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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:  Jeremiah 21-23

Jerusalem was under siege by the Chaldaeans.
The Lord told Jeremiah to tell the leaders of Jerusalem to surrender.

But the leaders of Jerusalem did not obey Jeremiah's words.
So the Lord got Jeremiah to say these words:

"Woe to the shepherds who allow my sheep to be scattered and killed.
You have not taken care of my sheep.

Therefore I will raise up a leader who will be wise and just.
He will be a good shepherd of my people."

Reflection: 
It's not just in our day that there's a leadership crisis in the church and in the world.
Jerusalem in Jeremiah's day had the same problem.

What can ordinary people do at a time of poor leadership?
1. Pray, pray to God for better leaders.
2. Do whatever else we can to promote good leadership (e.g. spread ideas through private and public discussion...and through the internet)

Prayer: Lord, please help political and church leaders be good leaders

Reading:   Psalm 93

The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed,
he has girded himself with power.

The world you made firm, not to be moved.
From all eternity, O Lord, you are.

The oceans and coastlines of the world
are majestic and powerful.

But greater than the roar of mighty waters,
more glorious than the surging of the sea
is the Lord on high.

Such a Lord, such a Creator, such a God.
Truly your decrees are to be trusted.

Holiness is fitting to your house
O Lord, always and everywhere.

Reflection: 
When walking along a surf beach, with big waves crashing to the shore,
the above words are a beautiful prayer: 
"Greater than the roar of mighty waters, more glorious than the surging of the sea, is the Lord on high

Prayer: We praise you, Lord, our Creator, who made the waves of the sea

Reading:  Acts 27

The next day they could see land: a bay with a beach. 
They tried to reach the beach, but the ship ran aground on a reef and began to break up

The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to stop them from escaping, but Julius would not allow this

Some people swam. Some used pieces of wreckage. All of them got to shore safely

Reflection: 
While Paul and Luke were being ship-wrecked,  they probably did not use the above psalm praising God for mighty waves and surging sea!
But when they were safely ashore, they definitely would have praised the Lord who greatness exceeds the roar of mighty waters!

Prayer: Jesus,  help people in danger of ship-wreck today

Reading: Mark 1

About this time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee
and was baptized by John in the river Jordan.

As soon as Jesus came out of the water, he saw the sky open
and the Spirit, like a dove, coming down on him.

Then a voice came from heaven
"You are my Son, the Beloved. My favor rests on you".

Straight after this the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness for 40 days.
During this time Jesus was tempted by Satan.

Reflection:
This is one of many times in the New Testament when the three persons of the Trinity are explicitly on the scene.
The Father's voice is heard, the Spirit comes down like a dove ...as the Son is being baptised.
An interesting exercise: when two of the persons, keep an eye out for the third ....probably not far away.
e.g. the Transfiguration ....most people don't realise that the cloud (from which the Father's voice is heard) is the Spirit

Prayer: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, please help me be more aware of your presence in the Bible.....and in my life ....and in our world