Psalm 34:19 (Brokenhearted)

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (website, Facebook). >

"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted, saves those whose spirit is crushed." Psalm 34:19 (full readings) >

Steve's Reflections: This past weekend I attended the funeral of Michael Allen, the 10 day old son of my cousin Michael. The pain and grief of the family that just a few short days before held a healthy baby boy in their arms was crushing them. God's words in the Psalms today speak of His promise for those who experience such unimaginable pain. I couldn't help but contemplate how our Blessed Mother must have felt when she beheld her broken son as this powerful image from the movie "The Passion" illustrates. My faith, my anchor and my hope, tells me that God is closer to my cousin Michael and his family then ever before. Our God saves! He said to His mother, "I make all things new again." As we march closer to the Crucifixion this Lent, it becomes even more apparent in our readings that our faith was born of suffering. Jesus had many enemies and the closer He got to the cross the more people began to hate him. In today's Gospel Jesus is well aware of the danger surrounding Him as He contemplates that the Jews want Him dead. Take courage today as you contemplate that God is close to those most in need - the brokenhearted, and those "crushed" in spirit. In the song "I will Rise" by Chris Tomlin, I find great comfort in these words, "Jesus has overcome, and the grave is overwhelmed. The victory is won. He is risen from the dead. I will rise when He calls my name. No more sorrow, no more pain. I will rise on eagle wings. Before my God fall on my knees. And rise...I will rise." >

Faith Challenge: Take comfort that out of suffering our faith was born - the Risen Jesus is coming! >

Sr. Francelle's Devotion: Clouds in Your Life "Dearest Ones, Has a cloud come into your life? Has sorrow come to your home? Are you lost, lonely and afraid? Your first impulse might be to give up, and sit down in the middle of your shattered hopes and dreams. But you must not do it."

Counter-Culture News: LSN, Vatican, AFA, Priests for Life, Live Action >

Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion, Spiritual Adoption, Alpha Center, Peters family (JP). Add Prayers on our website. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, LIFE Runners, etc. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now. >

Feast Day: St. Julie Billiart (d. 1816) "Julie's immobility in no way impeded her activities. In spite of her suffering, she managed to co-found a teaching order that tended to the needs of both the poor and the well-to-do. Each of us has limitations, but the worst malady any of us can suffer is the spiritual paralysis that keeps us from doing God’s work on earth." >

Faith Quote: “Oh, how good God is!” ~ St. Julie Billart, Founder of the Institute of Notre Dame and the Sisters of Notre Dame >

Through Christ Our Lord,

Steve

Romans 12:2

* Pray/Fast: Prayer connects us with God’s will & His miracles, changing us & helping others. Fast from things that take your eyes off Jesus. Those who pray together stay together, and close to God!

* Save Unborn (& family): Abortion reality (images)…#1 death cause (23% pregnancies). Prov 24:11 & Jer 1:5. “A great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish.” Mother Teresa.

* Evangelize:Make room for unbelievers & re-evangelization of self, by way of prayer (relationship) and following Christ’s example of love (service/sacrifice/mercy). Matt 28:19.

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Luke 8:1-2 (Infirmities)

Welcome God today with this LIFE Group Devotion (archive, Facebook).

Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities. Luke 8:1-2 (full readings)

Steve's Thoughts: I was struck by the significance of Luke taking the time to point out the "infirmities" (weakness) of the women following Jesus. Hurting sinners followed Jesus from the beginning. We all follow Christ with some ailment or "infirmity" in tow. Many feel they aren't worthy to go to Church, or they've sinned too much. Jesus came for sinners, and He created a Church for sinners. The Good News, as Paul points out in the first reading, is that "Christ has been raised from the dead!"

Faith Challenge: What are your "infirmities"? How has your faith in Christ brought you hope despite these challenges?

Sr. Francelle Devotion: Others (see faith quote)

Counter-Culture News: LSN, Vatican, AFA, Priests for Life.
* The Church does not need to "be attractive" but to Proclaim the Truth says the Pope. Amen!

Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion. Peters family (JP), Rich Reich (cousin Tom cancer, Pastor Pat Coy heart recovery, Uncle Javier's health), Carolyn McKissack (for Karen, Bailee and Anna Grace), Vicki Kerkvliet (Mom's radiation treatment), Karen Ryan-Philpott (2 wk old Baby William's heart issues)

* Steve Castle (1 yr old daughter Sarah seizure recovery), Nicholas Zeisler (for AF Academy healing from a cadet suicide), Pat Castle (Molly Barber hospitalized)

Feast Day: St. Robert Bellarmine. Robert Bellarmine devoted his life to the study of Scripture and Catholic doctrine. His writings help us understand that not only is the content of our faith important, it is Jesus' living person—as revealed by his life, death and resurrection—that is the source of revelation.

Faith Quote: Lord, let me live from day to day in such a self-forgetful way that even when I kneel to pray, my prayer shall be for others. (Taken from poem OTHERS)

Through Christ our Lord,
Steve
Romans 12:2

John 21:6 (The Eighth Day)

Let's welcome God today with this Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (archive, Facebook), based on Living Faith. Prove yourselves doers of the Word, and not merely hearers. James 1:22

So he said to them, "Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something." John 21:6 (full readings)

Steve's Thoughts:

* Regarding today's verse, I wonder what Peter thought when Jesus said this to them? Peter was a seasoned fisherman and new the sea well. Yet when he obeyed the risen Lord's command his nets were overflowing! I think back on the times when I have attempted something of my own accord only to see it fizzle and die away. When God blesses something, it will flourish to abundance or in this case to the point where they can't even haul in the nets. God will multiply our works if we humbly give them to him. He will straighten our paths, and clear away the rocky rubble.

* This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday or the Feast of Mercy as declared by Pope John Paul II for the whole world. Read more about this beautiful devotion in Sr. Francelle's devotion (below).

* Fr. Greg Paffel (Church of Our Lady of Victory, Fergus Falls, MN) talked about the "eighth day"; as Children of the Resurrection we live in this eighth day. God never talked about the seventh day ending, but we find that conclusion in Jesus' words on the cross as he gave up his spirit, "It is finished."

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Sr. Francelle's Devotion: Jesus, Have Mercy On Us. Here is a snippet..."There is a story about a teacher who gave each of her little students an empty plastic Easter egg and asked each to fill it with something about Easter. As each child opened their egg to show it to the others - one had a flower inside to signify new life, another had a nail because they nailed Jesus to a tree, another had a small stone because of the stone put in front of the tomb. But the last egg was opened by a little mentally challenged boy, whose egg had nothing inside. The teacher asked what this meant and he replied that the tomb was empty on Easter morning, which means that Jesus is God and He did raise Himself from the dead! A little child had grasped the meaning of the empty tomb! The riches of our faith depend on that empty tomb."

Faith Challenges: Let's generously share the LIFE Group by forwarding devotions or using the Facebook "invite people" link.
* NEW: Have you ever toiled at something to no avail, only to try again and see it flourish? Consider sharing the miracle of God's timing on the Facebook page, to be appreciated by many.

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, Vatican, American Family Association, Priests for Life
* Never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images), #1 cause of death in America (23% of pregnancies)...courageously share ProLife Truth to expose abortion's unjust peace, rebuilding a Culture of Life for setting the unborn (and parents) free.

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together, and close to God (footnotes). Peters family (JP), Prayer to end abortion, Stephanie Kemp (special intention), Helene Couchon (healing)

Faith Quote: "Mercy is getting what you don't deserve." ~ Sr. Francelle Clarke

Through Christ Our Lord,
Steve
Romans 12:12

* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, changing us & helping others. 'If you pray that God will move a mountain and He doesn't, assume Christ wants you to climb it instead.
* Fasting: Let's fast from things that take our eyes off Jesus (selfishness, pornography, bitterness, criticalness, impatience, gossip, excessive video games, etc) and take on things that fix our eyes on Jesus (selflessness, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, patience, understanding, caring, helping, listening).
* Defend the unborn: 'Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don't stand back and let them die' (Prov 24:11). 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you' (Jer 1:5). 'It is a great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish' (Blessed Mother Teresa).
* Evangelization: Let's make room for unbelievers (be a friend, make a friend, lead a friend to Christ) and perpetual re-evangelization of self and those near us, by way of daily prayer (relationship) and following Christ's example of selfless love, mercy, and service (Matt 28:19).