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 Bible Blogs 

O Holy Spirit, may these passages give me hope, strength, wisdom, compassion, courage and peace for my daily life          Chinese text

  Reading:  Joel 1-4 

My country has been invaded.
Joy has disappeared from the land.

Priests, put on sackcloth and lament.
Proclaim a fast to pray for our nation.

Turn to the Lord your God again,
for he is all tenderness and compassion.

Call out to the Lord for help.
"Spare your people, Lord!"

The Lord replies:
" I will save and rescue you.

I will pour out my spirit on all peoples.
Every one will prophesy and see visions.

You will learn that I am the Lord your God.
Jerusalem will be a holy place."

Reflection:
An interesting introduction to the Book of Joel.
Joel had a lot to do with locusts!
(unkind remark: so many tourists are "invading" HK from China - taking over transport etc -  that HK people sometimes refer to them as locusts!)

Prayer: Come Holy Spirit, come like a plague of locusts! 
.... and fall afresh on all peoples of the human family

Reading:  Psalm 125

Those who put their trust in the Lord 
are like Mount Zion, that cannot be shaken.

Jerusalem, the mountains surround her,
so the Lord surrounds his people, now and forever.

Reflection:
In learning to swim, the more a child trusts its teacher, the more progress it will make.
For all sports, progress is related to the relationship of trust between coach and sportsperson. Trust is basic for any relationship: between spouses, between parents and children, between friends....between God and us

Prayer: Lord,  please increase my trust in you....and help me be more aware of your protecting presence

Reading:  Romans 14

The life and death of each of us, has its influence on others.
If we live, we live for the Lord. If we die, we die for the Lord.
Alive or dead, we belong to the Lord

Never pass judgment on other people.
Never treat other people with contempt

The kingdom of God is not about eating special food.
The kingdom of God is about friendship with God,
and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit

Do whatever you can to help other people become stronger Christians

Reflection:  
What practical things can I do to help other people become stronger Christians?
1. Pray for them
2. Set a good example for them
3. In a low-key non-threatening way encourage them to deepen their faith by daily Bible reading and daily prayer

Prayer: Jesus, please help me do more to help others become stronger Christians

Reading: Mark 9    

A man brought his son to Jesus and pleaded:

"Master, there is a spirit of dumbness in my son. When it takes hold of him, it throws him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth and goes rigid"

They brought the boy. As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it threw the boy into convulsions

Jesus asked the father "How long has this been happening?"
He replied "From childhood....please help us!"

Jesus said "Everything is possible if you have faith".
The father cried out "Please increase my faith!"

Jesus rebuked the evil spirit: "Deaf and dumb spirit, 
I command you: come out of him and never enter him again"

The spirit came out, but the boy seemed to have died. 
Jesus took him by the hand and helped him up

Jesus' disciples asked "Why were we unable to expel that spirit?"
Jesus replied "Only prayer can drive out that kind of spirit"

Reflection: 
If anyone thinks the above story is a work of fiction,
please read the Amazon reviews of Francis MacNutt's
Deliverance from Evil Spirits 

Prayer 
Jesus, please help me pray better, so that I can help other people more