Opening Prayer:
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Our Mission Prayer
Lord Jesus, just as you commissioned St. Simon and St. Jude to
“Go therefore and make disciples”, you are calling us to do the same!
May we respond to you by welcoming all to be part of our Eucharistic Community as we strive to grow in our knowledge, love, and service to God and to one another.
Loving Father, fill us with the power of your Holy Spirit so that we can
go forth proclaiming the Good News to all.
The Day Spiritual Reading:
A Reading from The Encyclical on the Mystical Body of Christ by Venerable Pope Pius XII
In order that such a solid and undivided love may abide and increase in our souls day by day, we must accustom ourselves to see Christ Himself in the Church.
For it is Christ who lives in His Church, and through her, teaches, governs, and sanctifies; it is Christ also who manifests Himself differently in different members of His society.
If the faithful strive to live in a spirit of lively faith, they will not only pay due honour and reverence to the more exalted members of this Mystical Body — especially those who according to Christ’s mandate will have to render an account of our souls but they will take to their hearts those members who are the object of our Saviour’s special love: the weak, we mean, the wounded, and the sick who are in need of material or spiritual assistance; children whose innocence is so easily exposed to danger in these days, and whose young hearts can be molded as wax; and finally the poor, in helping whom we recognize as it were, through His supreme mercy, the very person of Jesus Christ.
The Day Topic: Reverent Followers
Inspired by Pope Pius XII, we are reminded that even though we have developed a personal relationship with the Lord we must remain reverent in our interactions with Christ and His Body.
The Day Reflection:
One of the dangers in developing a close person relationship with Jesus Christ is that we can almost forget that he is God and become too casual in our relationship. Our prayers of praise and thanksgiving to our God demand a certain reverence. Especially when we gather in community, it is important to remember that Christ is in our midst and acknowledge this fact with a reverence to our Lord and our God. Pope Pius reminds us in the selection from his encyclical that since we all comprise the Body of Christ, that reverence should be extended down to the weakest members of society.
Silent Reflection Followed by Optional Sharing
I. Do you see Christ in everyone, particularly the discarded, the ignored, the rejected?
II. How can we, as an intentional disciple, show reverence to all?
III. When we gather as community, do we remember that Christ is in our midst?
IV. Think of a time when you were surprised/touched by someone’s reverence of another? Why?
(State Your Intentions Here…)
Say: 1 Our Father… !0 Hail Marys… 1 Glory be to…
Concluding Prayer:
Novena Prayer
Father God, you revealed yourself to us through the preaching of your apostles Simon and Jude. By their prayers, give your Church continued growth and increase the number of those who believe in you.
O Glorious Saint Simon, you were a cousin of Jesus and a devoted follower as well. You were called “the Zealot,” indicating that you were willing to give your life for your religion and your freedom as a human person. Obtain for us the grace to be willing to give our lives for Christ and to labour for the freedom and peace that only God can give. Help us to spend ourselves for God on earth and be received by him in eternal bliss in heaven.
O Glorious St. Jude, you were honoured to be a cousin as well as a follower of Jesus, and you wrote an Epistle in which you said: “Grow strong in your holy faith through prayer in the Holy Spirit.” Obtain for us the grace of being people of faith and people of prayer. Let us be so attached to the three Divine Persons through faith and prayer on earth that we may be united with them in the glory of the beatific vision in heaven.
Our Glorious Patrons, with faith in your goodness, we ask for your help today. As Christ’s chosen Apostles, you remain pillars and foundations of His Church on earth. You are counted, we know, among the elders who always stand before God’s throne.
From your place of glory, we know you do not forget the needs and difficulties of Christ’s little ones here, still struggling, like us, on the way home to God. Please intercede for us all, gracious St. Simon and St. Jude, and be with us in our daily toil and in all our necessities, especially that we become the people of our Vision Statement.
In Christ’s name, we appeal to you again today. Amen.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!
