Daily Prayer for January 8, 2009

"Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise."

Opening Prayer:
God our Father, through Christ your Son the hope of eternal life dawned on our world. Give to us the light of faith that we may always acknowledge him as our Redeemer and come to the glory of his kingdom, where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever.

Today's Readings
Daily Meditation:
We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God. 1 John 4

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord." Luke 4

The mission of Jesus is so clear. He has come to show us how to love; how to love those who most in need of love. Sometimes the poorest, neediest person, is the person in my own house that I have the least patience with. I can't say I love God and ignore the one I'm called to love.

May we have the light, the grace, of this week, all about love, to love more and more, starting out very close to home.

Today's Daily Reflection
Intercessions:
Rejoice in the wonderful works of the Lord for he has given us hope through the birth of his Son. Let us all cry out with great joy:Glory to God in the highest.
With the angels and patriarchs and prophets, we praise you, Lord.
With Mary, the Virgin Mother of God,- our whole being proclaims your greatness, Lord.
With the apostles and evangelists,- we give you thanks, Lord.
With all the holy martyrs,-we offer our bodies to you as consecrated victims.
With all your holy witnesses in the Church, we dedicate our lives to you in deepest faith.

Closing Prayer:
You have given me the great gift of faith that offers so much meaning in my life. You call me to see with new eyes, those who are in my life and ask me to love them as you love me. Such a challenge, Lord!

As you touched the eyes of the blind and let in the light, touch my heart and help me to open it to those who most annoy me, those who are hardest for me to love.

I know that I am only redeemed through you and I beg you to fan the flame of hope in my life.

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.