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Message of the Day
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“Not to hurt our humble brethren is our first duty to them, but to stop there is a complete misapprehension of the intentions of Providence. We have a higher mission. God wishes that we should assist them in times of difficulty."
- Francis of Assisi How does this "higher mission" call to you this
day?
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Readings of the Day
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Acts 14:19-28
Psalm 145:10-11, 12-13ab,
21 John 14:27-31a Jesus said to his disciples:
‘Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you,
a peace the world cannot give,
this is my gift to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me say: I am going away, and shall return.
If you loved me you would have been glad to know that I am going to the Father,
for the Father is greater than I.
I have told you this now before it happens,
so that when it does happen you may believe.
I shall not talk
with you any longer,
because the prince of this world is on his way.
He has no power over me,
but the world must be brought to know
that I love the Father
and that I am doing exactly what the Father told
me.’ USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture
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‘Peace’ is My farewell to you, My peace is My gift to you.” —John 14:27
In Jesus’ last will and testament, He left His disciples the gift of shalom-peace.
This means He left us a godly order and harmony in our lives. Jesus’ Church is the executor of His will in that He has given it the responsibility of spelling out the details of shalom-peace. If we accept our inheritance from the Lord and listen to His Church, we will have a peace, joy, and freedom which will last forever (see Rm 8:17). . .
The shalom-peace the Lord has left us in His will is such a great and all-encompassing gift
that it is more than we can comprehend. Therefore, we must humbly and carefully follow the Lord’s directions through His Church. Otherwise, we will deprive ourselves of everlasting blessings, life, and love. Don’t contest the will; rather, enter the mystery of God (see Ti 2:12). Prayer: Father, make me a shalom-maker no matter what I must suffer (see Mt 5:9). Promise: “They
stoned Paul and dragged him out of the town, leaving him there for dead. His disciples quickly formed a circle about him, and before long he got up.” —Acts 14:19-20 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 Sixth Letter To a member of the order who had received from him a book, and to whom he again enlarges on his favourite
topic. I do not say that therefore we must put any violent constraint upon ourselves. No, we must serve GOD in a holy freedom, we must do our business faithfully, without trouble or disquiet; recalling our mind to GOD mildly and with tranquillity, as often as we find it wandering from Him. It is, however, necessary to put our whole trust
in GOD, laying aside all other cares, and even some particular forms of devotion, though very good in themselves, yet such as one often engages in unreasonably: because those devotions are only means to attain to the end; so when by this exercise of the presence of GOD we are with Him who is our end, it is then useless to return to the means; but we may continue with Him our commerce of love, persevering in His holy presence: one while by an act of praise, of adoration, or of desire; one while
by an act of resignation, or thanksgiving; and in all the manner which our spirit can invent.
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