"Lord receive our offering, and may this sacrifice of praise purify us in mind and heart and make us always eager to serve you….." (Prayer over the Gifts)
The Eucharist is a sacrifice of praise par excellence. It purifies our hearts and minds from sin. The Eucharist renews the life of grace within us.
"Therefore do not be afraid of them…So do not be afraid" (Matthew 10: 26, 31)
Do not fear your persecutor.
Those not to fear:
Circumstances not to fear:
"The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27: 1-2)
Fear cripples the mind. The fruit of the First Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary is freedom from fear of suffering. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ prayed and overcame the fear of suffering. We can do the same in intimidating circumstances and overcome the fear of suffering.
"The Spirit of truth will testify to me, and you also will testify." (John 15: 26, 27)
Yes Lord, I will testify to you. Lead me, guide me and use me.
When we bear witness to the truth, we expose ourselves to persecution. The spirit of the world hates the truth and resists it at all cost. Deliberate and transparent falsehood should not be permitted in the Household of God. The end never justifies the means. Falsehood and lies are the tools of the devil which we must reject vigorously.
"But the gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for the many." (Romans 5: 2 – 15)
Adam sinned. Christ redeemed.
The gift of redemption surpasses the transgression. O felix culpa!
The restoration of man to God's favor accomplished through Christ's redemptive work went beyond the attributes of the old man. The new man is now an adopted child of God.
"Lord, in your great love, answer me….. I pray to you, O Lord, for the time of your favor, O God! In your great kindness answer me with your constant help. Answer me, O Lord, for bounteous is your kindness; in your great mercy turn toward me." (Psalm 69 …)
This is the cry of a desperate man. This is the cry of a man who knows the God whose favor he is seeking. Look at how he appeals to God: great love, great kindness, bounteous kindness, great mercy. Our problem is that we are like children who do not know their father. If we know God as our Father who has great love, great kindness, bounteous kindness and great mercy for us, what a difference that would make in our prayer. We approach Him with greater confidence.
"For the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph." (Jeremiah 20: 10 – 13)
How will you feel if you know for certain that the Lord is with you in that special project? First, you will not be afraid of the outcome. Then you will be certain that you will succeed. Rejoice for God is indeed with you.
"God of the universe, we worship you as Lord. God, ever close to us, we rejoice to call you Father. From this world's uncertainty we look to your covenant. Keep us one in your peace, secure in your love….."
God our Father is ever close to us. We rejoice to call Him Father. He is indeed our Father. We are His kids. Abba Father!
Nothing is certain in this world. But the word of God stands firm forever. The certainty of God's word is a covenant.
"Father, guide and protector of your people, grant us an unfailing respect for your name and keep us always in your love……" (Opening Prayer – 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time)
God is our guide and protector. Love and respect for God's name is grace.
"I solemnly tell you: those who have left everything and followed me will be repaid a hundred fold and will gain eternal life." (Matthew 19: 28 – 29)
What we can leave behind completely for Christ's sake?
Lord Jesus, help me to truly leave everything and follow you so that I may deserve your promise in Matthew 19: 27 – 29.
"So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6: 34)
Live one day at a time and gratefully accept all that God provides today:
Have absolutely no concern about anything beyond the present moment.
If you are absent to these concerns and present to the Lord everyday in prayer, praise and His word, all these things shall be yours at the appointed time.
"Learn to savor how good the Lord is; happy are those who take refuge in him." (Psalm 34: 9)
Other translations read: "Taste and see that the Lord is good.."
How do I know that the Lord is good to me? I take time and become aware of what is going on in my life. I realize the source of so many blessings in my life. God is the source. I give thanks. Connecting the dots of our experiences is a learning process. We can learn to savor how good the Lord is to us.
"It is, then, about my weaknesses that I am happiest of to boast, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me; and that is why I am glad of weaknesses, insults, constraints, persecutions and distress for Christ's sake. For it is when I am weak that I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12: 9-10)
Because I suffer temptations, because I have no health insurance, because I am poor, because I am a stranger, because I am unrefined, I depend completely on Christ for all these things. Because I trust Jesus to help me, He never fails to come through to me.
When I depend on Christ for everything, I rise to the top.
"My grace is enough for you: for power is at full stretch in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12: 9)
Power is the key attribute of the Holy Spirit.
All types of power have their source and inspiration from the Holy Spirit.
Now to gain this power, we must surrender our weaknesses to the Holy Spirit. Our weaknesses are all our vulnerabilities. It is amazing how much we want to cling to these.
Lord help me to surrender my weaknesses to you so that I can gain your power.
"The Lord is my inheritance and my cup; he alone will give me my reward. The measuring line has marked a lovely place for me; my inheritance is my great delight." (Psalm 16: 5-6)
"My grace is sufficient for you." God alone is my reward. I trust in Him. My destiny is secure. It is in His hand. He is my light and my salvation. What can mortal man do to me?
"Do not store treasures for yourselves on earth, where moth and woodworm destroy them and thieves can break in and steal them." (Matthew 6: 19)
How illusory are material treasures! They are there one minute. They are gone in a second. Does this truth of blessed experience prevent us from coveting material goods and storing them in every space of lives? Our Father in heaven gave us a pearl of wisdom when He taught us to ask Him each day for our daily bread.
"I sought the Lord and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears." (Psalm 34: 5)
What are you afraid of?
Psalm 34: 5 promises that if we seek the Lord, He will deliver us from all these fears.
Jesus promises that if we "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, all these things will be given you besides."
(Matthew 6:33)
"I have worked with unsparing energy, for many nights without sleep; I have been hungry and thirsty, and often altogether without food and drink; I have been cold and lacked clothing." (2 Corinthians 11:27)
St. Paul's zeal for the Gospel is inimitable. When I consider the trifles that I call problems, I become ashamed of myself. True, I have not resisted to the point of blood. The only way to follow Christ and imitate the zeal of St. Paul is to be attentive to one day at a time. To use my strengths as I try to minimize my weaknesses in exploiting the opportunities I see to bear witness to Christ.
"Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either." (Matthew 6: 14 – 15)
Forgive others and when you ask for forgiveness, be confident that God will hear you.
How to forgive: forgive as soon as the offence occurs. Forgive and if it is possible, inform the offending person that you have forgiven him and so you will not be tempted to go back on your word. Forgive and pray that God will bless the offender. Ask God also the grace to make your forgiveness true and genuine.
Forgiveness and reconciliation are two related important concepts in the kingdom.
"But I am afraid that, just as the snake with his cunning deduced Eve, your minds may be led astray from single-minded devotion to Christ." (2 Corinthians 11: 3)
St. Paul warns here that it is possible for one to change his mind about who Christ is and what he did. It is also possible for one to change his mind as to key content of the doctrine of our faith. How can one protect himself from these dangers? By prayer and assiduous devotion to the Sacraments particularly the Eucharist and the Penance, one develops a sense of the faith, "sensus fidei." This is an interior light that alerts us to false doctrine. The collective 'sensus fidei" of the faithful is a sure bulwark against heresy.
Moreover the third promise of Mary to those who say the Rosary is: "The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell; it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresy."
"Your almsgiving must be secret and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6: 4)
Do all things for the sake of God.
God sees everything.
God knows everything.
God rewards everything that is done for Him.
