PRAYER MOMENT
Tuesday 1 October 2013
REJOICE, JERUSALEM
Pause. Rejoice in the presence of God and “the cloud
of witnesses” (Heb 12:1).
Reading. “Rejoice,
Jerusalem, beglad for her, all you who love her.” (Is 66:10-14)
Reflection. Meeting
people who participated in the 3.8 million gathering on the beach near Rio de
Janeiro in July with Pope Francis and hearing how they rejoiced as they prayed
and sang together, gives one some idea of what Isaiah has in mind when he
writes these words, which we read every year on the feast of Teresa of Lisieux,
October 1. The vision is of the new Jerusalem where “the glory of the nations”
will be manifest when all the people of the earth will journey to meet their
God and they will be comforted. Teresa in her own short life (1873-97) suffered
a great deal but she also rejoiced and at the end was able to write in her
journal, “Oh! I love him! My God! I love you!” They are the words of a lover
and here they are addressed to God.
Prayer. Lord, teach
us to rejoice in the heavenly Jerusalem of which even now we can have some idea.
Help us to raise our eyes – whatever the present troubles - and be comforted
even as we struggle. Amen
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