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

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TODAY’S WORD…

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“This is my command

– be strong and courageous!

Do not be afraid or discouraged.

For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

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– Joshua 1:9 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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It is good and appropriate for us

to embrace God’s command and promise to Joshua,

especially as we go into the season of Lent.

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If we ask God to accompany us on our journey

and as we humbly seek to follow His will,

we are comforted by His promise that He will be with us.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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I know You are with me, O Lord – I am not afraid!

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TODAY’S WORD…

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‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways,’ says the Lord.
‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.’

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– Isaiah 55:8-9 (NRSV)

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QUOTE…

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“God’s logic is so different to ours.

This is why following the Lord

always demands of all of us a profound conversion,

a change in our way of thinking and living,

it demands that we open our hearts to listen,

to let ourselves be interiorly enlightened and transformed.

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A key point on which God and man differ is pride:

in God there is no pride,

because He is the complete fullness of love

and is entirely disposed to love and give His life;

in us, however, pride is deeply rooted and requires constant vigilance and purification.

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We, who are little, aspire to appear big, to be the first,

while God, who is truly great, is not afraid to abase Himself and become last.”

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– Pope Benedict XVI

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Sweet Virgin Mary, Mother of God,

pray for me that I may change my way of thinking and living,

and teach me how to faithfully follow Jesus

on the path of love and humility.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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“But He knows where I am going.
And when He tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.
For I have stayed on God’s paths;
I have followed His ways and not turned aside.”

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– Job 23:10-11 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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Can I, today, stand up

and solemnly and honestly make Job’s words my own?

Have I stayed on God’s paths?

When God tests me, will I come out pure?

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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O Lord, my God, forgive me

for every time that I have strayed away from Your paths.

Lord, heal my weaknesses.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Whom have I in heaven but You?
I desire You more than anything on earth.
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My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
He is mine forever.

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– Psalm 73:25-26 (NLT)

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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O All-sufficient One, You are all I need.

All my joy is in You, O God – there is none like You!

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TODAY’S WORD…

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For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,

but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

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– 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)

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REFLECTION…

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The Christian faith is a gift of inconceivable spiritual value

for all who embrace it in truth.

But it is by the power of Holy Spirit dwelling in us

– with whom we humbly cooperate –

and not through our own strength,

that we can cultivate and maintain all that we have gained

and use it to build the Kingdom of God.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Holy Spirit, build me, strengthen me,

fill me, use me.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said,

“…if your hand makes you lose your faith, cut it off!

It is better for you to enter life without a hand

than to keep both hands and go off to hell,

to the fire that never goes out.

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And if your foot makes you lose your faith, cut it off!

It is better for you to enter life without a foot

than to keep both feet and be thrown into hell.

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And if your eye makes you lose your faith, take it out!

It is better for you to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye

than to keep both eyes and be thrown into hell.

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– Mark 9:43-47 (GNT)

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REFLECTION…

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These references to hands, feet and eyes,

should not only be taken literally.

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Jesus words also mean

that we should cut off contact with people who are persistent in evil

and who are ever-ready to entice others to evil behaviour

and to erroneous practice and beliefs.

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We should distance ourselves from such persons

– who could be friends, colleagues, or even family members –

because our primary objective should be to enter God’s Kingdom

rather than accompany those who we allow to mislead us…to perdition.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Nothing…and no one…compares to Your Kingdom, O Lord.

You are all I want and need!

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said,

“It is what comes from inside that defiles you.

For from within, out of a person’s heart,

come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder,

adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit,

lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.

All these vile things come from within;

they are what defile you.”

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– Mark 7:20-23 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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It is none other than Jesus who warns:

“It is what comes from inside that defiles you.”

In fact, the road to sin begins in our thought life.

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Evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder,

adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit,

lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness

– all of these start off as a thought or emotion

and they become sin when we, for whatever reason,

allow ourselves to consider, fantasise or dwell on such thoughts

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QUOTE…

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“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing.

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honourable, and right,

and pure, and lovely, and admirable.

Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

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– St. Paul (Phil 4:8)

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Forgive me, Lord,

and help me reject all thoughts that defile me.

Fill my mind, instead, with all that reflects a pure love for You.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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If we say we love God, but hate others, we are liars.

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– 1 John 4:20 (GNT)

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REFLECTION…

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St. Thomas tells us that when man is loved, God is loved,

for man is the image of God

…and that explains why

if we say we love God, but hate others, we are liars.

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QUOTE…

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"Seeing your brother is seeing God"

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– Clement of Alexandria

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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My Lord and my God, help me see You in everyone,

that by loving them I may truly love You.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord.

“They are plans for good and not for disaster,

to give you a future and a hope.

In those days when you pray, I will listen.

If you look for me in earnest,

you will find me when you seek me.”

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– Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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Lets us seek the Lord in faith,

call upon Him

and entrust everything to Him

– for He is always there

listening to every word that comes from our heart,

always loving us,

always encouraging us,

always leading us…

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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O LORD, my God, thank You for being there.

I need You… and in You I place all my trust..

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TODAY’S WORD…

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If you plan to do evil, you will be lost;
if you plan to do good,

you will receive unfailing love and faithfulness.

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– Proverbs 14:22 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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Evil basically means anything that is harmful

– physically and morally.

Planning to harm others

– through violence, or by cheating, slandering, and causing trouble, in any way –

is a grave mistake

made by those who are wrapped up in themselves

and have clearly wandered away from the straight and true path.

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In contrast, there are those who devise good,

who think of others and plan for their wellbeing.

If those who they do good to do not reciprocate in any way,

God will – always and faithfully!

He will bless them

and they will rejoice in His unfailing love.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord Jesus, You gave of Yourself unselfishly

– help me be more like You.

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