Sunday, April 02, 2006

A Prayer for the Men's Team in Hiatus (and others interested in praying for them) March 4

Gentlemen,

As we enter the hiatus until a new place and time is chosen for the women and men who have been and will be called to Cursillo, I offer this prayer today based on the readings from Mass.

Read and Listen to the Word of God today from this link: http://www.usccb.org/nab/030406.shtml

Read it again. Is there a word or a few words that speak to you? For me, it is Restorer of Ruined Homesteads.

Where does this touch your life today? For me, I hear Isaiah in the marketplace of ideas trying to cut through the cacophony of competing claims. Imagine Isaiah as a used car salesman...or an advertising copy writer trying to sell the City of God (or at least the way to get there). Today's readings give us the path to the Kingdom and the 113th Cursillo. And what a path it is!!!

If ONLY we stop gossiping
If ONLY we stop accusing others
If ONLY we give our bread to the hungry

THEN
Then light shall rise for you in the darkness,and the gloom shall become for you like midday;Then the LORD will guide you alwaysand give you plenty even on the parched land.He will renew your strength,and you shall be like a watered garden,like a spring whose water never fails.The ancient ruins shall be rebuilt for your sake,and the foundations from ages past you shall raise up;“Repairer of the breach,” they shall call you,“Restorer of ruined homesteads.” (Isaiah 58:9b-14)
But that's not all. Call before midnight tonight and we have even more to DELIVER.

If ONLY you honor the Lord on Sunday instead of the Redskins/Fighting Irish/NASCAR/Fast Food/Cinemaplex/Shopping Mall Nation
If ONLY you avoid going to the office (or sneaking in a little work from home)
If ONLY we avoid speaking harshly

THEN
Then you shall delight in the LORD,and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;I will nourish you with the heritage of Jacob, your father,for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.(Isaiah 58:14)

Let us pray. Jesus, you said if we follow you, you will heal the sick and restore the homesteads. Please bless us and our Cursillo movement with the health we need to follow you in piety, study and action. Please help us LIVE this method in obedience and in faith and bring our friends to LIVE this method as well. Restore to our movement a place to call "home." Continue to bless our old homestead and the people of God who live, serve, prayer and gather on that holy ground Missionhurst. But just as you led Moses and your people to Israel, please bring us to the holy mountain, reveal to us a New Jerusalem because we know that we have many friends to make -- many friends to know -- and many friends who we would like to bring to your friendship.

Just as you heal the many, we also ask you to heal the individuals. Restore all that is broken and in need of renewal. Provide the heart for Tom Copeland which he, his wife Rae, their family and friends await.

God, accept this prayer and bless it in your time. Give us the prayerful patience needed to wait for your revelation and the fortitude needed until you bestow it upon us. But give us strong sandals so we can walk through this desert until we find that stream of living water you are keeping for us.

Are You Called to Action: I believe that God wants all of us to restore life. So this morning, I signed up as an organ donor on the Virginia DMV site. You can do the same if you are not already registered. Tom Copeland and others are waiting. You can sign up at DMV (www.dmvnow.com in Virginia) or use the Form at The Living Bank (www.livingbank.org). In addition to Tom, there are 91,146 others on donor lists...waiting. Every 13 minutes another name is added to the list. We pray for that person who was just added while we read this message.

In His Peace+

Anthony De Cristofaro
dxfaro@cox.net

"To remain silent and indifferent is the greatest sin of all." Elie Wiesel

(PS: Grace will come to you in abundance whether you pass this on to anyone else or not. Grace will even come to you if you want me to remove you from future messages sent via e-mails. Just let me know your will.)

No comments: