Matthew 12:7 (mercy…)

Let’s welcome God every morning by reflecting on this short Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which is based on Living Faith. All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Col. 3:17

If you knew what this meant, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice,” you would not have condemned these innocent men. Matthew 12:7 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: “Everything that Jesus says and does, his very presence and his coming upon earth, is Mercy. Jesus is the mercy of God making us beloved children, beloved brothers and sisters, beloved communities that imitate the mercy and love within the Trinity, who are Three yet One. And we who are many are one in the Body of Christ through mercy. And it is to this that we are to be witnesses in the world. This is what the power of God gives us to spread and announce and exemplify with our lives. Mercy is the kingdom of heaven on earth. Mercy is what Jesus brings us as good news. Mercy is Jesus’ touch on every person’s body. Mercy is stretched out to us in Jesus.” by Megan McKenna (Matthew: The Book of Mercy)

Faith Challenge: Let’s challenge each other to joyfully live out the Good News.
* NEW: Let’s read Sr. Francelle’s mercy-filled devotion: St. Maria Goretti – patron saint of young girls and purity‏.

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, American Family Association, Priests for Life

* Let’s never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images)…#1 cause of death in America. Let’s courageously share ProLife Truth (John 14:6) to create social tension for exposing abortion’s unjust peace…rebuilding a Culture of Life (Matt 5:16) and setting the unborn free!

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together. Fasting ideas in footnote below.

* Prayer to end abortion, abused children, chastity, peace, our enemies, our troops, depression/ despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, illnesses/injuries, jobs, natural disasters, addictions, Stephanie Spader (for a family with unexpected pregnancy), Carla Neal (Mandy & Craig have a family emergency), Rob Rysavy (for a coworker’s wife who is battling an illness), Iran airliner crash

Faith Quote: “Jesus is not only a great figure of the past, a teacher of life and morals. He is the risen Lord, the God who is close to every person, to whom we can speak and with whom we can experience the joy of friendship, hope in time of trouble, and the certainty of a better future.” John Paul II

Through Christ our Lord,
Pat

Phil 4:13

* 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, bitterness, being so critical, 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 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.