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Tuesday, July 30, 2019

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St. Peter Chrysologus


Exodus 33:7-11; 34:5-9, 28
Psalm 103:6-13
Matthew 13:36-43

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god's love wins

"As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him." —Psalm 103:13

I was blessed to be born into a family with a compassionate, loving father. So it is natural for me to understand the love of God the Father from my own life experience. As my own father had compassion on me and my siblings, I can grasp to some extent the love of my heavenly Father (Ps 103:13).

It is important for us fathers to love and have compassion on our children in a public way. It's not just your children who see and receive your fatherly love. Loving fathers also witness to a hurting world the love of God the Father for each of his children. When a father loves his children with compassion, someone may be watching who did not have a compassionate earthly father, and by seeing this fatherly love, that person may receive a deeper insight into God the Father's personal love for them.

God's love "is so great that it turns God against Himself, His love against His justice" (God is Love, Pope Benedict XVI, 10). God is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and of great kindness (Ex 34:6; Ps 103:8). Fathers, love your wives and children. Thereby you will enable a hurting world to glimpse what they most need to experience: the overflowing love of God the Father.

Prayer:  Father, I dedicate my life to showing Your merciful love to a world which desperately needs to experience it.

Promise:  "The Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as one man speaks to another." —Ex 33:11

Praise:  St. Peter Chrysologus (meaning "golden word") mastered the art of the short sermon. Thirteen centuries later the power of his preaching earned him a new title: Doctor of the Church.

Reference:  (This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)

(Presentation Ministries' Discipleship Retreats equip you to imitate, Christ in His character and mission. To see the schedule of retreats, visit www.presentationministries.com to see the variety of retreats we have throughout the year.)

Rescript:  †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, October 24, 2018

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