"Lord, my God, I take shelter in you…. Save me from my pursuers and rescue me, lest I become like the lion's prey, to be torn to pieces, with no one to rescue me." (Psalm 7: 2-3)
Unless I take shelter all the time in the Lord, I will become exposed and a prey to the hungry lion, to be torn to pieces. There will be none to rescue me.
I will make the Lord my refuge and my shield.
"I for my part was like a trustful lamb being led to the slaughterhouse, not knowing the schemes they were plotting against me, 'Let us destroy the tree in its strength, let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name may no longer be remembered." (Jeremiah 11: 19-20)
Christ is the Lamb of God. He was the tree his enemies plotted to destroy in His vigor. They planned a total solution to the Jesus problem. God allowed their wicked schemes to succeed for a time.
"Yahweh informed me and I knew it; you then revealed their scheming to me." (Jeremiah 11: 18)
Has God ever revealed to you the source and the meaning of the persecution you are experiencing? This is what happened to Jeremiah here. It is has also happened to me. This revelation comes with great strength and patience to endure whatever you are facing. You simply know that God is in control and you are in good hands.
"Lord, guide us in your gentle mercy, for left to ourselves we cannot do your will …." (Opening Mass Prayer)
Lead me, guide me in your gentle mercy. Without you, I can do nothing.
"The snares of death overtook me, the ropes of hell tightened around me; in my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice." (Psalm 18: 5-7)
The snares of death – sin
The ropes of hell – sin
Call upon the Lord in your distress and He will answer you.
"Father, with unselfish love St. Joseph cared for your son, born of the Virgin Mary. May we also serve you at the altar with pure hearts …." (Prayer on the feast of St. Joseph – March 19)
St. Joseph cared for the holy family with unselfish love. St. Joseph, pray for me that I may serve God with a pure heart.
"When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home." (Matthew 1:24)
Joseph was an upright man. He was obedient to God's will.