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 us hope, wisdom, compassion, courage and peace for our daily life           Chinese text

Reading:  Judges 4-6

After Sisera's forces were defeated,
the land enjoyed peace for 40 years

But then the Israelites again lapsed into idolatry,
and so they were oppressed by the Midianites for 7 years

The Lord then raised up Gideon to rescue the people.

Following the Lord's instructions,
Gideon at night time destroyed the altar to Baal
in his father's house.

When the Midianites heard what Gideon had done,
they prepared to attack the Israelites.

The spirit of the Lord came on Gideon
and he rallied the Israelites.

Gideon asked for a sign of success in battle,
and said to the Lord:

"See  now, I spread out a fleece of wool on the ground;
tomorrow morning, if there is dew only on the fleece
and not on the surrounding ground,
then I know you will deliver Israel by my hand".

And so it happened the next morning:
the ground was dry but the fleece was drenched with dew.

Gideon asked for a second sign,
requesting that the fleece be dry but the ground covered with dew.

And God did what Gideon asked: 
the fleece stayed dry, and there was dew on the ground

Reflection: A famous organization is named after Gideon:

Gideon was a man who was willing to do exactly what God wanted him to do, regardless of his own judgment as to the plans or results. Humility, faith, and obedience were his great elements of character. This is the standard that The Gideons International is trying to establish in all its members, each one to be ready to do God's will at any time, at any place, and in any way that the Holy Spirit leads.

Prayer:  Dear Lord,  please bless the work of the Gideon Society
 as they put Bibles in hotels around the world

Reading: Psalm 41

Blessed the person who helps the poor and the weak.
He himself will be helped by the Lord when he is sick and in trouble.

The Lord will help him on his bed of pain.
The Lord will bring him back from sickness to health.

Reflection:
Helping the poor is good ....for our health!

Prayer: Lord, please help me to do more for the poor

Reading:  One Peter 2

If you are treated unfairly, put up with it for the sake of God

Christ suffered for you and left an example for you to follow.
He had done nothing wrong. He was insulted and tortured,
but did not retaliate

He bore our sins in his own body on the Cross,
so that we might die to sin and live for holiness

Through his wounds you have been healed.
You were like straying sheep,
but now have come back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls

Reflection: 
When things go wrong, when frustration strikes,  we can get upset .... or we can quietly offer up such trials to the Lord as a prayer ....a prayer for our family, for world peace, for the sick etc.

Prayer:  Jesus, please help me put up with difficulties for your sake

Reading:  John 8

Jesus said to the people "If God were your father, you would love me, since I have come from God and I speak the truth. You avoid the truth, because your father is the father of lies, the Devil

Abraham rejoiced at the thought of my coming. He saw it in the future and was glad"

The people said "You are not yet 50 years old. How could you have seen Abraham?" Jesus replied "I tell you, before Abraham ever was, I Am"

The people then picked up stones to throw at Jesus for claiming to be God. But Jesus safely left the Temple

Reflection:
The people understood that when Jesus said "I AM" he was using the sacred name for God ("I AM WHO AM") and so claiming to be God

Prayer: Jesus, you who existed as God the Son from all eternity, please increase my love for the truth, and help me avoid lies