Spiritual REFLECTION guide
In Faith, Hope & Love
April 2010
Dear Vincentians and Friends, We are pleased to offer you a set of Spiritual Reflection Guides for the months of April, May and June, 2010, which are themed: In Faith, Hope & Love. Throughout this year, the Church is focusing on the writings of Luke. As such, themes and narratives of inclusion and diversity which are the hallmark of Luke’s Gospel can be found throughout this series of Guides as well as themes of love, joy and hope that flow from the Eastertide liturgies. We hope that these reflections help our readers to capture such an Apostolic Church vision of discipleship, as they serve the poor through the various ministries of the Society. We repeat our regular invitation: we are always looking for assistance in producing the guides for members and volunteers. If you would like to help and could spare a day or so, please contact Wendy Scott or Bill Johnston on (02) 9560 8666. Particular thanks are due to the contributors to this series of the Guides including Anne Bailey and Pat Mahony who worked as members of the editorial team. A useful weblink for the full Sunday readings is www.litcom.net.au. All spiritual reflection guides for 2009-2010 can be accessed on the national website, www.vinnies. org.au and follow the publications link.
Bill Johnston Spiritual Advisor Our Mission The St Vincent de Paul Society is a lay Catholic organisation that aspires to live the Gospel message by serving Christ in the poor with love, respect, justice and joy, and by working to shape a more just and compassionate society. Our Vision The St Vincent de Paul Society aspires to be recognised as a caring Catholic charity offering “a hand up” to people in need. We do this by respecting their dignity, sharing our hope, and encouraging them to take control of their own destiny. Privacy Statement Because the St Vincent de Paul Society respects the privacy of the people it serves, the names of any clients featured in this guide have been changed and pictorial models used. The Spiritual Reflection Guides of the St Vincent de Paul Society are produced by Spiritual Advisor, Bill Johnston. Acknowledgements: Text: Bill Johnston, Anne Bailey, Pat Mahony Design: Rachel Anne Irvine ABN: 46 472 591 335 Copyright acknowledgements: Prayers and other texts taken from “The Sunday Missal”, first published in Australia by E.J. Dwyer (Australia) Pty Ltd. Later editions published by HarperCollinsReligious. Material subject to copyright is used under Licence 2262 Word of Life International. Poem quoted for 13 June, taken from Out of the Ordinary © 2000 by Joyce Rupp. Used by permission of Ave Maria Press. All rights reserved.
Spiritual Reflection Guide April - June 2010
CHRIST IS TRULY RISEN Easter Sunday Acts 10:34, 37-43 Col 3: 1-4 John 20: 1-9
Our last series of spiritual reflection guides ended with a reflection on Palm (Passion) Sunday and the events of Holy Week summed up in the phrase: “We remember, we celebrate, we believe.”
lleluia! Alleluia!
This week, we remember, celebrate, and believe an almost entirely different aspect of our faith – that Jesus Christ not only suffered and died but that He is risen from the dead. The mostly commonly recited Eucharistic Acclamation is: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. That central statement of faith, Christ IS risen, is said in the present tense. It is not as if it happened once and for all time, Christ is risen for all eternity, it is always happening, is always true. Our hymns and prayers reflect this belief with the extra emphasis we place on the statement… Christ is TRULY risen, Christ is risen INDEED, Christ is risen, ALLELUIA! How do you know that Christ is risen? How has this statement of faith made a difference to the way that you live your life?
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Tell us, Mary: say what thou didst see upon the way? The tomb the Living did enclose; I saw Christ's glory as he rose! The angels there attesting; shroud with grave-clothes resting. Christ, my hope, has risen; he goes before you into Galilee. That Christ is truly risen from the dead we know. Victorious king, thy mercy show! From the Easter Sequence
Prayer God our Father, by raising Christ your Son, You conquered the power of death and opened for us the way to eternal life. Let our meeting and our ministry today raise us up and renew our lives by the Spirit that is within us. Opening prayer of Easter Sunday Mass
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Walking in Faith 2nd Sunday of Easter
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Acts 5: 12-16 Rev 1: 9-13, 17-19 John 20: 19-31
"Peace of heart; without this we may possess everything and yet not be happy; with it we can bear the hardest trials and (even) the approach of death." - Blessed Frederic Ozanam
Readings for the Sundays of Easter explore the early part of the Acts of the Apostles and all the gospel passages are taken from John. Today’s Gospel narrative, unique to John, of Jesus’ appearance to the disciples, has become particularly beloved because all of us so readily identify with Thomas, the doubter. Jesus’ greeting “Peace be with you” is repeated three times; it is the signature greeting of the Risen Lord. Then there is the admonition given to Thomas: “You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe”. It is as though the Master is insisting that a spirit of peace and a deep faith go hand in hand with acting in his name to be of service to others. The spirit of this Sunday’s readings is well captured in the hymn by Marty Haugen:
"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart." - Helen Keller
Prayer Let us pray the prayer of the father to Jesus in Mark’s Gospel (9: 24) Lord, we do have faith, but not enough. Help us to have more, …so that we can work wonders in your name. Amen.
“We walk by faith and not by sight; no gracious words we hear; Of Him who spoke as none e’er spoke but we believe him near.”
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Do you know people who show deep faith and a spirit of peace in their work for others?
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The reading from Acts speaks of ‘signs and wonders worked among the people’ by the disciples as they went out in Jesus’ name. What modern day signs and wonders have you seen in your work as a Vincentian?
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difficulties of discipleship 3rd Sunday of Easter Acts 5: 27-32, 40-41 Rev 5: 11-14 John 21: 1-19
Like Saint Peter, most of us are not without faith. Of course we believe; we just don’t always act on our faith. Poor Peter has to relive that dark moment in his life when he denied his Master three times. So Jesus asks him three times: “Peter, do you love me?” Jesus asks us that question too, many times through our lives. But perhaps, when we say we do love him, we don’t realise the commitment we are making. Perhaps we can be inspired by the view of Peter in later life which we get from Acts, a man fearless of human authority and faithful only to the Lord – even though he knows he is destined to “go where he would rather not go.” Peter has been warned constantly not to go about preaching about the Risen Lord, and yet he goes on doing it. His only explanation is: “Obedience to God comes before obedience to men.” Peter goes on with his mission, hardly even letting up long enough to leave the building where he has been warned. Peter was challenged by the authorities. We, too, are challenged by our own cynicism and a lack of others’ response to our efforts or scepticism about the motivation behind our ministry. How do we persevere despite such challenges? Can you think of any situations or circumstances where you would find a conflict between the demands on you from the State or culture, and those of God? What would be your response if Jesus asked you about the extent of your love for Him?
THIS WEEK... The two ways in which we are called upon to identify with the Lord's paschal mystery: 1) a personal experience of moving from darkness to light, from sin to virtue, from superficiality to self-awareness, from apathy and indifference to commitment and service; 2) a communal experience, in our families and parishes and communities, of movement from suspicion to respect and from a focus on self to an experience of solidarity with all our brothers and sisters. - Archbishop John Vlazny
Prayer St. Augustine proclaimed: “We are Easter people and alleluia is our song!” And we sing for fifty days, from Easter to Pentecost: “Alleluia! Praise to our God!”
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to the ends of the earth 4th Sunday of Easter Acts 13: 14, 43-52 Rev 7: 9, 14-17 John 10: 27-30
These Sundays of Easter deal not just with the resurrection of Jesus but increasingly with the realities of the sending forth of his followers and the life of the early Church. It was a community which struggled to understand that the call to discipleship was a universal call; that the Gospel was to be spread to every nation and tribe, even to the ends of the earth. That was what caused such great anxiety to Paul and Barnabas at Antioch and such division between Jewish and Gentile disciples. The community had to suffer division and conflict before it came to accept that for the followers of Jesus, no-one is excluded from Grace received, or gifts and service given through ministry. And there is a second clear reminder in the readings; hope and sadness; suffering and joy are intertwined and the one constant is that the Shepherd is always there and we follow his call. How do you understand the statement in The Rule on equality (Section 3.2, page 14)? The Society, in each of its Conferences,‌ makes no distinction regarding gender, wealth, occupation, social status or ethnic origin. Is there in 2010 a particular challenge to Vincentians to serve the poor among refugees and people of varying ethnic origins?
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God give us rain when we expect sun; Give us music when we expect trouble; Give us tears when we expect breakfast; Give us dreams when we expect a storm; Give us a stray dog when we expect congratulations; God play with us, turn us sideways and around. AMEN. - Michael Leunig
Prayer Father, attune our minds to the sound of Jesus’ voice. Make us ready to serve all without any discrimination. Lead our steps in the path he has shown, that we may know the strength of his outstretched arm and enjoy the light of your presence forever. Amen.
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love one another 5th Sunday of Easter Acts 14: 21-27 Rev 21: 1-5 John 13: 31-35
The message that we can draw from today’s Gospel reading is that we do not have to figure out what Christ means when he commands us to “love one another”. He clearly shows that he is our role model. “Just as I have loved you, you also must love one another.” The key is relationship - our relationship with Christ in prayer and our relationship with Christ through service of the poor. “Vincentians seek to draw closer to Christ. They hope that someday it will be no longer they who love, but Christ who loves through them… and even now, through their caring, the poor may catch a glimpse of God’s great love for them.” (The Rule 2.1, page 12) The Society’s Mission Statement is more specific when it states that: The St Vincent de Paul Society is a lay Catholic organisation that aspires to live the Gospel message by serving Christ in the poor with love, respect, justice, hope and joy, and by working to shape a more compassionate and just society.
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"The whole of life is grounded and rooted in love - Without love we cannot live." - Julian of Norwich "For one human being to love another, that is perhaps the most difficult of all our tasks, the ultimate, the last test and proof. The work for which all other work is but preparation." - Rainer Maria Rilke
Prayer The Lord is kind and full of compassion, slow to anger, abounding in love. How good is the Lord to all, compassionate to all his creatures. (Psalm 144: 8-9)
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What qualities mark our relationship with the members of our own Conference and our relationship with those we serve?
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do not let your hearts be troubled 6th Sunday of Easter Acts 15: 1-2, 22-29 Rev 21: 10-14, 22-23 John 14: 23-39
One of the spiritual practices that has been used by Christians for centuries and in which many today are finding spiritual nourishment, is the practice of Lectio Divina – literally, ‘listening to the Word of God’.
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Psalm 66: 2-3, 8 O God, be gracious and bless us and let your face shed its light upon us. So will your ways be known upon earth and all nations learn your saving help.
One person in the group is invited to slowly read aloud the passage below from this Sunday’s Gospel - once, twice, or even three times. After the readings, group members are invited to speak their ‘noticings’ aloud for the group to hear how God is speaking to each person. Simply share a word or phrase that caught your attention and, if you wish, how that part of the passage speaks to something occurring in your daily life. A reading from the Gospel according to St John If anyone loves me they will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we shall come to them and make our home with them. Those who do not love me do not keep my words, and my word is not my own: it is the word of the one who sent me. I have said all these things to you while I am still with you; but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you. Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you, a peace the world cannot give, this is my gift to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
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Ps 66:8
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. May God still give us his blessing till the ends of the earth revere him.
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GO OUT TO THE WHOLE WORLD The Ascension of the Lord Acts 1: 1-11 Eph 1: 17-23 Luke 24: 46-53
Each year on the Feast of the Ascension, the first reading is taken from the beginning of Acts, and the Gospel is the conclusion of one of the three synoptic writers, in this case, the Gospel of Luke. St Luke is reminding Theophilus, Lover of God, and his whole community of readers that it is over to them to take the message of the Gospel to their own world and to the ends of the earth. The language of the texts is “you” and “them”, highlighting that the gifts of the spirit and the commissioning to evangelise are directed to the whole Christian community, not to individuals alone. Relationship with others is at the heart of the Christian way of life. That therefore has to be true also of the vocation of a Vincentian. That is why we worship as a community, and it gives a profound further dimension to the conclusion of the liturgy when we are encouraged to: “Go in the peace of Christ to love and serve the Lord”.
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No man is an island, Entire of itself. Each is a piece of the continent, A part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less. As well as if a promontory were. As well as if a manner of thine own Or of thine friend's were. Each man's death diminishes me, For I am involved in mankind. Therefore, send not to know For whom the bell tolls, It tolls for thee.
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Let us be Christ’s faithful witnesses Let us follow where he has led Let us have the joy of knowing that He is with us to the end of time. Amen.
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The disciples had the benefit of the actual presence of Christ to sustain them. How do we carry out ministry in hope and joy without having had that same benefit?
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ALL IS MADE NEW Pentecost Sunday Acts 2: 1-11 Rom 8: 8-17 John 14: 15-16, 23-26
We often pray for the guidance and protection of the Holy Spirit. What is this presence of the Holy Spirit? Well, we know that the Spirit is the life and love between the Father and the Son. So the Spirit is also the force that binds us to God, and to each other. When I feel motivated to be more connected or involved in my community, and to act selflessly for them, that is a sign of the Spirit acting in me. God has given me all that I need to do God’s will; the only further step is my assent: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” As St Paul says: “If Christ is in you, then your spirit is life itself.” When we go out to others as Christ did, the life of the Spirit reaches out to them also. Our challenge is to trust that living in God, God lives in us. When we bring healing to the broken, we may feel inadequate to the weight of their problems. But if we pray and believe, Jesus sends his Spirit with us, to give us the gift of his new life to give to others. We could do worse than to pray, as we go to those in need: “Lord send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.”
THIS WEEK... "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor." Who will bring the good news to the poor today, if not you?
Prayer Spirit of God, fill those who are empty, empower those who are weary, bring together those who are divided, reassure those who are afraid. By your power help us walk together as one, give us strength to share, give us the freedom to love each other, let us find our life in you. Amen.
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Do you ever have difficulty believing that the Holy Spirit will provide you with what you need to bring Christ to those in need? What can one do about this doubt or fear, do you think? How can we be sure that God provides us with an Advocate, a spokesperson and comforter?
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THE WONDER OF CREATION The Most Holy Trinity Prov 8: 22-31 Rom 5: 1-5 John 16: 12-15
The reflection for Trinity Sunday in 2009 concentrated very much on the Christian Church’s prayer to our God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The liturgy of this year 2010 encourages us to meet God, as the first reading directs us, in the wisdom of creation. And one such place of creation is astronomy. The Australia Day Honours this year acknowledged the work of Professor Fred Watson, the head of the Anglo-Australian Observatory at Siding Springs near Coonabarabran in NSW. One of his current projects is measuring the properties of a million stars to understand the history of our galaxy. Throughout his years in Australia, he has been a passionate educator about the greater astronomical universe and our own place in it. Asking people to treasure the night sky, he said: “We’ve talked to kids in cities who don’t actually believe there are stars up there because they never see them”. And we might add that to see them is to have some insight into the glory of God.
When I see the heavens, the work of your hands, The moon and the stars which you arranged, What is man that you should keep him in mind, Mortal man that you care for him?
Psalm 8 reminds us not just of the wonder of the created world but also of human beings within it.
THIS WEEK... Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee How great Thou art, How great Thou art. 'How Great Thou Art' Carl Gustav Boberg, 1885
Prayer Dear God, one God, three Persons, be near to the people formed in your image, close to the world your love brings to life. Amen.
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Where in the world that you live in do you see the beauty, the mysterious wonder and the greatness of God?
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Have you experiences of people who do not have such a perception of the world and of life?
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Spiritual Reflection Guide April - June 2010
SHARING BREAD The Body and Blood of Christ Gen 14: 18-20 1 Cor 11: 23-26 Luke 9: 11-17
In the Middle East, if you eat with someone, it is a guarantee of friendship. So many times Jesus broke bread and blessed it, and shared it with those he was with. This was to become the symbol of Christ’s mission and his kingdom. The meaning of our work as Vincentians is also making community through our sharing of bread.
There is a humility in sharing something we did not produce. We do not own what we offer; we do not have rights over those we assist. We are the mere bearers of the bare necessities for those humble enough to receive. It is like the humility with which we offer the gift of Christ in the Eucharist; like children giving gifts to their parents, we are given what we offer, and we offer to One who has given us everything. This is a sign that we should guard against feeling superior to those we help; all we are doing to beginning to restore the peace and justice of the kingdom of God to which they belong, as expressed in the opening for today’s Mass (See ‘Prayer’ at right). What is a sacrament? Would it enhance our understanding of our mission if we saw our work in the Society as ‘sacrament’ – bringing people into God’s community through our service?
THIS WEEK... Giving, whether in time or money, to those in need in our community is like a sacrament: it effects that which is signifies, which is community. To paraphrase St Francis: Make me a sacrament of peace. Could we say to those we visit, through our visit and through our manner: 'The peace of God I bring you; God's peace I leave with you.'
Prayer Let us pray for the willingness to make present in our world the love of Christ shown to us in the Eucharist… May we offer to our brothers and sisters a life poured out in loving service to that kingdom where you live with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
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INCLUSION, RADICAL INCLUSION 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2 Sam 12: 7-10, 13 Gal 2: 16, 19-21 Luke 7: 36; 8:3
In this week’s Gospel, there are many small stories within the larger story: “Jesus is invited to a meal at the house of one of the Pharisees; a woman with a bad reputation in the town breaks a jar of ointment over Jesus’ feet; Jesus then accuses Simon of failing to provide him the common courtesy of hospitality, as he lifts up the extravagant act of love and hospitality that the woman has shown him; after his verbal exchange with Simon, Jesus then tells a parable of debt and forgiveness. St Luke tells the story in this way to remind us that the expression of gratitude is a measure of the forgiveness we have received. Jesus also commits an act of radical inclusion by engaging with the woman who has lavished such love and attention on him. This journey is for all who hear the call of forgiveness and freedom, for all who would follow their desire for justice, compassion and peace. The ministry of Jesus was about opening up the sacred life to anyone and everyone who wanted to experience new life and hope. Those gathered at the meal saw the woman only as a sinner. Jesus perceived her to be an agent of change and a teller of truth. By spilling the perfume, she tells the world that acts of compassion and gentle care will have an affect on others, whether they like it or not.” - From Breaking the Alabaster Jar, a Sermon by Rev. Patricia de Jong, June 17, 2007 What kind of issues do we face today in the various ministries of the Society, which call for us to have a spirit of radical inclusion?
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Praise to the One whose love entices the wandering beckons the confused Praise to the One whose love dips deeply into diversity pours forth boundless beauty Praise to the One whose love soothes with the ointment of mercy transforms with the touch of compassion. - Joyce Rupp
Prayer In a world where the dining room table is often set for only a few and many are waiting in the shadows for a few scraps, may we be the ones who come forward to break open the jar of extravagant justice and love, so that it may be poured on the feet of those who are suffering and in need. Amen.
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WHO DO YOU SAY I AM? 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time Zech 12: 10-11; 13:1 Gal 3: 26-29 Luke 9: 18-24
There are two parts to this gospel narrative. The first is Jesus’ two probing questions: “Who do the crowds say I am?” and ”Who do you say I am?” It does not matter that Peter stepped in with his reply; “The Christ of God”, for each believer has to try to fathom the humanity and the Divinity of Jesus and to respond in his or her own way to that question. And as the Gospel goes on to say, the test of who we think Jesus is, and of who we are as his disciples, comes in how we see the cross of Jesus and the cross in our own lives. It is not something for which we actively look. But somewhere in life the Lord hands us a cross, and it is for us to recognise it and carry it. Perhaps it comes from a friend, a lover or an enemy. Perhaps it is sickness or disappointment. We are challenged to see these events of our life through the eyes of faith, with a confidence that God in his Providence can draw good out of the most awful and unwelcome happenings. What is the image of Jesus that best expresses for you “Who do you say I am?” Can you remember a “cross” experience in your own life from which you emerged with a deepened awareness of the person of Jesus?
THIS WEEK... Christ Christ Christ Christ Christ Christ Christ Christ
be with me, Christ within me, behind me, Christ before me, beside me, Christ to win me, to comfort and restore me, beneath me, Christ above me, in quiet, Christ in danger, in hearts of all that love me, in mouth of friend and stranger.
Breastplate of Saint Patrick (5th century)
Prayer Lord, we thank you for all your goodness to us. From our birth you have watched over us. We thank you for all the events of our life to this day. We ask that your spirit enable us to bear in faith the crosses which are in our future. This we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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uncompromising JESUS 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time 1 Kings 19: 16, 19-21 Gal 5: 1, 13-18 Luke 9: 51-62
We are accustomed to seeing the Gospel of Luke as the gospel of forgiveness, the gospel of women, the gospel of the humanity of Jesus. During the weeks of Easter, the risen Christ has been presented by Luke as a figure of reassurance, with a constant blessing of peace for the disciples.
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"Place my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest for your souls. For the yoke I will give you is easy and the load I will put on you is light." (Matthew 11: 29-30)
But today, in a gospel passage taken from the middle section of Luke’s account, the following of Jesus is presented in a most uncompromising way. In three different little meetings, Jesus reminds would-be disciples that: “the son of man has nowhere to lay his head…your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God…once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of heaven.” As Luke leads us into the various actions and teachings of Jesus on the road which finally leads to Jerusalem and the Passion, there is a strong reminder of the trials and difficulties of discipleship. Whether in our own inner life or in the interaction that we have with family, colleagues or clients, times of difficulty, disappointment and struggle will be as real as moments of happiness and fulfillment. When are we most likely to experience the difficulties of being a disciple of the ‘Son of Man’? The events we read about today are starkly contrasted as we are drawn into accompanying Jesus on his journey from the apparent triumph of the entry into Jerusalem, through his passion and death.
Prayer Dear Lord, we readily accept the times of joy and of hope in our lives. Help us to manage our times of trial, suffering and difficulty with an unwavering faith and trust in your presence with us. Amen.
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Spiritual Reflection guide
I am with you always... Spritual Reflection Guides are a publication of the St Vincent de Paul Society’s Spiritual Advisor, Bill Johnston and are designed by Rachel Anne Irvine. For more information about these Guides, contact Bill Johnston on (02) 9560 8666 or email bill.johnston@vinnies.org.au.