19 | May | 2009 | One Walk

Archive for May 19th, 2009

let us not grieve and feel sorry for ourselves. Who can tell whether, if we had been given a larger share of ability or stronger health, or greater wealth, we would have possessed them to the destruction of our soul!

May 19, 2009

05182009

Lord God, Abba Father, how loudly the words of St. Alphonsus Liguori speak to me today. As my mind is a flurry with thoughts of inadequacy, being pulled down by the ways under the sun; You once again speak to me through Your Words filling my emptiness with faith, replacing my fear, frustration, helplessness with hope and anger with love and appreciation. O that I would learn to walk in pure love, but then I would not be what I am, or maybe I do because only through pure love can one overcome oneself for others! O that You would continue to bless me and mine, and give me the words to express this love, and use me as an example, a light that mine will see You in me, and me in You through Jesus. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

If we have any natural defect, either in mind or body, let us not grieve and feel sorry for ourselves. Who can tell whether, if we had been given a larger share of ability or stronger health, or greater wealth, we would have possessed them to the destruction of our soul!

— St. Alphonsus Liguori

Reading 1
Acts 16:11-15
We set sail from Troas, making a straight run for Samothrace,
and on the next day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi,
a leading city in that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony.
We spent some time in that city.
On the sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river
where we thought there would be a place of prayer.
We sat and spoke with the women who had gathered there.
One of them, a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth,
from the city of Thyatira, a worshiper of God, listened,
and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention
to what Paul was saying.
After she and her household had been baptized,
she offered us an invitation,
"If you consider me a believer in the Lord,
come and stay at my home," and she prevailed on us.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b
R. (see 4a) The Lord takes delight in his people.
Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches.
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.

Gospel
Jn 15:26-16:4a
Jesus said to his disciples:
"When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father,
he will testify to me.
And you also testify,
because you have been with me from the beginning.

"I have told you this so that you may not fall away.
They will expel you from the synagogues;
in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you
will think he is offering worship to God.
They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me.
I have told you this so that when their hour comes
you may remember that I told you."

MP3 audio link to today’s readings:

http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_05_18.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

Music I am listening:

www.richardangulo.com/listening/

Posted in Daily Bible Readings, Daily Prayers, Richard Angulo | Leave a Comment »

"Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved."

May 19, 2009

05192009

Lord God, Abba Father, feelings of frustration, anger and helplessness surround me, yet I know that my emptiness must be addressed for I am thinking and walking according to the ways under the sun, not Your way, not in Your light with Jesus. So I rum to Your in Your Word and once again You speak to me through the words of Paul and Silas ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved.’ Immediately I am convicted as to by which measure will I walk; that of under the sun rooted in separation from You, or that of the Son rooted in oneness through Him with You in the Holy Spirit. For I cannot serve both, and I must find comfort, I must have confidence, I must be an example by walking according to my belief, and always falling down before Jesus at the foot of the Cross at any moment of unbelief! Help me Lord! Help me fight my moments of unbelief with faith, hope, and love! Faith in the truths that Jesus has taught me, hope that You will serve Your purpose for me, love for You through Jesus and for all those You give me to serve. O that You would continue to bless me and mine, strengthening our faith through the daily moments of unbelief, renewing our hope in our moments with You, and teaching us to love as we are loved by You and Jesus. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

We should love and feel compassion for those who unjustly oppose us, since they harm themselves and do us good, for they adorn us with crowns of everlasting glory.

— St Anthony Mary Zaccaria

Reading 1
Acts 16:22-34
The crowd in Philippi joined in the attack on Paul and Silas,
and the magistrates had them stripped
and ordered them to be beaten with rods.
After inflicting many blows on them,
they threw them into prison
and instructed the jailer to guard them securely.
When he received these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell
and secured their feet to a stake.

About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying
and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened,
there was suddenly such a severe earthquake
that the foundations of the jail shook;
all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose.
When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open,
he drew his sword and was about to kill himself,
thinking that the prisoners had escaped.
But Paul shouted out in a loud voice,
"Do no harm to yourself; we are all here."
He asked for a light and rushed in and,
trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas.
Then he brought them out and said,
"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus
and you and your household will be saved."
So they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.
He took them in at that hour of the night and bathed their wounds;
then he and all his family were baptized at once.
He brought them up into his house and provided a meal
and with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8
R. (7c) Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple,
and give thanks to your name.
R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
Because of your kindness and your truth,
you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord.

Gospel
Jn 16:5-11
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Now I am going to the one who sent me,
and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts.
But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go.
For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you.
But if I go, I will send him to you.
And when he comes he will convict the world
in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:
sin, because they do not believe in me;
righteousness, because I am going to the Father
and you will no longer see me;
condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned."