Built on Rock

"God our Father, Christ the living bread renews us. Let Christ our teacher instruct us that on this feast of St. Ephrem we may learn your truth and practice it in love…." ( Feast of St. Ephrem)

Jesus Christ renews us in the Eucharist. He also instructs us through the word of God proclaimed during the Eucharist and the prayers of the Mass. One recent lesson I learned is this: when we learn the truth that Christ is communicating to us and put it into practice, we become like the man who builds his house on rock. No hurricane could sweep it away. It is built on rock.

Keeping the Commandments

"Therefore, anyone who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of Heaven; but the person who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 5: 19)

The first benefit of keeping the commandments is that the peace of Christ controls one's heart. (Colossians 3: 15) Peace is the source of all spiritual and material blessings. The Prince of Peace promises that anybody who in addition to keeping the commandments, teaches other people to keep them will be considered great in the kingdom of Heaven.

The Holy Spirit enables us to keep God's commandments.

Christ is our Competence

"Such is the confidence we have through Christ in facing God; it is not that we are so competent that we can claim any credit for ourselves; all our competence comes from God." (2 Corinthians 3: 4-5)

The Holy Spirit helps us to be confident when we face God in prayer through Christ.

Jesus Christ is our light and our salvation. He is also our Savior. Christ is our competence in everything. "My grace is sufficient for you."

Fill our hearts with the Holy Spirit

"Lord, in your love fill our hearts with your Holy Spirit, who inspired the deacon Ephrem to sing the praise of your mysteries and gave him strength to serve you alone." (Feast of St Ephrem)

• The only thing you need is the Holy Spirit.

St Ephrem

"The Lord opened his mouth in the assembly, and filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding and clothed him in a robe of glory." (Scripture text on the feast of St. Ephrem)

The Lord made Ephrem deacon, saint and doctor of the Church. He filled him with a spirit of wisdom and understanding.

The Lord will fulfill too His purpose in my life.

Little light

"You are the light of the world. … In the same way, your light must shine in people's sight, so that seeing your good works, they may give praise to your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5: 14, 16)

Lord, how do you want my light to shine on people's sight today? What do you want me to do? How do you want me to spend my time today? How do you want me to interact with those whom I meet today?

Lord, I desire that your light shine on every thought, every word and every deed of mine this day.