DEACON FOR LIFE

Were there to be no support in the whole history of ethical and moral thought, were there no acknowledged confirmation from medical science, were the history of legal opinion to the contrary, we would still have to conclude on the basis of God's Holy Word that the unborn child is a person in the sight of God. He is protected by the sanctity of life graciously given to each individual by the Creator, Who alone places His image upon man and grants them any right to life which they have.

Monday, August 31, 2009

"Help me, Lord, to do Your Will as did Saint John the Baptist."

Tribulation Times

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/august.asp?version=63&startmmdd=0101

August 31, 2009

(Joh 3:29-30) He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, who standeth and heareth Him, rejoiceth with joy because of the bridegroom's voice. This my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase: but I must decrease.

FROM THE MAILBAG

Image by lant_70 via Flickr
Reflection by Father Ted – August 29, 2009

Help me, dearest Jesus, help us to do what You want us to do. Help us to have the courage, to have the love for Your people that John the Baptist had – whose martyrdom we celebrated today.

He had love for his king. And because of that love for him – for his eternal salvation, John was not afraid to tell King Herod that it for was wrong for him to live with the wife of his own brother.

Because he spoke out even publicly, John was put into prison – to silence him.

Yet even in prison he did not keep silent.

The king visited him – how many times, we do not know. But what we do know is that John spoke to him about his, the king's own immoral behavior.

The king did not want to hear what John said. Yet he knew that what John said was the truth. He knew that John spoke the truth because of his love for him.

John had courage. John loved.

Do I, Lord, have such courage? Do I have such love?

Am I willing to speak out the truth to my brothers and sisters in love? Even when they do not want to hear the truth?

Sometimes, I have.

You know that.

And yet, sometimes I have not.

You know that, too.

When I have not, has that been because I was afraid?

I wish that I could say – no. But would I not be kidding myself?

When I remain silent when You want me to speak out, I do not love my brothers and sisters as You want me too.

Lord, give me the grace; give me the strength that I need; give me the courage that I need to speak out in love to these brothers and sisters of mine, Your beloved children – when You want me to – for their salvation.

Help me, Lord, to do Your Will as did Saint John the Baptist.

Angel with head of St. John the Baptist. Image by Sebastián-Dario via Flickr
Saint John, pray for me!

Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 22- "On the many forms of vainglory"

13. I have seen people mourning who, on being praised, flared up in anger; and as at a public gathering one passion gave place to another.

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This month's archive can be found at: http://www.catholicprophecy.info/news2.html.