Tues, 12 Feb (Matt 6:8)

* Welcome God every day by reading the Living Faith devotional before work (~1 min). Order at http://www.livingfaith.com/.

Do not be like them. Matthew 6:8

Devotion snippets: "The disciples must have been startled by Jesus' warning to not be like the model citizens of their culture. Instead, Jesus called them to acts of love and mercy, acts that often went against the crowd or the accepted standards of the day." by Julia Schloss

Pat's nuggets: This past Sunday, Fr. Bob told a story about a man who was in search of the meaning of life. The man visited a hermit who had contemplated this same question. The hermit poured the man a cup of tea and kept pouring until the tea overflowed from the cup. The hermit then explained that the man was like that tea cup, full of preconceived ideas, agendas, and pride...and unless the man empties himself, he will not be able to receive the Truth. I heard a song this morning that said, "I want to be empty, I want to be free." During our Lenten journey, let's strive to empty ourselves of the junk that keeps us from receiving eternal freedom through Christ!

*Please consider responding with a comment to this devotion post...and then send out to our group distro (address below).

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi: "All-highest, glorious God, cast your light into the darkness of my heart. Give me right faith, firm hope, perfect charity, and profound humility, with wisdom and perception, O Lord, so that I may do what is truly your holy will. Amen." I found this prayer on a card I received at the tomb of St. Francis in Assisi, Italy. In 2001, my parents, Angi, Paige, and I celebrated Mass in Assisi with a group that included Scott and Kimberly Hahn (wonderful Christians). St. Francis, please pray with all of us today: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_francis_of_assisi.

Through Christ Our Lord,
Pat
Phil 4:13

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