About the Mass Series: Communion Rite Part 11- Our Father

9. ‘But deliver us from evil’

In this petition we pray to be kept safe from the power of Satan, the Evil One, and all that he stands for.  We pray that God will overcome evil in our lives.  In other words, we pray that evil will not hold sway in our lives and that we keep ever close to God’s heart.

Jesus also included this in his prayer to His Father.  ‘I am not asking you to take them out of the world but ask you to protect them from the evil one’ (Jn 17:15) 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994) says:

‘When we ask to be delivered from the Evil One, we pray as well to be freed from all evils, present, past and future, and as a Church community we bring before our Father all the distress of the world that overwhelms humanity.  We are also praying for peace and the grace of perseverance in expectation of Christ’s return’. (Para 2854 p. 686)

Before we can adequately pray this petition we need to be aware of the evil in our lives, both on a personal and community level.  We need to acknowledge that the power of the Evil One is real, and surrender to the power of Jesus, otherwise why would we ask to be delivered from evil in this petition.

Each year at Easter, we renew our baptismal promises.  In those renewal prayers we reject Satan, and all his works and all his empty promises. 

Each day it is a wonderful opportunity to pray with more urgency to be delivered from evil, and to surrender totally to Jesus and to the power of His Spirit.  

May the Holy Spirit give us a new birth, strengthen us and fill us with His light. May we be open to receive afresh the Spirit’s flame.  

About the Mass Series Communion Rite Part 10.

8. ‘And lead us not into temptation’

St. Cyprian in his meditations reminds us that when we use this phrase, we pray not out of fear that God will lead us astray, but rather to show our confidence that God can give us an escape from temptation, and that ‘he will not let you be tested beyond your strength’ (1 Cor 10:13). 

In other words, we ask that God does not test us beyond our ability to remain within His grace-filled love.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994) tells us: 

‘The Holy Spirit makes us discern between trials, which are necessary for the growth of the inner man, and temptation which leads to sin and death.  We must also discern between being tempted and consenting to temptation. Finally, discernment unmasks the lie of temptation, whose object appears to be good, a “delight to the eyes” and desirable, when in reality its fruit is death’. Para 2847 p. 684)

This petition also implies a decision of the heart.  In this assent to the Holy Spirit, the Father gives us strength. 

Jesus reminds us that the ‘battle and the victory over temptation’ is only possible through prayer. Jesus was tempted by the evil one at the outset of his public ministry (Mt 4:1-11), and in His agony in the garden. Notice that Jesus used the Scripture to strengthen Him against the tempter.  What Scripture texts do you use to strengthen you when you are tempted?

Jesus urges us to be vigilant and to remain in communion with Him.  The Holy Spirit constantly awakens us to ‘keep watch’ and to persevere. 

Opening Prayer Series: Corpus Christi Year A (Feast of Body and Blood of Christ)

The Opening Prayer for the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) Year A reads as follows:

Let us pray

(to the Lord who gives Himself in the Eucharist 

that this sacrament may bring us salvation and peace)

Lord Jesus Christ,

You gave us the Eucharist as the memorial of Your suffering and death.

May our worship of this sacrament of Your Body and Blood

help to to experience the salvation You won for us 

and the peace of the kingdom 

where You live with the Father and the Holy Spirit 

one God, for ever and ever.

In making this prayer tangible the following reflection questions emerged.

1. What is our belief towards the Eucharist- do we truly believe in the real presence of Christ?
2. Why is the Eucharist a memorial of Christ's suffering and death?
3. How does Jesus in the Eucharist bring us salvation and peace?
4. How might we strengthen our belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist this coming week?
5. Why was this Solemnity instituted and what difference does it make in my life?
6. How can I make present in my world the love of Christ shown to me in the Eucharist this coming week?

The teaching of the real presence of  Jesus in the Eucharist is just as difficult to teach and learn as it was for the Jews and the disciples to understand and comprehend.  Jesus tells us that my flesh is real food and my blood real drink.  He tells us also by feeding on Him, we will draw life from Him. 

Receiving Jesus in the Eucharist is not an optional extra in our faith.  Our souls need nourishment just as bodies need food to live.  If we receive Jesus occasionally,  we are starving our souls from vital life blood that it needs.  If we receive Jesus in the Eucharist regularly but casually, we are not giving Jesus full respect, nor are we gaining the full graces which He wants to give us.  We must always receive Jesus longingly and lovingly. We want Him to take up residence in our souls. We must want to receive healing for our souls and bodies. We must receive Holy Communion with love.

My parish is celebrating with exposition during the afternoon and having Solemn Vespers in the evening before the Blessed Sacrament. I hope that you will be able to spend some extra time with Jesus to reflect on this wonderful gift of Himself to each of us personally.  

On this Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, let us take this opportunity to reflect on the place of the Eucharist in our lives and how we approach Jesus in this sacrament.  Let us make Jesus a commitment to receive Him as worthily as we can and to receive Him frequently with love and longing hearts.

Reflection and Prayer Series: Serving God faithfully.

My reflection and prayer series is about sharing reflections and Prayers which have impacted upon me and have provided food for thought. I hope that they will also nurture your soul and spirit.

My post is called:

SERVING GOD FAITHFULLY

There is no place in which I stand 

That will not serve as fertile land 

For serving my Lord faithfully 

As He works out His will through me. 

May you till the soil of your soul during this coming week

so that you serve God on fertile land.

Following Jesus Series: Christ Our Leader Part 2.

This series called 'Following Jesus' is primarily written with young children in mind.   However, a parent, grandparent or interested adult will be most helpful in accompanying them. God calls us His children and He wants us to become once again like little children- not childish but childlike.  So with this in mind, whether we are a young child or an adult, this series may assist you in some way to follow Jesus.

In the second post of this series, let us see God through the Church teaches us about Christ being Our Leader

God our Heavenly Father, showed His great love for us by sending His only Son to lead us to Heaven.  Jesus Christ, the Son of God became man for us, and is Our Saviour and Leader.  He is the only One Who can lead us to God, our Father.  Without Jesus, we cannot be saved.  By following Him,, we will reach the happiness of Heaven.

Jesus Christ is the greatest of all leaders.  He is almighty, eternal, all wise and merciful.  He is the true way that leads all people to life.  Jesus first called twelve men to follow Him. We call these 12 men disciples.  Jesus trained and taught them to be the leaders of His Church and appointed Peter to be the head of the Church.

We find all the teachings of Jesus Christ in the Catholic  Church.

Every Catholic must believe what Jesus taught. We must follow His example of loving obedience to God the Father in all things.  Jesus said ' I always do the thing that please My Father."

Last week I suggested that we read some scripture, learn some Words of Jesus from the bible and that we put into action in our lives our desire to follow Jesus out of love for Him.

You may wish to 

• look again at these scripture passages
• include them in your prayers. 
• think about how you carried out your actions during the week. If you were successful in carrying out your planned actions, you may wish to thank Jesus and the Holy Spirit for helping you.  If you did not carry out what you had planned, you may wish to try again this week and ask Jesus to help you again.
• renew your desire to follow Jesus by setting some achievable goals again this week.

Are you read to follow Jesus Your Leader this week?

Compendium Series: Why does evil exist if God is good?

57. If God is omnipotent and provident, why then does evil exist? (CCC 309-310, 324, 400)

Compendium states:

To this question, as painful and mysterious as it is only the whole of Christian faith can constitute a response. God is not in any way- directly or indirectly- the cause of evil.  He illuminates the mystery of evil in His Son Jesus Christ who died and rose in order to vanquish that great moral evil, human sin, which is at the root of all other evils.

What does this mean for me?

1. I can thank God that Jesus died and rose again to vanquish sin.
2. I can think of the suffering and the love which Jesus had for me when I am tempted to sin.

Questions to consider:

1. How do I answer this question ((eg to a family suffering a tragedy’ Why did God allow this to happen?’)
2. Why can God not be the cause of directly or indirectly the cause of evil?
3. What are the evils in my life which I wish to repent?

About the Mass Series Communion Rite Part 9

7. ‘As we forgive those who trespass against us’

Jesus clearly laid down a condition for our forgiveness- namely that our debts be forgiven insofar as we forgive our debtors.  There are many parables and sayings of Jesus that emphasize this truth.  If we hope for forgiveness from God (we can’t presume such a gift), we must be ready to forgive others.  This petition also reminds us that we need to be united and at peace with our neighbour through forgiving those ‘who trespass against us’.

From the historical viewpoint, it is interesting to observe that the earliest noting of the ‘Our Father being included in the Eucharistic Prayer was through the writings of St. Ambrose around 397.

In the Eastern Churches, the ‘Our Father’ was recited by the whole congregation, whereas in Rome, at the time of St Gregory (604), it was considered a presidential prayer, and therefore only recited by the priest alone. The Spanish original custom was for the priest to sing ‘Our Father’ alone, and the congregation ratified each request through the acclamation Amen.

Musically over the centuries, there have been many different versions composed, some more liturgically sound than others in construction.  Over the span of time the ‘plainchant Our Father’ has, and still does serve its purpose of leading people beyond themselves into prayer.  The text needs to be thorough, musically assessable, and preferably beautiful.  This version remains in our Church heritage, is assessable to even the ‘un-churched’, and is sung all over the world. Hearing it sung in other languages brought home to me the universality of the prayer itself and the unity of the universal Church. 

                                       

Mystery Cake for Afternoon Tea on Trinity Sunday

This recipe is taken from my recipe book ' 150 Delicious Squares'.  I thought it was quite appropriate for afternoon tea on Trinity Sunday.. It has 3 layers, but yet is one cake.

MYSTERY CAKE. (known as Mum's Trinity Sunday Cake)

INGREDIENTS

BOTTOM LAYER:

2 cups of Plain (all purpose) flour

I cup (250 mls) of softened butter ( or margarine)

1/2 cup (125mls) of granulated sugar.

SECOND LAYER

2 Large eggs

1 and 1/2 cups of shredded coconut (unsweetened)- 375mls

1 cup (250mls) of chopped pitted dates

I cup (250 mls) walnuts.

1/2 cup (125mls) of brown sugar

2 tablespoons of plain flour (30 mls)

1/2 teaspoon (2mls) baking powder.

THIRD LAYER-ICING

1 and 1/2 cups of icing sugar (375 mls)

90 mls of softened butter (or margarine)

25 mls of milk ( 1 and 1/2 tablespoons)

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (vanilla essence)

METHOD

BOTTOM LAYER: GOD THE FATHER

Mix all three ingredients in medium bowl until crumbly.  Press firmly into ungreased 22x22cm ( 9x9 inch) pan.

SECOND LAYER: GOD THE SON

Beat eggs with spoon in large bowl.  Add 6 remaining ingredients.  Stir well.  Spread evenly over bottom layer.  Bake in 195 degrees Celsius (350 F) oven for about 30 minutes until golden brown. Let stand in pan on wire rack until cool.

ICING LAYER; GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Beat all 4 ingredients in medium bowl until smooth, adding more milk or icing sugar as necessary until spreading consistency.  Spread evenly over second layer.  Cut into 36 squares.

I square = 743 kilojoules or  173 calories.

Whether you enjoy this cake for afternoon tea or not, the teaching of the Trinity is definitely a mystery, something we can look forward to understanding further when we reach our destination of Heaven.

 

Opening Prayer Series: Trinity Sunday Year A

The Opening Prayer for the Solemnity of Trinity Sunday Year A reads as follows:

Let us pray

(to the one God Father. Son and Spirit

that our lives may bear witness to our faith)

Father,

You sent Your Word to bring us truth

and Your Spirit to make us holy,

Through them we come to know the mystery of Your life.

Help us to worship You our God in three Persons

by proclaiming and living our faith in You.

In making this prayer tangible, the following reflection questions emerged.

1. What is my relationship with God- Father, Son and Spirit?
2. How might I bear witness in my life  to my faith this coming week?
3. What is the truth that Jesus the Word gives to me?
4. How can I spread that truth in my life?
5. What does being holy mean to me?
6. How does the Holy Spirit make me holy?
7. How might I live my faith and proclaim it in worship and in my life this coming week?

In today's Gospel Jesus speaks to Nicodemus.  It is a powerful gospel, but if we just listen to it as if it refers to Nicodemus only, then we have lost out badly.  Either at Mass or during the week, why not read this Gospel again, using your own name and making it quite personal.  Then see how you react to this Gospel.

'Jesus said to me

God loved me so much that He sent His only Son,

so that I who believe in Him may not be lost,

but may eternal life.

For God sent His Son into my world

not to condemn my world,

but so that through Him my world may be saved.

No one who believe in Him will be condemned

but  I who refuse to believe in Him is condemned already,

because I have refused to believe in the name of God's only Son.'

May your faith grow in the love of Father, Son and Spirit.

 

Reflection and Prayer Series: God's mercy

My reflection and prayer series is about sharing reflections and Prayers which have impacted upon me and have provided food for thought. I hope that they will also nurture your soul and spirit.

My post is called:

GOD'S MERCY

We need never run out of hope
because God never runs out of mercy.
 

Following Jesus Series: Christ Our Leader Part 1

WELCOME TO FOLLOWING JESUS SERIES.

This series called 'Following Jesus' is primarily written with young children in mind.   However, a parent, grandparent or interested adult will be most helpful in accompanying them. God calls us His children and He wants us to become once again like little children- not childish but childlike.  So with this in mind, whether we are a young child or an adult, this series may assist you in some way to follow Jesus.

How we follow Jesus our leader?

Scripture: Firstly let us see how Jesus called his 12 disciples. We find this out by reading the Scripture. 

Our first task therefore is to turn to the New Testament section of the bible and open up at Matthew chapter 4:vs 18:22.

Meditate: After you have read this scripture, you may wish to stay quiet for a little while (meditate) to see what this passage means to you.  Most importantly, share with Jesus your thoughts and feelings about this story. You may wish to share your thoughts with mum/dad/ grandma/grandpa or your special friend.

Discussion: We may wish to think about the qualities of a great leader. For example: a great leader is brave, kind, strong and intelligent.

However, Jesus Christ our leader is all-wise, almighty, all-merciful and eternal. Jesus is all of these qualities because He is God- the Son of God the Father.

Learning the Scripture:

We can know that Jesus is our  leader by reading the Scripture and seeing what is written about Him.

Two important passages from scripture that we can learn and memorize are:

..." I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" ( Jn 14:6)

..." I am the light of the world. He who follow me does not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life'  (Jn 812)

Action:

Knowing about Jesus is important but we need to put our desire to follow Him into action.

To follow Jesus, we must believe in Him and follow His example of loving obedience to God the Father.

We may put this into action by:

• Praying that we may follow Him always in our lives.We can make this part of our night prayer each night before we go to bed.
• Listening with attention to those who teach you about God.
• Being attentive when we go to Mass each Sunday.
• Being obedient in class and at home especially for love of Jesus 

My decision: 

Every body's life is different and has different circumstances.  However, why not have a think about how you will follow Jesus during this coming week.  Remember to be specific and keep it simple.

For example: I will be kind.  This is too general and therefore I may not carry out what I want to do.

However, if I am specific about my decision, then I am more likely to carry it out.

For example:  I will kind by allowing my sister/brother watch her favourite programme/video game  on Tuesday night.

Now think about how you will follow Jesus and how you will put this decision into action in your life.

It is important to remember that we are not just putting into action our decision to feel good about ourselves. No, we are wanting to follow  Jesus and we want to do what Jesus Himself would do out of love for Jesus.

Next week, we will explore why Jesus is our leader.

 

Compendium Series: Collaboration with divine providence

56. How do we collaborate with divine Providence? (CCC 307-308, 323)

Compendium states:

While respecting our freedom, God asks us to cooperate with Him and gives the ability to do so through actions, prayers and sufferings, thus awakening in us the ‘desire’ to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13)

What does this mean for me?

1. I can thank God for giving me the ability to cooperate with Him.
2. I can repent of my actions, prayers and sufferings when they do not cooperate with divine Providence.
3. I can ask God to increase the desire to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Questions to consider:

1. What are the actions, prayers and sufferings in my life which do not cooperate with God?
2. Do I truly desire to will and to work for His good pleasure?
3. What is my freedom and what does it mean for me in my relationship with God?

About the Mass Series: Communion Rite: PART 8:‘OUR FATHER’

6. ‘And forgive us our trespasses’.

In this petition, we acknowledge that we are indeed sinners that each day finds us unfaithful in this way or that.  But we also recognize our Father’s great love, mercy and forgiveness.  We believe that our Father truly forgives our sins. God knows our doubts and concerns, so He provides the Scriptures, to confirm this for us.  The Scriptures therefore can be a wonderful source of consolation and affirmation for us.

‘As the distance of east from west, so far from us does he put our faults. As tenderly as a father treats his children, so the Lord treats those who fear him’. (Psalm 103: 12-13).

We need however to have a relationship with Our Heavenly Father. We need to come to Him as we are, not as we wish we could be.  We need to really trust Him and know that His promise and word is true for each one of us.

But perhaps our relationship with our own father may be a blockage to our relationship with God as Father.  Maybe, there needs healing in this area?

During your personal prayer time, why not consider:

1 The qualities of our own fathers,

2. The relationship we have/had with him,

3. The blockages and unresolved hurts that are/were in our relationship,

4. The relationship we have with our spiritual Father.

As we ponder and reflect allowing unresolved hurts to surface, may we have the courage to then say ‘forgive us our trespasses’.   

Opening Prayer Series: Pentecost Sunday Year A

The Opening Prayer for Pentecost Sunday for Year A (Mass during the day) reads as follows:

Let us pray

( that the Spirit will work through our lives to bring Christ to the world)

God our Father,

let the Spirit You sent on Your Church 

to begin the teaching of the gospel

continue to work in the world through the hearts of all who believe.

In making this prayer tangible, the following reflection questions emerged.

1. What is my relationship with the Holy Spirit?
2. How might I continue to nurture this relationship for the remainder of 2011?
3. How has the Spirit worked in my life? ( recall some examples where the Spirit was at work)
4. How might the Spirit work in my life in the future ( ask the Holy Spirit for the help He can provide in specific areas of my life)
5. How might I cooperate with the Holy Spirit to bring Christ to the world?
6. How might I encourage believers that I know to be a powerful instrument by which the Holy Spirit may work ( eg form a small group of parishioners/believers to bring the gospel of Christ to others)

When a person needs mouth to mouth resuscitation,  the person trying to save the person in need, uses his/her own breath to bring them back to life. In other words, he/she breathes on  them. If our own breath can bring life to others, imagine the power of the breath of the Spirit.

In today's gospel, Jesus breathes the breath of the Spirit on His disciples to give them His power to forgive sins. When we participate in the sacrament of reconciliation, the priest says the words of absolution, but it is indeed God who forgives us. The priest uses his breath to utter the words of absolution, but by the nature of his ministry, he is working in the name of God-Father, Son and Spirit and it is the breath of the Spirit which transforms our souls.

Most of us are not called to ministry in the Church as an ordained minster, but we can breathe the breath of the Spirit to others, as we offer a comforting word to someone grieving,  a word of hope to someone in depression,  a warm compassion to someone in need of our forgiveness. Of course the Spirit is not limited, nor should we be as He lives in us. 

On this Pentecost Sunday, let us be renewed again with a fresh indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Reflection and Prayer Series: You're someone special.

My reflection and prayer series is about sharing reflections and Prayers which have impacted upon me and have provided food for thought. I hope that they will also nurture your soul and spirit.

My post is called:

YOUR' RE SOMEONE SPECIAL 

To God your life has meaning

You're someone special-

a child to cherish,

to nurture and to guide.

You belong to God the Father

and He loves you.

May this knowledge of being special to God

kindle in you  hope and security.

Whether in times of sadness or depression,

or in times of joy and elation.

or just in the struggle of an ordinary day.

Compendium Series: What is divine providence?

55. What is divine providence? (CCC 302-306, 321)

Compendium states:

Divine providence consists in the dispositions with which God leads his creatures toward their ultimate end.  God is the sovereign Master of his own plan.  To carry it out, however, He also makes use of the cooperation of his creatures.  For God grants His creatures the dignity of acting on their own and of being causes for each other.

What does this mean for me?

1. I can ask God to help me to cooperate with His plan each day.
2. I can repent of the times where I have not cooperated with God’s plan for my life.
3. I can thank God for granting me the dignity of acting on my own and of being causes for other people.

Questions to consider:

1. Why does God use the cooperation of his creatures when He is sovereign Master of his plan?
2. What hinders me in accepting God's divine providence in my life?
3. What is God's plan for me and how can I cooperate with it fully?

About the Mass Series Communion Rite Part 7 'Our Father'-Give us this day our daily bread

5. ‘Give us this day our daily Bread’.

This petition may be understood both in a spiritual and temporal way.  Spiritually, Christ himself is our bread of life; he is our ‘food for the journey’.  We know this in faith but God also speaks this to us in Scripture.

‘Our fathers ate manna in the desert; as scripture says: He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Jesus answered them: In all truth I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, it is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven, the true bread; for the bread of God is the bread which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. `Sir,' they said, `give us that bread always’.  Jesus answered them: I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever hunger; no one who believes in me will ever thirst’. (John 6:31-35).

In addition, we believe that our Father knows our needs, and we trust that he will take care of us.  We pray that his loving providence may envelop us. Again, our Father reassures us in His Word.

‘It is the gentiles who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all.  Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on God's saving justice, and all these other things will be given you as well.   So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own’. (Mt 6: 32-34).

So God asks us to put our trust in Him for all our needs.  He knows them before we even ask; yet He wants his children to voice their need.  It is good to remind ourselves particularly if we are concerned that in His wonderful providence, God always provides.  He always provides us with enough grace (our daily bread) for every situation that we encounter. 

Opening Prayer Series: Ascension of the Lord- A feast of hope.

The Opening Prayer for the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord Year A reads as follows:

Let us pray

(that the risen Christ will lead us to eternal life)

God our Father,

make us joyful in the ascension of Your Son, Jesus Christ .

May we follow Him into the new creation, 

for His ascension is our glory and our hope.

In making this prayer tangible, the following reflection questions emerged:

1. Why is the ascension a feast of hope for me?
2. How does this feast impact on my life this coming week?
3. What are my understandings from scripture about eternal life?
4. Why should I be joyful in the feast of the Ascension of the Lord?
5. What do I understand by the term 'new creation' and how does my understanding correlate to the term in scripture?
6. What is my attitude towards death-eg If I was to die today, would I be ready to greet the Risen Christ?
7. What changes will I make towards spiritual progress this week in the light of my attitude towards being ready for death?

 The ascension is a feast of hope since we can look forward to eternal life. Of course we need to live lives worthy and enter through the narrow gate.  However, Christ's four fold command gives us a mission-a focus.
The four fold command of Christ to His disciples is a command to us-

• Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations,
• baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
• Teach them to observe all the commands I gave you
• Know that I am with you until the end of time.

  So how can we make disciples of all the nations.  Most of us can evangelize others by not even saying a word- it is by example of the lives we lead.  However, we need to be ready with our answer should someone asks us for our reason for our belief.  

Evangelization  is not difficult if we live good Christian lives since others will be attracted to it. Then when a casual question or conversation occurs, it may be our time to speak.  More importantly is is a time to listen, since it is the question of the enquirer that is important.As the journey unfolds, then there will be a time for them to want to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Spirit.  This will be God's timing, not ours since it is God who is leading the person to Himself.  Then as their journey continues, it is time for learning and teaching ( RCIA for example is part of the process), and as catholic pilgrims on the journey, we need to remember and encourage each other in our struggles knowing that Jesus is with us always.

So yes, the feast of the Ascension is a feast of hope of future glory. We must however not sit on our hands and wait. Christ has given us His command.  

What will we do with this command this coming week in our family, parish, workplace and neighbourhood?

Compendium Series: Creation of the universe

54. How did God create the universe? (CCC295-301,327-329)

Compendium states:

God created the universe freely with wisdom and love.  The world is not the result of any necessity, nor of blind fate, nor of chance.  God create “out of nothing” ( 2 Maccabees 7:28) a world which is ordered and good and which He  infinitely transcends.  God preserves his creation in being and sustain it, giving it the capacity to act and leading it toward its fulfilment through His Son and Holy Spirit.

What does this mean for me?

1. Every morning I can thank God for preserving his creation in being and sustaining it.
2. I can thank God for creating the universe freely with wisdom and love.
3. I can appreciate the intricacies of the creation and marvel at God’s goodness.
4. 
   

Questions to consider:

1. Read the scripture quoted so that there is an understanding of context.

2. How do I explain to other people who have a different view of how creation was created the truth regarding creation according to the Catholic Church?

About the Mass Series: Communion Rite Our Father Part 6

4. ‘Thy Will  be done on earth
        as it is in Heaven’.

Our prayer in this phrase here is that we may carry out God’s saving will in our lives.  All that Jesus did and all that He taught was the ‘will of His Father’.  We pray that in the face of obstacles and temptations we may have help and strength to do His will.

Yet we have hope and support, from a number of sources including:

1. Mary our spiritual mother and those whom the Church recognises as saints:

It is good for us to recall from time to time, that these ‘saints’ were humans like us- they had their faults, but faced with obstacles and temptations, they were able to do His will on earth for them. They can be our ‘full-time’ intercessors for us- what great love Jesus shows us in providing for us in that way- let us use it well and often. 

2. Our network of friends/family who have gone before us- those in Purgatory and those in Heaven:

They can provide a great spiritual base for us so that we can persevere in our commitment to Christ.

3. The Church:

It is the outward sign, which Christ established to provide for us. It offers the grace of the sacraments to strengthen us on our journey.

4. Our own network of friends/family and parish family on earth:

This support base is important, as it can provide encouragement and affirmation, as well as a great source of challenge to help us be authentic disciples and live out this phrase in our lives. Of course we need to spend regular quiet time with Jesus, so that we are aware of what His will is for us in any situation.  In every situation God DOES provide us with the grace we need. Let us open our hearts and hands to receive. Perhaps we need to tap into this opportunity more often.

‘Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven’

So let us pray and live out this phrase in a deeper way each time we pray ‘Our Father’.

How will YOU live out this phrase?