Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time of the Year
Mystery of the day: Sorrowful
Celebration:The Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order
Seven members of a Florentine confraternity founded the Order of Servites of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Servites lead an austere life of prayer and mortification, meditating constantly on the Passion of the Lord and venerating the Blessed Virgin as Our Lady of Sorrows.
Table of the Word:
RI: Genesis 11:1-9
Gospel: Mark 8:34-9:1
"If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Mark 8:34)
Theme: Self-emptiness
Today as we celebrate the seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order, we are called to mind the essence of self-emptiness as we continue this earthly pilgrimage. To buttress this point, the gospel pericope according to Evangelist Mark presents us with the sure-way to achieve this virtue as Christ says:
"If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Mark 8:34).
This clarion call is a "call to discipleship" where Christ Himself invites us to the same path which brings about the redemption of humankind.
It is also a call to Christian maturity which comes with obligation, that is the ability to renounce our life, makes a paradigm shift from our comfort zone for the good of others.
In carrying our cross, it entails accepting freely the sacrifices that the Father sends us each day; this may be in the form of economic hardship, envy, jealousy, insult etc.
However, in doing this, we hope to receive inner-peace and profound happiness which Christ promised us as His friends.
Finally, let our lives be modelled after the good qualities of these great apostles who bore witness to the truth through their austered life, zealous devotion to our Lady and meekness. Peace, be with you.
Let us pray
Impart to us, O Lord, in kindness the filial devotion with which the holy brothers venerated so devoutly the Mother of God and led your people to yourself.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
© The ARCHIVE 17022023
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