31. Daily Texts - Easter Octave

31. Daily Texts - Easter Octave

31. Daily Texts - Easter Octave
Lucien Hoydic 05:53 Thu Apr 13/23 8 lines

This Item will be a place where the Daily Texts of
Devotion and Meditaion will be posted.

Not every text will be posted, just some of the
more prominent ones.

As always, if you wish to post one that isn't here,
please, by all means, do so.

31/1. Lucien Hoydic 06:01 Thu Apr 13/23 27 lines

Easter Octave Thursday: I ... will draw all things to myself"

A secret, an open secret: these world crises are crises of
saints. God wants a handful of men 'of his own' in every human
activity. And then... 'pax Christi in regno Christi-- the peace
of Christ in the kingdom of Christ'. (The Way, 301)

St Paul gave a motto to the Christians at Ephesus: Instaurare
omnia in Christo: to fill everything with the spirit of Jesus,
placing Christ at the centre of everything. And I, when I am
lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to myself."
Through his incarnation, through his work at Nazareth and his
preaching and miracles in the land of Judea and Galilee, through
his death on the cross, and through his resurrection, Christ is
the centre of the universe, the firstborn and Lord of all
creation.

Our task as Christians is to proclaim this kingship of Christ,
announcing it through what we say and do. Our Lord wants men and
women of his own in all walks of life. Some he calls away from
society, asking them to give up involvement in the world, so that
they remind the rest of us by their example that God exists.
exists. To others he entrusts the priestly ministry. But he wants
the vast majority to stay right where they are, in all earthly
occupations in which they work: the factory, the laboratory, the
farm, the trades, the streets of the big cities and the trails of
the mountains. (Christ is passing by, 105)

31/2. Tom Stevenson 20:00 Thu Apr 13/23 7 lines

This is true, the vast majority of people just do
their ordinary work of going to the job, raising
their family, retiring, enjoing grand children and
then returning to The Lord. The whole point is that
holiness is not something you do on Sunday's at mass,
but every day of your life while doing ordinary
things.

31/3. Lucien Hoydic 08:47 Fri Apr 14/23 35 lines

Easter Octave - Friday: The risen Christ is our companion"

The Master passes very close to us, again and again. He looks at
us... And if you look at him, if you listen to him, if you don't
reject him, He will teach you how to give a supernatural meaning
to everything you do...

Then you too, wherever you may be, will sow consolation and peace
and joy. (The Way of the Cross, Eighth Station, 4)

In the middle of his daily work, when he has to overcome his
selfishness, when he enjoys the cheerful friendship of other
people, a Christian should rediscover God. hrough Christ and in
the Holy Spirit, a Christian has access to the intimacy of God
the Father, and he spends his life looking for the Kingdom which
is ot of this world, but which is initiated and prepared n this
world.

We must seek Christ in the word and in the bread, in the
Eucharist and in prayer. And we must treat him as a friend, as
the real, living person he is for he is risen. Christ, we read
in the Epistle to the Hebrews, holds his priesthood permanently,
because he continues forever. Consequently he is able for all
time to save those who draw near to God, since he always lives to
make intercession for them."

Christ, the risen Christ, is our companion and friend. He is a
companion whom we can see only in the shadows but the fact that
he is really there fills our whole life and makes us yearn to be
with him forever. The Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let
him who hears say, Come. And let him who is thirsty come, let him
who desires take the water of life without price... He who
testifies to these things says, Surely I am coming soon.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus." (Christ is passing by, 116)

31/4. Tom Stevenson 10:21 Fri Apr 14/23 6 lines

Yes, he wants to be a friend, but realize that a
friend tries to gently nudge you back on the correct
path when you go wrong. Imagine a friend who ALWAYS
has the correct answer and wants to help you every
day - if you follow the right path. People need to
be very HAPPY about this fact!

31/5. Lucien Hoydic 14:46 Sat Apr 15/23 31 lines

Easter Octave - Saturday: He came to reveal the universal love
of God to us"

Christ ascended the Cross with his arms wide open, with the all
embracing gesture of the Eternal Priest. Now he counts on us -
who are nothing! - to bring the fruits of his Redemption to all
men. (The Forge, 4)

Let's apply this lesson to everyday life, to our own life. For
the ordinary life of a man among his fellows is not something
dull and uninteresting. It is there that the Lord wants the vast
majority of his children to achieve sanctity.

It is important to keep reminding ourselves that Jesus did not
address himself to a privileged set of people; he came to reveal
the universal love of God to us. God loves all men, and he wants
all to love him everyone, whatever his personal situation, his
social position, his work. Ordinary life is something of great
value. All the ways of the earth can be an opportunity to meet
Christ, who calls us to identify ourselves with him and carry out
his divine mission right where he finds us.

God calls us through what happens during our day: through the
suffering and happiness of the people we live with, through the
human interests of our colleagues and the things that make up our
family life. He also calls us through the great problems,
conflicts and challenges of each period of history, which attract
the effort and idealism of a large part of mankind. (Christ is
passing by, 110)

31/6. Lucien Hoydic 13:59 Sun Apr 16/23 60 lines

"The gentle light of his mercy"

"Seek union with God and buoy yourself up with hope, that sure
virtue, because Jesus will illuminate the way for you with the
gentle light of his mercy, even in the darkest night." (The
Forge, 293)

Another fall, and what a fall! Must you give up hope? No. Humble
yourself and, through Mary, your Mother, have recourse to the
merciful Love of Jesus. A miserere, and lift up your heart! And
now begin again. The Way, 711

What depths of mercy there are in God's justice! For, in the
judgements of men, he who confesses his fault is punished: and in
the Judgement of God, he is pardoned.

Blessed be the holy Sacrament of Penance! The Way, 309

"Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart ... '' The
humility of Jesus!...What a lesson for you who are a poor
earthenware vessel. He, always merciful, has raised you up, and
made the light of the sun of grace shine upon your baseness,
which has now been freely exalted. And you, how often you have
covered your pride under a cloak of dignity or justice...! And
how many chances to learn from the Master supernaturalize them!
Furrow, 26

Get accustomed to entrusting your poor heart to the Sweet and
Immaculate Heart of Mary, so that she may purify it from so much
dross, and lead it to the Most Sacred and Most Merciful Heart of
Jesus. Furrow, 830

Saint Luke the Evangelist tells us that Jesus prayed. What must
his prayer have been like!

Contemplate this fact slowly: the disciples had the opportunity
of talking to Jesus and in their conversations with him the Lord
taught them by his words, and deeds, how they should pray. And he
taught them this amazing truth of God's mercy: that we are God's
children and that we can address Him as a child addresses his
Father. The Forge, 71

Yes, you're right: how base your wretchedness is! By your own
efforts, where would you be now, where would you have got to?

You admitted: "Only a Love that was full of mercy could keep on
loving me.''

Cheer up. He will not deny you his Love or his Mercy, if you go
to him. The Forge, 897

That is why we must insistently go to the Holy Trinity asking God
to have compassion on everyone. When talking about this subject,
I hesitate to refer to God's justice. I appeal to his mercy, his
compassion, so that he will not look at our sins but will rather
see the merits of Christ and of his holy Mother, who is also our
mother, the merits of the patriarch St. Joseph whom he made his
father, and the merits of the saints.

Christ is Passing By, 82, 4

31/7. Opus Dei 18:18 Sun Apr 16/23 10 lines

Very important point to make - "He will not deny you his
Love or his Mercy, if you go to him."

I don't know how many people come to me and say "I am
such a terrible wretch of a person - how can HE ever
want anything to do with me?"

His Promise is: No matter how bad you have been or how
much of a mess your life has become, he will ALWAYS
welcome you back into his loving care.

31/8. Lucien Hoydic 23:47 Mon Apr 17/23 37 lines

"Getting to know Him will give rise to Love"

This is the only way to get to know Jesus: speak to him. You will
always find in him a Father, a Friend, an Adviser, a Helper in
all the noble deeds of your everyday life. And getting to know
Him will give rise to Love. (Furrow, 662)

If you try to meditate, Our Lord will not deny you his
assistance. Faith and deeds of faith are what matter: deeds,
because, as you have known from the beginning and as I told you
clearly at the time, the Lord demands more from us each day. This
is already contemplation and union. This is the way many
Christians should live, each one forging ahead along his own
spiritual path (there are countless paths) in the midst of the
cares of the world, even though he may not even realise what is
happening to him.

Such prayer and behaviour do not take us away from our ordinary
activities. In the midst of our noble human zeal they lead us to
Our Lord. When men offer up all their cares and occupations to
God they make the world divine. How often have I reminded you of
the myth of King Midas, who turned all he touched into gold! We,
despite our personal failings, can turn all we touch into the
gold of supernatural merit.

This is the way our God does things. When the prodigal returns,
having squandered his fortune in riotous living and, worst of
all, having forgotten about his father, his father says: 'Quick!
Bring out the best robe, and clothe him in it; put a ring on his
finger, and shoes on his feet. Then bring out the calf that has
been fattened, and kill it; let us eat, and make merry.' Our
Father God, when we come to him repentant, draws, from our
wretchedness, treasure; from our weakness, strength. What then
will he prepare for us, if we don't forsake him, if we go to him
daily, if we talk lovingly to him and confirm our love with
deeds, if we go to him for everything, trusting in his almighty
power and mercy? (Friends of God, 308-309)

31/9. Lucien Hoydic 09:01 Fri Apr 21/23 28 lines

Keep calm in the face of worries"

If you fix your sight on God and thus know how to keep calm in
the face of worries; if you can forget petty things, jealousies
and envies, you will save a lot of energy, which you need if you
are to work effectively in the service of men. (Furrow, 856)

Fight against your harshness of character, against your
selfishness, your spirit of comfort and your dislikes. We have to
be co-redeemers; and, besides, consider carefully that the prize
you receive will bear a very direct relation to the sowing you
may have done. (Furrow, 863)

The task for a Christian is to drown evil in an abundance of
good. It is not a question of negative campaigns, or of being
anti anything. On the contrary, we should live positively, full
of optimism, with youthfulness, joy and peace. We should be
understanding with everybody, with the followers of Christ and
with those who abandon him, or do not know him at all. But
understanding does not mean holding back, or remaining
indifferent, but being active. (Furrow, 864)

A paradox: I have had fewer worries on my mind every day since I
decided to follow the advice of the psalm: ``Cast your cares upon
the Lord, and he will sustain you.'' And at the same time, once
we have done whatever needs doing, everything can be solved more
easily. (Furrow, 873)

31/10. Lucien Hoydic 02:05 Mon Apr 24/23 4 lines

When a person really lives charity, there is no
time left for self seeking. There is no room left
for pride. We will not find occasion for anything
but service! (The Forge, 683)

31/11. Lucien Hoydic 12:19 Thu Apr 27/23 115 lines

Meditations: Thursday of the Third Week of Easter

Some reflections that can assist our prayer during this Easter
season.

WHEN JESUS ??announced in the synagogue at Capernaum that He is the
bread of life, those present, with understandable human logic,
wondered: Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and
mother we know? How does he now sa This passage introduces the
dynamic of faith, which is a relationship: the relationship between
the human person and the Person of Jesus, where the Father plays a
decisive role, and, of course, the Holy Spirit too, which is
implied here. To believe in Him, it is not enough to meet Jesus. It
is not enough to read the Bible, the Gospel. This is important, but
it is not enough. It is not even enough to witness a miracle, such
as that of the multiplication of the loaves. So many people were in
close contact with Jesus and they did not believe. In fact, they
even despised and condemned Him. And I ask myself: Why? Were they
not attracted by the Father? This happened because their hearts
were closed to the action of God's Spirit. If we have our heart
closed, faith doesn't enter. God the Father always draws us to
Jesus. It is we who open or close our hearts." 1

God the Father also wants to lead us to his Son so that we can
learn from Him and give Him all the glory. This requires always
striving to stay close to Jesus, and letting ourselves be
instructed by Him in order to be his disciples. Faith, which is
like a seed deep in the heart, blossoms when we let ourselves be
'drawn' by the Father to Jesus, and we 'go to Him' with an open
heart, without prejudices. Then we recognize in his face the Face
of God, and in his words the Word of God." 2

SEEING GOD'S FACE, contemplating Him throughout the day, is not an
impossible goal. On the contrary, it is a promise that we can
attain, in various ways, thanks to Jesus. The same God who put in
our hearts the longing for eternity, stayed in the Eucharist to
always be with us. Our longing for eternal love is best satisfied
by Christ present in the Eucharist. We can dialogue with Him in
prayer, visit Him in the tabernacle, listen to his words in the
Gospel. Little by little, Jesus will become our best friend and we
will be able to ask the Father for anything in his name. Saint
Josemaria said: Rest assured: if we ask in Christ's name, the
Father will grant it to us. Prayer has always been the secret, the
powerful weapon. Prayer is the foundation of our peace." 3

In our petition, Jesus taught us to ask above all for the bread of
life," the food for eternity. Your fathers ate the manna in the
wilderness, and they died (Jn 6:49), Christ said, comparing Himself
to the food that God sent the people through Moses' intercession.
That bread was ephemeral, but the Eucharist is eternal bread. It is
not simply a memory, but a memorial, a making present again, as we
pray in all the Eucharistic prayers and in some hymns: O memoriale
mortis Domini! Panis vivus, vitam praestans homini! 4

O Thou memorial of our Lord's own dying! O living bread, to
mortals life supplying!" The Eucharist looks not only to the past,
but also to the present and the future. Our time on earth is a
pilgrimage from Eucharist to Eucharist, until our definitive
participation in the heavenly banquet. Whenever the Church
celebrates the Eucharist she remembers this promise and turns her
gaze 'to him who is to come' (Rev 1:4)." 5

On days that are busy and full of problems, but also on days of
rest and relaxation, the Lord asks us not to forget that if it is
necessary to be concerned about material bread and to replenish our
strength, it is even more important to develop our relationship
with Him, to reinforce our faith in the One who is the 'bread of
life' that satisfies our desire for truth and love." 6

JESUS ??PROMISES US a divine food that will always be at our
disposal, so that one may eat of it and not die (Jn 6:50). With
this guarantee we trust that, if we are faithful, our call to
eternal life will come to fruition. Thus God himself imbues us with
hope, the theological virtue by which we desire and await from God
eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's
promises and relying on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit to
merit it and to persevere to the end of our earthly life." 7

Jesus concludes his preaching in the synagogue by reiterating his
central message: I am the living bread that came down from heaven.
If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread
that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh (Jn 6:51).
Our Lord promises us the unthinkable: communion in his own Life,
for all eternity. This hope, although it will find its fulfillment
in heaven, illuminates our steps here on earth. It also tells us
that our daily activities have a meaning that goes beyond what we
see directly around us. As Saint Josemar a assured us, these
activities take on eternal value if we do them out of love for God
and other men and women." 8

All of this fills us with optimism, knowing that God is always with
us. Christian joy is based on the divine promise that we will live
with Him forever. Thus tradition calls the Eucharist the pledge of
future glory," because it strengthens us on the pilgrimage of our
earthly life and increases our desire for eternal life, uniting us
with Christ, our Lady and all the saints. 9

1 Francis, Angelus, 9 August 2015.

2 Ibid.

3 Saint Josemaria. Letter 14 February 1944, no. 18.

4 Hymn Adoro te devote.

5 Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1403.

6 Benedict XVI, Angelus, 5 August 2012.

7 Compendium of the Catechism of the Church, no. 387.

8 Fernando Oc riz, Message, 4 November 2018.

9 Cf. Compendium of the Catechism of the Church, no. 294.

31/12. Lucien Hoydic 16:24 Wed May 17/23 29 lines

Nothing is worthwhile if we are not close to Our Lord"

Mary, your Mother, will bring you to the Love of Jesus. There you
will be cum gaudio et pace, with joy and peace. And you will be
always "brought", because on your own you would fall and get
covered with mud: you will be brought onward, brought to believe,
to love, and to suffer. (The Forge, 677)

Mary and Joseph 'had gone a whole day's journey before they made
enquiry for him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances. When they
could not find him, they made their way back to Jerusalem in
search of him.' The Mother of God, who looked for her Son so
anxiously when he was lost through no fault of her own, and
experienced such great joy in finding him, will help us retrace
our steps and put right whatever may be necessary when, because
of our carelessness or our sins, we have been unable to recognize
Christ. With her help we will know the happiness of holding him
in our arms once more, and telling him we will never lose him
again.

Mary is also the Mother of knowledge, for it is with her that we
learn the most important lesson of all, that nothing is
worthwhile if we are not close to Our Lord. All the wonders of
this earth, the fulfillment of our every ambition, all this is
worthless unless the living flame of love burns within us, unless
there is the light of holy hope giving us a foretaste of
never-ending love in our true homeland in heaven. (Friends of
God, 278)

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