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Message of the Day
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The poorest of the poor are those who feel that they are unloved.
- St. Teresa of Calcutta Ask the Spirit to reveal God's love in your heart.
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Readings of the Day
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1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11
Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14 Luke 4:31-37 Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because he spoke with authority.
In the synagogue there was a man who was possessed by the spirit of an unclean devil, and it shouted at the top of
its voice, ‘Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the devil, throwing the man down in front of everyone, went out of him without hurting him at all. Astonishment seized them and they were all saying to one another, ‘What teaching! He gives orders to unclean spirits with authority and power and they come out.’ And reports of him went all through the
surrounding countryside. USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture
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"Build one another up.” —1 Thessalonians 5:11
Building one another up can be inconvenient, disruptive, and noisy. For example, Jesus built up the
Body of Christ in Capernaum by driving out a demon during a service in the synagogue (Lk 4:33ff). The disruption in that service would dwarf the cacophony of the hammering during today’s Mass. The inconvenience and disruption must be overridden by love, for above all it is love that upbuilds (1 Cor 8:1). Build up the Body of Christ through acts of love and charity. We are God’s building (1 Cor 3:9), so be a body builder and “build one
another up” (1 Thes 5:11, RSV-CE). Prayer: Father, give me a greater concern for Your Body than I have for my own. May I love my fellow Christians with Your love. Promise: “God has not destined us for wrath but for acquiring salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” —1 Thes
5:9 Presentation Ministries
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Spiritual Reading
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The Practice of the Presence of God: The Best Rule of Holy Life, by Brother Lawrence (1611 - 1691). Christian Classics Ethereal Library.
https://ccel.org/ccel/lawrence/practice/practice Thirteenth Letter To the same he exhorts for fuller and entire confidence in God, for body and
soul. I told you, in my last, that He sometimes permits bodily diseases to cure the distempers of the soul. Have courage then: make a virtue of necessity: ask of GOD, not deliverance from your pains, but strength to bear resolutely, for the love of Him, all that He should please, and as long as He shall please. Such prayers, indeed,
are a little hard to nature, but most acceptable to GOD, and sweet to those that love Him. Love sweetens pains; and when one loves GOD, one suffers for His sake with joy and courage. Do you so, I beseech you; comfort yourself with Him, who is the only Physician of all our maladies. He is the FATHER of the afflicted, always ready to help us. He loves us infinitely more than we imagine: love Him then, and seek not consolation elsewhere: I hope you will soon receive it. Adieu. I will help you with
my prayers, poor as they are, and shall be, always, yours in our LORD. |
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