“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – Matthew 24:35

Posted on 6 July 2015 by Christ the King Prayer Group

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said,

“Heaven and earth will pass away,

but my words will never pass away.”

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– Matthew 24:35 (NIV)

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REFLECTION…

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Do I believe in Jesus, the Lord?

Do I believe He is the Son of God who came to save us?

Do I believe in all that He said and did to show us the way,

and that His words will never become outdated or pass away?

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Many will answer “yes” they believe.

Many will confirm that they are Christian.

But many, in spite of their proclaimed faith,

still do what suits them most in the immediate term

and seemingly ignoring the Lord’s advice.

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Am I one of these many?

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QUOTE…

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"Whenever men and women, albeit frail and sinful,

are sincerely open to an encounter with Christ,

a radical transformation begins to take place:

‘but to all who received Him,

He gave power to become children of God’ (Jn 1:12).

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To receive the Word means to let oneself be shaped by Him,

and thus to be conformed by the power of the Holy Spirit

to Christ, the ‘only Son from the Father’ (Jn 1:14).

It is the beginning of a new creation;

a new creature is born,

a new people comes to birth.

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Those who believe,

that is to say, those who live the obedience of faith,

are ‘born of God’ (Jn 1:13) and made sharers in the divine life:

sons in the Son.
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As St. Augustine puts it nicely…:

‘you were created through the word,

but now through the word you must be recreated.’”
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– Pope Benedict XVI – "Verbum Domini"

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord Jesus, Your words are Truth; they are Spirit and Life!

With Your words deep within my heart,

l grow strong and determined to follow You and to do Your will..

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“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – Matthew 11:28

Posted on 5 July 2015 by Christ the King Prayer Group

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said,

“Come to me,

all you who labour

and are overburdened,

and I will give you rest.”

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– Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

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REFLECTION…

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St John of the Cross paraphrases Our Lord’s words:

“All you who go about tormented, afflicted and burdened

with the burden of your cares and desires,

go forth from them,

come to Me and I will refresh you

and you shall find for your souls the rest which your desires take from you.”

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We are weary,

and oftentimes it is our own consummate search for the perfect ideal

that stresses us

and weighs down so heavily on us

and robs us from our peace.

We are burdened by many things:

concerns about our jobs, our business,

marriage, money, health, children, security, old age;

about tough choices we seem to have to make time and time again;

our seemingly never-ending busy-ness;

traffic;

about criticism or opposition;

about loneliness and emptiness;

about being misunderstood;

about a thousand other things.

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If you feel life is burdensome and tiresome,

"Jesus says now and always,

‘Come to me,

all you who labour

and are overburdened,

and I will give you rest.’

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His attitude towards us is one

of invitation, knowledge and compassion;

indeed, it is one

of offering, promise,

friendship, goodness,

remedy of our ailments.

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He is our comforter;

indeed, our nourishment,

our bread,

giving us energy and life"

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– Pope Paul VI

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Jesus, my Lord, grant that I will always seek You – in every circumstance –

and that I may gladly experience the rest that only You can give.

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“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – Proverbs 28:13

Posted on 4 July 2015 by Christ the King Prayer Group

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

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– Proverbs 28:13 (NIV)

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INSTRUCTION…by St Cyril of Jerusalem…

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“If anyone here is a slave to sin

then let him make himself ready through faith for the new birth into the freedom of God’s adopted children. […]

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Through confession, strip yourself naked of your old human nature,

which is being torn apart by deceitful desires,

and clothe yourself in the new nature,

which is being mended and made whole by knowledge of the One who created you.

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By faith receive the guarantee of the Holy Spirit,

so that you will be received into your eternal home.

Come before the mystical Seal of God’s kingdom

so that you may be easily recognised by the Master.

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Be counted as part of the holy and spiritual flock of Christ,

to be set apart on his right hand and receive the inheritance that has been prepared for you. […]

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If you are found worthy,

you will hear the words Well done, good and faithful servant

– when your conscience has been examined and found to be free of all taint of hypocrisy.

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If anyone here thinks of putting God’s grace to the test,

he is deceiving himself and ignorant of the power of things.

Keep your soul sincere and free of hypocrisy

because God searches the mind and the heart.

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The present time is the time for confession.

Confess what you have done,

whether by words or by actions,

whether by day or by night.

If you confess at the acceptable time,

you will receive the heavenly treasure on the Day of salvation.

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Make yourself pure so that you may be a vessel of more abundant grace. […]

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If you are holding anything against anyone, forget it, let it go.

You have come here to receive forgiveness of sins,

so you must first forgive whoever has sinned against you.”

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TWO REASONS WHY WE NEED TO GO TO CONFESSION…by Pope Francis

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“First, the fact that the forgiveness of our sins is not something we can give ourselves.

I cannot say: I forgive my sins.

Forgiveness is asked for, is asked of another, and in Confession we ask for forgiveness from Jesus.

Forgiveness is not the fruit of our own efforts but rather a gift,

it is a gift of the Holy Spirit

who fills us with the wellspring of mercy and of grace

that flows unceasingly from the open heart of the Crucified and Risen Christ.”

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“Secondly, it reminds us that we can truly be at peace

only if we allow ourselves to be reconciled, in the Lord Jesus, with the Father and with the brethren.

And we have all felt this in our hearts, when we have gone to confession with a soul weighed down and with a little sadness;

and when we receive Jesus’ forgiveness we feel at peace,

with that peace of soul which is so beautiful, and which only Jesus can give, only Him.”

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Do not let me harden my heart, but make it humble and contrite,

and lead me to confess my transgressions,

that I may be forgiven and healed

…and that my soul may be filled with Your peace.

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“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – John 20:28

Posted on 3 July 2015 by Christ the King Prayer Group

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TODAY’S WORD…

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“My Lord and my God!”

Thomas exclaimed to Jesus.

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– John 20:28 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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Thomas’ doubted

– He had not believed his friends and fellow disciples

about Jesus having appeared to them.

He insisted that only if he saw for himself

and touched Jesus’ wounds,

would he then believe.

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Gentle, loving and understanding Jesus

allows Thomas to do so,

and that is when Thomas’ lets out,

from the bottom of his heart,

this short yet profound assertion of faith,

“My Lord and my God!”

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We too can be like Thomas,

at various stages of our lives.

We too can become almost irreverent towards the Lord

in those moments when our faith is tested by circumstances in our lives,

or influenced by an increasingly Godless world.

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Jesus, who loves us and who so understands our humanity,

wants us, encourages us, to go to Him in those dark moments

and to insist with Him about our doubts.

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Jesus knows it when we sincerely want to believe

and He will touch us in ways which are beyond our own understanding

…and our incredulity will be healed

…and our heart will recognise its Maker

and it will cry out: “My Lord and my God!”.

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QUOTE…

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“The case of the Apostle Thomas is important for us at least for three reasons:

first, because it consoles us in our insecurities;

second, because it shows us that every doubt can have a luminous end beyond any uncertainty;

and, finally, because the words that Jesus addressed to him

[“You believe because you have seen me.

Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”]

remind us of the authentic meaning of mature faith

and encourage us to continue, despite the difficulties,

on the path of fidelity to Him.”

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– Pope Benedict XVI

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Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed:

this is the beatitude of faith!

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In every time and in every place,

those people are blessed who, through the Word of God,

proclaimed by the Church and witnessed to by Christians,

believe that Jesus Christ is the love of God incarnate, Mercy incarnate.

And this is true for all of us!”

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– Pope Francis

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Jesus, my Lord and my God!

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“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – Jeremiah 17:9-10

Posted on 2 July 2015 by Christ the King Prayer Group

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TODAY’S WORD…

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The heart is devious above all else;

it is perverse —

who can understand it?

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I the Lord test the mind

and search the heart,

to give to all according to their ways,

according to the fruit of their doings.

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– Jeremiah 17:9-10 (NRSV)

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REFLECTION…

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God cannot be deceived.

He knows what’s going on in a person’s mind, which can so easily be led astray.

He sees right into a person’s heart, which can be so deceitful.

He will judge each person on his or her own merits.

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We can never know

where our heart mind and heart can lead us to

in those moments of temptation and weakness.

That is why we must relentlessly call upon the Lord,

who will warn us

and will help us control and constrain our self-centeredness,

our wishes, our thoughts, our intentions.

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Only the Lord can help me overcome myself.

Only faith can open my mind and heart to the One who died to save me

so that I may have everlasting life.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, I am lost without You.

Test my mind, search my heart,

correct me, forgive me, teach me,

and lead me in the right path.

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“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – Romans 12:3,10

Posted on 1 July 2015 by Christ the King Prayer Group

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Do not think of yourself more highly than you should.

Instead, be modest in your thinking,

and judge yourself according to the amount of faith that God has given you.

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Love one another warmly as Christians,

and be eager to show respect for one another.

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– Romans 12:3,10 (GNT)

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REFLECTION…

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Sincere Christian love and charity

requires that we respect and esteem all others.

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To esteem others,

we must be careful that we do not esteem our own selves too much,

nor be always sure of ourselves.

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Whoever has too high an idea of himself

is like a man who, at night, has before his eyes a source of intense light:

he can see nothing beyond it;

he cannot see the lights of his brothers and sisters,

nor their merits and values.

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Be modest in your thinking.

Rather than inflating them,

we need to be modest and minimise what we think are our own merits.

It is not a bad thing to also look more closely at

and to admit our own failings.

When we genuinely do so with all humility,

what follows naturally is that the defects we may see in others are minimised.

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Minimising the defects we may see in others

and showing respect for one another

includes not engaging in gossip.

Gossip may sometimes appear to be innocent enough,

but it is in fact one of the things that most pollutes our lives together.

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It is not enough to avoid speaking ill of others

– we must also prevent people from doing so in our presence,

making it clear, perhaps by our silence, that we do not approve.

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[*]

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QUOTE…

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“Gossip is spread by wicked people;

they stir up trouble and break up friendships.”

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– Proverbs 16:28

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord Jesus, grant me humility and a heart that loves like Yours!

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“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – Acts 4:12

Posted on 30 June 2015 by Christ the King Prayer Group

TODAY’S WORD…

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Salvation is found in no one else,

for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind

by which we must be saved.

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– Acts 4:12 (NIV)

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LISTEN…REFLECT…AND WORSHIP…

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Prepare your heart and then lease click here and proclaim and rejoice in the goodness of the Lord!

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EXHORTATION…

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“Jesus Christ is Lord;

in Him, and in no one else, do we find salvation.

Christ is the source of hope for Europe and for the whole world,

‘and the Church is the channel in which the grace pouring from the pierced Heart of the Saviour flows and spreads’.

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This confession of faith causes our hearts and lips

to raise a joyful confession of hope:

‘Risen and living Lord, You are the new hope of the Church and of humanity.

You are the one true hope for the human family and for history.

Already in this life, and in the life to come You are ‘among us the hope of glory’.

In You and with You, we find truth:

our life has meaning, communion is possible, diversity can become richness,

and the power of the kingdom is at work in history and helps to build the city of mankind.

Love gives an eternal value to human efforts.

Suffering becomes salvific, life will conquer death, creation will share in the glory of the children of God’ .

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I invite my brothers and my sisters in faith…constantly to be open in trust to Christ

and to allow themselves to be renewed by Him,

proclaiming to all people of good will in the power of peace and love

that whoever encounters the Lord comes to know the Truth, discovers the Life, and finds the Way leading to it.

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…Christ is the future of man.

In the faith of the Church, ‘there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.’

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For believers, Jesus Christ is the hope of every person because He grants eternal life.

He is ‘the Word of life’, who came to the world so that men and women ‘may have life, and have it abundantly.’”

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– Pope St. John Paul II – Apostolic Exhortation ECCLESIA IN EUROPA.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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There is no other name.

Holy is Your Name.

Jesus. Jesus!

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“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – John 21:17

Posted on 29 June 2015 by Christ the King Prayer Group

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TODAY’S WORD…

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A third time Jesus said to Peter,

“Simon son of John, do you love Me?”

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Peter became sad

because Jesus had asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’,

and so he said to Him,

“Lord, You know everything;

You know that I love You!”

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– John 21:17 (GNT)

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REFLECTION…

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I put myself in Peter’s place.

There I am, in front of my Lord, Jesus;

He looks at me with His knowing, penetrating eyes

and He asks me directly, calling me by my name,

“…do you love Me?”

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If I truly believe that Jesus is the Son of God,

then like Peter, I am also fully aware

that He already knows what my reply will be,

and He also knows whether it is the truth…or not.

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When that moment arrives – and it shall –

will I be able to fix my eyes on my benevolent Lord,

who knows my human frailty,

and reply with humility and honesty, just like Peter did,

"Lord, You know everything;

You know that I love You.”

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Will I?

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EPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Do I love You, Lord?

Please help me truly love You.

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“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – 2 Peter 3:9-10

Posted on 28 June 2015 by Christ the King Prayer Group

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TODAY’S WORD…

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The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think.

No, He is being patient for your sake.

He does not want anyone to be destroyed,

but wants everyone to repent.

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But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief.

Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise,

and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire,

and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.

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– 2 Peter 3:9-10 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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The day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief…

but many Christians don’t seem to really care at all!

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Why then would so many of us

carry on living our lives consciously breaking God’s commandments?

Why then do we seem to be living in a world

– even in so-called “Christian countries” –

were reckless abandon to worldly and sensual desires seems to be the norm

and is even being legalised in the name of “rights and freedom”?

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Jesus said,

“You also must be ready all the time,

for the Son of Man will come when least expected” (Mat 24:44)

and the fact that the Second Advent has not yet come about

is quite compatible with the certainty that it will happen,

and that it will happen all of a sudden.

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Therefore, far from being an excuse for making Christian life less demanding,

the promise that Christ is to come a second time is a spur to stay vigilant.

But am I vigilant

or am I happily playing a game of Russian Roulette with my soul?

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The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think.

rather He is being patient for [our] sake.

He does not want anyone to be destroyed,

but wants everyone to repent.

God, in His great mercy, does not seek our condemnation

but, rather, wants all mankind to be saved

and He shows wonderful patience towards us.

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"Since we know neither the day nor the hour,

we should follow the advice of the Lord and watch constantly

so that, when the single course of our earthly life is completed,

we may merit to enter with Him into the marriage feast

and be numbered among the blessed

and not…be ordered to depart into the eternal fire." (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium")

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Jesus, I want to abandon myself and my all to You.

Come, Jesus, come!

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“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – Luke 1:46-47

Posted on 27 June 2015 by Christ the King Prayer Group

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TODAY’S WORD…

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And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour…”

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– Luke 1:46-47 (NRSV)

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REFLECTION…

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Like Mary, we need to put God at the centre of our lives;

like her we need to abandon ourselves trustfully to His will,

in an attitude of humble docility to His plan of love.

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In spite of the difficulties we may encounter

we must learn from Mary

and draw from her Immaculate Heart with renewed trust,

allowing ourselves to be imbued with joy

which has its most profound source in the Lord.

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Joy, the fruit of the Holy Spirit,

is a fundamental distinguishing characteristic of Christians.

It is founded on hope in God,

it draws strength from incessant prayer

and it enables us to face trials and suffering with serenity.

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And we must let that joy shine through!

If we are conscious of a lack of joy in our hearts,

then let us abandon ourselves to the Holy Spirit

and allow Him to fill us with peace and joy beyond our own understanding.

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As St. Paul reminds us:

“Rejoice in hope,

be patient in suffering,

persevere in prayer.” (Rom 12:12)

These words seem to reflect Mary’s attitude

and they exhort us to willingly reproduce,

in our own selves and in our everyday lives,

the sentiments of joy in the faith as expressed by Our Lady.

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QUOTES…

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“May the soul of Mary be in us to magnify the Lord;

may the spirit of Mary be in us to exult in God.”

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– St. Ambrose

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"Our prayer can accompany and imitate this prayer of Mary.

Like her, we feel the desire to sing, to acclaim the wonders of God,

so that all mankind and all creation may share our joy."

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– St. Josemaria Escriva

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"Often, prayer is dictated by difficult situations,

by personal problems that lead us to turn to the Lord for light, comfort and help.

But Mary invites us to expand the dimensions of prayer,

to turn to God not only in times of need and not only for ourselves,

but also in an undivided, persevering, faithful way,

with ‘one heart and soul."

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– Pope Benedict XVI

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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My soul – magnify my Lord, for He is Holy and worthy to be praised!

My spirit – rejoice in my God, for He is my hope and my Saviour!

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