04292009
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The Words of Jesus of Nazareth by Lee Cantelon
The Father
What do you think of Jesus Christ? Whose Son is he?
No one knows who the Son of God is, except the Father in heaven: and no one can know who the Father is, except the Son and those to whom the Son will reveal him. Until now you have not known him as I do; but I have come, sent from him to you.
The One who has sent me is present with me now. There is no separation between us, for I always do what pleases him. In fact, in seeing me you have seen the Father. Why then do you keep saying, "Reveal God to us?" Do you not believe that I am one, and equal with my Father?
I and my Father are one. Everything that the Father has is mine. I have come from the Father to this world; I will leave this world again, and return to my Father.
The Son can do nothing on his own, but does only what he sees the Father do. The Father loves the Son, and has revealed to him his universal plan; and you will witness even greater miracles than those which you have already seen. Even as the Father raises the dead and gives new life, so the son will give new life to whomever he will.
And yet, I can do nothing on my own; I judge only as God guides me; my ways are perfect because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father who has sent me. As the Father has the power to give life, so the Son has the gift of life, and has been given the authority to execute judgment, because he is the Messiah, the Son of Man.
I have said this from the beginning: there is much in your lives that I could condemn, but I have come with another message, given to me by the One who is the truth. This is the message that I speak to the world.
When at last you lift up the Son of Man (on the cross), you will know who I am, realizing that I did nothing according to my own plan or authority, but delivered to you the words which my Father instructed me to proclaim.
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Lord God, Abba Father, O that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, keeping me and mine from evil and pain. Let Your Words continue to mold and guide my thoughts, words and choice of action. For I know without You I am nothing, empty, weak and corrupt, but in and with You I can do all things through Jesus Christ in the Spirit because I am renewed full of Your grace and mercy, strengthened by faith, courageous with hope, able to love as I am loved. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
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We live poverty by filling the hours of the day usefully, doing everything as well as we can, and living little details of order, punctuality and good humor.
— St. Jose Maria Escriva de Balaguer
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Reading 1
Acts 8:1b-8
There broke out a severe persecution of the Church in Jerusalem,
and all were scattered
throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria,
except the Apostles.
Devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lament over him.
Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the Church;
entering house after house and dragging out men and women,
he handed them over for imprisonment.
Now those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.
Thus Philip went down to the city of Samaria
and proclaimed the Christ to them.
With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip
when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.
For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured.
There was great joy in that city.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 66:1-3a, 4-5, 6-7a
R. (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, "How tremendous are your deeds!"
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
"Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!"
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
Gospel
Jn 6:35-40
Jesus said to the crowds,
"I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
But I told you that although you have seen me,
you do not believe.
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day."
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MP3 audio link to today’s readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_04_29.mp3
Moody Radio Online http://www.moodyradio.org/
Today in the Word http://www.moodyradio.org/brd_ProgramToday.aspx?id=35654
Audio books I am listening to and other books or readings I am reading:
http://www.richardangulo.com/reading
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