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Eschatological Hope: Maranatha!
The Church confesses the mystery of faith at every eucharistic celebration: “We proclaim your death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again!”
The Community, with the whole Church, awaits the coming of Jesus in glory, the day when all of humanity and all of creation will be united in the love of Jesus Christ.
Seized by this eschatological longing and striving toward the perfection of the world to come, the Community “groans and sighs” (Rm 8,22) with the whole of creation in incessant and vigilant prayer: “Maranatha – come Lord Jesus!”
Through its way of life, the Community proclaims implicitly and explicitly the reality of the Kingdom and the imminence of its advent. (see Book of Life, n° 5)
On Monday : Parousia, the Coming of the Kingdom
“The Lord taught us to pray: “May your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” He also teaches us that the prayer of the faithful can shorten the day of trial for the world. Finally, He invites us to respond to His invitation: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour,” and “Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes.” (Book of Life, no 43)
On Tuesday : Unity
“We have to believe that the prayer of Christ himself was heard by His father and granted when, before His passion, He said: “The glory which you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one” The Master of time, who pursues His plan of grace with wisdom and patience for the sinners that we are, has begun, in these last times, to pour out a spirit of repentance and a desire for greater unity into the hearts of divided Christians. We pray that the scandal of division in Christ’s own Body may end, and we ask the Father to bring about dialogue where hearts are hardened, inspiring church leaders and their communities with an ardent desire for unity.” (Book of Life, no44)
On Wednesday : Vocations
“The Second Vatican Council affirmed that, “the effective union of the whole people of God in fostering vocations is the proper response to the action of Divine Providence, which confers the fitting gifts on those men divinely chosen to participate in the hierarchical priesthood of Christ and helps them by His grace.” We will also pray for those who serve the Church of Christ in various ways, and for religious families. We will pray especially for priestly vocations, for the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” (Book of Life, no45).
On Thursday: Proclamation of the Kingdom of God
“We will pray for all those who proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of God in one way or another, and for all those who complete in their body what is lacking in the Passion of Christ, within Christ’s own body, which is the Church. May God bear witness, “by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his own will.” (Book of Life, n°46)
On Friday: The Fulfilment of God’s Purpose for Israel
“St. Paul describes the mystery of Israel as co-natural to the mystery of the Church when he says, “Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brethren: a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles come in, and so all Israel will be saved.” All of the Gentiles and all of Israel find themselves united in a common destiny. Intercession for the Jewish people thus has an important place in our prayer for the universal Church, and in the fulfillment of time.” (Book of Life, n°47)