Living with Christ Morning Prayer

Living with Christ Morning Prayer
Monday, September 30, 2013
St. Jerome


Lord, 
you have given us your word, 
as a light to shine on our path. 
Inspire us to meditate on that word, 
and follow its teaching,
so that we may find in it
the light that shines more and more
until it is perfect day. Amen.

- St. Jerome

My Monday Daily Blessings, September 30, 2013

My Monday Daily Blessings

Be still, quiet your heart and mind, the Lord is here, loving you, talking to you.....................

Memorial of St Jerome,Priest and Doctor of the Church (Catholic Observance)

Monday of the Twenty-sixth week in ordinary time (Roman Rite Calendar)

First Reading: Zec 8:1-8

This word of the LORD of hosts came:
Thus says the LORD of hosts:
I am intensely jealous for Zion, stirred to jealous wrath for her. Thus says the LORD: I will return to Zion, and I will dwell within Jerusalem; Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain.
Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women, each with staff in hand because of old age, shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem. The city shall be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets. Thus says the LORD of hosts: Even if this should seem impossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people, shall it in those days be impossible in my eyes also, says the LORD of hosts?
Thus says the LORD of hosts: Lo, I will rescue my people from the land of the rising sun, and from the land of the setting sun. I will bring them back to dwell within Jerusalem. They shall be my people, and I will be their God, with faithfulness and justice.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 102:16-18, 19-21, 29, 22-23   

"The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all His glory."

Gospel: Lk 9:46-50 

An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest.  Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child and placed it by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.”

Then John said in reply, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company.” Jesus said to him,  “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

**Meditation:

Are you surprised to see the disciples of Jesus arguing about who is the greatest among them? Don't we do the same thing? The appetite for glory and greatness seems to be inbred in us. Who doesn't cherish the ambition to be "somebody" whom others admire rather than a "nobody"?  Even the psalms speak about the glory God has destined for us. "You have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor" (Psalm 8:5). Jesus made a dramatic gesture by placing a child next to himself to show his disciples who really is the greatest in the kingdom of God. What can a little child possibly teach us about greatness? Children in the ancient world had no rights, position, or privileges of their own. They were socially at the "bottom of the rung" and at the service of their parents, much like the household staff and domestic servants. What is the significance of Jesus' gesture? Jesus elevated a little child in the presence of his disciples by placing the child in a privileged position of honor at his right side. It is customary, even today, to seat the guest of honor at the right side of the host. Who is the greatest in God's kingdom? The one who is humble and lowly of heart – who instead of asserting their rights willingly empty themselves of pride and self-seeking glory by taking the lowly position of a servant or child.

Jesus, himself, is our model. He came not to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28). Paul the Apostles states that Jesus "emptied himself and took the form of a servant" (Philippians 2:7).  Jesus lowered himself (he whose place is at the right hand of God the Father) and took on our lowly nature that he might raise us up and clothe us in his divine nature. "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). If we want to be filled with God's life and power, then we need to empty ourselves of everything which stands in the way – pride, envy, self-seeking glory, vanity, and possessiveness. God wants empty vessels so he can fill them with his own glory, power, and love (2 Corinthians 4:7). Are you ready to humble yourself and to serve as Jesus did?

Prayer: 

"Lord Jesus, your grace knows no bounds. You give freely to the humble of heart and you grant us freedom to love and serve others selflessly. May my love for you express itself in an eagerness to do good for others." Amen.

Sources:

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

**Don Schwager

Author and Writer

Editor of Living Bullwark

Member of the Servants of the Word

Walk On Water (WOW) quote for today, September 30, 2013

Walk On Water (WOW) quote for today

"Charity is the Soul of Faith; it gives it Life; without Love, Faith dies."

- St. Anthony of Padua

Canticle of Zechariah

Blessed be the Lord the GOD of Israel, for he has visited His people, He has set them free, and He has established for us a saving power in the House of His Servant David, just as He proclaimed, by the mouth of His Holy Prophets from ancient time, that he would save us from our enemies and from the hands of all who hates us, and show faithful love to our Ancestors, and so keep in mind His Holy Covenant.

This was the Oath He swore to our Father Abraham, that He would grant us, free from fear, to be delivered from the Hands of our Enemies, to serve Him in Holiness and uprightness in His presence, in all our days.

And you little child, shall be called Prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare a way for Him, to give His people knowledge of Salvation through the forgiveness their sins, because of the Faithful Love of our GOD in which the rising Sun has come from on high to visit us, to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow dark as death, and to guide our feet in to the way of peace.

PRAYER:

Almighty, ever-living GOD, you endowed Saint Jerome with a deep reverence for Holy Scripture, which he loved with all his heart. Sustain us ever more with your word and help us to find in it the source of life.

Through our Lord JESUS CHRIST, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one GOD, for ever and ever. Amen.

Source: Morning Prayer