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Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper. Psalm 30:11
When all I can do is pray for help, faith tells me that God is with me, listening and answering.
Today I will turn to the Lord when I am troubled, in pain, distressed, or grieving. The Lord will help me.
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Then Jesus asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” Mark 4:40
Faith tells me that whatever is happening in the world and in my life, God is in charge and all shall be well.
Today I will not let the storms of life terrify me. Instead I will put my attention on the Lord. I will ask him to increase my faith and help me trust God’s vision of love, peace, and unity is unfolding in God’s time.
The people all answered with one voice, “We will do everything that the LORD has told us.” Exodus 24:3
The Lord has told us to love one another. May we embody patience, kindness, respectful listening, nonviolence, forgiveness, gentleness, and generosity.
Let us join together to build up the Body of Christ in love and service to one another.
For those who are led by the Spirit are children of God. Romans 8:14
The Spirit leads us to trust the goodness of our hearts, to look for the face of God in all people, to treat each member of God’s human family with loving kindness, to listen to others with patience and understanding, to breathe peace into every situation.
Today with child-like faith I will let the Spirit lead me into God’s heart of compassion and wisdom.
Jesus breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:22
From the Risen Lord’s own breath, we receive the Holy Spirit: our breath mingling with God’s in an eternal communion of give and receive, receive and give.
Today I will receive the gifts and talents I have been given with gratitude and use one of them to benefit someone in need.
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Jesus prayed saying: “Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one.” John 17:11b
Let us be One
in kindness
in compassion
in nonviolence
in peace
in love.
Today I will remember we are all One in God. I will let God’s love and peace move in and through me to bless everyone I encounter.
Jesus said: “This I command you: love one another.” John 15:17
Love comes in many forms: courtesy, civility, nonviolence, respect, kindness, forgiveness, mercy, compassion, companionship, listening, encouragement, welcome, acceptance, patience…
Holy Spirit, show me how to love today.
Jesus said: “Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.” John 15:4
The fruit of our lives may be small or large, acknowledged or unacknowledged, but when we live in the heart of Christ , the fruit we bear is always love.
Today I will ask the Spirit to guide me so that the fruit of all my interactions is love.
Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them.” John 10:11-12
The wolf that divides and scatters us is fear: fear of those whose beliefs are different from ours, fear of change, fear of diversity, fear of unity, fear of being overlooked, fear of betrayal, fear of touching those who are ill, fear of rejection, fear of pain, fear of not having enough, fear of loving, fear of being loved.
With infinite love, patience, and kindness, the Good Shepherd carries us through the fear and guides us back to wholeness and oneness.
Today I will take refuge with the Good Shepherd and trust his guidance. I will put my attention on God’s kindness and mercy instead of fear. I will thank God for hearing me when I ask for help.
And Jesus said to them, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day.” Luke 24:46
Suffering is a human reality. People everywhere in our world are suffering – from war, oppression, poverty, racism, starvation, illness, violence, betrayal, depression, neglect, natural disasters, indifference.
Jesus Christ knows what it means to suffer. Jesus walks with us, carries us, comforts us in every moment of our suffering.
Today I will be gentle with myself and others who are suffering. I will remember the Resurrection is proof of life beyond suffering.
Mary Ann McSweeny 