READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Colossians 1:1-8
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ at Colos'sae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you have for all the saints,
5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel
6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing -- so among yourselves, from the day you heard and understood the grace of God in truth,
7 as you learned it from Ep'aphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf
8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.
Psalms: Psalm 52:10-11
Gospel: Luke 4:38-44
38 And he arose and left the synagogue, and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they besought him for her.
39 And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her; and immediately she rose and served them.
40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.
41 And demons also came out of many, crying, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.
42 And when it was day he departed and went into a lonely place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them;
43 but he said to them, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose."
44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
REFLECTION FOR TODAY
I praise and thank You, heavenly Father, for giving to me praise and thank You, heavenly Father, for giving to me and to my dear spouse the grace and privilege of procreating and co-creating with You our precious offspring. After the presence of Your Divine Son in the Blessed Sacrament, our fruitful union just has to be the most tangible expression of Your love in this world. Our children's souls are a direct creation from Your hand, like the creation of the world at the beginning of time.
Teach us to raise our children as You would with loving firmness and tender care. Help me to respect and affirm my devoted wife with great affection, convinced that the greatest gift I can ever give to my children is true love for their mother. Let them know in what love they are bonded. Never let me do or say anything that would show them behavior unworthy of You. Give me the grace ever to show them Your way.
Make me a man of my word who will be loyal to You and the Church and faithful to the teachings of Jesus. May I assume the spiritual leadership of our family, the domestic Church, by encouraging prayer in our home at mealtime as well as in the morning and at night. Guide me in the decisions we make for our children so that it will be clear to them what they must do to reach heaven.
What an awesome responsibility for me! With Your support and inspiration I know I will be up to it, because I ask in the name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.
-- Father Angelus Shaughnessy, O.F.M. Cap.
First Reading: Colossians 1:1-8
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ at Colos'sae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you have for all the saints,
5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel
6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing -- so among yourselves, from the day you heard and understood the grace of God in truth,
7 as you learned it from Ep'aphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf
8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.
Psalms: Psalm 52:10-11
Gospel: Luke 4:38-44
38 And he arose and left the synagogue, and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they besought him for her.
39 And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her; and immediately she rose and served them.
40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.
41 And demons also came out of many, crying, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.
42 And when it was day he departed and went into a lonely place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them;
43 but he said to them, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose."
44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
REFLECTION FOR TODAY
I praise and thank You, heavenly Father, for giving to me praise and thank You, heavenly Father, for giving to me and to my dear spouse the grace and privilege of procreating and co-creating with You our precious offspring. After the presence of Your Divine Son in the Blessed Sacrament, our fruitful union just has to be the most tangible expression of Your love in this world. Our children's souls are a direct creation from Your hand, like the creation of the world at the beginning of time.
Teach us to raise our children as You would with loving firmness and tender care. Help me to respect and affirm my devoted wife with great affection, convinced that the greatest gift I can ever give to my children is true love for their mother. Let them know in what love they are bonded. Never let me do or say anything that would show them behavior unworthy of You. Give me the grace ever to show them Your way.
Make me a man of my word who will be loyal to You and the Church and faithful to the teachings of Jesus. May I assume the spiritual leadership of our family, the domestic Church, by encouraging prayer in our home at mealtime as well as in the morning and at night. Guide me in the decisions we make for our children so that it will be clear to them what they must do to reach heaven.
What an awesome responsibility for me! With Your support and inspiration I know I will be up to it, because I ask in the name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.
-- Father Angelus Shaughnessy, O.F.M. Cap.
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