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 10, 11

The Israelites yet again served false gods,
and once more they were oppressed,
this time by the Ammonites.

The Israelites appealed to Jephthah to help them.
Jephthah was the son of a prostitute.
His brothers had driven him from home
and would not give him a share of their father's inheritance.

Jephthah went into exile and became a famous soldier.

Jephthah agreed to help the Israelites
after they agreed to make him their future leader.

Jephthah tried to reason with the Ammonite king,
but the king refused to negotiate a peace agreement.

The spirit of the Lord then came on Jephthah
and he led the Israelites to victory over the Ammonites.

Reflection: 
The Old Testament often speaks about the spirit of the Lord "coming on" someone.
The New Testament often speaks about the Holy Spirit "coming down" on someone.
The Spirit's coming makes a huge difference.
Each day let us ask for the Holy Spirit to "come down" on us ....which means, since he is already living in our hearts, increasing his influence in our lives

Prayer:  Spirit of the Living God, Spirit of the Risen Lord, fall afresh on us!

Reading: Psalms 47-48

I will turn my mind to a parable,
with the harp I will solve a problem.

The problem is: why do bad people prosper and succeed?

The answer: at the end of their lives bad people will have to face death and judgement, just like everyone else.

When we are rich, we often lack wisdom.
Wealth blinds our minds and hearts.

Let's not forgot God and his laws.
Let's try to be good and lead good lives

Reflection: 
Bad people's prosperity is false prosperity.
It's more like a bad debt growing "badder" each day.
It's held not in US$ but in Hell$.
In the end: bankruptcy....

Prayer: Lord, please help me better understand that the only real success and only real prosperity is held in Heaven$....by love of you and help to others

Reading:  One Peter 4

If you have a share in the sufferings of Christ, be glad, because this means you will have an extra share of happiness in the life to come

It is a blessing for you when they insult you for being a Christian.
It means you have the Spirit of God resting on you

People who experience suffering for God's sake, must trust themselves to the grace of the Creator, and keep on doing good

Reflection: 
The Holy Spirit's presence in our lives causes a reaction, just as Jesus' presence caused a reaction in people possessed by evil spirits 

 Prayer: Jesus, by your Holy Spirit, please give strength to persecuted Christians

Reading:  John 10

When Jesus was walking in the Temple, some religious leaders said to him "If you are the Christ, tell us plainly"

Jesus replied "I have told you, but you do not believe me. The miracles I do in my Father's name also witness to who I am. The Father and I are one"

The leaders picked up stones to stone Jesus and said "We will  stone you for blasphemy. You are only a man and you claim to be God"

Jesus replied "If I am not doing my Father's work, then do not believe me. But if am doing my Father's work,  you must know that the Father and I are one. He is in me and I am in him"

Reflection:
Yesterday, May 2, was the feast of Saint Athanasius. He spent a large part of his life defending the truth of Jesus' divinity, a truth that is denied today by people like the Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses

Prayer: Jesus, please help more people believe that you are the Son of God