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 25

On this mountain
he will delete Death.

The Lord will wipe away
the tears from every cheek.

Lord, you are my God,
I extol you, I praise your name.

You, Lord, are a refuge for the poor,
a refuge for the needy in distress.

Reflection: 
We can understand "Mount Zion" in several ways: 
- the sacred site in Jerusalem
-  the Church
- Heaven, the Heavenly Jerusalem
And check this famous song: The Holy City (YouTube)

Prayer: Lord, may the thought of life in the Heavenly Jerusalem give us hope and strength for our life each day

I waited, I waited for the Lord and he stooped down to me.
He heard my cry.

He saved me from distress.
He put fresh hope into my heart.

How many, O Lord my God, are the times you have helped me.
They are too many for me to describe.

My God, in the depth of my heart I delight in your law.
You do not want external offerings.
You want my heart.

Reflection:
Hope cannot be bought in a supermarket or downloaded from the internet.
Hope can be downloaded only from Heaven, from God.
Our Bible reading is one of the main ways of downloading fresh hope each day

Prayer: Lord, I offer you my heart, my love. You deserve all my love

One day we met a slave girl who made a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes.
The girl followed us each day shouting "These are the servants of God"

Paul said to the spirit possessing her "I order you, in the name of Jesus Christ, to leave her".
The spirit immediately left her, but her owners were angry that she could no longer tell fortunes.

The owners seized Paul and Silas and dragged them to court, saying to the magistrate "These people are causing a disturbance in our city". A crowd supported the owners in calling for their punishment.

They were given many lashes and put into prison with their feet in irons

Reflection:
Some people say stories like the above are "myth" and fiction.
At the other extreme are people who see devils under every bed, so to speak.
The best book I have read on this whole topic is Deliverance from Evil Spirits by Francis MacNutt

Prayer: Jesus, please help Christians who are suffering in prison because they announced your message

One day some religious leaders put Jesus to the test by asking him
"Is it against the Law of Moses for a man to divorce his wife?"

Jesus replied "God created male and female, for the two to become united as one body. 
What God has united, no one should separate."

The leaders then asked
"But why did Moses allow divorce?"

Jesus replied "Moses allowed divorce because people were so hard of heart.  But divorce was not God's plan.

So I say to you, anyone who walks out on their partner and marries someone else, is guilty of adultery.

Reflection: 
This is a key issue that Pope Francis hopefully will address. Apart from psychological and other considerations,
the situation of people who have been walked out on needs urgent attention. Present Church law is very unChristian towards them

Prayer: Jesus, please help married people stay together, and please get the Church to be re-think unfair divorce laws