More and More
Dearest Father, thank You for using me as a channel of Your GRACE to reach more and more people so that, all together, more and more prayers of Thanksgiving will we offer to Your glory.
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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: Second Corinthians 4: 7-15
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 116: 10-11, 15-16, 17-18
Alleluia: Philippians 2: 15d, 16a
Gospel: Matthew 5: 27-32
Reading 1
2 Corinthians 4:7-15
[7] But we have this precious treasure [the good news about salvation] in [unworthy] earthen vessels [of human frailty], so that the grandeur and surpassing greatness of the power will be [shown to be] from God [His sufficiency] and not from ourselves.
[8] We are often troubled, but not crushed; sometimes in doubt, but never in despair;
[9] there are many enemies, but we are never without a friend; and though badly hurt at times, we are not destroyed.
[10] At all times we carry in our mortal bodies the death of Jesus, so that his life also may be seen in our bodies.
[11] Throughout our lives we are always in danger of death for Jesus' sake, in order that his life may be seen in this mortal body of ours.
[12] This means that death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
[13] The scripture says, “I spoke because I believed.” In the same spirit of faith, we also speak because we believe.
[14] We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus to life, will also raise us up with Jesus and take us, together with you, into his presence.
[15] All this is for your sake; and as God's grace reaches more and more people, they will offer to the glory of God more prayers of thanksgiving.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 116:10-11, 15-16, 17-18
R.(17a) To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
I believed, even when I said,
"I am greatly afflicted";
I said in my alarm,
"No man is dependable."
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
O LORD, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
Alleluia
Philippians 2:15d, 16a
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Shine like lights in the world,
as you hold on to the word of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Matthew 5:27-32
[27] “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’
[28] But now I tell you: anyone who looks at a woman and wants to possess her is guilty of committing adultery with her in his heart.
[29] So if your right eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell.
[30] If your right-hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose one of your limbs than for your whole body to go to hell.
[31] “It was also said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.’
[32] But now I tell you: if a man divorces his wife, for any cause other than her unfaithfulness, then he is guilty of making her commit adultery if she marries again; and the man who marries her commits adultery also.
Dearest Father,
Thank You for using me as a channel of Your GRACE to reach more and more people so that, all together, more and more prayers of Thanksgiving will we offer to Your glory.
2 Corinthians 4:15 GNBDK
[15] All this is for your sake; and as God's grace reaches more and more people, they will offer to the glory of God more prayers of thanksgiving.
Imagine this message of God's GRACE, God's Riches At Christ's Expense, being received and lived every day by a billion people, living the rich and satisfying life in Christ, consistently achieving what God wants them to be, do, and have, living extremely blessed and blessing many others too, and all offering more prayers of Thanksgiving to the glory of God.
How awesome would that be?
Heaven on earth.
That's my vision for SpeakChrist RichLife Club.
So my mission every day is to live and share this good news of God's GRACE.
I want more and more people, at least a billion, living the rich and satisfying life that Jesus came to give us, no matter what our circumstances may be.
Because our circumstances do not define who we are and what our inheritance is in Christ, as children and heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.
It's just like what St. Paul described in today's First Reading.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 GNBDK
[8] We are often troubled, but not crushed; sometimes in doubt, but never in despair; [9] there are many enemies, but we are never without a friend; and though badly hurt at times, we are not destroyed.
Our bank accounts may show almost zero, as mine does just today; our body may feel aches and pains; our family may be bickering and broken; our enemies may abound; we may experience loneliness, doubts, fears, anxieties, etc; death may come knocking at our door.
Yet, if we continue to live in Christ - remain in Him and let His words remain in us - we are like clay pots holding this great treasure so that God's power may be displayed through our weakness.
2 Corinthians 4:7 GNBDK
[7] Yet we who have this spiritual treasure are like common clay pots, in order to show that the supreme power belongs to God, not to us.
That is our confidence in Christ.
We have this great surpassing treasure that is Christ dwelling in us, becoming a treasure chest of hope from where we could get all the riches of God's glory that He has prepared for His people.
This is the secret that God now wants the world to know.
Colossians 1:26-27 TPT
[26] There is a divine mystery—a secret surprise that has been concealed from the world for generations, but now it’s being revealed, unfolded and manifested for every holy believer to experience. [27] Living within you is the Christ who floods you with the expectation of glory! This mystery of Christ, embedded within us, becomes a heavenly treasure chest of hope filled with the riches of glory for his people, and God wants everyone to know it!
So every day, I seek God for His revelation of Himself and expression of the rich life He wants us to live, and then I write about it so you too will share in God's revelation, and together we will live daily God's Riches at Christ's Expense, offering more and more prayers of Thanksgiving to the glory of God.
Will you join me?
You can share this article, if you found it helpful to you in any way, for a start. 🥰
If you want to experience God's GRACE daily so you can't help but offer back more and more prayers of Thanksgiving to His glory, 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 🤟
More and more
Each and every day,
God's GRACE to live by,
His GRACE to share.
So more and more
Thanksgiving be offered
To the glory of His name.
Free 🎁 for you.
More and more
of God's GRACE and care.
God's Riches At Christ's Expense,
More and more to share.
Say Amen!🙏
2 Corinthians 4:15 GNBDK
[15] All this is for your sake; and as God's grace reaches more and more people, they will offer to the glory of God more prayers of thanksgiving.
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
Are you setting yourself up to experience more and more of God's GRACE?
Does every day give you more and more of God's GRACE?
Are you sharing God's message of GRACE to more and more people with the life you are living?
Vivo dives vitae in Christo. Live the RichLife in Christ.
Join our SpeakChrist RichLife Club
Helping dreamers, like me, live the RichLife in Christ daily so we can go from being tired doubters and dabblers to becoming thankful believers and doers consistently achieving what God wants us to be, do, and have, without struggle, becoming God’s sources and symbols of blessing, extremely blessed and blessing others.