Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Intention: In thanksgiving for our Lasallian Volunteers and for God’s blessing on their gathering this week.
Today’s Gospel | Matthew 13:44-46
Jesus said to his disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”
From the Fourth Meditation for the Time of Retreat | Saint John Baptist de La Salle
Consider Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd of the Gospel, who seeks the lost sheep, puts it on his shoulders, and carries it back to restore it to the fold. Because you are taking his place, consider that you are obliged to do the same thing. Ask him for the grace needed to procure the conversion of hearts. You must, then, be very devoted to prayer to succeed in your ministry. You must constantly represent the needs of your disciples to Jesus Christ, explaining to him the difficulties that you have experienced in guiding them. Jesus Christ, seeing that you regard him as the one who can do everything in your work, whereas you are an instrument that must be moved only by him, will not fail to grant you what you ask of him.
Prayer
Eternal Father, Jesus came to us as the light of the world that restores us to life. We pray for a faith like that of Martha, one that does not despair or falter. May the radiance of your love scatter the darkness of our hearts and free us from those things that belong to darkness. Teach us to walk always as children of life and light. May we always be aware of your presence and always be obedient to your will. We ask this of you who lives and reigns with your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.