Daily Bible Readings

August 25, 2011
1st READING

Here we see the great love that the Apostle Paul had for the Christians at Thessalonica. He labored in prayer for them, that God will remedy any deficiencies in their faith. We can see from Paul’s example how our prayers can greatly help others in growing in virtue and overcoming any weaknesses.

1 Thessalonians 3:7-13
7 We have been reassured about you, brothers and sisters, in our every distress and affliction, through your faith. 8 For we now live, if you stand firm in the Lord. 9 What thanksgiving, then, can we render to God for you, for all the joy we feel on your account before our God? 10 Night and day we pray beyond measure to see you in person and to remedy the deficiencies of your faith. 11 Now may God himself, our Father, and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, 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.

P S A L M

Psalms 90:3-4, 12-13, 14, 17
R: Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
3 You turn man back to dust, saying, “Return, O children of men.” 4 For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday, now that it is past, or as a watch of the night. (R) 12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. 13 Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! (R) 14 Fill us at daybreak with your kindness, that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days. 17 And may the gracious care of the Lord our God be ours; prosper the work of our hands for us! Prosper the work of our hands! (R)

G O S P E L

A familiar theme in the Gospels is to be alert and to stay awake. This is an inner attitude of prayerful attention to God and to His action in our lives. It can only be attained by detachment from the many concerns that absorb our attention and energy. We can grow in this alertness to God and His Spirit by prayer and fasting. We should seek to fast on Fridays from some food or other activity that we like so that we can give ourselves more completely to God.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
Stay awake! For you do not know when the Son of Man will come.
R: Alleluia, alleluia
Isaiah 21-24
Matthew 24:42-51
42 Jesus said to his disciples: “Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. 43 Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. 44 So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come. 45 Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so. 47 Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is long delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with drunkards, 50 the servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour 51 and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

my reflections
t h i n k : We can grow in alertness to God and His Spirit by prayer and fasting.


God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
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T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Isaiah 21-24