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TODAY’S WORD…
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As a deer longs for flowing streams,
so my soul longs for You, O God.
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– Psalm 42:1 (NRSV)
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REFLECTION…
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How wonderful this yearning, this deep longing for God is!
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For the person who has allowed the Lord to enter His heart,
nothing compares to the Lord
…and the mind, the body, the soul know it and proclaim it!
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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…
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As a deer longs for flowing streams,
so my soul longs for You, O God.
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TODAY’S WORD…
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Jesus said,
“But the time is coming – indeed it’s here now –
when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.
The Father is looking for those who will worship Him that way.
For God is Spirit,
so those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
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– John 4:23-24 (NLT)
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REFLECTION…
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What the Father wishes
is for all to accept the Messiah, His Son, the new temple of God,
by offering Him a form of worship which comes right from the heart
– bold worship which the Spirit of God Himself stirs us to give…with faith and gladness.
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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…
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Lord Jesus, Son of the Living God,
grant that I will always worship You
through my thoughts, my words and my deeds,
in spirit and in truth. Amen.
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TODAY’S WORD…
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…be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His power.
Put on the whole armour of God,
so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh,
but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness,
against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
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– Ephesians 6:10-12 (NRSV)
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REFLECTION…
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God supplies to those who love Him
with the armour and the weapons
which help us in our constant spiritual battle against evil.
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The Word of God, truth, righteousness, peace and faith
all form part of the formidable spiritual “armour”
which we believers have at our disposal.
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With all of these, and with constant prayer in the Spirit
and a strong sense of alertness and perseverance,
we will overcome!
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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…
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Dear Lord, stand by me in my constant spiritual battles.
You are my Guide, my Teacher, my Helper,
my Armour, my God.
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TODAY’S WORD…
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Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk
so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation.
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Cry out for this nourishment,
now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.
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– 1 Peter 2:2-3 (NLT)
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QUOTE…
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"If we try to act like [little children],
our stumbling and failures in the interior life (which, moreover, are inevitable)
will never result in bitterness.
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Our reaction will be one of sorrow but not discouragement,
and we’ll smile with a smile that gushes up like fresh water
out of the joyous awareness that we are children of that Love,
that grandeur, that infinite wisdom, that mercy, that is our Father.”
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– St. Josemaria Escriva
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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…
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Father in Heaven, I crave for Your Perfect Love.
Come Lord, and nourish me, that I may be saved!
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TODAY’S WORD…
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Happy are those
who reject the advice of evil people,
who do not follow the example of sinners
or join those who have no use for God.
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Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord,
and they study it day and night.
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They are like trees that grow beside a stream,
that bear fruit at the right time,
and whose leaves do not dry up.
They succeed in everything they do.
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– Psalm 1:1-3 (GNT)
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REFLECTION…
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God turns a loving gaze
upon all those who desire to do His will
and to walk in His ways.
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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…
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Thank You, Lord, for Your Water of Life – it never runs dry. Refresh me, renew me, that I may grow in faith!
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TODAY’S WORD…
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I will sing of Your steadfast love, O Lord, for ever;
with my mouth I will proclaim Your faithfulness to all generations.
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I declare that Your steadfast love is established for ever;
Your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.
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– Psalm 89:1-2 (NRSV)
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REFLECTION…
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When we truly experience the Lord
our heart beats faster
as it feels indescribably and blissfully overwhelmed,
and our entire being groans
as it yearns to burst out in joyful song of praise.
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Those are feelings which we mustn’t stifle.
This is when our spirit soars
as we allow it to freely and gladly expresses our rapturous joy!
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SING TO THE LORD…
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…shout out loud and tell Him: “I COULD SING OF YOUR LOVE FOREVER!”.
Please click here.
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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…
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Thank You, Lord, for the joy and peace that You put in my heart
– I will sing of Your love forever!
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TODAY’S WORD…
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Jerusalem,
your rulers and your people are like those of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Listen to what the Lord is saying to you.
Pay attention to what our God is teaching you.
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Wash yourselves clean.
Stop all this evil that I see you doing.
Yes, stop doing evil
and learn to do right.
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– Isaiah 1:10,16-17a (GNT)
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REFLECTION…
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Evil is all around us in today’s society,
from lying and stealing to pornography,
drugs, illicit sex, and violence.
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God calls us to be holy people set apart,
not influenced by our wicked culture.
The Lord’s is a call to a sincere change of heart
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Sin always has consequences.
Do I take God’s plea seriously,
or am I indifferent to sin?
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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…
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O Lord, my God,
remove my obstinacy and self-centeredness,
that I may accept and do Your will.
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TODAY’S WORD…
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Jesus said,
“Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate.
Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves;
do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves;
grant pardon, and you will be pardoned.
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Give, and there will be gifts for you:
a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap;
because the amount you measure out
is the amount you will be given back.”
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– Luke 6:36-38 (JB)
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REFLECTION…
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The model of mercy which Christ sets before us is God Himself.
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This is the rule a Christian should apply:
be compassionate towards other people’s afflictions, situations and problems
as if they were one’s own,
and try to remedy them with Christ-like compassion.
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However much we give gladly in this life,
God will reward us with much more in the next.
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An act of love and kindness should be exactly, and genuinely, that.
Donations, or a service, done reluctantly
can never please anyone, particularly The Lord our God,
whereas He is delighted
when we give something or give ourselves lovingly and spontaneously,
not as if we were doing some great favour.
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QUOTE…
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"God loves a cheerful giver."
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– St. Paul (2 Cor 9:7)
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"If you give bread and it makes you sad to do so,
you lose both the bread and the reward."
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– St. Augustine
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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…
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Dear Jesus, make me more like You.
Teach me to be generous;
to give cheerfully
and not to count the cost.
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TODAY’S WORD…
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While Jesus was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them,
and from the cloud a voice said,
‘This is my Son, the Beloved;
with Him I am well pleased;
listen to Him!’
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– Matthew 17:5 (NRSV)
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REFLECTION…
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These words, spoken by the Father,
reveal to us that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,
the beloved Son,
God himself.
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When the Father adds, "listen to Him",
He is emphasising Jesus’ supremacy and authority.
In Christ God speaks to all men,
Christians and non-Christians alike.
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Christ, the Son of the living God,
speaks to people also as Man:
it is His life that speaks,
His humanity,
His fidelity to the truth,
His all-embracing love.
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His death on the Cross speaks.
The unfathomable depth of His suffering and abandonment speaks.
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The Father tells us to listen.
Ultimately, it is up to us to do so…or not.
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QUOTE…
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“All of you listen
and try to understand."
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– Jesus Christ (Mk 7:14)
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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…
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Here I am Lord, listening.
Help me understand.
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“Give me the grace to do as You command,
and command me to do what You will!” [St Augustine]
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TODAY’S WORD…
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Joyful are people of integrity,
who follow the instructions of the Lord.
Joyful are those who obey His laws
and search for Him with all their hearts.
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– Psalm 119:1-2 (NLT)
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REFLECTION…
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How full of that indescribable inner joy
are those who are open to hope
and permeated by faith.
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The Law of the Lord,
which is the object of the passionate love of every believer,
is a source of life.
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The desire to understand God’s Law,
to observe it
and to direct the whole of one’s being by it
is the characteristic of every righteous person who is faithful to the Lord,
and who “on His law… meditates day and night.” (Ps 1:22)
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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…
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O Lord, my God,
thank You for the joy I find in Your Law
– it is the glorious Way;
the undeniable Truth;
and Your breath of Life. Amen.
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A LAMP TO MY FEET. A LIGHT FOR MY PATH. 