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10/21/2009
Opening Prayer Let us begin: + In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Lord, watch over us by day and by night. In the midst of life's countless changes strengthen us with you neverchanging love. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. (LOU Vol IV Week I Wed Vespers) + In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Word of God October 25, 2009 Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Mark 10:46-52 The Lord be with you. And also with you. A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark. Glory to you Lord. + May the gospel always be on my mind, on my lips, and in my heart. As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, son of David, have pity on me." And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, "Son of David, have pity on me." Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you." He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. Jesus said to him in reply, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man replied to him, "Master, I want to see." Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you." Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way. The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Catechism of the Catholic Church 2667 - This simple invocation of faith developed in the tradition of prayer under many forms in East and West. The most usual formulation, transmitted by the spiritual writers of the Sinai, Syria, and Mt. Athos, is the invocation, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us sinners." It combines the Christ째logical hymn of Philippians 2:6-11 with the cry of the publican and the blind men begging for light. By it the heart is opened to human wretchedness and the Savior's mercy. 2616 - Prayer to Jesus is answered by him already during his ministry, through signs that anticipate the power of his death and Resurrection: Jesus hears the prayer of faith, expressed in words (the leper, Jairus, the Canaanite woman, the good thief) or in silence (the bearers of the paralytic, the woman with a hemorrhage who touches his clothes, the tears and ointment of the sinful woman). The urgent request of the blind men, "Have mercy on us, Son of David" or "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" has-been renewed in the traditional prayer to Jesus known as the Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!" Healing infirmities or forgiving sins, Jesus always responds to a prayer offered in faith: "Your faith has made you well; go in peace." 548 - The signs worked by Jesus attest that the Father has sent him. They invite belief in him. To those who turn to him in faith, he grants what they ask. So miracles strengthen faith in the One who does his Father's works; they bear witness that he is the Son of God. But his miracles can also be occasions for "offence"; they are not intended to satisfy people's curiosity or desire for magic Despite his evident miracles some people reject Jesus; he is even accused of acting by the power of demons.
Liturgical Calendar
Prayer Prayer Luke 11:1-13
Theme
God invites us to intimacy. God listens to us more deeply than we ourselves are able to, allowing us to meet, experience, and listen in return. There are many ways to pray; we are all different. Points to remember: • Relax and quiet yourself. • Find a place and posture that suits you. • Focus on God's presence with you. • If possible, have regular prayer times. • Allow for quiet moments—in order to listen.
In the Scripture I'm praying or in the events of my day what is God sharing with me about myself and our relationship?
Scripture
• Exodus 33:7-23--Moses' intimacy with God • Psalm 139—God guides me, knows me. • Jeremiah 29:11-15—If we seek God, we will find God. • Hosea 2:16-18,21,22-1 will speak to her heart. • John 14:23—We will come to you. • John 15:9-17—You are my friends. • Romans 8:26-27—The Spirit prays for us. • Matthew 26:36-46—Prayer in solitude • Luke 18:1-8--Petitioning God • Ephesians 6:18-20—Praying for perseverance
Questions to When have I experienced God inviting me to a close relationship? Ponder When I pray, what do I say? How at home do I feel with God? How does God respond to me or speak to me? What is it like when I experience God?
Reflections
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• , PRAYING TOGETHER / SESSION I
Activity Sheet 1
Personal Prayer Be as Vecific as posrible as you respcmd to each item. I. Defining Prayer: What is prayer to you?
2. Recognizing Your Present Prayer Habits: When do you pray? (Times of trouble? Happy times?) How often? At what time of day do you pray? How do you pray? (Memorized prayers? Prayer book? Your own words? Quiet listening?)
3. Recalling Your Prayer Roots: Who taught you to pray? What is your earliest memory of praying? Name any person who has inspired you to take your relationship with God seriously.
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THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO YOU You are writing each day a letter to others Take care that the writing is true. 'Tis the only gospel some people will read, That gospel according toot'. There's a sweet old story translated for us But written the long long ago— The Gospel according to Marl; Luke and John— Of Christ and his mission below. You are writing a gospe4 a chapter each day, By deeds that you do, by words that you say. Others read what you write, whether faithless or true. Say, what is the gospel according to you? We read and admire the gospel of Christ With its love so unfailing and true; But what do they say, and what do they think Of the gospel according to you. iTis a wonderful story, that gospel of love, As it shines in the Christ-life divine, And, oh, that its truth might be told again In the story ofyour life and mine. Unselfishness mirror in every scene, Love blossom on every so4 And back from its vision the heart comes to tell The wonderful goodness of God
BENEFITS OF PRAYING We Christians pray not only to adore and thank God, not only to ask him for things or to express sorrow, not just because Jesus asks us to. We also pray because we get something out of it, something of great value. We do have the promise of the Lord himself that prayer will deepen our relationship to God. But will a steady diet of prayer result in any visible benefits? Pray-ers believe they receive many benefits from a life of prayer. Here are some of the ones most frequently mentioned: • Prayer contributes to a sense of self-worth.
• Prayer leads to happiness. We live in an age when
people pursue happiness with a vengeance. But all too often we look in the wrong place, in things or money or sex. These only satisfy us for a time. In prayer we discover that our true source of happiness is God; only he can fulfill us and all the secret longings of our heart. After a life of pleasure-seeking, St. Augustine came to the conclusion that God made us with a restless heart, a heart that continually longs for happiness. Augustine concluded that the heart remains restless until it rests in God, the only one who can satisfy our cravings for happiness.
In prayer we get in touch with our real selves. We discover that God loves us and that he abides with us forever. We discover that we are worthwhile and important. • Prayer gives us more energy. Busy people are
always on the go. A 24•hour day Is too short for them. But many pray-ers have discovered that 20 minutes given to prayer energizes them. In contacting the Holy Spirit, they are given more spirit to accomplish their tasks. Prayer has a calming effect and renews us for the many tasks of the day that have to be done. • Prayer has a healing effect. When we meet the
Divine Physician in prayer, we are healed. He touches and cures our emotional hurts. He forgives our sin and relieves our guilt over harm we have caused. PRAYER REFLECTION Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name, you are mine. Should you pass through the sea, I will be with you; or through rivers, they will not swallow you up. Should you walk through fire, you will not be scorched and the flames will not burn you. For I am Yahweh, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your savior. -Isaiah 43:1-3
and not be affected. To meet the God of love will make us more loving. To meet the Lord is to discover his will for us. As Danish theologian Soren Kierkegaard observed: "Prayer does not change God, but changes the one who prays." St. Teresa compared prayer to watering a garden. Just as water produces good plants in a garden, so prayer produces virtues in the one who prays. These virtues include faith, hope, love, humility, sensitivity to others, a compassionate heart and a desire to work for God's kingdom. • Prayer helps solve our problems. Many people find
that prayer helps them solve their problems. They find that the source of many of their problems is needless worry. The psychologist William James saw prayer as the best cure for worry. Insights will often come to us when we settle down to pray and open up to the Lord. These Insights aid us In the everyday problems with which we live. There are many benefits to prayer. None is greater, though, than deepening our relationship with a God who loves us very much. We will only discover these benefits, we will only deepen our relationship with our divine friend, if we take the risk and have the courage to pray. May the Lord give you this courage to risk knowing him better.
It is easy to pray imaginatively with the gospels. Here's how to do it. • 1. Calm down. Find a restful prayer position. Breathe slowly and deeply- Let the cares of the day drain from you. 2. Next, enter into the presence of the Lord. Imagine Tesus next to you assuring you of his love- Look at his features: his clothing, the length and color of his hair, his complexion, his smile, his eye& Feel him putting his arm around you. 3. Now pick up a gospel passage. Put yourself and Jesus into the passage. For example, make yourself a thwarter in the story Use all your senses — sight, smell, touch, taste, hearing. Listen carefully to the words of the passage.. Pause often and let them sink in. But let your imaginatian flow with the picture. 4. Then reflect Return to the present. Ask the Lord to show you what the passage might be saying to you. 5. Then thank the Lord for the time he spent with you. Take. a resolution from ydur prayer time and try to put it into practice. Try this technique right now with the passage of the storm at sea (Mk 43544 Enter the scene as one of the apostles. Use all your senses. Then hear Jesus speaking to you. •
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What are you afraid of right now? What is 'buffeting you about? Have you asked the Lord to help? Have you heard his reply "Becalm"?
4aidatiom • Begin each day of the coming week asking the Lord to take control of any of the storms you might face during the day. When tough times come, return to the image of your friend and Stivibr, Jesus, calming the storm.
The Rosary: The origin of the Rosary It is obvious, therefore, that the Rosary deserves our study and attention. But before we look at the Rosary as a meaningful prayer for our day, we need quickly to review its history. Pinpointing the origin of the Rosary is not easy. The familiar legend that Sc. Dominic (1(70-1221) received the Rosary from our Lady is difficult to substantiate, and most historians believe the Rosary
developed slowly during a time-span stretching possibly from the approved I lOO's the devotion. Reflected in the legend. no doubt. is the historical truth of St. Dominic's great to 1569. devotion when to our Lady and the key role played by his followers. the Dominican Order, in the promotion of the Pope Rosary over the centuries. Pius V Apparently. the Rosary developed out of the laity's officially desire to have a form of prayer similar to that practiced by the monks. who prayed the psalter—the 150 psalms of the Bible. The faithful—especially those unable to read—began the practice of saying 150 Our Fathers in place of the psalms. Some used a string of 150 beads to keep count. In a parallel development, people devoted to Mary said 150 Ave Marias (only the Angel Gabriers greeting to Mary—not the entire Hail Mary as we know it today), mixed with Verses from the psalms. a devotion sometimes known as Our Lady's Psalter. With time. mysteries from the life of Christ were added—to give those praying material for contemplation and to keep Christ as the central focus of the devotion. The Rosary took its present form between the 14th and 15th centuries. A Carthusian monk divided the 150 Ave Marius into the 15 decades, with each decade preceded by the Lord's Prayer. In 1569, as indicated earlier. Pope Pius V officially recommended this prayer of the - Lord's Prayer at each decade...while meditating on the which recall the entire life of our Lord 150mysteries angelic salurations— Jesus Christ." This same Pope added the second part to with the Hail Mary. and this form of the prayer was eventually adopted for the Rosary. For the next 400 years. the Rosary has remained unchanged. During the past century—from Pope Leo XIII (1878-1903) to John Paul II—this prayer has been consistently and highly recommended by the Popes. Today people usually pray live decades—or one set of mysteries—at a time rather than all 15 decades (or 150 Hail Marys) that make up the whole Rosary. Although. strictly speaking. the Rosary is all 15 decades (often called the Dominican Rosary). the form most of us are familiar with is the so-called five-decade Rosary.
A tool for contemplation The Rosary is meant to be a prayer that leads us to Christ and into union with God. If it only locks. us into a meaningless circle of mechanically recited prayers. the Rosary is not achieving its purpose. And Mary would be the first one to tell us to find a better way to God and love of neighbor. The words of the Rosary are meant to launch us into the mysteries of Christ's life or. better, into the living mystery of Christ himself, who says. always even until the end of time." Just as each Hail Mary up to the word. Jesus. so the whole Rosary I am builds with you leads to union with him. And through Jesus we come into union with the Triune God. Each decade ends in a whole Rosary is a movement toward praise and joyful union with God. In praying the Rosary, it's important not to get too tied down or worried about the words, at least, not to get anxious about them. If you feel inspired to savor the words and their meaning. fine. There is a scriptural richness and a spiritual energy to be tapped from the words themselves. But don't hesitate to soar beyond the words to the mysteries of Christ or into the loving presence of God. If distracting thoughts come and your mind drifts to last night's dinner, to a movie or to personal problems. that's O.K. Be at peace. Gently move back to the words or mysteries or talk to Jesus about • your distractions.
A Christ-centered prayer Atsomepointinhistory,thenameofJesus was added to the first part of the Hail Mary. indicating that all that precedes it can be fatty understood only in the person of Christ. Jesus. the fruit of Mary's womb, is truly the center and summit of this prayer. The mysteries of the Rosary are clearly centered on events in Christ's life—the joyful mysteries on his incarnadon. the sorrowful mysteries on his suffering and death, and the glorious mysteries on his resurrection. In praying the Rosary with devotion." says Mother Teresa of Calcutta. "we are reliving the life of Christ."
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Although Mary remains in the backgound of four of the mysteries of light, she stands forth as an intercessor in the Wedding at Cana. Her words to the wine steward may be taken as her counsel to the Church in every season: "Do whatever he tells you" (John 2:5). As the Holy Father points out 'This counsel is a fitting introduction to the words and signs of Christ's public ministry and it forms the Malian foundation of all the 'mysteries of light" (RVIII, #21).
penaval r a drift he rosary is a Christ-centered prayer in which we pray to Son in the company of cen the his Mother: With Mary, we contemplate the face of Christ and the ter mysteries of the life he shared with het Even ed in the words of the Hail Mary itself, it is Christ "who is the ultimate object pra yer
both of the Angel's announcement and of the greeting of the Mother of John the Baptist: 'Blessed is the fruit of your womb'" (Luke 1:42; RM. #19). A clear focus on the life of Christ emerges as the mysteries of the rosary make the circle from joyful to luminous to sorrowful to glorious. Our fingers passing from one decade to the next make the journey with Jesus as he is conceived aid born, as he teaches and heals, as be gives himself to us in facia of bread and wine, as he suffers and dies, rises and is glorified in the Church of our day. Now that the mysteries spotlighting significant events in Christ's public ministry have been added, the circle is complete. Their presence gives fresh life to the traditional rosary and renews it as a prayer for the 21st century. The "sweet chain linking us to God," as Blessed Bartolo Longo (1841-19215) described the rosary, continues to give us much to pottdet
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loyfutilsiptertei (Mona* II &kooky) \ s1 The annuncirdion to Mar/ that she Is to be Mother of the Savior (Luke 1213-38) 2 The visitation of Maly to her cousin Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-45) 3 The nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 2:1-7) 4 The presentation of the Infant Jesus In the Temple (Luke 222-38) 5 The finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52)
iuminowlkystgrief he five new mysteries begin with the Baptism of Jesus (spotlighting his identity as God's beloved Son and his mission as the Messiah). The Baptism is followed by the Wedding at Cana (illuminating the first sign Jesus gave of his yet-to-be-revealed glory) and the Proclamation of the Kingdom (holding a bright candle to Jesus' saving work of healing and forgiveness). These three mysteries are followed by the Transfiguration (the most luminous of mysteries, in which Jesus' glory and divine nature shine) and the First Eucharist (enlightening our understanding of Jesus' self-gift to us at the Last Supper, as well as our identity as the one Body of Christ).
&mama; furies baptism of Jesus in the Jordan (Matthew 3:13-17) (12 The The wadding feast of Cana (John 2:1-12) 3 The proclamation of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:15; 2:3-13) 777UIs:180 4 The transfiguration of Jesus (Luke 922r36) 5' The first Eucharist (Matthew 26:26.30) firreWpithipftrigf (Ilissday& Friday) 1 The agony of Christ in the garden (Mark 14. 2 The scourging of Jesus at the pillar (John 18: 3 The crowning with thorns (Mark 15:16-20) • 4 The carrying of the cross (Luke 23:28-32) 5 The crucndon and death of Jesus (Luke 23:33-34; 39-46) gkricui . The reeurrection of Jesus (Luke 24:1-6) 2 The ascension of Jesus into heaven (Luke 24:50-53) ilipttrie 3 The coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4) f4 The assumption of Mary into heaven (Song of Songs 2: (Sund 5 The coronation of Mary (Revelation 12:1-6) ayd Wedn esday
Expressing Faith through Prayer How can prayer express our faith? As we pray, we give our attention to God. We offer him everything we have. We place our trust in his goodness. At the same time, we listen for his inspirations of grace to help us do good. We receive God's strength to help us carry out his will. There are different kinds of prayer. Praying by ourselves is called private prayer. We have many opportunities to express our faith in private prayer. We do this in our daily prayer conversations with God. In prayer, we ask God to help us do what he wants us to do. We thank him for the blessings of each day. We tell God we are sorry for failing to do his will, and we express our love for him and our gratitude for all he does for us. Praying with others Is called communal prayer, be. cause we are praying as members of a group or community. We pray communally when we express our faith as members of God's family, the Church, in public worship, especially in our celebration of the sacraments. When we celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we show that we believe God forgives our sins when we are sorry and gives us the grace to live better lives. We proclaim our faith publicly when we come together to worship God at the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist and profess the Creed aloud. Each time we receive Jesus at Communion, we express faith in his presence by answering "Amen" to "The Body of Christ" and " The Blood of Christ." In celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation, we ask to be strengthened in our faith. Filled with the Holy Spirit, we desire to live our faith with love and trust. If we are sincere and honest as we pray, whether alone or with others, our prayer will always be an expression of our faith. The fact that we worship God through prayer shows that we believe in him and have faith in his goodness.
Answer the following questions.
1. How does prayer express faith in God? 2. What do we mean by private prayer? Give some examples. 3. What do we mean by communal prayer? When do we pray communally? 4. When do we express our faith in God's power to forgive sin? S. In which prayer, recited publicly at Sunday liturgies, do we express our faith? 6. How do we express our faith when we receive the Eucharist? 7. In what sacrament do we pray that the Holy Spirit will come to us and strengthen our faith? 8. When is our prayer truly an expression of our faith? 9. If a friend asked you why you pray, what would you answer? 10. Someone has said, "As the body needs air, the soul needs prayer." Tell whether you agree or disagree, and explain why. Can you explain the meaning of these terms? prayer worship private prayer communal prayer public worship
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Hail, Holy Queen Hail, holy queen, mother of mercy, our life, ourifieetness, and our hope. To you we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to you we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, 0 most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. sweet virgin Mary. 0 clement, Pray for us, 0 holy Mother of God. 0 loving, Response: That we may be made worthy 0 of the promises of Christ.
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The Ko5ar 1/49 and sacred Scripture
• Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. . Luke 1:28 "And coming to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you."
• Blessed art thou among women - Luke 1:41-42a "When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women..."
- Luke 1:48 "For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed."
• Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus . Luke 1:42b "and blessed is the fruit of your womb."
Msterie5 • Joyful
• Sorrowful
- Annunciation
- Agony in the Garden
- Visitation
- Scourging at the Pillar
- Nativity
- Crowning with Thorns
- Presentation in the Temple
- Carrying of the Cross
- Finding Jesus in the Temple
- Crucifixion
• Luminous
• Glorious
- Baptism in the Jordan
- Resurrection
- Wedding at Cana
_ Ascension
- Proclamation of the Gospel
- Descent of the Holy Spirit
- Transfiguration
- Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Institution of the Eucharist
- Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary