Category: Prayer Intention

JESUS: THE BEATITUDE

Jesus “began to teach them: ‘How blest…’ ” –Matthew 5:2-3 Mass Readings: January 29 First: Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13; Resp: Psalm 146:6-10; Second: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12 The eight Beatitudes go together. For example, we will never be poor in spirit, that is, voluntarily live below our means, unless we have mourned for our sins, have the strength of meekness, and are seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness (see Mt 6:33). Yet if we hunger and thirst for righteousness, we will certainly be persecuted (see 2 Tm 3:12). However, only those committed to the Lord and repentant of sin,...

TESTING OUR FAITH

“Faith is confident assurance concerning what we hope for, and conviction about things we do not see.” –Hebrews 11:1 Mass Readings: January 28 First: Hebrews 11:1-2,8-19;Resp: Luke 1:69-75; Gospel: Mark 4:35-41 “Test yourselves to see whether you are living in faith” (2 Cor 13:5). You are living in faith if: You don’t let yourself be manipulated by fear (see Mk 4:40). Your relationship with the Lord is so deep and personal that you have confidence and assurance about what you hope for (Heb 11:1). You obey God’s call even if you don’t know where God is calling you (Heb 11:8)....

FEED YOUR FAITH

“We are not among those who draw back and perish, but among those who have faith and live.” –Hebrews 10:39 Mass Readings: January 27 First: Hebrews 10:32-39;Resp: Psalm 37:3-6,23-24,39-40;Gospel: Mark 4:26-34 We must live by faith to be pleasing to God (Heb 10:38; see also Heb 11:6). We are saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8). “All depends on faith” (Rm 4:16). Faith in God is “confident assurance” (Heb 11:1) resulting from a good personal relationship with God. All relationships need to be constantly nourished. Therefore, faith needs to be fed. Faith is fed by the Word of God. “Not...

THE BROTHERHOOD AND SISTERHOOD

“I yearn to see you again. That would make my happiness complete.” –2 Timothy 1:4 Mass Readings: January 26 First: 2 Timothy 1:1-8; Resp: Psalm 96:1-3,7-8,10; Gospel: Luke 10:1-9 St. Paul loved Sts.Timothy and Titus as brothers in the Lord. He prayed for them “constantly, night and day” (2 Tm 1:3). Timothy loved Paul so much that he cried when they parted (2 Tm 1:4). When Paul “was under all kinds of stress,” he was strengthened just by “the arrival of Titus” (2 Cor 7:5-6). He so depended on Titus that he did not preach in Troas because he did...

CHOSEN ONES

“This man is the instrument I have chosen.” –Acts 9:15 Mass Readings: January 25 First: Acts 22:3-16; Resp: Psalm 117:1-2; Gospel: Mark 16:15-18 St. Paul was chosen to: “bring [God’s] name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel” (Acts 9:15), “suffer for [Jesus’] name” (Acts 9:16), recover his “sight and be filled with Holy Spirit” (Acts 9:17), be baptized into Jesus (Acts 9:18; Rm 6:3), “proclaim in the synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God” (Acts 9:20), silence his opponents “with his proofs that this Jesus was the Messiah” (Acts 9:22), know God’s “will,...