A LAMP TO MY FEET. A LIGHT FOR MY PATH.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said,

“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

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– Matthew 5:48 (NRSV)

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REFLECTION…

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Strictly speaking,

it is quite impossible for a created being to be as perfect as God.

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What our Lord means here

is that God’s own perfection should be the model which every faithful Christian must try to follow

…even though we realise that there is an infinite distance between ourselves and our Creator.

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However, this does not reduce the force of this commandment;

it sheds more light on it.

And yes, the call to holiness is not a recommendation

but a commandment of Jesus Christ.

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It is a difficult commandment to live up to,

but along with this we must take account

of the enormous help grace gives us

to go so far as to tend towards divine perfection.

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Certainly, the perfection which we should imitate

does not refer to the power and wisdom of God,

which are totally beyond our scope;

here the context refers primarily to love and mercy

…and Jesus is our perfect example.

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Our Lord knows what is good for us,

and it is therefore our duty to sanctify ourselves.

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We are all called to be saints.

We are all called to be merciful.

We are all called to be holy.

We are all called to be perfect.

We are all called to put off the old person and put on Christ.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, I so want to be perfect. Yet I know that I am not.

Guide me, my Jesus,

and help me to draw closer to You, to become more like You.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said,

“So if you are presenting a gift at the altar in the Temple

and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you,

leave your sacrifice there at the altar.

Go and be reconciled to that person.

Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.”

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– Matthew 5:23-24 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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Here our Lord gives us an enduring moral teaching of the highest order.

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For today’s Christian, the greatest of all “gifts at the altar” is the Eucharist.

Although one has a duty to go to Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation,

an essential condition before receiving Holy Communion

is that one be in the state of grace.

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When Jesus talks about someone who “has something against you”,

there are at least two scenarios to consider:

someone could have something against us

in reaction to something we may have done,

or else it could be that someone has something against us and is wronging us

when we are totally innocent.

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The Sacrament of Reconciliation and forgiveness, as instituted by Christ,

is there for us to obtain pardon from God’s mercy

for offenses committed against Him when we wrong others.

It is also there for us to humbly declare our forgiveness of others

when it is us who have been wronged by them.

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“‘You must love the Lord your God

with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’

This is the first and greatest commandment.

A second is equally important:

‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’” (Mt 22:37-39)

When Jesus gave us this commandment,

He showed us how loving our neighbour should reflect our love for God

and how our love for God should be reflected in our love for others,

irrespective of whether others love us or not.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord Jesus, thank You for loving and forgiving me.

Help me love and forgive, like You do.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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God’s love was revealed among us in this way:

God sent His only Son into the world

so that we might live through Him.

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– 1 John 4:9 (NRSV)

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Jesus said,

“No one has greater love than this,

to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

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– John 15:13 (NRSV)

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Jesus said,

“If any want to become my followers,

let them deny themselves

and take up their cross and follow me.

For those who want to save their life will lose it,

and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.”

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– Matthew 16:24-25 (NRSV)

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REFLECTION…

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Next time you pray, hold a Crucifix in your hands.

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When we pray with a Crucifix,

we receive a special invitation from Jesus.

He invites us to reflect on our own life;

He reminds us of the seriousness and consequences of our sins—

consequences which He willingly took on by carrying the cross

and sacrificing Himself on it

…for us.
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When we pray with a Crucifix,

it inspires us to bear our suffering patiently.

If Jesus, as God made-Man, had to suffer in order to enter into His Glory,

then we too should accept suffering.

Adopting such an attitude makes our character more like Jesus’

and it helps detach us from the things of this world

and draws us closer to the Divine.

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The Crucifix also shows us the model of true love.

The Crucifix doesn’t hide the reality that love is sometimes painful,

for true love requires forgiveness.

If Jesus cried out from the Cross,

“Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing”(Lk 23:34),

are we not also invited to do the same, to forgive those who hurt us?
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The Crucifix is a reminder

that it alone is the way of life that brings us ultimate happiness.

We follow Christ on the Cross

in order to get to the resurrected Christ.

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The Crucifix reminds us that the path to resurrection

requires us to love as He loved.

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QUOTES…

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“O what inspiration there is in the Crucifix!

Who could find it hard to persevere

at the sight of a God who never commands us to do anything

which He has not first practiced Himself?”

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– St. John Vianney

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“A plain cross has no blood and no nail holes

– it has no trace of suffering –

yet it was the love of a suffering God that saved the world.

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When a cross is plain, we are deprived of seeing this truth

…we are deprived of being reminded

of how much God loves us and how He has proved His love

…we are deprived from the comforts of seeing this

and we may turn in towards ourselves

rather than to our Crucified Lord.”

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– Pope Pius XI

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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My Lord and my God, I love You.

Forgive me, Jesus,

and fill my heart with faith, hope and above all, love!

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TODAY’S WORD…

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“Praise God

and tell everyone about the good things He has done for you,

so that they too will honour Him and sing His praises.

Let everyone know what God has done.

Never stop praising Him.

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It’s a good idea to keep a king’s secret,

but what God does should be told everywhere,

so that He may be praised and honoured.

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If you do good, no harm will come to you.

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It is better to pray sincerely

and to please God by helping the poor

than to be rich and dishonest.

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It is better to give to the poor than to store up gold.

Such generosity will save you from death

and will wash away all your sins.

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Those who give to the poor will live full lives,

but those who live a life of sin and wickedness

are their own worst enemies.”

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– Tobit 12:6-10 (NRSV)

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REFLECTION…

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The words of advice given in today’s passage

are by St. Raphael, the Archangel of God’s mercy and light.

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St. Raphael, whose name means “God has healed” in Hebrew,

comes to bring healing to so many.

When we pray for his help,

he intercedes directly to God the Father.

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He is the medicine of God,

the healing and deliverance Archangel,

who comes to relieve the ills of all burdens and sufferings

and to restore God’s people to the truth of God’s love and mercy.

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He gives graces,

given over to him by the Father

and glorified by the Son’s love for mankind.

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He is the Archangel of God’s mercy,

who sheds His grace, often disguised in the form of a good and holy person,

and is the one who brings us the good news of God’s mercy and grace.

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– – – – –

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God permits trials and difficulties in life

because they serve to purify those who trust in God’s will and love,

and to strengthen the faith

of those who never give up praying to the Lord for deliverance.

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When the period of testing is over,

we the faithful will praise God even more fervently

as we enjoy and recount His blessings and mercy.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, send Your Angel to guard me and to deliver me from my trials and difficulties,

through the power of the Holy Spirit,

in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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I alone know the plans I have for you,

plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster,

plans to bring about the future you hope for.

Then you will call to me.

You will come and pray to me, and I will answer you.

You will seek me, and you will find me

because you will seek me with all your heart.

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– Jeremiah 29:11-13 (GNT)

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REFLECTION…

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We are God’s creation, made in His image

and His love for us is beyond our ability to understand.

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His plans for us are that we spend eternity with Him,

basking and rejoicing in His love,

yet we are free to choose

between His plans…and our own.

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When we call upon the Lord,

seeking His mercy and grace for ourselves and for our loved ones,

let us do so with all our heart

and let us pray, with faith and trust, for the prosperity of the soul

and ask that His will be done.

And the Lord will answer us and reassure us

…and we will find peace.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Here I am, Lord. Your will be done.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Then the king will say to those at his right hand,

“Come, you that are blessed by my Father,

inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;

for I was hungry and you gave me food,

I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,

I was a stranger and you welcomed me,

I was naked and you gave me clothing,

I was sick and you took care of me,

I was in prison and you visited me.”

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Then the righteous will answer him,

“Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food,

or thirsty and gave you something to drink?

And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you,

or naked and gave you clothing?

And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?”

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And the king will answer them,

“Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,

you did it to me.”

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– Matthew 25:34-40 (NRSV)

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REFLECTION…

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Here we can see the seriousness of sins of omission.

Failure to do something which one should do to help and care for others

means leaving Christ unattended…and unloved.

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So many people around us are in need.

The Lord wants us to see Him in them

and to go and give of ourselves to them;

to show genuine Christian charity and love.

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What we do to the poor, the destitute, the needy,

we do it to Jesus.

When we ignore them,

we are ignoring Jesus

who is present in the least of our brothers and sisters

– of our neighbours – who God commands us to love.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, open the eyes of my heart, that I may always see you in others.

Make me indiscriminatingly merciful and generous and kind, that I may truly love You.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said,

“The right time has come,

and the Kingdom of God is near!

Turn away from your sins and believe the Good News!”

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– Mark 1:15 (GNT)

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REFLECTION…

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“Turn away from your sins and believe the Good News!”

– in other words,

change your attitude and conduct,

abandon your selfish ways,

convert and make Jesus your Lord,

believe in Him,

repent,

follow Him,

and obey Him

– now!

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PRAYER…

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Teach me Your ways, O Lord;
make them known to me.
Teach me to live according to Your truth,
for You are my God, who saves me.
I always trust in You.

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Remember, O Lord, Your kindness and constant love
which You have shown from long ago.

Forgive the sins and errors of my youth.
In Your constant love and goodness,
remember me, Lord!

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Because the Lord is righteous and good,
He teaches sinners the path they should follow.
He leads the humble in the right way
and teaches them His will.

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– Psalm 25:4-6,7-9

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord Jesus, teach me to live according to Your truth,
for You are my God, who saves me.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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The commandments,

“Do not commit adultery;

do not commit murder;

do not steal;

do not desire what belongs to someone else”

– all these, and any others besides, are summed up in the one command,

“Love your neighbour as you love yourself.”

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If you love others, you will never do them wrong;

to love, then, is to obey the whole Law.

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– Romans 13:9-10 (GNT)

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REFLECTION…

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When love motivates us

we readily give what is due – and more besides – to Him whom we love.

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If we love God, we obey Him.

Love, therefore, is obeying God’s Commandments…all of them!

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QUOTE…

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“Our motive in everything we do should be the Love of God,

which makes it easier for us to love our neighbour

and which purifies and raises all earthly loves on to a higher level […].

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Charity, which is like a generous overflowing of justice,

demands first of all the fulfillment of one’s duty.

The way to start is to be just;

the next step is to do what is most equitable…;

but in order to love, great refinement is required,

and much thoughtfulness, and respect, and kindliness."

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– St. Josemaria Escriva

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Jesus, teach me to love like You love.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Lord, hear my prayer!
In your righteousness listen to my plea;
answer me in Your faithfulness!

…I am ready to give up;
I am in deep despair.

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I lift up my hands to You in prayer;
like dry ground my soul is thirsty for You.

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Answer me now, Lord!
I have lost all hope.
Don’t hide Yourself from me,
or I will be among those who go down to the world of the dead.
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Remind me each morning of Your constant love,
for I put my trust in You.
My prayers go up to You;
show me the way I should go.

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You are my God;
teach me to do Your will.
Be good to me, and guide me on a safe path.

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– Psalm 143:1,4,6-8,10 (GNT)

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The righteous call to the Lord, and He listens;
He rescues them from all their troubles.
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The Lord is near to those who are discouraged;
He saves those who have lost all hope.

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– Psalm 34:17-18 (GNT)

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Come Lord Jesus, and help me to live in Your joy and peace.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Today I have given you the choice between life and death,

between blessings and curses.

Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make.

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Oh, that you would choose life,

so that you and your descendants might live!

You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God,

obeying Him,

and committing yourself firmly to Him.

This is the key to your life.

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– Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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“The question immediately arises:

How can we choose life, how should we do this? …

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It was said … that Christianity is an option opposed to life.

With the Cross, with all the Commandments,

with all the "no’s" that it proposes to us,

some have said that it closes the door to life.
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But we, we want to have life

and we choose, we opt, ultimately, for life,

freeing ourselves by the Cross,

freeing ourselves by all these Commandments,

by all these "no’s."

We want to have life in abundance, nothing but life. […]
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"Whoever would save his life will lose it;

and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it." (Lk 9:24).

This is the paradox we must first be aware of in opting for life.

It is not by appropriating life to ourselves but only by giving life,

not by having life and holding on to it but by giving it,

that we can find it.

This is the ultimate meaning of the Cross:

not to seek life for oneself, but to give one’s own life.
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Human life is a relationship.

It is only in a relationship, and not closed in on ourselves,

that we can have life.

And the fundamental relationship

is the relationship with the Creator,

or else other relations are fragile.

Hence, it is essential to choose God.

A world empty of God,

a world that has forgotten God,

loses life and relapses into a culture of death.
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Choosing life, taking the option for life,

therefore, means first and foremost choosing the option of a relationship with God.

However, the question immediately arises: with which God?

…with the God who showed us His face in Christ,

the God who overcame hatred on the Cross,

that is, in love to the very end.

Thus, by choosing this God, we choose life. […]
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It must be clear to us that in choosing Christ,

we have not chosen to deny life,

but have really chosen life in abundance.”

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– Pope Benedict XVI.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, I have chosen You. You are my life!

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