APRIL 28, 2013 : FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

Fifth Sunday of Easter 
Lectionary: 54

Reading 1ACTS 14:21-27

After Paul and Barnabas had proclaimed the good news
to that city
and made a considerable number of disciples,
they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.
They strengthened the spirits of the disciples
and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying,
“It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships
to enter the kingdom of God.”
They appointed elders for them in each church and,
with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord
in whom they had put their faith.
Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia.
After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia.
From there they sailed to Antioch,
where they had been commended to the grace of God
for the work they had now accomplished. 
And when they arrived, they called the church together
and reported what God had done with them
and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

Responsorial PsalmPS 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13

R. (cf. 1) I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let them make known your might to the children of Adam,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2REV 21:1-5A

Then I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth.

The former heaven and the former earth had passed away,

and the sea was no more.

I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem,

coming down out of heaven from God,

prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

“Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race.

He will dwell with them and they will be his people

and God himself will always be with them as their God.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes,

and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain,

for the old order has passed away.”



The One who sat on the throne said,

“Behold, I make all things new.”

GospelJN 13:31-33A, 34-35

When Judas had left them, Jesus said,
“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him,
God will also glorify him in himself,
and God will glorify him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
I give you a new commandment: love one another.
As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
This is how all will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.”

www.usccb.org

Scripture Study

Happy Easter! Yes it is still Easter. The Church celebrates the Easter Season until Pentecost Sunday. During this time the readings focus on the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus, on the meaning of the victory of the "Risen One" and on the presence of Jesus in the community of believers. This Sunday we celebrate the Fifth Sunday of Easter. The emphasis in the readings this Sunday is on "newness." The missionaries form new communities in the first reading; the second reading tells of a new heaven and a new earth; and the Gospel reading speaks of a new commandment.

First Reading: Acts 14:21-27

21 After they had proclaimed the good news to that city (Derbe) and made a considerable number of disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch. 22 They strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying, "It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God." 23 They appointed presbyters for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had put their faith. 24 Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. 25 After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia. 26 From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now accomplished. 27 And when they arrived, they called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

NOTES on First Reading:

The first reading is a fairly straightforward record of the missionaries travels. At the end of the reading the missionaries ascribe all that was accomplished to the grace of God.

* 14:21 The two missionaries revisit towns that had violently expelled them. This may indicate that Luke had artificially structured the expulsion stories in the last three episodes in order to maintain his typology of "the beleaguered witness" in which the apostles follow in the footsteps of Jesus (see Luke 4:29-30). This interpretation is supported by their exhortation in verse 22 which applies Luke 24:26 to the current situation.

* 14:23 Scholars are divided as to the historicity of this verse. Many scholars think that Luke injected his contemporary church structures back into the story of the earlier time. Others believe that there are enough special circumstances to indicate that the detail of Paul and Barnabas appointing elders may be true. Either way, Luke portrays the communities being given their own religious leaders by the traveling missionaries. The structure in these churches is patterned on the model of the Jerusalem community ( Acts 11:30; 15:2,5,22; 21:18).

* 14:26 This refers to Antioch in Syria. This verse closes the literary section that began at 13:1-3.

* 14:27 This verse draws the conclusion of the journey in terms of progress in presenting Luke's history. Compare language use with 15:4,12; 21:19; 1Cor 16:9; 2 Cor 2:12.

Second Reading: Revelation 21: 1-5a

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them (as their God). 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, (for) the old order has passed away."

5 The one who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." Then he said, "Write these words down, for they are trustworthy and true."

NOTES on Second Reading:

The second reading is essentially a description of God's eternal kingdom in heaven under the symbols of a new heaven and a new earth. For more on this theme see Isaiah 65:17-25; 66:22; Matthew 19:28.

* 21:1 The idea of a "new" heavens and a new earth implies a radical discontinuity rather than a gradual transformation. God is active in the re-creation of all things. The Sea is no more because as home of the dragon it was doomed to disappear when the dragon suffered his fate. See Job 7:12.

* 21:2 At the time Revelation was written, Jerusalem had only recently been destroyed. The language is suggested by Isa 54 but the author does not expect an historical restoration. The New Jerusalem and bride are symbols for the church in her eschatological ( end-time) union with the Lamb. (See Gal 4:26).

* 21:3 Some other ancient manuscripts read a plural, "peoples." The language of Rev 21:3-4 is taken from Ezekiel 37:27, Isaiah 25:8, and 35:10. See also Rev 7:17. God's voice interprets the vision by restating and renewing old promises. See Lev 26:11-12; Ezek 37:27. See also 2Cor 6:16.

* 21:4 Isa 25:8 and Rev 20:13 are background for this verse.

* 21:5 Only the first part of the verse is included in the reading. The one seated on the throne is God himself. Rev 4:1-11.

Gospel Reading: John 13: 31-33a, 34-35

31 When he had left, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 (If God is glorified in him,) God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once. 33 My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. 34 I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. 35 This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

NOTES on Gospel:

Here terms of coming and going are very prominent. The gospel reading is taken from the introduction to the last discourse of Jesus, which extends through John 14-17. Here John has collected Jesus' words to his own (John 13:1). It is likely that several speeches have been fused together as shown in places like John 14:31 and John 17:1.

* 13:31-32 These two verses form the transition between the last supper narrative and the discourses that follow. They contain five separate statements about the coming glorification of Jesus. The statements are of two main types: The Son of Man has been glorified, God has been glorified in him and God will very soon glorify him.

* 13:33 The reading includes only the first part of verse 33. This is the only occurrence of teknia, "little children", in the Gospel. It is used for Christians several times in 1 John as a variant of tekna, "children." It was often used by patriarchs in the farewell discourse literature of the ancient world. The verse refers to 7:33-34 and 8:21.

* 13:34 What is new about the commandment is that it is based on the self-offering of Jesus rather than on the love commands of the Old Testament. The giving of commandments puts Jesus on a par with Yahweh.

 www.st-raymond-dublin.org

Meditation: "Love each other as I have loved you"
How does God reveal his glory to us? In his Last Supper discourse Jesus speaks of his glory and the glory of his Father.What is this glory? It is the cross which Jesus speaks of here. The cross of Jesus shows us that the greatest glory in life is the glory of willingly sacrificing one's life for the sake of another. In the cross God reveals the breadth of his great love for sinners and the power of redemption which cancels the debt of sin and reverses the curse of our condemnation. Jesus gave his Father supreme honor and glory through his obedience and willingness to sacrifice his life on the cross. The greatest trust one can give to their commander is the willingness to obey in the line of duty, even to the point of putting oneself in harm's way. In warfare the greatest honor belongs not to those who survive but to those who give the supreme sacrifice of their lives. Jesus also speaks of the Father bringing glory to the Son through the great mystery of the Incarnation and Cross of Christ. God the Father gave us his only begotten Son for our sake, to redeem us from slavery to sin and death.  He freely offered his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins and the sins of the world.
There is no greater proof of God's love for us than the Cross of Jesus Christ. In the cross we see a new way of love – a love that is unselfish and selflessly oriented to serving others for their good, and a sacrificial love that is forgiving, compassionate, and merciful beyond comprehension. Jesus commands us, his disciples, to love one another just as he has loved us. How can we love our neighbor selflessly, sacrificially, and with compassion? Through the victory of the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we now have full access to God's unlimited mercy, grace, and powr to love and forgive even those who cause us grief and suffering. God gives us new abundant life in his Holy Spirit and he fills our hearts with the supernatural gifts of faith, hope, and love. Paul the Apostle reminds us that "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). As we turn to God with trust and obedience, he transforms our hearts and frees us from our hurts and prejudices so that we can freely choose to love others with compassion, kindness, and mercy. The Lord Jesus has set us free from slavery to fear, sin, and prejudice. We are now free to choose for his way of love and holiness. Do you seek to bring glory to God in the way you love and treat others?
"Lord Jesus, your love knows no bounds and your obedience to the Father reverses the curse of our pride and disobedience. May I bring you glory in the sacrifice of my will to the will of the Father and in my love and compassion for others, both for those who treat me well and for those who cause me grief or harm."
www.dailyscripture.net

They Will Know Us by Our Works

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Father Alex Yeung, LC John 13:31-33a, 34-35  When Judas had left them, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and God will glorify him at once.  My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. I give you a new commandment: love one another.  This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe that you are here with me. I am privileged to have this private audience with you. Aware of my weakness, I hope in your mercy and love. I open my heart now to you, to the wisdom, mercy and good news of your Gospel, for through it you wish to guide me home to rest eternally with you in heaven. Thank you for your boundless love. Take my weak, poor love in return, as it is all I have to offer you. Petition: Lord, help me to imitate you by accepting and forgiving others. 1. This Is How They Will Know You Are My Disciples: Nowadays, words alone are empty; they need to be backed up by actions. All too often we have experienced that zealous politician or marketer who makes promises that we instinctively know are too good to be true. We want to believe the good they promise, but experience has taught us to have a healthy sense of skepticism. Unfortunately, this contemporary disbelief of “too good to be true” could also be said of Christianity. Christians are to be known by their love for one another. In my marriage, with my children, and in my social circle, am I known for my Christ-like love? In particular, am I capable of accepting others as they are, of seeing their way of being in a good light? Though I set high standards, do my spouse and children truly find rest, light and solace in my company? 2. Love Has High Standards: The film “Love Story” had a classic line: “Love is never having to say you’re sorry.” As Christians, though, we are aware of our weak nature and tendency to sin. We need to ask pardon – frequently. More often than not, the souls we hurt are those closest to us: our spouse, a child, a parent or in-law. The disciples, too, had their squabbles with each other. The love that bound them, exhorted them to make peace with one another as Christ makes peace with his Church: “Father forgive them for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34). Is my love great enough to overlook the weaknesses of those who hurt me and turn my wounded ego to compassion and pardon? To err is human, but to forgive is divine. 3. Love Is from the Heart: Christ told his disciples, “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). This applies as well to harboring grudges in our hearts. Love goes beyond kind words and actions to the very heart of man: to our thoughts. Although it may initially cause distress to our will to think well of those who have hurt us, it is truly therapeutic! Our Lord said, “From the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, unchastity, theft, false witness, blasphemy” (Matthew 15:19). Likewise, a heart that actively looks for the good in others will form the habit of speaking well and acting kindly towards those who naturally are displeasing. Thinking well of others renews our faith in God’s mercy. If we are merciful, how much more we can expect Our Lord to be patient and merciful with us! Conversation with Christ: My Jesus, your life is witness of love to me. You forgave your enemies and even prayed for them. My love is to mirror your love, but I realize I can love so much more than I have loved until now. Help me today to increase my love and let go of those remnants of egoism that hold me back from a Christ-like love. Resolution: Today I will make a list of those souls immediately before me for whom I can do a hidden act of charity. I will pray for them, speak well of them, and look for a significant way to serve their needs as I would if they were Christ himself.

www.regnumchristi.org

SUNDAY, APRIL 28

FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
JOHN 13:31-33a, 34-35
(Acts 14:21-27; Psalm 145; Revelation 21:1-5a)
KEY VERSE: "I give you a new commandment: love one another" (v 34).
READING: After Judas left the table of the Last Supper to betray the Lord, Jesus began his final discourse to his disciples. As he stood on the threshold of his passion and death, Jesus prepared his eleven remaining disciples for the work that he would hand over to them when he was raised by God in glory. On Mount Sinai, God gave Moses a set of commandments that would form Israel as the people of God (Ex 20:1-17). Now Jesus gave his followers a "new commandment": to love one another in the same way that he hadloved them. This meant that his followers must be willing to lay down their lives for others as he did. By their love and devotion to one another, the world would recognize that theywere Jesus' disciples.
REFLECTING: Have I loved others today in the way that Jesus does?
PRAYING: Risen Lord, help me to understand what it means to be your disciple.

www.daily-word-of-life.com

I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God
‘I give you a new commandment—love one another.’
Jesus speaks as one already glorified because the events relating to his glorification have already begun. In his passion and death, his life achieved its purpose—the salvation promised by God for the world. 

As Jesus prepared the disciples for his approaching departure, he emphasised the commandment to love. 
There will be a temporary separation in his death, but in their love for one another the disciples will still be able to experience Jesus in their midst.
www.churchresources.info

April 28
St. Peter Chanel
(1803-1841)

Anyone who has worked in loneliness, with great adaptation required and with little apparent success, will find a kindred spirit in Peter Chanel.

As a young priest he revived a parish in a "bad" district by the simple method of showing great devotion to the sick. Wanting to be a missionary, he joined the Society of Mary (Marists) at 28. Obediently, he taught in the seminary for five years. Then, as superior of seven Marists, he traveled to Western Oceania where he was entrusted with an apostolic vicariate (term for a region that may later become a diocese). The bishop accompanying the missionaries left Peter and a brother on Futuna Island in the New Hebrides, promising to return in six months. He was gone five years.
Meanwhile, Pedro struggled with this new language and mastered it, making the difficult adjustment to life with whalers, traders and warring natives. Despite little apparent success and severe want, he maintained a serene and gentle spirit and endless patience and courage. A few natives had been baptized, a few more were being instructed. When the chieftain's son asked to be baptized, persecution by the chieftain reached a climax. Father Chanel was clubbed to death, his body cut to pieces.
Within two years after his death, the whole island became Catholic and has remained so. Peter Chanel is the first martyr of Oceania and its patron.

Comment:

Suffering for Christ means suffering because we are like Christ. Very often the opposition we meet is the result of our own selfishness or imprudence. We are not martyrs when we are "persecuted" by those who merely treat us as we treat them. A Christian martyr is one who, like Christ, is simply a witness to God's love, and brings out of human hearts the good or evil that is already there.

Quote:

"No one is a martyr for a conclusion, no one is a martyr for an opinion; it is faith that makes martyrs" (Cardinal Newman, Discourses to Mixed Congregations).

Patron Saint of:

Oceania

www.americancatholic.org

LECTIO: 5TH SUNDAY OF EASTER (C)

Lectio: 

 Sunday, April 28, 2013  

The new commandment: 
to love the neighbour as Jesus loved us
John 13:31-35

1. LECTIO

a) Opening prayer:

Lord Jesus, help us understand the mystery of the Church as community of love. When you gave us the new commandment of love as the charter of the Church, you told us that it is the highest value. When you were about to leave your disciples, you wished to give them a memorial of the new commandment, the new statute of the Christian community. You did not give them a pious exhortation, but rather a new commandment of love. In this ‘relative absence’, we are asked to recognize you present in our brothers and sisters. In this Easter season, Lord Jesus, you remind us that the time of the Church is the time of charity, the time of encounter with you through our brothers and sisters. We know that at the end of our lives we shall be judged on love. Help us encounter you in each brother and sister, seizing every little occasion of every day.

b) Reading:

31 When he had gone, Jesus said: Now has the Son of man been glorified, and in him God has been glorified. 32 If God has been glorified in him, God will in turn glorify him in himself, and will glorify him very soon. 33 Little children, I shall be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and, as I told the Jews, where I am going, you cannot come.
34 I give you a new commandment: love one another; you must love one another just as I have loved you. 35 It is by your love for one another, that everyone will recognise you as my disciples.

c) A moment of prayerful silence:

The passage of the Gospel we are about to meditate, recalls Jesus’ farewell words to his disciples. Such a passage should be considered a kind of sacrament of an encounter with the Person of Jesus.

2. MEDITATIO

a) Preamble to Jesus’ discourse:

Our passage is the conclusion to chapter 13 where two themes crisscross and are taken up again and developed in chapter 14: the place where the Lord is going; and the theme of the commandment of love. Some observations on the context within which Jesus’ words on the new commandment occur may be helpful for a fruitful reflection on their content.

First, v.31 says, «when he had gone», who is gone? To understand this we need to go to v. 30 where we read that «as soon as Judas had taken the piece of bread he went out. It was night». Thus the one who went out was Judas. Then, the expression, «it was night», is characteristic of all the «farewell discourses», which take place at night. Jesus’ words in Jn 13,31-35 are preceded by this immersion into the darkness of the night. What is the symbolical meaning of this? In John, night represents the peak of nuptial intimacy (for instance the wedding night), but also one of extreme anguish. Other meanings of the dark night are that it represents the moment of danger par excellence, it is the moment when the enemy weaves plans of vengeance against us, it expresses the moment of desperation, confusion, moral and intellectual disorder. The darkness of night is like a dead end.

In Jn 6, when the night storm takes place, the darkness of the night expresses an experience of desperation and solitude as they struggle against the dark forces that stir the sea. Again, the time marker "while it was still dark" in Jn 20:1 points to the darkness which is the absence of Jesus. Indeed, in John’s Gospel, the light of Christ cannot be found in the sepulchre, that is why darkness reigns (20:1).

Therefore, “farewell discourses” are rightly placed within this time framework. It is almost as if the background colour of these discourses is separation, death or the departure of Jesus and this creates a sense of emptiness or bitter solitude. In the Church of today and for today’s humanity, this could mean that when we desert Jesus in our lives we then experience anguish and suffering.

When reporting Jesus’ words in 3:31-34, concerning his departure and imminent death, John recalls his own past life with Jesus, woven with memories that opened his eyes to the mysterious richness of the Master. Such memories of the past are part of our own faith journey.

It is characteristic of “farewell discourses” that whatever is transmitted in them, especially at the tragic and solemn moment of death becomes an inalienable patrimony, a covenant to be kept faithfully. Jesus’ “farewell discourses” too synthesize whatever he had taught and done so as to draw his disciples to follow in the direction he pointed out to them.

b) A deepening:

As we read the passage of this Sunday of Easter, we focus, first of all, on the first word used by Jesus in his farewell discourse: “Now”. «Now has the Son of man been glorified». Which «now» is this? It is the moment of the cross that coincides with his glorification. This final part of John’s Gospel is a manifestation or revelation. Thus, Jesus’ cross is the «now» of the greatest epiphany or manifestation of truth. In this glorification, there is no question of any meaning that has anything to do with “honour” or “triumphalism”, etc.

On the one hand there is Judas who goes into the night, Jesus prepares for his glory: «When he had gone, Jesus said: “Now has the Son of man been glorified, and in him God has been glorified. If God has been glorified in him, God will in turn glorify him in himself, and will glorify him very soon” (v.31-32). Judas’ betrayal brings to maturity in Jesus the conviction that his death is «glory». The hour of death on the cross is included in God’s plan; it is the «hour» when the glory of the Father will shine on the world through the glory of the «Son of man». In Jesus, who gives his life to the Father at the «hour» of the cross, God is glorified by revealing his divine essence and welcoming humankind into communion with him.

Jesus’ (the Son’s) glory consists of his «extreme love» for all men and women, even to giving himself for those who betray him. The Son’s love is such that he takes on himself all those destructive and dramatic situations that burden the life and history of humankind. Judas’ betrayal symbolises, not so much the action of an individual, as that of the whole of evil humanity, unfaithful to the will of God.

However, Judas’ betrayal remains an event full of mystery. An exegete writes: In betraying Jesus, «it is revelation that is to blame; it is even at the service of revelation» (Simoens, According to John, 561). In a way, Judas’ betrayal gives us the chance of knowing Jesus better; his betrayal has allowed us to see how far Jesus loves his own. Don Primo Mazzolari writes: «The apostles became Jesus’ friends, whether good friends or not, generous or not, faithful or not, they still remain his friends. We cannot betray Jesus’ friendship: Christ never betrays us, his friends, even when we do not deserve it, even when we rebel against him, even when we deny him. In his sight and in his heart we are always his “friends”. Judas is the Lord’s friend even at the moment when he carries out the betrayal of his Master with a kiss» (Discourses 147).

c) The new commandment:

Let us focus our attention on the new commandment.

In v.33 we note a change in Jesus’ farewell discourse. He no longer uses the third person. The Master now addresses “you”. This «you» is in the plural and he uses a Greek word that is full of tenderness “children” (teknía). In using this word and by his tone of voice and openness of heart, Jesus concretely conveys to his disciples the immensity of the tenderness he holds for them.

What is also interesting is another point that we find in v.34: «that you love one another as I have loved you». The Greek word Kathòs «as” is not meant for comparison: love one another as I have loved you. Its meaning may be consecutive of causal: «Because I have loved you, so also love one another».

There are those who like Fr. Lagrange see in this commandment an eschatological meaning: during his relative absence and while waiting for his second coming, Jesus wants us to love and serve him in the person of his brothers and sisters. The new commandment is the only commandment. If there is no love, there is nothing. Magrassi writes: «Away with labels and classifications: every brother is the sacrament of Christ. Let us examine our daily life: can we live with our brother from morning till night and not accept and love him? The great work in this case is ecstasy in its etymological sense, that is, to go out of myself so as to be neighbour to the one who needs me, beginning with those nearest to me and with the most humble matters of every day life» (Living the church, 113).

d) For our reflection:

- Is our love for our brothers and sisters directly proportional to our love for Christ?
- Do I see the Lord present in the person of my brother and sister?
- Do I use the daily little occasions to do good to others?
- Let us examine our daily life: can I live with my brothers and sisters from morning till night and not accept and love them?
- Does love give meaning to the whole of my life?
- What can I do to show my gratitude to the Lord who became servant for me and consecrated his whole life for my good? Jesus replies: Serve me in brothers and sisters: this is the most authentic way of showing your practical love for me.

3. ORATIO

a) Psalm 23:1-6:

This psalm presents an image of the church journeying accompanied by the goodness and faithfulness of God, until it finally reaches the house of the Father. In this journey she is guided by love that gives it direction: your goodness and your faithfulness pursue me.

Yahweh is my shepherd, 
I lack nothing.
In grassy meadows he lets me lie. 
By tranquil streams he leads me
to restore my spirit. 
He guides me in paths of saving justice as befits his name.
Even were I to walk in a ravine as dark as death 
I should fear no danger, 
for you are at my side. 
Your staff and your crook are there to soothe me.
You prepare a table for me under the eyes of my enemies; 
you anoint my head with oil; 
my cup brims over.
Kindness and faithful love pursue me every day of my life. 
I make my home in the house of Yahweh 
for all time to come.

b) Praying with the Fathers of the Church:

I love you for yourself, I love you for your gifts, 
I love you for love of you 
And I love you in such a way, 
That if ever Augustine were God 
And God Augustine, 
I would want to come back and be who I am, Augustine, 
That I may make of you who you are, 
Because only you are worthy of being who you are.
Lord, you see, 
My tongue raves, 
I cannot express myself, 
But my heart does not rave. 
You know what I experience 
And what I cannot express. 
I love you, my God, 
And my heart is too limited for so much love, 
And my strength fails before so much love, 
And my being is too small for so much love. 
I come out of my smallness 
And immerse my whole being in you, 
I transform and lose myself.
Source of my being, 
Source of my every good: 
My love and my God.
(St. Augustine: Confessions)

c) Closing prayer:

Blessed Teresa Scrilli, seized by an ardent desire to respond to the love of Jesus, expressed herself thus:

I love you, 
O my God, 
In your gifts; 
I love you in my nothingness, 
And even in this I understand, 
Your infinite wisdom; 
I love you in the many varied or extraordinary events, 
By which you accompanied my life…
I love you in everything, 
Whether painful or peaceful; 
Because I do not seek, 
Nor have I ever sought, 
Your consolations; 
Only you, the God of consolations. 
That is why I never gloried 
Nor delighted in, 
That which you made me experience entirely gratuitously in your Divine love, 
Nor did I distress and upset myself, 
When left arid and small.

(Autobiography, 62)

www.ocarm.org