If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will
forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.
Psalms, Chapter 128, verse 1:9
Blessed are all who fear the LORD, and who walk in his ways.
Those who fear the Lord work to not react
to their feelings but act from the principle of God’s unconditional love to
empower others even at personal cost. They practice the three cardinal
virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity. The act of blessing works both ways
and all are bless’; both those who receive and those who give. This was
the lesson of the third day of Christmas; today in the song the 12 days of
Christmas the 4th day we sing of the Four Calling Birds which represent
the four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. During the upcoming year
it would make a worthy project to read them all. These gospels will help us to
be persons of courage. For Christmas my wonderful wife brought me three coffee mugs
on being 1) a man of courage 2) a man of strength and 3) a man of wisdom. It takes
courage to live out the gospels. Here is what is on the courage mug: Blessed is
the man who faces his fears honestly, holds on to hope passionately, and seeks
others readily for help, reassurance, and love.
Be
strong and courageous…the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.-Joshua 1:9
Today is the Feast of the Holy Innocents who were
killed by Herod in his search to kill the baby King who was born in Bethlehem.
What persons are like Herod? All those who destroy children, in
body or in soul; for example unmanly men who are cruel to their wives while
with child, who strike them, incite them to anger, or terrify them; heedless
parents who neglect their little ones, who do not take pains to keep them clean
and healthy; those corrupt and godless women who destroy the fruit of their
shame either before or after birth, and while yet unbaptized. But more
cruel than all these, and even than Herod himself, are they who scandalize
little children by impure conversations, by indecent songs, by acts of impurity
in their presence, or by inciting them to the like; for thereby they plunge the
souls of the children into destruction.
Today is also an excellent day for Father’s and Mother’s to bless their children.
Blessing
O Lord, Jesus Christ, Who didst embrace and lay thy hands upon the little
children when they came to thee, and didst say to them: "Suffer little
children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for the kingdom of heaven is
theirs, and their angels always see the face of my Father," — look with a
Father's eye upon the innocence of these children and their parents' devotion,
and bless them this day through our ministry. By thy grace and goodness let
them make progress in desiring thee, loving thee, fearing thee, obeying thy
commandments — thus coming to their destined home, through thee, Saviour of the
world, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit livest and reignest, God,
forever and ever. Amen.
Today I will ask the Lord to bless all my seven children! (Claire,
Christopher, Candace, Dara, Rachel, Nicole and Vincent) Also my step children!
(Kelly, Ryan and Nathan)
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