Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it (on) the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him (on) the last day."
Introductory Prayer: Lord, thank you for never rejecting me or giving up on me, even though I have too often kept my distance in following your specific plan for me.
Petition: Help me to realize that I always need to approach you especially when I feel unworthy or uncertain.
1. Entrusted to Christ: It is amazing that in his plan of salvation, God the Father would entrust his Son into the care of his creatures, Mary and Joseph; and equally astounding is the share of responsibility he entrusts to every Christian in the salvation of many souls. God the Father has willed it, he who knows us perfectly and is well aware of all our frailties. This would be a daunting reality to contemplate if we didn’t also keep before us Christ’s assurance that it was the Father who entrusted us to Him. Sometimes we can mistakenly get the idea that Christ is our merciful intermediary who saves us from the fiery wrath of the Father of Justice. Yet we see here that the Father is paternally protective of us and in fact is the one who takes the initiative and sends us to Christ.
2. In good hands: The Marines rightfully pride themselves to the fact that they will leave no man behind on the battlefield; that they will surrender no man’s body into the hands of the enemy. God the Father gave Christ similar orders. When a Marine risks his life to rescue the dead corpse of his buddy, as edifying as it is, one is tempted to ask, “Is it really worth it”. Christ gave up his life to save our eternal life and gives us all the grace needed to keep our souls from the clutches of the devil.
Could we not also ask, “Was it really worth it?” “Is my life really worth all that much to him?” Could I say the God is much more interested in my salvation than I am? If so, what plans might he have for me?
3. On a mission : Just like a soldier, a Christian without a clear idea of his mission is either ineffectual or soon dead. Christ wishes to leave no man behind. This is clear not only by his death, but also by the extremes he went through in his life to save sinners. Am I aware of the many souls Christ has put in my hands? Have I already surrendered over some souls to the enemy because they seem hard to work with?
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, help me to see the value of a single soul. Show me how to love the souls entrusted to me with a personal, paternal love. Thank you, Lord, for the gift of your love. If I had not discovered your love, I would have remained a slave of my own whims and desires. But knowing your love helps me to love others.
Resolution: I will make a special sacrifice for all the souls entrusted to me.
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