Reading 1 Eph 1:15-23
Hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus
and of your love for all the holy ones,
I do not cease giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers,
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation
resulting in knowledge of him.
May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,
what are the riches of glory
in his inheritance among the holy ones,
and what is the surpassing greatness of his power
for us who believe,
in accord with the exercise of his great might,
which he worked in Christ,
raising him from the dead
and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,
far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,
and every name that is named
not only in this age but also in the one to come.
And he put all things beneath his feet
and gave him as head over all things to the Church,
which is his Body,
the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 8:2-3ab, 4-5, 6-7
O LORD, our LORD,
how glorious is your name over all the earth!
You have exalted your majesty above the heavens.
Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings
you have fashioned praise because of your foes.
R. You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.
When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place—
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R. You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet.
R. You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.
Alleluia Jn 15:26b, 27a
The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord,
and you also will testify.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Lk 12:8-12
Jesus said to his disciples:“I tell you,
everyone who acknowledges me before others
the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.
But whoever denies me before others
will be denied before the angels of God.
“Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven,
but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will not be forgiven.
When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities,
do not worry about how or what your defense will be
or about what you are to say.
For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.”
LOVING THE MOST DEPRIVED
"I tell you, whoever acknowledges Me before men – the Son of Man will acknowledge him before the angels of God." –Luke 12:8
Several billion people desperately need to be introduced to Jesus, the only Way, Truth, Life (Jn 14:6), Savior (Acts 4:12), and God. The most deprived people in the world are those who have not come to know, love, and worship Jesus. Until we give our lives to Jesus, we have not begun to fully live.
Consequently, because life in Christ is most important, and because God Who is Love (1 Jn 4:8, 16) wants the best for everyone, the Lord must insist that we acknowledge Him before men. He must hold us accountable if we don't acknowledge Him (Lk 12:8-10). To strongly encourage us to invite others to live for Jesus, the Lord even promised to send the Holy Spirit, Who will teach us "all that should be said" at the moment when we are sharing our faith (Lk 12:12).
All we need is faith and love, and the Lord must and will make us great evangelizers and missionaries. Therefore, because we believe in Jesus and because we love the most deprived people in the world, let us center our lives around sharing our faith. In love, what else can we do?
| PRAYER: | Father, may love impel me to speak of Your love (see 2 Cor 5:14). May I never be ashamed of Jesus and His Gospel (Rm 1:16). |
| PROMISE: | "May He enlighten your innermost vision that you may know the great hope to which He has called you, the wealth of His glorious heritage to be distributed among the members of the Church, and the immeasurable scope of His power in us who believe." –Eph 1:18-19 |
| PRAISE: | St. Teresa chose religious life because she knew how prone to sin she was. She prayed daily for the coming of the Holy Spirit in her life. |
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