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

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Seek the Lord while He makes Himself available;

call to Him while He is nearby!

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The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle

and sinful people their plans.

They should return to the Lord, and He will show mercy to them,

and to their God, for He will freely forgive them.

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– Isaiah 55:6-7 (NET)

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REFLECTION…

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We are called to conversion.

We need to look deeply into ourselves,

to see where we are spiritually and morally lacking,

and we must seek God…return to Him.

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And the Lord,

who allows Himself to be found

and who does not judge in the way that men do,

will be found willing and able to grant forgiveness

– He will show mercy.

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The Spirit constantly encourages us

to begin and begin again,

and to never relent in the pursuit of virtue.

We, on our part, should grasp every opportunity that God offers us.

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QUOTE…

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“To be converted means to ask for forgiveness

and to seek out the strength of God in the Sacrament of reconciliation,

and thus begin again, advancing step by step every day,

learning to overcome ourselves,

to win the spiritual battles that we face,

and to give of ourselves joyfully,

‘for God loves a cheerful giver’ (2 Cor 9:7).”

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– St. John Paul II

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, have mercy on me and help me overcome myself.

Melt me, mould me, change me!

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said,

"My mother and my brethren

are those who hear the word of God

and do it."

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– Luke 8:21 (RSV)

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REFLECTION…

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Imagine being able to share in Jesus’ life

as intimately as if we were members of His family.

Well, we do become part of the Lord’s close family

if we follow Him,

listen to Him,

and, importantly, obey His Law and do His will.

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When we truly recognise Jesus

as the Son of the Living God, our Creator,

our bond with Him becomes so much stronger

than that with our natural family.

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Our bond with Christ is fulfilled…when we do as He says.

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QUOTE…

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“Everyone who does the will of the Father,

that is to say, who obeys Him,

is a brother or sister of Christ,

because he is like Him who fulfilled the will of His Father.”

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– St. Thomas

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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My Lord and my God, my Creator, my Saviour, I belong to You,

Teach me, Lord, to do Your will.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Hear me, Lord, my plea is just;
listen to my cry.
Hear my prayer –
it does not rise from deceitful lips.

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I call on You, my God, for You will answer me;
turn Your ear to me and hear my prayer.
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Show me the wonders of Your great love,
You who save by Your right hand
those who take refuge in You…

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– Psalm 17:1,6-7 (NIV)

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REFLECTION…

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Nothing is too difficult for God;

nothing is impossible.

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A believer mustn’t ever let desperation set in.

A true believer will go before the Lord

and, with great faith and a heart full of hope,

seeks His divine intervention.

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A believer takes refuge in the Lord,

and allows Him to take situations into His loving and healing hands.

A believer trusts in the Lord

and let’s His will…only His will…be done.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Hear me, Lord; listen to my cry.

Your will be done.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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If you think you are standing firm

you had better be careful that you do not fall.

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– 1 Corinthians 10:12 (NRSV)

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REFLECTION…

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We must continually implore God’s help,

since we cannot rely solely on our own strength and willpower.

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We need God’s help to strengthen us

and to keep us on guard against temptation

and against the devil’s constant plotting and prompting

in his untiring pursuit of our souls.

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QUOTE…

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“Discipline yourselves; keep alert.

Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around,

looking for someone to devour.”

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– St. Peter (1 Pet 5:8)

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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

Holy Spirit, strengthen and protect me against the wiles of the evil one.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Children of men,

how long will you be heavy of heart,

why love what is vain

and chase after illusions?

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– Psalm 4:2 (JB)

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REFLECTION…

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How true!

We all get those moments

of heaviness of heart

– sometimes lasting

much more than just moments.

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Why?

A thousand reasons…if we try justifying.

Wrong reasons, most of them…

if we are honest with ourselves!

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Whatever it is that is causing our sadness, our anxiety, our anger, or our panic,

if we call out to God

– who is always there, right beside us –

He will help expose our illusions

and, if we cooperate with Him,

we will overcome our vanities and our weaknesses.

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He gives us consolation and lasting peace

but we need to trust in Him

and do as He tells us.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, increase my faith and trust in You.

More of You, Lord, and less of me!

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness;

come before Him with joyful songs.

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Know that the Lord is God.

It is He who made us, and we are His;

we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.

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Enter His gates with thanksgiving

and His courts with praise;

give thanks to Him and praise His name.

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For the Lord is good and His love endures for ever;

His faithfulness continues through all generations.

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– Psalm 100:1-5 (NIV)

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REFLECTION…

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This is a joyful invitation

to praise the Lord, the shepherd of His people,

and as we do so and pray,

let us gladly sing out to Him

and feel in tune with all those who are praying all over the earth,

exalting the one Lord in so many different languages

and in so many ways.

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Even in the midst of suffering and pain,

and of problems, difficulties and let-downs,

we must encourage our heavy heart

and set our soul free,

and allow them to acknowledge their Maker

and shout for joy,

worship with gladness,

with joyful songs,

with thanksgiving,

with praise,

and to give thanks to Him and praise His name. .

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The Lord knows me inside out,

and He relishes my internal joy and gladness in Him,

and will help me bring it to the surface.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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My Heart loves You, O God,

and my soul magnifies You, O Lord, my Saviour!

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Because You are my helper,
I sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings.
I cling to You;
Your strong right hand holds me securely.

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– Psalm 63:7-8 (NLT)

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SING FOR JOY…

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…and may these verses

and the words, below, of the beautiful song of worship “Shadow of Your Wings” ,

give you courage, inner joy

and, above all, great hope in Jesus.

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[please click here to watch video…and to sing in worship to the Lord.]

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“Shadow of Your Wings”

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My spirit rests in You alone
You’re all I know.
Embrace and touch me
like a child, I’m safe in You.
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You’re my shelter through it all
You’re my refuge and my strength.
Lord I hide in the shadow of Your wings.
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My Lord, You’re faithful
You supply all good things.
You know completely all my thoughts,
my deepest needs.
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You’re my shelter through it all
You’re my refuge and my strength.
Lord I hide in the shadow of Your wings.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Jesus, my Helper, You fill me with strength, hope and joy.

Thank You, Jesus!

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said,

“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.

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Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world,

but in order that the world might be saved through Him.”

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– John 3:16-17 (NRSV)

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QUOTE…

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"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son for its salvation.

All our religion is a revelation of God’s kindness, mercy and love for us.

`God is love’ (1 Jn 4:16), that is, love poured forth unsparingly.

All is summed up in this supreme truth,

which explains and illuminates everything.

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The story of Jesus must be seen in this light.

`(He) loved me’, St. Paul writes.

Each of us can and must repeat it for himself

-`He loved me, and gave Himself for me.’ (Gal 2:20)

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– Pope Paul VI

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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He loved me,

and gave Himself for me!

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said,

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’

and yet don’t do what I tell you?”

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– Luke 6:46 (NET)

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REFLECTION…

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Jesus asks us to act in a way consistent with being Christians

and not to make any separation

between the faith we profess and the way we live.

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Do I call Him, ‘Lord, Lord,’

and yet do not do what He tells me?

Am I like that?

Why?

When?

Where?

In what?

With whom?

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Jesus asks us to be Christians in name, as well as in practice.

What matters is what lies deep inside our hearts.

What matters is whether we try, unceasingly,

to be more like Jesus;

to obey His commands;

to practise Christian faith, hope and love.

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As St Teresa of Avila says,

"What matters […]

is whether we try to practise the virtues

and surrender our will to God

and order our lives as His Majesty ordains,

and not want to do our will

but His."

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Come Holy Spirit,

lead me away from myself and bring me closer to Jesus.

Make me more like Him.

Come Holy Spirit.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Rejoice in the Lord always.

I will say it again: rejoice!

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– Philippians 4:4 (NIV)

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REFLECTION…

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What St Paul says here is particularly impressive

if one bears in mind that he is writing from prison.

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In order to have joy

it does not matter if we are living in difficult situations,

because joy in the Lord is a powerful ally,

a grace that helps us overcome.

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The kind of profound joy that fills the soul with peace

does not derive from the satisfaction of physical or material needs

but from faithfulness to God and His commandments

by embracing the Cross.

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St Cyprian says:

"This is the difference between us and those who do not know God,

they complain in adversity;

but difficulties do not draw us away from virtue or from the true faith.

On the contrary, our virtue and faith are reinforced in affliction."

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QUOTE…

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"For a Christian, joy is a treasure.

Only by offending God do we lose it,

because sin is the fruit of selfishness,

and selfishness is the root of sadness.

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Even then, a bit of joy survives under the debris of our soul

– the knowledge that neither God nor His (Christ’s) Mother forgets us.

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If we repent,

if an act of sorrow springs from our heart,

if we purify ourselves in the holy sacrament of penance,

God comes out to meet and forgive us.

Then there can be no sadness whatsoever."

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– St. Josemaria Escriva

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Oh the joy of knowing that You are always here by my side, Lord.

Thank You, Jesus!

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