Message of the Day
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A true Christian is one who never for a moment forgets what God has done for him or her in Christ and whose whole comportment and whose activity have their root in the sentiment of gratitude. (Gratitude as foundational. Take some to to prayerfully give thanks for the blessings in your life.)
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Readings of the Day
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RV 15:1-4; PS 98:1, 2-3AB, 7-8, 9 LK 21:12-19 "Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Men will seize you and persecute you; they will hand you over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and bring you before kings and governors because of my name – and that will be your opportunity to bear witness. Keep this carefully in mind: you are not to prepare your defence, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will
be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your
lives.’"
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture
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“I bid you resolve not to worry about your defense beforehand.” —Luke 21:14 The Father and the Son have sent us the Holy
Spirit, the Paraclete (Jn 14:26). The word Paraclete can be translated “Defense Lawyer.” When you have an expert lawyer for your defense, it is not a good strategy to then independently prepare your own defense. You would be tying the hands of your expert legal defense. You might even lose your trial, when otherwise your Defense Lawyer would have triumphed. This is called “stifling the Holy Spirit” (see 1 Thes 5:19).
All you really need to
do is listen to the Paraclete and trust completely in Him. At the proper time, Jesus, through the action of the Paraclete, “will give you words and a wisdom which none of your adversaries can take exception to or contradict” (Lk 21:15). So, do not worry. The Paraclete is handling your case. Simply keep the lines of communication open. Each day, pray, read the Scriptures (Acts 17:11), worship, and if possible, go to Mass. Trust the Holy
Spirit more than you would trust the world’s most expert legal team. The Holy Spirit is the Master Communicator. Therefore, make a daily appointment to listen to the Spirit, and “hear what God proclaims” (Ps 85:9). “Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn 20:22). Prayer: Holy Spirit, instead of preparing my defense beforehand, I will sit and listen each day for Your guidance. Give me “ears open to obedience” (Ps
40:7). Promise: “All nations shall come and worship in Your presence.” —Rv 15:4
Presentation Ministries
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Spiritual Reading
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Readings from Jesus Alive in Our Lives, by Philip St. Romain. Ave Maria Press, 1985. Contemplative Ministries, Inc. 2011. Part Three, Gift of the Spirit Chapter 8: The Fruits of the
Spirit - Selected quotes Fruits of the Spirit in the World Almost completely opposite the issue of non-Christians showing signs of the Spirit is the phenomenon of Christians who show very little evidence of the Spirit in their lives. They give lip service to the Spirit in
the creeds, but have little understanding of what this means, nor do they seem to experience of the transformative and charismatic gifts. For many of these people, their religious commitment is mostly a social involvement rather than a way of life rooted in faith. They are scarcely different from the secular culture at large in their values and perspectives. Indeed, for many of them, the culture is the measure of what the Church must accommodate itself to, not vice versa.
Such people (probably most of us, at some time) grieve the Spirit, who can only wait patiently for us to come around and claim the heritage of blessing we have been given through Christ. Let us be fully alive in the Spirit, then, continuing to open ourselves more and more to the gifts the Spirit want to bless us with. Let us also be open to the mystery of our own ongoing transformation, delighting in the new person the Spirit is
birthing in Christ. And, finally, let us share the good news of the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is the greatest blessing God could ever bestow on us.
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