Monday, First Week of Advent
Theme: Adam and Eve
Symbol: Man and Woman, Apple
Prayer of Ven. Bruno Lanteri
Almighty and Eternal God, I (name), although most unworthy, but encouraged by your compassion and infinite mercy, and by the desire of serving you, offer before the Most Holy Virgin Mary and all the Court of Heaven, to your Divine Majesty, this day, and all my thoughts, words and actions in it. I humbly beg of your infinite goodness and mercy, by the Blood of Jesus Christ, that you choose to accept this offering in the odor of sweetness, and that as you have given me the grace to desire and to make this offering, so also you grant me the grace to fulfill it. Amen.
O Virgin immaculately conceived, put into my heart those things of your Son most pleasing to him. Amen.
Scripture: Romans 5:12-15
Therefore, just as through one person sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all, inasmuch as all sinned for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world, though sin is not accounted when there is no law. But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin after the pattern of the trespass of Adam, who is the type of the one who was to come. But the gift is not like the transgression. For if by that one person’s transgression the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one person Jesus Christ overflow for the many.
Reflection: When Adam and Eve first looked at each other it was through the eye of God within each of them. God’s eye sees the heart. After disobedience to God they saw each other through their own eyes of self-gratification. Only through prayer can the eye of God continue to grow within you.