Divine Word Missionaries

Arnold Janssen Spirituality Center

AJSC

St. Arnold's Feastday

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ST. ARNOLD’S FEASTDAY
4:00 PM, January 13, 2008
AJSC-PHIL., QUEZON CITY

Prayer Service by Sr. Joy M. Climaco SSpS

OPENING LITURGY

THE LOVE OF GOD SHINES IN RAINBOW COLORS

INTRODUCTION:

It is just 99 years since the death of St. Arnold Janssen. Usually we would not even remember, let alone celebrate, a person’s death anniversary after such a long time, since no one alive now could have known the person. To celebrate someone’s death in this way implies that she or he is one whose life made a difference in the world. Arnold certainly made a difference. And we too can make a difference, if the burning passion of the Spirit that inspired his life burns in us also.

Love for the Holy Spirit was the source of his missionary enthusiasm. He used various images to describe the effect of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The image we will take this evening is specially beautiful. When the sun’s rays shine through raindrops, wrote Arnold, the sky lights up with rainbow splendor. Similarly does the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of love, shine in our hearts with rainbow colors and helps us to appreciate this beauty in ourselves and in others - if only we gaze with the eyes of the heart. How much our darkened hearts and world need the sunlight of the Holy Spirit!

In our prayer service now we wish to thank God for the life of St. Arnold of Steyl and pray that the Spirit that inspired him will touch our hearts too. And so we pray:

May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word, and may the Spirit of Grace brighten our hearts with rainbow colors. Amen.

CUTTING OF THE RIBBON AND BLESSING:

Let us now light our candles to signify our joyful gratitude for the life of St. Arnold as well as that of our Founding Generation and for the spiritual heritage we have received from them. Together we ask the FATHER, SON and HOLY SPIRIT to bless this room that keeps the different significant symbols and remembrances of our spiritual legacy. We pray that the SPIRIT who is burning LOVE and who inflamed the sparks of HER Fire in their hearts will urge us on to spread the Sparks of Fire to our communities and to all people.

Sprinkling of Holy Water

PROCESSION to the Conference Room:

Each one offers her/his candle before the picture of St. Arnold and says a silent prayer

HYMN: IN THE LIGHT OF THE WORD

READING: John 1: 1-5, 9b, 14, 16, 18

In the beginning was the WORD: the WORD was with GOD and the WORD was GOD. He was with GOD in the beginning. Through Him all things came into being, not one thing came into being except through HIM. What has come into being in HIM was life, life that was the light of people; the light shines in darkness, and darkness could not overpower it. The WORD was the real light that gives light to everyone; HE was coming into the world. The WORD became flesh, HE lived among us, and we saw HIS glory, the glory that HE has from the FATHER as only SON of the FATHER, full of grace and truth. Indeed, from HIS fullness we have, all of us, received – one gift replacing another, for the Law was given through Moses, grace and truth have come through JESUS CHRIST. No one has ever seen GOD; it is the only SON, who is close to the FATHER’S heart, who has made HIM known.

Silent Reflection:

PowerPoint Presentation

JESUS CHRIST, the only SON who is close to the FATHER’S heart has made HIM known to each one of us personally by the gift of HIS SPIRIT. In a very special way HE has made it known to St. Arnold and St. Arnold has shared with us the SPARKS OF THE FIRE in his heart. Through the years as SSpS or as SVD we, too have experienced this Spark of Fire, God’s love shining in our hearts.

THE LOVE OF GOD SHINES IN RAINBOW COLORS
(Based on a Reflection by Fr. Peter McHugh, SVD)

See PowerPint Show >>

Sharing in Small Groups according to your Color:

Reflection Guide: (You may choose one or two points from the following reflection guide).

  • Name some rainbow colors (bright and dark ones) of God’s love in your life.
  • Like St. Arnold, how did you experience like being the wrong person, in the wrong place and at the wrong time? What kept your fire sparking in spite of these experiences?
  • What St. Arnold began in Steyl continues today… how are you keeping the spark of fire burning in your present community and ministry? How is the SPIRIT working in us and through us “poor instruments of grace”?
  • “Love of neighbor finds its highest expression in spreading the Gospel,” was the basis of St. Arnold’s missionary enthusiasm, of his burning passion. What is yours?
  • Capture in a word or two your experiences of God’s love shining in rainbow colors as you have shared in your group. Kindly write your word(s) on the colored paper and hang them on the rainbow banner..
  • Close your sharing with a short thanksgiving prayer.

You may agree on a short presentation for the socialization: dance, skit, or song after dinner.

GAMES……………………………GAMES…………………..GAMES