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Word To Life
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Sunday Scripture Readings: May 20, 2007
By Beverly Corzine
Catholic News Service
May 20, Seventh Sunday of Easter
Cycle C Readings:
1) Acts 7:55-60
Psalm 97:1-2, 6-7, 9
2) Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20
3) Gospel: John 17:20-26
One golden Saturday morning it was my lot to monitor a film crew's use of our office space. While I waited for the crew's arrival, I stared at the beautiful morning unfolding outside in the parking lot and in a grassy area nearby. With the arrival of each car I wondered, "Is this part of the crew?" Car after car indeed was filled with a "crew." However, these people were not the crew I was anticipating.
Out of each vehicle spilled children with one or both parents and an occasional grandparent. Today was the long-awaited First Eucharist Preparation Day. I soon became the unofficial greeter. One young person informed me that the next Saturday, when he would receive the Eucharist for the first time, would be "the best day of all."
Nearly every child brought a gift to the event. When I asked about them, I was proudly told that the bags were full of toiletry items for people who were sick. The spirit of anticipation and joy that seemed to animate each group was contagious.
As I sent the last family to find the designated meeting room, members of the camera crew began to arrive. During introductions someone asked, "Are you always this happy when you have to work on a Saturday morning?"
"I had some help this morning!" I replied.
The gorgeous day, the children and their families, meeting the film crew, watching their creativity and attending Saturday evening Mass all became a part of a gift called Saturday.
Most of us would agree that one of God's great gifts to humanity is Scripture. In fact, some passages or books in the Bible seem to literally knock us over with a great, "Aha!" John's Gospel is one of those books. The entire 17th chapter is a prayer of Jesus. Today's Gospel comes from the closing verses of Chapter 17. When this prayer is ended Jesus will go to the garden, but not before he has included in his prayer those who are yet to come.
QUESTIONS:
When have you prayed in anticipation of an event yet to happen or an unknown person to enter your life? How has this affected the way this event or person becomes a gift to you?
SCRIPTURE TO BE ILLUSTRATED:
"Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world" (John 17:24).
END
Copyright © 2006 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS Word To Life column may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service.
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