Matthew 1:24 (The Ultimate Yes Man)

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB). Upcoming Guest Authors.

"When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home." ~ Matthew 1:24 (full readings)

Rich's Reflections: Today's Gospel is about St. Joseph's "fiat", which means "God's will be done." Just as with the Blessed Virgin Mary, this was Joseph's opportunity to say "yes" to the Lord. Before the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in his dream, he was contemplating divorcing Mary, which would also mean he was divorcing Jesus, the Baby in Mary's womb. God the Father entrusted His only begotten Son, Jesus, to the care and protection of Joseph, and Joseph responded "yes." Through his instant and courageous obedience, Joseph defended the Infant Jesus from King Herod's plan to kill Him (Matthew 2:13). Each of us also has an opportunity to say "yes" to the Lord by protecting the babies inside and out of the womb. Let's not divorce ourselves from the unborn, but imitate the example of St. Joseph by being the protectors of life. Say "yes" to the Lord with loving obedience by saying "yes" to life.

Faith Challenge: Say "yes" to the Lord with loving obedience by saying "yes" to life. Pray for the unborn and their mothers during Lent.

Counter-Culture News: LSN, LifeNews, Priests for Life, AFA,Vatican, Project Rachel.

Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion. LIFE Runners Creed & Patron Saint. Add Prayers. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, etc. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.

Feast Day: St. Joseph

Faith Quote: "St. Joseph was an ordinary sort of man on whom God relied to do great things. He did exactly what the Lord wanted him to do, in each and every event that went to make up his life." - Blessed Josemaria Escriva

Through Christ our Lord,
Rich
James 1:22

* 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.

Luke 1:15 (Blessed Birth)

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion(FB), provided by LIFE Runners(FB). Guest Authors schedule. LIFE Minute radio.

"He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb." ~ Luke 1:15 (full readings)

Rich's Reflections: The Old Testament reading, Psalm, and Gospel today all reflect on God's blessings through babies, born and unborn. Throughout salvation history, God's plan has been to send babies filled with the Holy Spirit to redeem and deliver His people. The babies Samson (Jgs 13:5), John the Baptizer (Lk 1:16-17), and Jesus (Lk 1:32-33) are commissioned before conception to rescue God's people. In addition, Scripture presents baby Moses (Ex 2:2) as an infant who should have been killed, but was rescued from certain death so that he could rescue Israel. Since God rescues His people by sending anointed babies, it stands to reason that Satan would fight strongly against the conception, delivery, and raising of babies (culture of death). Millions of babies are aborted each year and many millions more never were conceived because of artificial contraception. Let's not reject God's plan of deliverance through babies. This Christmas, embrace the Infant Jesus and all babies. Jesus, "the Life" (Jn 11:25), plans to defeat the culture of death through our openness to life. "Choose life" (Dt 30:19).

Faith Challenge: Support God's plan by choosing life.

Counter-Culture News: LSN, LifeNews, Priests for Life, AFA,Vatican, Project Rachel.

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: Saint Anastasius I.

Faith Quote: "Any country that accepts abortion, is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what it wants." ~ Mother Teresa

Through Christ our Lord,
Rich
James 1:22

* 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 (22% 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). Mt 28:19.

Col 1:15 (Firstborn)

The First Born of all Creation...

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB). Guest Authors schedule. LIFE Minute radio.

"He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." ~ Col 1:15 (full readings)

Steve's Reflections: Jesus Himself stands as the ultimate proof for LIFE - He is the firstborn of ALL Creation! The Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel to Mary heralded the ironclad maxim that life begins at conception. A recent study showed that most Americans believe that life begins at conception - it is a self-evident truth. Unfortunately, that is not enough for many. The battle has now shifted away from the rights of the unborn baby to the choice of the expecting mother. It is in educating the mother of the terrible effects of abortion (physical/emotional/spiritual nuclear bomb) that the battle lines have been drawn. The terrible consequences of this sin are immense; depression, suicide, infertility, difficulty in relationships, and links to cancer.

Faith Challenge: Commit to educating yourself today, so you may one day help a mother in crisis save her baby.

Sr. Francelle's Devotion: My Cup Runneth Over...

Counter-Culture News: LSN, LifeNews, Priests for Life, AFA, Vatican, Project Rachel. &gt

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: Blessed John Francis Burte and Companions.

Faith Quote: "We always find that those who walked closest to Christ were those who had to bear the greatest trials." ~ St. Teresa of Avila

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 (22% 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.

Exodus 14:12 (Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death)

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB). Upcoming Guest Authors.

"Far better for us to be the slaves of the Egyptians than to die in the desert." ~ Exodus 14:12 (full readings)

Rich's Reflections: Patrick Henry said, "Give me liberty or give me death." The Israelites in today's scripture basically said to the Egyptians: "We will give up our freedom if you spare our lives." Today's culture can probably relate more with the Israelites than they can with Patrick Henry. As Americans, we want life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and typically our pursuit of pleasure outweighs our desire to be free. We would rather choose to be enslaved by our addictions than choose the freedom that Christ provides. As Christians, our freedom in Christ must be our highest priority; a priority that we are willing to die for. This is a commitment that we will never be able to make until we give our life to Jesus, Who died to free us. Lord, I would rather die than lose my freedom in You. Amen.

Faith Challenge: The next time you are tempted, pray to Jesus to free you.

Counter-Culture News: LSN, LifeNews, Priests for Life, AFA, Vatican, Project Rachel.

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. Camillus de Lellis.

Faith Quote: "It is impossible for a man to be freed from the habit of sin before he hates it, just as it is impossible to receive forgiveness before confessing his trespasses." ~ Ignatius

Through Christ our Lord,

Rich

James 1:22

* 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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