Daily Prayer for Wednesday January 7, 2009

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

Opening Prayer:
God, light of all nations, give us the joy of lasting peace, and fill us with your radiance
as you filled the hearts of our fathers.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever.

Today's Readings:
Daily Meditation:
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. ...There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love. 1 John 4

"Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!" He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were (completely) astounded. They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened. Mark 6

How often fear takes away our ability to love! But, love drives out fear. It appears that the key is to "understand the incident of the loaves. "If Jesus has power, then it is foolish for us to fear. If we won't let Jesus have power in our lives, then our hearts are still hardened.

Let us surrender our hearts to the Lord, that we might let him love us and take away all our fears, that we might love more courageously, more completely.

Today's Daily Reflection:
Intercessions:
In the fullness of time, the eternal Word was begotten of the Father. He is the child who is born for us, the son who is given to us. To him we lift our voices in joy: Praise be to you, Lord.

Son of the living God, you existed before the world was made and you came on earth to save all, enable us to be witnesses to your Gospel.

Sun of Justice, whose brightness shone forth from the bosom of the Father and flooded the entire world, be light for all who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

You became a little child and lay in a manger, renew in us the simplicity of little children.

For our sake you became the living bread of eternal life, fill us with joy through the sacrament of your altar.

Closing Prayer:
My love for you is so imperfect, Lord. I know I am filled with fear and yet I long to taste the depths of your love.

Give me the joy of lasting peace and fill my heart with so much love that there is no more room for the worry and dread. Open my eyes to those around me and give me the courage to act in justiceto make their lives better as you would do for me.

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