Conscience comes to us in lonely hours; it wakens
us in the night; it stands at the side of the bed and says, "Come, wake up and listen to me!" And there it holds us with its remorseless eye; and our buried sins rise out of the grave of the past; they march by in melancholy procession; and we lie in terror looking at them. Nobody knows but ourselves. Next morning we go forth to business with a smiling face; but conscience has had its revenge.
- James Stalker And when this happens, let us remember and ask for the forgiveness God has extended through Christ.
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Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12
Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11 Matthew 18:1-5, 10 Jesus said to the crowds: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a
dragnet cast into the sea that brings in a haul of all kinds. When it is full, the fishermen haul it ashore; then, sitting down, they collect the good ones in a basket and throw away those that are no use. This is how it will be at the end of time: the angels will appear and separate the wicked from the just to throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
‘Have you understood all this?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ And
he said to them, ‘Well then, every scribe who becomes a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out from his storeroom things both new and old.’
Reflection on the Scriptures
-feast of the Guardian Angels John Chrysostom (347-407 AD), an early church father and
renowned preacher, compared the guardian angels to the troops garrisoned in cities on the frontiers of the empire to defend it from the enemy. Basil the Great (329-379 AD) said, "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life." Angels ministered to Jesus after his temptation in the wilderness and during his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:43). The angels will be present at Christ's return, which they will announce, to serve at his judgment (Matthew
25:31). The angels show us that this universe which God created is not just materialistic. The devil seeks to destroy us
The fallen angels (Jude 6; 2 Peter 2:4; Revelations 12:9), described in Scripture as evil spirits or devils (Mark 5:13; Matthew 25:41), seek our destruction (see 1 Peter 5:8). If they
cannot persuade us to disown our faith and loyalty to Christ, they will attempt to divert us from doing the will of God by distracting us with good things that weigh us down or make us indifferent towards the things of God. God provides us with spiritual protection from the evil one
God gives us the help
of his angelic hosts and he gives us spiritual weapons, the shield of faith and the breastplate of righteousness (see Ephesians 6:1-11), to resist the devil and his lies. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we, too, join with the angelic choirs of heaven in singing the praises of God. Do you thank the Lord for his guidance and protection? Lord
Jesus, you are our refuge and strength. May I always know your guiding hand and the help of your angels in protecting me from all that is evil. Give me strength of will and courage to refuse what is evil and to choose what is good. -by dailyscripture.net
The Imitation of Christ, Thomas A. Kempis https://amzn.to/40FrikB Paperback and Kindle versions available BOOK
ONE: Thoughts Helpful in the Life of a Soul
The Fourth Chapter: Prudence in Action Do not yield to every impulse and suggestion but consider things carefully and patiently in the light of God's will. For very often, sad to say, we are so weak that we believe and speak evil of others rather than good. Holy people, however, do not readily believe every talebearer, because they know that human frailty is prone to evil and is likely to appear in speech. Not to act rashly or to cling obstinately to one's opinion, not to believe everything people say or to spread abroad the gossip one has heard, is great wisdom. Take
counsel with a wise and conscientious person. Seek the advice of your betters in preference to following your own inclinations. A good life makes one wise according to God and gives you experience in many things, for the more humble you are and the more subject to God, the wiser and the more at peace
you will be in all things.
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