Posted on 04/24/2006 8:29:10 AM PDT by Salvation
Monday of the Second Week of Easter
Reading 1
Acts 4:23-31
After their release Peter and John went back to their own people
and reported what the chief priests and elders had told them.
And when they heard it,
they raised their voices to God with one accord
and said, (Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earth
and the sea and all that is in them,
you said by the Holy Spirit
through the mouth of our father David, your servant:
Why did the Gentiles rage
and the peoples entertain folly?
The kings of the earth took their stand
and the princes gathered together
against the Lord and against his anointed.
Indeed they gathered in this city
against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed,
Herod and Pontius Pilate,
together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
to do what your hand and your will
had long ago planned to take place.
And now, Lord, take note of their threats,
and enable your servants to speak your word
with all boldness, as you stretch forth your hand to heal,
and signs and wonders are done
through the name of your holy servant Jesus.
As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook,
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 2:1-3, 4-7a, 7b-9
R. (see 11d) Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Why do the nations rage
and the peoples utter folly?
The kings of the earth rise up,
and the princes conspire together
against the LORD and against his anointed:
Let us break their fetters
and cast their bonds from us!
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He who is throned in heaven laughs;
the LORD derides them.
Then in anger he speaks to them;
he terrifies them in his wrath:
I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD.
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD said to me, You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.
Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish.
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel
Jn 3:1-8
There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
He came to Jesus at night and said to him,
Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God,
for no one can do these signs that you are doing
unless God is with him.
Jesus answered and said to him,
Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
Nicodemus said to him,
How can a man once grown old be born again?
Surely he cannot reenter his mothers womb and be born again, can he?
Jesus answered,
Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and Spirit
he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
What is born of flesh is flesh
and what is born of spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I told you,
You must be born from above.
The wind blows where it wills,
and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.
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From: Acts 4:23-31
The Church's Thanksgiving Prayer
From: John 3:1-8
The Visit of Nicodemus
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 30 (31) |
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| Trustful prayer in time of adversity |
| In you, Lord, I put my trust: may I never be put to shame. In your justice, set me free, Turn your ear to me, make haste to rescue me. Be my rampart, my fortification; keep me safe. For you are my strength and my refuge: you will lead me out to the pastures, for your own names sake. You will lead me out of the trap that they laid for me for you are my strength. Into your hands I commend my spirit: you have redeemed me, Lord God of truth. You hate those who run after vain nothings; but I put my trust in the Lord. I will rejoice and be glad in your kindness, for you have looked on me, lowly as I am. You saw when my soul was in need: you did not leave me locked in the grip of the enemy, but set my feet on free and open ground. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Psalm 30 (31) |
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| Take pity on me, Lord, for I am troubled: my eyes grow weak with sorrow, the very centre of my being is disturbed. For my life is worn out with distress, my years with groaning; my strength becomes weakness, my bones melt away. I am a scandal and a disgrace, so many are my enemies; to my friends and neighbours, I am a thing to fear. When they see me in the street, they run from me. I have vanished from their minds as though I were dead, or like a pot that is broken. I know this for I have heard the scolding of the crowd. There is terror all around, for when they come together against me it is my life they are resolved to take. But I put my trust in you, Lord; I say: You are my God, my fate is in your hands. Tear me from the grip of my enemies, from those who hound me; let your face shine upon your servant, in your kindness, save me. Let me not be put to shame, for I have called on you; let the wicked be shamed instead, let them go down into the underworld and silence. Let their lying mouths be dumb, that now speak against the righteous, in their pride and arrogance and contempt. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Psalm 30 (31) |
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| How very many are the pleasures, Lord, that you have stored up for those who fear you. You have made these things ready for those who trust in you, to give them in the sight of all men. Far away from the plottings of men you hide them in your secret place. You keep them safe in your dwelling-place far from lying tongues. Blessed be the Lord, for he has shown me his wonderful kindness within the fortified city. In my terror, I said I am cut off from your sight; but you heard the voice of my prayer when I called to you. Love the Lord, all his chosen ones. The Lord keeps his faithful ones safe, heaps rich revenge on the arrogant. Be brave, let your hearts be strong, all who trust in the Lord. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Reading | Apocalypse 1:1 - 20 © |
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| This is the revelation given by God to Jesus Christ so that he could tell his servants about the things which are now to take place very soon; he sent his angel to make it known to his servant John, and John has written down everything he saw and swears it is the word of God guaranteed by Jesus Christ. Happy the man who reads this prophecy, and happy those who listen to him, if they treasure all that it says, because the Time is close. From John, to the seven churches of Asia: grace and peace to you from him who is, who was, and who is to come, from the seven spirits in his presence before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the First-born from the dead, the Ruler of the kings of the earth. He loves us and has washed away our sins with his blood, and made us a line of kings, priests to serve his God and Father; to him, then, be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen. It is he who is coming on the clouds; everyone will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the races of the earth will mourn over him. This is the truth. Amen. I am the Alpha and the Omega says the Lord God, who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty. My name is John, and through our union in Jesus I am your brother and share your sufferings, your kingdom, and all you endure. I was on the island of Patmos for having preached Gods word and witnessed for Jesus; it was the Lords day and the Spirit possessed me, and I heard a voice behind me, shouting like a trumpet, Write down all that you see in a book, and send it to the seven churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. I turned round to see who had spoken to me, and when I turned I saw seven golden lamp-stands and, surrounded by them, a figure like a Son of man, dressed in a long robe tied at the waist with a golden girdle. His head and his hair were white as white wool or as snow, his eyes like a burning flame, his feet like burnished bronze when it has been refined in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of the ocean. In his right hand he was holding seven stars, out of his mouth came a sharp sword, double-edged, and his face was like the sun shining with all its force. When I saw him, I fell in a dead faint at his feet, but he touched me with his right hand and said, Do not be afraid; it is I, the First and the Last; I am the Living One, I was dead and now I am to live for ever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and of the underworld. Now write down all that you see of present happenings and things that are still to come The secret of the seven stars you have seen in my right hand, and of the seven golden lamp-stands is this: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lamp-stands are the seven churches themselves. |
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| Reading | From an ancient Easter homily by Pseudo-Chrysostom |
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| The spiritual Passover | |
| The Passover we celebrate brings salvation to the whole human race beginning with the first man, who together with all the others is saved and given life. In an imperfect and transitory way, the types and images of the past prefigured the perfect and eternal reality which has now been revealed. The presence of what is represented makes the symbol obsolete: when the king appears in person no one pays reverence to his statue. How far the symbol falls short of the reality is seen from the fact that the symbolic Passover celebrated the brief life of the firstborn of the Jews, whereas the real Passover celebrates the eternal life of all mankind. It is a small gain to escape death for a short time, only to die soon afterward; it is a very different thing to escape death altogether as we do through the sacrifice of Christ, our Passover. Correctly understood, its very name shows why this is our greatest feast. It is called the Passover because, when he was striking down the firstborn, the destroying angel passed over the houses of the Hebrews, but it is even more true to say that he passes over us, for he does so once and for all when we are raised up by Christ to eternal life. If we think only of the true Passover and ask why it is that the time of the Passover and the salvation of the firstborn is taken to be the beginning of the year, the answer must surely be that the sacrifice of the true Passover is for us the beginning of eternal life. Because it revolves in cycles and never comes to an end, the year is a symbol of eternity. Christ, the sacrifice that was offered up for us, is the father of the world to come. He puts an end to our former life, and through the regenerating waters of baptism in which we imitate his death and resurrection, he gives us the beginning of a new life. The knowledge that Christ is the Passover lamb who was sacrificed for us should make us regard the moment of his immolation as the beginning of our own lives. As far as we are concerned, Christs immolation on our behalf takes place when we become aware of this grace and understand the life conferred on us by this sacrifice. Having once understood it, we should enter upon this new life with all eagerness and never return to the old one, which is now at an end. As Scripture says: We have died to sin how then can we continue to live in it? |
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| A concluding prayer may follow here. |

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April 24, 2006
St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen
(1577-1622)
If a poor man needed some clothing, Fidelis would often give the man the clothes right off his back. Complete generosity to others characterized this saint's life. Born in 1577, Mark Rey (Fidelis was his religious name) became a lawyer who constantly upheld the causes of the poor and oppressed people. Nicknamed "the poor man's lawyer," Fidelis soon grew disgusted with the corruption and injustice he saw among his colleagues. He left his law career to become a priest, joining his brother George as a Franciscan friar of the Capuchin Order. His wealth was divided between needy seminarians and the poor. As a follower of Francis, Fidelis continued his devotion to the weak and needy. Once, during a severe epidemic in a city where he was guardian of a friary, Fidelis cared for and cured many sick soldiers. He was appointed head of a group of Capuchins sent to preach against the Calvinists and Zwinglians in Switzerland. Almost certain violence threatened. Those who observed the mission felt that success was more attributable to the prayer of Fidelis during the night than to his sermons and instructions. He was accused of opposing the peasants' national aspirations for independence from Austria. While he was preaching at Seewis, to which he had gone against the advice of his friends, a gun was fired at him, but he escaped unharmed. A Protestant offered to shelter Fidelis, but he declined, saying his life was in God's hands. On the road back, he was set upon by a group of armed men and killed. Quote:
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| Monday, April 24, 2006 St. Fidelis Roy of Sigmaringen, Capuchin, Priest, Martyr (Feast) |
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** trampling on the word heresy;**
Dear God, send us someone like that for these times!
*Could he go to Los Angeles first?"
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 41 (42) |
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| Longing for the Lord and his temple |
| Like a deer that longs for springs of water, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God: when shall I come and stand before the face of God? My tears are my food, by day and by night, and everyone asks, where is your God?. I remember how I went up to your glorious dwelling-place and into the house of God: the memory melts my soul. The sound of joy and thanksgiving, the crowds at the festival. Why are you so sad, my soul, and anxious within me? Put your hope in the Lord, I will praise him still, my saviour and my God. My soul is sad within me, and so I will remember you in the lands of Jordan and Hermon, on the mountain of Mizar. Deep calls to deep in your rushing waters: and all your torrents, all your waves have flowed over me. By day the Lord sends his kindness upon me; by night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. I will say to God: You are my support, why have you forgotten me? Why must I go in mourning, while the enemy persecutes me?. As my bones break, my persecutors deride me, all the time saying where is your God?. Why are you so sad, my soul, and anxious within me? Put your hope in the Lord, I will praise him still, my saviour and my God. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Canticle | Ecclesiasticus 36 |
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| A prayer for Jerusalem, the holy city | |
| God of all, have mercy on us, take notice of us, and show us the light of your mercies. Make the nations fear you, who have not sought you out, make them know that there is no God except you, let them tell of your wonders. Lift up your hand over foreign nations, that they may see your power for just as in their sight you have been sanctified in us, so in our sight you will be magnified in them. Lift up your hand so that they may know, as we know, that there is no God but you, Lord. Bring forth new signs and repeat your wonders; glorify your hand, show the strength of your arm. Gather together all the tribes of Jacob, give them back the inheritance they had from the beginning. Take pity on your people, over whom we invoke your name, and on Israel, whom you have made equal to your firstborn. Take pity on the city you have sanctified, Jerusalem, the place of your rest. Fill Sion with your majesty; fill your temple with your glory. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Psalm 18 (19) |
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| Praise of God the creator |
| The skies tell the story of the glory of God, the firmament proclaims the work of his hands; day pours out the news to day, night passes to night the knowledge. Not a speech, not a word, not a voice goes unheard. Their sound is spread throughout the earth, their message to all the corners of the world. At the ends of the earth he has set up a dwelling place for the sun. Like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, it rejoices like an athlete at the race to be run. It appears at the edge of the sky, runs its course to the skys furthest edge. Nothing can hide from its heat. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| A short Bible reading and responsory may follow here. |
| Canticle | Benedictus |
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| The Messiah and his forerunner | |
| Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear freed from the hands of our enemies in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Some short prayers may follow here, to offer up the day's work to God. |
| 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 that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
| A concluding prayer may follow here. |
| May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
| A M E N |
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Kingdom Eyes! Monday of the Second Week of Easter John 3:1-8 Introductory Prayer: Lord, you know my needs better than I do. I turn to your Spirit to teach me what to ask for in this prayer. I want to fulfill your holy will over my life. In the presence of Mary my heavenly mother, who invites you to see my needs as she did at Cana, I ask your grace to see the vision of your Kingdom and be drawn to it. May my every step in this world take me there with great enthusiasm. Petition: Lord, increase my sensitivity to your Spirit. 1. Eyes of the Head. What do the eyes of our head see? They see the work of God in creation telling us that he loves us. They see creatures as a means to know and respond to our loving Creator. Our eyes see opportunities to exercise the love that we learn from this Creator. They see the mystery of Christs love in the Eucharist. They see around us the work of the Spirit in the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ. The eyes are the apparatus of faith and serve us well on our way to the everlasting Kingdom. Is this the case for my own eyes? 2. Eyes of the Heart. If the things that flow from the heart can defile a man, so too the things that flow from the heart can sanctify a man. The eyes are also the apparatus of the heart. The eyes will focus on what the heart treasures. Christ stated it so clearly: The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in your eye is darkness, how great is the darkness! (Matthew 6:22). 3. Eyes of the Soul. The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with the Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, speaks to our souls without the noise of words. The eyes of the soul, guided by the same Spirit, help us to see -- to relish what is right and always rejoice in his consolation. In this Easter season, the Spirit begins to stir, and the Church begins to chant more fervently: Veni Sancti Spiritus! Come Holy Spirit! As members of this Mystical Body it is a compelling duty and a delightful right to join in this prayer. Dialogue with Christ: Lord Jesus Christ, you promised to send your Holy Spirit upon your Church, and you prepared the disciples on multiple occasions to make themselves ready. Just as the Israelites quickly made ready for the Passover as people prepped for a journey, guide me to be prepared to journey with your Spirit. Resolution: I will pray a prayer to the Holy Spirit at three different times today. |
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Acts 4:23-31 / Jn 3:1-8 Since that day long ago when we first opened our eyes, our minds have been bombarded with images of the vast array of things large and small that fill our world. Ants and elephants, Renoirs and refrigerator art, scowling faces and laughing ones have competed for our attentions and have found their way into the storerooms of our memories. And that doesn't even begin to take into account the barrage of images that assault our eyes from television and film. It's like living in a candy store where everything is free and our eyes are bigger than our stomach. It's easy to get stuck there and to forget what real food looks like. It's easy to get stuck on the outside of life, with all its powerful attractions, and never to see what lies hidden beneath the surface, deep inside. The Spirit is with us always, calling us to life, but too often we fail to hear that call because our heads and hearts are so full of surface noise. How right Jesus was when He said, "Flesh begets flesh, and Spirit begets spirit." Spirit is what our hearts hunger for, but we starve our hearts without noticing it, and then we feel sad without knowing why. It's time to turn down the "noise" and to watch and listen for the Spirit. Some wonderful surprises are in store for those who do. |
"There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
He came to Jesus at night and said to him,
Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God,
for no one can do these signs that you are doing
unless God is with him.
Jesus answered and said to him,
Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
Nicodemus said to him,
How can a man once grown old be born again?
Surely he cannot reenter his mothers womb and be born again, can he?
Jesus answered,
Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and Spirit
he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
What is born of flesh is flesh
and what is born of spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I told you,
You must be born from above.
The wind blows where it wills,
and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."AMEN AMEN AMEN!!!
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"Eto fore words of wisdom." Thank you all "His Majesty is my life."
Thanks for stopping by -- we'll see you around!
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Pray for A Voice in the Desert |
| Letters from the Desert - your response |
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Bless the Lord, |
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Most Reverend Harry J. Flynn Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA This action of the Archbishop is not related to any scandal We regret any inconvenience and humbly ask for your prayers. Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Most Reverend Harry J. Flynn |
"Thanks for stopping by -- we'll see you around!"No dear
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| Jn 3:1-8 | ||
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| # | Douay-Rheims | Vulgate |
| 1 | And there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. | erat autem homo ex Pharisaeis Nicodemus nomine princeps Iudaeorum |
| 2 | This man came to Jesus by night, and said to him: Rabbi, we know that thou art come a teacher from God; for no man can do these signs which thou dost, unless God be with him. | hic venit ad eum nocte et dixit ei rabbi scimus quia a Deo venisti magister nemo enim potest haec signa facere quae tu facis nisi fuerit Deus cum eo |
| 3 | Jesus answered, and said to him: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. | respondit Iesus et dixit ei amen amen dico tibi nisi quis natus fuerit denuo non potest videre regnum Dei |
| 4 | Nicodemus saith to him: How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born again? | dicit ad eum Nicodemus quomodo potest homo nasci cum senex sit numquid potest in ventrem matris suae iterato introire et nasci |
| 5 | Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. | respondit Iesus amen amen dico tibi nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua et Spiritu non potest introire in regnum Dei |
| 6 | That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit. | quod natum est ex carne caro est et quod natum est ex Spiritu spiritus est |
| 7 | Wonder not that I said to thee: You must be born again. | non mireris quia dixi tibi oportet vos nasci denuo |
| 8 | The Spirit breatheth where he will and thou hearest his voice: but thou knowest not whence he cometh and whither he goeth. So is every one that is born of the Spirit. | Spiritus ubi vult spirat et vocem eius audis sed non scis unde veniat et quo vadat sic est omnis qui natus est ex Spiritu |

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