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 Bible Blogs 

O Holy Spirit, may these passages give us hope, wisdom, compassion,
courage and peace for our daily life
     Chinese text

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

 Bible Blog   October 11, 2013     Comments welcome here

  Reading:  Exodus 11 

One last time God sent Moses to Pharaoh, with this message:

"Tonight at midnight, God's angel will pass through Egypt.
All the first-born in the land of Egypt will die,
except the first-born of the Israelites."

Reflection:
Pharaoh brought this trouble on himself.
A lesson for all humans: sometimes we bring trouble on ourselves

Prayer: Dear God, please don't let me bring trouble on myself or others

 

Reading: Psalms 52-60

Lord, I will tell everyone about how good you are.
You are our Creator. Everyone should love you.

Thank you for so often rescuing me from trouble.
You uphold my life.

Sometimes I have so many troubles and cares
that I can't get to sleep.

Sometimes I wish I was a bird 
and could fly away to a safe place.

When I fear, I will trust in you,
in you whose word I praise.

My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready.
I will sing, I will sing your praise.

Each morning I will sing of your strength,
and each morning acclaim your love.

Reflection: 
When we are afraid, when we fear, when our troubles keep us from sleeping, when we have a panic attack ....the best thing to do is just calmly remember we are in God's presence....remember we live and move in him like a baby in its mother's womb ....and calmly read a bit from the Bible....and calmly praise God....and then we will calm down. Easier said than done, but if we keep trying, it eventually works

Prayer: O God, when fears increase, so may our trust in you and awareness of your presence also increase

 

Reading:  Ephesians 5 

Try to discover what the Lord wants of you.
Have nothing to do with the futile works of darkness

Wake up from your sleep, rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you

Be very careful about the sort of life you live.
Follow your enlightened mind, not your unruly passions

Avoid drunkenness. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
Sing prayer songs when you are together, and when you're by yourself, keep on singing to the Lord in your heart, always giving thanks to God

Reflection: 
So many people have "turned over a new leaf", given up drugs etc ...it is possible, it does happen....especially for people who pray

Prayer: Jesus, please help people say "no" to "darkness" and "yes" to "light"

 

Reading:  Luke 6

On another Sabbath Jesus  visited a prayer hall.
A man with a withered hand was in the prayer hall

Some religious leaders were watching to see if Jesus would heal the man (since no work was allowed on the Sabbath, and they regarded healing as work)

Jesus knew what they were thinking,  so he said to the man with the withered hand "Stand up! Come out into the middle of the hall".
He came out and stood there

Jesus then asked the leaders "Is it against the law on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil; to save life or to destroy it?"

Then he said to the man with the withered hand
"Stretch out your hand". He stretched it out. It was healed.

The leaders were very angry. They left the prayer hall
and began plotting how to get rid of Jesus

Reflection:
Another Sabbath story....I wonder if Jesus took a mischievous delight in stirring up the religious leaders about their mistaken Sabbath teaching

Prayer: Jesus, please stop bad religious leaders from misleading people