We’ve all seen the movies where the person succumbs to the easier path of blackmail in a catch-22 situation, compounding the problem by his or her lack of courage. Not so with Susanna in today’s first reading. She possesses the wisdom and courage to choose the correct, yet difficult, road. She’d rather defy the dishonest elders at the risk of losing her life than offend God at the risk of losing her soul.
We may not face such dire circumstances in our own lives, but we’re constantly making choices. May we stand firm in our faith, emulating Susanna by finding the courage to always choose the right path, no matter the consequences.
Amen!
AMEN!
My prayer "O gracious and Holy Father, give us wisdom to perceive you, diligence to seek you, patience to wait for you, eyes to behold you, a heart to meditate upon you, and a life to proclaim you; through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord." Amen
Peace to everyone. Amen!
Amen. :)
A 40-day prayer journal specifically for my daughter, Katie, the self proclaim agnostic to come back and walk with Jesus, her Savior and soon to be Lord ✝️ *** Day Twenty nine - Statistic alarms me, “A Barna group study found that 59% of young adults who left the church did so due to unanswered life questions (36%) or intellectual doubts about their faith (23%)!!! I know the incident where Katie walked away from her faith when she thought You didn’t answer her prayer of her telling (witnessing) her friend that her friend would get to go this tournament if she would pray :-( *** Lord, I’m so sorry that I have created an environment that Katie would think that our faith is a merely a transaction: we do good (the right) things and God gives us what we think we need including going to heaven :-( *** Only by the power of Your Holy Spirit that I came to know the truth, Your truth, and not my truth! Please Lord, I trust that You do the same for Katie ❤️✝️❤️ ******* By the power of Your Holy Spirit, help Katie repent and return to You ✝️ Ezekiel 33:11, “Tell them, ‘When sinful people die, it does not give Me any joy. But when they turn away from their sins and live, that makes Me very happy. And that is just as sure as I am alive,’ announces the Lord and King. ‘So turn away from your sins! Change your evil ways! Why should you die, people of Israel?’” Amen!!!
Praying for the Pope. Praying for immigrants, for workers losing their jobs, and for the poor, hungry and sick across the world who are in need of food and medical aid. Praying for Ukraine and its people.
*** I’m just trying to do well in this world and there is ‘nothing’ wrong with doing ‘good’ in the world according to my standards! Matthew 16:26, Mark 8:36 and Luke 9:25, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” *** Do you know that all of us are guilty before God and none of us is sinless in James 2:10, “Suppose you keep the whole law but trip over just one part of it. Then you are guilty of breaking all of it!” *** What is Good News without the bad news? Bad news in Romans 3:23, “Everyone has sinned. No one measures up to God’s glory!” Good News of Jesus Christ in Romans 3:24, “The free gift of God’s grace makes us right with Him. Christ Jesus paid the price to set us free!” ******* You see, “I am not a sinner because I sin, I sin because I am a sinner!” Matthew 10:26-28, “So don’t be afraid of your enemies. Everything that is secret will be brought out into the open. Everything that is hidden will be uncovered. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight. What is whispered in your ear, shout from the rooftops. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the One Who can destroy both soul and body in hell!” Amen ✝️
Amen... thank you Claire for your thought provoking and inspiring message today Salina, I continue to pray for Katie today... she is like a blueprint for a lot of our kids...I am keeping the faith like you for a similar situation for my son...God bless all our children
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Thank you, Claire, for the thought provoking reflection. Jesus opened the gate to the path of salvation & eternal life! "Every fall, even if it be very grave & repeated, serves us always & only as a little step towards a higher perfection." St. Maximilian Kolbe