A. Opening Song [if done with others]
B. Opening Prayer: Come Holy Spirit
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth you Spirit and they shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the earth.
O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
C. Reading of the Day:
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| Image from gardenofpraise.com |
“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” - Matthew 16:18
D. Period of Silence: Personal integration of the reading
E. Reflection on the Reading: What is God’s message for you today?
Today's Sharing:
Today we are celebrating a very important feast in the Catholic Church: the Chair of St Peter. It is not only the celebration of an ordinary Chair but the celebration of the primacy and authority of St Peter and his successors, the Popes.
Amid controversies and disagreements about this doctrine among Christians, logic clearly leads us to the realization that when the Lord said He would establish His Church, He would not have decided it as a "headless" mob or crowd but an institution that would operate with a competent leadership and surely He would not leave it unattended but would entrust it to someone to tend and feed.
Hence it's so amusing that many people who attack the Catholic Church would question the doctrine of the primacy and authority of St Peter and his successors the Pope and then establish their own "church" claiming that they are the true one following the Lord because they base their "church" on the Bible ALONE. Very convenient to do since it seems that the Lord could not be easily contacted in our time to ask Him about what He meant when He said UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH. However, Catholics find consolation furthermore in what He promised St Peter and the other Apostles that He will abide by them until the end of time and that other promise before that Ascension event, which was during the last supper, about Him sending the Holy Spirit to remind the Apostles about everything that He taught. Yes, one of the things that people forget is that the Lord has promised the coming of the Holy Spirit - and indeed He came - in order to guide the Church and enlighten her through the various stages of her existence whereby heresies tried to undermine her. Many people seem to view the Church as a mere human institution that is why they err. And even if they really know they try to ignore it because they cannot accept her authority for she teaches only the truth, of what is right and for the good while the sinful human nature tends to believe in lies, practice what is wrong and aim for evil even without these knowing it!
We must never disregard the wisdom of God as the power behind this doctrine for even in our earthly existence we acknowledge the significance of authority - without which there would be chaos and confusion. Here on earth, God bestowed upon His chosen men and women the authority to rule His people. The Old Testament attests to this beginning with Moses' leadership. Then when the Israelites asked for a king though Samuel tried to discourage them telling them that God is their King, the Lord of Hosts provided them with a human king beginning with Saul and then David followed by Solomon.
It is our duty as Christians to show the truth about what we believe in and stand for including the doctrine of the primacy and authority of St Peter and his successors, the Popes. But the best way to do it is through the way of love for as the Lord said, "by loving one another they will know that you are my disciples." [see John 13:35]
Hence it's so amusing that many people who attack the Catholic Church would question the doctrine of the primacy and authority of St Peter and his successors the Pope and then establish their own "church" claiming that they are the true one following the Lord because they base their "church" on the Bible ALONE. Very convenient to do since it seems that the Lord could not be easily contacted in our time to ask Him about what He meant when He said UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH. However, Catholics find consolation furthermore in what He promised St Peter and the other Apostles that He will abide by them until the end of time and that other promise before that Ascension event, which was during the last supper, about Him sending the Holy Spirit to remind the Apostles about everything that He taught. Yes, one of the things that people forget is that the Lord has promised the coming of the Holy Spirit - and indeed He came - in order to guide the Church and enlighten her through the various stages of her existence whereby heresies tried to undermine her. Many people seem to view the Church as a mere human institution that is why they err. And even if they really know they try to ignore it because they cannot accept her authority for she teaches only the truth, of what is right and for the good while the sinful human nature tends to believe in lies, practice what is wrong and aim for evil even without these knowing it!
We must never disregard the wisdom of God as the power behind this doctrine for even in our earthly existence we acknowledge the significance of authority - without which there would be chaos and confusion. Here on earth, God bestowed upon His chosen men and women the authority to rule His people. The Old Testament attests to this beginning with Moses' leadership. Then when the Israelites asked for a king though Samuel tried to discourage them telling them that God is their King, the Lord of Hosts provided them with a human king beginning with Saul and then David followed by Solomon.
It is our duty as Christians to show the truth about what we believe in and stand for including the doctrine of the primacy and authority of St Peter and his successors, the Popes. But the best way to do it is through the way of love for as the Lord said, "by loving one another they will know that you are my disciples." [see John 13:35]
F. Application of the Message
- Pray for the Pope and for his possible successor.
- What are you are willing to abstain from today for the sake of the Pope who has just resigned?
- What are you willing to share materially today so that you may inspire others to pray for the present Pope before a new Pope is elected?
G. Praying the Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
H. Closing Prayer: Here you say your personal thanksgiving to the Father for today’s message
i. Closing Song [if done with others]
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