Novena to our founder St. Anthony Mary Claret

FIRST DAY  15. 10. 2016

CLARET- AN EVANGELIZER SEDUCED BY THE SPIRIT

INTRODUCTION

Father Claret was called and consecrated by the Holy Spirit to follow Christ closely and to preach his gospel. He dedicated himself for the mission of God and did everything for His greater glory. In his evangelizing mission he discovered the need to live evangelically, imitating the life of the Lord and being dedicated to proclaiming the gospel. We entrust and place ourselves to our founder who is our model to follow Christ and ask necessary graces to dedicate ourselves to become the missionary disciple and to announce the good news to all.

HYMN: Make me a Servant

OPENING PRAYER

Lord God, pour out your Spirit upon us which you granted to St. Antony Mary and calling him to follow Christ in the Congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary so that we may enrich the life of the Church and make your mission in the world of today. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen

READING:  Autobiography of St. Antony Mary Claret nos. 221-222, 356

PSALM: 75

READING: LK 9:22-25

REFLECTION

The conditions of discipleship are set. No one will ever change them, neither the Pope nor the people of God. These conditions come from God himself. God is easily pleased but not easily satisfied. He demands it all or “go back to where you came from.” No one can serve two masters, not even the Master. It’s all or nothing.

Christians cannot be both worldly and Godly. It must be one or the other, and to be with Christ means to be with the One who won.

Certainly Jesus’ call to deny one’s self is as counter cultural today as it has ever been.  Even trying to deny ourselves the little things that we enjoy, such as chocolate during Lent, can be a struggle for many of us! 

It is only when we are truly prepared to stop living life for ourselves, and start living it for Jesus that we truly find life.  That is at the heart of what I think Jesus is calling us to do here in this passage.  His call is to stop living life our way, and living it his way, following Jesus by imitating his life and obeying his commands. 

It is only when we live for Jesus that we discover life as it is meant to be lived, because ultimately it is only Jesus who can meet are deepest needs.  

SILENCE

PRAYER OF FAITHFUL

Response: Lord, make us fitting ministers of your word

Ø Lord, grant us the necessary graces we need in order to prepare ourselves to stop living life for ourselves, and start living it for Jesus. R

Ø Lord, grant us dispositions we need in order to be able to be sent where we may be needed. R

Ø Lord, grant us to entrust ourselves to Mary, and Claret that we may make your name known to the world and spread the kingdom of the heaven throughout the earth. R

Ø Lord, helps us to live firmly and constantly united to Christ, according to our Charism, as it is proposed in our constitution. R

Ø Lord make us experience the joy of the resurrection In order to go out the entire world, impelled by the power of the spirit. R

Lord’s Prayer & Hail Mary

CLOSING PRAYER:

Lord Jesus Christ, you invite us to deny ourselves, obeying your commands and share your life and your mission. You give us your body to eat. Grant that we may desire nothing other than your will and that, by loving you as you love us and as you desire that we love, we may desire only to live through you and for you that you may be more than enough for us. You who live and reign forever and ever. Amen  

HYMN:  Love of Christ impels us

SECOND DAY 16. 10. 2016 

FR. CLARET, THE LISTENER AND THE SERVANT OF THE WORD OF GOD.

INTRODUCTION

It is a great opportunity that the lord our loving father has given us this day to reflect on Father Claret, The Listener And The Servant Of The Word Of God. As we the sons of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary we are blessed to read the autobiography of our founder Father Claret.

In different places of the autobiography our Founder says that our special vocation among the people of God is the ministry of the word though which we communicate the whole mystery of Christ to humankind. Let us reflect how we allow God to speak within me, in order to spread the word of God in this present era.

OPENING HYMN

Welcome Holy Spirit………

OPENING PRAYER

God our Father and Mother, as we gather in your name we want to be in your presence, because you are our love, our honor, our hope and our refuge. Grant us your spirit to imitate you in the spirit of Fr. Claret and give us the graces to be a listener and the servant of word of God as our founder Fr. Claret.  Lord, as we are in the 2^nd day of novena for the feast of our founder Fr. Claret we ask your help and blessings to be a true servant of you. We ask these graces through Jesus Christ our Lord.     Amen.

READING: Autobiography nos: 224,226

Psalm: 119:105-112

Scripture Reading: Lk 11:27-28

SILENCE

REFLECTION

Ø Based on “happy those who hear the word of God and keep it”.

Ø XXV GENERAL CHAPTER DOCUMENT: Witnesses And Messengers Of The Joy Of The Gospel No.60.

Ø Welcoming the Word of God, trying to incarnate it in our life and understanding it more and more.

Ø Like our Father Founder who meditated God’s Word and listen to the people.

INTERCESSIONS

                               I.            For the spirit of service and dedication that we may fulfil the ministry you have entrusted to us in the Church with dignity and fruitfulness, let us pray to the Lord. R. Lord hear us

                            II.            We give you thanks, O Lord, because you have designed to grant us the gift of proclaiming the Gospel. May that in us not to be fruitless for this grace let us pray to the Lord. R

                         III.Motivated by apostolic zeal and the joy of the Spirit, reinforce us with every means and resource that we may persevere so that you may be known, loved and served by all for this grace let us pray to the Lord. R

LORD’S PRAYER & Hail Mary

Our Father…..

CLOSING PRAYER

Father of goodness we thank you for this wonderful time to pray and reflect the life of Fr. Claret as a listener and the servant of word of God. Lord, grant us the faith that inflamed Fr. Claret, so that we may be able to embrace with joyful spirit and sacrifice in order to become the real missionary disciples to spread your words to the whole world. We make our prayer through Jesus Christ who lives and reigns forever and ever.              Amen.

FINAL HYMN TO ST. CLARET

O my God and Father……

Third day 17. 10. 2016

FR. CLARET, LISTENER TO THE GOSPEL OF NATURE.

"I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. (Gen 1: 29)

INTRODUCTION

Yesterday we reflected about “Father- Claret the listener and the servant of the word of God. Today we are going to reflect about “Father- Claret the listener to the gospel of nature”. It is clear in the Autobiography number 336 Claret was telling about his gospel of nature. Let us pray in this novena that we may gain wisdom to protect our environment and to evangelize the gospel of nature as St.Claret did.

OPENING HYMN

OPENING PRAYER

Lord of all creation, we praise and thank you for the beauty and goodness of all your creation around us. But today, nature is threatened from all sides today. Help us to maintain a reverent attitude towards the nature so that we may restore its original beauty and purpose and thus bring glory to you God the creator.  Amen

READING

Autobiography number: 336

While I was traveling I would strike up a conversation with those who chanced to join me about the various things we saw. If I happened to see some flowers, I would point to them and remark that, as these plants produced beautiful and fragrant flowers, we should produce virtues. The rose, for example, teaches us love, the lily symbolizes purity, the violet, humility, etc. We must, as the Apostle says, be "the good odor of Christ in every place.''If I saw a tree laden with fruit, I would remark that we, too, should bear the fruit of good works, so not to end up like the two fig trees in the Gospel.If we passed by a river, I would say that the running water reminds us that we are passing on toward eternity. If we heard birds singing or music being played, I would refer to the new and everlasting song of heaven, etc. I have personally witnessed the great value of conversations like these; their effect was like that of the conversation Christ held with the two travelers on the road to Emmaus.I also found that they had thefurther advantage of avoiding useless talk and grumbling.

PSALMS

104:5-25 or (65:9-13 or 19:1-12)

Your response: You who answer prayer, to you all people will come

He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved. You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight; they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them. R.

You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth. He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. R.

The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches. He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work. R.

He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate— bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts. R.

The trees of the LORD are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.

There the birds make their nests; the stork has its home in the junipers. R.

The high mountains belong to the wild goats; the crags are a refuge for the hyrax.

He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down. R.

You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl.

The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. R.

The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens.

Then people go out to their work, to their labor until evening. R.

How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number— living things both large and small. R.

Scripture reading:

Job 12:07-10 or (37:14-16)

“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you; ⁸ Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; And the fish of the sea will explain to you.⁹ Who among all these does not know That the hand of the Lord has done this, ¹⁰ In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind

SILENCE

REFLECTION

·        The first place to begin in seeking to recover care for creation considerations of the biblical materials is in an understanding of the cosmology of each of the writings. Cosmology is actually the most neglected aspect of biblical studies. We tend to focus almost exclusively on human history, on the human story of redemption, and on the human outcomes projected by the biblical materials—leaving us with a picture of people virtually without an Earth. Instead, we need to become aware of the entire created order portrayed in a Gospel of Luke if we are to understand it and if we are to see its full implications for our commitment to care for creation.

·        We open ourselves to the love of God for all creation. In this, we celebrate in our lives and communities the compassion and love of God for all creation. We celebrate the commitment of Jesus to seek and to save the most vulnerable. We celebrate the Spirit that seeks to unite all Earth community in a mutual sustaining of life. Through such celebration, we are lifted into the orbit of God’s love for creation, we are given inspiration to change, and we are fed with nourishment to act. We seek to live in the flow of God’s compassion for Earth community.

·        We become aware of the most vulnerable in all creation, human-kind and other-kind alike. We would find eyes to see them, minds to learn about them, hearts to care about them, and actions to empower them. We learn the names and identities of endangered species. We pray for them. We learn the ecosystem in distress and the ways in which the degraded systems are impacting life. We understand the threats to the entire global community of life because of pollution of air, water, and soil.

·        Our founder is a listener to the nature, he is telling us to make use of the nature for our evangelization, and we must be example for others towards the care of nature. Our founder is also telling that we should make use of our conversation using all the creation of God. In his point thatthe nature is the great value. Let us reflect as Claretian what is the responsibility we have towards nature?

INTERCESSION

Our response is: God, you who love all life, hear us!

1.     That the Churches and ecclesial communities may respond to the signs of the times expressed in the cry of nature, wounded by humankind’s inability to recognize its vocation to be the custodian of all that exists, let us pray. R

2.     That international organizations may speak out strongly against the exploitation of the resources so generously offered by Mother Earth, and for those many brothers and sisters who live in need due to waste and abuse on the part of individuals and nations, let us pray. R

3.     That those involved in political life, and every citizen as well, may grow in the awareness that any behavior that does not respect the environment damages human coexistence and undermines the foundations of peace, let us pray. R

4.     That those who believe in God may promote in their own religious traditions a spirituality and praxis that is consistent with a recognition of the goodness of creation, thus contributing to the growth of a world of love, justice and peace where all living things praise the Creator, we pray. R

5.     That young people may be inspired by the example of Saint Claret to make mature lifestyle choices that are selfless and sustainable, promote the care and safeguarding of ecosystems, guarantee access to all basic resources, and encourage practices that respect the fundamental rights of the human person and of every creature, let us pray. R

LORD’S PRAYER & HAIL MARY

CLOSING PRAYER

Lord, grant us the wisdom to care for our mother earth and all your creation. Help us to act now for the good of future generations and all your creatures. Like our founder St. Anthony Mary Claret, Help us to become instruments of a new creation founded on the covenant of your love.

Amen.

Fourth day 18. 10. 2016

 CLARET, THE DREAMER AND THE BUILDER OF PEACE AND RECONCILIATION.

Introduction:

Today we reflect the theme “Claret, the dreamer and the builder of peace and reconciliation”. Father Claret is a dreamer at the same time he also worked hard day and night ardently as a missionary to achieve that dream. He says “the idea of an eternity of torment made such a deep impression on me work in the past , still makes me work and will make work as long as I live in converting sinners in preaching , in hearing confession, in  writing books and in hearing family conversion”.  Our founder is not a night dreamer but he is a dreamer of reality. Father Claret did not sleep well even to have enough dream, because the dream of sending everybody to eternity not allowed him to sleep well and commit himself fully for the mission.

In this time when there is full of tension as a result of war and violence in the world, we missionaries called to become builders of peace and reconciliation. “In the last decades humanity had shown a deep longing for unity. Violence affects and punishes many people of the earth, millions of people live under harassment and in fear they feel force to leave their homes and see their most fundamental rights threatened.”(EG 2; 265).  “For this reason, we feel called to conform our lives and mission to a prophetic dialogue (inter-confessional, inter- religious, political, etc) and as a sign of compassion. And here we favor what unites, reconciles and brings peace, tears down walls that separates, supports those who work for peace and reconciliation no matter what creed they profess or outlook they may have” (cf. MFL 2b).

Opening hymn:

Opening prayer;

O Lord Jesus Christ who said to Apostles, “Peace I leave you my peace I give to you” lord regard not our sins but the faith of your church, and deign to give us peace and unity according your will so that your people may live with happiness and joy.  Thus, your life giving word may be fulfilled in this world.  Amen

Reading

Autobiography: 09

Psalm 15.

Re: Lord give us peace and deliver us from all evil.

Scripture reading; Jn 20:19-23

Silence.

Short reflection;

In this world of violence and war there are many people and groups who work for peace through patient and persistent dialogue, the quest for reconciliation, the building of a harmonious social life and respect for all..

In this way let’s think as a missionary what is my responsibility to build peace and reconciliation?

Do I work for the establishment of God’s kingdom and peace in this world?

Intercessions;

Res: Lord hear us

Let us pray for unity in the church:

Lord give us the graces to bring unity in your church, that the divided churches come together and live as brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ. For we pray to the Lord. R

Let us pray for peace, in the world:

Lord we pray for peace in the world, give the grace that real peace which you left in this world may experience by every corner of the earth.  For we pray to the Lord. R

Let us pray for people who work for peace:

Merciful father we pray for the people who work tirelessly to establish peace in this world, that they may dedicate themselves more and more in your mission. Lord bless them and protect them from all evils. For this we pray to lord. R

Let us pray for all Claretian missionaries:

Lord we pray for all the Claretian missionaries that they may understand the call of Christ as his disciple of peace makers. Give us your grace so that we may become builders of peace and reconciliation. R

Lord’s Prayer…..

Closing prayer:

Lord Jesus you came to this world to redeem us from sins and bring a kingdom of heaven on earth where there is full of peace and reconciliation. Lord give us the same peace which you gave to your disciples after your resurrection and also make us the channels of your peace. Who lives and reign forever and ever. Amen

Final hymn to St.Claret.

FIFTH DAY 19. 10. 2016

FR. CLARET’S CLAMOR FOR POOR AND JUSTICE

Introduction

Today we reflect on Fr. Claret’s clamor for poor and justice.  We are well aware that our Christian life begins with a personal relationship with Christ. To be a Christian is to know Him personally, it means knowing the person of Christ the master, the way, truth and life. Intimacy with God begins with knowing his character, His personality, His values and His teachings. It develops as we learn to trust Him in all situations and circumstances as our founder St. Anthony Mary Claret did in his life.  From the childhood onwards he had great compassion to the poor and he is a good example for a person who stood for justice. Though,  there were many oppositions against Father Claret because of his compassionate love for the poor, he stood firm for the cause of the slaves in Cuba, who were marginalized and were depressed by their owners. One thing is very clear in his life is that because of the ardent love towards Jesus and father’s mission he clamored for the poor and against injustice.

Opening Hymn

Opening Prayer

Lord God, you have called us to be witnesses and messengers of your Love. You sent your only son for the redemption of the whole world. May we remember that in our lives and become true ministers like our founder, to love the whole humanity with the compassionate heart, and to bring justice to all, who are unjustly burdened. We ask this prayer through Christ our Lord Amen.

Reading

Autobiography of our Founder No: 562

Psalm: 12

Scripture Reading: Matthew 5: 1-12

Silence

Points for Reflection

v We all are called to promote justice for those who are suffering at the peripheries, just like our founder voiced against the slavery.

v How are we doing justice to our call as true Claretian missionaries in living the spirit of our Founder in our own communities as true missionary disciples?

v Our founder Father Claret was very compassionate towards the poor even from his childhood, how do we express our love towards the poor and help them to come up in their lives?

                                         

v Our Father Founder Claret, being a confessor to the queen, he strictly renounced the privileges in order to live and experience the spirit and the mind of the poor. How much are we ready to renounce our privileges to have the spirit of the poor in our lives?

v How much are we attentive to attend and solve the problems of those, who are unjustly treated and become untrodden and marginalized?

v “The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners”.

·        How do we become Good news to those who cry for God’s justice?

·        We are called to liberate those, who are caught up in the evils of this modern world.

·        What could have been the reactions of Father Claret if he lives today, to which we are expected to fulfill as Claretian missionaries.

Your Response: Lord, make us heralds of your Gospel

§  Lord Jesus, you have proclaimed that those who share in your own blessedness are the poor in spirit the meek, those who hunger and thirst for justice. Make us witnesses of your love. We pray to you Lord.  R

§  Lord, you have called us to bring justice to the poor and untrodden help us to voice against the evils that suppress the dignity of human lives. We pray to you Lord. R

§  Lord Jesus we bring to you all those racked on the bed pain , those going through severe depression those with terminal illnesses, those who find life meaningless due to various misshapes and hearts break in their lives. May each of them hear your words in their hearts today “My grace is sufficient for you”- may this experience comforts and challenges them to begin life anew. We pray to you Lord. R

§  We bring to you Jesus all your consecrated priests and religious who are called to minister your people. Increase their faith and give them your grace that they may bring your love to this broken world. We pray to you Lord. R

§  That each one of us present here may be like you, offering to all the members of our families and to everyone we need the protection of your love.  We pray to you Lord. R

Lord’s Prayer and Hail Mary…

Concluding prayer

Lord God we give you thanks for your loving plan revealed to us through St.Anthony Mary Claret. In your love for us you do not wish us to merely exist but be ever radiant with joy, while standing for justice and the poor. The joy you hold out is the joy of rising above our circumstances of being at the service of your kingdom and your plan for the world. Lord do not allow us to be caught up in the problem and petty comforts of our daily life rather help us always be mindful of the sufferings of the poor and the justice. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord Amen.

SIXTH DAY 20. 10. 2016                                            

FATHER CLARET: DIGITAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL CULTURE TODAY

Introduction:

Today we reflect on the theme, “Father Claret: Digital and Technological culture today.” As we stand on the threshold of a new millennium, let us heed the Lord’s command to us here in our community, share the Good News in continuous, loving and humble dialogue with all the people especially using the digital & technological newly arrivals in the mission of God, with the cultures & religious traditions, live like Father Claret our founder in the midst of neighbours of other faith, and do the good deeds by the power of Christ‘s power.

          The universal nature of the Gospel and the Church demand a commitment to global Mission. The first missionaries, and the apostles, and their successors, were indeed cross-cultural and trans-national missionaries, for they took seriously the Lord’s commandments to go into the whole world and preached the Gospel to all nation.

Opening hymn:

Opening prayer:

Lord our loving Father, impart to us the Spirit which you granted to our Father Claret, so that we may get his missionary zeal and Spirit to be witnessing messengers in this digitally and technologically advanced world.  Lord, make us to become the missionary disciples of your prophetic mission. Amen

Reading

The Autobiography: 456-457

Psalm: 84:1-6

Scripture reading: 1Cor 14:1-9

Silence:

Short reflection: (points for reflection)

          As we reflect today “St. Anthony Claret – The digital and the technological culture today.”

 Let us reflect the way how our founder traveled from place to place to carrying the mission of God adopting the situation and culture of the place and the people where ever he went.

-         In autobiography 456 our founder himself would say that he did not travel from one town to the other; on the contrary would go to one town and when he finished the mission there then would go to another place; this was the situation of our founder’s time. But today, the situation is different because of the advancement in technology.

-         At present it is not necessary to go to a place stay and preach for a long period. But we have the modern communication gadgets as means of evangelization. So let us reflect do we use them for re-evangelization. Claret did not live in this kind of situation but during his time he changed his life according to the situation. Therefore we are given an invitation to become a modern Claret. So what are the qualities and abilities we need to cultivate to respond to the requirement of the church and our congregation? How are we going to use the technology for our evangelization?

-         Our Founder St. Claret not only preached the word of God for the sake of preaching but he understood the situation and personally experienced persecution. In spite of various challenges and difficulties in carrying out the mission was he courageously stepped forward and went forth. We too live in a time of great challenges coming from everything and from everywhere. So, how are preparing ourselves to face these situations and challenges? How are we going to be witnessing messengers among the people who are digitally and technologically advanced?

-         Let us cogitate that how can we going to imitate Father Claret among this kind of people of technologically cultured?  How are we going to be cultured technologically to become evangelizer or witnessing messengers at present?

-         We have to be cultured technologically and to be adopted to the modern culture. This is to say not that we too have to live like the people longing for modern gadgets and luxurious life, rather we are called for the great mission to become modern Claret in this digitally and technologically advanced world following Christ and Mary. Therefore let us reflect over these.

Intercessions:

Response: Lord make us fitting ministers of your Word.

·        Lord, protect the Holy Father and the shepherds of the Church so that they may be faithful to their mission of giving us Jesus . Res

·        Lord grant us the dispositions we need in order to be able to be sent where we may be needed. Res

·        Lord, grant us the trust we need in order to exercise in your name the ministry you may entrust to us through the congregation. Res

·        Lord, grant  us the grace to entrust ourselves to Mary, Formatrix of Apostles ,that we may make your name known to the world and spread the kingdom of heaven through the earth. Res

Lord’s prayer/Hail Mary:

Closing Prayer:

          Lord thank you for granting the abilities & values to our Founder St. Anthony Mary Claret to utilize them in your Mission. Lord give the wisdom & knowledge to increase the faith of all the followers through adopting the modern and technologically advanced culture in order to evangelize the Word of God and to be the men on fire filled with your Spirit, who lives & reigns forever and ever. Amen.

SEVENTH DAY 21. 10. 2016

CLARET, A PROPHET GOING TO THE PERIPHERIES

Introduction

On this 7th day of the preparation to celebrate the feast of our Founder, we reflect on the theme ‘Claret a prophet going to the peripheries’. The mission of Claret was not limited with boundaries and borders but looking for the possible means to do the mission of God by serving the people, today he would serve to the nature, thus he says my spirit is for the whole world, that was why Claret felt uneasy when he was appointed as bishop of Cuba for he did not want to limit his service within a boundary. We too are called to do the same, first to come out from our comfort zones and to find the peripheries finally to be available to respond to the needs of the time with prophetic attitude and action. The periphery is not only geographically but also existential peripheries; mysteries of sin, mysteries of pain, mysteries of injustice, indifference of religion and so on, even there is periphery in our own community and neighbourhood. The challenge is to find the periphery and how we respond to it and being solidarity with them, this solidarity is not about what we do but rather how we live. It’s all about personal and communal witnesses of life.

Hymn: Make me a servant…

Opening Prayer

Lord our merciful father as we gather in your name we all long to be filled with your Spirit. Grant us a spirit of evangelization, illumine our hearts and mind with the light of your truth and strengthen our fraternal spirit so that we may always seek your will. Lord impart on us the Spirit which you granted to our founder St.Antony Mary Claret so that with this gift of your grace we may enrich the lives of others and make our mission in the world more fruitful and send us forth to proclaim the Gospel in new frontiers and peripheries as prophets of joy We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen

Short reading from the Autobiography of our Founder (#569-571)

Psalm (121:1-8)

Scripture Reading (Mt 10:5-15)

Silence

Reflection

·        ‘Go, instead, to the lost sheep of the people of Israel’- break it to reach the people.

·        ‘Heal the sick and bring the dead back to life cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons’- we are expected to do varieties of missions not the traditional and easy mission.

·        ‘Freely have you received, freely give’- our availability in mission.

·        A prophet being as equipped person by humility and love.

·        A prophet being as transparent messenger of God.

·        Personally what is periphery to me and as a community what is periphery to us?

·        Am I ready to identify the periphery in my community and respond to them?

·        The importance of coming-out from our own comfort zones.

·        Am I ready to see the reality with the prophetic eyes?

·        How am I responsible to respond to the ecological conversion?

Intercession

 Our response….

Lord teach us to be real prophets

v We may always keep in mind that we are Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and  always strive by all means possible in our apostolate and communities on fire with God's love, bringing the God's message and Kingdom. We pray… R

v We may always spread the Gospel whenever and wherever we go, preaching the Good News with fire of love to the people. We pray... R

v May we always delight in privation, welcome work in our apostolate, embrace sacrifices in our ministries and smile at slander and sorrows we experience and offer to the cross of Jesus Christ. We pray... R

v May we always strive to sanctify our own selves and members by following Jesus Christ the Prophet. We pray... R

v May we follow the Christ the prophet and evangelizer in praying, working and enduring for a more sanctified and zealous apostolate. We pray... R

v May we always strive constantly and solely offering our apostolate for the greater glory of God and dedicating our ministries for the salvation of humankind. We pray... R

Lord’s Prayer & Hail Mary

Closing Prayer (MS)

Dear Lord,

Grant your power to all the missionaries to be faithful to their service

And to be fruitful in their mission.

Mother of the Word and its disciple,

Master of listening and of service,

Maternal Cenacle of the Church:

Never turn back, Mother!

Encourage the twelve going forth,

And all seventy,

For we are bewildered,

Perhaps, at the onslaught of God’s windstorm! 

Open our eyes and ears,

Shake from us fear and inertia,

Give us a heart of flesh and chrism,

Clothe us with joy and courage,

Send us, to the Wind that brings you,

Witnesses of your Son, Paschal servers and deacons,

Brothers universal of the world! 

Final Hymn: Jesus passed along your path one morning…

EIGHTH DAY 22. 10. 2016

FATHER CLARET AND MISSIONARY COMMUNITY

Opening hymn

We are one in the spirit, we are one with the Lord

Opening Prayer

O my God and Father, You enkindle the fire of missionary zeal in our founder St. Antony Mary Claret to live in fidelity and availability to the mission. Grant us the same spirit in order to love and serve you with complete trust, communion with my brothers who share the same spirit and to live in witnesses of your love among humankind. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen

Introduction

“There is one body and one spirit just as you were called to the one hope of your calling” (Eph 4:4). As we have come to the eight day of our novena to celebrate the feast of our Founder we  reflect on “Father Claret and missionary community.”

In our initiation into the missionary life says that “Claretian Community is not merely a human group. It is raised by the spirit in the church through St. Antony Mary Claret”.  If we see the deep understanding of our calling it is the spirit of God had which led us to live in unity amid difference and find the presence of God moving each other. As Father, Son and Spirit is one and apostolic community is one we too are invited to build one missionary community. In our constitutions the first chapter speaks of ‘missionary community’. It is to show how primordial for the one who likes to become Claretian to give priority to the community living. Let us reflect about community life. How do I see my presence in my community? How the spirit of the Lord teach me to fraternal charity with each other?

Readings:

Autobiography 448-449

Psalm 85: 1-9

Scripture reading Acts 2: 43-47

Reflection Points

·        Early Christian community had one heart and mind. Heart is the seat of faith, hope and love.

·        We are invited to share not only friendship but some faith hope and love in natural self-giving.

·        We have to share the same spirit and feel one with the other.

·        This oneness is possible through prayer and Eucharist. The family that prays together stays together.

·        Our community must be witness of unity in order to create communion for those who accept the word through faith.

·        Being a prophet who brings something good even out of something bad or what is not favoured.

·        A community who grows in courage and strength by facing challenges with the bliss of missionary zeal.

·         

Intercessions

Lord we pray that all Claretian missionaries’ communities all over the world they may grow in the spirit of Father. Claret.

Res . Lead us Lord, to be one in spirit 

May the leaders of the congregation likewise general government, provincials, and all the superiors lead the congregation in their respective responsibilities towards missionary discipleship. R.

May all the missionaries be joyful even in the difficult times so that they become true witnesses of Christ.  R.

That we, like our founder Father Claret, develop sincere devotion to the Heart of Mary and become true sons of the immaculate heart of Mary. R

That we all Claretians, keep the spirit of Father Claret through our committed life in communion with one another in communities.  R

Lord’s Prayer

Concluding Prayer

Lord our God, we have pondered and reflected and refreshed ourselves on the charism of Father Claret and his devotion to your Mother. Grant us your grace that we may learn from our Mother Mary and from our founder the missionary zeal so that our communities may be creative, innovative, and be joyful. We ask this in your name. Amen.

Final Hymn

Lord renew in our congregation

NINTH DAY 23. 10. 2016 

 “CLARET THE WITNESS – MESSENGER OF THE JOY OF THE GOSPEL”

INTRODUCTION

“The joy of the gospel fills the hearts & lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who encounter Jesus, those who accept his offer of salvation and set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness, with Christ joy is constantly born anew” (E. G 1). Our Pope Francis invites us to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ or at least an openness to letting him encounter us, “no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord” (E. G 3).

Jesus is the “first and the greatest evangelizer” in every activity of evangelization, the primacy belongs to belongs to God, who has called us to corporate with him and who leads us on by the power of his Spirit. We have been graced with the particular spirituality inherited from St. Anthony Claret and from our rich tradition. As sons of the Heart of Mary we are called to be men of joy.

Today we reflect the theme “Claret the witness – messenger of the joy of the gospel.” Claret’s evangelizing mission was prophetic. He received from the Holy Spirit a special sensitivity for picking up the signs of the times in the Church and in the world. The word of God shaped Claret’s personality to conform to that of Jesus and the apostles in order to make him to a joyful – witnessing missionary. His assimilation of the word of God is for the purpose of carrying out Jesus’ command to proclaim the Good News to all peoples throughout the world. We Claretians have been called to be trust worthy messengers of the Church’s faith in its Lord and find a model of the centrality of Christ close to us in the person and teaching of our founder.

An evangelizer must never look like someone who has just come back from a funeral, let us recover and deepen our enthusiasm that delightful and comforting joy of evangelizing, even when it is in tears that must sow… (E. G 10).

OPENING HYMN – We are happy Christians all united …..

OPENING PRAYER

Father of kindness, you deigned to choose us and send us as you sent your son, Jesus. Grant us your spirit to make us fitting ministers of the gospel, and grant us the power we need to faithfully exercise our ministry for the salvation of human kind. As sons of the Heart of Mary, we ask you Father the grace of a deep cordiality, so necessary to be in our world, witnesses and messengers of the joy of the gospel.    Amen

READING:

 The Autobiography – 667 – 668

PSALM– 133: 1- 11 “I will bless the lord all my days; his praise will be ever on my lips”

SCRIPTURE READING – Rom 8: 35, 38-39

SILENCE

SHORT REFLECTION

All of us have received the ministry of proclaiming Jesus Christ by means of the word. For us Claretian missionaries not only is what we proclaim important but also from where we carry it out. The situation context gives depth and timeliness to the text, cultural insertion, insertion among our people is not a choice for us. It is the atmosphere we need in order to be able to appropriately carry out our mission as witnesses – messengers of the joy of the gospel. Only through insertion into our peoples and cultures will be learn their language, share their deepest experiences and find the inspiration of the spirit that empowers us to serve them the bread of the word.

Some questions for reflection

1. What is my own understanding of becoming witnesses – messengers of the joy of the gospel?

2. Do I feel the real missionary happiness or joy in my vocation?

3.  How can I witness Christ in my community?

4. In which ways I can contribute something to create a joyful community?

5. Do I feel the missionary spirit in my mission and in my community where I live?

6. What are the challenges that are preventing me to become a real witness- messengers of the joy of the gospel?

INTERCESSIONS

1. Lord in order to bring the joy of the gospel to the poor, and to proclaim the time of grace of mercy. Make all Christian communities and all Christian families involves themselves with grater diligence in vocation ministry

Res – LORD MAKE US JOYFUL MISSIONARIES

2. You make all things new by the Holy Spirit. Renewing our Claretian family and in each one of us the Spirit that animated St. Anthony Mary Claret so that we may seek by all possible means to set the world on fire with your love    Res….

3. Lord we pray for those who serve the church by proclaiming your joy of the gospel, also here our prayers that our congregation  may never lack generous and self –giving missionaries to spread the faith throughout the world    Res…..

LORD’S PRAYER / HAIL MARY

CLOSING PRAYER

Lord you wanted to associate your work redemption with the Virgin Mary you have also granted to us the gift of following Christ by proclaiming the joy of the gospel. Grant that we may use every means possible to spread the Good News of the kingdom throughout the world. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

FINAL HYMN – Thanks and praise we give you mother …