4.30.12 Lectio: Gn 1. 26-2.3 Meditatio: “God created man in his own image, kin the divine image he created him; male and female he created them.” Gn 1.27 Oratio: O God, How You love us! I remember You created both male and female in your image - and what an image it is for Your are Love! Grant that I may love You and others in the image You made me - with selfless love; for that is the only way I can really thank You. I ask this of You, who lives and reigns with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever. Amen.” Contemplatio: Keep silence and remain in recollection for a few minutes. Operatio: Reflect on "God’s image”; “God is love and he who abides in Love abides in God” 1 Jn 14.6 Tomorrow's reading: Acts 11.19-26

4.29.12 Lectio: Acts 11.1-18 Meditatio: “When they heard this, they stopped objecting and glorified God saying, ‘God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles, too’.” Act 11.18 Oratio: O God, You have chosen all to be Your people. I remember You made this known through Peter testimony that the Holy Spirit was given to the Gentile household in Caesarea and this overcame the early Jewish-Christian followers of the New Way who did not believe the New Way was anyone except the Jews. Grant that I may be ever grateful for Peter testifying otherwise I may never had heard the Good News and would never have been graced with life-giving repentance. I ask this of You, who lives and reigns with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever. Amen.” Contemplatio: Keep silence and remain in recollection for a few minutes. Operatio: Reflect on "life giving repentance”; reconciliation with God; the sacrament of Penance; confession with absolution; resurrected life at the end of this life. In prayer thank God for sending the Holy Spirit on the Gentiles, too, so that through them I have received the Good News that life-giving repentance is there for me, too. Tomorrow's reading: Acts 11.19-26

4.28.12 Lectio: Acts 4.8-12 Meditatio: “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.” Acts 4.12 Oratio: O God, You so want us to be with You forever! I remember You sent Your Son so that we would know the Way, the Truth and the Life that leads to You. Grant that I may be ever grateful for Jesus and have Your grace to always believe in Him so that I may have resurrected life with You. I ask this of You, who lives and reigns with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever. Amen.” Contemplatio: Keep silence and remain in recollection for a few minutes. Operatio: Reflect on "salvation”; rescued, Jesus; meant for all; eternal life with God; in prayer thank God for giving us Jesus so we might be all saved by being persons of love for all. Tomorrow's reading: Acts 11.1-18

4.27.1 Lectio: Acts 9.31-42 Meditatio: “This [Peter raising Dorcas from the dead] became known all over Joppa, and many came to believe in the Lord.” Acts 9.42 Oratio: O God, why do some not accept Your Son and His message? ! I remember Your raised Jesus from the dead and Peter raised Dorcas from the dead, yet not all believed. Why? What more did they want? What more did they need? Grant that I may be open to the many ways You have revealed Yourself and Your Son and be ever grateful for the gift of faith. I ask this of You, who lives and reigns with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever. Amen.” Contemplatio: Keep silence and remain in recollection for a few minutes. Operatio: Reflect on "Faith”; a gift; a confident hope in something not yet seen or at hand that it will be; an openness to human testimony and the reasonableness to rely on it; in prayer than God for the many ways He revealed Himself and His Son to us in the beginning and down though the ages; and be ever thankful for the gift of faith. Tomorrow's reading: Acts 4.8-12

4.18.12

Lectio: Acts 5.27-33

Meditatio: “The God of our ancestors raised Jesus though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree.” Acts 5.30

Oratio: O God, You have provided witnesses to the Good News down through the ages.

I remember Your Son testified to the Good News by His life, death and resurrection and His apostles witnessed and defied the Sanhedrin’s order to stop - a disobedience that warranted a death sentence - how brave of the Apostles! How fortunate for us!

Grant that I may be ever grateful to my ancestors in faith and their witnessing to the Good News of Jesus Christ.

I ask this of You, who lives and reigns with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever.
Amen.”

Contemplatio: Keep silence and remain in recollection for a few minutes.

Operatio: Reflect on "Witness”; testify, relate what was seen and/or heard; in prayers thank the Apostles for witnessing to Jesus’ words, deeds and resurrection so that we could come to faith and through faith in Jesus enjoy resurrected life with Him.

Tomorrow's reading: Acts 5.34-42

4.17.12

Lectio: Acts 5.17-26
Meditatio: “We [ the court officers] found the jail securely locked and the guards stationed outside the doors but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” Acts 5.23

Oratio: O God, You so much want all to accept Your Son’s message of salivation and You went to great lengths to convince people.

I remember You not only had the Apostles work miracles in His name but your miraculously freed them from the jail and yet the religious elite did not accept even this miracle - how sad and tragic for them!

Grant that I may always rejoice in the greatest and on-going miracle - the real presence in our Eucharist - and proclaim when it is raised at Mass - ‘My Lord, and My God!”

I ask this of You, who lives and reigns with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever.
Amen.”

Contemplatio: Keep silence and remain in recollection for a few minutes.

Operatio: Reflect on "obstinacy; stubborn, convinced; holding onto an opinion in the face of clear evidence to the contrary; in prayer ask for the grace to be docile so that my mind and heart may be ever open to Your will.

Tomorrow's reading: Acts 5.27-33