by L'équipe de publication | Sep 19, 2023 | Evangelium
SAINT Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang, and companions
17th century Korea fought to stop Christianity by executions. Andrew Kim Taegon, the first Korean priest, who secretly trained in Macao, was executed in 1846. A lay apostle, St Paul Chong Hasang, and many others perished at the same time.
Entrance Antiphon
The blood of the holy Martyrs was poured out for Christ upon the earth; therefore they have gained everlasting rewards.
Collect
O God, who have been pleased to increase your adopted children in all the world, and who made the blood of the Martyrs Saint Andrew Kim Tae-gon and his companions a most fruitful seed of Christians, grant that we may be defended by their help and profit always from their example. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: 1 Timothy 3:14-16
At the moment of writing to you, I am hoping that I may be with you soon; but in case I should be delayed, I wanted you to know how people ought to behave in God’s family – that is, in the Church of the living God, which upholds the truth and keeps it safe. Without any doubt, the mystery of our religion is very deep indeed: He was made visible in the flesh, attested by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed to the pagans, believed in by the world, taken up in glory.
Psalm 110 (111): 1-6
R/ Great are the works of the Lord.
I will thank the Lord with all my heart in the meeting of the just and their assembly. Great are the works of the Lord, to be pondered by all who love them.
Majestic and glorious his work, his justice stands firm for ever. He makes us remember his wonders. The Lord is compassion and love.
He gives food to those who fear him; keeps his covenant ever in mind. He has shown his might to his people by giving them the lands of the nations.
Gospel Acclamation: cf.1Th2:13
Alleluia, alleluia! Accept God’s message for what it really is: God’s message, and not some human thinking. Alleluia!
Gospel: Luke 7:31-35
Jesus said to the people: “What description can I find for the men of this generation? What are they like? They are like children shouting to one another while they sit in the market-place: ‘We played the pipes for you, and you wouldn’t dance; we sang dirges, and you wouldn’t cry.’ For John the Baptist comes, not eating bread, not drinking wine, and you say, ‘He is possessed.’ The Son of Man comes, eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ Yet Wisdom has been proved right by all her children.”
Prayer over the Offerings
Look with favour, almighty God, on the offerings of your people and, through the intercession of the blessed Martyrs, grant that we ourselves may become a sacrifice acceptable to you for the salvation of all the world. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Mt 10: 32
Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father, says the Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Nourished with the food of the valiant as we celebrate the blessed Martyrs, we humbly ask you, O Lord, that, clinging faithfully to Christ, we may labour in the Church for the salvation of all. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
It can be very easy to find excuses in a given situation, to remain sitting on the fence – finding fault about all the available alternatives, without getting involved. Children complain to one another when the rules of the game are not observed. Jesus sees that adults too can have simplistic expectations and readily make superficial comparisons. He asks us to see beyond the surface, to reflect more fully, to let our prayer go deeper. If we are able to give time and attention to noticing where God is moving in our midst, we may be able to receive God’s gift of wisdom and insight. God wants us to rejoice in the good things of life. We should celebrate friendship, marriage and family, births, achievements and games. But there is also another side to life. We are to follow Jesus in the breaking of Bread, and in the drinking of the cup of his Passion. I am reluctant, Lord, to take up my Cross daily. I shun pain, hurt and loss. Teach me to find you in suffering. Passion of Christ, comfort me!
by L'équipe de publication | Sep 18, 2023 | Evangelium
SAINT Januarius
According tradition, he was a bishop of Benevento who was martyred at Puteoli in the early fourth century. His body lies in Naples, where his cult is taken very seriously indeed.
Entrance Antiphon: Sir 36: 18
Give peace, O Lord, to those who wait for you, that your prophets be found true. Hear the prayers of your servant, and of your people Israel.
Collect
Look upon us, O God, creator and ruler of all things, and, that we may feel the working of your mercy, grant that we may serve you with all our heart. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: 1 Timothy 3:1-13
Here is a saying that you can rely on: To want to be a presiding elder is to want to do a noble work. That is why the president must have an impeccable character. He must not have been married more than once, and he must be temperate, discreet and courteous, hospitable and a good teacher; not a heavy drinker, nor hot-tempered, but kind and peaceable. He must not be a lover of money. He must be a man who manages his own family well and brings his children up to obey him and be well-behaved: how can any man who does not understand how to manage his own family have responsibility for the church of God? He should not be a new convert, in case pride might turn his head and then he might be condemned as the devil was condemned. It is also necessary that people outside the Church should speak well of him, so that he never gets a bad reputation and falls into the devil’s trap. In the same way, deacons must be respectable men whose word can be trusted, moderate in the amount of wine they drink and with no squalid greed for money. They must be conscientious believers in the mystery of the faith. They are to be examined first, and only admitted to serve as deacons if there is nothing against them. In the same way, the women must be respectable, not gossips but sober and quite reliable. Deacons must not have been married more than once, and must be men who manage their children and families well. Those of them who carry out their duties well as deacons will earn a high standing for themselves and be rewarded with great assurance in their work for the faith in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 100 (101): 1-3, 5, 6
R/ I will walk with blameless heart.
My song is of mercy and justice; I sing to you, O Lord. I will walk in the way of perfection. O when, Lord, will you come?
I will walk with blameless heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes whatever is base.
The man who slanders his neighbour in secret I will bring to silence. The man of proud looks and haughty heart I will never endure.
I look to the faithful in the land that they may dwell with me. He who walks in the way of perfection shall be my friend.
Gospel Acclamation: cf.2Tim1:10
Alleluia, alleluia! Our Saviour Jesus Christ abolished death and he has proclaimed life through the Good News. Alleluia!
Gospel: Luke 7:11-17
Jesus went to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a great number of people. When he was near the gate of the town it happened that a dead man was being carried out for burial, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a considerable number of the townspeople were with her. When the Lord saw her he felt sorry for her. “Do not cry”, he said. Then he went up and put his hand on the bier and the bearers stood still, and he said, “Young man, I tell you to get up.” And the dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Everyone was filled with awe and praised God saying, “A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people.” And this opinion of him spread throughout Judaea and all over the countryside.
Prayer over the Offerings
Look with favour on our supplications, O Lord, and in your kindness accept these, your servants’ offerings, that what each has offered to the honour of your name may serve the salvation of all. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 35: 8
How precious is your mercy, O God! The children of men seek shelter in the shadow of your wings.
Prayer after Communion
May the working of this heavenly gift, O Lord, we pray, take possession of our minds and bodies, so that its effects, and not our own desires, may always prevail in us. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
The compassion that fills our hearts at the death of a young person was also in Jesus’ heart for a widow. He wanted to reach out to her and make her feel better. The raising up of her young son is a symbol of how Jesus raises us when we are down. The compassion of his heart makes us know that we are understood, accepted and welcomed in the loving heart of God. In times of darkness, let us remember that Jesus the great prophet is still with us – yesterday, today and for ever. Compassion is Jesus’ instant response to suffering. He comes to heal, to liberate, and to restore to life. Like the widow, Jesus looks at you with compassion today. Take time to acknowledge who or what you mourn, to let Jesus behold you, and to receive his blessing of hope. Pray for all who feel alone, abandoned or bereaved. May they find hope in the presence and prayer of other people.
by L'équipe de publication | Sep 16, 2023 | Evangelium
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Psalter week IV
Entrance Antiphon: Sir 36: 18
Give peace, O Lord, to those who wait for you, that your prophets be found true. Hear the prayers of your servant, and of your people Israel.
Collect
Look upon us, O God, creator and ruler of all things, and, that we may feel the working of your mercy, grant that we may serve you with all our heart. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Ecclesiasticus 27:33-28:9
Resentment and anger, these are foul things, and both are found with the sinner. He who exacts vengeance will experience the vengeance of the Lord, who keeps strict account of sin. Forgive your neighbour the hurt he does you, and when you pray, your sins will be forgiven. If a man nurses anger against another, can he then demand compassion from the Lord? Showing no pity for a man like himself, can he then plead for his own sins? Mere creature of flesh, he cherishes resentment; who will forgive him his sins? Remember the last things, and stop hating, remember dissolution and death, and live by the commandments. Remember the commandments, and do not bear your neighbour ill-will; remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook the offence.
Psalm 102(103):1-4,9-12
R/ The Lord is compassion and love, slow to anger and rich in mercy.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord all my being, bless his holy name. My soul, give thanks to the Lord and never forget all his blessings.
It is he who forgives all your guilt, who heals every one of your ills, who redeems your life from the grave, who crowns you with love and compassion.
His wrath will come to an end; he will not be angry for ever. He does not treat us according to our sins nor repay us according to our faults.
For as the heavens are high above the earth so strong is his love for those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west so far does he remove our sins.
Second reading: Romans 14:7-9
The life and death of each of us has its influence on others; if we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord, so that alive or dead we belong to the Lord. This explains why Christ both died and came to life: it was so that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
Gospel Acclamation: 1S3:9,Jn6:68
Alleluia, alleluia! Speak, Lord, your servant is listening: you have the message of eternal life. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35
Peter went up to Jesus and said, “Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?” Jesus answered, “Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times. “And so the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants. When the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents; but he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt. At this, the servant threw himself down at his master’s feet. “Give me time,” he said, “and I will pay the whole sum.” And the servant’s master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt. Now as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow servant who owed him one hundred denarii; and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him. “Pay what you owe me”, he said. His fellow servant fell at his feet and implored him, saying, “Give me time and I will pay you.” But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt. His fellow servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him. Then the master sent for him. “You wicked servant,” he said. “I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me. Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you?” And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt. And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.”
Prayer over the Offerings
Look with favour on our supplications, O Lord, and in your kindness accept these, your servants’ offerings, that what each has offered to the honour of your name may serve the salvation of all. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 35: 8
How precious is your mercy, O God! The children of men seek shelter in the shadow of your wings.
Prayer after Communion
May the working of this heavenly gift, O Lord, we pray, take possession of our minds and bodies, so that its effects, and not our own desires, may always prevail in us.
Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Forgiveness is something very creative and goes beyond the existing facts. It recognizes the deeper goodness in people, despite what they have done. Forgiveness means pardoning and letting go completely, creating and making the offender new again. It requires great grace to forgive. Forgiveness is never easy. It is a grace from God. Surely, to forgive one’s brother or sister up to seven times is pretty generous! After all, there has to be a limit, at least so Peter thought! Not so, according to Jesus: seventy-seven times. No limit, endless and on-going. Peter must have been shocked to know that the path of forgiveness knows no end. But later he is glad, because Jesus forgives him even after his treacherous denial of the Master. He saw that if God never stops forgiving him, he must try to forgive others. This is how much the Lord loves you. “I forgave you all that debt…” (Matthew 18:32). Thank you Lord for forgiving me seventy-seven times and more. Give me the grace to forgive someone today. Only those who forgive belong to God’s kingdom. Lord, to forgive from the heart is a grace I must pray for. I can’t do it on my own, and I know this. Often, I am a wicked servant! You are always so good to me, but I can be so hard-hearted with those who offend me. Have mercy on me and change my heart!
by L'équipe de publication | Sep 15, 2023 | Evangelium
SAINT Cornelius, Pope AND
SAINT CYPRIEN, Bishop, Martyrs
Cornelius was made bishop of the church in Rome in the year 251. He fought against the Novatian schismatics, and established his authority with the aid of Cyprian. The emperor Gallus sent him into exile, and he died at Civitavecchia in June 253. He is buried in Rome.
Entrance Antiphon
The souls of the Saints are rejoicing in heaven, the Saints who followed the footsteps of Christ, and since for love of him they shed their blood, they now exult with Christ for ever.
Collect
O God, who gave Saints Cornelius and Cyprian to your people as diligent shepherds and valiant Martyrs, grant that through their intercession we may be strengthened in faith and constancy and spend ourselves without reserve for the unity of the Church. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: 1 Timothy 1:15-17
Here is a saying that you can rely on and nobody should doubt: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I myself am the greatest of them; and if mercy has been shown to me, it is because Jesus Christ meant to make me the greatest evidence of his inexhaustible patience for all the other people who would later have to trust in him to come to eternal life. To the eternal King, the undying, invisible and only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Psalm 112(113): 1-7
R/ May the name of the Lord be blessed for evermore!
Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! May the name of the Lord be blessed both now and for evermore!
From the rising of the sun to its setting praised be the name of the Lord! High above all nations is the Lord, above the heavens his glory.
Who is like the Lord, our God, who has risen on high to his throne yet stoops from the heights to look down, to look down upon heaven and earth? From the dust he lifts up the lowly, from the dung heap he raises the poor
Gospel Acclamation: Jn14:6
Alleluia, alleluia! I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord; No one can come to the Father except through me. Alleluia!
Gospel: Luke 6:43-49
Jesus said to his disciples: “There is no sound tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces sound fruit. For every tree can be told by its own fruit: people do not pick figs from thorns, nor gather grapes from brambles. A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart; a bad man draws what is bad from the store of badness. For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart. Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord’ and not do what I say? Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and acts on them – I will show you what he is like. He is like the man who when he built his house dug, and dug deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man who built his house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!”
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive, we pray, O Lord, the offerings of your people in honour of the passion of your holy Martyrs Saints Cornelius and Cyprian, and may the gifts that gave them courage under persecution make us, too, steadfast in all trials. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Lk 22: 28-30
It is you who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer a kingdom on you, says the Lord, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom.
Prayer after Communion
Through these mysteries which we have received, we humbly beseech you, O Lord, that by the example of the Martyrs, Saints Cornelius and Cyprian we may be strengthened with the fortitude of your Spirit to bear witness to the truth of the Gospel. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
In this Gospel passage, Jesus uses two easily understood images to make an important point about the consequences of our actions. The first comes from a garden. No one would hope to find tasty figs on a thorn tree or luscious grapes on a bramble bush. The sort of person that I am, deep within me, influences the way that I act. Thus, becoming a good person is the most important object of my life. And this is not something that I can do without divine assistance. The fig trees symbolized fertility, peace, prosperity… Grapes symbolized joy. Brambles and thorns might only have served as firewood. Fruit, like character, takes time to ripen and mature, and so Jesus connects soundness of heart with good fruit. The second image is from the construction industry. While we should be serious about the buildings where we spend our short years in this world, we should be even more serious about where we are going to spend eternity. In what light, am I conscious of building my life on the teaching of the Lord? To what extent do I see myself developing a personal relationship with the Lord? How do I foster this?
by L'équipe de publication | Sep 14, 2023 | Evangelium
Our Lady of Sorrows
The Seven Sorrows (or Dolors) are events in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary which are a popular devotion .The Mass today focuses on Mary’s compassion and what she suffered during the first Passiontide.
Entrance Antiphon: Lk 2: 34-35
Simeon said to Mary: Behold, this child is destined for the ruin and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign of contradiction; and your own soul a sword will pierce.
Collect
O God, who willed that, when your Son was lifted high on the Cross, his Mother should stand close by and share his suffering, grant that your Church, participating with the Virgin Mary in the Passion of Christ, may merit a share in his resurrection. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: 1 Timothy 1:1-2,12-14
From Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus appointed by the command of God our saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, true child of mine in the faith; wishing you grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, and who judged me faithful enough to call me into his service even though I used to be a blasphemer and did all I could to injure and discredit the faith. Mercy, however, was shown me, because until I became a believer I had been acting in ignorance; and the grace of our Lord filled me with faith and with the love that is in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 15(16):1-2,5,7-8,11
R/ You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you. I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God.’ O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup; it is you yourself who are my prize.
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel, who even at night directs my heart. I keep the Lord ever in my sight: since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.
You will show me the path of life, the fullness of joy in your presence, at your right hand happiness for ever.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! Happy is the Virgin Mary, who, without dying, won the palm of martyrdom beneath the cross of the Lord. Alleluia!
Gospel: John 19:25-27
Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, “Woman, this is your son.” Then to the disciple he said, “This is your mother.” And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive, O merciful God, to the praise of your name the prayers and sacrificial offerings which we bring to you as we venerate the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom you graciously gave to us as a most devoted Mother when she stood by the Cross of Jesus. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Communion Antiphon: 1 Pet 4: 13
Rejoice when you share in the sufferings of Christ, that you may also rejoice exultantly when his glory is revealed.
Prayer after Communion
Having received the Sacrament of eternal redemption, we humbly ask, O Lord, that, honouring how the Blessed Virgin Mary suffered with her Son, we may complete in ourselves for the Church’s sake what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Meditation Today’s Gospel reading focuses on the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross – giving his mother to John, and John to his mother. This has been interpreted down through the years as John representing us, the Church, the Body of Christ. This means that Mary plays the same role of looking after us as she did after Jesus. It means that Jesus who gave us the beautiful sacrament of the Eucharist sees us as other Christs under the care of his mother. A mother never rejects her children, even if they are wayward, so I too can find my place under her mantle. Even at the moment of his death, Jesus’ heart is open to those who suffer. He recognizes the grieving of Mary and John and asks them to make space in their lives for one another. What may I learn from Mary and from John as Jesus invites me to live more closely with them? Jesus asked Mary and John to make room in their lives for new relationships of care; could it be that I sometimes receive the same invitation?
by L'équipe de publication | Sep 11, 2023 | Evangelium
SAINT Ailbe
He founded the monastery and Diocese of Emly. A ninth-century Rule bears his name. He was a disciple of St Patrick and ordained by him. He may have died in 528 or in 541.
Entrance Antiphon: Ps 118: 137, 124
You are just, O Lord, and your judgement is right; treat your servant in accord with your merciful love.
Collect
O God, by whom we are redeemed and receive adoption, look graciously upon your beloved sons and daughters, that those who believe in Christ may receive true freedom and an everlasting inheritance. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Colossians 2:6-15
You must live your whole life according to the Christ you have received – Jesus the Lord; you must be rooted in him and built on him and held firm by the faith you have been taught, and full of thanksgiving. Make sure that no one traps you and deprives you of your freedom by some second-hand, empty, rational philosophy based on the principles of this world instead of on Christ. In his body lives the fullness of divinity, and in him you too find your own fulfilment, in the one who is the head of every Sovereignty and Power. In him you have been circumcised, with a circumcision not performed by human hand, but by the complete stripping of your body of flesh. This is circumcision according to Christ. You have been buried with him, when you were baptised; and by baptism, too, you have been raised up with him through your belief in the power of God who raised him from the dead. You were dead, because you were sinners and had not been circumcised: he has brought you to life with him, he has forgiven us all our sins. He has overridden the Law, and cancelled every record of the debt that we had to pay; he has done away with it by nailing it to the cross; and so he got rid of the Sovereignties and the Powers, and paraded them in public, behind him in his triumphal procession.
Psalm 144(145):1-2, 8-11
R/ How good is the Lord to all.
I will give you glory, O God my king, I will bless your name for ever. I will bless you day after day and praise your name for ever.
The Lord is kind and full of compassion, slow to anger, abounding in love. How good is the Lord to all, compassionate to all his creatures.
All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord, and your friends shall repeat their blessing. They shall speak of the glory of your reign and declare your might, O God.
Gospel Acclamation: Ph2:15-16
Alleluia, alleluia! You will shine in the world like bright stars because you are offering it the word of life. Alleluia!
Gospel: Luke 6:12-19
Jesus went out into the hills to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. When day came he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called them ‘apostles’: Simon whom he called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot who became a traitor. He then came down with them and stopped at a piece of level ground where there was a large gathering of his disciples with a great crowd of people from all parts of Judaea and from Jerusalem and from the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon who had come to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. People tormented by unclean spirits were also cured, and everyone in the crowd was trying to touch him because power came out of him that cured them all.
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who give us the gift of true prayer and of peace, graciously grant that through this offering, we may do fitting homage to your divine majesty and, by partaking of the sacred mystery, we may be faithfully united in mind and heart. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 41: 2-3
Like the deer that yearns for running streams, so my soul is yearning for you, my God; my soul is thirsting for God, the living God.
Prayer after Communion
Grant that your faithful, O Lord, whom you nourish and endow with life through the food of your Word and heavenly Sacrament, may so benefit from your beloved Son’s great gifts that we may merit an eternal share in his life. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Meditation
Today, Jesus has to make an important decision – the choice of those whom he had to work with in his ministry of teaching, preaching, healing, and deliverance; the ministry of salvation. He moved to a quiet place and spent the whole night in his Father’s presence, asking for insight and directives. He had all the power to take this decision alone, but Jesus never lost focus of who sent him. He said: “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish the work he gave me to do” (John 4:34). With the strength from His communion with His Father, Jesus, chose the twelve whom he called apostles. He could still heal the sick and cast out demons. How often do you take time to pray when faced with important decisions in life? Prayer is the key. In prayers, you bring in the creator and hand all to him who is all knowing. He strengthens you and gives you grace to go through every hurdle.
