John 21:6 (The Eighth Day)

Let’s welcome God today with this Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (archive, Facebook), based on Living Faith. Prove yourselves doers of the Word, and not merely hearers. James 1:22

So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” John 21:6 (full readings)

Steve’s Thoughts:

* Regarding today’s verse, I wonder what Peter thought when Jesus said this to them? Peter was a seasoned fisherman and new the sea well. Yet when he obeyed the risen Lord’s command his nets were overflowing! I think back on the times when I have attempted something of my own accord only to see it fizzle and die away. When God blesses something, it will flourish to abundance or in this case to the point where they can’t even haul in the nets. God will multiply our works if we humbly give them to him. He will straighten our paths, and clear away the rocky rubble.

* This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday or the Feast of Mercy as declared by Pope John Paul II for the whole world. Read more about this beautiful devotion in Sr. Francelle’s devotion (below).

* Fr. Greg Paffel (Church of Our Lady of Victory, Fergus Falls, MN) talked about the “eighth day”; as Children of the Resurrection we live in this eighth day. God never talked about the seventh day ending, but we find that conclusion in Jesus’ words on the cross as he gave up his spirit, “It is finished.”

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Sr. Francelle’s Devotion: Jesus, Have Mercy On Us. Here is a snippet…”There is a story about a teacher who gave each of her little students an empty plastic Easter egg and asked each to fill it with something about Easter. As each child opened their egg to show it to the others – one had a flower inside to signify new life, another had a nail because they nailed Jesus to a tree, another had a small stone because of the stone put in front of the tomb. But the last egg was opened by a little mentally challenged boy, whose egg had nothing inside. The teacher asked what this meant and he replied that the tomb was empty on Easter morning, which means that Jesus is God and He did raise Himself from the dead! A little child had grasped the meaning of the empty tomb! The riches of our faith depend on that empty tomb.”

Faith Challenges: Let’s generously share the LIFE Group by forwarding devotions or using the Facebook “invite people” link.
* NEW: Have you ever toiled at something to no avail, only to try again and see it flourish? Consider sharing the miracle of God’s timing on the Facebook page, to be appreciated by many.

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, Vatican, American Family Association, Priests for Life
* Never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images), #1 cause of death in America (23% of pregnancies)…courageously share ProLife Truth to expose abortion’s unjust peace, rebuilding a Culture of Life for setting the unborn (and parents) free.

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together, and close to God (footnotes). Peters family (JP), Prayer to end abortion, Stephanie Kemp (special intention), Helene Couchon (healing)

Faith Quote: “Mercy is getting what you don’t deserve.” ~ Sr. Francelle Clarke

Through Christ Our Lord,
Steve
Romans 12:12

* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God’s will & His miracles, changing us & helping others. ‘If you pray that God will move a mountain and He doesn’t, assume Christ wants you to climb it instead.
* Fasting: Let’s fast from things that take our eyes off Jesus (selfishness, pornography, bitterness, criticalness, impatience, gossip, excessive video games, etc) and take on things that fix our eyes on Jesus (selflessness, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, patience, understanding, caring, helping, listening).
* Defend the unborn: ‘Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don’t stand back and let them die’ (Prov 24:11). ‘Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you’ (Jer 1:5). ‘It is a great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish’ (Blessed Mother Teresa).
* Evangelization: Let’s make room for unbelievers (be a friend, make a friend, lead a friend to Christ) and perpetual re-evangelization of self and those near us, by way of daily prayer (relationship) and following Christ’s example of selfless love, mercy, and service (Matt 28:19).