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“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice; the Lord is at hand”.
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Scripture Reading: 1 Thess. 5:16-24 Be happy at all times; pray constantly; and for all things give thanks to God, because this is what God expects you to do in Christ Jesus. Never try to suppress the Spirit or treat the gift of prophecy with contempt; think before you do anything – hold on to what is good and avoid every form of evil.
Meditation: Try to answer as many questions as possible 1. Why should we be joyful, pray and give thanks to God at all times? 2. What is the connection between being happy and grateful and praying constantly? Do you think if we pray often, we’ll be happy? 3. Do we have a relationship with the Holy Spirit? How often have we prayed to the Holy Spirit? How do we please the Holy Spirit in our lives? 4. What do we have to do to hold on to what is good? How would this have an effect in our lives? How should we avoid every form of evil?
By Heart: Reflect on this in light of your daily life situation
“JOY is the most infallible sign of God’s presence” Rejoice (Gaudete), this Sunday tells us. This is a time of great expectations. Rejoice, Christmas is almost here. Rejoice, not so much that we have found Christ, but in that He has found us. Rejoice, that we do not have to wonder about Christ. We only have to question ourselves: Are we letting Him into our lives? Are we letting Him into the darkness part of our hearts? Are we letting Him take away our sin and sadness? “It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness. He is waiting for you when nothing else ever satisfies you. He is the beauty to which you are so attracted. It is He who provokes you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise. It is He that urges you to shed the masks of a false life. It is He who reads in your hearts your most genuine choices. It is Jesus who stirs up in you the desire to do something great with your lives.” John Paul II
Intercessions: 1. For the participants of the Commitment Seminar, that as they return to their respective lives, they may be faithful witness to Christ 2. For all who seek meaning in life, that through the coming of Christ they might discover in him the fullness of life and love 3. For the conversion of our hearts, that we may take this opportunity in the season of Advent to make a good confession and change our lives 4. For our families and friends who have gone back to the Lord, that their souls may rest in peace through the mercy of God Covenant Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, by your suffering, death and resurrection, you give us new life: a life filled with joy and purpose; a life only you can give it, for you are the source of life. Guide us on our pilgrimage of life, that following you faithfully as your disciples, we may witness boldly to the world, your love and truth. Enlighten our minds and hearts that your Word which we read and meditated may take roots in our lives. Help us not to fall into sin and if we do fall due to our human weakness, bring us back to you for you are the way, the truth and the life. We also pray for all our brothers and sisters, wherever they are, who are committed to this prayer, that their faith may be strengthened, their hope assured and their love fulfilled. In your name we humbly pray. Amen
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