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

.

TODAY’S WORD…

.

Jesus said,

“When you see clouds beginning to form in the west,

you say, ‘Here comes a shower.’

And you are right.

.

When the south wind blows,

you say, ‘Today will be a scorcher.’

And it is.

.

You fools!

You know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky,

but you don’t know how to interpret the present times.

“Why can’t you decide for yourselves what is right?”

.

– Luke 12:54-57 (NLT)

.

.

.

REFLECTION…

.

How relevant these words of Jesus are also in today’s world,

where so many of us, despite our intelligence,

allow ourselves to be manipulated and led by the nose

by an increasingly secular world

that seems to have lost itself down the road of short-sighted self-centeredness,

which ultimately leads to nowhere.

.

We Christians, especially, ought to know better!

We Christians have been shown the true way;

we have seen the true light.

We really should be better able to distinguish

what is truly right

from so much which is so clearly wrong.

.

We Christians have received the Holy Spirit,

and if we listen to Him,

He will help us discern in truth,

and enable us decide for ourselves what is right!

.

.

.

PRAYER…

.

Holy Spirit,

come and open my heart, my eyes,

my ears, my intellect.

.

Help me discern from among all the confusing voices,

which constantly tug at my emotions and feelings

as they strive to take advantage

of my tendency to be self-centered and selfish.

.

Come, O Holy Spirit.

In the spirit of freedom that You gave me,

help me overcome my weaknesses,

strengthen my resolve for righteousness,

guide me along the narrow path of truth,

and lead me to that promised place

where goodness and joy and love abound.

.

Come Holy Spirit!

.

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

Come Holy Spirit – help me embrace the Truth!

.

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

By a discernment according to the Spirit,

Christians have to distinguish between the growth of the Reign of God

and the progress of the culture and society in which they are involved.

.

This distinction is not a separation.

Man’s vocation to eternal life does not suppress,

but actually reinforces, his duty to put into action in this world

the energies and means received from the Creator to serve justice and peace.

.

[CCC 2820]

.

.

[The] petition [“Thy Kingdom come”] is taken up and granted in the prayer of Jesus

which is present and effective in the Eucharist;

it bears its fruit in new life in keeping with the Beatitudes.

.

[CCC 2821]

.

.

.

.

TODAY’S WORD…

.

Love the Lord, all His faithful people.
The Lord protects the faithful,
but punishes the proud as they deserve.
.

Be strong, be courageous,
all you that hope in the Lord.

.

– Psalm 31:23-24 (GNT)

.

.

.

REFLECTION…

.

God calls on those whose faith has wavered in one way or another,

to love Him come what may

and to hope in Him till the end.

.

.

.

PRAYER…

.

Father,

make me humble.

Remove my pride, O God,

and make me more like Jesus.

.

I love You, my Lord,

and, although I do not deserve Your infinite goodness,

I receive it gladly and with a grateful heart.

.

Increase my Faith,

fill me with hope

and strengthen me

so that I can face life with courage

and with determination to remain always true to You.

.

For this I pray in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.

.

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

My Lord and my God, strengthen my faith and trust…in You.

.

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

It remains for the holy people

to struggle, with grace from on high, to obtain the good things God promises.

.

In order to possess and contemplate God,

Christ’s faithful mortify their cravings

and, with the grace of God, prevail over the seductions of pleasure and power.

[CCC 2549]

.

.

.

.

TODAY’S WORD…

.

Think clearly and exercise self-control.

Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you

when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.

.

So you must live as God’s obedient children.

Don’t slip back into your old ways

of living to satisfy your own desires.

You didn’t know any better then.

.

– 1 Peter 1:13-14 (NLT)

.

.

.

REFLECTION…

.

We need to control our feelings and inclinations

if we are to walk with joy along the route

which will take us to the glorious coming of the Lord at the end of time.

.

When we get to know Christ,

we get to know better…much better…

we get to know the Way, the Truth and the Life,

and have a clear knowledge of God.

.

When I get to know Christ,

I become aware of what was missing in my heart

and from my intellect

before I welcomed Him in.

.

.

.

PRAYER…

.

Jesus, thank You for coming into my heart.

Thank You for Your incredible patience with me

and for having so faithfully waited for me to come to my senses

and to focus on You

rather than on myself.

Lord, grant that I will always look at You as my mentor;

that I will always do as You ask;

that I will forever trust in You;

that I will never forget how empty I was without You in my life.

Lord, lead me

and help me focus on You

and on life everlasting in Your glorious presence.

.

Amen.

.

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

Jesus, lead me to my salvation.

.

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

Human virtues acquired by education,

by deliberate acts

and by a perseverance ever-renewed in repeated efforts

are purified and elevated by divine grace.

.

With God’s help, they forge character

and give facility in the practice of the good.

The virtuous man is happy to practice them.

.

[CCC 1810]

.

.

.

It is not easy for man, wounded by sin, to maintain moral balance.

Christ’s gift of salvation offers us the grace necessary

to persevere in the pursuit of the virtues.

.

Everyone should always ask for this grace of light and strength,

frequent the sacraments,

cooperate with the Holy Spirit,

and follow His calls to love what is good and shun evil.

.

[CCC 1811]

.

.

.

TODAY’S WORD…

.

May all who seek You
rejoice and be glad in You;
may those who long for Your saving help

always say, ‘The Lord is great!’

.

– Psalm 40:16 (NIV)

.

.

.

REFLECTION…

.

Seek Jesus

with humility

and in truth,

and you will find Him

…waiting for you, with open arms.

.

Jesus can be found everywhere.

by those who yearn for Him;

by those who acknowledge Him as Lord;

by those who are thankful for His saving grace;

by those who know they are nothing without Him.

.

.

.

PRAYER…

.

You are great, Lord, so great

– there is no one else like You.

.

You made me,

You know me,

You love me,

You made me free,

You teach me,

You guide me,

You sent Your only Son to show me the way,

You never give up on me.

.

As for me,

I need to shed from myself

and put on more of You,

I need to be more like You,

I need to be one with You.

.

Lord, now that I have found You,

now that I have experienced You,

I wish to rejoice and be glad in You,

and I want to shout out, for all to hear,

“The Lord is great! The Lord is great!”

.

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

You are great, Lord!

.

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

What is contemplative prayer?

St. Teresa answers:

"Contemplative prayer, in my opinion, is nothing else than a close sharing between friends;

it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us."

.

Contemplative prayer seeks Him "whom my soul loves." (Song 1:7)

It is Jesus, and in Him, the Father.

We seek Him,

because to desire Him is always the beginning of love,

and we seek Him in that pure faith

which causes us to be born of Him and to live in Him.

In this inner prayer we can still meditate,

but our attention is fixed on the Lord Himself.

.

[CCC 2709]

.

.

.

.

TODAY’S WORD…

.

Jesus said,

“If anyone loves Me he will keep My word,

and my Father will love him,

and We shall come to him

and make Our home with him.

.

Those who do not love Me

do not keep My words.

And My word is not My own:

it is the word of the One who sent Me.”

.

– John 14:23-24 (JB)

.

.

.

REFLECTION…

.

Jesus is also our Teacher and Friend.

.

Jesus makes Himself known

to those who love Him

and keep His commandments.

.

If I claim that I love Jesus,

yet I do not keep His Word,

then I do not really love Him.

.

.

.

QUOTE…and PRAYER…

.

“Late have I loved You,

O Beauty so ancient and so new,

late have I loved You!

.

You were within me,

and I was in the world outside myself.

I searched for You

in the world outside myself…

You were with me,

but I was not with You.

.

The beautiful things of this world

kept me far from You

and yet, if they had not been in You,

they would have no being at all.

.

You called me;

You cried aloud to me;

You broke my barrier of deafness;

You shone upon me;

Your radiance enveloped me;

You cured my blindness.”

– St. Augustine

.

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

Lord Jesus, You called me

…and You cured my blindness.

.

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

[…]

O my God, Trinity whom I adore,

help me forget myself entirely so to establish myself in You,

unmovable and peaceful as if my soul were already in eternity.

.

May nothing be able to trouble my peace

or make me leave You, O my unchanging God,

but may each minute bring me more deeply into Your mystery!

.

Grant my soul peace.

Make it Your heaven,

Your beloved dwelling and the place of Your rest.

.

May I never abandon You there,

but may I be there, whole and entire,

completely vigilant in my faith,

entirely adoring,

and wholly given over to Your creative action. (Prayer of Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity)

.

[CCC 260]

.

.

.

.

TODAY’S WORD…

.

Never be lacking in zeal,

but keep your spiritual fervour,

serving the Lord.

.

Be joyful in hope,

patient in affliction,

faithful in prayer.

.

– Romans 12:11-12 (NIV)

.

.

.

REFLECTION…

.

The love of God makes us

joyful, strong and persevering.

.

As Christians, we should

accept our trials with joy and hope,

because we know

that what is promised in exchange

is something much better

.

One of the clearest signs

that the love of God

is influencing everything we do

is that feeling of inner joy

even in the midst of difficulties.

.

.

.

QUOTE…

.

"Where one loves,

either one does not feel the difficulty

or else one loves the very difficulty […].

The tasks of those who love are never labourious."

.

– St. Augustine

.

.

.

PRAYER…

.

Lord God,

I want to love and serve You

with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.

.

Holy Spirit, fill me

with love for others;

with joy, peace, patience,

kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness,

and self-control.

.

Amen.

.

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

Lord Jesus, guide me in Your love.

.

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

The Word became flesh

so that thus we might know God’s love:

"In this the love of God was made manifest among us,

that God sent His only Son into the world,

so that we might live through Him."(1 Jn 4:9)

.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son,

that whoever believes in Him should not perish

but have eternal life."(1 Jn 4:9)

.

[CCC 458]

.

.

.

.

TODAY’S WORD…

.

So in Christ Jesus

you are all children of God through faith,

for all of you who were baptised into Christ

have clothed yourselves with Christ.

.

– Galatians 3:26-27 (NLT)

.

.

.

REFLECTION…

.

When we accept Christ Jesus, through faith, as the Son of God

and as our Lord and Saviour,

and place our full trust in Him,

that is when we become children of God.

.

.

.

QUOTE…

.

“The Holy Spirit was not content with saying

that we are bathed and anointed:

here He says that we are clothed,

and the clothing we are given is not just something beautiful and costly:

it is Jesus Christ Himself,

who is the sum total of all beauty,

all value,

all richness…

.

What He means

is that the beauty of Jesus Christ,

His justice,

His grace,

His riches,

His splendour,

shine out from us with the splendour of the sun

and is reflected as in the purest of mirrors"

.

– St. John of Avila

.

.

.

PRAYER…

.

Lord Jesus Christ,

Son of the Living God,

I believe in You with all my heart.

.

Forgive me for when I ignored You

and pride and selfishness tainted my soul.

.

Thank You for persisting with me,

until I came to my senses

and acknowledged You as my Teacher,

my Saviour,

my Lord and my God.

.

Thank You, Jesus, for showing me the way.

.

Shine on me, Lord,

I never want to walk in darkness again.

.

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

Jesus, I love You, I believe in You, I trust in You.

.

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

In faith, the human intellect and will cooperate with divine grace:

.

"Believing is an act of the intellect assenting to the divine truth by command of the will moved by God through grace."(St. Thomas Aquinas)

.

[CCC 155]

.

.

.

.

TODAY’S WORD…

.

Through your faith,

God is protecting you by His power

until you receive this salvation,

which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

So be truly glad.

.

There is wonderful joy ahead,

even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.

.

These trials will show that your faith is genuine. […]

So when your faith remains strong through many trials,

it will bring you much praise and glory and honour

on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

.

– 1 Peter 1: 5-7 (NLT)

.

.

.

REFLECTION…

.

Being joyful and strong

in the midst of difficulty and situations which test our faith

reflects a deep Christian conviction

and a hope of obtaining the inheritance of heaven.

.

Christian joy

is the fruit of faith, hope and love.

.

Situations which we may find ourselves in,

and problems we have to face

– which can appear so heavy and unfair –

will, in faith and truth, be slight and short-lived

when compared to the eternal reward which awaits us.

.

Our earthly trials are temporary,

but the promise of eternal joy is forever.

.

.

.

PRAYER…

.

O Heavenly Father,

I pray that my faith in You will remain strong

even during those times when I face painful trials

and unjust situations of all kinds.

.

Lord God, Loving Father,

send Your Holy Spirit on me,

to console me

and to counsel me

so that I can walk along Your path

and not allow myself to be drawn

to other seemingly more appealing ones.

Do not permit that I wrongly justify my decisions

through self-pity

and mistaken self-centered attitudes.

.

Father,

remove my selfishness,

increase my faith,

and give me hope

in a glorious eternity with You.

.

Amen

.

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

O Lord, my God, strengthen my faith.

.

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

Meditation engages thought, imagination, emotion, and desire.

This mobilisation of faculties is necessary

in order to deepen our convictions of faith,

prompt the conversion of our heart,

and strengthen our will to follow Christ. […]

.

[CCC 2708]

.

.

.

.

TODAY’S WORD…

.

In God alone is my soul at rest;

my help comes from Him.

He alone is my rock, my stronghold,

my fortress: I stand firm.

.

In God alone be at rest, my soul;

for my hope comes from Him.

He alone is my rock, my stronghold,

my fortress: I stand firm.

.

Take refuge in God, all you people.

Trust Him at all times.

Pour out your hearts before Him

for God is our refuge.

.

– Psalm 62:1-2; 5-8 (The Grail Psalms)

.

.

.

QUOTE…

.

“Many are the high waves,

and dangerous are the storms,

but we do not fear shipwreck:

we are founded on rock.

.

Although the sea may rage,

the rock will not be destroyed.

Although the waves may rise,

the barque of Jesus will not be sunk. […]

.

Little, of what the world sees as fearful, troubles me.

I laugh at the goods this world offers to me.

I am not afraid of poverty,

nor do I desire riches.

.

I do not fear death,

nor do I desire to go on living

if that is not to my spiritual good.”

.

– St. John Chrysostom

.

.

.

PRAYER…

.

In You alone I place my trust, O God.

You are my only source of inner peace and security.

.

In You alone I place my trust, O God.

You are my rock, my stronghold,

my fortress,

my refuge and my strength.

.

In You alone my soul finds peace, O God.

in You alone I place my trust

– do with me what You will!

.

Amen.

.

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

In You alone I place my trust, O God

– do with me what You will!

.

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

The desire for God is written in the human heart,

because man is created by God and for God;

and God never ceases to draw man to Himself.

Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for:

.

The dignity of man rests, above all,

on the fact that he is called to communion with God.

This invitation to converse with God

is addressed to man as soon as he comes into being.

For if man exists, it is because God has created him through love,

and through love continues to hold him in existence.

He cannot live fully according to truth

unless he freely acknowledges that love

and entrusts himself to his Creator. (Vatican Council II)

.

[CCC 27]

.

.

.

.

TODAY’S WORD…

.

If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need

but shows no compassion

– how can God’s love be in that person?

.

Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other;

let us show the truth by our actions.

.

– 1 John 3:17-18 (NLT)

.

.

.

REFLECTION…

.

Each one of us has a choice, to pass by those in need,

or to take action to help others.

But Christian love must be sincere

and it must also be active.

.

We need to translate love into concrete gestures

and such love must come from the heart.

Besides, actions and works, are what measure the genuineness of the Christian life;

and they show whether our faith and charity are real.

.

“If one of the brothers or sisters is in need of clothes

and has not enough food to live on,

and one of you says to them,

‘I wish you well, keep yourself warm and eat plenty,’

without giving them these bare necessities of life,

then what good is that?” – James 2:16

.

.

.

QUOTE…

.

“Christ will count a kindness done or refused to the poor

as done or refused to Himself…”

.

– Pope Leo XIII

.

.

.

PRAYER…

.

O Lord, my God,

I thank You for all the blessings You have bestowed upon me,

and especially for the gift of faith.

.

Lord, grant that I reciprocate Your love for me

in a manner that is pleasing to You.

.

Lead me, Lord,

and grant that I will do Your will.

.

Help me, Lord,

to look beyond myself, my family, and my own direct interests,

so that I will gladly go and share my blessings

as well as Your love, joy, peace and hope

with those others who are less fortunate than I am.

.

Amen.

.

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

Lord, use me to reflect Your love through my actions and deeds

on those who are so in need.

.

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

Man is himself the author, center, and goal of all economic and social life.

The decisive point of the social question is

that goods created by God for everyone should in fact reach everyone

in accordance with justice and with the help of charity.

[CCC 2459]

.

.

How can we not recognize Lazarus, the hungry beggar in the parable (cf. Lk 17:19-31),

in the multitude of human beings without bread, a roof or a place to stay?

How can we fail to hear Jesus:

“As you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me”? (Mt 25:45)

[CCC 2463]

.

.