Living with Christ Morning Prayer

Living with Christ Morning Prayer 
January 24, 2014

Jesus…summoned those he wanted, and they came to him. 

Jesus, who were your twelve apostles?
The gospels don’t even seem to agree on their names,
and the evangelists don’t seem to think much of them at all.

And soon after your resurrection, Lord,
I never hear of many of them again,
except in pious legend.

But as curious as I am about them,
I’m more drawn right now
to what seems to be the heart of this gospel for me:
you summoned those you wanted,
and they came to you.

Jesus, my faith teaches the good news
that you want me too.
You have planted your summons in my heart.
You’ve made me part of you in baptism
and in all my sacramental encounters with you.
And in every Eucharist you invite me to be nourished
with your Body and Blood, so that I may be Eucharist too.

Lord Jesus, sometimes it is hard
to hear your summons,
and even harder sometimes
to believe that it is truly meant for me.
Help me to hear you and to come to you.
Please give me, as you gave your apostles,
the grace, strength, courage, wisdom, commitment,
and compassion I need
to be your loving presence in the world.
Amen.

Prayer for Today:

Lord, I am yours, and I must belong to no one but you. My soul is yours and must live only by you. My will is yours and must love only for you. I must love you as my first cause, since I am from you. I must love you as my end and rest, since I am for you. I must love you more than my own being, since my being subsists by you. I must love you more than myself, since I am all yours and all in you. Amen.

- Saint Francis de Sales