Daily Prayer for Saturday January 10, 2009

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

Opening Prayer:
God our Father, through your Son you made us a new creation. He shared our nature and became one of us; with his help, may we become more like him, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Today's Readings:
Daily Meditation:
And we have this confidence in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, we know that what we have asked him for is ours. 1 John 5

He must increase; I must decrease. John 3

Confidence in Jesus is so freeing. Until we have complete trust in Jesus, we will always be tempted to be the center of attention, and too absorbed with our needs and too discouraged if our needs aren't being met. When we have confidence in Jesus, we can ask for anything that he desires in us, and we will have it. If we ask that I might grow smaller in my desires, and the needs of others might grow in my attention, then he will increase his place in our hearts, and fill us with even greater love for others.

May we know how much he loves us. May he become the center of our lives.

Today's Daily Reflection:
Intercessions:
Let us give glory to Christ, the image of God, as we call upon him in faith: Christ, Son of God, hear us.

Son of God, you showed us the Father’s love, reveal him to men and women through the love we show toward one another.

You revealed yourself as Lord of life, now grant us the fullness of your life.

Let our bodies be signs of your life, as we bear your dying in our flesh.

Illuminate our hearts, with the brilliant knowledge of God’s light.

Closing Prayer:
You have said that we could ask for anything and you would grant it. Give me only the ability to trust you, Lord.

My mind and heart are so often at war with each other and I am used to a life in which my own needs come first. But I long to live my life as you lived yours, filled with the love of and compassion for others.

Give me the great grace to be more humble and to demand less in my life. Let me see the needs of others as more important than my own.

Too often I am at the center of my life; Help me to do the impossible: to put you in that central place.

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

Daily Prayer for Friday January 9, 2009

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

Opening Prayer:
All-powerful Father, you have made known the birth of the Savior by the light of a star. May he continue to guide us with his light, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Today's Readings:
Daily Meditation:
God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 1 John 5

"I do will it. Be made clean." Luke 5

Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean. That's our prayer, our desire. We have life in Jesus, a life that has integrity and peace.

Let us ask for what we need this week. Whatever is keeping us from real joy, real integrity, can be made clean and put into balance by him. May he heal anything that hinders our ability to love freely.

Today's Daily Reflection:
Intercessions:
Give honor and glory to Jesus Christ who comes to create a new heart and a new spirit in all. We call on him as we say: By the power of your birth, make us new persons.

You took on our life and offered us in return the mystery of God’s life, help us to recognize you in the mysteries of your word and your eucharist which you entrusted to your Church. Founder of the human race, through the spotless Virgin you became one of us, through her intercession, may we touch your divinity and be healed.

Our Redeemer, you descended upon the earth as the rain which fell upon the sheepskin of Gideon, now drench our lives in the living water that springs up to provide eternal life.
As we celebrate the beginning of your life on this earth, let us imitate that perfect manhood which you revealed in your life among us.

Closing Prayer:
Oh God of Wonder, even though I often feel like I am stumbling in the dark, I know you are there to guide me with the perfect light of your love. I know you can heal me and I believe that you want to do just that. I beg you now to look at me with your loving eyes and 'make me clean. Let my life reflect the balance of my faith in you and a love of those in my life. Help me to love more freely. Help me to love as you do.

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