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

.

TODAY’S WORD…

.

Jesus said,

“But many who are first will be last,

and the last will be first.”

.

– Mark 10:31 (NRSV)

.

.

.

REFLECTION…

.

We mustn’t get too comfortable

with our state of “holiness”;

with where we think we are in our spiritual journey.

Complacency can easily set in

and it is an attitude

which will make us easy prey

for the traps of the evil one

– who is determined to pull us down,

as far away from God as possible.

.

We certainly mustn’t become self-important

because of where we convince ourselves that we are in our spiritual journey.

Pride is a soul-destroying attitude

which, if allowed to set in,

transforms us from God-centered persons

to self-centered ones.

It kills all our progress, in our walk with Jesus,

and we fall behind to the end of the line

without even realising it!

.

We need to be humble,

and to focus less on ourselves

…and more on Jesus.

.

.

.

PRAYER…

.

Lord Jesus,

most loving Saviour,

remove my pride,

my vanity,

my self-centeredness,

and make me humble.

.

Help me focus only on You,

and hold my hand as I walk along the path of life

that You have chosen for me.

.

Amen.

.

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

More of You, Lord, and less of me.

. .

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

Contemplation is a gaze of faith, fixed on Jesus.

“I look at Him and He looks at me”:

this is what a certain peasant of Ars, in the time of his holy cure,

used to say while praying before the tabernacle.

.

This focus on Jesus is a renunciation of self.

His gaze purifies our heart;

the light of the countenance of Jesus illumines the eyes of our heart

and teaches us to see everything in the light of His truth

and His compassion for all men. […]

.

[CCC 2715]

.

.

.

TODAY’S WORD…

.

Come to the Lord, and leave your sin behind.

Pray sincerely that He will help you live a better life.

Return to the Most High and turn away from sin.

.

How great is the Lord’s merciful forgiveness

of those who turn to him!

.

– Sirach 15:25-26,29 (GNT)

.

.

.

REFLECTION…

.

God is our ultimate Judge,

and we must render an account to our Creator,

not just as regards our external actions

but even with regards to our innermost thoughts.

.

As we contemplate on God’s infinite mercy,

and on His great love for us,

the decision to change our way of life

and conform to His commandments,

becomes clear

…and urgent.

.

When we convert to God

and leave our old self behind,

we start to truly live again

and to look beyond this existence

– to everlasting life in His glorious Presence.

.

.

.

PRAYER…

.

My Lord God,

now that I have found You,

I do not want to ever let You go.

You are my life,

and I want to live in harmony with Your Law.

Remove my self-centeredness, O Lord.

Help me reject sin,

because it distances me from You;

because it makes me undeserving of Your love

and Your mercy;

because I want to love and honour You,

and live in Your presence,

now…and forever.

.

Amen.

.

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

I love You, Lord. Forgive me, Lord. Renew me, Lord!

. .

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

To choose deliberately – that is, both knowing it and willing it –

something gravely contrary to the divine law

and to the ultimate end of man

is to commit a mortal sin.

.

This destroys in us the charity

without which eternal beatitude is impossible.

Unrepented, it brings eternal death.

.

[CCC 1874]

.

.

.

TODAY’S WORD…

.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials,

for we know that they help us develop endurance.

.

And endurance develops strength of character,

and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.

.

And this hope will not lead to disappointment.

For we know how dearly God loves us,

because He has given us the Holy Spirit

to fill our hearts with His love.

.

– Romans 5:3-5 (NLT)

.

.

.

REFLECTION…

.

The peace attainable in this life

does not come from wanting not to have any problems,

but rather through a determination – full of hope; of character –

which helps us manage to rise above suffering,

and to stay faithful through endurance.

.

Suffering is necessary for us,

because it is the normal way to grow in virtue.

That is why it is providential.

.

With Christ by our side,

suffering will lead us to ultimate joy and happiness,

for we know how dearly God loves us,

because He has given us the Holy Spirit

to fill our hearts with His love.

.

.

.

PRAYER…

.

My Lord Jesus,

my most loving Saviour,

I thank You for Your promise

to help me carry my burdens and give me rest.

.

Lord, how awesome it is to have You right by my side,

helping me carry life’s problems.

What an incredible grace it is

to have to get so close to You,

to accept that You help me with my suffering!

.

Grant that I will never move away from You,

that I will always keep You right by my side,

so that I will endure,

as Your Spirit fills me with determination and hope,

and fills my heart with Your love.

.

Amen.

.

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

Lord Jesus, with You by my side, my burden is lighter…and I rejoice!

. .

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

Man is made to live in communion with God in whom he finds happiness:

“When I am completely united to You,

there will be no more sorrow or trials;

entirely full of You, my life will be complete.”(St. Augustine)

.

[CCC 45]

.

.

.

TODAY’S WORD…

.

Jesus said,

“I tell you solemnly,

anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child

will never enter it.”

.

– Mark 10:15 (JB)

.

.

.

REFLECTION…

.

Our Lord stresses

that a Christian has to become like a child

to enter the

Kingdom of Heaven.

.

Our Lord’s words express simply and graphically

the key doctrine of man’s divine sonship:

God is our Father and we are His sons and daughters, His children,

and our entire religion is summed up

in the relationship of a child with the good Father in Heaven.

.

This awareness of God as Father

involves a sense of dependence on our Heavenly Father,

and a trusting abandonment to His loving providence

– much in the same way a child trusts its father or mother;

the humility of recognizing that we can do nothing by ourselves;

and simplicity and sincerity,

which make us straightforward and honest in our dealings

with both God…and man.

.

.

.

QUOTE…

.

“To be little

you have to believe as children believe,

to love as children love,

to abandon yourself as children do…,

to pray as children pray”

.

– St. Josemaria Escriva.

.

.

PRAYER…

.

My Lord God,

thank You for Your Spirit, here right by my side.

Your presence is so reassuring;

Your love so true and real, I can feel it.

.

Abba, I do not ever want to go back

to that empty time of my life

when I kept myself detached from You,

and ignored and disobeyed You.

.

Father,

hold my hand.

and lead me to wherever You want to take me.

I will follow You gladly,

because I trust in Your unfailing love for me.

.

Abba, Father, I love You!

.

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

Abba, Father, I love You!

. .

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

“Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Gal 4:6)

.

[CCC 742]

..

..

From the beginning to the end of time, whenever God sends His Son,

He always sends His Spirit:

their mission is conjoined and inseparable.

.

[CCC 743]

..

.

TODAY’S WORD…TODAY’S PRAYER…

.

I praise you, O Lord;
teach me Your ways.

.

I take pleasure in Your laws;
Your commands I will not forget.

.

Open my eyes, so that I may see
the wonderful truths in Your law.

.

Help me to understand Your laws,
and I will meditate on Your wonderful deeds

.

Explain Your law to me, and I will obey it;
I will keep it with all my heart.
Keep me obedient to Your commandments,
because in them I find happiness.

.

– Psalm 119:12,16,18,27,34-35 (GNT)

.

.

.

A SONG…A PRAYER…

Click here >>

to listen to and sing a beautiful prayer to the Lord,

and ask Him to show you His ways.

.

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

Open my eyes, O Lord, and show me Your ways.

. .

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

The Church "forcefully and specially exhorts all the Christian faithful

…to learn ‘the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ’(Phil 3:8)

by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures.

.

Let them remember, however,

that prayer should accompany the reading of Sacred Scripture,

so that a dialogue takes place between God and man.

For ‘we speak to Him when we pray;

we listen to Him when we read the divine oracles.’(St. Ambrose)” – Dei Verbum

.

[CCC 2653]

.

.

[…] "Seek in reading and you will find in meditating;

knock in mental prayer and it will be opened to you by contemplation."(Guigo the Carthusian)

.

[CCC 2654]

.

.

.

TODAY’S WORD…

.

Do not be so confident of forgiveness
that you add sin to sin.
Do not say, “His mercy is great,
He will forgive the multitude of my sins”,
for both mercy and wrath are with Him,
and His anger will rest on sinners.

Do not delay to turn back to the Lord,
and do not postpone it from day to day;
for suddenly the wrath of the Lord will come upon you,
and at the time of punishment you will perish.

.

– Sirach 5:5-7 (NRSV)

.

.

.

REFLECTION…

.

Presumption, that is, excess of confidence,

is unfortunately a very common temptation.

.

The worst form of presumption

is that of those who take the goodness and mercy of God for granted,

who sin without fear of punishment,

who see no value in repentance,

who do not heed the call to conversion and penance.

.

We need to guard against such an attitude,

we need to change our life where it needs changing.

.

God forgives the repentant heart

but true repentance is, as Jesus Himself indicates,

to “Go, and sin no more.” (Jn 8:11)

.

.

.

PRAYER…

.

O my God,

I am sorry

and beg pardon for all my sins,

and detest them above all things,

because they deserve Your dreadful punishments,

because they have crucified my loving Saviour Jesus Christ

and, most of all,

because they offend Your infinite goodness.

.

I firmly resolve,

with the help of Your grace,

never to offend You again,

and to carefully avoid the occasions of sin.

.

Amen.

…...

[*]

.

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

My Lord and my God,

I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace,

never to offend You again.

. .

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

To return to communion with God after having lost it through sin

is a process born of the grace of God

who is rich in mercy and solicitous for the salvation of men.

One must ask for this precious gift for oneself and for others.

.

[CCC 1489]

.

.

The movement of return to God, called conversion and repentance,

entails sorrow for and abhorrence of sins committed,

and the firm purpose of sinning no more in the future.

Conversion touches the past and the future

and is nourished by hope in God’s mercy.

.

[CCC 1490]

..

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

[*] Today’s prayer: The Act of Contrition.

.

TODAY’S WORD…

.

How I long for Your saving help, O Lord!
I find happiness in Your law.

.

Give me life, so that I may praise You;
may Your instructions help me.

.

– Psalm 119:174-175 (GNT)

.

.

.

PRAYER…

.

Father,
may everything I do
begin with Your inspiration
and continue with Your saving help.

.

Let every breath that I take

and all that I say and do,

always find their origin in You.

.

Fill me with Your grace,

that I may gladly follow Your commands

and obediently do Your will,

for it is by doing so that I will praise You

and give You glory and honour.

.

Amen..

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

My Lord and my God, You are my life!

. .

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

[…] Christ Himself is the mystery of salvation:

"For there is no other mystery of God, except Christ."(St. Augustine)

.

The saving work of His holy and sanctifying humanity

is the sacrament of salvation,

which is revealed and active in the Church’s sacraments…

.

The seven sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony)

are the signs and instruments

by which the Holy Spirit spreads the grace of Christ, the head,

throughout the Church, which is His Body. […]

.

[CCC 774]

.

.

.

.

TODAY’S WORD…

.

My child,

if you are going to serve the Lord,

be prepared for times when you will be put to the test.

.

Be sincere and determined.

Keep calm when trouble comes.

.

Stay with the Lord; never abandon Him,

and you will be prosperous at the end of your days.

.

Accept whatever happens to you.

Even if you suffer humiliation, be patient.

.

Gold is tested by fire,

and human character is tested in the furnace of humiliation.

.

Trust the Lord, and He will help you.

Walk straight in His ways, and put your hope in Him.

.

All you that fear the Lord,

wait for Him to show you His mercy.

Do not turn away from Him, or you will fall.

.

All you that fear the Lord,

trust Him,

and you will certainly be rewarded.

.

All you that fear the Lord,

look forward

to His blessings of mercy and eternal happiness.

.

Think back to the ancient generations and consider this:

has the Lord ever disappointed anyone who put his hope in Him?

Has the Lord ever abandoned anyone who held Him in constant reverence?

Has the Lord ever ignored anyone who prayed to Him?

.

The Lord is kind and merciful;

He forgives our sins and keeps us safe in time of trouble.

.

– Sirach 2:1-11 (GNT)

.

.

.

PRAYER…

.

Come, Holy Spirit,

come into my heart

and help me reflect on God’s Word.

.

Come, Holy Spirit,

come with Your inspiration

and embed God’s Word in me.

Help me welcome the Truth.

Help me embrace it,

absorb it,

and live it.

.

Come, Holy Spirit,

come into my heart..

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

Come, Holy Spirit, come into my heart.

.

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

Believing is possible only by grace

and the interior helps of the Holy Spirit.

But it is no less true that believing is an authentically human act.

.

Trusting in God and cleaving to the truths He has revealed

is contrary neither to human freedom nor to human reason. […]

.

[CCC 154]

.

.

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…

.

“Lord, I believe;

help my unbelief!”

.

– Mark 9:24 (NKJV)

.

REFLECTION…

.

If we are true people of faith

then we do not rely on ourselves,

but on Jesus Christ.

.

Faith is a gift of God,

which we, especially at times when we are wavering,

should ask humbly and persistently,

“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”,

and like the Apostles, who said to Jesus:

“Increase our faith!” (Lk 17:5)

.

. .

PRAYER…

.

Lord, I do have faith,

but not enough.

Help me have more.

.

Lord, I love You,

but I need to love You more.

.

Lord, I need You,

but I need to trust You more.

Lord, I want to do Your will,

but I need to listen to You more.

.

Lord, I believe;

help my unbelief,

increase my faith!

.

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

Lord, increase my faith!

.

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

Faith is an entirely free gift that God makes to man.

We can lose this priceless gift, as St. Paul indicated to St. Timothy:

“Wage the good warfare,

holding faith and a good conscience.

By rejecting conscience,

certain persons have made shipwreck of their faith.”(1 Tim 1:18-19)

.

To live, grow and persevere in the faith until the end

we must nourish it with the word of God;

we must beg the Lord to increase our faith;

it must be “working through charity,”

abounding in hope,

and rooted in the faith of the Church.

[CCC 162]

.

.

.

.

TODAY’S WORD…

.

If the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from death,

lives in you,

then He who raised Christ from death

will also give life to your mortal bodies

by the presence of His Spirit in you.

.

– Romans 8:11 (NRSV)

.

REFLECTION…

.

If the Spirit is in us,

Christ is in us.

.

He dwells in the heart by faith.

He renews us

and gives us life.

.

If we allow the Holy Spirit to live in us,

we become alive to God,

and we discover and delight in a holy happiness

which endures for ever.

. .

PRAYER…

.

Come, Spirit of the Living God,

come and dwell in my heart.

.

Remove from me all that is not from You,

and take away my spiritual fatigue.

.

Move me,

energise me,

revitalise every cell of my body,

and fill me with Your newness of life.

.

Come, O Breath of Life,

renew me

and fill me with that deep and everlasting joy,

and with the awesome peace

which comes from embracing the Father’s love.

.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

.

.

.

REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

.

Come, Holy Spirit, and renew me.

.

.

.

YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

.

"God is Love"

and love is His first gift, containing all others.

.

"God’s love has been poured into our hearts

through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."(Rom 5:5)

.

[CCC 733]

.

.

.