Our Lady of Angels Association

by Michael January 7, 2013

… let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.

Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood. You have also forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as

sons: “My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by him; for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges.”

In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to me, “Flee like a bird to the mountains!” See how the wicked string their bows, fit their arrows to the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the upright do? The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven. God’s eyes keep careful watch; they test all peoples. The Lord tests the good and the bad, hates those who love violence, and rains upon the wicked fiery coals and brimstone, a scorching wind their allotted cup. The Lord is just and loves just deeds; the upright shall see his face.

Psalm 11:1-7

Where can I hide from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee? If I ascend to the heavens, you are there; if I lie down in Sheol, your are there too. If I fly with the wings of dawn and alight beyond the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand hold me fast. If I say, “Surely darkness shall hide me, and night shall be my light” – Darkness is not dark for you, and night shines as the day. Darkness and light are but one. You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I praise you, so wonderfully you made me; wonderful are your works! My very self you knew; my bones were not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, fashioned as in the depths of the earth. Your eyes foresaw my actions; in your book all are written down; my days were shaped, before one came to be.

Psalm 139: 7-16

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says that he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Indeed someone might say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

James 2:14-18, 26

Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” There deeds are loathsome and corrupt; not one does what is right. God looks down from heaven upon the human race, to see if even one is wise, if even one seeks God. All have gone astray; all alike are perverse. Not one does what is right, not even one. Will these evildoers never learn? They devour my people as they devour bread; they do not call upon God. They have good reason to fear, though now they do not fear. For God will certainly scatter the bones of the godless. They will surely be put to shame, for God has rejected them.

Psalm 53:2-7

How great is your goodness, Lord, stored up for those who fear you. You display it for those who trust you, in the sight of all the people. You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from scheming enemies. You keep them in your abode, safe from plotting tongues. Blessed be the Lord, who has shown me wondrous love, and been for me a city most secure. Once I said in my anguish, “I am shut out from your sight.” Yet you heard my plea, when I cried out to you. Love the Lord, all you faithful. The Lord protects the loyal, but repays the arrogant in full. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

Psalm 31 continued – verses 20-25

Paul, an apostle not from human beings nor through a human being but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead, and all the brothers who are with me, to the churches of Galatia: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins that he might rescue us from the present evil age in accord with the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Galatians 1:1-5

For you yourselves know that our reception among you was not without effect. Rather, after we had suffered and been insolently treated, as you know, in Philippi, we drew courage through our God to speak to you the gospel of God with much struggle. Our exhortation was not from delusion or impure motives, nor did it work through deception. But as we were judged worthy by God to be entrusted with the gospel, that is how we speak, not as trying to please human beings, but rather God who judges our hearts. We did not appear with flattering speech, as you know, or with a pretext for greed – God is witness – nor did we seek praise from human beings, either from you or from others, although we were able to impose our weight as apostles of Christ.

I Thessalonians 2:1-7

My eager expectation and hope is that I shall not be put to shame in any way, but that with all boldness, now as always, Christ will be magnified in my body whether by life or by death. For to me life is Christ, and death is gain. If I go on living in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. And I do not know which I shall choose. I am caught between the two. I long to depart this life and be with Christ, for that is far better. Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit. And this I know with confidence, that I shall remain and continue in the service of all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your boasting in Christ Jesus may abound on account of me when I come to you again.

Philippians 1:20-26

But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. He gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ, so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery, from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming. Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with the proper functioning of each part, brings about the body’s growth and builds itself up in love.

Ephesians 4:7, 11-16

Praise the Lord, who is so good; God’s love endures forever; Praise the God of gods; God’s love endures forever; Praise the Lord of lords; God’s love endures forever. Who alone has done great wonders, God’s love endures forever; Who skillfully mad the heavens, God’s love endures forever; Who spread the earth upon the waters, God’s love endures forever; Who made the great lights, God’s love endures forever; The sun to rule the day, God’s love endures forever; The moon and stars to rule the night, God’s love endures forever.

Psalm 136: 1-9