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deaconrandy
- Oct 23, 2019
- 2 min
The Prayer of the Lowly Pierces the Clouds
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus, “The one who serves God willingly is heard; his petition reaches the heavens. The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal.” The Book of Sirach gives us good advice for how we ought to relate to God. We are reminded subtly that Fear of the Lord is a gift from God—a Gift of the Holy Spirit. We ought to tremble in God’s presence as recognize our smallness in comparison to God’s majesty. Hum
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deaconrandy
- Oct 17, 2019
- 2 min
Love is a Battlefield
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus, In the immortal words of Pat Benatar, “Love is a battlefield.” In the same way that a strong marriage will withstand the trials and tribulations of time, so too our relationship with God demands fidelity and firm resolve to hold strong to Him Who loves us. “The LORD will guard you from all evil; he will guard your life.” Psalm 121 reminds us that God will defend us as long as we cling to Him. Our spiritual life is a battlefield;
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deaconrandy
- Oct 11, 2019
- 2 min
The Lord Has Revealed to the Nations
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus, “The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.” Our Psalm response this Sunday seems common-sense to our modern ears, but it can be good for us to remember how revolutionary such a broad-minded idea was in Old Testament times. In the ancient world, each tribe had their own private gods, and battle between tribes was often interpreted as a battle between the gods of those tribes. A victorious army of Carthage might give pr
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deaconrandy
- Oct 3, 2019
- 2 min
Do More Than We Are Obliged To Do
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus, “When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'” Jesus challenges us with these words in Sunday’s Gospel passage. Are we doing only the bare minimum in our relationship with Christ and His Church? Are we motivated by a sense of begrudging obligation, faithful attention to our duties, or love of Christ? Our response to this question reveals much of the d
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