January 8, 2011
Saturday after Epiphany
And we have this confidence in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, we know that what we have asked him for is ours. 1 John 5:14-15
“The one who has the bride is the bridegroom; the best man, who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine has been made complete. He must increase; I must decrease.” John 3:29-30
Piety
Cursillo Leaders Prayer
Lord, grant that we may understand the necessity for depth in our movement, rather than surface glory. Convince us of the truth that colorful programs do not constitute success.
My God, give us a spirit of self sacrifice so that we may offer everything for your cause: our time, our abilities, our health and even our lives if necessary.
Instill in us courage in our initiatives, good judgment in our choice of the right means, and that determination which in spite of failures assures victory.
Move away from us the tiny rivalries, sensitivities, discourtesies, pride, everything which distracts from You, everything which divides or discourages.
Help us to maintain at a high level a meaningful supernatural and mutual charity among ourselves, so that each one will seek by preference the most humble tasks and will rejoice at the good performed by others so that all our spirits united in a common purpose will have one single sprit, Yours Jesus, and that this spirit may let us see Your attractive goodness marked in all our faces, Your warm accents in all our words, and in our lives something superior to the world, something that proclaims Your Living Presence among us. Amen
St. Paul, Patron of Cursillo - Pray for us.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patron of the Americas - Pray for us.
Study
We end the extraordinary seasons of Advent and Christmas and move into ordinary time this weekend. John the Baptists and the prophets (like Isaiah) who have had key roles in the daily readings over the past two months now give way to the public ministry of Jesus and one of the two periods of our year which the church dubs "ordinary time."
“Ordinary.” The story today in John’s Gospel about the dispute between his followers and a Jew once again foreshadows the kinds of ordinary arguments, petty rivalries, and conflicts that will mark the experience of Jesus in his ministry. We know those ordinary stories. Stories of apostles bickering with each other about who will sit next to Jesus in heaven. Stories of Pharisees and scribes being upstaged in public debates to the point at which they will betray a member of their own faith and turn him over to belligerent, occupying rulers from Rome. Stories of denial, betrayal, and abandonment.
How different our lives and our traditions would be if we would only follow John’s advice. “He must increase; I must decrease.”
Action
How can you increase the influence of Jesus in your daily life? Our first reading offers a key. Turn over your personal goals to God rather than putting yourself at the center. “[I]f we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”
Use the Cursillo Leaders Prayer to help you move away from us the tiny rivalries, sensitivities, discourtesies, pride, everything which distracts from a right relationship with Jesus. Be on your guard about stroking your own ego and self-interest and put others first.
