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

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TODAY’S WORD…

Nathanael asked, “Can anything good come from that place?” “Come and see” replied Philip.

– John 1:46

REFLECTION…

Today’s verse is part of a conversation between two men, one of whom, Philip, had just met Christ and was, very excitedly, telling his friend Nathanael about this Jesus, who hailed from the village of Nazareth.

Nathanael was, typically, sceptical and he scoffed sarcastically at what was, supposedly, “good news”.  Philip’s reaction to all this, sets a wonderful example for all of us: he presented a significant yet simple invitation to Nathanael: “Come and see.”  In spite of being totally unconvinced, Nathanael takes up his friend’s invitation and goes and discovers the truth for himself!

Whenever we are with someone who, for whatever reason, does not know or acknowledge Jesus, should the subject come up, we must not only be content with words. The knowledge of Jesus needs, above all, a living experience, and inviting others to come along with us and experience for themselves, that which we ourselves have experienced, can be what will set them off on a wonderful, intimate and profound relationship with Jesus.

PRAYER…

Lord Jesus,

it is because of that wonderful moment of grace

when I took up a friend’s invitation to “come and see”,

that I am on my knees before You today.

Lord Jesus, use me…to invite others to “come and see” You.

Use me, Lord,

and let me truly reflect the joy, the love and the peace that only You can bring,

so that others will feel encouraged and will want to know more about You.

Use me, Lord. Amen.

TODAY’S WORD…

This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.

– 1 John 3:10

REFLECTION…

“Children of the devil”: this, in the common Semitic way of speaking, means “the devil’s supporters” – basically, those who wilfully do what they know is wrong and immoral; those who encourage and promote immorality and what is dishonest and unlawful.

“Children of God” refers here, primarily, to the moral dimension of Christian life, as a description of those whose actions show they are on God’s side – i.e. the opposite of “the children of the devil”.

The distinguishing criteria are, therefore, the practice of righteousness, that is, striving for holiness and fighting against sin, as well as having a loving, kindly and merciful attitude towards people.

Although it is very much our choice which side to be on, it is through God’s grace that we can distinguish, acknowledge, and choose the Truth.

QUOTE…

“This is the great boldness of the Christian faith – to proclaim the value and dignity of human nature and to affirm that we have been created to obtain the dignity of children of God…”

– St. Josemaria Escriva

PRAYER…

Father in Heaven, I want to be Your child.

I want to be recognised as one belonging to Your family;

to act as a member of Your family should;

to love in the way You, Abba, taught me how to love.

Father, forgive me my sins and help me sin no more.

Help me love all others,

also those who have hurt me or who do not return my love.

Abba, Father, I love You.

TODAY’S WORD…

Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John [the Baptist] said, “Look, there is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.”

– John 1:29

REFLECTION…

Jesus is the True Lamb, the victim in the sacrifice of Calvary on behalf of all mankind. The expression “Lamb of God” also suggests the spotless innocence of Christ, our Redeemer.

The sacred text says “the sin of the world”, in the singular, to make it absolutely clear that every kind of sin is taken away. Christ came to free us from Original Sin, which in Adam affected all mankind, but also from all our personal sins.

There is so much to be grateful to our Lord for: for giving Himself up to death to save us; and for giving Himself to us as nourishment for our souls.

PRAYER…

Lord Jesus,

when I think of Your supreme sacrifice,

which You undertook to free us and to save us,

I am in completely in awe of Your amazing love.

O loving Lord, O faithful God, O generous King,

You are kind and humble,

You are meek and gentle,

You are the sacrificial lamb of God.

Lord, I bow down before You

and I give You my heart;

I give You my soul;

and I proclaim You my Most Glorious and Divine Saviour.

Amen.

TODAY’S WORD…

Sing a new song to the Lord

for He has worked wonders.

His right hand and His Holy arm

have brought salvation.

– Psalm 98:1

REFLECTION…

What a wonderful resolution – to sing a new song, every day, to the Lord! What a worthy resolution, which I, as a believer, should strive to keep – to make each day a song of praise and glory, sung from my heart to the Lord, through my words, my thoughts and my deeds.

Jesus – God’s right hand and His holy arm – was born to save us. He triumphed over darkness and death and He is my Lord and my Saviour!

PRAYER…

My Lord and my God,

I come before You and I kneel in Your presence,

I kneel in the presence of my Maker.

Every day I want to give You glory

– I want to give glory to my King.

Every day I pray to have You and to keep You in my heart,

I wish to make every day a new song of praise to You.

Lord Jesus, right hand of the Father,

help me never fail in my resolve.

Lord, give me the strength of character

to put You first and foremost in my life…every day.

Lord, I want to make my life a song of praise to You, my Saviour!

Amen.

A NEW YEAR’S BLESSING…

“May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord let His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord uncover His face to you and bring you peace.”

– Numbers 6:24-26

REFLECTION…

Such a meaningful blessing – so deep, so touching. It cannot be otherwise, because its Author is the Lord Himself!

This is the special blessing that the Lord instructed Moses to pass on, for His people to be blessed with. This special blessing was written in God’s Book – for posterity – and so that all future generations of believers could similarly bless their loved ones, with faith and hope in their hearts, with this very powerful prayer.

We should make it our daily prayer over our loved ones!

HAVE FAITH, TRUST IN THE LORD, AND THEN BLESS YOUR LOVED ONES…TODAY AND EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR…

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

May the Lord let His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

May the Lord uncover His face to you and bring you peace.  Amen.

TODAY’S WORD…

“Holy, Holy, Holy, the Lord God the Almighty, who was and is and is to come.”

– Revelation 4:8

PRAYER…

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord!

Divine Creator,

Most Loving and Almighty God,

You are Holy!

I worship You

and I give You praise and thanks and glory,

for You are my Lord.

I give You thanks, Almighty God,

for every day of the year that You give me;

for all the blessings I have;

and for all the graces I receive.

I thank You for Your consolation whenever I need it;

for making my burdens lighter;

for making me stronger and more determined

to carry the crosses of life through looking at Jesus, my Saviour.

Without You, O Glorious Lord, I am nothing;

With You in my heart, I have everything

– You are all I need!

Strengthen my faith, O Lord, and my resolve

as I journey through life,

day by day,

with You by my side.

My soul rejoices!

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord!

TODAY’S WORD…

Simeon took the child [Jesus] in his arms and praised God saying, “Lord, now I can die in peace! As You promised me, I have seen the Saviour You have given to all people…”

– Luke 2:28-31

REFLECTION…

Simeon’s emotions, which he so beautifully expresses as he holds the child Jesus in his arms, can be our own…as we receive the Sacred Host in our hands, every time we go to Holy Communion.

PRAYER…

My Lord Jesus,

I thank You for making it possible for me to hold You,

even if for just a few moments, in the palm of my hand.

I thank You for the faith You have given me,

to feel what Simeon felt as he held You.

I thank You for making Yourself present in that host,

which unworthy as I am, I so gladly and humbly receive

every time I respond to Your healing call.

You, Lord, are all I need,

and I thank You for the grace You have given me

– the grace that fills my heart with joy and wonderous expectation.

I love You, Jesus – and thank You for Your generous and healing love!

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TODAY’S WORD…

God’s message…which was a mystery hidden for generations and centuries…is Christ among you, your hope of glory; this is the Christ we proclaim.

– Colossians 1:25-27

REFLECTION…

In Christ, the “mystery” is fully revealed. In His infinite love, Christ lives in us through faith and grace, through prayer and the Sacraments.  Jesus promised us, “Where two or three are gathered in My Name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mat 18:20)

QUOTE…

“In a special way, Christ stays with us in the daily offering of the Blessed Eucharist […]. The presence of Christ in the host is the guarantee, the source and the culmination of His presence in the world.

“Christ is alive in Christians”.  Our faith teaches that man, in the state of grace, is divinized – filled with God. We are men and women, not angels. We are flesh and blood, people with sentiments and passions, with sorrows and joys. And this divinization affects everything human; it is a sort of foretaste of the final resurrection”

– St. Josemaria Escriva

PRAYER…

Jesus, You are my Lord and my God.

Jesus, You are my teacher, my Saviour, my hope.

Jesus, I trust in You.

Thank You, Lord Jesus.

Forgive me, Lord Jesus.

Teach me, Lord Jesus.

Come, Lord Jesus, and live in me.  Amen.

TODAY’S WORD…

Stop Your weeping, dry your eyes, your hardships will be redressed.  There is hope for your descendants, says the Lord.

– Jeremiah 31:16-17

REFLECTION…

We worry, we are anxious, about our situation, about the future, about our children, about their future…  But where there is faith, there is hope, and where there is trust in the Lord and total abandonment to His will, our tears will be turned into tears of joy, brought about by that indescribable emotion, which comes from knowing, from believing that God loves us so.

Rather than worry and despair, therefore, we go before the Lord, and we pray, and we entrust ourselves and our loved ones to Him…and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus (cf. Ph 4:7). Amen!

PRAYER…

Father in Heaven, thank You for loving us so.

Thank You for sending Your Beloved Son, Jesus, to become one like us;

to live like us,

to experience all our emotions of love, joy, loneliness, sadness, grief….

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your loving example,

for showing me the way through life,

for teaching me how to pray

and how to place my full trust in my Creator, who loves me so. .

Holy Spirit, O Great Counsellor and Consoler,

come and fill me with Your peace,

calm my mind,

take over my emotions

and let me find rest and joy in the knowledge of the Truth. .

Amen.

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TODAY’S WORD…

Light is sown for the righteous,

and joy for the upright in heart.

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,

and give thanks to His Holy Name!

– Psalm 97:11-12

REFLECTION…

To men and women of good will, Jesus’ birth is indeed good news! Suddenly there is light where before there was darkness; joy to push desperation aside; hope where, perhaps, there was none.

PRAYER…

Jesus, Emmanuel,

King of Kings, Lord of Lords,

thank You for the joy and peace You bring into my heart!

My soul magnifies You, O Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in You, my God, my Saviour.

Thank You for the great joy that only You bring,

and for changing darkness into light.

I praise and thank You, Jesus,

for You have truly made me glad!

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