Daily Prayer with Regnum Christi

the Bear SG

truly, He moves in mysterious ways Very Happy

JWorld SG

Very Happy

JWorld SG

We pray so that all children may open their hearts to God and become beacons of the Truth.

Topic: Dont End Up in Purgatory!
October 22, 2004
Friday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Luke 12:54-59
Jesus said to the crowds, "When you see (a) cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain-- and so it does; and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot-- and so it is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time? "Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison. I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."

Introductory Prayer:Lord, please speak to me all that I need to hear for my salvation. Help me to make every necessary effort to receive all the graces you offer me in this meditation.

Petition:Lord, convince me that laziness in the spiritual life is not worth it, that any sacrifice in this life is preferable to ending up in purgatory.

1. I Wont Believe Unless You Spell It Out for Me. Jesus is upset with the crowds because they have had plenty of proof that he is the Messiah and yet ask for more. Just as they can tell the weather from natural signs, they should be able to see he is the Messiah from the signs he performs. It was well known that the Messiah would come with power to heal and to drive out demons, and Jesus consistently does this. Not only does he perform miracles like the prophets did, but he goes way beyond. The prophets occasionally healed. Jesus heals many people every day. The prophets occasionally drove out a demon. Jesus drives them out frequently. Even though he doesnt declare it openly, because it is not yet time for his passion, the people should have all the proof they need. He has a hard time understanding their lack of faith that they should still ask for more proof.

2. I Live My Life On Autopilot. Do I ignore the signs God works in my life? Do I fail to follow him because I am expecting something more from him? Many times our lives are so busy that we fail to see the hand of God in the events of each day. It is clear if we look for it. If we dont look, we will not see it clearly. We may catch a fleeting glimpse from time to time, but never gain a true appreciation of all that God does for us. Perhaps Jesus is a little upset with us and has a hard time understanding that after all he has done for us we still have a hard time accepting him and living like one of his followers. There is really no excuse for missing all that he does for us. There is no excuse for not living like someone who believes in him.

3. The Fire of Purgatory Hurts, Too. What advice does Christ give? Live like someone who will have to settle accounts one day. We know that Jesus is speaking of purgatory here and not hell since no one gets out of hell and the punishment he speaks of here is not eternal. If we have any unsettled accounts with Christ, lets not wait until the Day of Judgment to settle them. On that day, full justice will be demanded and we will have to pay the full extent of what our sins are worth. How do we settle on the way to the magistrate? Confession. If I have offended anyone, I ask their pardon, but all my sins, even my sins against other people, are first of all offenses against God. As much as I have offended someone by something I have done, I have offended God more, since he made that person in his own image. I settle accounts voluntarily now at the Tribunal of Mercy (confession) so as to avoid having to face the punishment my sins really deserve at the Tribunal of Justice (the Last Judgment).

Dialogue with Christ: Dear Jesus, maybe I have always assumed that Im not such a bad person and I can count on going straight to heaven. Or maybe I didnt think I was really the kind of person who could live the holiness you call me to. In either case, I havent taken your Gospel seriously. Help me to work hard in this life, to do your will every day and do it out of love for you, since that is the holiness you want me to live. Help me not to give into the kind of spiritual laziness that will land me in purgatory, because even though it will come to an end, it will be an agonizing separation from you, my true love.

Resolution: What is the habit or attitude in my life that more than any other has me bound for Purgatory? I will do something today that will help me break this habit or change this attitude.

JWorld SG

We pray so that the Holy Spirit may continue to enlighten and strengthen the Holy Father.

Getting the Pagan Out of Our Hearts

October 23, 2004
Saturday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Luke 13:1-9
Some people who were present told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He said to them in reply, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!" And he told them this parable: "There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ´For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. (So) cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?´ He said to him in reply, ´Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.´"

Introductory Prayer: Dear Jesus, help me to be receptive to what you want to teach me today. I know that I cannot live today well from a spiritual point of view without this time with you. Help me to spend it well.

Petition:Lord, help me not to be concerned only about immediate reward and punishment, but to work for my own salvation and that of others.

1. Lord, If I Follow You, Youll Make Everything Easy for Me, Right? We tend to make the same mistake as the people Jesus is speaking to. We expect God to dole out reward and punishment immediately. We don´t understand why he doesn´t strike down the sinner, especially when his sin hurts so many others. We don´t understand why he doesn´t reward us when we do whats right, why he doesn´t at least clear a path for us, keeping evil out of our lives. We don´t understand why sometimes the good suffer and the wicked get away with the evil they do. We want immediate reactions from God.

2. God Plays for the Highest Stakes Why doesn´t God react more quickly to what we do in this life? The answer is simple. God is patient. He wants to give the sinner a chance to repent. He wants us to follow him not because of immediate reward or punishment, but because we love him. If someone asked what would be the worst thing that could happen to you, most of us would respond, Death. Wrong answer. The worst thing that could happen is that we could end up in hell, separated eternally from our God. When that happens, not only do I lose, but God loses. We worry about the little evils of this life, but God is playing for higher stakes my eternal salvation. He is willing to accept the ups and downs of our lives in order to save us in the end.

3. Im Just a Pagan at Heart. Shouldn´t I be more worried about the eternal salvation of my soul and the souls of others than about reward or punishment in this life? Shouldn´t I be more concerned about the conversion of a sinner than about his punishment? We are really pagans at heart when we are more worried about enjoying the things of this life instead of working for the next. Jesus is telling us how far off our priorities are. He wants our top concern to be to our own salvation, not the comforts of this life. He wants us to seek the conversion of sinners, not their punishment. I need to convert my heart, to have a heart that sees things the way God sees them, from the viewpoint of whats really in the balance not my comfort or discomfort, but my eternal salvation.

Dialogue with Christ: Dear Jesus, instead of looking at things from the point of view of what is most important, my salvation and the salvation of others, I look at it from the point of view of my own pride and comfort, wanting you to reward me immediately for any small good thing I do, to overlook my failings, and to punish anyone who crosses me. Help me not to be so foolish. Help me to see the big picture like you do and give you the help you expect from me in your work for the salvation of souls.

Resolution: Today I will try to accept whatever Gods will sends me: I will accept setbacks humbly and not look for my glory in whatever I accomplish. If there is something particular I can foresee today, either setback or glory, I will resolve to spend that moment as I should, not as I would like.

JWorld SG

October 24, 2004 Daily Prayer with Regnum Christi

We pray for all those people who do not know Christ, so that they will be drawn to him by the example of our Christian lives.

Topic: Authentic Humility

October 24, 2004
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Luke 18:9-14
Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. "Two people went up to the Temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ´O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity -- greedy, dishonest, adulterous -- or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.´ But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his chest and prayed, ´O God, be merciful to me a sinner.´ I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

Introductory Prayer:Lord Jesus, thank you so much for your generosity in being with me today. Please accompany me during this time of prayer and speak to my heart the words that will help me to be a more effective instrument in your hands. My only desire is to please you. Lord, please flood my heart with your grace so that I may fully accomplish your will in my life.

Petition:Lord Jesus, at times, I pride myself on my human accomplishments and take the credit and glory for all of my good deeds. Please help me to live in an attitude of authentic humility, remembering that without your grace, nothing would be possible. Remind me again and again that you are the protagonist and I am merely an instrument of your love.

1. Humility Is Truth. The first and fundamental truth that we need to remember is that God is our creator and we are his creatures. He is infinitely superior to us in all things, and this attitude should be reflected in our relations with him. But at the same time, there is also the truth that we are truly Gods sons and daughters, made in his image and likeness. The Word of God returns insistently throughout this Mass to the value and necessity of humility. It is a very important lesson, which we must learn well if we truly desire to walk on the way of truth. In fact, humility is truth. The first fundamental truth is the absolute transcendence of God the Creator, manifested in the infinite goodness of Christ the Redeemer: this is the supreme and decisive reality, in the face of which the person feels both exalted as a son and abased as a lowly creature who can boast of nothing (Pope John Paul II, Homily, August 31, 1986).

2. Humility Demands Charity. We naturally tend to judge others and compare ourselves to them. But we forget that in Gods eyes, we have been given very much, so much more will be expected from us. How easy it is for us to fall into the temptation of comparing ourselves with the rest of humanity. We may be objectively good and holy people, we may faithfully uphold all of the Ten Commandments and live a life of rigorous prayer and abnegation, but we need to remember that we as Catholics have also been given much more than the rest of humanity. Because of this fact, God will hold us to a higher bar, especially in regard to our love. I have never trusted a Christianity that places great stock in pious practices but neglects charity towards our neighbor, or the self-styled virtue that consists in fulfilling religious or Church rules perfectly and then literally destroying peoples reputations through criticism, detraction, or slander. Where charity and love are, God is there too. God cannot be where there is no charity, neither can authentic Christianity (Fr Marcial Maciel, LC,Christ is my Life, no. 66).

3. Humility Is the Foundation of Prayer. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, When we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or out of the depths of a humble and contrite heart? He who humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we humbly acknowledge that we do not know how to pray as we ought, are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. Man is a beggar before God (no. 2559). Without the constant and abundant flow of Gods grace in our lives, humility and all of the other virtues would be impossible. We can never take these graces for granted; much less can we demand them from God. We truly are beggars before God, beggars desperately in need of this spiritual nourishment, without which a Christ-like lifestyle will never be attainable. God is our creator, and we are his creatures. He is the Lord and King, and we are his subjects. This attitude of humility and submission must always be prevalent in our prayers. God can only bless a humble heart.

Dialogue with Christ: Thank you Christ for reminding me of my exalted dignity of being a Christian and at the same time of my lowliness as your creature. Help me to live an attitude of humility, conscious that you are the protagonist and I am a mere instrument of your love and grace. Help me not to get in your way or be afraid of lowering myself through a life of generous service and self-giving to all the souls that you have entrusted to me.

Resolution: I will repeat this prayer often: Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart more like yours.

JWorld SG

We pray so that all Catholics will live the virtue of charity in a special way throughout the day.

Topic : Compassion

October 25, 2004
Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Luke 13:10-17
Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath. And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect. When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, "Woman, you are set free of your infirmity." He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, "There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day." The Lord said to him in reply, "Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering? This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day from this bondage?" When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated; and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.

Introductory Prayer:Lord Jesus, today I am going to contemplate your love in action. You came to give me an example to follow. You came to show me the path to happiness and heaven. Thank you Lord for another day, for another opportunity to deepen my love and friendship with you.

Petition: Christ, please give me the strength not only to contemplate your example but also to come out of this meditation with a firm resolve to imitate it.

1. Following the Example of Jesus. Jesus showed his compassion for the sick and the infirm, revealing his great kindness and tenderness of heart; he was also prepared to save those suffering in soul and body by means of his power to work miracles. He therefore worked many cures, so many that the sick flocked to him to benefit from his miraculous power. As the Evangelist Luke said, numerous crowds assembled not only to hear him, but also to be cured of their ailments (Luke 5:5). In his dedication to freeing those who approached him from the burden of sickness or infirmity, Jesus allows us to glimpse the special intention of God´s mercy in their regard: God is not indifferent to the sufferings caused by disease. He offers his help to the sick through the saving plan that the incarnate Word reveals and fulfills in the world (Pope John Paul II, General Audience, June 15, 1994). In spite of our busy schedules and multiple commitments, we need to make time to visit and pray for our loved ones and friends who are suffering. Christ wants to touch them through our words and prayers. He is asking us to be his ambassadors and instruments of his love.

2. We Will Be Judged on Our Love. When that final day arrives, and we breathe our last breath, every one of us will meet Christ face-to-face. Christ will show us the history of our life and will highlight all of those moments in which we loved. Our trophies, medals, and human accomplishments will no longer carry that much weight; rather, Christ will base his eternal judgment on how much we loved. I remember how my mother lived and continues to live this precept of love in so many different ways. She would often convert our garage into a massive flower shop, and just about every Saturday, she would dedicate most of her day to making flower arrangements, delivering them to all of her sick friends and neighbors in the area. My brothers and I would help her with this effort. We also helped in delivering home-cooked meals to a family in our subdivision whose mother was dying of cancer. My mother could have been playing tennis with her friends or just relaxing on the couch in front of the television, but she chose to love. Love is very practical, and it demands time and sacrifice.

3. Prayer Feeds the Fire of Love. Pope John Paul II reminds us of a Gospel maxim: Cut off from me you can do nothing (John 15:5). We can put together any number of pastoral plans, be always on the go, and run initiatives that mobilize thousands or hundreds of thousands of people; but if we rely on our strength alone and not on Gods, we are headed for failure. Without Christs grace we can do nothing. Grace holds absolute primacy in the spiritual life. This doesnt rule out human cooperation. Man also has to do his part. God does nothing if a person resists his grace, but grace precedes whatever human work is going to give results in terms of salvation (Fr Marcial Maciel, LC, Christ is My Life, no. 150). True compassion needs to be fueled and sustained by a life of intense prayer. The inspiration to show compassion, the strength to actually follow through with acts of compassion, and the fruit that will come from this act of compassion are all dependent on Gods grace. Prayer is essential to living a life of charity and self-giving. We will live as we pray!

Dialogue with Christ: Thank you, Jesus, for this time of dialogue and contemplation. You are the Lord of my life and my most intimate friend and traveling companion. Please flood my heart with an abundance of your grace, so that I too can imitate your example of compassion and self-giving.

Resolution: I will visit or pray for a sick relative or friend in the next few days.

JWorld SG

We pray so that all Christians will be able to detach their hearts from material things in favor of the poor.

Topic : We are the Branches of God

October 26, 2004
Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Luke 13:18-21
Jesus said, "What is the kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a person took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and ´the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.´" Again he said, "To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed (in) with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened."

Introductory Prayer:Hello, Jesus. Thank you for making yourself so accessible and easy to reach. There is no red tape, no paperwork or waiting rooms, no need to schedule an appointment ; you are always there just waiting for me, anxious to share with me your love and grace. Christ, do not allow me to fall into routine or familiarity in my relationship with you. I need this time with you, and I truly do want to transform my heart into yours. Allow me to perceive and especially put into practice all the insights and inspirations that you have prepared for me this day.

Petition: Lord, please help me to be an effective and dynamic apostle in my ordinary life with a real desire to bring more people closer to your heart.

1. A Cause for Hope. Jesus Christ compared the Church to a mustard seed, to that small seed that, in growing, becomes the biggest plant in the field and turns almost into a tree, so that the birds of the sky come to rest in its branches (cf. Matthew 13:32). In fact, the Church, despite trials and difficulties, continues to grow like a flourishing tree. She began with the group of apostles and disciples. She spread later to many who had the fortune to take part in the meetings with the Risen Lord before his Ascension. She extended subsequently to the thousands who believed on the day of Pentecost (Pope John Paul II, Homily, January 26, 1990). In spite of the recent hardships of the Church, she continues to prevail, to grow and stand firm as a beacon of light and hope for so many cultures and nations. Now, this growth in some ways has also been entrusted to us; Christ is appealing to each one of us to continue to help build the Church through our prayers and especially through our holy lives. In a certain sense, we are the living branches of God, called to reach out and offer shelter to the many souls entrusted to us.

2. Christ Is Looking for Apostles. Christ today is looking for apostles, workers for his vineyard, missionaries, volunteers for the Gospel. We need lips to announce him and feet to reach the ends of the earth so that no one is left without hearing the Good News; hearts burning with the flame of love for Christ; souls in love and willing to give everything for him, even life itself. When the world seems to walk away from Christ is when he walks toward it, and he will do so through the apostles of the new evangelization (Fr Marcial Maciel, LC, Christ is My Life, no. 149). We are a part of this mustard bush, we are living branches upon which many souls have taken refuge to find peace and fulfillment in this disoriented and hedonistic society. We need to extend our branches out even further, stretching to touch those souls who have been providentially placed in our lives. Christ is the one asking you for help. He is asking, waiting and hoping for a generous response.

3. Brick by Brick. Great buildings are built brick by brick. The greatest gift that my parents have given to me was their faith and fidelity to their marriage vows. They were faithful, day after day. They loved each other and others, in good times and bad. We are all in the process of growing and developing in our spiritual and apostolic life, and we need to remind ourselves that the little things matter. Our daily prayer commitments, like fertilizer and water and sun for the trees, continually nourish and strengthen our souls. Our little acts of love and charity help keep the flame of love strong in our hearts. The growth of most trees and bushes is generally imperceptible on a day-to-day basis, but there is an internal dynamism that is working day and night, whether we recognize it or not. So too, in our spiritual life, if we have these two key elements of prayer and love, our hearts will naturally expand and our love will gradually reach out and touch more and more souls everyday.

Dialogue with Christ: What a gift to have you so close and accessible, Jesus. Thank you for reminding me of my mission to be an apostle of your love. You have called me to share in this mission of building your kingdom, of truly being a living branch on the vine of the Church, which is called to bear much fruit. Thank you for your trust in me, Christ!

Resolution: I will see how I can practically commit to being more effective in my current apostolate.

SingaporeMacross SG

Resolution: I will see how I can practically commit to being more effective in my current apostolate.

Lol!! This comes at a really good time for me....

JWorld SG

Let us ask our Lord to bless those young men and women who are discerning their vocation so that they may be generous and at peace.

Topic: Children of Light!

November 5, 2004
Friday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time

Luke 16:1-8
Jesus said to his disciples, "A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, ´What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.´ The steward said to himself, ´What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.´ He called in his master´s debtors one by one. To the first he said, ´How much do you owe my master?´ He replied, ´One hundred measures of olive oil.´ He said to him, ´Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.´ Then to another he said, ´And you, how much do you owe?´ He replied, ´One hundred kors of wheat.´ He said to him, ´Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.´ And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. "For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.

Introductory Prayer:How is it, Lord, that you never tire of my coming to me? Am I not the same each day, with the same petitions, the same sins? But, that would be unfair to say because I know that you are truly transforming me. I am coming to you day in and day out to accompany you, to be transformed, and I know that you are not intimidated by my weaknesses, smallness or distractions. Your grace is always effective. Lord, transform me! Make me into your apostle, holy and courageous, always doing your will. Thank you for the graces you will give me in this meditation.

Petition:Grant me the grace, Lord, of a passionate heart for my mission.

1. Children of Light! In this passage, Christ sets the children of the world in contraposition to the children of light. Who are the children of light? Evidently they are those who follow the Light, namely Jesus Christ. The children of light have come into the Light of Christ and they see. As long as Christ is in the world there is light (Cfr John 9:5). And how is Christ present in the world today? He is in the world inasmuch as we carry him as children of light. Like Moses who spoke face-to-face with God, the children of the light, on finishing their meditation, their time with Christ, should shine as light for the world. If you are what you should be you will set the whole world ablaze! If you pray as you should pray, you will light up the world.

2. Your Turn to Deal! It seems like Christ is challenging his listeners to outdo the children of this world. He states that the children of the world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation. What about us? How are we, as the children of light, dealing with the present generation? What are we to do with this present generation? Save it. How do we do this? Prudently. We need to be astute. We need to evaluate how we can most effectively bring souls to Christ and re-evangelize the culture, re-Christianize it. But, of course, this is not an easy task and it implies a risk. As Legionary of Christ founder Fr Marcial Maciel writes: Preaching the Gospel has always entailed a grave risk. Today is no exception. To be an apostle means endangering your reputation and status, and even your life; it means leaving your comfort zone and not fearing to be labeled as crazy or a dreamer. This doesnt unsettle the true apostle. He knows he is running a risk, but he is sure of what he is reaping. As St Paul said, I know who it is that I have put my trust in (2 Timothy 1:12). An apostles worry is to be faithful to Christ, faithful to his command to announce the Gospel (Christ Is My Life, p. 263).

3. Possessing the Ideal! In order to accomplish this we need to first possess the ideal of Jesus Christ. Our hearts must be full of him. Nemo dat quod non habet, says the Latin refrain: No one gives what he does not have. Therefore, we must be filled with Christ. Fr Maciel reflects on what possessing this ideal entails: The ideal involves the insight of your intelligence and the energy of your will, and propels you out of yourself to obtain a goal, committing your entire person. The ideal carries within its own transforming energy and vigor; it enables you to face the greatest sacrifices with joy (Letter, September 3, 1989). Christ is our ideal. Christ is our light. Possessing Christ will in turn bring us to deal astutely with our present generation and bring it to Christs light.

Dialogue with Christ: Thank you, Lord, for this time of meditation. You choose to give me this opportunity day after day. There are so many souls hustling through this world without knowing where they are going and without enjoying your friendship as I do. I know, Lord, that you want me to be a bridge for you to reach those souls. I do not know if they are many or few that you want to reach through me, but I think they are many. My heart is ready, O Lord. Fill me with apostolic zeal, with a passionate love for my mission. Fill me so that I will be able to fill others with you.

Resolution: After reflecting on my efforts in the apostolate, I will ask Christ for the grace of being as astute as possible, seeing whether there is something more I can do to carry out my apostolic work.

Father Michael Goodyear, LC

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