Among Friends

[gloriajean]

Hello my friends! It was a wonderful day today for my husband's birthday.  They at work all greeted him, and his boss bought Dilly Bars for all there to honor him.  He was so touched!  Then Darla called and invited us all to come there for supper instead of here, so we did, and it was a very lovely meal, table so pretty, and lovely evening with our family.  She said she felt the twins kick!  My husband said this was so much better than going out to eat.  I thank God every day for the good husband He gave me!

To know someone doesn't mean to know every detail of that

person's life.  It means to feel affection, confidence and to

believe in that person.  Lord, may I really know You and have

it reflect in how I treat others.

S C R I P T U R E   F O R   T H E   D A Y  

"He has said, 'I will never leave you or forsake you.'  So we can say
with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can
anyone do to me?'" ~Hebrews 13:5-6

M E D I T A T I O N   F O R   T H E   D A Y 

"I will never leave you or forsake you."  Down through the centuries,
thousands have believed in God's constancy, tirelessness, and unfailing
love.  God has love.  Then forever we can be sure of God's love.  God
has power.  Then forever we can be sure;, in every difficulty and
temptation, of God's strength.  God has patience.  Then always there is
one who can never tire.  God has understanding.  Then always we can
understand and be understood.  Unless we want God to go, God will never
leave us.  God is always ready with the strength and power we need.

P R A Y E R   F O R   T H E   D A Y  

I pray that I may feel that God's love will never fail.  I pray that I
may have confidence in God's unfailing power.

Lenten Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron

Lent Day 42

Lord of the Temple

The Temple in Jerusalem was everything for ancient Jews. The Temple was the religious center of the nation, as well as political and cultural capital. To get some idea of its importance, we would have to think of the Vatican, the United Nations, and the Sorbonne. For the Biblical Jews is was more than a religious meeting place; it was God’s house, the place where God made his dwelling on earth, the tabernacle of Yahweh.

So what did it mean for a provincial prophet to come into the holy city of Jerusalem and make a ruckus in the Temple? Well, you can imagine. What if someone burst into St. Peter’s and began shouting and turning things over and announcing judgment? It would be shocking and embarrassing beyond words.

To make matters worse, Jesus says something that is as shocking as his actions. 
When they ask him to give a justification for what he has done, he says, “I will destroy this Temple and in three days rebuild it.” He says he will destroy the most sacred symbol imaginable.

So what was he doing and why? First, in showing his lordship over even this most sacred symbol, he was announcing who he was—God. Second, he was instituting a new Temple--the temple of his own body. The authentic dwelling place of God, the sanctuary that replaces the corrupt sanctuaries of religion is the temple of his crucified and risen body. Jesus himself is the place where God dwells, and we in the measure that we are grafted on to him are Temples of the Holy Spirit. 

Today the Church is the sacred Temple of Christ’s body; it is most itself when it gathers to pray as his body, and around his body and blood. Does it mean that the Church, in its institutional dimension, is beyond criticism? Obviously not. Sometimes we need the Lord to come into the Temple and clean it out. 

Does it mean that, individually, we are clean and pure? No, in fact, it invites questions such as, what in our “Temple” needs to be purified? How have we allowed the money changers to invade the sacred space? What would arouse the anger of Jesus if he toured around inside our house?


Prayer to the Holy Face of Jesus

Holy Face of Jesus,
Be my joy. 
Holy Face of Jesus,
Be my strength. 
Holy Face of Jesus,
Be my health. 
Holy Face of Jesus,
Be my courage. 
Holy Face of Jesus,
Be my wisdom. 
Holy Face of Jesus, Image of the Father,
Provide for me. 
Holy Face of Jesus, Mirror of Thy Priestly Heart,
Be my zeal. 
Holy Face of Jesus, Gift of the Spirit,
Show me Thy love. 
Holy Face of Jesus, saddened by sorrow, 
Grant my requests through Thy merits. Amen. 
 
Composed by Rev. Emery Pethro of Detroit, Michigan

Insight:

God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting Life."  [John 3:16]

The problem is that you and I, all of us, have done and thought things wrong, and our sins have separated us from God.

The good news is that God sent his son, Jesus Cross, to die on the cross in our place, to the pay the penalty for our sins.  The gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  When we accept Jesus as our Saviour, we are accepting the call for repentance, the call to turn from sin.  We receive Christ not so to continue sin, but to stop it.  Grace is not an authority to sin; it is the power not to.

May you grow in your Christian life to love one another.  Jesus said, "My commandment is this: love one another, just as I love you." (John 15:12)

Let us pray:
Help us Lord, to follow your command to walk in love and to demonstrate our faith through expressions of love today. Inspire us to acts of love towards our fellow man today. May our kind and encouraging words, our thoughtful gestures and our gentle witness touch our co-workers, friends, family, neighbours, and even strangers with your love! May our deeds before men be a testimony of your love, a witness of your character, and a sincere expression of our faith to the world. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen

- - -
Galatians 5:6 - What matters is faith that works through love.

Prayer after Communion - Tuesday of Holy Week

God of mercy, may the sacrament of salvation which now renews our strength bring us a share in your life for ever. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Opening Prayer for Tuesday of Holy Week

Father, may we receive your forgiveness and mercy as we celebrate the passion and death of the Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Verse of the Day

"Listen to me, you that pursue righteousness, you that seek the Lord. Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug."

Isaiah 51:1

Our Lady of Medjugorje's Messages on Confession

MARCH 24, 1985

"Today I wish to call you all to confession,
even if you have confessed a few days ago. I wish that you all
experience my feast day within yourselves. But you cannot experience it
unless you abandon yourselves completely to God. Therefore, I am
inviting you all to reconciliation with God!"

JANUARY 25, 1995

"Dear children! I invite you to open the door of your
heart to Jesus as the flower opens itself to the sun. Jesus desires to
fill your hearts with peace and joy. You cannot, little children,
realize peace if your are not at peace with Jesus. Therefore, I invite
you to confession so Jesus may be your truth and peace. So, little
children, pray to have the strength to realize what I am telling you. I
am with your and I love your. Thank you for having responded to my
call."

NOVEMBER 25, 1998

"Dear children! Today I call you to prepare yourselves
for the coming of Jesus. In a special way, prepare your hearts. May holy
Confession be the first act of conversion for you and then, dear
children, decide for holiness. May your conversion and decision for
holiness begin today and not tomorrow. Little children, I call you all
to the way of salvation and I desire to show you the way to Heaven. That
is why, little children, be mine and decide with me for holiness. Little
children, accept prayer with seriousness and pray, pray, pray. Thank you
for having responded to my call."

NOVEMBER 25, 2002

"Dear children! I call you also today to conversion.
Open your heart to God, little children, through Holy Confession and
prepare your soul so that little Jesus can be born anew in your heart.
Permit Him to transform you and lead you on the way of peace and joy.
Little children, decide for prayer. Especially now, in this time of
grace, may your heart yearn for prayer. I am close to you and intercede
before God for all of you. Thank you for having responded to my call."

March 22 - Jesus Calling

Rejoice and be thankful! As you walk with Me through this day, practice trusting and thanking Me all along the way. Trust is the channel through which My Peace flows into you. Thankfulness lifts you up above your circumstances.

I do My greatest works through people with grateful, trusting hearts. Rather than planning and evaluating, practice trusting and thanking Me continually. This is a paradigm shift that will revolutionize your life. - SARAH YOUNG, Jesus Calling

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
—Philippians 4:4

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.
—Psalm 95:1–2

Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. 
- Psalm 9:10

[gloriajean]

[Bobbi sue]

Happy belated birthday to your DH Gloria.  I hope he has many more.  How wonderful Darla felt the babies kick.  God's love is so womderful.  Where is everyone?  I hope you have a good night.  Gloria, can you email me your address please?  I want to get Darla a gift for the twins.  If you can't, just let me know please.

[gloriajean]

Bobbiesue - Thanks from my husband!  We hope he has many more, he's now 77.  Wondering where everybody is too?  Guess they just prefer to read and not post.  Some get tired of posting, I'm sure.  Just sent you my address and thanks for your thoughtfulness.