God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son:
everyone who believes in him has eternal life. JN 3:16
2 CHRONICLES 36:14-16,19-23 ©
My Soul's Beloved,
Today's first reading strikes terror because we know we are just as deserving of God's wrath. We live in an era where unprecedented evil reigns in epic proportions around the globe. It is Your mercy alone O Lord and the power of Your sorrowful passion that has stayed the mighty hand of God. We have become anathema in the sight of God for we no longer possess the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom. Governments and institutions have taken over individual rights and they punish, ridicule, persecute, imprison, and even murder not just Christians but anyone who dares to resist the evil that they permit to infiltrate every area of human life.
We are currently living in the age of unprecedented evil and for a period of some time, Satan has been given reign over the world. In this brief period, he has unleashed all the forces of terror and darkness before You return. Give us strength to withstand with courage and to remain faithful under the wicked and deadly onslaught of his minions.
The Church and the faithful remnant must be prepared for the great battle that has already begun. She is weakened from without and within and many have fallen and will continue to fall until all of her outward trappings are destroyed forever and only the eternal treasures entrusted to her will remain. This is all she requires the rest is dross. We too will become a people in exile but we are comforted O Lord by Your assurance that the gates of hell will never prevail against Your Bride, the Church.
PSALM 136(137):1-6 ©
By the rivers of Babylon
there we sat and wept,
remembering Zion;
on the poplars that grew there
we hung up our harps.
remembering Zion;
on the poplars that grew there
we hung up our harps.
For it was there that they asked us,
our captors, for songs,
our oppressors, for joy.
‘Sing to us,’ they said,
‘one of Zion’s songs.’
our oppressors, for joy.
‘Sing to us,’ they said,
‘one of Zion’s songs.’
O how could we sing
the song of the Lord
on alien soil?
If I forget you, Jerusalem,
let my right hand wither!
on alien soil?
If I forget you, Jerusalem,
let my right hand wither!
O let my tongue
cleave to my mouth
if I remember you not,
if I prize not Jerusalem
above all my joys!
if I remember you not,
if I prize not Jerusalem
above all my joys!
O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not!
EPHESIANS 2:4-10 ©
My Soul's Beloved,
My Soul's Beloved,
We have indeed been saved and we need not allow our fears at the evil raging all around us to destroy our faith and our hope in Your everlasting love for us. St. Paul's words are full of encouragement assuring us that we can count on the generosity of Your mercy for while we were yet sinners You gave us new life in You. We are a people of the Resurrection and while we must first walk the Way of the Cross which is the Way of Salvation we know that our mortal bodies will become like Yours in glory. The Father has made us co-heirs with You to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Grant me this grace O Lord, that while we live amid evil we remain untouched by it for we are covered in Your Blood, we are strengthened by Your Body in the Eucharist, and we are consecrated to God by You in the power of the Holy Spirit. Grace has saved us. Fear has no place in the hearts of the children of God:
We are God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus to live the good life as from the beginning he had meant us to live it.
JOHN 3:14-21 ©
My Soul's Beloved,
You said to Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews who came to You by night,
‘The Son of Man must be lifted up
as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.’
so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.’
This is why the Church and Catholics everywhere cherish the crucifix. We look at Your crucified Body nailed to the horrific and ultimate instrument of torture and we are filled with love and gratitude for what the Son of God endured for our salvation. We are overwhelmed by this incomprehensible love of God for us. Sin brings death and with it the loss of our inheritance as children of God. Our Father does not desire the death of His little ones, rather He desires that we all live and come to the knowledge of Truth. You O Lord are the very embodiment of Truth, consecrate us to the Truth.
The world constantly condemns the poor, the weak, the marginalized, and those who refuse to bow down to its diktats and stand up boldly for Truth. But You did not come to condemn the world by to save it. Thank You for Your assurance that no one who believes in You will be condemned. Your justice O Lord is always tempered with mercy and for this, we are truly grateful. If it were not for Your mercy we would all be deserving of being cast into the everlasting fire that never dies.
Loving Father, grant that none of Your children perish. Too great a price was paid for our redemptions. Save us O Lord despite ourselves for we are dull, stupid, weak, frail, and we need You to seek us no matter how lost we are.
Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost
but may have eternal life.
For God sent his Son into the world
not to condemn the world,
but so that through him the world might be saved.
so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost
but may have eternal life.
For God sent his Son into the world
not to condemn the world,
but so that through him the world might be saved.
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