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

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TODAY’S WORD…

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When Jesus saw the crowds, He had compassion on them,

because they were harassed and helpless,

like sheep without a shepherd.

Then He said to His disciples,

“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.

Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore,

to send out workers into His harvest field.”

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– Matthew 9:36-38 (NIV)

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REFLECTION…

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These crowds are a bit like so many Christians today:

harassed, helpless, and confused

as they live in this world which appears determined to draw us all away from our faith

and from our God.

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We seem to be outnumbered, and this worries us,

but worry is not the solution – prayer and action are.

We should never cease praying to God, the Lord of harvest,

to send the numbers that are necessary to work in His field.

We should pray especially for there to be no lack of shepherds,

because we need to be led.

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If a Christian prays hard,

it is difficult to imagine that he or she does not feel urged

to want to spread and act the Gospel,

to serve others,

and to do his or her part, however small, to help in doing God’s work.

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Think of the gifts and talents God gave you,

discern what Jesus would like you to do for Him,

and then gladly volunteer to do it.

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But remember, you have to pray first.

Pray by asking God to help you understand what He wants you to do

and how you should set about doing it.

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As long as you have a willing heart,

rest assured that the Lord will begin revealing what He wants you to do. Sometimes it may not make sense

but keep reading His Word and praying

and you will also begin to understand why He wants you to do it.

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QUOTE…

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"The responsibility for spreading the Gospel that saves

belongs to everyone – to all who have received it!

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The missionary duty concerns the whole body of the Church;

in different ways and to different degrees, it is true,

but we must all of us be united in carrying out this duty.

Now let the conscience of every believer ask himself:

Have I carried out my missionary duty?”

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– Blessed Paul VI

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Here I am, Lord, melt me, mould me, fill me, use me!

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Two blind men followed along behind Jesus, shouting,

“Son of David, have mercy on us!”

They went right into the house where He was staying,

and Jesus asked them,

“Do you believe I can make you see?”

“Yes, Lord,” they told Him, “we do.”

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Then He touched their eyes and said,

“Because of your faith, it will happen.”

Then their eyes were opened, and they could see!

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– Matthew 9:27-30 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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This episode makes it easy enough

for us to see that the paradox is true:

there are blind people who in fact see God

and those with sight who see no trace of Him!

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So many of us lack the trust that we should have in the Lord.

So many of us prefer to keep the eyes of our heart closed shut,

very often because of our pride, our ego, our selfish needs and ways.

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Faith in the Lord will help us see…the Truth…

and it is the Truth that sets us free

…from ourselves…and from all that shackles our spirit.

And when the Lord, by His grace, sets us free,

we experience the profound difference between darkness and light

…and our heart can only cry out to Him, with joy and thanksgiving.

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SING TO GOD…

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…this hymn of deepest joy and thanksgiving: AMAZING GRACE << please click on the title.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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By Your grace, O Lord,

I once was lost but now am found;

was blind, but now I see!

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said,

“I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,

but will have the light of life.”

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– John 8:12 (NIV)

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REFLECTION…

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Jesus is the light which enlightens our minds,

for He is the fullness of divine Revelation.

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Jesus is the light which enlightens our hearts

to enable us to accept His truth

and live according to it.

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Jesus is the light which enlightens the soul of the righteous

and gives them strength.

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Jesus asks us to follow Him

and become sons and daughters of light,

but He knows that many will reject this light

because they do not want their immorality and wrongfulness to be uncovered.

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Do I want the Light of Life to shine on me?.

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SHINE, JESUS SHINE…

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Lift your mind, your heart and your soul in song to the Lord

and ask Him to shine His light on you.

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Please click here >>> SHINE, JESUS SHINE

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Shine, Jesus, shine on me

and let Your light set me free!

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TODAY’S WORD…

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On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine –
the best of meats and the finest of wines.
On this mountain He will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;

He will swallow up death for ever.
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The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
He will remove his people’s disgrace
from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.

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In that day they will say,

‘Surely this is our God;
we trusted in Him, and He saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in Him;
let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.’

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– Isaiah 25:6-9 (NIV)

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REFLECTION…

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The Lord prepares a special feast

for all of us on His mountain.
There He will provide succulent food and fine wine

– a symbolic reference to the divine fare that God will provide

and which surpasses anything that we can imagine.

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Jesus instituted the Eucharistic banquet,
in which He provides divine nourishment,

His own Body and Blood,

which strengthens the soul

and is a pledge of future glory.

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We are encouraged us to bear this in mind when we receive the Eucharist.

St. John Baptist Mary Vianney tells us that

the Eucharist “is an eternal pledge to us;

it assures us of a place in heaven;

it is a guarantee that one day heaven will be our home.
Moreover, Jesus Christ will raise up our bodies in glory,

in accordance with how often and with what dignity

we have received His Body in Holy Communion.”

Let us rejoice and be glad

in that the resurrection of Christ marks the definitive victory over death.

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,

and death shall be no more,

neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore,

for the former things have passed away.” (Rev 21:4).

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom!

There, where You will wipe away every tear from my eyes,

I hope to share in Your glory.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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In the past God spoke to our ancestors many times

and in many ways through the prophets,

but in these last days He has spoken to us through His Son.

He is the one through whom God created the universe,

the one whom God has chosen to possess all things at the end.

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– Hebrews 1:1-2 (GNT)

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REFLECTION…

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Christ is above all,

He is supreme,

He is Majesty,

He is the natural and eternal Son of God,

the universal Mediator,

the eternal Priest.

Jesus is the Saviour of mankind

– He is our Redeemer.

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Jesus is the Word made flesh,

who dwelt among us

and revealed God to those who truly wanted to see.

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By speaking to us through his Son,

God reveals to us His saving will from the moment of the Incarnation onwards,

for the second person of the Blessed Trinity has come into the world

to redeem us by dying for us.

By His glorification, Jesus has opened for us the way to heaven.

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QUOTE…

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“After God had spoken many times and in various ways through the prophets

‘in these last days He has spoken to us through His Son’ (Heb 1:1-2).

For He sent His Son, the eternal Word who enlightens all men,

to dwell among men

and to tell them about the inner life of God […].

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He did this by the total fact of His presence and self-manifestation

– by words and works, signs and miracles,

but above all by His death and glorious resurrection from the dead,

and finally by sending the Spirit of Truth.

He revealed that God was with us,

to deliver us from the darkness of sin and death,

and to raise us up to eternal life”

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– Second Vatican Council – "Dei Verbum"

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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On whom shall I set the eyes of my heart – of my entire being –

if not on You, Lord?

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TODAY’S WORD…

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In days to come
the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised above the hills;
all the nations shall stream to it.

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– Isaiah 2:2 (NRSV)

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REFLECTION…

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Those, who with hope, expectation and love in their hearts

are walking along the path that leads to the Lord,

will find that getting closer to the Lord

is very much like approaching a high and majestic mountain

– the closer one gets to the mountain,

the larger and more awesome it becomes

and the smaller one feels and the more humbled by its grandeur.

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The closer we get to the Lord,

the more we feel His glorious presence

and experience His love.

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The closer we get to the Lord,

the faster our heart beats

with great anticipation of what awaits us

when He comes down His mountain to greet us

and to lead us up into His house.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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O Lord, You are awesome,

You are majestic,

You are my loving God

and there is none like You!

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