Computer Cud    Vatican II asks us to read the Bible every day,   'to have a burning love'   for the Word of God      Resolution

This plan follows the Sunday liturgy:  reading + psalm + reading + gospel       From  www.simplebible.info         Previous R-R-P 

O Holy Spirit, please guide me as I read these passages for today.                     
May these passages give me hope, strength, wisdom, compassion, courage and peace for my daily life     Chinese text

Reading:  Sirach 15-19

We are free to choose good or evil, wisdom or foolishness.
To live a good life is something everyone can try to do.

If we have done something wrong, we must ask pardon of the Lord.
We must turn our back on  wrongdoing and face towards the Lord.

Do not indulge in luxurious living.
Too much wine and luxury corrupts the heart.

Avoid gossip and slander.
Be someone who can keep a secret.

The way people dress tells you what work they do.
The way people walk also tells a lot about them.

Reflection:
Years, maybe decades, on drugs, mean "trying to live a good life" is not simple.
The magnetic power of drugs is not easily overcome.
Years, maybe decades, of luxurious living....also "corrupts the heart" and is not easily overcome

Prayer: Lord, please help me turn my back on wrongdoing.
Help me face towards you

At the start of this day I pray to you, O Lord, my King and my God.
I offer you my prayer and ask for your help.

Through the greatness of your love, I have access to your friendship.
I bow down in reverence and worship.

Lead me, Lord, in the way you want me to go.

It is you, Lord, who bless good people.
You surround them with favors, as with a shield.

Reflection:
Especially at the start of each day, and at the end of each day, we should remember our Creator.
Just like children should say "Good morning" and "Good night' to their parents.
Gandhi: "Prayer is the key of the morning and the bolt of the evening" 

Prayer: Lord, please help more people to get into the habit of morning and evening prayer

About this time as the number of disciples kept growing,
the twelve apostles decided to give other men the job of daily food distribution

The apostles said to the whole group of believers 
"It is not right for us to neglect the service of the word. 
Therefore you should choose seven men of good reputation, filled with the Holy Spirit and with wisdom. 
We give them the food  distribution job, so that we can devote ourselves to prayer and the service of the word"

The whole assembly approved of this idea. 
They chose seven men and presented them to the apostles who prayed over them with the laying on of hands

The word of the Lord continued to spread. Even a large number of priests became believers

Reflection:
This story is a great example of subsidiarity which is a teaching of the Church....federal government ministers should not be responsible for rubbish collection in my street - that should be the job of my local council.
Vatican II called for lots of things to be the job of national bishops' conferences, instead of the Vatican. 
But Pope John Paul and Pope Benedict did not allow such subsidiarity.

Prayer: Jesus, please let the new pope be someone who believes in practising subsidiarity

John the Baptist sent some of his friends to ask Jesus
"Are you the promised Anointed One?"

Jesus replied
"Tell John what you hear and see:
blind people see, lame people walk, lepers are healed".

Jesus also said to the people around him
how neither John nor himself could please them and their leaders.

"For John the Baptist always fasted and never drank wine,
and people said he was possessed.

I eat well and I drink wine
and people call me a glutton and a drunkard."

Reflection: 
How do I rate on a 1-10 scale of being "easy to live/work with"?
...where 1 is very hard to get along with
and 10 is very easy to get along with

Prayer: Jesus, please help me be someone who is easy to live with,
someone who is not hard to please