Archive for February, 2020

An Inspiration Of Time With God For Today

Saturday, February 29th, 2020

As I live says the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man
but rather in his conversion, that he may live. Cf. Ezekiel 33:11 (NRSVCE)

A Prayer of David

Teach me Your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in Your truth. (Psalm 86:11A)

Incline your ear, O Lord and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am

devoted to You; Save Your servant who trusts in You.

Teach me Your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in Your truth. (Psalm 86:11A)

You are My God, be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all day long. Gladden the soul of

Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

Teach me Your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in Your truth. (Psalm 86:11A)

For You, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call on You.

Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; Listen to my supplication.

Teach me Your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in Your truth. (Psalm 86:11A)

In the day of my trouble I call on You, for You will answer me. There is none like You among

the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like Yours. All the nations You have made shall come

and bow down before You, O Lord and shall glorify Your Name. For You are great and do

wondrous things; You alone are God. Teach me Your way, O Lord, that I may walk in Your

truth; Give me an undivided heart to revere Your name. I give thanks to You, O Lord My God,

with my whole heart and I will glorify Your name forever. For great is Your steadfast love

toward me; You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. O God, the insolent rise up

against me, a band of ruffians seek my life and they do not set You before them but You, O

Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and

faithfulness. Turn to me and be gracious to me; Give Your strength to Your servant; Save the

child of Your serving girl. Show me a sign of Your favor, so that those who hate me may see it

and be put to shame because You Lord, have helped me and comforted me. –Psalm 86:1-17

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB

An Inspiration Of Time With God For Today

Friday, February 28th, 2020

If you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like noonday.
The Lord will guide you continually. –Isaiah 58:10-11A (NRSVCE)

False and True Worship

Shout out and do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to My people their

rebellion, to the House of Jacob their sins. Yet day after day they seek Me and delight to know

My ways as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the

Ordinances of their God; They ask of Me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God.

“Why do we fast but you do not see?

Why humble ourselves but You do not notice?”

Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day and oppress all your workers. Look you fast

only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist. Such fasting as you do today will not

make your voice heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose a day to humble oneself? Is it to

bow down the head like a bulrush and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a

day acceptable to the Lord?

Is not this the fast I choose: To loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to

let the oppressed go free and to break every yoke?

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house;

When you see the naked, to cover them and not to hide yourself from your own kin?

Then your light shall break forth like the dawn and your healing shall spring up quickly, Your

Vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall

call and the Lord will answer; You shall cry for help and He will say, Here I am.

If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you

offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in

the darkness and your gloom be like noon day. The Lord will guide you continually and satisfy

your needs in parched places and make your bones strong, you shall be like a watered garden,

like a spring of water whose waters never fail.

Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt, you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;

You shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.

If you refrain from trampling the Sabbath, from pursuing your own interests on My Holy Day;

If you call the Sabbath a delight and the Holy Day of the Lord honorable; If you honor it, not

going your own ways, serving your own interests or pursing your own affairs, then you shall

take delight in the Lord and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth; I will feed you

with the heritage of your ancestor Jacob, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. –Isaiah 58:1-14

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An Inspiration Of Time With God For Today

Monday, February 24th, 2020

Our Savior Christ Jesus, abolished death, brought life
and immortality to light through the Gospel. –2 Timothy 1:10 (NRSVCE)

God’s Glory in Creation and The Law

The Precepts of the Lord are right
rejoicing the heart. (Psalm 19:8A)

The heavens are telling the glory of God and the firmament proclaim His handiwork. Day to

day pours forth speech and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are

there words, their voice is not heard, yet their voice goes out through all the earth and their

words to the end of the world. In the heavens He has set a tent for the sun, which comes out

like a bridegroom from the wedding canopy and like a strong man runs its course with joy. Its

rising is from the end of the heavens and its circuit to the end of them and nothing is hid from

its heat.

The Law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;

The Decrees of the Lord are sure
making wise the simple;

The Precepts of the Lord are right
rejoicing the heart. (Psalm 19:8A)

The Commandment of the Lord is clear,
enlightening the eyes.

The Precepts of the Lord are right
rejoicing the heart. (Psalm 19:8A)

The fear of the Lord is pure
enduring forever!

The Ordinances of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.

The Precepts of the Lord are right
rejoicing the heart. (Psalm 19:8A)

More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold,
sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover by them is Your servant warned, in keeping them there is great reward but who can

detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults. Keep back Your servant also from the

insolent, do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless and innocent of

great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to You,
O Lord, my Rock and Redeemer! –Psalm 19:1-14

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An Inspiration Of Time With God For Today

Sunday, February 23rd, 2020

Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward from Him. –Psalm 127:3

Do you not know that you are God’s Temple and that God’s spirit dwells in you? If anyone

destroys God’s Temple, God will destroy that person.

For God’s Temple is Holy and you are that Temple.

Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so

that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.

For it is written,

‘He catches the wise in their craftiness,’ (Job 5:13

and again,

‘The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.’ (Psalm 94:11)

So let no one boast about human leaders. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or

Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future — all belong to you and you

belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God. –1 Corinthians 3:16-23

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More, Visit:-USCCB

An Inspiration Of Time With God For Today

Thursday, February 20th, 2020


Do to others as you would have them do to you. –Luke 6:31 (NRSVCE)

 

Warning Against Partiality

My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in Our Glorious Lord

Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly and

if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, if you take notice of the one wearing the fine

clothes and say, ‘Have a seat here, please,’ while to the one who is poor you say, ‘Stand there,’

or Sit at my feet,’ have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with

evil thoughts? Listen my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the

world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the Kingdom that He has promised to those who love

Him? You have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag

you into court? Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?

You do well if you really fulfill the royal Law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your

neighbor as yourself.’ (Leviticus 19:18B ; Matthew 19:19B ; Mark 12:30-31) If you show

partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the Law as transgressors. For whoever keeps

the whole Law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. For the one who said.

“You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” Now if you do not commit

adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as

those who are to be judged by the Law of Liberty. For judgment will be without mercy to

anyone who has shown no mercy; Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith Without Works Is Dead

What good is it, my brothers and sisters if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can

faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food and one of you says to them,

‘Go in peace, keep warm and eat your fill,’ and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is

the good of that? So faith by itself  if it has no works is dead.

Someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works

and I by my works will show you my faith. You believe that God is One, you do well. Even the

Demons believe and shudder. Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart

from works is barren? Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his

son Issac on the alter? You see that faith was active along with his works and faith was brought

to completion by the works. Thus the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God

and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’ (Genesis 15:6) and he was called the friend of

God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. Likewise was not Rahab

the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by

another road? (Joshua 2:1-24) For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without

works is also dead. –James 2:1-26

This poor soul cried and was heard by the Lord
and was saved from every trouble. (Psalm 34:6)

I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall be continually in my mouth.
My soul makes it boast in the Lord; Let the humble hear and be glad.

This poor soul cried and was heard by the Lord
and was saved from every trouble. (Psalm 34:6)

O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together.
I sought the Lord and He answered me and delivered me from all fears.

This poor soul cried and was heard by the Lord
and was saved from every trouble. (Psalm 34:6)

Look to Him and be radiant so your faces shall never be ashamed.

The poor soul cried and was heard by the Lord
and was saved from every trouble.

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and delivers them.

This poor soul cried and was heard by the Lord
and was saved from every trouble. (Psalm 34:6)

Psalm 34:1-7

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB

An Inspiration Of Time With God For Today

Tuesday, February 18th, 2020

Be faithful until death and I will give you the Crown of Life. –Revelation 2:10B (NRSVCE)

Salutation

James, a Servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ

Greetings:

Faith and Wisdom

My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it noting but joy

because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance and let your endurance

have its full effect so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you is

lacking in wisdom, ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly and it will be given

you. Ask in faith, never doubting for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and

tossed by the wind; For the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way must not

expect to receive anything from the Lord.

Poverty and Riches

Let the Believer who is lowly boast in being raised up and the rich in being brought low because

the rich will disappear like a flower in the field. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and

withers the field; Its flower falls and its beauty perishes. It is the same way with the rich, in the

midst of a busy life, they will wither away.

Trial and Temptation

Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the

Crown of Life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him. No one when tempted should

say, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted by evil and He Himself tempts no

one but one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; Then when they

desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin and that sin when it is fully grown gives birth to death.

Do not be deceived my beloved. Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift is from

above, coming down from the Father of Lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due

to change, In fulfillment of His own purpose He gave us birth by the Word of Truth so that we

would become a kind of first fruits of His creatures. –James 1:1-18

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An Inspiration Of Time With God For Today

Wednesday, February 12th, 2020

Sanctify them in truth; Your Word is truth. –John 17:17  (NRSVCE)

A Psalm of David

The mouths of the righteous utters wisdom
and their tongues speak justice. (Psalm 37:30)

Do not fret because of the wicked;

Do not be envious of wrongdoers,

for they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.

Trust in the Lord and do good,

so you will live in the land and enjoy security.

Take delight in the Lord

and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;

Trust in Him and He will act.

He will make your vindication shine like the light

and the justice of your cause like the noonday.

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him;

Do not fret over those who prosper in their way,

over those who carry out evil devices.

Refrain from anger and forsake wrath.

Do not fret — it leads only to evil.

For the wicked shall be cut off

but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

Yet a little while and the wicked will be no more;

Though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there

but the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

The wicked plot against the righteous

and gnash their teeth at them

but the Lord laughs at the wicked

for He sees that their day is coming.

The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows

to bring down the poor and needy,

to kill those who walk uprightly;

Their sword shall enter their own heart

and their bows shall be broken.

Better is a little that the righteous person has

than the abundance of many wicked.

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken

but the Lord upholds the righteous.

The Lord knows the days of the blameless

and their heritage will abide forever;

They are not put to shame in evil times,

in the days of famine they have abundance but the wicked perish

and the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures,

they vanish — like smoke they vanish away.

The wicked borrow and do not pay back

but the righteous are generous and keep giving;

For those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land

but those cursed by Him shall be cut off.

Our steps are made firm by the Lord,

when He delights in our way;

Though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong,

for the Lord holds us by the hand.

I have been young and now am old,

yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.

They are ever giving liberally and lending and their children become a blessing.

Depart from evil and do good,

so you shall abide forever.

For the Lord loves justice,

He will not forsake His faithful ones.

The righteous shall be kept safe forever

but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

The righteous shall inherit the land and live in it forever.

The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom
and their tongues speak justice. (Psalm 37:30)

The Law of their God is in their hearts; Their steps do not slip.

The wicked watch for the righteous and seek to kill them.

The Lord will not abandon them to their power

or let them be condemned when they are brought to trial.

Wait for the Lord and keep to His way and He will exalt you to inherit the Land;

You will look on the destruction of the wicked.

I have seen the wicked oppressing and towering like a cedar of Lebanon.

Again I passed by and they were no more; Though I sought them, they could not be found.

Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for their is posterity for the peaceable

but transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; The posterity of the wicked shall be cut off. 

The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom
and their tongues speak justice. (Psalm 37:30)

The Salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;

He is their refuge in the time of trouble.

The Lord helps them and rescues them;

He rescues them from the wicked and saves them

because they take refuge in Him. –Psalm 37:1-40

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB

An Inspiration Of Time With God For Today

Friday, February 7th, 2020

Blessed are they who when they hear the Word of the Lord, hold it fast in an honest
and good heart, bearing fruit with patient endurance. –cf. Luke 8:15 (NRSVCE)

I treasure Your Word in my heart,
so that I may not sin against You. –Psalm 119:11

Psalm of David – Thanksgiving For Victory

The Lord Lives! Blessed be My Rock and exalted be the God of My Salvation! (Psalm 18:46)

I love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is My Rock, my Fortress and My Deliverer, My God,

My Rock in whom I take refuge, My Shield and the horn of My Salvation, My Stronghold. I call

upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so I shall be saved from my enemies. The cords of

death encompassed me; The torrents of perdition assailed me; The cords of Sheol (Hell)

entangled me; The snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord; To My

God I cried for help. From His Temple He heard my voice and my cry to Him reached His ears.

Then the earth reeled and rocked; The foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked

because He was angry. Smoke went up from His nostrils and devouring fire from His mouth;

Glowing coals flamed forth from Him. He bowed the heavens and came down; Thick darkness

was under His feet. He rode the cherub (angel) and flew; He came swiftly upon the wings of the

wind. He made darkness His covering around Him, His canopy thick clouds dark with water.

Out of the brightness before Him there broke through His clouds hailstones and coals of fire.

The Lord also thundered in the heavens and the Most High uttered His voice and He sent out

His arrows and scattered them; He flashed forth lightnings and routed them. Then the

channels of the sea were seen and the foundations of the world were laid bare at Your rebuke,

O Lord, at the blast of the breath of His nostrils. He reached down from on high, He took me;

He drew me out of the mighty waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy and those who

hated me, for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of calamity but the

Lord was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He

delighted in me. The Lord rewarded me according to His righteousness, according to the

cleanness of my hands He recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not

wickedly departed from My God! For all His Ordinances were before me and His Statutes I did

not put away from me. I was blameless before Him and I kept myself from guilt. Therefore the

Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my

hands in His sight. With the loyal You show Yourself loyal; With the blameless You show

Yourself blameless; With the pure You show Yourself pure and with the crooked You show

Yourself perverse. For You deliver a humble people but the haughty eyes You bring down. It is

You who light my lamp; The Lord, My God lights up my darkness. By You I can crush a troop

and by My God I can leap over a wall. This God — His way is perfect! The promise of the Lord

proves true; He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him. For who is God except the Lord? Who

is a rock besides our God? — The God who girded me with strength and made my way safe. He

made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. He trains my hands for

war so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.  You have given me the Shield of Your

Salvation and Your right hand has supported me; Your help has made me great. You gave me a

wide place for my steps under me and my feet did not slip. I pursued my enemies and overtook

them and did not turn back until they were consumed. I struck them down, so that they were

not able to rise, they fell under my feet. For You girded me with strength for the battle, You

made my assailants sink under me. You made my enemies turn their backs to me and those

who hated me I destroyed. They cried for help but there was no one to save them; They cried to

the Lord but He did not answer them. I beat them fine, like dust before the wind. I cast them

out like the mire of the streets. You delivered me from strife with the peoples; You made me

head of the nations; People whom I had not known served me; Foreigners came cringing to me.

Foreigners lost heart and came trembling out of their strongholds. The Lord lives! Blessed be

My Rock and exalted be the God of My Salvation! The God who gave me vengeance and subdued

peoples under me; Who delivered me from my enemies; Indeed, You exalted me above my

adversaries; You delivered me from the violent. For this I will extol You, O Lord, among the

nations and sing praises to Your name. Great triumphs He gives to His king and shows

steadfast love to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever! –Psalm 18:1-50

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB

An Inspiration Of Time With God For Today

Thursday, February 6th, 2020

Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God has come near,
repent and believe in the Good News.” –Mark 1:15 (NRSVCE)

David’s Praise To God

Riches and honor come from You and You rule over all. In Your hand are power and might; It

is in Your hand to make great and to give strength to all. (1 Chronicles 29:12)

David Blessed The Lord in the presence of all the assembly; David said: “Blessed are You, O

Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord are the greatness, the

power, the glory, the victory and the majesty; For all that is in the heavens and on earth is

Yours; Yours is the Kingdom, O Lord and You are exalted as head above all. Riches and honor

come from You and You rule over all. In Your hand are power and might; It is in Your hand to

make great and to give strength to all and now Our God, we give Thanks to You and praise Your

glorious name!”

“Who am I and what is my people, that we should be able to make this freewill offering? For all

things come from You and of Your own have we given You. For we are aliens and transients

before You, as were all our ancestors; Our days on the earth are like a shadow and there is no

hope.

O Lord Our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building You a House for Your

Holy Name comes from Your hand and is all Your own.

I know My God, that You search the heart and take pleasure in uprightness; In the uprightness

of my heart I have freely offered all these things and now, I have seen Your people who are

present here, offering freely and joyously to You.

O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel our ancestors keep forever such purposes and

thoughts in the hearts of Your people and direct their hearts toward You.

Grant to my son Solomon that with single mind he may keep Your Commandments, Your

Decrees and Your Statutes, performing all of them and that he may build the Temple for which

I have made provision.”

Then David said to the whole assembly, “Bless the Lord Your God!”

All the assembly Blessed the Lord, the God of their ancestors and bowed their heads and

prostrated themselves before the Lord and the King.

On the next day they offered sacrifices and burnt offerings to the Lord – a thousand bulls, a

thousand rams and a thousand lambs with their libations and sacrifices in abundance for all

Israel, they ate and drank before the Lord on that day with great joy. –1 Chronicles 29:10-22

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An Inspiration Of Time With God For Today

Wednesday, February 5th, 2020

You O Lord, are indeed my Rock and my Fortress,
for Your name’s sake lead me and guide me. –Psalm 31:3 (NRSVCE)

Jesus Christ the Power and Wisdom of God

For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who are being

saved it is the power of God. For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” (See: Isaiah 29:14)

Where is the one who is wise? Where is the Scribe? Where is the Debater of this age? Has not

God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not

know God through wisdom, God decided who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks

desire wisdom but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to

Gentiles but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the

wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom and God’s weakness is

stronger than human strength.

Consider your own call Brothers and Sisters: Not many of you were wise by human standards,

not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth but God chose what is foolish in the

world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose

what is low and despised in the world, things that are not to reduce to nothing things that are,

so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus,

who became for us wisdom from God and righteousness, sanctification and redemption, in

order that as it is written: “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (See: Jeremiah 9:23-24)

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Prayer and Praise for Deliverance From Enemies

Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have redeemed me O Lord, faithful God. (Psalm 31:5)

In You, O Lord, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame; In Your righteousness deliver

me. Incline Your ear to me, rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to

save me. You are indeed my Rock and my Fortress; For Your name’s sake lead me and guide

me, take me out of the net that is hidden for me, for You are my refuge.

Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God. (Psalm 31:5)

You hate those who pay regard to worthless idols but I Trust in the Lord. I will exult and rejoice

in Your steadfast love because You have seen my affliction; You have taken heed of my

adversities and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a

broad place. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; My eye wastes away from grief, my

soul and body also. For my life is spent with sorrow and my years with sighing; My strength

fails because of my misery and my bones waste away. I am the scorn of all my adversaries, a

horror to my neighbors, an object of dread to my acquaintances; Those who see me in the

street flee from me. I have passed out of mind like one who is dead; I have become like a

broken vessel. For I hear the whispering of many — terror all around! — As they scheme

together against me, as they plot to take my life but I trust in You, O Lord! I say, ‘You are My

God!’ My times are in Your hand, deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors. Let

Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me in Your steadfast love. Do not let me be put to

shame, O Lord, for I call on You; Let the wicked be put to shame; Let them go dumbfounded to

Sheol (Hell). Let the lying lips be stilled that speak insolently against the righteous with pride

and contempt. O how abundant is Your goodness that You have laid up for those who fear You

and accomplished for those who take refuge in You, in the sight of everyone! In the shelter of

Your presence your hide them from human plots; You hold them safe under Your shelter from

contentious tongues. Blessed be the Lord, for He has wondrously shown His steadfast love to

me when I was beset as a city under siege. I had said in my alarm, ‘I am driven far from Your

sight’ but You heard my supplications when I cried out to you for help. Love the Lord, all you

His Saints. The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily.

Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord. –Psalm 31:1-24

If you are reviled for the Name of Christ, you are blessed
because the Spirit of Glory which is the Spirit of God is resting on you. –1 Peter 4:14

Jesus speaking to His Disciples said, “If any want to become My followers, leg them deny

themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me. For those who want to save their life

will lose it and those who lose their life for My sake will save it.

What does it profit them if they gain the whole world but lose or forfeit themselves? Those who

are ashamed of Me and of My Words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes

in His glory and the glory of the Father and of the Holy Angels. –Luke 9:23-26

Related: For Today’s Bible Readings for the Memorial of St. Agatha, Visit: -USCCB