“He said ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weaknesses’.” (2 Corinthians 12 v 9 NLT) Disappointments, setbacks, failures, What can these do for us? Well, they can either undo us completely, Unravelling our faith all too quickly. Or they can be used as stepping stones Upon which we alight, tread briskly, Only to move on strengthened by the experience. For God is not a Promoter of failure, But a God of complete surprises, Who can turn anything, everything To our better progress in faith. We learn by experience always. The harder, tougher, the steeper the learning curve, The more we have to gain. Or to lose, if tackled incorrectly. We can adopt a positive or negative, ‘Woe is me, be sorry!’ attitude. Help is only ever a prayer away! “So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” (2 Corinthians 12 v 9 NLT) And our Father is just and merciful. If the fault lies with us, We must learn from our error. God will find a way to help us, To comfort and console us. If the fault is not ours, Then here is a lesson in forgiveness, An opportunity to take faith forwards. This too, calls for prayer. Prayer this time not seeking repair, But prayer expressing thanksgiving For all the compassionate help offered. It may take a time for our emotion’s stability, Our heart to catch up with our head. But to pray being Spirit led, is to trust In the mercy of God offered us, Because Christ Jesus suffered for us. Prayer extends our knowledge and understanding of this. “For the LORD Most High is awesome. He is the great King of all the earth ... putting our enemies beneath our feet.” (Psalm 47 v 2, 3 NLT) “Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is King over all the earth. Praise Him...He is highly honoured everywhere.” (Psalm 47 v 6, 7, 9 NLT) We must listen to You, Lord God and learn! “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says” - to make known the grace of saving help – “ ‘Look, I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone.” (Isaiah 28 v 16 NLT) We know Him to be the Lord Jesus. “It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken.” (v 16) Lord, it was only yesterday we felt a little downcast by circumstances, in need of helpful encouragement. How wonderful when this came in the shape of an email from a friend not heard from in ages, encouraging and uplifting us by his words, a direct answer to prayer. How compassionate You are! When we pray to be delivered from evil; this must include being delivered from becoming downcast, disheartened or disillusioned in our faith. For Your plan is formed out of love to gift us love, dearest Father. To this end, You gift us Your Son as our Saviour, a Brother we can depend upon entirely, thank You. May the Holy Spirit, even when we are discouraged, or perhaps especially when we are discouraged, teach us to pray in Jesus’ name. As He says to us “ ‘Most assuredly, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you...Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full’.” (John 16 v 23) What an offer! Thank You. “O God, You have taught me from my earliest childhood” (Psalm 72 v 17 NLT) and I thank You for all those who helped to lead me to faith. “I constantly tell others about the wonderful things You do” (v 17 cont) steadfast in love, in mercy, in forgiveness, in healing help, purifying our heart and mind. “Now that I am old and grey, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim Your power to this new generation, Your mighty miracles to all who come after me.” (v 18) Your ever helpful loving encouragement, so well able to uplift us when we are troubled. O Lord, grant us the grace of a truly steadfast, totally committed faith whatever life throws at us, whatever burdens we are asked to carry. Strengthen us by the love of the Lord Jesus, made evident to us by the Holy Spirit of love, of hope, of peace, of joy, of the new life we are blessed by when we share everything with Christ Jesus. Thank You for making our knowledge of Your love and mercy, our experience of this personal to us once we turn to the Lord Jesus as Saviour and Friend, the Holy Spirit becoming our Counsellor and Advocate, so we never stand alone, do never feel lost nor abandoned, lonely nor confused, alarmed nor downcast totally. For we know there is no reason. Whatever the problem, pain, perplexity, challenge, difficulty, dilemma, we have an answer which You gift us, dearest Father. Quite straightforwardly, the Lord Jesus says to us “ ‘Come, follow Me’.” (Matthew 4 v 19 NLT) I note that this happens immediately after satan had met with Jesus in the desert, tried to tempt Him, was strongly rebuffed by Jesus proclaiming the words of sacred Scripture. This must be a key lesson for us when encountering trouble. Let us then pray in Jesus’ name, using biblical thoughts inspired by the Holy Spirit. As followers of the Lord Jesus, we must be amongst those who although “...sat in darkness” - all fear and fret clouds our life – we all thanks to Your mercy, dearest Father, “Have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death cast its shadow, a light has shined.” (Matthew 4 v 16 NLT) This is the light of Your love and mercy Father God, as shown us by Christ Jesus. When we place You as a Trinity of love and mercy at the centre of our life, uppermost upon our heart and mind, then satan will find he has no wriggle room. Jesus is our Saviour in all of life’s circumstances. Thank You for this mercy. May we never ever lose sight of this reality, but be enabled to help others encouragingly by speaking words of faith in our offers of help when they are downcast or despairing, whatever form this takes or however challenging for us to accomplish, as it can be if our forgiveness is required. “Bless God, my soul, from the depths of my being His holy name; bless God, my soul, never forget all His acts of kindness,” (Psalm 103 v 1 TNJB) through which we must learn to live compassionate of heart and mind, able to seek, find and develop the best out of every calamity. For our God, You Lord, as a Trinity, are a God of hope, of help, of healing, of saving grace, and we praise You for all You say and do, as for all You are and endeavour for us to be when we belong to Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour, the Master, being the King of Glory. “Who is this who comes forth like the dawn, as beautiful as the moon, as resplendent as the sun,” (Song of Songs 6 v 1 TNJB) the brightest light of His love shining over us? It is our Saviour, the Redeemer Lord Jesus, Your Son and our holy Brother, Lord God. What grace and favour is bestowed upon us. “ ‘Then you will know that I am the LORD, for they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me’.” (Isaiah 49 v 23 TNJB) “For thus says the High and Exalted One who lives eternally and whose name is holy, I live in the holy heights, but I am with the contrite and the humble, to revive the spirit of the humble, to revive the heart of the contrite.” (Isaiah 57 v 15 TNJB) Lord, I can see that You are teaching me to be humble, not to shoulder burdens alone or fight battles on my own, for this overlooks the reality of life being graced by the gift of a Saviour. I must turn to the Lord Jesus more keenly, quickly and without hesitation. Thank You for helping me with this valuable reminder. A change of attitude would mean much in the way of progress. I ask for help to reach the point whereby “I take pleasure in my weaknesses ...hardships ... troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12 v 10) How counter intuitive to the world’s way of working, always promoting self-reliance and independence. I suppose ultimately this would mean there is no need of a Saviour. But there is! Lord, as I come through the trials and tribulations of daily life, we must learn to become more than conquerors in the Lord Jesus, the One who lived and died for us, to eradicate all the errors of our mistaken ways. Please draw me deeper into the friendship of the Lord Jesus, being ever ready to call on the assistance of the Holy Spirit when struggling with anything. The Spirit is our faith’s reinforcement, thank You. It is in calling upon the Spirit, looking to Him daily, “I am confident I will see Your goodness LORD, while I am here in the land of the living.” (based on Psalm 27 v 13) I simply have to “Wait patiently ...be brave and courageous.” (v 14) How well I remember being in the midst of difficulty and the Lord Jesus said to me “ ‘...you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world’.” (John 16 v 33) Thank You. I must learn to pray my way out of trouble, for Father God, I am sure You are merciful, wanting “... everyone to be saved and to understand the truth,” (1 Timothy 2 v 3 NLT) that very truth for which the Lord Jesus lives amongst us. All praise, all thanks ever be to the Trinity “For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile You and humanity, the Man Christ Jesus. He gave His life to purchase freedom for everyone” (v 4) This must include freedom from fret and worry about any difficulty. Thank You for making us wise about this. Please keep leading us along the straight paths of our faith. Amen. 23.02.21 Sue O’Donnell

“I will praise You forever, for what You have done, and shall trust in Your name, so full of goodness, in the presence of Your faithful.” (Psalm 52 v 9 TNJB) O Lord, so much have You done for us, In, through and by the Lord Jesus, Fully alive to us by the Holy Spirit. Firstly You create us and provide well for us, In this most beautiful of planets, the earth. You made us to be Your own family, But catastrophically we ruined this by our sinfulness. “ ‘But My people would not hear My voice, and Israel would have none of Me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels’.” (Psalm 81 v 11, 12) Not defeated by satan and his minions, You devised the plan of salvation, Your invaluable gift of freedom for every nation, As given through our Saviour Redeemer, the Lord Jesus. Our Brother is called to be our Redeemer At the †of justice, winning forgiveness for us. “To the end that our glory may sing praises to You, and not be silent. O LORD, my God, we will give thanks to You forever.” (Psalm 30 v 12 the singular subject changed to plural) How great is Your love for us, That mercy poured out over us, By such grace and goodness ever at work in our Saviour, As brought and taught by the Holy Spirit. Never, ever are we neglected, ignored nor forgotten. Oh the magnitude, might and marvel of Your love for us, A love verified by the Lord Jesus and glorified by the Spirit of holiness. “Look to us and be merciful to us, as Your custom is toward those who love Your name.” (Psalm 119 v 132 the singular invocation changed to plural) You guide us and safeguard us as we pray. You gift us the sacraments of Your grace. All as we turn to Jesus, trusting in You, Opening to the Holy Spirit, relying upon Him, As most gloriously He enlightens us regarding the Lord Jesus, Making us diligent prayerfully and attentive spiritually. “The Lord is good to all and His tender mercies are over all His works.” (Psalm 145 v 9) “My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love Thee. I ask forgiveness for those who do not believe in Thee, do not adore Thee, do not hope in Thee, do not love Thee.” (The Fatima Centre U.S.A.) Lord, “Direct our steps by Your word,” the living Word of the Lord Jesus, and the written word of sacred Scripture. “And let no iniquity have dominion over us,” (Psalm 119 v 133 the singular subject changed to plural) for we plead mercy at the †of Jesus our Saviour. Forgiveness is at the heart of our faith, that gracious, loving kindness You freely offer us through the love of Jesus and the working of the Holy Spirit calling us to purity. You have raised up for us a mighty Saviour as You promised us of old, that we can serve You honourably by means of the Lord Jesus’ holiness shared with us, and the justice won for us by Him, at the †. How strong Your love for us is, how profound Your mercy. May the Holy Spirit enable all peoples to understand this and not block their understanding by wilful sinning, by being apathetic, nor careless, nor content to remain in ignorance. You offer us the true fullness of a life lived in hope of heaven, in joy in the here and now, our best Friend being Jesus accompanied by the Holy Spirit, our peace re-established at the † of forgiveness, so we dare to look to Your mercy. Ever let us praise You as a Trinity of love and mercy, leading us out of the darkness of sin, into the wonderful light of love the Lord Jesus shines upon us, that all the world may come to faith in Him. Without the knowledge, understanding and the fullness the friendship of the Lord Jesus offers us in the Spirit, our life is pointless, meaningless, futile, unfruitful and unsatisfactory, a nothingness experienced. But in Your love, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, everything changes for the better more and more, until finally we reach the best in Your company in heaven, where the greatness of Your love will be completely apparent to us. Until then we are on a journey of faith. Please accompany us onwards and homewards, for You, Lord God, holy Trinity, One God in Three Persons, all equal, are the deity who cares for everything and everybody, sovereignly. The gifts of Your grace make us fervent in our belief that the power of holy love conquers all that is evil as long as we are watchful in keeping Your commands. When we fail, please grant us the gift of repentance. Lord God, holy Father, “Save me by Your name,” which I know stands for all loving mercy. “In Your power vindicate me,” or else the Lord Jesus has suffered the †in vain. Lord God, “Hear my prayer, listen to the words I speak.”(Psalm 54 v 1, 2 TNJB) May these arise out of my love and respect for the holy Trinity. I pray, You act in mercy! “Now God is coming to my help, the Lord, among those who sustain me,” (v 4) my other brothers and sisters as we are made one family in the Lord Jesus. “How gladly I will offer You sacrifice and praise Your name for it is good.” (v 6) What is this sacrifice to be? A gift of my time, my energy, my resources certainly. Anything else, dearest Father? The words ‘Listening ear’ come to my mind. Please help me to re-develop this as I pray, listening not only to learn, but to share Your wisdom and truth as made plain by Jesus, in the Holy Spirit, a rich, rich, invaluably rich bounty. Please help me learn this then share this. Lord Jesus, I ask You to be my constant Friend and daily companion. Please gift me Your Spirit at all times, so I know how to live to give of my best to a life of faith, of Christian service in response to Your love for us in all its glorious, majestic power, a most holy power, all thanks to the Spirit. I ask that in my talk of You, my witness, my life enlarged through prayer, You come to dwell within me by Your Spirit, the result being a blessed power of holy love I can share widely amongst many. As I try to plumb the depths of Your love for us Father God, as glorified by the Lord Jesus, as verified by the Holy Spirit, I ask to broadcast that holy love “...in which all the jewels of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.” (Colossians 2 v 3) You are the way to unlock this richness as the Spirit works with us to oil faith’s response to You, enabling the virtuous to shine like the sun in Your kingdom on earth. We need ears that hear, eyes that see and hearts that respond to the call of the Trinity of love. It is the Spirit who issues this Your call Lord Jesus, according to the will of our Father. “Now the Spirit is the Spirit of the Lord God and where His Spirit is present, people have been set free,”( 2 Corinthians 3 v 17 The Truth) truly free in You, Lord and Saviour, Brother and Redeemer. “We are able to reflect the Lord’s glory”, or should be, will be, hopefully “The more that glory is revealed in us, the more like You we become!” (based on v 18) So, - the result is truly, wonderfully, marvellously glorious! – “This glory that comes from the Lord is continually increasing in our lives because the Spirit of glory lives in us.” (Cont.) How utterly amazing is this, truly life changing as we move from Your glory into an even greater, more accurate reflection, bathed in the power of holy love. The power of holy love, the power of the Trinity is incredible! This love is powerful to the working of miracles, a higher force at work than humanity alone could ever hope or even strive to accomplish. Lord, You are the God of wonders, thank You for Your divine nature transforming us by holiness. May we ever fully trust in You as a Trinity, all You are, stand for, accomplish and promise. All You did achieve at the † of our forgiveness, such an act of marvellous loving kindness, full mercy. Let us all pray; listen, look and learn more from You, about You, as You come to us to set us free from satan and sin’s eternal separation inflicting hell upon us. All this is changed by You as Saviour, as Redeemer, as Restorer. All achieved by the power of holy love which like the Lord Jesus residing closest to Your heart of love holy Father, according to the working of the Spirit, will accomplish the same for us. We are made to be family by You, in You, through You, a Trinity of love. Please ever come to us, rest upon us, save, purify and sanctify us all, as we learn to pray, trust and depend entirely upon You, believing we can receive because we do! Then all glory, all praise, all admiration, all adoration ever, ever be to the Almighty Trinity, acting as One in love and mercy. This is why and how we rejoice. Thank You so very, very much, for being forever our Saviour, calling us to respond to Your power of holy love. May we do so unhesitatingly. Amen. 22.07.20 Sue O’Donnell

“I Myself have anointed My King on Zion My holy mountain.” (Psalm 2 v 6 TNJB) Christ the King, come to earth To bring glory to God amongst us. His humanity is combined with His divinity, The foundation of His Kingship and our worship. “ ‘...What have You done?’ Jesus replied ‘Mine is not a kingdom of this world; if My kingdom were of this world, My men would have fought to prevent My being surrendered to the Jews. As it is My kingdom does not belong here.’ Pilate said ‘So, then you are a King?’ Jesus answered ‘It is you who say that I am a king. I was born for this, I came into the world for this, to bear witness to the truth’.” (John 28 v 36, 37 TNJB) Jesus, the Christ, the Risen Saviour, Through Him we will enter the Kingdom of heaven. But currently our task is to offer glory of God, By a life well lived sharing in Jesus’ holiness. “ ‘I am the Way; I am Truth and Life. No one can come to the Father except through Me. If you know Me, you will know My Father too. From this moment you know Him and have seen Him’.” (John 14 v 6, 7 TNJB) As well as being Creator Jesus is the King of creation, The Firstborn who had led an exemplary life, To combat the strife of all our sinfulness, Jesus won the victory over this at the †, gleaning forgiveness for us. “...carrying His own cross He went out to the Palace of Skull or, as it is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him...Pilate wrote out a notice and had it fixed to the cross; it ran: ‘Jesus, the Nazarene, King of the Jews...’ Jesus knew everything had now been completed ...After Jesus had taken the wine He said, ‘It is fulfilled, and bowing His head gave up His Spirit.” (John 19 v 17, 18, 19, 28, 30) Jesus sacrifice is the pearl of the greatest price, Obtaining the way home to heaven for us, through forgiveness. Whilst His body, the Church maintains His earthly works? To teach, to take over and administer to our souls and spirits. “ ‘...you must name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called ‘Son of the Most High.’ The Lord God will give Him the throne of His ancestor David, He will rule over the House of Jacob forever and His reign will have no end’.” (Luke 1 v 32, 33 TNJB) Jesus our Brother, is our Saviour Redeemer, Christ the King, All praise, all thanks, all glory ever be to our Father of mercy. Having saved us from sin’s separation, Jesus then sanctifies us. The risen, ascended Saviour sends His Spirit, belonging to our Father, to us. “ ‘When the Paraclete comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who issues from the Father, He will be My witness...’ And when He comes He will show the world how wrong it was about sin and about who was in the right, and about judgment’.” (John 15 v 26, 16 v 8 TNJB) The Holy Spirit guides and guards Jesus worth amongst us, In this spiritual, supernatural kingdom on earth. The Spirit narrates the truth of Jesus, convicting us of sinfulness. And the need to repent remorsefully, praying for mercy. “ ‘Alleluia! The reign of the Lord our God Almighty has begun; let us be glad and joyful and give glory of God, because this is the time of the marriage of the Lamb...On His cloak and on His thigh a name was written: ‘King of kings and Lord of lords’.” (Revelation 19 v 7, 16 TNJB) Thus the mercy of forgiveness, that which Christ the King Came to make known to us under the rule of God’s love. We owe a debt of loyal love and reverent obedience to our King. Truly grateful that the Holy Spirit steeps us in sacred duties. “...those who live in the Spirit have their minds on spiritual things. And human nature has nothing to look forward to but death, while the Spirit looking forwards to life and peace...the Spirit of God has made a home in You...” (Romans 8 v 5, 6, 9 TNJB) We submit to Christ Jesus’ Kingly authority, Asking Him to reign supremely in heavenly peace, By His law of love which offers us hope, such hope, Of a better, brighter, holier future for mankind. “ ‘Our Father in heaven, may Your name be held holy, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven’.” (Matthew 6 v 9, 10 TNJB) We work and pray for the love of Jesus, To enter every human heart Jesus is life to adore the Trinity Of Father, Son and Spirit, most holy One in Three. Jesus is life to us for this very purpose of holy admiration and adoration. “He said to them, ‘Go out in the whole world; proclaim the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved’.” (Mark 16 v 15, 16 TNJB) The Lord Jesus is King over all creation, Atoning for our sinfulness He presents to our Father, A universal, eternal Kingdom built on the truth of His love. A graced place of love and forgiveness, justice and peace, Jesus alive in us. “ ‘Nobody can lay down any other foundation than the one which is there already, namely Jesus Christ...Do you not realise that you are a temple of God with the Spirit of God living in you? ...God’s temple is holy and you are that temple’.” (1 Corinthians 3 v 11, 16, 17 TNJB) As Priest anointed with the oil of gladness, Overcoming sins’ sadness, Jesus offers His life for us on the †, And in each and every Sacramental Mystery of the Holy Eucharist. The one perfect sacrifice is our redemption through salvation. “He...has offered one single sacrifice for sins, and then taken His seat forever, at the right hand of God, where He is now waiting until His enemies are made His footstool. By virtue of that one single offering He has achieved the eternal perfection of all who are sanctified. The Holy Spirit attests to this for us...” (Hebrews 10 v 11, 12, 13, 14 TNJB) Joyously we celebrate the holy sacrifice of the Mass, partaking of Jesus in Holy Communion, Proclaiming together as the universal church in heaven and on earth, A hymn of unending praise and thanksgiving For being enabled to live a holy life, fully blessed by the real presence of Christ Jesus. “How blessed are those You instruct, Yahweh, whom You teach by means of Your law, to give them respite in evil times, till a pit is dug for the wicked.” (Psalm 94 v 12, 13 TNJB) “Yahweh will not abandon His people, He will not desert His heritage; for judgment will again become saving justice, and in its wake all upright hearts will follow.” (Psalm 94 v 14, 15 TNJB) Dearest Father, truly we joyously praise and thank You for sending Your Son, the Lord Jesus, Christ the King, to be our Saviour, redeeming us from sinfulness. As a Servant King He teaches us how to live according to the law of love and this blesses us profoundly. Your kingdom upon earth is being upbuilt. Your love and mercy are in the heritage the Lord Jesus leaves us, both by the example of His exemplary life and His sacrificial death winning forgiveness for us. We rejoice to be a new creation, under Jesus’ Kingly rule, benefitting from the purifying, sanctifying Holy Spirit. Thank You for making this possible. We venerate the Lord Jesus at the †, King of the Jews and King of the entire world. Ever may we bow in reverence before Him, exalting His Kingly position and status. “Your instructions are upright for ever, give me understanding and I shall live... I put my hope in Your word,” (Psalm 119 v 144, 147 TNJB) in the wise teaching of sacred Scripture, all that the living Word of the Lord Jesus teaches us and the counsel of the Holy Spirit, all a profound blessing, thank You. Christ the King, Jesus is Lord, Jesus is Life, Jesus is Love. Jesus is our hope, our peace and our joy. How richly You have blessed us, Father of mercy. We come to You through Your Son, by Your Spirit and we are tasting of heaven. “Light dawns for the upright, and joy for honest hearts. Rejoice in Yahweh, you who are upright, praise His unforgettable holiness,” (Psalm 97 v 11, 12 TNJB) as made evident to us in the family likeness of the Lord Jesus. We too, are invited to be a part of this venerable family of the Trinity. What an honour, what a privilege, but what a responsibility too! May the Holy Spirit ever be at work with us to inspire us to work and pray to become more like Jesus, the Servant King. What love is this that the Lord Jesus should willingly, freely give up His perfectly holy life for us, at the †. This is love without measure, a pure love we must treasure. “Yahweh has made known His saving power, revealed His saving justice for the nations to see, mindful of His faithful love and His constancy to the House of Israel” (Psalm 98 v 2, 3 TNJB) and to us. We have been set free from satan’s clutches although he holds the keys to the kingdom of this world. Our homage is paid to Christ the King, King over all. Jesus is the highest name we honour, we delight to proclaim Jesus, Prophet, Priest and King, His Kingly rule is a foretaste of heaven. All of the world has now seen Your saving power of love and mercy, Father God. You gift us Yourself in Your Son, by Your Spirit. You have taken away all our guilt and blotted out our sin, all thanks to our Saviour Brother. Your saving help remains firm to this day, steadfast is Your faithfulness towards us. May we, by being devoted to Christ the King, honouring the kingdom building Holy Spirit, live to give glory to the Trinity. “Faithful Love and Loyalty join together, Saving Justice and Peace embrace. Loyalty will spring up from the earth and Justice will lean down from heaven,” (Psalm 85 v 10, 11 TNJB) was the prophecy. This has happened, all praise, all thanks, all glory ever be to Christ the King, our Saviour Redeemer, “Yahweh is King...He is supreme over all nations,” (Psalm 99 v 1, 2 TNJB) as an almighty Trinity. “Let them praise Your name, great and awesome; holy is He and mighty. You are a King who loves justice, You established honesty, justice and uprightness...Exalt our God...You were a God of forgiveness.” (Psalm 99 v 3, 5 TNJB) Jesus as Lord is our forgiveness Jesus as Redeemer is our hope of a holier future. Jesus as Your Word, Father God, is a living hope offering all joy and peace, Your peace to us. Jesus as King, we must bow before and worship You through Him. How richly blessed is humanity! Amen. 22.11.20 Sue O’Donnell

“Give your burdens to the LORD and He will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.” (Psalm 55 v 22 NLT) We cannot slip and fall entirely from grace, When those of us who belong to Christ Jesus Pray for mercy for the human race at large. Our prayer is heard and answered by our Father, Because He desires to honour His Son as Saviour. He was the One who took up a † for us, To gain us forgiveness as blood bought children of God. The sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus, Justifies our position as children in receipt of holy mercy. Oh the most glorious goodness of the Almighty Trinity, One in love’s healing, fortifying life giving power. We are saved, then sanctified accordingly, All because we belong to Christ Jesus Who lived and died for us, all to make us holy. That is why, although we still stumble and trip, We will not fall from grace entirely. We have a Brother who is our Saviour. “ ‘...You are to name Him JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins’.” (Matthew 1 v 21 NLT) “ ‘...they will call Him Immanuel, which means God is with us’.” (Matthew 1 v 23 NLT) Let us pray with thanksgiving to our Father gifting us a Saviour who is a Brother, One we can readily recognise and turn to. Let us pray gratefully as the Lord Jesus is our burden Bearer. Let us pray in appreciation of the fact that we could know none of this without the power of the indwelling Spirit of wisdom and truth. Please pray to offer thanks for the mercy by which we gain help with the weight of our worries, our fears, all sorts of anxieties. Please pray gratefully that the Holy Spirit teaches us not to worry, but to accept in all that happens, for better, for worse, nothing stands outside of God’s sovereign power. Please pray in anticipation of the blessings unfolding because of prayer! Please pray in gratitude for the peace that arises through living in the love of Christ Jesus. Please pray with thanksgiving for being so close to the Saviour, we can hear His heart beat of love reflecting our Father’s mercy. Please pray to acknowledge how our Saviour Brother, by the Holy Spirit, can and does iron out problems. Please pray, continuing to ask for help to recognise the signal of unease when things are moving in the wrong direction. Please pray in appreciation of the perfect peace found in our sins’ release through merciful forgiveness, the grace won for us by Christ on the †. Please pray happily for the help of decision making, safeguarded successfully by the Holy Spirit, always resulting well. Please pray to acknowledge how important holy wisdom and truth is, as taught us by the Lord Jesus, and made active and effective within us by the Holy Spirit, He, who like the Father and the Son, is nothing but love and mercy offered us. Please pray to state the joys of our faith’s trusting dependency, all its glorious outcomes. Amen. 22.02.21 Sue O’Donnell

“He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him and by His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53 v 4, 5) What an amazing thing, Lord God, You did bring to pass. In Jesus’ suffering is our healing. In Jesus’ dying is our living. A rising not just to any type of life, Our rising is a calling through forgiveness, A calling to holiness. No longer are we helpless. No longer defenceless against satan. Jesus crowns us by His Spirit, Because Jesus lived, died, was crucified, Was resurrected, ascended and glorified, To now plead for us. Our Saviour is an Intercessor, Pleading our cause, our defence. No longer need we bow before satan, Bent and broken by His oppression. Jesus’ calling is to newness, living virtuously, In faith, in prayer, in service, in witness. Our witness is to be How we carry His light to the nations. A proclamation, a declaration, a dedication, God has taken vengeance on satan. Our enemy is completely defeated if we live prayerfully. “The pangs of death surrounded me, and the floods of ungodliness made me afraid. The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried out to my God.” (Psalm 18 v 4, 5 6) Justice meted out at the †, Jesus died to rise to new life, Inviting us to accompany Him into eternity. For this He makes us ready now, Gifting the charitable Spirit. No dark, dreary, nor dry desert becomes ours, But a journey home to heaven, a delight, An insight brought, taught by the Spirit. Attentiveness to Jesus alongside alertness to the Holy Spirit, Is striving joyfully after a true spirituality, A blessed response to a calling God makes in Jesus. Our spiritual training developed by the Spirit, That we learn to always look to the Father of mercies. Is God’s most glorious Easter vision now unfolding. This is the full development of the Christmas story Where Jesus, true love manifest, is born as Saviour. God has left the decision of response up to us. No longer broken, banished by sin, we begin again, Praying, persevering to be continuously restored More and more and more after Jesus’ resurrected image. His new life in us is a calling. Holiness becomes our main aim, an alert focus, And the blessed result is a true and eternal happiness. The goodness of God, our merciful Father, Is to offer us in His Son, at the †, All that is impossible to achieve for ourselves. “Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead...” (2 Corinthians 1 v 9) “...who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us.” (2 Corinthians 1 v 10) Lord, the belief that You raise us to new life in Jesus, is astounding, awesome. As I sit before You in silence, I invite Your Spirit to enlighten my understanding of salvation. And to think that we can experience this new life now fills us with gratitude, hope and expectancy. Jesus reveals the generosity of Your love and mercy and I thank You. Thank You for life, for this beautiful world to live in. How sad when we mar its face. Please forgive our destructive tendencies, the greed which spoils resources, the wars which blight the landscape, the refusal to see evidence as in global warming. Lord, may we ever look to You through the lens of love Jesus taught us. His †, the single most profound incident in history, how richly blessed we are to have a Redeemer who wins back Your favour for us. But the world at large even now does not recognise and respond to this, or else the kingdom of heaven would thrive upon earth. I am sorry for our ignorance and defiance of Your living Word, Your offer of love, the glorified Jesus releasing the Spirit to us. May more people discover the effectiveness of prayer and use this invaluable resource. We are told that “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous (wo)man avails much,” (James 5 v 16) but this remains but a concept unless we turn to Jesus and call on the Spirit’s enlightenment of faith and its principles and precepts. May all believers learn more as to the power of prayer and its outcome. Yesterday when faced with a serious problem, pondering what to do about it, musing the options, Hugh reminded me we ‘Pray about it’. Thank You for this strength of faith. Please continue to send Your Spirit to counsel us, to enlighten us as to Your will and wishes in all things, to direct and redirect our focus towards the Lord Jesus, heeding a calling made to live obediently, reverently. “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” (James 5 v 16) Thank You for priests who provide godly intercession and wise counsel for our offences. May we never ignore this cleansing, healing process. Thank You that Jesus taught us the elements of prayer by His own example. May we be earnest as we pray, especially taking this opportunity for praise and thanksgiving, offering our whole life in worship, in service appointed by the Spirit. May we come honestly before You, holy Father, knowing we have a Saviour in our holy Brother, so being not afraid to admit our weaknesses and failings. May the Spirit help us to be resolved not to go on in the same way. May our healing of body, mind and spirit, always glorify the Lord Jesus, our atonement and the only One who can truly glorify You fully, Lord God. May our life, our faith, our prayer be enfolded in the Person of Jesus and our response to the Spirit. We are dependent upon You, upon Your anointed Son, upon Your sanctifying Spirit, for all our wellbeing. Let us pay more heed to prayer, prayer of repentance expressing remorse, prayer seeking healing, whether for ourselves or others, living worthily as best we can under Jesus as Master, Your invitation to be holy. “...live in a way that is worthy of this great calling you have received from Him. This involves remaining humble and gentle, being patient and sensitive to the needs of others out of your love for them.” (Ephesians 4 v 1, 2 The Truth) May we never overlook the little things as gestures of kindness. “Do everything you can to maintain the unity you have with other believers in the power of the Spirit, by remaining at peace with them.” (Ephesians 4 v 3 The Truth) May we strive towards this, and not only during this time of Advent. May we devote to Jesus wholeheartedly, full of gratitude for His righteousness. Thank You that Jesus makes it possible to stand confidently before You, holy Father of love, of true life. Thank You that Jesus lends, sends His and Your Spirit to counsel, correct, enlighten, strengthen and daily support our faith. May we be guided and guarded through life lived as family. “For there is one Body of Christ and only one Holy Spirit, and we all share in the one hope to which we were called in Christ. There is only one Lord and we all share in the same faith in Him. There is only one baptism into Christ, only on God and Father for us all. He is over all of us, He works through all of us and His life is in all of us!” (Ephesians 4 v 4, 5, 6) Let us heed the call to oneness. Dearest Father, a calling is made each year during Lent, to renew our faith’s efforts and practices including of course, prayer, especially regarding the errors of our ways. I am sorry for our having divided the church. May we always heed a calling to unity. “For by one Spirit we were all baptised into one body ...and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12 v 13) We must pray and ask for the desire, ability, persistence, perseverance to seek power filled service, a witness to the glorified Lord Jesus. Thank You that Your Son baptises with the Holy Spirit so as to animate and direct our faith. As we pray, please show us what we are to offer in the way of time, resources, skills and talents. “ ‘You shall receive power when the Holy Sprit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me...to the end of the earth’.” (Acts 1 v 8) May this happen. Let us pray and strive to extend the kingdom of love, of mercy, the Lord Jesus came to initiate. Ours it is to expand, looking to the primary example of Jesus as to what can happen when the Holy Spirit is within us. Let us pray to build a good character full of faith, empowered to live and love something like the Lord Jesus. O Lord, make us caring and compassionate, outgoing in our faith, always looking to Jesus. May we strive to give our all to the Lord Jesus, open to the Spirit, that every aspect of our days delight and honour You, dearest Father. Let our gaze be fixed on heaven, knowing prayer is never in vain. And if our heart condemns us, we know You are greater than our heart, for Your love in Jesus helps us to know the measure of Your love. Thank You for its enormity. Amen. 05.12.20 Sue O’Donnell

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9 v 15 How much our Father accomplishes for us. We offer You our thanks. The Lord God almighty works as a Trinity. We offer You our thanks. Our Father approaches us through Jesus. We offer You our thanks. The Lord Jesus is Lord of our forgiveness. We offer You our thanks. We know this due to His † of sacrifice. “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare our loving kindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night...For You LORD, have made me glad through Your work. I will triumph in the work of Your hands.” Psalm 92 v 1, 2, 4 We offer You our thanks. The Spirit comes from the glorified Jesus. We offer You our thanks. The Spirit is a direct connection with heaven. We offer You our thanks. The Spirit introduces us to Jesus sacramentally. The Spirit turns bread and wine into the real presence of Jesus. We offer You our thanks. “You have loosed my bonds. I will offer You the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the name of the LORD.” Psalm 116 v 16, 17 To prepare us for the Eucharist, the Spirit calls us to repentance. We offer You our thanks. The Church, Christ’s earthly body, sets aside time for this repentance. We offer You our thanks. Lent is a special season of penitence. Yes, we have every reason to be a family where We offer You our thanks. Thanks for Jesus and the loving mercy of forgiveness. Thank You for the Spirit, the possibility of sanctification. “I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth... Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.” Psalm 34 v 1, 3 Our Father has approached us once more in friendship. Let us then truly worship expressing our love’s response. Response to Jesus connecting us by His Spirit, Connecting us eternally to the Lord God of mercy, the Almighty. Our rejection due to sinfulness is wiped away. Let us then pray with all thanksgiving, Knowing we are living a new life in Jesus, The place and position where holy love will flourish. And let us ask for God’s love to shine from us. “Most spiritual people learn to see God’s loving providence in the events of their lives...” Ruth Burrows “The ways of the Lord are not comfortable, but we were not created for comfort, but for greatness, for good.” Pope Benedict XVI Please pray. Sue O’Donnell

“What stupendous condescension! O sublime humility! That the Lord of the whole universe, God and the Son of God, should humble Himself like this under the form of a little bread, for our salvation.” St Francis of Assisi The sacred heart of Jesus’ love for us Is offered to us in the Eucharist, The presence of His body as bread, The blessing of His blood as shed at the †, Entirely for our forgiveness, now given as wine. What a very fine offering indeed, And one that we sorely are in need of. If we desire sanctity, we need Jesus, Jesus, in the Eucharist, by His Spirit, Anointed, appointed to make us holy for He is God’s Word of promise to us. “I will put My law into their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God and they shall be My people... I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more’.” Jeremiah 31 v 33, 34 How else can we hope to fulfill God’s will for us? We must share in Jesus’ holiness as gifted in the Eucharist. The Lord Jesus desires to come to us In a way recognisably close and comforting, reassuring. He wants us to hunger after Him as heavenly food, A banquet given for our spiritual replenishment and nourishment. For He is the life that gives life directly to us. Come to us in the Eucharist, a sacrament of our Father’s choosing, love’s gifting. We celebrate in this liturgy, delighting in Jesus’ company, Placing ourselves respectfully, obediently before Him by invitation. “ ‘Take, eat; this is My body. Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you’.” Matthew 26 v 26 “ ‘For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins’.” Matthew 26 v 28 Oh what an absolutely amazing, life transforming, peace giving, hope building, love sharing, joy spreading happening in this very fine offering the Lord Jesus makes to us in the Eucharist. “Let my mouth be filled with Your praise and with Your glory all the day.” ( Psalm 70 v 8 ) Especially let me do this in the joyful celebration of the Eucharist. We meet together here as the body of Christ, to give witness in our worship expressed in all praise for all we are so blessed to receive. “ ‘Let God be magnified,” ( Psalm 70 v 5 ) glorified, esteemed, exalted, honoured. Jesus on the †, recalled in the Eucharist, has broken the power satan held over us. No longer need we live in darkness, but in the light of our right standing before You dearest Father, as accomplished by Jesus out of love for us. What an amazing grace of unfailing, self-giving love, the mightiest force upon earth. We should stand breathless in wonder before You. Perhaps we should be rendered wordless in our admiration? “ ‘The LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him’.” ( Habakkuk 2 v 20 ) To think that Jesus makes us into a temple for His indwelling, through the mighty power of the sanctifying Spirit. Oh what the Lord Jesus has done for us. No longer are we orphans, exiled in our sinfulness. Jesus has laid down His life upon the † for our salvation. Thank You for this redemption which draws us back into Your friendship, Lord God. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, for praise unending; praise unfading. Lord, take our praise and let it be ever to the glory of the Trinity, arising out of this world You love so very much. Thank You for keeping in closest touch with us through the gift of Jesus’ body and blood set out on the altar. Here, let us fall at His feet and worship, bow down low as we meet with our Saviour Healer. Here may we ever be strengthened by the power of holy love gifted us in communion, such blessed union between us. No other love is like this, gifted us by Jesus. It is right to offer all thanks and praise for the Eucharist, a very fine offering indeed. Amen. Sue O’Donnell 18.09.18

“Your life must be woven around the Eucharist” Mother Teresa of Calcutta The Eucharist: The source, The sustenance, The summit Of faith. Thank You, Lord. The Eucharist: This makes God present to us, With us in Jesus, By the Spirit Of faith. We praise You, Lord. The Eucharist: A memorial, A celebration, A proclamation Of faith. We honour You, Lord. “It was as though I heard a voice from on high: I am the food of the strong, eat then of Me and grow. But you will not transform Me into yourself like food for the body, but rather you will be transformed into Me.” St Augustine at the time of his conversion The Eucharist: History, Mystery, Concelebratory In faith. We delight in You, Lord. The Eucharist: God comes to us, God feeds us, God nourishes us In faith. We esteem You, Lord. The Eucharist: Christ’s instigation, Christ’s dedication, Christ’s revelation Through faith. We exalt You, Lord. The Eucharist: The Spirit’s revelation, The Spirit’s realisation, The Spirit’s sanctification In faith. We extol You, Lord. “Our sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ has no other purpose than to transform us into that which we receive.” Pope Leo the Great ”Direct your eyes to Him, who is the Light; bring your hearts very close to His Divine Heart; ask Him for the grace to know Him, for the charity to love Him, for the courage to serve Him. Seek Him longingly.” Mother Teresa of Calcutta Holy Father, by the living, all loving presence of Your Son in the Eucharist, blessed by the work of Your Spirit, we will become a member of Christ’s body on earth. How is this to impact upon us? How will the Eucharist affect my relationship with You and with all others? Please keep sending Your Spirit to us to help us understand all the implications of turning to the Lord Jesus. In our Saviour Brother all Your plans for us are brought to their fullest conclusion. Dearest Father, may Your Spirit convince us of the truths that are to be found in the Lord Jesus, the fulfilment of Your plans for us. To come to Your Son in communion is a very high honour and privilege. Thank You for this most precious gift through which You hear the cry of our appeal. Come Holy Spirit, draw us closer to the holy heart of the Lord Jesus. Grant us the grace to know Him and the love and respect by which the Lord Jesus should be honoured, esteemed, exalted. Strengthen our faith by His presence especially when we need courage to serve in the face of ignorance, defiance and enemy assault. Amidst arduousness, dangers, adversities keep us praying. Bless us as we partake of holy communion. “May I receive the Sacrament of the Lord’s body and blood, and its reality and power...and so be received into His mystical body, and numbered among His members. Loving Father, as on my earthly pilgrimage I now receive Your beloved Son, under the veil of a sacrament, may I one day see Him face to face in glory, who lives and reigns with You for ever. Amen.” Traditional Prayer of Catholic Church 11.08.15 Sue O’Donnell

“In the past God spoke... many times and in many different ways. But now...God has spoken to us through His Son.” Hebrews 1 v 1,2 Christ my light, insight to God’s loving mercy. Christ my hope, scope for a holier future. Christ my means, redeemed, I am saved. Christ my peace, release of all fear. Christ my friend, who does send His anointing Spirit. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons (and daughters) of God.” Romans 8 v 14 Christ my Mentor, for He stands as eternal truth. Christ my guide, willing to hide my faults and failings. Christ my love, above and beyond all else. Christ my God, He who trod earth before me. Full well He understands each and every difficulty. “Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; the upright shall dwell in Your presence.” Psalm 140 v 13 “I said to the Lord: ‘You are my God; hear the voice of my supplication, O Lord’.” Psalm 140 v 6 “O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation” ( Psalm 140 v 7 ) You are the One who lifts up my head in hope. Thank You! “In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul.” ( Psalm 138 v 3 ) In every area of my life, every difficulty and dilemma, I stand not alone. I am “More than a conqueror through Him who loved me. Everything eternally worthwhile stems from a close relationship with You.” ( Romans 8 v 37 personalised ) All praise and thanksgiving ever be. “For I am certain of this that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus my Lord.” ( Romans 8 v 39 personalised ) May all praise and thanksgiving ever be evident in my life. Amen. Sue O’Donnell 06.05.09