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Friday, January 7, 2011

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St. Raymond of Penyafort


1 John 5:5-13
Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20
Luke 5:12-16

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the january blues

"Great crowds gathered to hear Him and to be cured of their maladies." —Luke 5:15

With only three more days left in the Christmas season, we may feel that Christmas has passed us by. We may have had high hopes for Christmas yet been disappointed. We may feel rejected and sinking deeper into a cold January depression. Nonetheless, the Lord has saved the best of Christmas till last (see Jn 2:10). We can receive the full glory of Christmas at the end of the Christmas season even if we've messed up Christmas so far (see Mt 20:12).

We must be like the "man full of leprosy," come to Jesus, bow down to the ground, and say: "Lord, if You will to do so, You can cure me" (Lk 5:12). Jesus will stretch out His hand to touch us (Lk 5:13). We will be cured, receive Christ, have Christmas, and be empowered for the new year.

"The testimony is this: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever possesses the Son possesses life; whoever does not possess the Son of God does not possess life. I have written this to you to make you realize that you possess eternal life — you who believe in the name of the Son of God" (1 Jn 5:11-13).

Prayer:  Jesus, if not for You...

Promise:  "Who, then, is conqueror of the world? The one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." —1 Jn 5:5

Praise:  St. Raymond heeded God's call and at age forty-seven became a Dominican.

Reference:  (For a related teaching, order our tape The Necessity of Confession for Renewal on audio AV 70-1 or video V-70.)

Rescript:  †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, May 28, 2010

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