Saturday in the Fourth Week of Easter

We pray Saturday in the fourth week of Easter with a morning offering, a patristic reading, and closing devotions that place our whole day in Christ’s mercy. We hear St Cyril of Alexandria on Romans and take up the challenge of real unity, where we share burdens and become a light to the nations. 
• Opening prayers and the Morning Offering through the Immaculate Heart of Mary 
• One Body of Christ, mutual suffering and shared joy 
• Accepting one another through empathy, burdens and peace 
• Christ as servant to fulfil God’s promises to Israel 
• Salvation extended to the Gentiles as God’s mercy for all 
• Easter prayer for healing and eternal life, Sacred Heart and Marian devotions 

If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith, consider joining the Cristeros and purchasing our publications now available on Amazon.com. The Cristeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store. More information on the Cristeros can be found at theCristeros.org.

Transcript

One Body And Mutual Care

Christ Fulfils Israel’s Promise

Mercy For Gentiles And All Nations

Easter Prayer And Closing Devotions

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SPEAKER_00 0:02

Saturday, in the fourth week of Easter. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. For the remission of my sins, for the intentions of my family and friends, and in particular, for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen. From the commentary on the letter to the Romans by St. Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop. Though many, we are one body and members one of another, united by Christ in the bonds of love. Christ has made Jews and Gentiles one by breaking down the barrier that divided us and abolishing the law with its precepts and decrees. This is why we should all be of one mind, and if one member suffers some misfortune, all should suffer with him. If one member is honored, all should be glad. Paul says, accept one another as Christ accepted you, for the glory of God. Now accepting one another means being willing to share one another's thoughts and feelings, bearing one another's burdens, and preserving the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. This is how God accepted us in Christ, for John's testimony is true, and he said that God the Father loved the world so much that he gave his own Son for us. God's Son was given as a ransom for the lives of us all. He has delivered us from death, redeemed us from death and from sin. Paul throws light on the purpose of God's plan when he says that Christ became the servant of the circumcised to show God's fidelity. God has promised the Jewish patriarchs that he would bless their offspring and make it as numerous as the stars of heaven. This is why the divine word himself, who as God holds all creation in being and is the source of its well-being, appeared in the flesh and became man. He came into this world in human flesh, not to be served, but as he said himself, to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. Christ declared that his coming in visible form was to fulfill the promise made to Israel. I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, he said. Paul was perfectly correct then in saying that Christ became a servant of the circumcised in order to fulfill the promise made to the patriarchs, and that God the Father had charged him with this task, as also with the task of bringing salvation to the Gentiles, so that they too might praise their Savior and Redeemer as the creator of the universe. In this way, God's mercy has been extended to all men, including the Gentiles, and it can be seen that the mystery of the divine wisdom contained in Christ has not failed in its benevolent purpose. In the place of those who fell away, the whole world has been saved. It was our duty to proclaim the Word of God to you first, but since you reject it and thus condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. This is what the Lord commanded us to do. I have made you a light to the nations. We now turn to the Gentiles. O God, who in the celebration of Easter graciously give to the world the healing of heavenly remedies, show benevolence to your church, that our present observance may benefit us for eternal life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen. Let us praise the Lord and give Him thanks. All that I have and all that I am, I give to your hands, Jesus, through the heart of Mary, your blessed mother. Amen. Sacred heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith, consider joining the Cristeros and purchasing our publications now available on Amazon.com. The Cristeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store. More information on the Cristeros can be found at theCristeros.org.