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If we share our life with God, He will share his life with us. Life to the full!
DISCIPLESHIP:
BASICS TWO:
DIVINE ECONOMY
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." Mark 8:34-38
Everyone is much like that monkey. We hold on to our life like that monkey does the peanut. If we were to let go of our life and give it to God, then we would have so much.
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
And now some words from the pope…
At this point, my mind goes back to Oct. 22, 1978, when Pope John Paul II began his ministry here in St. Peter's Square. His words on that occasion constantly echo in my ears: "Do not be afraid! Open wide the doors for Christ!" The pope was addressing the mighty, the powerful of this world, who feared that Christ might take away something of their power if they were to let him in, if they were to allow the faith to be free. Yes, he would certainly have taken something away from them: the dominion of corruption, the manipulation of law and the freedom to do as they pleased. But he would not have taken away anything that pertains to human freedom or dignity, or to the building of a just society. The pope was also speaking to everyone, especially the young. Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to him, are we not afraid that he might take something away from us? Are we not perhaps afraid to give up something significant, something unique, something that makes life so beautiful? Do we not then risk ending up diminished and deprived of our freedom? And once again the pope said: No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide. Only in this friendship is the great potential of human existence truly revealed. Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation. And so, today, with great strength and great conviction, on the basis of long personal experience of life, I say to you, dear young people: Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything. When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ - and you will find true life. Amen. (Pope Benedict XVI, homily at installation Mass April 24 2005)
What do you fear Christ might take away from you?
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What do you think Christ will give you?
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It is with this conviction, that we open wide our hearts and with the pope say ‘YES!’ to Christ in our life. We open our hearts to Christ in many ways. The first is prayer. This is the second week of our course and we are aiming for 10 minutes of prayer a day. What other ways do you think we can open our hearts to Christ?
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We can give ourselves to God by simplifying praying a pray as such. In fact the Our Father is such a prayer. When you pray the Our Father, be mindful that you are committing yourself to Christ.
Another way we say yes is at every Mass. God takes the initiative and gives us everything at every Mass. He gives us himself. The Eucharist is Jesus, is his body, soul and divinity. in other words God himself. In such a gift, he invites us to respond. The only adequate response (though it is never really adequate, but such is the gift of God) is to give ourselves totally to Jesus. On Earth, economics is really about money. In heaven, it is about love, the sharing, giving and receiving of love, of ourselves. The divine economy is ‘transacted’ throughout the day. This economy of love is built up and developed as we love. This divine economy of love reaches it’s fullness in the Eucharist, when God gives himself to us. We complete the ‘transaction’ when we give ourselves to God. This divine exchange of love, of ourselves is what the Eucharist is all about.
“As [Jesus]
revealed Himself to the holy apostles in true flesh,” says Francis, “so He
reveals himself to us now in sacred bread.…Let us, as we see bread and wine
with bodily eyes, see and firmly believe that they are his most holy Body and
Blood living and true. And in this way the Lord is always with his faithful, as
He Himself says: Behold I am with you until the end of the age.” (St.
Francis of Assisi)
Are there times when you have felt God with you? What was it like?
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Be aware, when you receive the Eucharist, that you are receiving Jesus and open your hearts at that point, most of all, to Jesus love. As we open our hearts, we are in fact giving ourselves to God, and we are uniting ourselves with him. From this union comes life and the grace that transforms the world.
If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
Aim to continue your prayer life of 10 minutes per day for this week. For every Term of Discipleship we will have two saints to help us along the way. For this term it is St. Francis of Assisi and St. Teresa of Lisieux. St. Francis and St. Teresa, pray for us. Amen.
St Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) Started the Franciscan Order, wrote many famous prayers including the stations of the Cross, The prayer of St. Francis, the Canticle of the Sun, and 3D nativity scenes. He is the first to experience the stigmata. He has a profound love of nature. He is patron saint of animals, merchants and the environment. He has a deep love of poverty. he served the poor and many miracles are attributed to him.
