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

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TODAY’S WORD……TODAY’S REFLECTION…TODAY’S PRAYER…

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To You, O Lord, I offer my prayer;

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Teach me Your ways, O Lord;
make them known to me.
Teach me to live according to Your truth,
for You are my God, who saves me.
I always trust in You.

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Remember, O Lord, Your kindness and constant love
which You have shown from long ago.
Forgive the sins and errors of my youth.
In your constant love and goodness,
remember me, Lord!

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– Psalm 25:1;4-7 (GNT)

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Teach me Your ways, O Lord; I always trust in You.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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The word of God is alive and active,

sharper than any double-edged sword.

It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet,

to where joints and marrow come together.

It judges the desires and thoughts of the heart.

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– Hebrews 4:12 (GNT)

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REFLECTION…

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God’s word is consoling and life-giving

to the open and humble heart

that listens out intently for God’s voice

as it seeks to be led by Him.

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God’s word, serves us

as strength for our faith,

food for our soul

and a pure and lasting source of spiritual life.

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But God’s word also inspires dread and panic

in those whose way of life and thinking it warns against.

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Those who foolishly persist with their self-centeredness,

appear to ignore the direction that God gives them,

or else they consciously misinterpret Scripture to suit their selfish ways.

However, deep inside it still bothers them,

and that is why they often angrily over-react to the word.

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We must remember that

the depths of a person’s heart,

his deepest thoughts, attitudes and intentions

– all lie open to God’s all-seeing eye.

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QUOTES…

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"The word of His truth is hotter and brighter than the sun,

and pierces the very depths of hearts and minds"

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– St Justin

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"What a person does or thinks is expressed in his actions,

but one can never be sure of what motivates his actions.

That, however, is never hidden from God"

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– St Thomas

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, Your words are life to me!

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Light shines in the darkness for the godly.

They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.

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– Psalm 112:4 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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Even in difficult and troubled times,

God’s light shines on those who love Him and trust in Him,

and their attitude unwaveringly reflects the Lord’s,

for they are always generous, compassionate and righteous..

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QUOTE…

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“It is impossible to keep the Lord’s commandment by imitating the divine model from outside;

there has to be a vital participation, coming from the depths of the heart,

in the holiness and the mercy and the love of our God.

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Only the Spirit by whom we live can make ours the same mind that was in Christ Jesus.”

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– Catechism of the Catholic Church – CCC 2842

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, help me be generous, compassionate and righteous

at all times,

and let my manner and my actions always reflect You…in me.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings,

or of God?

Or am I trying to please people?

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If I were still trying to please people,

I would not be a servant of Christ.

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– Galatians 1:10 (NIV)

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REFLECTION…

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The world

appears to be intent on getting us to adopt lifestyles and attitudes

which exalt the self,

idolise the body,

and encourage self-gratification at any cost.

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But it does not stop at the self,

because vanity is also about showing off

and about winning the approval of others.

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The world seems to be continuously feeding

our lower passions, desires, pride

and all our amoral inclinations,

as it justifies self-indulgence and unrestraint.

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But we can battle…and beat…this ideology,

and set about pleasing God rather than the world.

We can do this

by putting on Christ;

by living how He teaches us to live;

by being humble;

and by loving unselfishly like He loves.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, protect me from the vanity that lurks within me,

from my passions and from my self-centeredness.

Lord, more of You and less of me.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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I am determined to put [Wisdom] into practice,

I have earnestly pursued what is good,

I will not be put to shame.

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– Sirach 51:18 (JB)

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REFLECTION…

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Dictionary definitions of “wisdom” include

– the quality of having knowledge and good judgement;

– the ability to discern;

– good sense;

– a wise attitude

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In the Christian context,

Wisdom means always acting according to the spirit of the Commandments

and not looking for an ambiguity or omission which we can use to evade their true intent

and to justify our actions.

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Wisdom means understanding the consequences of our life choices, actions and words

before we decide, act or speak.

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Wisdom means having the knowledge and understanding to recognise the right course of action

and having the will and courage to follow it.

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Following the ways of Wisdom helps bring us in harmony with God

because these ways are in accordance with His will, as revealed in the Bible,

and are pleasing to Him.

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The ways of Wisdom also bring us in harmony with other persons

because respect for others is the very essence of the Commandments.

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Acting with Wisdom brings us in harmony with ourselves,

giving us a sense of self-worth and inner peace.

This is because Wisdom helps us avoid the shame and guilt

that come from following our baser instincts.

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We often fail in our daily struggle to act with wisdom – it does not come easily or naturally.

Although it is easier to follow our less-than-wise impulses,

the reward for acting with wisdom and living in God’s grace is great

…and it is eternal!

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A quick look around us today,

will quickly show us how much true wisdom we lack.

How sad.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, help me only earnestly pursue what is good.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Do not let your love be a pretence,

but sincerely prefer good to evil.

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– Romans 12:9 (JB)

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REFLECTION…

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That which is evil…

sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,

idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife,

jealousy, fits of anger,

rivalries, dissensions, divisions,

envy, drunkenness, orgies,

and things like these. (Gal 5:19-21)

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That which is good…

love, joy, peace,

patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal 5:22-23)

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The choice is ours.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord Jesus, help me as I strive to be more like You and to love like You do.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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When Bartimaeus [a blind beggar] heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby,

he began to shout,

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

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“Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him.

But he only shouted louder,

“Son of David, have mercy on me!”

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“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.

“My rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!”

And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.”

Instantly the man could see,

and he followed Jesus on the way.

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– Mark 10:47-48;51-52 (NLT)

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QUOTE…

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“’Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’

Don’t you feel the same urge to cry out?

You who are also waiting

at the side of the way, of this highway of life that is so very short?

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You who need more light,

you who need more grace to make up your mind to seek holiness?

Don’t you feel an urgent need to cry out,

‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’?

What a beautiful aspiration for you to repeat again and again! […]

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Our Lord, who had heard [the blind man] right from the beginning,

let him persevere in his prayer.

He does the same with you.

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Jesus hears our cries from the very first, but He waits.

He wants us to be convinced that we need Him.

He wants us to beseech Him,

to persist,

like the blind man…”

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– St. Josemaria Escriva

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,

do everything for the glory of God.

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– 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NRSV)

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Whatever you do, in word or deed,

do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

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– Colossians 3:17 (NRSV)

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REFLECTION…

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In everything we do

– even in apparently unimportant things, like eating and drinking –

we Christians should seek the glory of God, by always acting with the best of intentions.

In the case of meals, of course,

the practice of saying grace before and after helps us to be mindful of God

and thankful to Him in that situation.

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All genuinely human things that we do,

can and should be made holy

by being done perfectly and for love of God.

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QUOTE…

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“I ask you to consider that our Lord Jesus Christ is your true head,

and that you are one of His members.

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He belongs to you as the head belongs to its members;

all that is His is yours:

His spirit, His heart, His body and soul, and all His faculties.

You must make use of all these as of your own,

to serve, praise, love, and glorify God.

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You belong to Him, as members belong to their head.

And so He longs for you

to use all that is in you, as if it were His own,

for the service and glory of the Father.”

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– St. John Eudes

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, may all that I am, and all that I say or do,

be always for Your glory.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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The way to become wise is to honour the Lord:

He gives sound judgment to all who obey His commands.

He is to be praised forever.

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– Psalm 111:10 (GNT)

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QUOTES…

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“To have knowledge, you must first have reverence for the Lord.

Stupid people have no respect for wisdom

and refuse to learn.”

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– Proverbs 1:7

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“On the journey through life towards Christ,

our initial servile fear is replaced by perfect awe

which is love, a gift of the Holy Spirit.”

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– Pope Benedict XVI’s commentary on Psalm 111

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, grant that I may never stop striving

to live my life in praise of Your glory and goodness,

and of Your truth and Your faithfulness.

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TODAY’S WORD…

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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.

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How great is the Lord’s merciful forgiveness

of those who turn to Him!

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– Sirach 15:25-26,29 (GNT)

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REFLECTION…

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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.

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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.

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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.

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QUOTE…

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“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.

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This destroys in us the charity without which eternal beatitude is impossible.

Unrepented, it brings eternal death.”

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– Catechism of the Catholic Church – CCC 1874.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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I love You, Lord. Forgive me, have mercy on me and renew me.

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