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

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TODAY’S WORD…

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“Deep within them I will plant my Law, writing it on their hearts.

Then I will be their God

and they shall be my people.”

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– Jeremiah 31:33 (JB)

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REFLECTION…

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What hope we find in God’s wonderful promise!

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God’s words, spoken through His prophet Jeremiah,

bring to mind the first two verses of the very first Psalm in the Book of Psalms:

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.
Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord,
and they study it day and night. (Ps 1:1-2)

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Indeed, the psalmist’s words are so true

if we yearn for and gladly embrace God’s Word and His Law,

which He Himself planted in our hearts!

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord Jesus, I so want to obey Your Law.

Teach me, guide me, and do not permit me to go against it!

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TODAY’S WORD…

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“God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

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– Luke 18:13 (NIV)

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REFLECTION…

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This is a short but very full prayer,

it is a humble confession that comes from the very depths of the heart.

.This prayer is also a humble petition, seeking God’s mercy and forgiveness.

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Prayer, in addition to being persevering and full of faith, must flow from the heart,

from the heart that recognises its errant nature

and truly repents of its sins.

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Go, therefore, humble and repentant before God,

and plead, with sincerity, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner”

– and the Lord, who recognises and never spurns a meek and truly contrite heart,

will generously pour out His loving and forgiving grace on you.

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QUOTE…

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"Interior repentance is a radical reorientation of our whole life,

a return, a conversion to God with all our heart,

an end of sin, a turning away from evil,

with repugnance toward the evil actions we have committed.

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At the same time it entails the desire and resolution to change one’s life,

with hope in God’s mercy and trust in the help of His grace.

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This conversion of heart is accompanied by a salutary pain and sadness

…“affliction of spirit” and “repentance of heart”.”

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– Catechism of the Catholic Church. CCC 1431

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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We always give thanks to God for all of you

and mention you in our prayers,

constantly remembering before our God and Father

your work of faith

and labour of love

and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

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– 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 (NRSV)

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QUOTES…

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"Belief and faith are proved by works

– not by simply saying that one believes,

but by real actions, which are kept up,

and by a heart burning with love."

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– St John Chrysostom

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“Hope…enables one to endure adversity"

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– St Thomas

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"Faith encourages men to do good,

charity to bear pain and effort,

and hope to resist patiently."

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– Severian of Gabala Chrysostom

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“Three things will last forever – faith, hope, and love –

and the greatest of these is love.” –

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– St. Paul (1 Cor 13:13)

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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God of faith, deepen my faith.

God of hope, strengthen my hope.

God of love, kindle my love.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Always be humble and gentle.

Be patient with each other,

making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

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Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit,

binding yourselves together with peace.

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– Ephesians 4:2-3 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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Humility, gentleness, patience, peace

all are attributes of Christ,

and it is He who unites true Christians.

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Old and young, poor and rich, adult and child, husband and wife,

people of either sex and of every condition become one and the same,

more closely united than the parts of a single body.

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This union of hearts, of affections and intentions

is the result of the action of the Holy Spirit in men and women of good faith

who, strengthened in unity, can effectively face the world,

and help and encourage one another

to walk along the straight and narrow path

…which leads to Christ.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord Jesus, cultivate again in my heart that love and patience which direct me to peace.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,

the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.

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I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources

He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit.

Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him.

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Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should,

how wide,

how long,

how high,

and how deep His love is.

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May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.

Then you will be made complete

with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

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– Ephesians 3:14-19 (NIV)

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REFLECTION…

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St. Paul prays for all of us with this beautifully meaningful prayer.

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We need to reflect deeply on what St. Paul prays

…and we need to gladly make his prayer our own.

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The Holy Spirit will then help us focus on the Cross of Christ

and He will make us realise

how that glorious Cross illustrates the width, length, height and depth…the immensity…

of God’s love for us.

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PRAYER…

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I fall to my knees and pray to You, Almighty Father,

Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.

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I pray that from Your glorious, unlimited resources

You will empower me with inner strength through Your Holy Spirit.

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O glorious God,

I pray that Jesus will make His home in my heart as I trust in Him.

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May my roots grow down into Your love and keep me strong.

And may I have the power to understand,

how wide,

how long,

how high,

and how deep Jesus’ love is.

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I pray that I may experience the love of Jesus,

though I know it is too great for me to ever fully understand.

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That is when I will be made complete

with all the fullness of life and power that comes from You, O God.

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Amen.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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How great You are, O Lord, my God!

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TODAY’S WORD…
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I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,
the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.
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I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources
He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit.
Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. .
Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide,
how long,
how high,
and how deep His love is.
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May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete
with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. .
– Ephesians 3:14-19 (NIV)
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REFLECTION…
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St. Paul prays for all of us with this beautifully meaningful prayer. .
We need to reflect deeply on what St. Paul prays
…and we need to gladly make his prayer our own.
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The Holy Spirit will then help us focus on the Cross of Christ and He will make us realise
how that glorious Cross illustrates the width, length, height and depth…the immensity… of God’s love for us.
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PRAYER…
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I fall to my knees and pray to You, Almighty Father,
Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.
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I pray that from Your glorious, unlimited resources
You will empower me with inner strength through Your Holy Spirit. .
O glorious God,
I pray that Jesus will make His home in my heart as I trust in Him. .
May my roots grow down into Your love and keep me strong.
And may I have the power to understand,
how wide,
how long,
how high,
and how deep Jesus’ love is.
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I pray that I may experience the love of Jesus,
though I know it is too great for me to ever fully understand. .
That is when I will be made complete
with all the fullness of life and power that comes from You, O God. .
Amen.
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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…
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How great You are, O Lord, my God!
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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said,

“Someone who does not know, and then does something wrong,

will be punished only lightly.

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When someone has been given much, much will be required in return;

and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.”

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– Luke 12:48 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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Do I scorn non-believers

and feel superior to them because mine is “the true faith”?

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If the faith I profess is truly the faith Jesus preached.

then I will not be scorning others

nor feeling superior to them or to anyone.

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Jesus teaches us that there is a greater onus on us Christians,

who have been made aware of ‘the Truth’,

then on others

who, for some reason or another, have not.

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It is our responsibility to follow and obey the “Truth”

and also to pass on that ‘Truth’ to others,

especially by our example

and a humble Christian witness of steadfast faith,

joyful hope, and unselfish love.

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QUOTE…

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“Christianity […] proposes Christ’s invitation to know the truth which sets us free.

The believer is called to offer that truth to his contemporaries,

as did the Lord, even before the dark omen of rejection and the Cross.

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The personal encounter with the One who is Truth in person

compels us to share this treasure with others, especially by our witness.

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Dear friends, do not hesitate to follow Jesus Christ.

In Him we find the truth about God and about mankind.

He helps us to overcome our selfishness,

to rise above our ambitions

and to conquer all that oppresses us.”

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– Pope Benedict XVI

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, I so want to live and share Your Truth!

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TODAY’S WORD…

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“For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.

Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

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– John 18:37 (NRSV)

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“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth,

will draw all people to myself.”

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– John 12:32 (NRSV)

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REFLECTION…

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To be human, man’s response to God by faith must be free,

and […] therefore nobody is to be forced to embrace the faith against his [or her] will.

The act of faith is of its very nature a free act.

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God calls men to serve Him in spirit and in truth.

Consequently they are bound to Him in conscience, but not coerced […].

This fact received its fullest manifestation in Christ Jesus.

Indeed, Christ invited people to faith and conversion, but never coerced them.

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“For He bore witness to the truth

but refused to use force to impose it on those who spoke against it.

His kingdom…grows by the love with which Christ, lifted up on the cross, draws men to Himself.”

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– Catechism of the Catholic Church. CCC 160..

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, through Your Cross You set me free,

and Your Truth leads me along the right path.

Thank You, Jesus.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer;
answer me, for I need Your help.
Protect me, for I am devoted to You.
Save me, for I serve You and trust You.
You are my God.
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Be merciful to me, O Lord,
for I am calling on You constantly.
Give me happiness, O Lord,
for I give myself to You.
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O Lord, You are so good, so ready to forgive,
so full of unfailing love for all who ask for Your help.
Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord;
hear my urgent cry.
I will call to You whenever I’m in trouble,
and You will answer me.

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Teach me Your ways, O Lord,
that I may live according to Your truth!
Grant me purity of heart,
so that I may honour You.

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With all my heart I will praise You, O Lord my God.
I will give glory to Your name forever,

for Your love for me is very great.

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– Psalm 86:1-7,11-13 (NLT)

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PRAYER…

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Have mercy on me, O Lord, and hear my urgent cry.

Teach me Your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to Your truth.

Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honour You.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Never be lacking in zeal,

but keep your spiritual fervour,

serving the Lord.

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Be joyful in hope,

patient in affliction,

faithful in prayer.

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– Romans 12:11-12 (NIV)

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REFLECTION…

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The love of God makes us joyful, strong and persevering.

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As Christians, we should accept our trials with joy and hope,

because we know that what is promised in exchange

is something much better

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Clear signs that the love of God is influencing everything we do

is that feeling of inner joy even in the midst of difficulties,

perseverance notwithstanding our suffering,

as well as faithfulness in prayer.

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QUOTE…

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"Where one loves,

either one does not feel the difficulty

or else one loves the very difficulty […]."

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– St. Augustine

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Holy Spirit, fill me with love, joy, peace, patience,

kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness and self-control.

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