Marist Association Daily Prayer

Let us always remember that

we are in the holy presence of God

May God continue to live in our hearts

In the name of the Father,

Son and Holy Spirit

Amen

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  • Intention of the Day
  • Today's Gospel
  • Breaking Open the Word
  • Marist Source
  • Reflection
  • Meditation
  • Call to Action
  • Closing Prayer

Intention of the Day

For the young men in formation.
The Brothers' Community and Marists, Marist Catholic College, North Sydney, NSW.

For the young men in formation.
The Brothers' Community and Marists, Marist Catholic College, North Sydney, NSW.

Today's Gospel

No-one has gone up to heaven except the Son of Man who has come down from heaven

John 3:7-15
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John 3:7-15

Jesus said to Nicodemus:
‘Do not be surprised when I say:
You must be born from above.
The wind blows wherever it pleases;
you hear its sound,
but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.
That is how it is with all who are born of the Spirit.’
‘How can that be possible?’ asked Nicodemus. ‘You, a teacher in Israel, and you do not know these things!’ replied Jesus.
‘I tell you most solemnly,
we speak only about what we know
and witness only to what we have seen
and yet you people reject our evidence.
If you do not believe me when I speak about things in this world,
how are you going to believe me when I speak to you about heavenly things?
No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who came down from heaven,
the Son of Man who is in heaven;
and the Son of Man must be lifted up
as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.’

Breaking Open The Word

Born of the Spirit

Taken from: Give Us This Day
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Taken from: Give Us This Day

Jesus continues his conversation with Nicodemus about the necessity of being “born from above”—without much success. Nicodemus, a literalist who is unable to hear with the ears of the Spirit, instead hears Jesus’ teaching as a call to return to the womb. Jesus tries again, making use of the wind as a metaphor: “[it] blows where it wills, you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes—so it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

Being born of the Spirit is beyond our control. Nicodemus fails to understand, prompting Jesus to bluntly ask Nicodemus how he got to be a teacher of Israel. He asks even more pointedly how Nicodemus and the others will accept his teaching about spiritual things if they cannot even accept his teaching about earthly matters. Jesus’ bottom line: I have come from above as the Son of Man to lift you up to eternal life. The condition is simple: belief. Somehow the Spirit’s gentle wind blew away the fog because later we find Nicodemus defending Jesus before the Sanhedrin and aligning himself publicly with Jesus, coming “in the light” to help Joseph of Arimathea with his burial.

Acts complements this Gospel by providing an image of the early Christian community, living in the Spirit, “being of one mind and heart,” sharing everything, favored by God. This is what the Spirit generates: unity, generosity, love. The Spirit blows where it will. So, what is the Spirit doing in you these days? Where is it leading you?

Fr. James A. Wallace

James A. Wallace, CSsR, is a parish priest at Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish in Boston, Massachusetts. He is also the author of The Ministry of Lectors and Preaching to the Hungers of the Heart

For the young men in formation.
The Brothers' Community and Marists, Marist Catholic College, North Sydney, NSW.

Marist Source

The world is a place of encounter with God, of mission and of sanctification.

#WFR 64

For the young men in formation.
The Brothers' Community and Marists, Marist Catholic College, North Sydney, NSW.

To Ponder

‘....everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.’

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Where has the Spirit drawn you in today's prayer?

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Closing Prayer

All Loving God

Cultivate in us a spirituality that flows out of Marian simplicity, humility and modesty.

Release in us wellsprings of refreshment, inspiration and excitement for your work in which we share.

Help us set our gaze on those people and places most in need of Christlife,

Impel us to respond together,

And lead us to be in communion with one another, and with you.

Like Mary, we listen for your invitation,

Like Mary, we set out joyfully and in haste to the hill country of the lives of young people,

Like Mary, we build communities in ways that are Christ-centred.

All Loving God, come and live in our hearts.

 

 Amen