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

Please feel free to add  insights and prayers in the comment box below. 

 Reading - Reflection - Prayer   May 20, 2013 
With readers' comments, below  

Reading:  Isaiah 59

Arise, shine out, for your light has come.
The glory of the Lord is rising on you,
though the rest of the world is still in darkness.

The nations come to your light
and kings to your dawning brightness.

People from other lands are coming to you,
bringing gold and incense
and singing the praise of the Lord.

No more will the sun give you daylight,
nor moonlight shine on you,

for the Lord himself will be your everlasting light.
Then your days of mourning will be ended.

Reflection: 
Knowing and following Jesus is like walking at night on a well-lit street.
Not knowing and not following Jesus is like walking at night on a poorly-lit street.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the light of the world.
Please give more light to our lives

 

Reading:  Psalms 79-80

O God, the nations have invaded your sacred land,
they have profaned your holy temple.
They have made Jerusalem a heap of ruins.

We have become the taunt of our neighbours,
the mockery and scorn of those who surround us.

How long, O Lord, will all this last?
How long will this sorrow keep going?

Do not hold the guilt of our ancestors against us.
If their guilt is somehow influencing our situation now
please give peace and healing to everyone and everything
in our  history.

Let the groans of the prisoners come before you.
Let your strong arm reprieve those condemned to die.

O Lord, our God, help us and save us.
Let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

Reflection: 
Books like Healing the Family Tree and Healing Life's Hurts
show how our present situation can be caused by something or someone in our family history

Prayer:
Lord, please heal any problems in my family tree

 
Reading:  Acts 20

Paul continued "You elders are the leaders of the Church of God.
Be on your guard against bad leaders trying to mislead people

Remember my example. I never asked anyone for money or clothes.
You know how my work as a tentmaker earned enough to support my companions and me

Remember Jesus' words There is more happiness in giving than in receiving"

When he finished speaking, he knelt down with them and prayed. Then they took him to the ship

Reflection:
Good leaders/parents/teachers/pastors must always be on their guard to protect people/children/students from bad leaders

Prayer: 
Jesus, please help good leaders be
on their guard against bad leaders trying to mislead people

 
Reading:  Matthew 26

After their last meal, Jesus said to his apostles
"Tonight all of you will desert me".

Peter said "I will never desert you".
Jesus replied "Tonight before the rooster crows,
you will deny me three times".

They came to a place with olive trees called Gethsemane.
Jesus took Peter, James and John to a part of that area
and asked them to pray with him.

Jesus was overcome with sadness and fear.
He said to them "Sadness is filling my heart, as if my heart is dying.
Please support me as I pray."

Then he fell on his face and prayed for about an hour:
"Father, don't let this suffering continue. But your will be done".

He stood up and found that the apostles were asleep.
He said to them "
Couldn't you stay awake one hour to support me?"

Three times he prayed the same way.
Three times the apostles went to sleep.

Then he said "Get ready.  The one who is betraying me is coming".

Reflection: 
If we are really tired or sick, we should not force ourselves to pray, but in normal circumstances we should try to have definite times of prayer each day.
Maybe not an hour, but maybe 5-10 minutes in the morning before work/school etc, 5-10 minutes before/during/after lunch, 5-10 minutes at night.
Such times can be anywhere....even walking along the street or on a bus/train/plane/skateboard


Prayer: Jesus, please help me give time to prayer each day

Comments welcome here