Without Attachment

Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying: "Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one. When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the scriptures may be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the Evil One. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth."  Consideration: Jesus said, "They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world." Praise God! Jesus is telling us that if we are one with him and follow his words and teachings that we belong to him and not the world. How blessed are those who firmness and conviction proclaim Jesus Christ as our Savior and Son of God. We go forward into the world and love one another just as our Lord loves us; without attachment to the world. Amen!

Planted in the Lord

Blessed are you whose joy is in the Lord

Who meditates and contemplates on his law

And does not spend time wasting their life

Keeping company with lives twisted and torn

Always willing to lend a hand to a stranger

Whose many struggles weigh them down

Uplifts all with compassionate sincere love 

Blessed with gifts of tenderness from above

Day and night the Lord resides in the heart

Never tiring from tasks of an average day

Like a tree planted by the rivers of water

Remains a vibrant, strong, bearer of plenty

Labors are richly fruitful and never in vain

Bringing forth prosperity and righteousness

The Lord showers blessings upon the just

Blessed is a joyful soul planted in the Lord

John 17: 1-11

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, just as you gave him authority over all people, so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him. Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom sent, Jesus Christ. I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work you gave me to do. Now glorify me, Father with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began. I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you gave me is from you, because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them. And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.

Glory to your Son

Jesus' eyes raised to heaven 

Father the hour has come 

So that I may glorify you 

Give glory to your son 

 

Everything you told me 

What you sent me to do  

All has been accomplished 

It is time to return to you 

 

Father give glory to your son 

He who set the captives free 

They raised him on the cross 

Three days later won victory 

 

From that moment on, the world, will never be the same  

Oh, my Lord, oh my God, the world, will never be the same 

 

Slandered and ridiculed 

Cursed and spit upon 

And raised from the dead 

Now it is time to go home 

 

Oh, my Lord, oh my God, the world will never be the same  

The hour has come, give glory to your son, I am coming home 

 

Coming home, coming home, coming home, coming home to you 

And the world will never be the same...Oh my Lord, Oh my God 

The world will never be the same 

 

Anthony Raymond 

Take Courage

The disciples said to Jesus, "Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech. Now we realize that you know everything and that you do not need anyone to question you. Because of this we believe you came from God. "Jesus answered them, "Do you believe now? Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I Have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world."

Consideration: Jesus told his disciples that they would have trouble in the world. in telling them that, he speaks to us as well. To follow Jesus means that you will bear the cross. Pray for the grace to unite your suffering for the salvation of souls and of the world. Amen.

Believe

Such a long road to hoe 

Seems so impossible to me 

There is no way to know 

Make it clear for me to see 

Believe, no answers to why 

Believe, eyes opened wide 

Believe, reach down inside 

Hold on to hope...Believe 

Time passes by so quickly 

Thinking of mistakes made 

Never alone on this journey 

He hears us when we pray 

Believe, tears in your eyes 

Believe, reach down inside 

Believe, all the pain away 

Hold on to hope...Believe 

The road may twist and turn 

We may even lose our way 

Hearts aflame for you burn 

Grace helps us find our way 

Believe...no answers to the why 

Believe...prayer lifted to on high 

Believe...love will change our life 

Hold on to hope--keep the faith--Believe 

Believe in hope--Believe in faith—Believe!