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:  Isaiah 7

God told Isaiah to say to the king of Judah:
"Keep calm, have no fear.  You will not be defeated.

The Lord himself  gives you a sign of his protection:
a maiden is with child and will give birth to a son
whom she will call God-with-us (Emmanuel)."

Reflection: 
The God who created the vast universe became a baby in a stable
in order to be with us.   A beautiful Emmanuel song (YouTube)

Prayer: Lord,  please help me understand how you are God-with-me every day

Happy is the person whose sin is forgiven.

For a while I refused to ask for forgiveness,
and my body paid the penalty.

But then I said "Lord, forgive me"
and my spirit and body revived.

Reflection:
An article on guilt and health

Prayer: Lord, when I do wrong, please give me the grace to say sorry and ask forgiveness

Some Jewish leaders arrived from Pisidian Antioch and Iconium.
They turned the people of Lycaonia against Paul and Barnabas

The people stoned Paul and, thinking he was dead, dragged him outside the town

The disciples gathered around Paul's body. As they did so, he stood up. 
The next day he and Barnabas went to the town of Derbe

After Derbe, they went back to Pisidian Antioch via Lystra and Iconium. 
In each place they encouraged the believers to persevere in the faith, especially during difficult times in their lives

In each place they also appointed elders to be church leaders

Eventually Paul and Barnabas arrived back in Syrian Antioch, 
where they gave an account of how God had opened the door of faith to non-Jewish people

Reflection:
"Thinking he was dead" ...maybe he was...for a while....and had a "near death experience" and maybe this was the time when he had his famous glimpse of heaven (2 Corinthians 12.2)

Prayer: Jesus, please help me persevere in the faith, like Paul and Barnabas

Jesus now began explaining to his disciples
how he must go to Jerusalem to suffer, die and rise from the dead.

He also said 
"If you want to be my disciple, you must deny yourself,
take up your own cross, and follow me.

Selfishness will ruin your life.
Self-sacrificing will bless your life.

What use is it to have everything in this world
yet miss out on Heaven?"

Reflection: 
May we follow the example of Pope Francis as he encourages us to avoid a life of selfishness and luxury 

Prayer: Jesus, please protect us from selfishness....by doing little actions of self-sacrifice