18 Nov Lk 19:41 (are you ready?) by Kathy Castle
Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (archive, Facebook).
“As Jesus drew near Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it saying, ‘If this day you only knew what makes for peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes.'” Lk 19:41 (full readings)
Kathy’s Reflections: Jesus weeps for Jerusalem who turns away and does not recognize Him. Do we recognize Christ in our midst? This past weekend I served on a Koinonia retreat. Christ most definitely was in our midst. Koinonia is a Greek word meaning community. It is often used in the New Testament to refer to the early Christian churches, who met in generally small and intimate settings. A retreat, daily prayer, regular church attendance, Eucharistic adoration, a newborn baby’s cry, a beautiful sunset…all help to open our eyes, so we recognize Him! Surely our Lord weeps for the United States and our world as He sees innocents aborted by the millions. God reminds us that even if a mother forgets the baby at her breast…He will not forget us ( Is 49:15). Jesus has not forgotten us, but will our nation recognize Him? The readings warn us judgment day will come…like a thief in the night. Are you ready? Lord, we weep for the loss of the lives of the innocents, the precious Unborn. Forgive us and have mercy on us when we have not spoken up in their defense. Heal us. Transform us. Change the hearts of the people of our nation so that we might be one nation under God. Hear the prayers of your faithful. Amen.
* Kathy Castle is the Social Sciences Division Coordinator at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD. She is married to Joe and has four grown sons (Joe, Dan, Pat, Steve) and nine grandchildren. Kathy is an active team member for the Koinonia retreat program.
Faith Challenge: If today you hear His voice, harden not your heart! Skip lunch and go to Eucharistic Adoration once a week. Be ready to be amazed at what God has in store! God is calling us to a metanoia, a spiritual transformation, a change of heart.
* Explore/share our NEW website (www.lifegroup413.org), which includes these links: Subscribe, About, Archive, Authors, Guest Authors, LIFE Runners, References, Prayers.
Counter-Culture News: LSN, Vatican, AFA, Priests for Life, Live Action.
Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion, Alpha Center. View, add, update Prayers on our website. Let’s pray now.
Feast Day: The Dedication of St. Peter and St. Paul. “It is extraordinarily interesting that Roman pilgrimage began at an early time. Pilgrims did not wait for the Peace of the Church [Constantine’s edict of toleration] before they visited the tombs of the Apostles. They went to Rome a century before there were any public churches and when the Church was confined to the tituli [private homes] and the catacombs. The two great pilgrimage sites were exactly as today—the tombs, or memorials, of St. Peter upon the Vatican Hill and the tomb of St. Paul off the Ostian Way” (H.V. Morton, This Is Rome).
Faith Quote: “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.” Is 49:15-16
Through Christ Our Lord,
Kathy
Ps 118:24
* Pray/Fast: Prayer connects us with God’s will & His miracles, changing us & helping others. Fast from things that take your eyes off Jesus. Those who pray together stay together, and close to God!
* Save Unborn (& family): Abortion reality (images)…#1 death cause (23% pregnancies). Prov 24:11 & Jer 1:5. “A great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish.” Mother Teresa
* Evangelize: Make room for unbelievers & re-evangelization of self, by way of prayer (relationship) and following Christ’s example of love (service/sacrifice/mercy). Matt 28:19.