Page Title

THE
UNREPENTANT

Psa 138:7
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou dost
preserve my life; thou dost stretch out thy hand against
the wrath of my enemies, and thy right hand delivers
me.

THE SICK

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an
end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

You then, my son, be strong in the grace
that is in Christ Jesus,
and what you have heard from me
before many witnesses
entrust to faithful men
who will be able to teach others also.
Share in suffering as a good soldier
of Christ Jesus.
2Timothy 2:1-3

THE
UNREPENTANT

THE SICK

EIGHTH
MONTH
CONTINUED

THIS MONTH, AS WE DWELL UPON GOD,THE FATHER, SON AND
HOLY SPIRIT, OUR BLESSED TRINITY
AS JEHOVAH RAAH, OUR SHEPHERD,
LET US ALSO DWELL UPON THE FACT THAT ALL
PEOPLES OF THE WORLD ARE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

LET US COMBINE PRAYER, SCRIPTURE AND SPIRITUAL WORK
IN AN EFFORT TO ASK GOD TO BESTOW GRACE AND HELP UPON
OURSELVES AND UPON ALL THE CHILDREN OF GOD.

THE
UNREPENTANT

BLESSED TRINITY - FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT - OUR GOD,
THE DISTRACTIONS AND THE TEMPTATIONS OF THE WORLD ARE STRONG
AND MANKIND IS PRONE TO WEAKNESS BECAUSE OF OUR NATURE,
HELP THE UNREPENTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE ERROR OF THEIR WAYS;
ENCOURAGE RECONCILIATION WITH YOU AND CREATE WITHIN THEM A
FIERCE DETERMINATION TO ABIDE IN STEADFAST FAITHFULNESS TO YOU.

IF TODAY YOU HEAR GOD'S VOICE,
HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS.
Psalm 95:7

The Prodigal returns,
cast in bronze,
utterly naked
as he kneels
before that Love
which wrenches him
from the dust.

He is weak,
this supplicant,
slight of frame,
stripped of pride
by fall
after repeated fall
into wantoness
and self-loathing.

Now, his arms reach up,
his head tilts back,
clasped by the one
to whom he clings,
the strong one
whose massive form
enfolds him
in sculpted security
and compassion.
Elizabeth-Anne Vanek 20th century

For this is how God loved the world: he gave his only son,
so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but
may have eternal life. For God sent his son into the world
not to judge the world, but so that through him the world
might be saved. John 3:16-17

Joseph Hart 18th Century

I HEARD THE VOICE OF JESUS SAY
"COME UNTO ME AND REST;
LAY DOWN, O WEARY ONE, LAY DOWN
YOUR HEAD UPON MY BREAST."
I CAME TO JESUS AS I WAS,
SO WEARY WORN AND SAD;
I FOUND IN HIM A RESTING PLACE,
AND HE HAS MADE ME GLAD.

I HEARD THE VOICE OF JESUS SAY,
"BEHOLD, I FREELY GIVE
THE LIVING WATER; THIRSTY ONE,
STOOP DOWN, AND DRINK, AND LIVE."
I CAME TO JESUS, AND I DRANK
OF THAT LIFE-GIVING STREAM;
MY THIRST WAS QUENCHED, MY SOUL REVIVED
AND NOW I LIVE IN HIM.

I HEARD THE VOICE OF JESUS SAY,
"I AM THIS DARK WORLD'S LIGHT;
LOOK UNTO ME, YOUR MORN SHALL RISE,
AND ALL YOUR DAYS BE BRIGHT."
I LOOKED TO JESUS, AND i FOUND
IN HIM MY STAR, MY SUN;
AND IN THAT LIGHT OF LIFE I'LL WALK
TILL TRAV'LING DAYS ARE DONE.
Horatius Bonar 19th Century

Make me to know thy ways, O LORD;
teach me thy paths.
Lead me in thy truth, and teach me,
for thou art the god of my salvation;
for thee I wait all the day long.
Be mindful of thy mercy,
O LORD,
And of thy steadfast love,
For they have been from of old..
Remember not the sins of my youth,
or my transgressions; according to thy
steadfast love remember me,
for thy goodness' sake, O LORD!
Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinner
in the way.
Psalm 25: 5-8

THE TAKING OF JESUS by CARAVAGGIO 1602
The National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland

I fled Him, down the arches of the years;
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears
I hid from Him, and under running laughter.
Up vistaed hopes I sped;
And shot, precipitated,
Adown Titanic glooms of chasmèd fears,
From those strong Feet that followed, followed after.
But with unhurrying chase,
And unperturbéd pace,
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,
They beat—and a Voice beat
More instant than the Feet—
“All things betray thee, who betrayest Me.”
The Hound of Heaven Francis Thompson
20th Century

Be persuaded, timid soul, that he has loved
you too much to cease loving you.
Archbishop Francois de la Mothe Fenelon
18th century

THE SICK

BLESSED TRINITY - FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT - OUR GOD,
GAZE WITH MERCY UPON THE SICK; EASE THEIR PAIN;
HEAL THEM IF IT IS YOUR WILL; STRENGTHEN THEM AND LET THEM REALIZE
THAT BY THEIR SUFFERING THEY BEAR THE IMAGE OF JESUS CHRIST.

"Can a woman forget her sucking child,
that she should have no compassion on the son of her
womb?
Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.
Isaiah 49:15

His lordly couch was the hard Cross,
on which he leapt with such joy and burning love,
and with such delight, as never a bridegroom took on couch of ivory and silk.
On this couch of love, he is still waiting for thee with desire unutterable.
But if now thou desirest to be his bride, thou must utterly renounce all delight,
and approach to him on his little bed of sorrow, on which love had placed him,
and join thyself to his side, which love hath wounded.
St. Mechthild of Hachborn 13th Century

Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and
let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and
the Lord will raise him up. James 5:15a,b

Great God, through Jesus Christ, You have revealed Yourself to
be a God of the suffering. The Lord Jesus showed us ever so
clearly that You are not a divinity who watches suffering from
the safety of some heavenly clime. Rather, You have proven
beyond any doubt that You are near to those who suffer.

And some day, You will explain to me and all of humankind of
every age the "why" and the purpose and necessity of all
suffering. Of every little pain. Of every serious illness. Of
every heartrendering loss.

Our Lord Jesus Christ caused the deaf to hear, the blind to see,
the lame to walk. He cast out evil spirits, giving His own in
their place. He forgave sins, giving sinners grace so that they
would sin no more. It was the same Jesus in whom You were
well pleased.

This is my assurance that I, too, shall be healed. The time and
the place of my healing are hidden from my eyes. That
knowledge is part of the mystery of suffering itself.

Until my healing comes, Lord, give me your grace so that I may
accept my suffering. Give me your strength so that I will not
despair. Give me your love so that my suffering may bring me
closer to you, the origin and source of all love. Amen.
Author unknown

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to
an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23

When one lives virtuously and suffers affliction in this life,he will in a
double sense be following in the footsteps of Christ.
St. Peter Damian 11th Century

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words.
And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of the
Spirit,
because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him,
who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:26-28

We must flee like deer running to the fountains of water.
The thirst which David felt, let our soul too feel.
Who is that fountain?
David said, For with you is the fountain of life."
My soul must say to the fountain,
"When shall I come and behold your face?
For the fountain is God.
Ambrose of Milan 4th century

Souls that really love truth and God cannot endure the
smallest intermission of that love,but are wholly and always (as it were)
fixed to his cross,
watching the sense of spiritual improvement taking place in themselves.
Macarius 4th century

PRESS LINK TO CONTINUE THIS MONTH.

Sing praises to the Lord,
O you his saints,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger is but for a
moment, and his favor is for a
lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
Psalm 30: 5-6

AMAZING GRACE Vocal: Buddy Tangney
Text: Stanza 1-4 John Newton; Stanza 5 John Rees
Tune: New Britain CM: Virginia Harmony 1831;