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Each day we invite you to read the Sunday Gospel, focusing on one aspect.
 
  1. Place yourself in an attitude of receptivity to the word that God wishes to reveal to you at this particular time.
  2.  Slow your mind, gradually becoming still inside and out. Sit in that stillness for a moment, being aware that God is as present as your every breath.
  3. Invite God into your life now.
  4. Read the Gospel slowly, preferably audibly.
  5. Select a day of the week from the list below.
  6.  Spend a few prayerful moments with the focus of that day.

    Sunday    Monday    Tuesday   Wednesday 

Thursday    Friday     Saturday

Saturday

" . . . the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay all according to his conduct."
Imagine yourself at the bedside when someone you love is dying?
How do Jesus’ words here make you feel?
Why is that?

Heritage word—"Are we willing to pay the price for our call to be Christ to the world today?

(Sr. Mary Sujita, 9th Superior General of the Sisters of Notre Dame)

 

Week of September 7, 2008

Gospel for the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time—Matthew 18:15-20

"Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
Sunday
What comes into your mind and heart as you read this message?
What does that tell you about yourself?
Let God look on you with love as you hold before God this new awareness of yourself.

Heritage word—"Trouble which casts down will never make much headway in virtues."

(St. Julie Billiart, Spiritual Mother of the Sisters of Notre Dame)

 

 

Monday

"Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother."
Imagine Jesus looking you in the eye as he speaks to you those same words.
What does his look convey?
Ask for the grace he wants to give you.

Heritage word—"Aware of our need for conversion of heart, we live in an ongoing process of discernment."

(Constitutions of the Sisters of Notre Dame, art. 49)

Tuesday

"Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone . . . If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’"
Notice that Jesus calls us to look at "every fact," rather than to judge the other person.
What difference does that make for you?
Ask for the wisdom and courage you need in this regard.

Heritage word—"Let us often ask the good God to let us know our failings."

(St. Julie Billiart, Spiritual Mother of the Sisters of Notre Dame)
Wednesday

"Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone . . . If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church.’"
Suppose you are the one needing to admit a fault or sin.
How do you feel about letting the reconciliation process get this far?
How do you feel about this process now?

Heritage word—"We experience forgiving love particularly in the sacrament of reconciliation which we celebrate frequently."

(Constitutions of the Sisters of Notre Dame, art. 49)
Thursday

"If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector."
                                                          there a surprise in this for you?
Why is that?
Ask for the grace to rely on God in a situation like this.

Heritage word—"Humble yourselves before the good God, recognizing all your faults before him."

(St. Julie Billiart, Spiritual Mother of the Sisters of Notre Dame)

 
Friday

"Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
The "binding" and the "loosing" may be saying more about you than about the person who "sinned against you."
Allow Jesus to look on you with love in that situation.
What grace does he want to give you?

Heritage word—"When difficulties multiplied and crosses weighed heavily . . . she (Julie) would say "That is a matter for God to settle, it is not for me!’"

(Mother Mary Cecilia, 3rd Superior General of the Sisters of Notre Dame)
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Copyright 2008 Sisters of Notre Dame, Mary Immaculate Province, 3837 Secor Road ~ Toledo, Ohio 43623 ~ 419.474.5485

ht 2008 Sisters of Notre Dame, Mary Immaculate Province, 3837 Secor Road ~ Toledo, Ohio 43623 ~ 419.474.5485