacts, which enters in understanding, in knowledge and in the faith of what one sees.

The disciples – and we with them – saw, that afternoon, where Jesus dwelt, that is, they understood and knew which is his true dwelling place, not a place, not a space...

Lastly, once again we have the same verb as in the beginning. Jesus fixes his look on Simon (v. 42) and with that light, with that encounter of eyes, of souls, he calls him by name and changes his life, makes him a new man. The eyes of the Lord are open also in this same way on us and they wash us from the ugliness of our darkness, enlightening us with love; with those eyes He is calling us, is making a new creation of us, is saying: “May there be light”, and there was light.

3) Jesus' dwelling place.
This is another very important verb, very strong, another precious pearl of the Gospel of John. In our passage it is repeated three times, with two different meanings; to dwell and to remain.
The disciples immediately ask Jesus where He dwells, where is his house and he invites them to go, to enter, to remain: “They remained with him that day” (v. 39). It is not a physical remaining, temporary; the disciples are not only guests passing by, who will leave soon. No, the Lord makes space for us in his interior place, in his relationship with the Father and there he accepts us for always; in fact, he says: “Like, you Father, are in me and I in you, may these also be in us... I in them and you in me...” (Jn 17, 21-23). He allows us to enter and he also enters; he allows to knock and He himself knocks; he makes us dwell in Him and puts his dwelling place in us together with the Father (Jn 14, 23). Our call to be disciples of Christ and to announce him to our brothers and sisters, has its origin, its foundation, its vitality, precisely here, in this reality of the reciprocal dwelling of the Lord in us and we in Him. Our true and lasting happiness springs from the realization of our remaining in Him. We have seen where He dwells, we have known the place of his presence and we have decided to remain with Him, today and always.“Remain in me and I in you... The one who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit... If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for anything that you want and it will be given to you... Remain in my love” (Jn 15).

No, I will not go with anybody else, I will not go anywhere else but only with you, Oh Lord, my dwelling, my place of salvation! Allow me, I pray, that I may remain here, near you, always, Amen

Meditatio

Pause for reflection.

Imagine yourself being present. Imagine Jesus' penetrating look meeting your eyes and feel the fire blazing in your heart. Feel your whole being renewed and Jesus' unspoken utterance inviting you for conversion, for a new lifestyle, imagine his lips opening, Jesus telling you “come and see”.

Do you believe that Jesus is truly that has been sacrificed, the price of your salvation?

Do you regard yourself as a disciple of the Lord? As dwelling in the most interior, intimate dwelling place of the Lord that is his relationship with the Father?

Are you grateful for this grace?

Oratio -

What are the feeling aroused in your heart? What prayer is awakened in your heart?
You can repeat this phrase from the Liturgy: We have seen God's love for us and believed in it. (Communion Antiphon: 1 John 4,16)

How are you going to amend your life in accordance with this reading?

Concluding Prayer: O Lord, may your dwelling place be my dwelling place too! You can repeat this jaculatory prayer various times during the day.