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:  One Samuel 3

Around this time, the Philistines defeated the Israelites in a battle.

The Israelites then went to Shiloh
and took the Sacred Chest of the Lord.

They took the Sacred Chest into battle with them
but the Chest was captured by the Philistines.

In the same battle, Eli's two sons were killed.

When Eli heard that his sons were dead
and that the Sacred Chest had been captured,
he fell backwards off his seat, his neck was broken, and he died.

Reflection: 
Did Eli know that his sons used to steal from what the people offered in the Temple?  (c.f. One Samuel 2). If so, did he do anything about it? If he didn't do anything about it, why not?

Prayer:  Dear God, please don't let me cause unhappiness for my family

Reading:  Psalms 82, 83

God says to corrupt officials:

"How long will you judge unjustly and mistreat the poor?
You should do justice for the weak and the orphan.

You should defend the afflicted and the needy.
You should rescue the weak and the poor.
You should set them free from the hand of the wicked".

O God, please protect your people from corruption and injustice.
Save us also from attack by other nations.

Let everyone know that you are the Lord of all the earth.

Reflection: 
Corrupt officials - a huge problem in many countries of the world. 
In HK recently, the corruption watchdog - the ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption) itself was under investigation for ...corruption!

Prayer: Lord, please help governments take action to prevent corruption

Reading:  One John 4

Let us love one another.
Love comes from God.
God is love

God showed his love for us
by sending his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins

Since God has loved us so much
we should love one another

God is love.
Anyone who lives in love, lives in God,
and God lives in him

Reflection:  
In many of the Near Death Experience books, people speak about experiencing Heaven, experiencing God, God as "Universal Love", God as "Unconditional Love".
So, when we hear St John say that "God is love", we can understand that to mean "God is Unconditional Love"

Prayer: Jesus, you are love itself. May I live in your love

Reading:  John 15

At the meal, Jesus said to his disciples "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Each branch in me that bears no fruit, he cuts off. Each branch that does bear fruit, he prunes to make it bear even more fruit

As a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, but must remain part of the vine, so you can't  bear fruit unless you remain in me. Cut off from me, you can do nothing

If you remain in me, and my words are alive in your heart, you can ask for any good thing and you will get it

It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit"

Reflection: What fruit have I borne as a Christian? Am I bearing as much fruit as God wants me to bear?

Prayer: Jesus, please help me stay close to you. Help me bear much  fruit