A religious, precisely because she belongs
to the baptized, is called to be a disciple
of Jesus. Her being a religious does not
make her any more a disciple but, it
commits her to a public witnessing to the
responsibility, the cost and the benefits
of being such a disciple.
Leader: Jesus, open our hearts and our minds
All: That we may learn how openness to you is the key to our discipleship.
Leader: Jesus, we long to be our truest selves, to be one with You and God, our Creator.
All: Yet we fear that total openness to Your call, which leads to life.
Leader: Jesus, this day, though we are yet a long way off
All: Let God catch sight of us, be moved with pity and touch us, that we may be open to what You ask of us.
First Reading: Phil 1:21-26
If I live, it will be for Christ, and if I die, I will gain even more. I don’t know what to choose. I could keep on living and doing something useful. It is a hard choice to make. I want to die and be with Christ, because that would be much better. But I know that all of you still need me. That’s why I am sure that I will stay on to help you grow and be happy in your faith. Then, when I visit you again, you will have good reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of me.
Reflection:
Here is a clear example of St. Paul's awareness that it is useless to merely preach Christ. He knows that the only way he can claim to teach with authority is by insisting that he represents the presence of Christ in their midst. So also, must our lives be in the midst of those we serve.
Pause for reflection
Second Reading: excerpt from To Live as Disciples and Prophets
by Francis J. Maloney, S.D.B.
"The mission of the disciple only makes sense if it is seen and understood by the disciple as an involvement in the task of Jesus. All that the disciples do is done because of their relationship with Him. 'If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me.' 'The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise.' The disciples show they are not prepared to accept the sort of messiahship or the sort of kingdom and discipleship which these words of Jesus demand. Jesus does not leave them in their ignorance. He tells them that to be his disciples means to abandon all human aspirations of power. They are called to share his vocation to a Cross and to service.
The disciple of Jesus is not one who dictates terms in the kingdom, but one who is receptive. Openness, the mark of the humble servant, is reflected in the disciple's openness to all that Jesus asks of her. Ultimately, this means that the disciple will be open to God. Only with such an approach to others is one a disciple of Jesus –'Whoever receives a child in my name receives Me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but Him who sent me.' This last phrase is important because Jesus himself points out that he is not one who acts through his own power and authority. He too is 'receiving' and serving the One who sent Him. Jesus does not demand something from his disciples; he always asks them to 'follow' him, along the way that he himself must walk."
Silent Reflection and Shared Prayer
Spontaneous prayers of intercession
Lord's Prayer
All: Lord, we are grateful for the wonderful things You have done in our lives and we praise You for Your great love. Make us become Your loving disciples, giving generously of ourselves to all, and women of faith, trusting You in all things. Amen.