Computer Cud    Vatican II asks us to read the Bible every day,   'to have a burning love'   for the Word of God      Resolution

This plan follows the Sunday liturgy:  reading + psalm + reading + gospel       From  www.simplebible.info         Previous R-R-P 

O Holy Spirit, please guide me as I read these passages for today.                     
May these passages give me hope, strength, wisdom, compassion, courage and peace for my daily life     Chinese text

Reading:  Isaiah 8, 9

For the yoke that was weighing on them,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken and removed.

For there is a child born for us,
a son given to us
and dominion is laid on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonder-Counselor, Mighty-God,
Eternal-Father, Prince-of-Peace.

Reflection: 
This beautiful Christmas reading gives peace and hope and joy to our hearts
at any time of the year

Prayer: Lord, Prince of Peace, thank you for the peace and hope and joy of your friendship and love

Ring out your joy to the Lord, all good people,
for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.

For the Lord loves justice and right;
he fills the earth with his love.

By his word the heavens were made,
he spoke and the universe came into being.

They are happy, whose God is the Lord,
he is the source of all true  joy.

May your love be upon us, O Lord,
since we place all our trust in you.

Reflection:
Not just the earth is filled with God's love. The whole universe is filled with his love.
This is what people who have had near death experiences say:
love is the cement, the basic building block, the basic principle, the centre, of the whole universe
 ....and ....everyone is loved by the God of love...who is LOVE!
Which is why Teilhard de Chardin wrote:
The most telling and profound way of describing the evolution of the universe
would undoubtedly be to trace the evolution of love

Prayer: Lord, please help us notice your love everywhere
- flowers, birds, music, sun, moon, starts, ocean, mountains,
smiles, acts of kindness

Some Jewish Christians came to  Syrian Antioch from Judea and said that non-Jewish Christians should be circumcised. Paul and Barnabas argued against such an idea, and decided to go to Jerusalem to discuss this issue with the apostles there

During a long meeting, Peter reminded everyone how the Holy Spirit had been poured out on non-circumcised people.

James  spoke of how all peoples are meant to be consecrated to the Lord

James then issued a teaching for non-Jewish believers:
"All we ask you to do is to abstain 
- from food sacrificed to idols
- from blood from the meat of strangled animals
- from fornication. 
Avoid these, and you will do what is right"

Reflection:
Jesus was unhappy about the scribes and Pharisees imposing unnecessary religious burdens on the people.
Paul and Barnabas were likewise unhappy.
May Pope Francis help the Church soon abolish unnecessary religious burdens (like unfair rules for divorced people)

Prayer: Jesus, please don't let us make unreasonable demands on other people

One day Jesus took his disciples Peter, James and John
up a high mountain.

On the mountain Jesus' whole appearance changed.
His face shone like the sun. His clothes were as white as snow.

The  prophets Moses and Elijah appeared and spoke with him. 
Peter said to Jesus "Lord, how good it is for us to be here!"

Then a bright cloud covered them with its shadow.
From the cloud came a voice:
"This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him."

The disciples bowed to the ground.
When they got up, they saw only Jesus in his normal appearance

Reflection: 
Each time we spend a while in prayer, in reading the Bible, we "go up the mountain" with Jesus

Prayer: Jesus, Beloved Son of God, how good it is to spend time with you in prayer.