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Friday, May 27, 2011

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St. Augustine of Canterbury


Acts 15:22-31
Psalm 57:8-10, 12
John 15:12-17

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how to know god well

"It is the decision of the Holy Spirit, and ours too." —Acts 15:28

Do you know God well enough to say what His decisions are? The way to know the Lord is first to become His slave. In this state, you do not know what the Lord is doing (Jn 15:15). Later, however, He will call you His friend after having made known to you all that He has heard from God the Father (Jn 15:15).

To know God is possible only by His grace. However, you can do several practical things to help you receive that grace.

If you pray with others who also know Jesus because they are His friends, you will be able to learn from these other members of the body of Christ and come to know Him even better.

If you go to Confession at least monthly, you will remove the sin which hinders communication with the Lord.

If you read the Bible daily and especially if you hear it read at daily Mass, you will get to know the Lord well.

If you simplify your life, you will remove a surprising number of distractions from your relationship with the Lord. As a guideline, try to cut back your possessions so that you have less stuff than you had ten years ago.

A great Friend is waiting. Get to know Him better and He will be your delight.

Prayer:  Father, may the goal of each day of my life be to know You better.

Promise:  "The command I give you is this, that you love one another." —Jn 15:17

Praise:  St. Augustine of Canterbury, a Benedictine monk sent by Pope Gregory the Great to convert the Anglo-Saxons, continued to rely upon the Lord through obstacles and roadblocks. In obedience and in faith, Augustine converted the King and numerous others to Christianity.

Reference:  (For a related teaching, order our tape on Developing a Deep Personal Relationship With Jesus on audio AV 52-1 or video V-52.)

Rescript:  †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, XXX 11, 2011

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