In this day and age do we think we are immune to the plotting and scheming of others that will have us fail? Are we spared from the evils of gossip and tongues sharpened to discredit us? Perhaps we will not face physical death from anyone in this lifetime but nonetheless there are those who will not spare us from spiritual death, by taunting our believe and faith. Used by the evil one to whisper lies into our ears that we are nothing of value! We are worthless in the eyes of the Lord our God!
While we have nothing to fear since we proclaim that the Lord is our Shepherd. Still let us not be naïve to think that evil will not try to harm us. For our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
Therefore we must renounce the work of our enemy each day declaring the truth that we are children of God so loved by our Heavenly Father and that we come under His protection.
Let us be alert and sober of mind, as we seek this and everyday to glorify the Lord by our lives. Lord Jesus I turn away from all sin and strive to be faithful to the Gospel. Amen
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First reading
Jeremiah 11:18-20 ·
‘Let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name may be quickly forgotten’
The Lord revealed it to me; I was warned. O Lord, that was when you opened my eyes to their scheming. I for my part was like a trustful lamb being led to the slaughter-house, not knowing the schemes they were plotting against me, ‘Let us destroy the tree in its strength, let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name may be quickly forgotten!’
But you, the Lord of Hosts, who pronounce a just sentence,
who probe the loins and heart,
let me see the vengeance you will take on them,
for I have committed my cause to you.
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Gospel
John 7:40-52
The Law does not allow us to pass judgement on a man without hearing him
Several people who had been listening to Jesus said, ‘Surely he must be the prophet’, and some said, ‘He is the Christ’, but others said, ‘Would the Christ be from Galilee? Does not scripture say that the Christ must be descended from David and come from the town of Bethlehem?’ So the people could not agree about him. Some would have liked to arrest him, but no one actually laid hands on him.
The police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees who said to them, ‘Why haven’t you brought him?’ The police replied, ‘There has never been anybody who has spoken like him.’ ‘So’ the Pharisees answered ‘you have been led astray as well? Have any of the authorities believed in him? Any of the Pharisees? This rabble knows nothing about the Law – they are damned.’ One of them, Nicodemus – the same man who had come to Jesus earlier – said to them, ‘But surely the Law does not allow us to pass judgement on a man without giving him a hearing and discovering what he is about?’ To this they answered, ‘Are you a Galilean too? Go into the matter, and see for yourself: prophets do not come out of Galilee.’
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