Relationship

​STEP #1: LECTIO / READ

I am reminding you, brothers and sisters,
of the Gospel I preached to you,
which you indeed received and in which you also stand.
Through it you are also being saved,
if you hold fast to the word I preached to you,
unless you believed in vain.
For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received:
that Christ died for our sins
in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he was buried;
that he was raised on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.
After that, he appeared to more
than five hundred brothers and sisters at once,
most of whom are still living,
though some have fallen asleep.
After that he appeared to James,
then to all the Apostles.
Last of all, as to one born abnormally,
he appeared to me.

1 COR 15:1-8

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​STEP #2: MEDITATIO / MEDITATE

I grew up Catholic. My family went to Church every Sunday. I was an altar server, lector, on the art and environment team. I was active in my faith, but the problem was, I didn’t really have a faith. I was doing all of these things not because I loved God, but because I wanted to be a good person. And because I wanted to put them on my college application.

My youth minister Patti, invited me to go on a pilgrimage to World Youth Day. When she asked, all I heard was trip to Rome! Yeah! But my parents heard the part about faith and decided to let me go. In less than two weeks on the pilgrimage, my life was changed.

For the first time, I was surrounded teens who weren’t just going through the motions but who were actively living out their faith. Through their example and their friendship I began to realize that something in my life was missing. I was happy, but I didn’t share in their joy. Their joy seemed to reach into their souls and it affected every part of their life.

It wasn’t until the last night of the pilgrimage, when I was kneeling in an empty field, surrounded by 1 million other teens, for Eucharistic Adoration that I realized what was missing in my life was Jesus. I didn’t really have a relationship with Him. I went to Church out of duty, but not because He was my Savior. That night, my whole world changed.

In adoration, I realized my faith was so much more than I had ever thought. I knew in my heart that Jesus loved me. More than that, I knew that He wanted me. He wanted more than just an hour on Sundays, He wanted my whole life.

In that moment in Adoration I knew that He was my Savior. That He suffered, for me. That He died, for me. And He rose so I could be with Him forever in heaven.

That is what today’s reading is all about. This reading sums up the most important aspects of our faith: God loves, sin damaged our relationship with God, but Jesus came, died and rose so that we could be with God one day in heaven.

What matters is knowing this in our hearts. Paul says, and last of all... He appeared to me.

Jesus appeared to me that night in adoration. Like Paul, my life changed after I truly began to know Him.

We need to have a relationship with Jesus. Jesus wants to know you, and to have you know Him. He already died for you. Will you live for Him?

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​​STEP #3: ORATIO / PRAY

"Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me."

Where has Jesus been present in my life? 

Do I truly know Jesus?

How can I deepen my relationship with Him?

How does knowing Jesus change my life?

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​​STEP #4: CONTEMPLATIO / CONTEMPLATE

He appeared to me.

Jesus wants me. 

Knowing Jesus should change me world.

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​​FOR THE REST OF YOUR DAY...

Try to spend some time in Eucharistic Adoration today, if you can't make it to Adoration, spend some time in front of the tabernacle. In your prayer time in front of Jesus, just look at Him. Don't talk, just sit and look at our Lord. 

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​​LOCK SCREEN GRAPHIC 

​Today's prayer was prepared by Lisa Kendzior.