Sat, 15 Mar (Romans 4:16)

* Welcome God every morning by taking ~5 min to read this Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion, which has snippets from the Living Faith devotional (http://www.livingfaith.com/). Please consider sharing a comment at life-devotions.blogspot.com.

For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham... Romans 4:16

Living Faith snippets: "My own acceptance of God's promise in my life has helped me to realize how so often God provides the gestures and words when I am lacking them. God has also taught me to be comfortable with my sense of helplessness in the face of illness and death and to realize that my silent presence may be what is most needed to communicate God's promise of hope and healing." Mark Mossa, S.J.

Stations of the Cross: As we follow Christ to Easter morning...Jesus is condemned to death, Jesus accepts his cross, Jesus falls the first time, Jesus meets his mother, Simon helps Jesus carry His cross...
*Sixth Station (Veronica wipes the face of Jesus): "We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world." Suddenly a woman named Veronica comes out of the crowd. She cares for Jesus as she takes a cloth and begins to wipe the blood and sweat from His face. She can't do much, but she offers what little help she can. Jesus, You printed Your sacred face upon the cloth with which Veronica wiped the sweat off from Your brow, print in my soul deep, I pray to You, the lasting memory of Your bitter pains. Amen.

Rich's comments: The last time that I was stationed at the University of Florida as an AFIT student from 1999-2001, I shared in the responsibility of having to notify families in central Florida that their military son or daughter had died. This was terrifying for me, because after performing the required training (watching a 1 hour video at the ROTC detachment), I did not feel that I was prepared to comfort families. What could I possibly say to them? Seven years later I find myself at the University of Florida again in the same situation. I am not looking forward to the first time that I will have to notify a family of their loss, but I do feel that with my new found relationship in Christ, God will give me the courage and words I need to provide these families comfort and the hope they need in their time of mourning. Lord, I pray that You provide me the same courage that You gave Veronica to comfort those in their time of need. Amen.

Through Christ our Lord,
Rich
Romans 12:12

* Daily Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml.
* LIFE Prayers at life-prayers.blogspot.com. Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others (so let's pray daily!). Click for Prayer to End Abortion.
* Sr. Francelle devotions at sisterfrancelle.blogspot.com.
* COUGARS devotions at cougarsdaily.blogspot.com.
* Defend the unborn: Pro-Life websites are listed on the blog.
* Share the Good News: Let's joyfully live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!