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God loves the world. That’s plain to see as we read His Word. Today, God loves the world through us, His Children of Grace. Christ is ‘in’ us and we are ‘in’ Christ. Christ is loving people and reaching out to them through us. He is making His appeal through us. He is reconciling people to Himself through us.
- Mark McGee
(That makes everything we do very significant. Be mindful of this throughout the day.) |
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1 THES 1:1-5, 8B-10; PS 149:1B-2, 3-4, 5-6A AND 9B
MT
23:13-22
Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men.
You do not enter yourselves,
nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You traverse sea and land to make one convert,
and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna
twice as much as yourselves.
"Woe to
you, blind guides, who say,
'If one swears by the temple, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.'
Blind fools, which is greater, the gold,
or the temple that made the gold sacred?
And you say, 'If one swears by the altar, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.'
You blind ones, which is greater, the gift,
or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
One who swears by the altar swears by it
and all that is upon it;
one who swears by the temple swears by it
and by him who dwells in it;
one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God
and by him who is seated on it." USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture |
"You are proving your faith, and laboring in
love, and showing constancy of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." —1 Thessalonians 1:3
Life in Christ is like a marathon race or a championship fight (2 Tm 4:7). The Christian life is both a joyous celebration (see Phil 4:4) and "a great contest of suffering" (Heb 10:32). To win the victory, we must have faith, hope, and love. By faith, we can move mountains (Mt 17:20). By hope, we can persevere in
even the longest marathon (1 Thes 1:3). With love, we can cover "a multitude of sins" (1 Pt 4:8). "Love never fails" (1 Cor 13:8).
If we are to persevere in the Christian life, we must grow in faith, hope, and love. "Faith comes through hearing, and hearing through the word of God" (Rm 10:17, our transl). "We know that
affliction makes for endurance, and endurance for tested virtue, and tested virtue for hope" (Rm 5:3-4). "The fruit of the Spirit is love" (Gal 5:22). This fruit is often produced by discipline (see Heb 12:11).
Therefore, treasure God's Word, afflictions, and discipline, and you will live in Christ now and
forever.
Prayer: Father, give me ever-increasing faith, hope, and love.
Promise: "The Lord loves His people, and He adorns the lowly with victory. Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy upon their couches; let the high praises of God be in their throats." —Ps
149:4-6
Presentation Ministries
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Theological Gems from Emile Merch's Theology of the Mystical Body - selected by Jim and Tyra Arraj
Book V: In Christ
Chapter 17: The Functions of the Church 523. Our Lord’s teaching existed in the flood o light that issued from the Light.
529. Faith is a union of the mind with Christ and His knowledge.
-- union with light
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