God’s GRACE: God's Riches at Christ's Expense
Dearest Father, Thank You for the ministry You have given me - to bear witness to the good news of God's GRACE, God's Riches at Christ's Expense. As written in the First Reading today.
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But these have been written in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through your faith in Him, you may have life (John 20:31 GNBDK) - the rich and satisfying life in Christ. (John 10:10 NLT)
Today's Readings
First Reading: Acts 20: 17-27
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 68: 10-11, 20-21
Alleluia: John 14: 16
Gospel: John 17: 1-11a
Reading 1, Acts 20:17-27
Acts 20:17-27 GNBDK
[17] From Miletus Paul sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him.
[18] When they arrived, he said to them, “You know how I spent the whole time I was with you, from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia.
[19] With all humility and many tears I did my work as the Lord's servant during the hard times that came to me because of the plots of some Jews.
[20] You know that I did not hold back anything that would be of help to you as I preached and taught in public and in your homes.
[21] To Jews and Gentiles alike I gave solemn warning that they should turn from their sins to God and believe in our Lord Jesus.
[22] And now, in obedience to the Holy Spirit I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
[23] I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit has warned me that prison and troubles wait for me.
[24] But I reckon my own life to be worth nothing to me; I only want to complete my mission and finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do, which is to declare the Good News about the grace of God.
[25] “I have gone about among all of you, preaching the Kingdom of God. And now I know that none of you will ever see me again.
[26] So I solemnly declare to you this very day: if any of you should be lost, I am not responsible.
[27] For I have not held back from announcing to you the whole purpose of God.
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 68:10-11, 20-21
R. (33a) Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
A bountiful rain you showered down, O God, upon your inheritance;
you restored the land when it languished;
Your flock settled in it;
in your goodness, O God, you provided it for the needy.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
Blessed day by day be the Lord,
who bears our burdens; God, who is our salvation.
God is a saving God for us;
the LORD, my Lord, controls the passageways of death.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
Gospel, John 17:1-11
John 17:1-11 GNBDK
[1] After Jesus finished saying this, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your Son, so that the Son may give glory to you.
[2] For you gave him authority over all humanity, so that he might give eternal life to all those you gave him.
[3] And eternal life means knowing you, the only true God, and knowing Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
[4] I have shown your glory on earth; I have finished the work you gave me to do.
[5] Father! Give me glory in your presence now, the same glory I had with you before the world was made.
[6] “I have made you known to those you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me. They have obeyed your word,
[7] and now they know that everything you gave me comes from you.
[8] I gave them the message that you gave me, and they received it; they know that it is true that I came from you, and they believe that you sent me.
[9] “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those you gave me, for they belong to you.
[10] All I have is yours, and all you have is mine; and my glory is shown through them.
[11] And now I am coming to you; I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world. Holy Father! Keep them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one just as you and I are one.
Dearest Father,
Thank You for the ministry You have given me - to bear witness to the good news of Your GRACE, God's Riches at Christ's Expense. As written in the First Reading today.
Acts 20:24 GNBDK
[24] But I reckon my own life to be worth nothing to me; I only want to complete my mission and finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do, which is to declare the Good News about the grace of God.
In another version:
Acts 20:24 BSB
[24] But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
Around 2022, I heard Jessie Duplantis, one of my online mentors, encourage us to ask a ministry from the Lord.
I wanted a ministry that I could call my own, the one You have given me because I know You call each of us for a specific ministry and mission.
Like St. Paul, apostle to the Gentiles; St. Peter to lead the whole Catholic church; St. Therese of the Child Jesus and her teaching of the Little Way; Kenneth Hagin and his teaching of faith and Mark 11:24 which talks of receiving in faith what you have asked for; Gary Kasee teaching on the Kingdom of God; Martin Luther King and his dream of equality; Terri Savelle Foy’s ministry of being the cheerleader of dreams; St. Francis and his way of humility, St. Ignatius and his Ignatian Spirituality, etc.
One specific mission, ministry, and message given to one individual to build up the church of God, His people.
So I asked.
Now 3 years later, my mission and ministry is clear to me:
To proclaim with my life and work the good news of God's Grace, specifically God's Riches At Christ's Expense.
Founded primarily on Jesus’ teaching from John 10:10 - living the rich and satisfying life He has come to give us - everything in abundance, more than we expect, life to the fullest until we overflow.
John 10:10 NLT
[10] The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
John 10:10 TPT
[10] A thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect —life in its fullness until you overflow!
That's my Tatatian spirituality. My way of life.
That my life will be a display of God's grace - God's riches at Christ's expense.
Grace is a gift - precious and undeserved, unearned, freely given.
God's grace is the riches of glory of His inheritance for those who believe - unlimited, boundless power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and glory, and blessing! (Revelation 5:12)
All available because Jesus paid the price for it with His passion and death on the cross - everything at His expense.
Now given to me because He has called me and I chose to be united to Him.
Now my life is unimportant to me. No need to worry and fret about my future - will I ever marry, who will take care of me in my old age, how will I fulfill my dreams, how will I provide for me and my family, etc.
My life is in God's hands. Everything I have is His. And Everything He has is mine.
Just like Jesus said in the Gospel:
John 17:10 BSB
[10] All I have is Yours, and all You have is Mine; and in them I have been glorified.
You will do everything for me. All my desires find fulfillment in You. All is God's grace for me.
When I become a billionaire, it will be You who did it for me.
When I have my 1 billion members for my SpeakChrist RichLife Club, You have given them to me.
When I meet and marry the man of my dreams, You have set us up.
When I have established my Eden Retreat Centers, You have allowed it.
When I build my aquaponics system in my front yard, You will have helped me build it.
Everything will be a display of Your GRACE in me and my life.
My only work and concern is to live every day in Your grace. To remain united to Jesus, living in Christ so that I remain in Him and His words remain in me.
John 15:7 NIV
If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
And then, like St. Paul in today’s first reading, to share whatever He's teaching me every day to His people, whom He has given me, through my words and my actions as I live God’s GRACE daily.
Acts 20:24 BSB
[24] But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
That's the RichLife Playbook He has shown me:
Live as His child and heir by His Grace, my Divine Identification.
Pursue His GodX vision for my life and not just what I want.
Build my life and work upon Him and His words, my Rock Foundation
And do this every single day, 24-hours Activation.
So here I am, Lord.
Do in me what You must, in order to do through me what You will.
In Jesus’ Name.
If you want, like me, to embrace and live in God's GRACE, God's riches at Christ's Expense, live in Christ. Join me in our SpeakChrist RichLife Club. We'll do it together. St. Katharine Drexel, pray for us.
Live the RichLife in Christ today 🤟
Good news of God's GRACE.
God's Riches at Christ's Expense.
Given to me and you
So others may see,
Receive, and live it too.
Free 🎁 for you.
God's GRACE.
God's Riches at Christ's Expense.
Good news for me and you.
Live it. Say Amen! 🙏
Acts 20:24 BSB
[24] But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
Now Your Turn
(Questions to ask yourself when scripture journaling)
What verses spoke to me strongly and powerfully from the scripture readings?
What is God saying to me in these verse or verses?
What does God want me to do today?
Journal prompts of the day
Do you believe the good news of God's GRACE in Christ?
Have you received the good news of God's GRACE in Christ?
Are you living daily the good news of God's GRACE in Christ?
Vivo dives vitae in Christo. Live the RichLife in Christ.
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