Message of the Day
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"The different kinds of vice, the use of drugs, in the literal or metaphorical sense of the word, all such things constitute the search for
a state where the beauty of the world will be tangible. The mistake lies precisely in the search for a special state. False mysticism is another form of this error."
-Simone Weil [20th C.], Waiting on God -
(To settle for a happiness less than that which God wants to give us: this is a mistake we all make, at times. Has this been
happening to you lately?)
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Readings of the Day
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PRV 3:27-34; PS 15:2-5; LK 8:16-18
R. The just one
shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the
LORD.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Gospel
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"No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bushel basket or under a bed; he puts it on a lampstand so that whoever comes in can see it." -Luke 8:16
I'm sitting before the Blessed Sacrament reposed in the tabernacle. This church
is not my parish. I didn't know where the tabernacle was located. So I looked for the burning light inside the sanctuary lamp. Once my eyes located the lamp, I knew where Jesus was. We are called to be like sanctuary lamps. When people see us, they can find Jesus. Like St. John the Baptizer, we can be "the lamp, set aflame and burning bright" (Jn 5:35).
The sanctuary light in this church is not
bright at all. It's a rather dim light, in fact. However, the church sanctuary is in semi-darkness, and the light, though dim, is easily spotted by someone looking for it. Therefore, we must not be discouraged if we feel we are not exactly shining stars compared to other believers. Some Christians shine more brightly than others (see 1 Cor 15:41). "What of it? All that matters is that" our shining lives reflect the glory of God as best as possible (Phil 1:18).
People line a street or driveway with candle luminaries to point the way to a party. We must do the same for Jesus. We, His followers, "possess the light of life" (Jn 8:12). Nations can find the Lord by the light of Jesus shining through us (Is 60:1). "Awake, O sleeper, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light" (Eph 5:14). Then let your light shine publicly for the glory of God.
PRAYER: Father, may Your light shine in me to the world so that people may see goodness in my acts and praise You (Mt 5:16).
PROMISE: "To the Lord the perverse man is an abomination, but with the upright is His friendship." -Prv 3:32
PRAISE: When the snowstorm hit, Carol was a witness to all who saw her walking to Church as usual, despite inclement weather.
mycatholic.com
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Spiritual Reading
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Freedom from Codependency, by Philip St. Romain
Chapter 6: What is Christian Love?
- part 8 of 12
- The Nature of Christian Love -
While we may be unable to define love or pin it down, this does not mean that we are ignorant of its ways. Jesus of Nazareth shows us, in human
form, how love thinks and acts. He reveals the inner nature of God. By reading in Scripture about his life, we come to a better understanding of the meaning of love. The best way to learn to love is to follow the example of Christ.
In reflecting on the life of Christ, we learn several important lessons about love. The first is that God's love is unconditional; there is nothing we can do to earn
God's love. The terms for our relationship with God are not like those in dysfunctional families. We do not have to do good works and act perfectly to earn God's approval. God loves us exactly as we are because God is love. God can do nothing but love because that is who God is. The realization that God already loves us regardless of what we do is the key to entering eternal life. There is nowhere to go and nothing to do to earn this love.
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