By Beth DeCristofaro
For this is why Christ died and came
to life, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. Why then do you
judge your brother or sister? Or you, why do you look down on your brother or
sister? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God (Romans 14:9-10)
(Jesus said) Or what woman having ten
coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching
carefully until she finds it? … ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin
that I lost.’ In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among
the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:8-10)
Piety
Awaken
and enlighten us, my Lord, that we might know and love the blessings which You
ever propose to us, and that we might understand that You have moved to bestow
favors on us and have remembered us.
O
Lord, my God, who will seek You with simple and pure love and not find You are
all he desires, for You show Yourself first and go out to meet those who desire
You?
Study
A
long time ago on a campus far, far away, as a senior I gave a presentation to
freshmen on retreat. Public speaking generally left me speechless in those
days, but I managed to quote Godspell.
I told them that as we had spent days together on retreat learning how much and
in how many ways God loves us that we were then appointed to go forth and
“prepare ye the way of the Lord” through our choices, our actions, our very
lives. In those days, with a future huge and bright before me and filled with
the desire to be Christ-like, I was not always sure how to be loving of those
who were themselves lost sheep or who misplaced a precious coin.
St.
John of the Cross said “At the evening of life, you will be examined in love.” Today, his words touch me with increased poignancy both as I approach the evening of
my own life and as I minister to terminally ill persons. I begin to see the
path a bit more clearly. Paul’s words take on a different light when I read
them with St. John’s insights; and St. John’s words come alive in light of
Jesus’ parables. St. John mapped out the “how” more clearly than I did with my
brief speech to the retreatants. His quote continues: “Learn to love as God
desires to be loved and abandon your own ways of acting.” God gave Himself to
us in the death and resurrection of Jesus. In the Eucharist we are fed to
flourish in His love. Can we envision angels rejoicing as we repent and
partake?
Action
In
Cursillo, we ask each other how we love as God desires to be loved. What can we
do to make Cursillo community more open and accessible for others? How am I
leaving behind my own ways of acting to draw closer to Christ?
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