November 04th, 2020

Jesus Calls Us to Follow Him
 Week 10   Jesus is Calling You – Yes, YOU!!
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Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, we praise You.  You are wise.  In Your perfect plan, You invite us into Your life.  You lovingly seek us in our daily lives and offer us the free gift of a relationship with You. 
Forgive us for the times we’ve failed to recognize and respond to Your call in our lives.  In Your Scripture You tell us, “It was not you who chose Me, but I who chose you.” (John 15:16)  Thank you for choosing us and inviting us into the adventure of following You.  Help us to know, not just with our head but with our whole being, that You seek each one of us and call us to follow You as Your faithful disciples.  Lord, give us the desire and dedication to follow You with all our hearts.  Jesus, we trust in You.  We make this prayer in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
AMEN
 
 
Reflection
John 15:12 - 16
 
This is my commandment:  love one another as I love you.  No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.  You are My friends if you do what I command you.  I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing.  I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from My Father.  It was not you who chose Me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
 
What kind of friend is Jesus?  What does Jesus think about or feel about His friends?
 
 
What seem to be the qualities of Jesus’ friends, His disciples?
 
 
What challenges do you face that keep you from Jesus?
 
 
As you pray about Jesus’ friendship with you, how do you think He’s calling you right now?
 
 
Hopefully, each day you find it easier to find time to pray, and prayer becomes more familiar and more natural.  There are still times, however, when prayer may seem dry.  Virtually every pray-er throughout human history has experienced moments of dryness, days where it seemed difficult to pray or even find time to pray.  Even some of the most revered saints in history experienced this!
 
Remember that growing in relationship with Jesus, and deepening one’s prayer life takes TIME.  Just as an athlete doesn’t run a 10K overnight, so too growing in prayer takes time and daily effort.  You may not notice any growth from one day to the next, but by striving consistently, you will grow closer to Jesus – the greatest goal of all!!
 
As you pray with how Jesus is calling you – yes, YOU – personally and deeply, continue to ask God for what you need the most right now to experience closeness to Him.  Ask God for that which you need.  And be sure to pray this week for those in our parish family that are also walking in this journey with you.
 
 
What would a deeper prayer life look like to you?  Gradually step into that this week.

 
Closing Prayer
 
The goods that we offer
are gifts from You:
Our lives with all their freedom,
our distracted minds,
our often-weak wills,
and failing memories.
These are our gifts to You.
Hear our simple prayer:
When we are weak, be our strength;
when we doubt, be our faith;
when we’re discouraged, be our hope;
and when we’re lost, come and find us.
When we’re hungry, be our food,
when we’re thirsty, be our drink;
when we’re in darkness, be our light,
and when we’re sad,
be our comfort and joy.
Let us feel Your touch in all we say and do.
Let us grow and blossom in Your love.
Grant us this, Lord,
and there’s nothing more we want
until we see You face to face.
Take all we have and all we are;
give us Your love and Your grace,
with these we are full,
yes, we’re full.
 
                                                                        Mike Moynahan, SJ
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