TODAY’S WORD…

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The Lord is my light and my salvation
so why should I be afraid? …
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger,
so why should I tremble?
Though a mighty army surrounds me,
my heart will not be afraid.
Even if I am attacked,
I will remain confident.

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– Psalm 27:1-3 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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Jesus Christ, perfect God and perfect Man,

wanted to suffer pain and live in poverty Himself

in order to show us that physical suffering and the lack of material goods are not real ills.

There only exists one true evil that we must fear and with God’s grace reject,

and that is sin.

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Yes, the Lord is my light and my salvation
so why should I be afraid? …
Even if I am attacked,
I will remain confident.

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“Attacks”, misfortunes, physical sufferings,

if borne for Christ

become true treasures for man.

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This is the great revolution brought about by Christ,

and it can be understood only through prayer

and with the light that faith gives.

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Christians are called to trust fully in the Lord

and we are encouraged, urged, to consider

illness, pain, hunger, thirst, heat, cold,

dishonour, poverty, loneliness,

betrayal, slander, persecution…

as treasures on earth.

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Let us not let them go to waste,

rather, let us sanctify our suffering

and accept it all as a grace which unites us to Christ.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord Jesus, You are my light, my salvation, my fortress.

With You by my side, I am not afraid; I remain confident.

I praise and thank You, Lord.

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… … … … … … … … … … … …… …

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Note: The main source of today’s REFLECTION is the seven-volume work

“In Conversation with God” by Padre Francisco Fernández Carvajal.