Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB). Leaders. Guest Authors. LIFE Minute radio.

* 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 (images) is #1 death cause (22% 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/spassage/?searchacrifice/mercy). Mt 28:19.

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB). Leaders. Guest Authors.
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“Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.” ~ John 16:20 (full readings)
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Greg’s Reflections: We cannot let the suffering of abortion fade from our view. We cannot settle back in creature comforts while our brothers and sisters are being slaughtered. How can we hold in our view the suffering of those who are dying every minute? We need to find a way to remember and help others see what is hidden. What if every person with a desire to wake others up to the reality of this holocaust, made an outward sacrifice, one that people would see in daily life?  The bible encourages us to fast knowing that the Father will reward our spiritual sacrifice (Mt 6:18). But what if we choose a fast that others will often encounter, something that is routine, something we really enjoy. If we fast from this, we will suffer the loss of this thing we are fasting from, but we can use that suffering to daily connect with the babies in the womb and it can help us to remember abortion every day. Our fast will call us to action.  Another benefit to a public fast is that it creates an avenue to dialogue with others. “What kind of soda would you like with that?” “I have given up soda until abortion ends.” Prepare yourself for dialogue with others. Notice I did not say debate. This battle for babies will not be won with rhetoric because that does not open the human heart. The Holy Spirit opens hearts. If you want to penetrate even the hardest heart, the person you know who is most “pro choice”, you must come from the place where the Spirit resides in you, from your heart.
* Greg Robeson is the coordinator for Southside Youth Ministry in St. Louis and is married with three children. He has a theology degree from Ave Maria University. Greg started a pilgrimage to the March for Life that now includes over 1,000 youth. Greg’s life motto is “To have passion, remember His”.  At 6’10″, Greg is the biggest LIFE Runner!
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Faith Challenge:  God’s people are radically offering themselves to God in this battle and abortion is ending now. Jump on board and be a part of this historic movement of grace. Get involved. Make a sacrifice until abortion ends.  For ideas see this site-http://www.untilabortionends.com/en-us/submissions/default.aspx. 
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Counter-Culture News: LSN, LifeNews, Priests for Life, AFA,Vatican, Project Rachel.
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Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion, Spiritual Adoption,Alpha Center, Peters family (JP). Add Prayers on ourwebsite. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, LIFE Runners, etc. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.
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Feast Day: St. Paschal Baylon.
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Faith Quote: “Meditate well on this: Seek God above all things. It is right for you to seek God before and above everything else, because the majesty of God wishes you to receive what you ask for. This will also make you more ready to serve God and will enable you to love him more perfectly” ~ St. Paschal Baylon
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Through Christ our Lord,
Greg
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* Pray/Fast: Prayer connects us with God’s will and 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 (and families): Abortion (images) is #1 death cause (22% pregnancies). Prov 24:11 and 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 and re-evangelization of self, by way of prayer (relationship) and following Christ’s example of love (service/sacrifice/mercy). Matt 28:19.

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB). Leaders. Guest Authors.
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“Rather it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and everything. He made from one, the whole human race … and he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions, so that people might seek God, even perhaps grope for him and find him, though indeed he is not far from any one of us.” ~ Acts 17:15, 22-18:1 (full readings)
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Jack’s Reflections: It is by the very breath of life in all of those around us, the born and the unborn, and in the order of the seasons which bring life, that we see God, and are prompted to seek after Him. Then we learn, he is never farther away than we are from one another, and from His Creation, for He is our everything.  And so, like St. Brendan the Navigator of ancient Ireland who sailed for seven years in search of The Land of Promise, we are sailors on a high sea, sometimes with neither rudder nor sail, uncertain of our way. We take encouragement from each other, and then are called to trust that God will be our wind and compass.  And then, even on the darkest night, when it seems we’re hopelessly lost, we gaze upward to see that God has fixed the stars in the Heavens to lead us home, if we’ll just follow.
* Jack is an author and Chapter President of Una Voce.  He has two daughters pursuing careers in education.  Jack cherishes his Irish heritage, and has worked for years in support of pro-life causes with The Ancient Order of Hibernians and Knights of Columbus.
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Faith Challenge: Trust God to show you the way.  He’ll deliver you safely home. Look not to the leaders of this world for a Messiah, for He has already come. Promote a culture of life by reading and supporting LifeSiteNews, Priests for Life, and Project Rachel.  Be the change in the world you seek.  Start now and trust that God will show you the way.
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Counter-Culture News: LSN, LifeNews, Priests for Life, AFA,Vatican, Project Rachel.
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Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion, Spiritual Adoption,Alpha Center, Peters family (JP). Add Prayers on ourwebsite. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, LIFE Runners, etc. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.
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Feast Day: St. Margaret of Cortona.
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Faith Quote: “Not all those who wander are lost.” ~ J.R.R. Tolkien; “A nation that kills its children is a nation without hope.”  ~ Bl. Pope John Paul II
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Through Christ our Lord,
Jack
Philippians 4:8
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* Pray/Fast: Prayer connects us with God’s will and 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 (and families): Abortion (images) is #1 death cause (22% pregnancies). Prov 24:11 and 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 and re-evangelization of self, by way of prayer (relationship) and following Christ’s example of love (service/sacrifice/mercy). Matt 28:19.

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB).  Guest Authors.
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“The crowd joined in the attack on them, and the magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be beaten with rods.  After inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison and instructed the jailer to guard them securely.”  Acts 16:22-23 (full readings)
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Rob’s Reflections:   In our defense of the unborn we should not seek persecution, but we must be prepared for it.   Even if you ensure you are acting within your rights you can expect to be hated for it.  After all, it was Jesus himself who said, “If the world hates you, realize it hated me first” (John 15:18).  When we consider that hatred, keep in mind it may not be confined to unkind words and dirty looks.  Today’s image is of then 18 year old Angela Swagler who, along with numerous others, was arrested in Maryland in 2008 for standing by the side of a road holding a Pro-Life sign graphically depicting aborted children.  She and the others arrested were told by the state troopers arresting them they needed a demonstration permit (which was not true).  The demonstrators were not blocking traffic, but the troopers arrested them anyway stating their mere presence was impeding traffic based on complaints from motorists regarding the content (First Amendment?) of the signs.  After her arrest, Angela and 20 year old Elizabeth Walsh were shackled, imprisoned and humiliatingly strip searched (twice).  Fortunately, this case had a just ending. Angela sued the state police, won the case, and later publicly forgave the troopers for the humiliation and violation of her rights they subjected her to.  So also does today’s passage have a just ending.  ”Then he (the jailer) brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you and your household will be saved.’” (Acts 16:30-31).
* Rob Rysavy is a LIFE Group board member and the regular Tuesday devotion author.  He and his wife Michelle have six children and live in Colorado Springs.
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Faith Challenge:  Years ago a Catholic school teacher asked those of us in the classroom, “If was illegal to be a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”  Let us pray now that such day a never comes to us, but let us also pray that if it does come to us that we may be found guilty of following Christ.
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Counter-Culture News: LSN, LifeNews, Priests for Life, AFA, Vatican, Project Rachel.
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Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion. LIFE Runners Creed & Patron Saint. Add Prayers. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, etc. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.
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Feast Day:  Saint Isidore the Farmer.
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Faith Quote:  “There is only one thing I dread, to not be worthy of my suffering.”  ~  Fyodor Dostoevsky.
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Through Christ Our Lord,
Rob
Mark 9:24
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* 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.

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB). Leaders. Guest Authors. LIFE Minute radio.

“It was not you who chose Me, it was I Who chose you to go forth and bear fruit.” ~ John 15:16 (full readings)

Rich’s Reflections:  In the first reading today, Jesus chose Matthias to be an apostle and replace Judas.  Matthias did not choose Jesus, but Jesus chose him.  This is the same for us.  We may choose to accept  Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, but it is really not about choice, but rather obedience to God’s will (i.e., submitting to the Lord and denying ourselves).  Even when we think about God choosing us, our self-centeredness makes us think that God is preferring us over others.  Being chosen does not mean comparing ourselves to others, but rather an acceptance to share the Gospel.  We are chosen to witness to the risen Christ and to bear fruit for His kingdom.  We are chosen not for selfishness, but for fruitfulness.  
* Rich Reich is the co-founder of the LIFE Group Devotions and the National LIFE Runners Team.  He is married to Erica and lives in Satellite Beach, FL.  Full bio. 

Faith Challenge:  As Christians, do not think that you are better than others, but accept your calling as disciples of Christ and share the Gospel with others.

Counter-Culture News: LSN, LifeNews, Priests for Life, AFA, Vatican, Project Rachel.

Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion, Spiritual Adoption, Alpha Center, Peters family (JP). AddPrayers on our website. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, LIFE Runners, etc. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.

Feast Day:  Saint Matthias

Faith Quote:   ”It behooves us to combat the flesh, and make use of it, without pampering it by unlawful gratifications. As to the soul, we must develop her power by faith and knowledge.” – Saint Matthias

Through Christ our Lord,
Rich
James 1:22

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB). Leaders. Guest Authors. LIFE Minute radio.

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB). Leaders. Guest Authors.
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“He made no distinction between us and them, for by faith he purified their hearts.” ~ Acts 15:9 (full readings)
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Dan’s Reflections: During my hours of prayer on the sidewalks at the St. Louis abortion mill, I am always struck with the irony that the building next door is a place called Independence Center, which assists adults with serious mental illness to live and work in the community.    So in one building God’s people are being assisted to live a full life; next door the lives of the most vulnerable, our precious little ones, are ended.  The challenged adults walk by on the sidewalk and usually happily greet us, stop to join in prayer, and engage in great conversation.   Many times they thank us for being there.  I sense they still fear that they could have been and continue to be as vulnerable as the tiny victims inside the abortion mill.  Life and God’s salvation is not for the few, for the privileged, but for all.   One of the earliest Church controversies revolved around who was considered to be Christian and what paths were necessary to receive the grace of God.  Today’s reading reminds us that we are all equal in the eyes of the Lord as long as we have complete trust in Him.  At the foot of the cross it is all level ground.
* Dan Hinrichs is originally from Hermann, MO and currently resides in St. Louis.  He is a corporate accountant and the Coalition St. Louis LIFE Runners Deputy Chapter Leader.
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Faith Challenge: During the beatification homily for St. Damien Joseph de Veuster of Moloka’i, Pope John Paul II said: “Holiness is not perfection according to human criteria; it is not reserved for a small number of exceptional persons. It is for everyone…”  Seek holiness through the power of Jesus Christ.
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Counter-Culture News: LSN, LifeNews, Priests for Life, AFA,Vatican, Project Rachel.
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Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion, Spiritual Adoption. Add Prayers. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, LIFE Runners, etc. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.
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Feast Day: St. Damien Joseph de Veuster of Moloka’i.
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Faith Quote: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” ~ Thomas Jefferson
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Through Christ our Lord,
Dan
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* Pray/Fast: Prayer connects us with God’s will and 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 (and families): Abortion (images) is #1 death cause (22% pregnancies). Prov 24:11 and 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 and re-evangelization of self, by way of prayer (relationship) and following Christ’s example of love (service/sacrifice/mercy). Matt 28:19.

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB). Leaders. Guest Authors.
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“Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches.  Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.” ~ Jn 15:5 (full readings)
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Reggie’s Reflections: Just as a baby depends on its mother for physical life, we depend on Jesus for our spiritual life.   Just as a baby draws life from its mother through its umbilical cord, so we draw our spiritual life from Jesus by being connected to him as branches are to a vine.  Just as a baby will die if its umbilical cord is cut in the womb, so we will die spiritually if we are cut off from Jesus.  The United States has had 53 million abortions since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.   In China, the Chinese Communist Party boasts that it has “prevented” 400 million lives since the One Child Policy was instituted in 1980.  That’s greater than the entire population of the United States!  China has reported 13 million abortions a year.  That’s more than 35,000 per day or nearly 1500 per hour.  Many of these abortions are forced.  The Chinese Communist Population Control machine does not make any exceptions for Christians.  Imagine the anguish of Christian mothers being forced to have abortions, up to the ninth month of pregnancy.   All women suffer terribly from forced abortion.  Perhaps this is the reason that China has the highest female suicide rate of any country in the world.  Do you hear the cries of the women and babies of China?  Will you respond with travailing prayer?  Only God can end the brutal enforcement of the One Child Policy.  Without Him we can do nothing.
* Reggie Littlejohn is the President of Women’s Rights Without Frontiers and submitted testimony to Congress on December 5, 2011 regarding forced abortion and involuntary sterilization under China’s One Child Policy.
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Faith Challenge: Watch this four-minute video on forced abortion in China. Proclaim, These babies shall not die but live, and declare the works of the Lord!  Psalm 118:17.   Pray for the women facing forced abortion and pass this link along to your friends so that they can do the same.  Stop Forced Abortion – China’s War on Women! Video (4 mins) http://www.womensrightswithoutfrontiers.org/?nav=stop-forced-abortion.
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Counter-Culture News: LSN, LifeNews, Priests for Life, AFA,Vatican, Project Rachel.

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Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion, Spiritual Adoption,Alpha Center, Peters family (JP). Add Prayers on ourwebsite. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, LIFE Runners, etc. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.
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Feast Day: St. Catherine of Bologna.
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Faith Quote: “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” ~ Edmund Burke
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Through Christ our Lord,
Reggie
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* Pray/Fast: Prayer connects us with God’s will and 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 (and families): Abortion (images) is #1 death cause (22% pregnancies). Prov 24:11 and 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 and re-evangelization of self, by way of prayer (relationship) and following Christ’s example of love (service/sacrifice/mercy). Matt 28:19.

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB).  Guest Authors.
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“They strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying, ‘It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.’” ~ Acts 14:22 (full readings)
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Rob’s Reflections:   This is one of the great challenges of our modern world and its incessant attacks on our innate goodness.  Evil often no longer chooses to directly attack us with violence.  One of the routes satan takes to dull our senses and minimize our response to evil is comfort.  We are so comfortable!  Exchanging that comfort for the hardship that is necessary for us to enter the Kingdom of God is difficult.  Pope Benedict warned us about the danger of comfort when he said, “The world calls you to comfort, but you were not made for comfort.  You were made for greatness.”  Today’s image is Fr. Norman Weslin.  Fr. Weslin is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel paratrooper and commander who was ordained in 1986 after the tragic death of his wife at the hands of a drunk driver in 1980.  Three years ago this month Fr. Weslin was arrested at the age of 79 on the grounds of the University of Notre Dame while peacefully protesting President Obama’s commencement speech.  Fr. Weslin clearly embraces the words we see in today’s reading.  And in his fearless defense of Life, Fr. Weslin also embraces his greatness as well as the words of Jesus from today’s Gospel:  ”Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give it to you.  Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27.
 * Rob Rysavy is a LIFE Group board member.  He and his wife Michelle have six children.  Rob is a squadron commander at Schriever AFB, CO.  Full bio.
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Faith Challenge:  Fr. Weslin embraces hardship and by his witness exhorts us to persevere in the faith.  Fr. Weslin was made for greatness.  What are you made for?  Don’t shy from your hardships, it is the path to greatness, it is the path to the Kingdom of God.
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Counter-Culture News: LSN, LifeNews, Priests for Life, AFA, Vatican, Project Rachel.
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Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion. LIFE Runners Creed & Patron Saint. Add Prayers. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, etc. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.
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Feast Day:  Saint Peter of Tarentise.
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Faith Quote:  “People think that if a man has undergone any hardship, he should have a reward; but for my part, if I have done the hardest possible day’s work, and then come to sit down in a corner and eat my supper comfortably – why, then I don’t think I deserve any reward for my hard day’s work – for am I not now at peace?  Is not my supper good?.”  ~  Herman Melville.
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Through Christ Our Lord,
Rob
Mark 9:24
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* 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.

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB). Leaders. Guest Authors. LIFE Minute radio.

“Lord, why is it that You will reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?” ~ John 14:22 (full readings)

Rich’s Reflections:  In the Gospel today, Jesus told His disciples the world would not accept His revelation, but He would reveal Himself to His disciples. His disciple Judas asked Jesus why He would reveal Himself to the disciples, but not to the world. This is a good question.  Why doesn’t Jesus reveal Himself to the world?  The answer is that Jesus does reveal Himself to the world, but the world is not prepared to listen to Him or to see Him.  Only through obedience to God’s commandments does He reveal Himself to us.  Through obedience, we are open to receiving the Holy Spirit and accepting the Truth of God’s love for us.  Remove the scales from your eyes by confessing the sins that cloud your vision and pray for God’s revelation.
* Rich Reich is the co-founder of the LIFE Group Devotions and the National LIFE Runners Team.  He is married to Erica and serves as a chemical research officer at Patrick AFB, FL.  Full bio. 

Faith Challenge:  If you find that you have lost your way, be obedient to God and He will reveal Himself to you.

Counter-Culture News: LSN, LifeNews, Priests for Life, AFA, Vatican, Project Rachel.

Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion, Spiritual Adoption, Alpha Center, Peters family (JP). AddPrayers on our website. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, LIFE Runners, etc. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.

Feast Day:  St. Rose Venerini

Faith Quote:  “Give me a revelation; show me what to do; cause I’ve been trying to find my way; I haven’t got a clue.” – Third Day, Revelation

Through Christ our Lord,
Rich
James 1:22