“He (Jesus) is able once and forever, to save those who come to God through Him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.” (Hebrews 7 v 25 NLT) Adoration, Conversation, Salvation, Consecration, Four words summarising prayer. Prayer is where we learn we belong to You, The holy Three, the Trinity, And develop an incessant, insistent urge To seek the holiness which delights You. Prayer maintains and extends a heavenly kingdom. Here on earth in our very midst, as set up by Jesus. “He is the kind of high priest we need because He is holy and blameless, unstained by sin.” (Hebrews 7 v 26 NLT) Our holiness happens because prayer connects us with the Lord Jesus, By means of the Spirit of His holiness, Taking us to stand before the throne of mercy, Admiration, Contrition, Redemption, Veneration, Four more words summarising prayer. Because prayer invites the Lord Jesus To be active within and amongst us, Securing by the Holy Spirit, our happiness and holiness. All to the great glory of the Lord God Almighty. “And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all His glory.” (Colossians 3 v 2 NLT) “...the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you an assurance of sharing His glory.” (Colossians 1 v 27 NLT) Please pray because “Now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for He is the One who meditates for us a better covenant with God, based on better promises.” (Hebrews 8 v 6 NLT) 22.01.21 Sue O’Donnell

“Everyone thoughtful holds Him in awe.” (Job 37 v 24 TNJB) Stunned silence is the result of Meeting with the Lord God in: Reverence Anticipation Adoration Admiration Surprise Amazement Awe Astonishment All heaven sent To add another dimension to life. For here we can speak from the heart, Without words, except formed in the silent mind, When we find we are overwhelmed By the sheer majesty of God, Or stunned by His authority, Or lost for words amidst beauty, Or simply happily content in His company. How welcome silence is in this noisy world. Because in the silence of solitary prayer We meet with You most Holy Trinity, to greet You warmly. “Silence...is the mother of prayer. It frees the prisoner, it guards the divine flame; it watches over reasoning; it protects the sense of penitence.” (“Stairway to Paradise” John Climacus) “Silence is golden.” (Well known adage) Lord, time set aside for prayer is invaluable to us, thank You. “Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they will still be praising You,” (Psalm 84 v 4) giving thanks for the multitude of blessings. “Blessed is the (wo)man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage.” (Psalm 84 v 5) Dearest Father, we travel towards You by calling on the Lord Jesus, as the Spirit of prayer alerts us to do this. Prayer enables us to feel an increase in our own awareness as to Your steadfast loving kindness. “They go from strength to strength” (v 7) as You instruct, lead, safeguard and guide us. “For a day in Your courts” any time spent in prayerful silence, “Is better than a thousand” (v 10) elsewhere, occupied with worldly matters. You grant us vision as to Your will and wisdom to know what to do to obey You. Please ever instruct us in Your ways, and lead us on the path You have laid out before us, in sending us a Saviour in the Lord Jesus and a Sanctifier in the Holy Spirit. Guide us in our daily decisions, that all we do is done to honour You, Your love the foundation of life, for this so inspires us. Watch over us. Let us grow in clearer awareness, of how our Father always works for the good of all who love Him, and show this through their friendship with the Lord Jesus. Holy Spirit, Guardian, of our souls and spirits, draw us ever closer to our Saviour Brother as You breathe Your love into us. Be with us in all the circumstance of daily life, because we pray and invite You to belong to us. Make us faithful servants able to praise our heavenly Father in all rejoicing, after we have repented of any wrongdoing. “A broken and contrite heart – these, O God, You will not despise.” (Psalm 51 v 17) Be pleased with our Spirit graced efforts to live to share in the Lord Jesus’ holiness, the results of prayer always being bountiful and beneficial. “Your testimonies are very sure; holiness adorns Your house, O LORD forever” (Psalm 93 v 5) and grants us a Saviour Brother, in whom we can offer You our life’s work and prayer. What an honour, what a privilege this is, thank You. May prayer ever increase our desire to live to give the Trinity all the glory by deeds well done, prayer genuinely and joyously offered, as You shield us. Prayer time is such a special time! “My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, and my soul which You have redeemed,” (Psalm 71 v 23) to make holy. You, Lord as a Trinity, have “Done great things for us, and we are glad.” (Psalm 126 v 3) Please continue to rescue us from our captivity to satan and the lure of the world with all its false values. “Where can I go from Your Spirit? “ (Psalm 139 v 7) and I do not want to! For “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God” (v 17) as the Holy Spirit shares these with us through developing our friendship with the Lord Jesus. This love alone warrants our reverence, our happy anticipation, as we set time aside to pray in all adoration and admiration, often about to be overpowered by further joy as our reverence deepens then emboldens. “Search me, O God, and know my heart.” (Psalm 139 v 23) It is awesome to realise You know this better than I do, for You formed all of us in love, for the sake of love. “Marvellous are Your works” of creation and re-creation by our salvation and redemption. “And that my soul knows very well”, (Psalm 139 v 14) thank You. As I pray “Try me and know my anxieties” (Psalm 139 v 23) and please help me to assuage these by drawing closer to Jesus, where His perfect love can cast out any fear. To my astonishment this happened last night when I awoke fretful and concerned. I drew near to my Saviour Brother and was quieted by being comforted. I am so grateful, thank You. Prayer definitely adds another dimension to life, that of enrichment. You open our eyes that we see wondrous things in Your law, thereby seeking reverence through obedience. As I pray, as anybody prays “See if there is any wicked way in me” (Psalm 139 v 24) in anybody, “And lead me in the way everlasting” (Cont) Please lead all the Lord Jesus’ followers home to the joys of the Trinity in heaven, an eternal blessing. For now, for the time being, let the Lord Jesus lead us, as the Holy Spirit fills us with faith’s conviction, trust, determination and sound dependence upon Your mercy, dearest Father. Let us call on the Holy Spirit as we contemplate our need, and the needs of the world in a concentration of silence, seeking wisdom and truth which are holy and entirely pleasing to You. May the Spirit ever remind us to surrender the day to the Lord Jesus very early on, that He is formed in us and us in Him, according to the power of holy love enabling us to dethrone ourselves. Jesus in us and us in Jesus, today and forever, love will flourish in all its superabundant power, its widest outreach as we are conformed to the divine love of our Saviour. This is Your favour, dearest Father, and we rejoice to discover this joy strengthens our faith, and makes it bolder as we act in Jesus’ name, ever the same name of love. Act in us Holy Spirit that all we desire, decide, do and say becomes holy, honourable and worthy, defending all aspects of life in His holiness from the cradle to the grave. Guard us through living in Jesus, Holy Spirit, Lord, that daily we live to give glory to our Father, as we live a life of prayer, this hope, peace and joy of love being the godly result. Keep us ever praying to seek after all that is holy, our work to this end also, that we spread the love of Jesus as life’s best motivation and highest dedication. Where we are imperfect, please overcome the lack. May we ever work to honour our Savour Brother, for He is the Prince of Peace, the love of heaven shaping us on earth, and drawing us ever nearer to the kingdom of love which Jesus built here amongst us, a foretaste of the eternal state of blessed happiness. When we are lost for words, maybe overwhelmed by a scene of beauty, or paying rapt attention by which we worship, or perhaps overcome by a sense of godly grace, that amazing grace that excites us from wretchedness, then Holy Spirit, Lord, pray in us, for us. What really matters is that we pray in all sincerity, wholeheartedly, whatever the cause or plea or petition or acclamation, and that we pray in Jesus’ name as Saviour Redeemer, that His love shines. May the Lord Jesus’ love empower us, His wisdom guard us, His truth guide us, His mercy affect us, His will inspire us, His hope be real to us, His peace motivate us, His joy pervade our every day. I ask this for we are in prayer, to be changed from glory to glory, all as a result of living in Jesus, by means of the Spirit, so as to delight and honour You, Father God, majestic Father. Jesus is Your gifted Word of Life and I thank and praise You, hoping to do so daily prayerfully, and by Christian service offering love and mercy, because whatever I do is done for You. Thank You for prayerful silence, time so very well spent by focussing totally on the Trinity, seeking to delight You, and finding graced help for our needy world, invaluable help given in so other way but by praying. For Jesus is Lord, Jesus is Word, Jesus is Life in all blessed fullness of Your saving plan of salvation, dearest Father. Jesus is our Redeemer, His and Your sanctifying Spirit restoring us by grace to favour. Thank You for prayer, whereby we can reach out and touch the divine presence residing in our heart and mind. This Your blessing of provision and protection. We find Jesus with us by the Holy Spirit, and we find You are with us to powerfully, profoundly bless us as long as we pray, as often as we pray. Thank You that time spent praying is never time wasted. For by prayer, the Spirit brings Jesus to us to transform, reform or newly focus the possibilities which arise out of faith, those matters You seek to bless. Prayer is richly, fully, profoundly beneficial! Everybody needs to try this for themselves to taste and see of Your goodness. Your steadfast loving kindness towards us. “(S)he who has a deceitful heart finds no good, and (s) who has a perverse tongue falls into evil.” (Proverbs 17 v 26) Lord, teach us to pray! A broken spirit will destroy us. But we have a Saviour who always responds to prayer, because of the enormity of His loving concern for us. The living hope who is the Lord Jesus, is love personified. This love is there to share, to repair our brokenness, to heal, restore and bless us by countless favour. Prayer connects us to this holy power of love in all its magnitude, an amazing force for good, even to the working of miracles. Prayer relates us to the love the Trinity dedicates to us. “The hand of our God is over all who seek Him for their protection...” (Ezra 8 v 22 TNJB) “The Lord will grant you His grace and peace.” (Tobit 7 v 11 TNJB) “Extol His name, invoke it”! (Judith 16 v 1 TNJB) Prayer is our map, signpost, compass, anchor and life line, thank You! Jesus is our Brother, Saviour, Redeemer, Your Word, our Master, thank You! The Holy Spirit is our Safekeeper, Guardian, Helmsman, Purifier, Sanctifier, thank You! Father God we pray to praise You, to express our faith in words which esteem You. We are so grateful to know You as Deliverer and Protector, the God of pure love and eternal mercy, the hope Gifter, peace Giver, joy’s enhancement, all experienced as we pray. “You word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my eye,” (Psalm 119 v 105) Your Spirit our reminder and Your Son the One who emphasises this truth. “ ‘You will remain in My love if you obey what I have commanded you...’” (John 115 v 10 The Truth) “ ‘I have told you this because I want you to have within you the same joy that is in Me. I want you to be absolutely full of My joy” (John 15 v 11 The Truth) based on the reverence of obedience, shaped by prayer’s effectiveness. How does prayer work? “God searches our hearts and He certainly knows what He causes His Spirit to pray for us as His saints, the people He has set apart for Himself. His Spirit will always pray in and through us according to God’s will,” (Romans 8 v 27 The Truth) and our loving respect for the Trinity. “We can be sure then, that in everything God is working for the welfare of those who love Him, those He has called according to His purpose,” (Romans 8 v 28 The Truth) made clear in the life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus to be our forever Saviour, the living hope, to whom, through whom, together with whom we must pray! Let us then rejoice to make a time of silence in which to pray, especially to offer here our praise and thanksgiving for the new life we are richly blessed to be living in the Lord Jesus, when animated by the Holy Spirit. Amen. 15.11.20 Sue O’Donnell

“One cannot seek God after a while except inside a greater density of interior silence in prayer, where there is no help from words, no distinct utterance that would predictably cast open a door.” (Father Donald Haggerty) Stop. Pray. Listen. “The soul can only wait in a poverty of speech...” (Cont) Look. Wait. Hope. “To wait upon God without words can seem to assume His absence of the soul.” (Cont.) Trust. Depend. Rely upon. “But the silence is a true hiding place for God, and He has His own secret ways of speaking in this silence.” (Cont.) Yearn. Attend. Believe. “In the deeper layers of silence, His presence is a mysterious power drawing the soul’s poverty and love.” (Concluded) “Learn where knowledge is, where strength, where understanding, and so learn where length of days is, where life, where the light of the eyes and where peace.” (Baruch 3 v 14 TNJB) Father God, Lord Almighty, our eternal hope, peace and joy, in the silence of waiting upon You prayerfully, may we receive whatever direction, correction, inspiration or information You wish to give us. Thank You that You always do this in a recognisable way through Christ Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, according to Your timing, not ours. As we pray, may we concentrate attentively, be expectant hopefully, accepting that at times we will be met only with further silence. But this does not indicate Your absence. What is this for? What does Your silence mean? Is it to increase our trust and expectancy and to develop our hope? Thank You that living by faith means nothing is impossible to You, for You, nor with You. “As by your will you first strayed from God, so now turn back and search for Him ten times harder; for as He has been bringing down these disasters on you,” (Baruch 4 v 27, 28 TNJB) - could we ascribe Covid 19 to this because the world as a whole has lost sight Your commands, Lord God? “So will He rescue you and give you eternal joy,” (v 29) but we have to pray and wait for Your answers so as to rejoice in Your glory. As thankfully, “We walk by faith and not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5 v 7) We must keep praising amidst our everyday busyness, stop and listen for the Holy Spirit’s stirrings offering us Your small voice of calm in the stillness. We must look at our world and see what is happening that we need to pray about, never losing hope in the face of delayed answers. For You are never absent, but with us in Christ Jesus. Let us then learn to trust more readily, depend upon our Saviour Brother fully, and rely upon the safeguarding and guidance of the Holy Spirit of prayer. Let us yearn to discern when You are speaking and attend to this be it through our heart, our mind, our will or our conscience. Your answers will be given. We may have to wait what seems to us a very long time indeed, realising it is not up to counting, for You, Father, make eternity timeless! If we yearn for answers, they will come. “You must not forget this one thing, dear friends: a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake.” (2 Peter 3 v 8, 9 NLT) Let us pray, wait, believe and sooner or later receive, realising our souls’ poverty without prayer, therefore resolved to pray more ardently, frequently and conscientiously, ever looking to the Lord Jesus, by means of the Spirit. Let these times of silence build us up in holy love’s amazing, life changing, life enhancing power, going on from strength to strength. The reality we must ever, ever seek is the Lord of love, the Lord Jesus, actively alive in us through the inspiration and direction of the Holy Spirit, so as the body of Christ Jesus we act. We pray wait, trust, attend and act, all to the visible, audible, tangible glory Lord God, maintaining and extending the Lord Jesus’ kingdom on earth, a foretaste of heaven. We must remember that the darkness surrounding prayer awaiting Your answer, can shroud a mystery of all that is yet to be and will be the best for humanity, as long as we keep praying dependently, our gaze fixed on the love of Christ Jesus, love manifest by You, merciful Father. We are praying to, through and with the King of Glory, calling upon majestic, most marvellous, wonder working authority as worked by the Holy Spirit. Praise ever be to the Almighty Trinity, honouring us by their presence. Prayer expresses our trust and dependency, and confident, hopeful expectation with warmest thanks and highest praise offered daily. Holy love never fails us, for it is trustworthy, being true. This is what we see, hear and joyously experience in Christ Jesus, Light of the world, our Saviour, our Master, our Lord, Your living and abiding Word, according to the zealous Spirit. Let us never tire of setting aside time, finding a place of silence where we can be still, reflect, concentrate and connect with the Holy Trinity, expectantly. Thank You for placing the drive to seek to find You within our heart and mind. “The LORD is His memorable name. So you, by the help of your God return.” (Hosea 12 v 5, 6) We are in continuous need of Your Spirit for this, eternal Father. Thank You that the Holy Spirit will always help us to “Observe mercy and justice and wait on your God continually,” (v 6) or as another translation says: “Act with love and justice, and always depend on Him.” (v 6 NLT) We must learn to wait on Your answers dearest Father, so as not to run on ahead of You. We learn through our experience of the Lord Jesus’ friendship, that Your mercies never fail us, for Your love is steadfast. “Mercies begin afresh each morning,” (Lamentations 3 v 23 NLT) therefore we can afford to wait on Your answers. “I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him! The LORD is good to those who depend upon Him, to those who search for Him.” (v 24, 25) May the Holy Spirit enable us to be faithful to prayer, all manner of prayer because all types are essential, vital for mankind’s wellbeing. “So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD.” (v 26) “And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of His discipline. Let them sit alone in silence beneath the LORD’s demands,” (v 27, 28) grateful for this faith building opportunity. “O my people, trust in Him at all times. Pour out your heart to Him, for God is our refuge.” (Psalm 62 v 8 NLT) “Return, O LORD, and rescue me. Save me because of Your unfailing love.” (Psalm 6 v 4 NLT) I do not want to live without the joyous life enriching, peace giving, hope building relationship with You, Father God, as a Trinity. “Be sure to fear the LORD and faithfully serve Him.” (1 Samuel 12 v 24 NLT) Your command is my wish, all thanks to the impact of the Holy Spirit, making the Lord Jesus the main focus and daily purpose of service in my life. Please maintain this. “Think of all the wonderful things He has done for you.” (Cont) It is good to try and count the blessings, including looking for new ones. Blessings acknowledged help me when there is a silence in response to prayer. Also, the blessings should be a two way process, in that as You bless us Lord God, we hope to bless You through our faith’s practices and outreach as framed by the love of Jesus and led by the Spirit. “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ,” (Ephesians 1 v 3 NLT) in the inseparable bond of holy love. “What joy for those whose record You have cleared of guilt LORD, whose lives are lived in complete honesty,” (based on Psalm 32 v 2 NLT) trust, and dependency on the Almighty Trinity. “I said to myself, ‘I will confess my rebellion to the LORD,” (v 5) a significant form of prayer, “And You forgive me! All my guilt is gone. Therefore, let all the godly pray to You while there is still time...” (v 6) Time is such an important element to us. All we really have is this point in time to express our love in the best way we can, seeking to delight and honour You, Eternal Father, dear Jesus, Holy Spirit, Lord and Benefactor. Those who desert You are lost to the opportunity of living a fulfilled life, a truly worthwhile, ever blessed existence, a foretaste of the joyous happiness in heaven. I ask that the Holy Spirit calls them back or introduces them to our Saviour Brother for the first time. Oh how well I remember our first meeting, it makes me want to tell the world about the wonder of Your love and mercy! Holy love is to be shared. “Whom have I in heaven but You? I desire You more than anything on earth. My heart may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever.” (Psalm 73 v 25, 26 NLT) I ever hope to thank You, Lord, grateful for the amazing happenings within my life. “Everything You do reveals Your glory and majesty” as a Trinity of love and mercy “Whose righteousness never fails.” (based on Psalm 111 v 3 NLT) “He causes us to remember His wonderful works” (v 4) and that is why when I need to wait for an answer to prayer, I can remain confident in faith and simply keep praying, expectant and hopeful of Your grace and mercy. Having ransomed our life from the grave, going to incredible, extraordinary lengths to do this in the sacrifice of Jesus’ holiness, You have guaranteed Your covenanted love with us forever. Jesus is our Forever Saviour. We have a forever Saviour and the eternal Spirit to spur us on, all according to Your will and wish sovereign Lord. What a holy, awe inspiring name is that of the Trinity, whilst to reverence You, makes us wise.! “Let all that I am praise You, LORD,” Father, Son and Holy Spirit. “With my whole heart I will praise Your holy name. Let all that I am praise You LORD; may I never forget the good things You have done for me.” (based on Psalm 103 v 1, 2 NLT) And may I never cease to pray. I come into the silence expectantly, although not ever knowing what direction my prayer will take, only that I am sure prayer is the basic tool of our Christian faith. “Let all that I am praise the LORD” (v 22) together with all that I hope to become. Yes, “Let all that I am praise the LORD, O LORD my God how great You are! You are robed with honour and majesty” (Psalm 104 v 1 NLT) and I bow low in prayer before You, delighting to be able to do so. Thank You for everything. Amen. 08.02.21 Sue O’Donnell

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High.” (Psalm 92 v 1 NIV) The God of love does not just show love, For He is love itself, The fullness of which we find in Christ Jesus. Experience His friendship in holiness And life is radically changed. Changed because we move away from self-centredness, The basis of all the sin that ever was, Is currently and ever will be, our selfishness. Pure love obliterates this firmly, finally. Love is active, protective, effective when holy. “For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3 v 16 NLT) This love calls forth our worship. We offer back to our Father the love of Christ Jesus. For all our good is in the life and death Of Christ Jesus, His life given to us freely in all holiness. This love purifies, transforms and sanctifies. For such love is rich in merciful forgiveness, Our Saviour Brother is the Healer Restorer. His victory at the †, an offering of love entirely Wins forgiveness for us, love paying sins’ penalty. Our defence is the power of merciful love graciously given. “When they call on Me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue them and honour them, I will reward them with a long life and give them My salvation.” (Psalm 91 v 15, 16 NLT) Such love is gifted us in the Bread of heaven, The living Bread come down to nourish our faithfulness. The † becomes the tree of life in this holy sacrament, Giving fruit in life giving prayer And in deeds of kindness, justice and mercy towards all. All godly efforts made in Jesus’ name are blessed, In God’s time, in God’s way, when we make ready. To become ready, we simply have to keep praying, Asking for The Spirit of blessing to impact upon us. He turns the world into a more lovingly, worshipping society. “And I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children.” (Isaiah 44 v 3 NLT) “The godly will flourish ...For they are planted to the LORD’s own house, they flourish in the courts of our God.” (Psalm 92 v 12, 13 NLT) Let us pray with thanksgiving for each and every blessing made ours in Christ Jesus. Let us pray with thanksgiving for the season of Lent with its uplifting focus on the † of Christ Jesus and all this accomplished. Let us pray because our Father “Has made it possible for us to be right and acceptable in His eyes, but this has nothing to do with religious law,” (Romans 3 v 21 The Truth) which we continually fail to adhere to. Let us pray with rejoicing that our merciful Father “Provided the gift of righteousness!” (v 22) Let us pray to proclaim our right standing as secured for us, having been set “...Free from the guilt of sin and all condemnation, but only through faith in Jesus Christ.” (v 22 cont) Let us pray confidently and expectantly as “This righteousness, this total acceptance by God, is His gift to all who believe in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.” (v 22) Let us pray with thanksgiving for each and every aspect of love’s fullness, as shown to us by Christ Jesus, in the Holy Spirit. Let us pray with warmest thanksgiving to exalt and esteem our ever merciful Father of love, total love. Let us pray for the joy of knowing the Lord Jesus as Saviour and Master. Let us pray in appreciation of all the Holy Spirit’s efforts to purify and sanctify our love in response to the amazing, utterly life changing power of holy love. Amen. 18.02.21 Sue O’Donnell

“Sanctify yourselves and be holy, for I am the Lord Your God.” (Leviticus 20 v 7 TNJB) It is as I pray I learn Your way, Lord. So can say: Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of God, Word of God, Bless us! King of kings, Lord of lords, Risen Lord, Ascended, glorified, Lord, Bless us! Christ the King, Prince of Peace, Our Master, Our Brother, Bless us! God’s Son, The Holy One, Faith’s Alpha, Faith’s Omega, Bless us! Our Saviour, Our Redeemer, Our Restorer, Our Renewer, Bless us! Yours is the holiness We need, We plead for, We hope for. Yours is the righteousness Lord Jesus, Perfect Son, Man and God, We seek after. For You alone Are God’s way, God’s truth. God’s life, Freely gifted us At Your †. Holy Lord, Living and true, All love, All compassion, All mercy, All forgiveness, Ever faithful to us, Wee exalt You, We esteem You. We extol You, Lord Jesus, Our hope, Our peace, Our joy. “The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.” (Psalm 145 v 18) Believers in Christ Jesus, Are reborn every dawn, How wondrous is this! Each new day Coming your way, Is God given Filled with opportunity To do good, To serve You, Lord Jesus In the majesty Of all Your love, all holy love. “You will keep My laws and put them into practice, for it is I, the Lord, who makes you holy.” (Leviticus 20 v8 TNJB) “If indeed I enjoy Your favour, please show me Your ways, so I understand You and continue to enjoy Your favour...” (Exodus 33 v 13 TNJB) Lord, send forth Your Spirit, we shall be re-created. And You will restore the face of the earth. Thank You for the grace which enables us, as believer’s in Christ Jesus, to call on the working power of the godly life giving Spirit. Thank You that the primary work of the Spirit is to convict us of sin, whilst showing us our urgent need of a Saviour, a divine Healer. Thank You that the Holy Spirit diverts our attention away from worldly matters, to reflect more upon our eternal wellbeing, asking ‘Where and how do we find this’? Thank You that the Holy Spirit shows us very clearly that the answer lies in knowing the Lord Jesus as our personal Saviour, and thereby turning back to joyfully acknowledge this love, such a mercy, to our heavenly Father. Jesus, our Saviour Brother is our worship, our healing, our well being, and our entry into the eternal joy of heaven’s holy company. We must offer all praise in warm gratitude. Amen. 23.11.20 Sue O’Donnell

“Under the law I could not do what God wanted because of my weak, sinful nature. God dealt with that by sending His own Son to become Man, to live among sinners and then to make His life a sinless offering to God on their behalf.” (Romans 8 v 3 The Truth) This is the reasoning behind Lent. Lent is a period of serious preparation, A time to make ready to celebrate Easter. Easter is our rejoicing in the risen Lord Jesus, Our past forgiven and forgotten now, As all sinfulness was dealt with at His †. The sacrifice of a perfect life justified mercy. Our Father looks upon us compassionately, So as to honour His son’s efforts To bring us to seek and find the glory of the holy. During Lent we make extra preparations For the eternal heavenly joy awaiting us, Plus the stability of the Lord Jesus’ kingdom, Here now upon earth, established by His love for us. We have a lot to gain or lose, According to whether we believe in Christ Jesus or not. “ ‘What do you believe about the Christ, the Messiah’?” (Matthew 22 v 41 The Truth) “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” (Philippians 2 v 5 NLT) To this end, please pray. Please pray because the Lord Jesus tells us “ ‘I tell you the truth, when you failed to do any of those things for other people who I regard as My brothers (sisters), you refused to do them for Me’.” (Matthew 25 v 45 The Truth) Please pray because heaven awaits all who are fully devoted to offering loving service in Christ Jesus’ name. “ ‘The righteous...will enjoy eternal life’.” (Matthew 25 v 46 The Truth) Please pray for us to expose and deal with anything hidden within us that displeases, disgusts or distresses our Father. Please pray for the light of wisdom and a better understanding of society’s fallen condition and how we as individuals contribute to this. Please pray to trust in God’s mercy when the Holy Spirit brings to light all manner of things we would rather not own, or feel most ashamed of. Please pray for our trust in God’s mercy to be rewarded by cleansing and healing. Please pray to root out all spiritual decay within our own life, or that which you can recognise elsewhere. Please pray to manage the discomfort the truth as to ourselves can cause, seeing this as a means to a God given end, a success in seeking after greater holiness. Please pray for all who suffer physically, cognitively, emotionally, relationally and of course, spiritually. Please pray for our humility to face up to faults, to failings, repenting, resolved to do better in the future. Amen. 17.02.21 Sue O’Donnell

“ ‘Look, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands...” (Isaiah 49 v 16 TNJB) Learn from the Lord Jesus, God’s Son. Learn on His trustworthiness. Venture only when He is in charge. Enlarge opportunity prayerfully. Follow Christ Jesus faithfully. Fix your eyes on Him. Go where He leads. Pray to Him, He intercedes. Enlist His help daily. Trust this is given, and act accordingly. Plan and prioritise through the Holy Spirit. Look to the Spirit’s safekeeping. Ask for His help and guidance regularly. Be grateful for this prayerfully. Accept delays as part of God’s timing as training. “Beloved do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3 v 8) Ask ‘What am I to learn through this opportunity’, Seek encouragement to avoid being disheartened. Offer thanks when uplift is given. Rely upon Christ Jesus, God’s living abiding Word. Build up your faith’s strength in Him, by the Spirit. Realise the outcome will then be to God’s glory. Hand over to holy authority daily even hourly. Let Jesus work in you, with you, through you. Pray for this to happen. Expect godly results. Give thanks for ensuing blessings. Never be anxious. Know God is with us in Christ Jesus, by the Spirit. Experience this and seek to make good progress. “Hold on to life and it will be Your joy and crown eternally.” (A line from a hymn of J.S.B. Mansell 1811-1875) “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8 v 10) Please pray to gain access to the wisdom and truth found in the teaching, words and example of the Lord Jesus. Please pray to be enlightened by the Spirit of faith, the Paraclete. Please pray to be one of Jesus’ good works, making sound progress by being fully alert and attentive to the Holy Spirit. Please pray to act only under holy guidance, never independently. Please pray for Jesus’ holy, sovereign authority to be in complete charge of our endeavours and all new projects. Please pray to develop art of discernment. Please pray gratefully in anticipation of success. Please pray for God’s timing to be fruitful. Please pray before and throughout a project, ending with prayer of appreciation and thanks. Please pray confidently, never doubting the Lord God’s capability, even with the seemingly impossible. Please pray to hear God’s living Word of Christ Jesus, every time He speaks to us through the study of sacred Scripture, the stirring of will, imagination, resolve or conscience, recognising His voice, even if it is a whisper. Please pray every step of the way moving forwards, allowing mistakes, repenting, resolved to try harder and do better. Please pray appreciatively, expressing warmest thanks and highest praise of adoration, trying to recount the blessings! Amen. 13.02.21 Sue O’Donnell

“We receive each morning and each day in its entirety from the hands of God. God gives us a day which has been prepared for us by Him.” (“Living Without Calculating the Costs” Venerable Madeleine Delbrel Reflections in MAGNIFICAT 09.07.20 From “The Joy of Believing” Ralph Wright O.S.B. Tr 1993) Lord, in Your love You Manifest entirely in mercy, Save; Sanctify; Give; Forgive; Let live; Decree; Free; Set at liberty; Appeal; Repeal; Heal; Reach; Preach; Teach; Assess; Address; Possess; Will; Instil; Infill. “We are charged with an energy which is way out of proportion to the measure of our world: the faith that moves mountains, the hope that refuses to accept that something is impossible, the love which sets the world on fire.” (MAGNIFICAT 09.07.20 Reflection cont.) Lord Jesus, only in You, by Your Spirit, Can we live to give glory to God without counting the cost. For thankfully, ever lovingly, You Peruse; Use; Enthuse; Send; Lend; Defend; Move; Remove; Approve; Act; React; Attract; Appeal; Reveal; Seal; Will; Instil; Fill; Make; Overtake; Re-make; Mould; Embold; Enfold. To change us, Lord Jesus, Into something of Your likeness. “It is a masterpiece of a day that He has asked us to live ...If we had a little faith we would want to go down on our knees before the day that we experience as Christians.” (MAGNIFICAT 09.07.20 Reflection cont). “Each minute of our day, wherever we are supposed to be and whatever we are supposed to be doing, allows Christ to live through us in the midst of human beings.” (MAGNIFICAT 09.07.20 Reflection cont.) “So there is no more question of calculating the effectiveness of our time...We make our humble measurement of the will of God.” (MAGNIFICAT 09.07.20 Reflection concluded) “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven...’” (Matthew 6 v 9, 10) as we pray to fulfil Your will faithfully, daily. Let us then, pray ardently to proclaim the mighty works of Jesus who, by the Holy Spirit, called us out of darkness, into the wonderful light of God’s promises. Amen. 11.07.20 Sue O’Donnell

“Blessed be Jesus in the most holy Sacrament of the altar.” (From the Divine Praises) My Jesus, my Eucharist. My thoughts shaping, My hopes forming, My words developing, My actions performing, But only gradually. I long for a better likeness To the One held up before us. The Lord Jesus is perfectly holy, An exemplary example of how to live To give the best of self. He honours the Father fully. He obeys the Father entirely. He esteems the Lord God reverently. Oh to be like My Jesus, my Brother. “This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend.” (Song of Songs 5 v 16) Come, Holy Spirit, Take hold of me. Make the likeness not just a possibility, But an obvious reality. Shape me and strengthen me. Call forth my perseverance, And my longing to serve wholeheartedly. Be my energy and commitment. Heaven sent, be my devotion, My everything given to Jesus. Inhabit all my thoughts, So I am caught up in closest attention To becoming more holy, more worthy. Jesus has bought this noble status for us. May I ever venerate the †, And see in redemption bright hope for the future. “Blessed be Jesus Christ, the God and the Man.” (From the Divine Praises) “Blessed be the name of Jesus.” (From the Divine Praises) And “Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete,” (From the Divine Praises) as sent by the Father through the glorified Jesus, to unite us to the heart of Jesus and His unique offering in the Eucharist, ever renewing us, that our life may be of service, the Spirit having sanctified us. For this to happen please pray. Amen. 20.07.20 Sue O’Donnell