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November 14, 2014

As we near the end of the Liturgical year, the Liturgy focuses on the essential things – to follow the Lord, as the responsorial psalm says. The Epistle stresses the new commandment: Let us love one another. This is love: to walk according to His Commandments, and this is His Commandment: that we walk in love as we have learned. The emphasis is on following the law of the Lord.

In the Gospel, the Lord’s basic message is that when the Son of Man comes, everything stops, and we had all better be ready. He recalls the time of Noah, when everything seemed normal until the day that Noah entered the Ark and they all died. Also, the Lord reminds us all that even Lot’s wife, who was already headed to safety, should not have tried to look back and hold on to the past. Lastly, the Lord emphasizes that whoever tries to save his life shall lose it, and whoever gives his life will be born again. Whoever gives his life for Jesus will be born again. Thus there seem to be two special words for today: COMMANDMENT OF LOVE and FOLLOWING THIS COMMANDMENT. These are the essential things that will carry us to the next life, to rebirth, to God’s Presence. Let us all pray for each other to learn the Commandment of Love and to Follow it steadfastly.

One Bread, One Body

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2 John 4-9
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Psalm 119:1-2, 10-11, 17-18

Luke 17:26-37
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SPACED OR GRACED?

"It will be like that on the day the Son of Man is revealed." —Luke 17:30

Today, I visited two people who had suffered strokes. The strokes affected a part of the brain which is necessary for their memory to function. For example, if these men walked a few feet away from their homes, they might not remember how to return, even with the home in plain sight.

All of us, because of our fallen nature, were stroke victims spiritually. We were confused and didn't know if we had a home or where it was. We were "out of it" and would have stayed "out of it" (see Lk 17:26ff).

"But God is rich in mercy; because of His great love for us He brought us to life with Christ when we were dead in sin. By this favor you were saved. Both with and in Christ Jesus He raised us up and gave us a place in the heavens" (Eph 2:4-6). The Lord has given us a new nature. We need not be confused and deceived (see 2 Jn 7) anymore. By totally giving our lives to Jesus, we can walk "in the path of truth" (2 Jn 4). We will not get lost. We will be ready for Jesus' second coming and will go home to our Father in heaven. Thank you, Jesus, for saving us!

Prayer: Jesus, my Light, my Love, my Lord, my All!

Promise: "Look out that you yourselves do not lose what you have worked for; you must receive your reward in full." —2 Jn 8

Praise: In obedience to and by the grace of God, Maria fasts three times a week in order to bring down the strongholds of the enemy and build up the Kingdom of God (see Mt 17:21, NAB).