The Missionary Decade. Day Seven — “Community of prayer and mercy”

May 16, 2024

We encourage everyone to respond to His Beatitude Sviatoslav’s invitation to properly prepare for the feast of Pentecost. In the following days, we will read the texts of the Gospel from John and, together with the whole parish community, we will listen to the wise tips that the Lord offers us in times of war.

The Missionary Decade. Day Seven — “Community of prayer and mercy”

Thursday, May 16

A reading of the Holy Gospel according to John 16:23–33

“Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.”

Reflections on the seventh day of the Decade. Let us be kind to one another, as befits the beloved of the Father. When we come to the Divine Liturgy, let’s remember what a big family we belong to. This sense of community-family must be constantly nurtured. Let’s not forget to greet each other when we gather in church. We know some people well, others only a little, and still others we don’t know at all. But we are one family of God’s children! Let’s make an effort not only to get to know other members of the parish, but also to be interested in their life challenges, joys and pains, to know what to ask God for, what to thank for. God’s third commandment — “Remember to celebrate the holy day” (Exod. 20, 8) — obliges us to visit the church at least on Sundays and on major holidays. However, we know that many of our neighbors, relatives and friends go to church only on the biggest holidays. In order to go more often, they must feel part of a large Christian parish family. Our task, therefore, is to show them that we are glad to see them praying with us in the community of Christ’s beloved disciples. And when someone does not respond to all our invitations or encouragements, let’s not judge them, but pray for them to the Holy Spirit. He is the One who moves hearts, reveals Christ to everyone, leads to the Father.

Reflections in time of war. In this Missionary Decade, we reflect on the words of Christ at a time when a brutal war is going on and innocent people are dying. It seems impossible to find solace and comfort when the enemy is doing so much evil and wrong. Nevertheless, the words of Christ resonate with us in a special way: “For the Father himself loves you, because you have love for me and faith” (Jn. 16, 27). How important it is to be open to the love of God the Father himself for us, how important it is to feel and cherish it in the heart. And in order to survive it and draw strength from this divine love, it is important for us to believe in Christ and love Him with all our heart, all our soul, all our thoughts and all our strength (cf. Mt. 22, 37). When we experience this mutual love, then the courage to ask God for everything we need grows in our hearts: “ask, and you will receive, so that your joys may be abundant” (Jn. 16, 24), and the strength to give this love to others when they need it. And to give it in concrete acts of mercy: to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to welcome the traveler into the home, to visit the sick and the imprisoned, etc. (cf. Mt. 25, 35–36; Is. 58, 6–7). In practice, this means directing your attention and help to specific people whose requests for help do not reach the ears of state social services or international aid organizations. It is we, in our parishes and in our communities, who know best who is the neighbor who needs our support: mothers, women and children of fallen soldiers, displaced persons, people who have lost work or health, etc. We may not be able to provide for them materially, but we can surround them with our love and prayer care.

Prayer Intention: Let us pray that the hearts of each of us will not be hardened, and that we will be sensitive to the needs of those who suffer around us.

Prayer. "Remember, O Lord, the people here present and those who are absent for just causes, and have mercy on them and on us according to the multitude of Your mercy. Fill their storehouses with every good thing; preserve their marriages in peace and concord; nourish the infants, guide the young, strengthen the aged; comfort the fainthearted; gather the scattered; bring back the wayward, and join them to Your holy, catholic and apostolic Church" (Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great).

Mission task: Today, call or send a short message to your friend who is very dear to you, but you have not been in contact with them for a long time, and just ask how they are doing.

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