Archive for February 16th, 2010

My Strength and Power show themselves most effective in weakness.

February 16, 2010

My Daily Prayers and Readings for 02/16/2010

< >< My Daily Prayer >< >

Abba Father, Lord Jesus, in the Spirit, one God the Abba Father, Christ Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Once again in today’s readings and devotion I feel the need to persevere in and by faith rather than understanding and knowledge. Faith the unseen vs. understanding and knowledge which must see; trust in You vs. trusting in myself or others. It is in these questions that I feel Solomon’s words for in my own way I know all that I see and all that I know and understand under the sun is in vain, vanity and passing. So I feel more certain about the unseen than what I have seen; now some say that is because of my weaknesses for a better man would have succeeded and with that success would not think so. To this I say, thank You for my failing to succeed, for I would not trade what I feel now for how I know I felt when I thought I was succeeding. Therefore, like Paul, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses, that the strength and power of Christ (my Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!

So I come to You most every day to share my thoughts and acknowledge my weaknesses before You and the feet of Jesus, asking and praying the when I rise and step out from this time together I do with You – not asking for this or that, but only that I walk in line with Your will, and that this be visible to those who see me.

In Jesus name I ask and pray, that You bless me and mine for fulfillment of Your will and that You create in me a clean heart, renew a right spirit within me, for one walk; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

< >< Jesus Calling Daily Devotion >< >

February – “Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.” Psalm 105:4

Today – THANK ME for the conditions that are requiring you to be still. Do not spoil the e quiet hours by wishing them away, wailing impatiently to be active again. Some of the greatest works in My kingdom have been done from sick beds and prison cells. Instead of resenting the limitations of a weakened body, search for My way in the midst of these very circumstances. Limitations can be liberating when your strongest desire is living dose to Me.

Quietness and trust enhance your awareness of My Presence with you. Do not despise these simple ways of serving Me. Although you feel cut off from the activity of the world, your quiet trust makes a powerful statement in spiritual realms. My Strength and Power show themselves most effective in weakness.

ZECHARIAH 2:13; ISAIAH 30:15; 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9 (AMP)

< >< Today’s Mass Readings >< >

Reading I
Jas 1:12-18
Blessed is he who perseveres in temptation,
for when he has been proven he will receive the crown of life
that he promised to those who love him.
No one experiencing temptation should say,
“I am being tempted by God”;
for God is not subject to temptation to evil,
and he himself tempts no one.
Rather, each person is tempted when lured and enticed by his desire.
Then desire conceives and brings forth sin,
and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death.

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters:
all good giving and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights,
with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.

He willed to give us birth by the word of truth
that we may be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

Responsorial Psalm
94:12-13a, 14-15, 18-19
R.  (12a) Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.
Blessed the man whom you instruct, O LORD,
whom by your law you teach,
Giving him rest from evil days.
R.
Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.
For the LORD will not cast off his people,
nor abandon his inheritance;
But judgment shall again be with justice,
and all the upright of heart shall follow it.
R.
Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.
When I say, “My foot is slipping,”
your mercy, O LORD, sustains me;
When cares abound within me,
your comfort gladdens my soul.

R.        Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.

Gospel
Mk 8:14-21
The disciples had forgotten to bring bread,
and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.
Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out,
guard against the leaven of the Pharisees
and the leaven of Herod.”

They concluded among themselves that
it was because they had no bread.
When he became aware of this he said to them,
“Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread?
Do you not yet understand or comprehend?
Are your hearts hardened?
Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?
And do you not remember,
when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand,
how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?”

They answered him, “Twelve.”
“When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand,
how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?”
They answered him, “Seven.”
He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

< >< Today’s Video Reflection >< >

He who desires anything but God deceives himself, and he who loves anything but God errs miserably. — St. Phillip Neri

< >< Daily Mass Readings Online Sources>< >

USCCB and EWTN

For link to Scripture readings and Bible search click:

New American Bible USCCB

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition EWTN

For audio link to today’s readings click:

http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_02_16.mp3 Audio

For link to today’s video Reflection click:

http://www.usccb.org/video/reflections.shtml Video

< >< Other sources of inspiration on God’s Word >< >

EWTN

Today in the Word Devotional

Moody Radio Online

Today in the Word Radio Online

< >< Bible Online >< >

BibleGateway.com Devotion Scriptures unless noted from New International Version

< >< One Walk >< >

Follow what I am doing, visit www.raagroup.com

Follow what I am thinking, listening and reading visit www.RichardAngulo.com

Consider God’s generosity towards you rather than your own unworthiness in His sight, and live in His strength, rather than in the thoughts of your own weakness.

February 16, 2010

My Daily Prayers and Readings for 02/15/2010

< >< My Daily Prayer >< >

Abba Father, Lord Jesus, in the Spirit, one God the Abba Father, Christ Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit.

It is because of readings like today’s that I try to always make sure I read and listen to each day readings, devotion and reflection; even if I have to go back to review days I missed or did not get to spend the quality time I seek and need too.

As with yesterday’s today James speaks to us of something that we cannot understand, but must approach through faith and only faith; for the testing of our faith is what produces perseverance and lets perseverance be perfected in us through Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Until then we are just like each generation that seeks and ask for a sign that we can understand and touch as Timothy failing to feel the life in the Spirit of the unseen vs. the death of all things physical and seen under the sun.

We must hear His call and come back to Him in and with all our physical and emotion weaknesses. For only at His feet will we feel that nothing is impossible in and the Him in the Spirit and get the rest and peace that we will need to persevere; over ourselves and then over anything or anyone that challenges Him.

In Jesus name I ask and pray, that You bless me and mine for fulfillment of Your will and that You create in me a clean heart, renew a right spirit within me, for one walk; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

< >< Jesus Calling Daily Devotion >< >

February – “Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.” Psalm 105:4

Today – COME TO ME with all your weaknesses: physical, emotional, and spiritual. Rest in the comfort of My Presence, remembering that nothing is impossible with Me.

Pry your mind away from your problems so you can focus your attention on Me. Recall that I am able to do immeasurably more than all you ask or imagine. Instead of trying to direct Me to do this and that, seek to attune yourself to what I am already doing.

When anxiety attempts to wedge its way into your thoughts, remind yourself that I am your Shepherd. The bottom line is that I am taking care of you; therefore, you needn’t be afraid of anything. Rather than trying to maintain control over your life, abandon yourself to My will. Though this may feel frightening-even dangerous, the safest place to be is in My will,

LUKE 1:37; EPHESIANS 3:20-21; PSALM 23:1-4

< >< Today’s Mass Readings >< >

Reading I
Jas 1:1-11
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
to the twelve tribes in the dispersion, greetings.

Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters,
when you encounter various trials,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
And let perseverance be perfect,
so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
But if any of you lacks wisdom,
he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly,
and he will be given it.
But he should ask in faith, not doubting,
for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea
that is driven and tossed about by the wind.
For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord,
since he is a man of two minds, unstable in all his ways.

The brother in lowly circumstances
should take pride in high standing,
and the rich one in his lowliness,
for he will pass away “like the flower of the field.”
For the sun comes up with its scorching heat and dries up the grass,
its flower droops, and the beauty of its appearance vanishes.
So will the rich person fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

Responsorial Psalm
119:67, 68, 71, 72, 75, 76
R.  (77a)  Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I hold to your promise.
R.
Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.
You are good and bountiful;
teach me your statutes.
R.        Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.
It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
that I may learn your statutes.
R.        Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.
The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
R.        Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.
I know, O LORD, that your ordinances are just,
and in your faithfulness you have afflicted me.
R.        Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.
Let your kindness comfort me
according to your promise to your servants.
R.        Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.

Gospel
Mk 8:11-13
The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus,
seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.
He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said,
“Why does this generation seek a sign?
Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”
Then he left them, got into the boat again,
and went off to the other shore.

< >< Today’s Video Reflection >< >

Consider God’s generosity towards you rather than your own unworthiness in His sight, and live in His strength, rather than in the thoughts of your own weakness.

— St. Vincent de Paul

< >< Daily Mass Readings Online Sources>< >

USCCB and EWTN

For link to Scripture readings and Bible search click:

New American Bible USCCB

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition EWTN

For audio link to today’s readings click:

http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_02_15.mp3 Audio

For link to today’s video Reflection click:

http://www.usccb.org/video/reflections.shtml Video

< >< Other sources of inspiration on God’s Word >< >

EWTN

Today in the Word Devotional

Moody Radio Online

Today in the Word Radio Online

< >< Bible Online >< >

BibleGateway.com Devotion Scriptures unless noted from New International Version

< >< One Walk >< >

Follow what I am doing, visit www.raagroup.com

Follow what I am thinking, listening and reading visit www.RichardAngulo.com

By nature, each one of us is enclosed in his own personality, but supernaturally, we are all one. We are made one body in Christ, because we are nourished by one flesh. As Christ is indivisible, we are all one in him. Therefore, He asked His Father “that they may all be One as We also are one.”

February 16, 2010

My Daily Prayers and Readings for 02/14/2010

< >< My Daily Prayer >< >

Abba Father, Lord Jesus, in the Spirit, one God the Abba Father, Christ Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Today’s readings are full of wisdom, and require more faith than understanding. A faith that must be practiced and worked our step by step moment by moment as we walk under the sun for faith like this is a far from the reach of us, one that requires us to let go of all things under the sun. We cannot grasp the faith we seek if we try to hold on anything under the sun.

I feel each blessing You have given me Abba Father, even when I let the things under the sun cause me to act out of selfishly pity or egotistic pride thinking I know best or better. I count myself blessed when my Lord Jesus immediately convicts me, assuring me that there is still much work to be done within me; and while in some moments it is harder to die to myself than in other moments, I know that if I remove thinking right or wrong as I see it under the sun, and focus on looking at it through eyes of faith like Jesus teaches me too, then it becomes a matter of walking by faith step by step, grasping onto what I seek and letting go of that which I want to put behind me.

So I always bring my focus back to my Lord and Savior Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of my faith counting myself blessed in humility and confident in His presence.

In Jesus name I ask and pray, that You bless me and mine for fulfillment of Your will and that You create in me a clean heart, renew a right spirit within me, for one walk; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

< >< Jesus Calling Daily Devotion >< >

February – “Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.” Psalm 105:4

Today – GIVE YOURSELF FULLY to the adventure of today. Walk boldly along the path of Life, relying on your ever-present Companion. You have every reason to be confident, because My Presence accompanies you all the days of your life-and onward into eternity. Do not give in to fear or worry, those robbers of abundant living. Trust Me enough to face problems as they come, rather than trying to anticipate them. Fix your eyes on Me, the Author and Perfecter of your faith, and many difficulties on the road ahead will vanish before you reach them. Whenever you start to feel afraid, remember that I am holding you by your right hand. Nothing can separate you from My Presence!

HEBREWS 12:2; ISAIAH 41:13

< >< Today’s Mass Readings >< >

Reading I
Jer 17:5-8
Thus says the LORD:
Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a barren bush in the desert
that enjoys no change of season,
but stands in a lava waste,
a salt and empty earth.
Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:
it fears not the heat when it comes;
its leaves stay green;
in the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still bears fruit.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
(40:5a) Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked,
nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
but delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
that yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Reading II
1 Cor 15:12, 16-20
Brothers and sisters:
If Christ is preached as raised from the dead,
how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead?
If the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised,
and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain;
you are still in your sins.
Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
If for this life only we have hoped in Christ,
we are the most pitiable people of all.

But now Christ has been raised from the dead,
the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Gospel
Lk 6:17, 20-26
Jesus came down with the twelve
and stood on a stretch of level ground
with a great crowd of his disciples
and a large number of the people
from all Judea and Jerusalem
and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon.
And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for the kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude and insult you,
and denounce your name as evil
on account of the Son of Man.
Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!
Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.
For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.
But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
Woe to you who are filled now,
for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will grieve and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you,
for their ancestors treated the false
prophets in this way.”

< >< Today’s Video Reflection >< >

By nature, each one of us is enclosed in his own personality, but supernaturally, we are all one. We are made one body in Christ, because we are nourished by one flesh. As Christ is indivisible, we are all one in him. Therefore, He asked His Father “that they may all be One as We also are one.” — St. Cyril of Alexandria

< >< Daily Mass Readings Online Sources>< >

USCCB and EWTN

For link to Scripture readings and Bible search click:

New American Bible USCCB

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition EWTN

For audio link to today’s readings click:

http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_02_14.mp3 Audio

For link to today’s video Reflection click:

http://www.usccb.org/video/reflections.shtml Video

< >< Other sources of inspiration on God’s Word >< >

EWTN

Today in the Word Devotional

Moody Radio Online

Today in the Word Radio Online

< >< Bible Online >< >

BibleGateway.com Devotion Scriptures unless noted from New International Version

< >< One Walk >< >

Follow what I am doing, visit www.raagroup.com

Follow what I am thinking, listening and reading visit www.RichardAngulo.com