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Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.

Morning Prayer of (St.) Thérèse of Lisieux

O  my God! I offer Thee all my actions of this day for the intentions and for the glory of Christ Jesus. I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart, my every thought, my simplest works, by uniting them to His infinite merits; and I wish to make reparation for my sins by casting them into the furnace of His Merciful Love.

O my God! I ask of Thee for myself and for those whom I hold dear, the grace to fulfill perfectly Thy Holy Will, to accept for love of Thee the joys and sorrows of this passing life, so that we may one day be united together in heaven for all Eternity.

To Strive for Health

Oh Lord God, who has told us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that we should honor you with our bodies, I confess that I have not been doing as good a job as I might. Perhaps I sometimes eat and drink that which is not healthy, or in excess. Perhaps I do not get enough exercise; perhaps I do not get enough rest. Perhaps I allow the anxieties of the world to disturb my thoughts, which causes me physical stress. Perhaps I do things with my body that I know I should not do.

I pray that you will lead me to listen to the Holy Spirit, and not to my own urgings or those of the world, in matters of physical and mental health. Direct my eye, my ear, and my activities to holiness, that I might honor You the best I can, in my body and my mind.

Mason Barge 8/19/2017

Meditation

[Improving my physical and mental health, for I am God’s temple.]

Benediction (from Colossians 3)

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within me all this day; and whatever I do in word or deed, may I do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Think of the day ahead in terms of God with you, and visualize health, strength, guidance, purity, calm confidence, and victory as the gifts of His presence.

The Baptism of Christ by Guido Remi, c. 1622

Psalm 63:1-5 (NKJV)

John 14:1-11 (ESV)

The Way, the Truth, and the Life

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.”

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?

The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

Notes on the Scripture

s Christ approaches his execution, his characterization of the relationship between himself and God the Father changes. The identity grows stronger, as he truly admits his own divinity. In his early teachings, his tone when talking about the subject emphasized that God the Father spoke through him, and that through him God the Father could be found. Now, when asked “show us the Father,” Jesus says “he is within me”; that is, basically, “stop asking to see God, you’re looking at him.”

These verses also contain the beautiful and meaningful quote, “in my Father’s house are many mansions.” This comes directly after Christ informs Peter that he will deny him three times before the cock crows. But he immediately consoles Peter, by telling him that there is more than one kind of life that will lead one to heaven.

It is also meant to comfort the disciples who are worried that Christ is going where they cannot follow. They do not want to lose him, or even never see him again. Thus, he also means to assure them that there is a place in heaven for them.

Christ says he is “the way” and they will reach heaven by following him. A “way” is a road or path; we say, “this is the way” to tell someone which way to turn to reach their destination. It is a very concrete metaphor, very easy to understand. To dwell with Christ in heaven, all we have to do is follow a path, the path he is taking. It gets a little harder to grasp when you consider that Jesus himself is the path. He has, in a sense, blazed a new trail.

All throughout their history, the Jews have been trying to find the path to heaven, like early explorers seeking the trail to Oregon. Finally, Christ has come. He not only shows us the trail to follow, he himself embodies the trail. It could not be simpler. To find heaven, follow Christ. At the end of the trail, there will be a mansion waiting for us, where we may dwell forever.

Daily Inspiration

“The Greatest Commandment”

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