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Heavenly Father, we often only see our parents as having given us life and forget that it by Your loving hand that we breathe and bear your likeness. Even then some do not acknowledge You as Father let alone Lord and King. Either due to invincible ignorance of not yet having the opportunity to know about You or for those that do, then Sin has blinded them to the fact.

With eyes and heart opened to do Your Will, I now see that You were never trying to be my puppetmaster. Instead You sought only to love and prosper me; more than a loving Father, more than a groom for his bride, more than anyone or anything our puny minds can wrap around.

And when I love and serve You my Lord, my God with all my heart, with all my soul, in all humility; there is nothing I shall want. There are no rewards to seek for all the treasures in the world and beyond are unlocked and yet all I’ll ever need is You. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

FIRST READING
Wisdom 2:23–3:9

GOSPEL
Luke 17:7–10

Jesus said to the Apostles:
“Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? Would he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished’? Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’”

In a temper Lord, wisdom, love, and what is good within us departs. Those of us who struggle to walk in the light feel broken, hurt and outraged because we responded wrongly to the vicious attacks of only those close to us know how to. And still was it not our sinful pride that opened the floodgates? Why do we choose turmoil over the peace and love of You who dwell within us when we are free from the debt of sin? Lord have mercy and help us.

Lord Jesus, we know from Your Word that all that we do and say can either draw others to You and Your Kingdom or lead them far away. Let us always choose that which is right and good. Lord have mercy and help us.

O merciful Lord You taught us to be forgiving as You are forgiving towards us for our numerous sins against You. Fill us with Your love and give us Your strength to overcome the hurt and pain caused by those who seek our forgiveness, so that we may never ever hold it back and be bound by unforgiveness. Lord have mercy and help us. Amen

FIRST READING
Wisdom 1:1–7

GOSPEL
Luke 17:1–6

Jesus said to his disciples,
“Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you should forgive him.”

And the Apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”