Walk On Water (WOW) quote for today, May 3, 2012

Walk On Water (WOW) quote for today

“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me”

-

-Jeremiah 9:23-24

 

 

Canticle of Zechariah

 

Blessed be the Lord,

The GOD of Israel;

He has come to His people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty Savior,

Born of the house of His servant David.

Through His Holy Prophet,

He promised of old

That He would save us from our enemies

From the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our Fathers

And to remember His Holy Covenant.

This was the oath He swore to our father Abraham:
To set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship Him without fear,

Holy and righteous in His sight

All the days of our life.

You, My child shall be called
The prophet of the Most High,
For you will go before the Lord to prepare His way,
To give his people knowledge of salvation
By the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our Lord
The dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness
And the shadow of death,
And to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the HOLY SPIRIT, as it was in the beginning.
is now, and will be forever.
AMEN.

Good morning, GOD is with US!

Morning Prayers

 

 

Lord God, you give us the joy every year of celebrating the feast day of the apostles Philip and James.

Make us partners, by their prayers, in the passion and resurrection of your only-begotten Son, so that we may come to the eternal vision of your glory.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

 

 

Source: Morning Prayer

My Fourth Wednesday of Easter Daily Blessings, May 2, 2012

My Fourth Wednesday of Easter Daily Blessings

Be still, quiet your heart and mind, the Lord is here loving you,

talking to you.................

Memorial of Saint Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Wednesday in the Fourth Week of Easter (Roman Rite Calendar)

 

*First Reading: Acts 12:24; 13-5a

 

The word of God continued to spread and grow.

After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission, they returned to Jerusalem, taking with them John, who is called Mark.

Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,
"Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off.

So they, sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus.
When they arrived in Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues.

 

*Responsorial Psalm: Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6 and 8
 

 

                 "O GOD, let all nations praise you!"

 

*Gospel Reading: Jn 12:44-50

 

 

**Reflection:

Jesus cried out and said,
"Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.
I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.
And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.
Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.
And I know that his commandment is eternal life.
So what I say, I say as the Father told me.

What kind of darkness does Jesus warn us to avoid? It is the darkness of unbelief and rejection – not only of the Son who came into the world to save it – but rejection of the Father who offers us healing and reconciliation through his Son, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ last public discourse before his death and resurrection (according to John’s Gospel), Jesus speaks of himself as the light of the world. In the scriptures light is associated with God's truth and life. Psalm 27 exclaims, The Lord is my light and my salvation. Just as natural light exposes the darkness and reveals what is hidden, so God's word enables those with eyes of faith to perceive the hidden truths of God's kingdom. Our universe could not exist without light – and no living thing could be sustained without it. Just as natural light produces warmth and energy – enabling seed to sprout and living things to grow – in like manner, God's light and truth enables us to grow in the life he offers us. Jesus' words produce life – the very life of God – within those who receive it with faith.

To see Jesus is to see God. To hear his words is to hear the voice of God. He is the very light of God that has power to overcome the darkness of sin, ignorance, and unbelief. God's light and truth brings healing, pardon, and transformation. This light is not only for the chosen people of Israel, but for the whole world as well.  Jesus warns that if we refuse his word or take it lightly, we choose to remain in spiritual darkness. Jesus made it clear that he did not come to condemn us, but rather to bring abundant life and freedom from the oppression of sin, Satan, and a world opposed to God's way of life. We condemn ourselves when we reject God's word of truth, life, and wisdom. It is one thing to live in ignorance due to lack of knowledge and understanding, but another thing to disdain the very source of truth who is Christ Jesus, the Word of God sent from the Father. Jesus says that his word – which comes from the Father and produces eternal life in us – will be our judge. Do you believe that God's word has power to set you free from sin and ignorance and to transform your life in his way of holiness?

Saint Augustine of Hippo (5th century) summed up our need for God's help in the following prayer: God our Father, we find it difficult to come to you, because our knowledge of you is imperfect. In our ignorance we have imagined you to be our enemy; we have wrongly thought that you take pleasure in punishing our sins; and we have foolishly conceived you to be a tyrant over human life. But since Jesus came among us, he has shown that you are loving, and that our resentment against you was groundless.

God does not leave us in spiritual darkness – in our ignorance and unbelief. He gives light, wisdom, and grace to all who seek him and hunger for his word. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit he helps us to grow daily in faith, knowledge, and understanding of his word. Do you want to know more of God and his transforming love? Look to Jesus, the Light of God, and in his truth you will find joy, freedom, and wholeness of mind, body and soul.

 

**Prayer:

 

"Lord Jesus, in your word I find life, truth, and freedom. May I never doubt your word or forget your commandments. Increase my love for your word that I may embrace it fully in my life." Amen.

 

Sources:

*Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

**Don Schwager

Author and Writer

Sword of the Spirit and

The Word Among Us

Walk On Water (WOW) quotes for today, May 2, 2012

Walk On Water (WOW) quote for today

"GOD is closer to us than our own soul, for GOD is the foundation on which the soul stands. Our soul sits in GOD and in true rest, and our soul stands in GOD in sure strength, and our soul is naturally rooted in GOD in endless love."

-Julian of Norwich

Canticle of Zechariah

Blessed be the Lord,

The GOD of Israel;

He has come to His people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty Savior,

Born of the house of His servant David.

Through His Holy Prophet,

He promised of old

That He would save us from our enemies

From the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our Fathers

And to remember His Holy Covenant.

This was the oath He swore to our father Abraham:
To set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship Him without fear,

Holy and righteous in His sight

All the days of our life.

You, My child shall be called
The prophet of the Most High,
For you will go before the Lord to prepare His way, 
To give his people knowledge of salvation
By the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our Lord
The dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness
And the shadow of death,
And to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the HOLY SPIRIT, as it was in the beginning.
is now, and will be forever.
AMEN.

Good morning, GOD is with US!

Morning Prayers

 

Almighty, ever-living God and Father, you raised up Saint Athanasius

  as the great champion of your Son’s divinity.

Through the doctrine and patronage of your saint, in which we rejoice, let our knowledge and love of you grow ever deeper and stronger.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Source: Morning Prayer