St. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians to encourage them to stay strong in faith. To share with them Jesus has a plan to come back someday. He will come again in all His glory and take all the faithful with Him. Stay strong, pure and love God and one another as God has loved you. We should be inspired to keep strong in our faith and encourage each other as we continue to build His kingdom and His church.
Sunday, July 18:
1 Thessalonians 3:13
13 "so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. [Amen.]"
- I wonder how we strengthen our hearts.
- I wonder how we become more Holy.
Monday, July 19:
1 Thessalonians 4: 9
9 "On the subject of mutual charity you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another."
- I wonder how we grow in love for one another.
- I wonder how we show our love to others.
Tuesday, July 20:
1 Thessalonians 5: 23
23 "May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
- I wonder what it means to be blameless.
- I wonder how we prepare for Jesus to come.
Now we move into the book of Exodus which covers a number of major events in the life of the Jews. It reveals God as the all-powerful maker of all things, as redeemer, and as teacher. The historical moments recorded were instrumental in establishing how the Jews, and Christians after them, would worship God. It is impossible to overstate the importance of this book for Catholics, for it is here that the foundation of the liturgy and the Eucharist are established. God has provided the instructions for how to worship him and the means (sacrifice) by which to do it.
Wednesday, July 21
Exodus 1:7
7 But the Israelites were fruitful and prolific. They multiplied and became so very numerous that the land was filled with them.
- We are so blessed to have so many people to love.
- I wonder how we can be fruitful like the Israelites.
Thursday, July 22
Exodus 2:24-25
24 God heard their moaning and God was mindful of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
25 God saw the Israelites, and God knew….
- God hears His people’s prayers; I wonder what we can say to God today.
Friday, July 23
Exodus 3:2
2 There is the angel of the Lord appeared to him as fire flaming out of a bush. When he looked, although the bush was on fire, it was not being consumed.
- I wonder how an angel can appear like fire.
- I wonder what was special about the fire that it did not destroy the bush.
Saturday, July 24
Exodus 4:31
31 The people believed, and when they heard that the Lord had observed the Israelites and had seen their affliction, they knelt and bowed down
- I wonder what can help our belief in God.
- I wonder how we can help others to believe in God.
- I wonder how close to us is God, to know if we are happy or sad.
- I wonder how we could show God honor.