Living up to being loved by God and Mary
“Dear children! You are a chosen people. God grants you many graces, but you do not realize the importance of every message I am giving you. Now I only wish to say: Pray, Pray, Pray! I do not know what else to tell you because I love you and wish that in prayer you come to know my love and the love of God. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
1st day: Matthew 6:16-18. (Thursday)
Fasting in secret.
Matthew 6:16-18
16 And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
2nd day: 1 Peter 2:9-10. (Friday)
We are the holy people of God, set aside to sing the praises of God.
Cf. Isaiah 43:20-21; Exodus 19:5-6.
1 Peter 2:9-10.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. 10 Once you were no people but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy.
Cf. Isaiah 43:20-21.
20 The wild beasts will honour me, the jackals and the ostriches; for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, 21 the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.
Cf. Exodus 19:5-6.
5 Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all peoples; for all the earth is mine, 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."
3rd day: Ephesians 1:3-12. (Saturday)
God chose us in Christ “to the praise of the glory of his grace.”
Ephesians 1:3-12.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. 5 He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 which he lavished upon us. 9 For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11 In him, according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 we who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of his glory.
4th day: Colossians 1:9-14. (Sunday)
Giving thanks to God our Father who loves us in his Son Jesus.
Colossians 1:9-14.
9 And so, from the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. 11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
5th day: Ephesians 3:14-19. (Monday)
Growing in the spiritual life “to be filled with the utter fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:14-19.
14 Which is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. 15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe, according to the working of his great might.
6th day: Colossians 2:7-10. (Tuesday)
Living according to the true faith in Christ “to find our own fulfillment.”
Colossians 2:7-10.
7 Rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have come to fullness of life in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
7th day: John 14:21-23. (Wednesday)
Keeping the commandment of Christ is the proof of our love for him, opening the door to God’s indwelling within us.
John 14:21-23.
21 He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.