Dies Domini Exhortation

(I was asked to give an exhortation a few months ago.  I am blogging it now)

My brothers in Christ,

It is with great humility that I deliver this reflection this evening.  I know that among my friends there are men who are more educated, more holy, and more faithful.  But I ask the Lord for his words:

Let us pray.  Lord Jesus Christ, you are the Word of God spoken to us.  You give us life and light and call us to live holy lives for you.  Be on our hearts and minds this evening and help us to have authentic fraternal brotherhood that is pleasing to you.  May God grant us pardon and peace through Christ our Lord.

The third commandment tells us to “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.”  In his Apostolic Letter, Dies Domini, Holy Father Pope St John Paul II invites us to live heroically the holy day of the week.  Let us hear his words:

The disciples of Christ, however, are asked to avoid any confusion between the celebration of Sunday, which should truly be a way of keeping the Lord's Day holy, and the "weekend", understood as a time of simple rest and relaxation. This will require a genuine spiritual maturity, which will enable Christians to "be what they are", in full accordance with the gift of faith, always ready to give an account of the hope which is in them (cf. 1 Pt 3:15). In this way, they will be led to a deeper understanding of Sunday, with the result that, even in difficult situations, they will be able to live it in complete docility to the Holy Spirit. - “Dies Domini”, Pope John Paul II

The Lord invites us to enjoy a day of rest.  He does not, however, invite us to be lazy.  Lazy Christianity leads to temptations and unnecessary challenges to holy living.  But, authentic Christianity calls us to embrace fraternal joy and communion on His day of rest.  The joy of Lord comes to us all when we live the call of Christ to universal holiness.  

Even in this day, the brothers here demonstrate for us this call.  I do not yet know each person here to enter into the Church’s idea of communion.  And yet, as a stranger I am welcome.  Hungry, I am fed.  Communion with each other is a deep and loving relationship that is neither selfish nor falsely pious.  It is when we embrace the friendship of Christ and live that friendship do we begin to enter into communion with each other.  These friendships find their growth on this day of rest and find their perfection in the Eucharistic feast of the Mass.  We were made for communion and we were made to live this each day and not just at the Mass.  

Each day let us remember that we are called to work and pray, but we are also called to enjoy our holy friendships.  May we always keep our hearts ready as thrones for the Holy Trinity.  And thus will we always be holy and pleasing for the Lord, and beacons of hope and joy for each other.  May the Lord bring us all his peace and joy.