SPIRITUAL EXCERCISES & RSV BIBLE EXTRACTS - WEEK 139
STARTS THURSDAY 23rd SEPTEMBER 2010
THE POWER OF ‘MARIAN HOLINESS OF LIFE’
(A) CALLED TO BECOME CO-WORKERS OF OUR LADY
Weekly message No. 134 (18th September 1986).
The power through offering sacrifices.
“Dear children! Today again I thank you for all that you have accomplished for me in these days. Especially, dear children, I thank you in the Name of Jesus for the sacrifices which you offered in this past week. Dear children, you are forgetting that I desire sacrifices from you so I can help you and drive Satan away from you. Therefore, I am calling you again to offer sacrifices with a special reverence toward God. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
PRACTICAL:
During this week offer all your sacrifices, hurts and pains for the intentions of Our Lady.
Matthew 5:43-48.
43You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Romans 12:1-2.
1I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
1 Peter 2:5.
5And like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 13:15-16.
15Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
Ephesians 5:1-2.
1Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
John 15:12-13.
12This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Cf. John 3:16-17.
16By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17But if any one has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?
Matthew 16:24-25.
24Then Jesus told his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Cf. Luke 9:23-24.
23And he said to all, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it.