By Your help, we beseech You, Lord our God, may we walk eagerly in that same charity with which, out of love for the world, Your Son handed Himself over to death. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
By Your help – The writer of this prayer lays a firm foundation with these three little words. We are about to pray for something that we cannot give ourselves or earn for ourselves or do by ourselves. We need God's help and grace constantly.
may we walk eagerly with that same charity – Are we eager in our love? Or do we hem and haw and hesitate and make excuses? Further, the word “charity” has largely shifted its meaning these days, so we have to remember that in this context, it does not mean giving to the poor, but rather, it refers to divine love (agapÄ“ in Greek) and the human share in divine love that allows us to will the very best for all people and do whatever we can to help them achieve that best.
out of love for the world – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16). For the Son so loved the world that He suffered and died on the cross to atone for our sins and open the gates of Heaven.
Your Son handed Himself over to death – Jesus could have saved us by shedding one drop of His precious Blood. He could have called down legions of angels to stop the crucifixion. He did not have to die. He chose to die. Why? Because He wanted to reveal the full depths of His love for us by pouring out every last drop of His Blood.
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