By Beth DeCristofaro
(Jesus) came and preached peace to you who were far off
and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one
Spirit to the Father. So then you are
no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy
ones and members of the household of God, built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the
capstone. (Ephesians 1:17-20)
Jesus said to his disciples: “Gird your loins and light your lamps and be
like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open
immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his
arrival. (Luke 12: 35-37)
Piety
Grant us, Lord, we
pray,
A sincere respect
for your gifts,
That, through the
purifying action of your grace,
We may be cleansed
by the very mysteries we serve.
Through Christ our
Lord.
(Prayer over the Offerings from the Mass
for the Day)
Study
A dear friend of
mine says that among the reasons that she loves being Catholic are two
important ones. First is the Truth of
Christ’s actual presence in the Eucharist which is such an awesome, undeserved gift. The second is that at any time or place that
she would like to attend a Mass she can find one (within reason!) where she
always feels at home even if the liturgy is in another language or the hymns
are not known to her. She feels that as
Catholics we have a unique opportunity to share this marvelous celebration of
God’s word and presence. Around the globe
at any time of the day or night there is liturgy being said which, my friend
counts as an essential need for our broken, complicated world and for her in
navigating it day to day.
The liturgy,
sacraments, our private prayer practices are ways in which we “gird our loins”
and become aware. Amid our culture which
recommends upgrading, doing what feels convenient, and valuing “my” journey
over the adherence to an institution, our religious practices can be the lights
which guide us.
Action
As a “replenishing”
of the oil in your lamp, attend liturgy at a time and place that are new for
you or try a new prayer form. Pray also
for the Bishops who leave the Synod in Rome and return to their home dioceses
where the world is moving fast and their flocks are in need of accessible,
loving, vigilant Shepherds.
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