[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

 

<< Saturday, January 12, 2013 >>

St. Marguerite Bourgeoys (Canada)

1 John 5:14-21
View Readings

Psalm 149:1-6, 9

John 3:22-30

IN CONFIDENCE

"We have this confidence in God: that He hears us whenever we ask for anything according to His will. And since we know that He hears us whenever we ask, we know that what we have asked Him for is ours." —1 John 5:14-15

 

One of the Christmas gifts the Lord wants to give you is confidence in Him. We develop confidence in God as we do with other people — by communicating with God, asking Him for things, and receiving those things. If we neglect prayer, pray for our will to be done instead of His, or pray for what we wrongly think is His will, we don't have our prayers answered. This may result in disappointment, confusion, or feeling we're not loved by God. Under these circumstances, we don't develop confidence in God.

To have confidence in God means praying according to His will (1 Jn 5:14). It means listening to God in prayer more than speaking, so we can learn His will. Moreover, prayer that leads to confidence in God is the prayer of repentance. We repent of allowing all our idols (see 1 Jn 5:21) to speak so loudly to us that they drown out the voice of God. The listening prayer of repentance seeks, learns, and prays for God's will. This prayer then is in the name of Jesus (Jn 14:13). It is always answered. It makes us confident we are loved and that Jesus is Lord. Get confidence for Christmas and the new year.

 

Prayer: Father, teach me to pray towards confidence and then with confidence in You.

Promise: "The Groom's best man waits there listening for Him and is overjoyed to hear His voice. That is my joy, and it is complete. He must increase, while I must decrease." —Jn 3:29-30

Praise: St. Marguerite used her spiritual gift of administration to build God's kingdom.

[Salvation]

FOR THE ELDERLY

Dear Lord,
as my life declines 
and my energies decrease,
more than ever hold me by Your Power,
that I may not offend You,
but daily increase in Your Love.
Give me strength to work in Your Service 
till the last day of my life.
Help me to ever have 
an increasing dread of venial sin,
or whatever would cause 
the slightest withdrawal of Your love,
all day long,
and at night keep me close to Your Heart;
and should I die, ere the morning breaks,
may I go rejoicing in that vision 
of Your entrancing beauty,
never to be separated from You.

Amen.