“We should make a dwelling place within ourselves where He can stay, He who is Lord God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” (St Francis of Assisi “The Rule of 1221”) Supreme One, I dream on, for I hope. I hope to go deeper in friendship with You. I long to go higher in worship of You. I would like to possess You more fully daily. I ask for You to possess me entirely, always. Please send me Your Spirit to this end. I cannot make You a dwelling place without Him. He is the Spirit of deference, of reverence. It was Your very own Spirit who called me, Called me to come and discover You, As the living Lord, our Father’s gift, My eternal Brother, Companion and beloved Teacher Saviour. Formerly I knew none of this, but wanted to. Your Spirit awakened my desire further, thank You. A dwelling place for You, Lord Jesus, Is not a building, nor church, nor cathedral, However imposing and grand and inspiring. You want to be within us, a part of our being, To this end You instituted the Holy Eucharist, Available to us as a grace and an anointed joyous favour. “...a dose of joy is a spiritual cure.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer) We savour the moment we taste of Your company, We long to belong to You fully and to become holy. In the silence of reverence we can talk with You, A heart to heart, warm, open communion, The kind of union love necessitates for devotion, For emotion as love is vital to us, to love You, Lord Jesus. You are our safety, security in love’s generosity. You are our liberty from all that is evil. We want You to be fully at home in us. The invitation has to taste and see of God’s goodness. Christ Jesus, our Christmas Eucharist, still with us, You are our faith, our trust and our dependency. As we feel at home with You, comfortably, Let us offer You a home in us, our heart wide open. Come, dwell there as we journey on together, A blood bought son or daughter with Christ his (her) Saviour. The door to our heart is open for You and we rejoice. A dwelling place in the heart is the start of a life Given to our Father, by Your Spirit, honouring You, Lord Jesus. Then we look at the world differently, looking with eyes of faith. Thank You for feeding our spirit with Your body and blood. “May the power of the Holy Spirit work in us in such a way that we will always overflow with hope, expecting God’s best.” (based on Romans 15 v 13 The Truth) “The fullness of joy is to behold God in all.” (St Julian of Norwich 1343-1416) This is what You help me to do, Lord Jesus, all thanks to sending me Your life changing Holy Spirit, that together You are invaluable to me. You are my Teacher. You show me that peace which it is impossible to gain in the world. I have come to realise that peace lies not just in resignation to our Father’s will, but realisation that His will is the best for me. You convince me that Your life is perfect for You are the Father’s beloved Son, glorious and truthful, right in all You say and do. You share this quality with those who believe in You, gifting us a new birth full of hope, thank You. Your loving kindness is so good to know, such an amazing blessing, Lord. You are eternal kindness, eternal goodness and our eternal holiness. We are lost without You, lost to the hope of heaven. “For there is only one God and One who mediates between God and men, it is You, Lord Jesus, born as a man, the One who gave Yourself as a sacrifice on behalf of all men, to pay the necessary price to restore us to God.” (based on 1 Timothy 2 v 5 The Truth) Therefore I value You as Teacher and esteem You as my Saviour, enabling me to pray and seek mercy daily. I can ask for mercy because of being united with You in body. I can too, expect mercy for Your sanctifying blood was poured out at the †to save me. Thank You that the Holy Spirit unites us with Your infinite merits so we can approach the throne of grace. “Answer my prayers O LORD, for Your unfailing love is wonderful. Take care of me, for Your mercy is so plentiful.” (Psalm 69 v 16 NLT) I need Your help continuously, Lord Jesus. As both Saviour and Teacher You show me unconditional love, love in all its holy characteristics, that love You always exhibit in all You say and do. You convince me that faith fundamentally is about love. The things which will remain eternally are faith, hope and love, I learn. But the most important of these is love. Surely that is because faith is based upon love, the Trinity’s love for us and our love in return. Also hope is founded upon knowing Your love personally, being a recipient. It is the saving grace of Your ever loving Spirit gifted us who builds up our hope. Lord, it is all too easy to feel a failure as I make errors of judgment and fail to deal sufficiently with flaws of character. But mercifully You send me the uplifting Spirit. I am so grateful to our Father’s mercies for this process which develops our faith. We learn of You, Lord Jesus, we turn to You and commit ourselves to You, prayerfully and regularly. In turn You offer us the world! You help us to know You and the Father as one, together with the all loving Holy Spirit. I gain Your friendship Lord Jesus, and I gain the Trinity. At Your banqueting table I receive Your real presence. I am filled with awe. I see a miracle happen, visibly at the hands of the priest, but actually by the work of the Holy Spirit. United with Your body and cleansed by Your blood, I can offer our Father all my intentions for the glory of the Holy Trinity, for I become a part of You. My sanctity is in You, Lord Jesus, my safety and security, my hope, my peace and my highest joy, that life enhancing, life fulfilling joy of Your being. I can plead before the throne of mercy feeling confident of being heard and answered. I can rely upon the answer being the best, not merely some human’s reasoning nor wishful thinking. Lord, You set truth before me and I am grateful for this certainly. Your wisdom is so beneficial. You open my eyes by Your Spirit, to make each day a journey of discovery in faith. This journey is both exacting and rewarding. I seek to draw closer to You and the Holy Spirit enables this to happen. Thank You for gifting me a love of the sacred Scriptures. Lord Jesus, it is of great benefit to regard You as the living Word of God’s truth, the holy wisdom we must live by. And in addition, You are our atonement for failure. O Lord, how different life is once we claim You, name You as Saviour, our Redeemer. And although sometimes my progress in sharing Your holiness is too slow, I remain hopeful. “I do not claim to have received all that God has for me, neither have I yet been made perfect. But I am always moving forward to take hold of everything that You have planned to give me when You laid hold of my life.” (based on Philippians 3 v 12 The Truth) I want to know You in all Your fullness Lord Jesus. I realise that this may have to include suffering, because that is a part of life. I ask for the support of Your Spirit at all times, to strengthen me. May the Holy Spirit make me fully compliant with Your teaching and instructions, no half-heartedness in my response. May I do all that I am asked to do, equipped to do, and do it well. I ask to be fully alert and attentive to the faith blessing, life upbuilding Spirit, enabling me to offer all thanks and praise for my liberation from the condemnation of sinful failure. The past is passed and cannot be undone, but mercifully You tell us not to worry about this, but to rely upon our Father’s merciful, ever loving kindness, in His sending You as my Saviour. I am so grateful to receive of Your Spirit, so a new principle of love now lives in me. The Holy Spirit sets us free through You, Lord Jesus. “Under the law I could not do what God wanted because of my weak, sinful nature.” (Romans 8 v 3 The Truth) This frustration could have overwhelmed me. But Your Spirit shows me I am one of Your countless good works in progress. I thank You, esteem You, exalt and glorify You, dear Friend, Saviour and Teacher. You make my life to be a sinless offering to our Father. You are my saving, sanctifying Brother. The Holy Eucharist is such an invaluable part of this salvation and sanctification. I ask please, to be always led by Your Spirit, enabling me to make You my life’s focus. To live through You, alert to Your Holy Spirit, means I can share in our Father’s love, know His mercy, gain His peace, all because You are my Saviour. All praise and thanks ever, ever be, as You enrich life way beyond all that I could ask or imagine. Amen. 30.12.20 Sue O’Donnell

“The land that receives frequent rainfall and produces a good harvest for the farmer is truly blessed by God.” (Hebrews 6 v 7 The Truth) How lovely is a field of wheat, We meet with the goodness of God, The Father who is our Provider. Tall, lovely and lanky stands the corn, Waiting to be cut down for harvest That the Lord God can feed us. Days of hard labour, well done, The stubble glows gold in the setting sun. A reminder of the promise That the Lord God ever cares for us. Does He not gift us the finest wheat, When we meet Him in Jesus, Blessed by the life giving Spirit? What is holy communion intended to be If not the union of mankind with God? We find the Saviour Jesus Hidden beneath the substance Of consecrated bread and finest wine, To combine us with the holiness of Jesus. Yes, we meet with the goodness of God For the impeccable gift of Jesus. His is the holiness we partake of When we meet and eat in the Holy Eucharist. “Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men.” (Psalm 107 v 8) “For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry with good things.” (Psalm 107 v 9) “Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing,” (Psalm 107 v 22) for in the Lord Jesus, we gain holiness and happiness to our deepest satisfaction and contentment. All thanks ever be to our Father of mercy, feeding us in the Holy Eucharist, by the work of the Holy Spirit, on the life giving love of the Lord Jesus. May this strengthen us for Christian service, led by the Spirit, as we enjoy the love of the Lord Jesus, our Saviour, and serve in Jesus’ name, all to Your glory, dearest Father. Thank You for leading us away from all negativity, anything to do with satan, all matters dark and destructive. We are offered a new life. Thank You that holy communion is a gift of such holy love in all its life changing power, we become a new creation in receiving of the love and life of Jesus. May the most precious Body and Blood we receive from our Saviour, keep us safe now and be the love that leads us in the Spirit to the blessings of eternity. In the Lord Jesus, by the Spirit, we rejoice to offer all glory to You, heavenly Father of mercy, as we declare Your work of salvation. May we ever worship You, Father God, in the beauty of holiness the Lord Jesus shares with us, notably in the Holy Eucharist, as Your Spirit invites us to this heavenly banquet. Amen. 25.08.20 Sue O’Donnell

“We, too, with our own eyes see only bread and wine, but we must see further and firmly believe ...” (St Francis of Assisi “The Admonitions” The Eucharist: Timeless tenderness; Loving kindness; Steadfast faithfulness; Pure sweetness; Complete togetherness; Mercy’s giftedness. “What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits towards me? I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.” (Psalm 116 v 12, 13) Unsurpassed peacefulness; Inner quietness; Renewed hopefulness; Promised forgiveness; Shared holiness; Graced goodness. Who would not want this? This is Jesus’ presence, God with us, a revelation Given by the Holy Spirit. Love’s highest dedication. Coming from the Trinity. By means of Mary’s Baby. “...that this is His most holy Body and Blood, living and true.” (St Francis of Assisi “The Admonitions”) My Eucharist; My Jesus; My purpose; My holiness; My goodness; My Christmas. “ ‘He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end’.” (Luke 1 v 32, 33) Love’s purpose; How tremendous; How wondrous; How marvellous; How miraculous; How mysterious! “Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.” (1 Timothy 3 v 16) “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” (Psalm 23 v 6) “Gracious love is Your way LORD, and righteous; yes, You our God are merciful. You preserve the humble. I was brought low in spirit and You saved me” (based on Psalm 116 v 5, 6) although this was entirely undeserved. “Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.” (v 7) Advent is the expectant season of hope, hope of a Saviour about to be born to us. “For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I will walk before You LORD, in the land of the living.” (based on v 8, 9) I cannot thank You sufficiently for the gift of faith, my belief in the Lord Jesus, a Brother born to us as Saviour, making us Your family. “O LORD, truly I am Your servant,...You have loosed my bonds” (v 16) enabling me to escape from satan’s bondage. I so value the help and supportive guidance of the Holy Spirit, thank You. “I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving” (v 17) although the only sacrifice request is that of time, and this I give willingly, so I am not sure it is a sacrifice at all. “I will call upon Your name, LORD” (v 17) Your high and holy name with which I delight to call You ‘Abba’ ‘Father, my Father’. What an honour is bestowed upon us. Oh that all peoples would hear our Lord, our Saviour, our promise of an eternal blessing, addressing us saying “ ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock’.” (Revelation 3 v 20) Oh that they would open the door to this wondrous, life enhancing, peace giving, hope uplifting, joyous love, the love about to be born to us at Christmas. May the Holy Spirit help us with this, please. For the Lord Jesus has to be born into our hearts for us to know the meaning of Christmas, of all of life, and to be led to worship. To know the unsurpassed joy of union with Jesus’ divine heart of love in the holy sacrifice of the Eucharist, no joy is greater upon earth. “You prepare a table before me.” (Psalm 23 v 5) and I rejoice. We worship You, dearest Father, through our family status, as won for us by the godly life and sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus. “By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us, O God of our salvation.” (Psalm 65 v 5) This psalm then says “You who are the confidence of all the earth and the far off seas.” (v 5) If only this could be so, Christmas would be a most joyously full worldwide celebration. Again, I pray for non-believers, especially for those families and friends known to me. Come, Holy Spirit, breathe Your love upon them in a tangible way that will cause them to pray in response to the Lord Jesus. Without the knowledge and experience of our Saviour Brother’s all loving friendship extended towards us continuously, especially in the sacramental mystery of the Eucharist, there would be no Christmas. The truth born to us in Jesus the Christ, He who is “The same yesterday, are today, and forever,” (Hebrews 13 v 8) this is the firm foundation to our faith that we all need to cling to. For the love of the Lord Jesus makes such a profound difference to everyday life. For as He liberates us from a sinful life, a life which leads to death, we are truly free, joyously free. The joy of Christmas is an everyday and everlasting joy. For Your gift to us, Father God, that love gift which is made ours by Jesus, though the efforts of the Holy Spirit, this is a most joyous, realistic hope. Jesus comes to us as the Light of the world, the Word made flesh to dwell among us. How utterly wondrous this is! May the sense of awe never escape us. It can not be conjured up, we need the Holy Spirit. It is as we open to the Spirit’s impact and influence we hear what the Lord Jesus says to us: “ ‘I tell you the truth, (s)he who believes in who I AM, already has eternal life’.” (John 6 v 47 The Truth) Truth cannot lie. “ ‘I, I AM the Bread of Life...Here now is the Bread that has come from heaven itself. If a (wo)man eats of this Bread, (s)he will never die’.” (v 48, 49, 50) At Christmas we are gifted the possibility of an eternal joy in the company of the Holy Trinity. Let us rejoice to be made holy, to become the Lord Jesus’ good works, making progress in the pursuit of holiness. “ ‘This Bread is My body, which I will give for the salvation of all mankind’.” (v 51) What an incredible, absolutely most wondrous blessing, dearest Father. “Because Your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live.” (Psalm 63 v 3, 4) and that will be forever. A forever Saviour is born to us as at Christmas and in every Holy Eucharist whereby our Saviour will enter our heart. “My soul shall be satisfied” (v 5), my soul being the real one. My real me needs Your power of holy love. This is what is gifted us at Christmas and beyond forever, by our Saviour, through the Holy Spirit. “My mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.” (v 5 cont) Oh the magic of Christmas that is not magic because it is real! Your love for us as a Trinity, this is at the heart of Christmas and love changes everything, always for the better. “In this is love, not that we loved You, Lord God, but that You loved us and sent Your Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (based on 1 John 4 v 10) Your love is most merciful. Thank You for Your love. Thank You for the gift of Jesus, our Saviour, the bright Light of holy love shining over a world darkened by sin. Thank You that we receive the Holy Spirit to help eradicate all sin. Christmas is a season of incredible blessing. The Holy Eucharist is a celebration of incredible blessing. To think we become the brothers and sisters of a King, not just of the royal house of David, but the King of Glory. This King is Your Word made flesh, come to feed us on holy truth, through the Holy Spirit of faith, of prayer, of worship. We should be the happiest people on earth! Thank You for Christmas, the special, historical time of our Saviour born to live amongst us forever. Although crucified for our forgiveness, death had no power over One so holy. Life is stronger than death. You are our Eternal Father because we have a forever Saviour and You send forth Your Spirit, we are re- created “And You renew the face of the earth.” (Psalm 104 v 30) “May Your glory Lord God, endure forever” (based on v 31) through us living to give You of our best efforts because the Lord Jesus lives within us. “May You rejoice in Your works” (Cont) and we will rejoice to celebrate Christmas. Love is born amongst us and such hope we are given. Praise ever be! Amen. 16.12.20 Sue O’Donnell

“Mercy and truth have met together...” (Psalm 85 v 16) We have a Saviour! Jesus, our Christmas, Our continuous Eucharist. How truly marvellous! Love shields us. Light shines upon us, The light of wisdom Counsel and understanding Commanding truth, For us to live by. Favour is restored to us By Jesus’ cradle and His †. His † is re-called, Re-claimed, named as Love in holy mercy. Given at every Eucharist, The blessing of grace, An incredible favour. We savour our Saviour. True love born At that First Christmas. Jesus died, but lives! Lives as God’s promise, Fulfilled, established, Truth verified. He died to rise again, For love is stronger by far, Than sin and death. Our debt cancelled at the †, Recall this in the Eucharist. A Christmas Baby Born to childless Mary Engaged to Joseph. His love lasted, Proved to be faithful. Joseph cherished the life Of God’s unborn Son, The perfectly holy One Born to us as Saviour, Our Redeemer and Healer. Jesus remains with us By the power of the Holy Spirit, Central to every Eucharist. Jesus is the focus, As the love gift of God. God is with us, Christ Jesus is Immanuel. A Saviour born to reform us. “Righteousness and peace have kissed. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yes, the LORD will give what is good....” (Psalm 85 v 10, 11, 12) “And our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before Him and shall make His footsteps our pathway.” (Psalm 85 v 15) Our world is restored in favour to You, dearest Father, all thanks for the birth of our Saviour Brother, born to later die on the † for our redemption. But for now, His hope is our joy, our focus on the Christmas season. Thank You that both the hope and the joy of knowing the Lord Jesus is renewed in each and every celebration of the Sacred Mystery. That mystery began the First Christmas “When peaceful silence lay over all, the night had run half of her swift course, down from the heavens, from the royal throne leapt Your all powerful Word...” (Wisdom 18 v 14, 15 TNJB) Your Word of truth, of wisdom is born to us at Christmas, but also in each Holy Eucharist. No longer is a silence from heaven maintained, disturbing us as to the meaning of life on earth. “Hear this, all nations, listen, all who dwell on earth, people high and low, rich and poor alike. My lips have wisdom to utter, my heart good sense to whisper.” (Psalm 49 v 1, 2, 3 TNJB) All You ask of us is to believe in Christ Jesus, who He is and why He was born amongst us. “The message of the cross..., it is the power of God,” (1 Corinthians 1 v 18 TNJB) re-presented to us in the profound blessings of the Eucharist. We receive the body and blood of Christ Jesus, actually present to us by the power of the Holy Spirit, re- claiming us for the Lord Jesus, enabling us to honour our Brother as the “Christ, who is both the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (v 24) Your wisdom is presented us in the gift of the life of the Lord Jesus, in truth which is universal, set before us in a way we can recognise and respond to. This is why the Lord Jesus is born to us as a Child. “For You, Lord, are good and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. Give ear, O LORD, to our prayer and attend to the voice of our supplications.” (Psalm 86 v 5, 6 the singular invocation changed to plural) We pray the holy Eucharist, praying with rejoicing, celebrating across the world daily. “You, O LORD, are a God full of compassion and gracious, long suffering and abundant in mercy and truth.” (Psalm 86 v 15) Jesus, our Emmanuel, comes to us as our Saviour, full of wisdom and truth, teaching us the role of mercy and justice. The faithful, true One is our Redeemer, born in our midst. May the light of holy love shine upon us, amongst us and influence us to shine ourselves. “ ‘The LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, do not fear nor be dismayed’.” (Deuteronomy 31 v 8) The Lord Jesus born as love to us, is the revealed truth of Your promise fulfilled for us. He comes to us as the Word made Flesh. Jesus is the Word of Life to us, especially in the Eucharist. “For there is born to you this day in the city of David, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2 v 11) He is the promised One, “Unto us a Son is given” (Isaiah 9 v 6) as the Light of the world. “And His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor” (Cont) for He is our Saviour Redeemer Healer, and He is united fully with the Holy Spirit of love, of wisdom, of truth, of counsel, of understanding, shining His light upon our sins’ darkness. It is Your Son, Lord God, who is “Mighty God, Everlasting Father” (Isaiah 9 v 6), the One we adore as being Your exact representation and image, the Vine of Your love, making us the branches. We live in Jesus’ kingdom upon earth, the place to practise living in holiness. Thank You for helping with this as we come to receive the Lord of lords and King of kings in the Holy Eucharist. God with us, sending us the Spirit of holiness. Oh how gracious is Your love, heavenly Father. “Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory” (Matthew 6 v 9) shared with us in Jesus, by the Holy Spirit. We rejoice to live in the unity of Your love as a Trinity. May our holy communion enhance this love as it will contain all the holy power of a true love, the brightest light of love shining. In the Eucharist we partake of Your goodness, Lord Jesus. According to God’s mercy, the chasm which sin creates between us and our Father, is covered over by Your blood shed for us. We dare to hope in our eternal salvation once more. Your real presence helps our faith to be uplifted and encouraged. “The joy of knowing You, Lord, is our strength.” (based on Nehemiah 8 v 10) We are touching eternal love when we hold You in our hands. All of this is so wondrous, it is truly awesome, for You gift Yourself to unite the communicant with the company of heaven. We taste of the joy which is to come. You are the way home to heaven, dear Jesus. All that is holy touches our humanity through You and this amazing gift, this heavenly gift. Through You we offer all praise and thanks to our Father, for His love and mercy, His compassion and patience, His tolerance and acceptance of us, as He looks no longer at our sinfulness, but at us clothed in Your merits, Lord. You manifest our Father’s nature His loving kindness and the world becomes a better, fairer, more just place to live. You have made us citizens of a heavenly kingdom upon earth. You, by Your Spirit, especially through the Holy Eucharist, become the essence of not only our hopes and ambitions, but our decisions and actions. We better understand the power of Your Spirit, when we learn how He can change the substance of the communion bread and wine into Your body and blood. We are reminded of the power which raised You from death. Thank You that Your Spirit, our Father’s Spirit, enables us to pray and offer our praise, thanksgiving and adoration as well as prayers of remorse, supplication or intercession. It is together as a Trinity working, that we become a whole person, body, soul and spirit placed beneath His holy authority. This is so beneficial for us. The highest goal of love becomes attainable when You live within us, by the industry of the Holy Spirit. You invite us to live a happily fulfilled, holy life, thank You. May the Holy Spirit ever gift us please, the eyes, ears, mind, heart and conscience to follow Your way of life and to live by Your truth as best we can, praying continuously. Now in the season of Christmas, joy to the world and peace on earth, it is up to us to maintain all You establish for the glory of God. In the sacramental mystery we delight in, honour and adore You, Lord Jesus, as You enable us to look up to heaven with realistic hope of attainment. For who You are, for all You do, for all You say to us and show us, for all You mean to us and for the life enhancing gift of the Holy Spirit, we truly adore and venerate You. Ever be our dwelling place, all to our Father’s delight, honour and glory. May we ever build ourselves up in faith by praying, receiving Your precious body and blood, remaining open to the impact of the Holy Spirit. May we keep ourselves in our Father’s love and mercy, for it was for this high purpose You were born into the world. We rejoice to have You as our Brother and to know You as our Saviour. “Now to Him who is able to prevent us from stumbling,” (based on Jude v 24 The Truth) from straying, from falling foul to satan, and to You “Who can, with joy, present us perfect to God’s glorious Presence,” (Cont) we turn this Christmas. “To the only God our Saviour” known to us as the Holy Trinity, “Be glory, majesty, might and authority through Lord Jesus, You who are the Christ, throughout all ages, now and forever.” (based on v 25) We feel confident to ask this, for You are the incarnation of love and mercy, our forever Saviour and our living hope. How profoundly blessed we are, all praise and thanks ever be! Amen. 26.12.20 Sue O’Donnell

“Come into His presence with songs of joy.” (Psalm 100 v 2) Come, in your brokenness. Come, in your sickness. Come, in your sinfulness. Come, with Jesus, meet. Come, greet Him. Come, this time is sweet. “He is good. His love is everlasting. His faithfulness endures from age to age.” (Psalm 100 v 5) Come, in need of generosity. Come, in need of mercy. Come, burdened by iniquity. Come, with adoration. Come, in veneration. Come, with dedication. “May I receive the Lord’s body and blood, and its reality and power.” (From a prayer of St Thomas Aquinas) Come, seeking enlightenment. Come, it is your entitlement. Come, Jesus is heaven sent. Come, with determined purpose. Come, expressing real remorse. Come, with contrition, of course. “King God, may I receive the body of Your only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ ...and so be received into His mystical body.” (Prayer continued) Come, receive the Lord Jesus. Come, share in His holiness. Come, how He does bless us! Come, to the Holy Eucharist. Come, a feast not to be missed. Come, Jesus offers us wholeness. “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 forever. Amen.” (Prayer concluded) “Let me have for all eternity peace upon peace, that through You I may reach that peace which passes all understanding, where I may see You in the joy of eternity.” (St Gertrude the Great 1256 -1302) Oh the immeasurable gain through receiving the cleansing, healing, nourishing Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus, it is actually inestimable. Truly I thank You, dearest Father. You gift us life through Jesus and His † of forgiveness recalled at the Eucharist, life in all fullness now just as our Saviour promised us, and an eternity in the blessings of Your company. “For me to live in Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1 v 21) It saddens me that so many people do not enjoy this privilege simply because they did not seek to find the meaning and purpose of life, making their discovery through Jesus. Lord, through the life and death of our Saviour Brother, in union with His Most Sacred Heart and divine Blood and the holy sacrifice of the Eucharist, I offer myself to You. Thank You that forgiveness allows this. We are loved and forgiven, cherished as family, the adopted brothers and sisters of the Lord Jesus. “The LORD reigns: Let the earth rejoice...at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.” (Psalm 97 v 1, 5) The righteousness of the Lord Jesus we claim as ours Lord God, so gaining right standing in Your sight, we experience “Light sown for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart.” (v 11) “Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! Serve the LORD with gladness,” (Psalm 100 v 1, 2) realising what an honour of the highest order it is to be enabled to do this. Thank You for the amazing grace of righteousness. May we put this to best use by becoming willing, hard working, reverent workers, the Lord Jesus’ co-workers striving to extend His kingdom of love and mercy, of justice and peace for everyone. Although a servant, You are so concerned for our wellbeing Father. May we come to understand that we must seek to live honourably, correct at all times, then You can bless us with all that is necessary to prosper in life. May we take no grace, no privilege, no favour for granted, realising all benefits and blessings were won for us by the Lord Jesus at the †, then risen, ascended and glorified, He sends us His Spirit. May we be open and receptive to the Spirit of life, who shares with us each and every aspect of the all loving life of our Brother, so as to impact upon us and influence us for good, always. “Come into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise, be thankful to Him, and bless His name,” (Psalm 100 v 4) Your name, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one Lord of love in a Trinity. We exalt and esteem You Father God, each time we partake of holy communion, the Holy Spirit miraculously changing the works of our hands, the bread and wine, into the Body and Blood of Jesus. In the Eucharist the Lord Jesus’ real presence is with us hidden under the form of bread and wine. How astonishing! “The LORD is good, His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.” (Psalm 100 v 5) “Honour and majesty” are set before us. “Strength and gladness,” (1 Chronicles 16 v 27) belonging to the Trinity. This is our claim. “Give to the LORD, O families of the people” (v 28) one family when adopted by Jesus. He is the Lord of Glory and we become the subjects of a King, the Lord of lords and King of kings, the highest One of renown in all heaven and earth. “Give to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering and come before Him. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!” (v 29) for not only is it right to do so, herein is our deepest peace and highest joy, a profound contentment heaven sent. “Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; and let them say among the nations” – for it is true for all believers in Christ Jesus, our anointed King – “ ‘The LORD reigns’.” (v 31) No longer are we in bondage to satan, praise be. “ ‘Who do you say that I am’?” (Luke 9 v 20) is the most significant question we will ever be asked. May the Spirit of faith enable us to reply without hesitation, claiming with praise and thanksgiving “The Christ of God.” (v 26) Thank You for our gain by the sacrifice made at the †of forgiveness. Thank You for all the blessings of grace and mercy which gift us unity, peace and safety now into eternity. The Lord Jesus assures us that as He is the sacrificial Lamb, “ ‘Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood’,” making Him actually able to live within us, oh what a miracle! Then the recipient “ ‘Has eternal life, and I will raise him (her) up at the last day’.” (John 6 v 54) We partake in the covenant blood of Christ Jesus, to be joined to You, dearest Father, blessed by the work of the Spirit, and we receive the benefits of a lifetime and beyond. How marvellously we are provided for, thank You. It is such an honour to become partakers of the divine nature “...having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2 Peter 1 v 4) We have become a new creation entirely, all thanks to the holy life and death of Jesus and the holiness of the anointing Spirit. “It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life’,” (John 6 v 63) the promised life in all fullness. This is our faith. This is our Eucharist, our reception of the Word of life who is the King of Glory. This is our hope which is decided. This then is our peace and our joy. How truly wonderful are the works of Your hands Lord God. “’No one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him (her) by My Father’.” (v 65) Thank You for the mercies of Your love, our healing by forgiveness. “Bless the LORD, O my soul and all that is within me bless His holy name!...And forget not all His benefits,” (Psalm 103 v 1, 2) Your ever present kindness through Jesus and the Spirit, so beneficial for us. Forgiving us, it is Your merciful love which redeems us from the hell of final, total separation, that same love which “Crowns with loving kindness and tender mercies,” (v 4) who more than satisfies us by the new life gifted in Jesus. All thanks, all praise, all glory ever be now and eternally. May we ever “Let the kingdom of heaven and living in a right relationship with You, Lord God, be our priorities, then everything else we need will be given us as well.” (based on Matthew 6 v 33 The Truth) Thank You so much for each and every grace, blessing and favour as gifted us in the Lord Jesus, by the Spirit, notably at the Eucharist. Amen. 24.08.20 Sue O’Donnell

“ ‘I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness and you shall know the LORD. It shall come in that day that I will answer’ says the LORD, ...The earth shall answer with grain, with new wine...” (Hosea 2 v 20, 21, 22) Hence develops this promise through the Lord Jesus. Living an exemplary life to be the perfect sacrifice. Offered up on the † to gain forgiveness for us. Prior to this offering Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist. As the start of His time of Paschal Mystery, Those days which were to radically change history, Jesus was instituting in the Last Supper His way of life, a life involving sharing love. He was showing the truth, that He is the world’s Saviour. Jesus was offering us remembrance of how forgiveness Was won for us at the †, to gift us life’s fullness and eternal hope. “I, like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God, put my trust in God’s faithful love, for ever and ever. I shall praise You for ever for what You have done, and shall trust in Your name, so full of goodness in the presence of Your faithful.” (Psalm 52 v 8, 9 TNJB) Jesus was and still is, sharing His life with us, So our godly intentions can be combined with His infinite merits. To love, honour and serve our Father as He deserves, Our thoughts, intentions and efforts, however successful Or even maybe not as yet, are combined entirely With the Sacred Heart of Jesus, according to the working of the Spirit. We are now enabled to hand everything over to Jesus, To share in His holy way moving life forwards According to God’s plan, purposes and promises. For God’s way is steadfast, loving kindness ours to learn from, To depend upon, to put into action together with Jesus. “As for me, I will sing about Your power. I will shout with joy each morning because of Your unfailing love.” (Psalm 59 v 16 TNJB) Jesus’ love resonates throughout the Holy Eucharist, The richest, highest, fullest blessing gifted us, Powerful in effect even into eternity, wondrously. Surrender and commit to the love Jesus offers us, Never striving alone for this takes us too far from home. Acclaim our blessed partnership as given in the Holy Eucharist. We are being set free from sin, blessed by forgiveness, That we become a temple for the Holy Spirit, Where the Lord Jesus will care to share and dwell. Quell all manner of doubt and fear, thoughts of unworthiness. Made righteous by Jesus, responding to the Spirit’s efforts. “Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth. Unite my heart to fear Your name.” (Psalm 86 v 11) Together we can forge the way forwards in godliness, For a better, holier, happier world, a place to be The very kingdom of love and mercy Jesus initiated. Connection to the mighty power of holy love is an incredible force. A force for good, of course, a confidence in godly purpose. For Jesus is real and by love does appeal to us. Come then to partake of the Holy Eucharist, Rejoicing, praising and prayerful thanking that the Lord Jesus Has made this possible by means of the Holy Spirit. What merit there is in this love of Jesus shared with us! “Clap your hands, all peoples, acclaim God with shouts of joy. For the LORD, the Most High, is glorious, the great King over all the earth.” (Psalm 47 v 1 TNJB) “I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forevermore. For great is Your mercy toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.” (Psalm 86 v 12, 13) All believers in the Lord Jesus live by this truth when the Holy Spirit has influenced them by His instruction and invitation to live according to godly purpose. Let us ever offer our praise of appreciative thanksgiving for a Saviour and a Sanctifier, especially as now in the season of Advent, a time earmarked for godly purpose. Amen. 30.11.20 Sue O’Donnell

“I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being; may my meditation be sweet to Him, I will be glad in the LORD.” (Psalm 104 v 33, 34) This is the gladness which overcomes sins’ sadness. The Lord Jesus comes to live with us. Thank God for the Holy Eucharist, Strengthening our decided purpose to seek holiness, And live to obediently fulfil God’s will. It is the Spirit of our Father and the Son Which the ascended, glorified Christ Jesus sends to us, Developing our capacity to love at all times. “Above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘Love will cover a multitude of sins’.” (1 Peter 1 v 8) So we are prepared to forgive each other, To be reconciled, living harmoniously together. As the Lord Jesus, the Bread of Life feeds us, We are strengthened to share His holiness. It is because Jesus is the source of our spiritual strengths, That He gives Himself to us being all holy wisdom and truth. Oh, the manifold blessings of this Sacred Mystery, Our nourishment, faith’s incredible sacred replenishment. “Taste and see that the LORD is good.” (Psalm 34 v 8) Eternal life is birthed within us As we taste and see of God’s gracious goodness. We are being resurrected from our earlier life. Re-connected with our Father, by the Lord Jesus, According to the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit. We see Jesus, not visible before us, But in the transformation of our daily life, In our gratitude to God and attitude to each other. “Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him...Those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.” (Psalm 34 v 9, 10) Love, we discover, is our new life in Christ Jesus. He shares our life fully if we live prayerfully. Our transformation is the concrete experience Of a life given to be possessed by God’s promise, Never to abandon nor forsake us, but to be with us, Ever with us in His Son, by the Spirit. Offer then all thanks and praise for the life giving Eucharist. “Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage.” (Micah 7 v 18) “Bless the LORD, all His works, in all places of His dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!” (Psalm 103 v 22) We bless and thank You dearest Father, for sending Your Son to live and die for us, then having been resurrected, returning to You, He sends us the life changing Spirit. The Spirit in turn redirects our attention to the Lord Jesus, who He is, all He offers us and means to us, especially in the Holy Eucharist. This is the true Bread of life, that holy sustenance “...which strengthens man’s heart,” (Psalm 104 v 15) by reminding us of how sins are forgiven to grant us a new start in life. “May sinners be consumed from the earth, and the wicked be no more,” (Psalm 104 v 35) for we live anew through our holy Brother, our Saviour, our Lord. “Though we have never seen Him in the flesh, we love Him. Even though we cannot see Him physically now, we still believe in Him and are filled with a tremendous sense of glorious joy. For even now we are in the process of receiving the objective of our faith, the salvation of our soul.” (1 Peter 1 v 8 The Truth) An era of grace and favour has dawned upon us in our Saviour, as we live in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we have received this profoundest of blessings, I ask that we make a difference to society. May we have the mindsets of those who live on the Bread of Life, so are being prepared for a holy life given in service of each other. Let us celebrate and offer all thanks for the true love we discover in Jesus. Let us be, dearest Father, Your obedient children, who no longer give way to the worldliness and selfishness which marked out our life previously, when in ignorance of Your purpose for us. The Lord Jesus comes to show us another way to live and to teach us to pray, especially regarding our sinfulness. Thank You for the forgiveness we are offered at the †and in the daily Holy Eucharist. It is our Saviour Brother, who by the Spirit, enables us to live as those who know our time on earth is set apart for Your kingdom glory, Your purpose of holiness. We must strive to live a faultless life. May we then live in reverent awe, in the fear of displeasing and disappointing You, repenting when we go wrong, but still delighting to belong to the One who gifts fullness of life to us, the Lord Jesus. We have been redeemed from our empty way of life and are being prepared for an eternity of joy in the company of the Almighty Trinity. Let every day make a difference to our efforts, now we have a future laid out for us. We “Look to the future with both faith and hope, secure in our personal knowledge of You, Lord God, holy Father.” (based on 1 Peter 1 v 21 The Truth) We praise You for this grace given in the Lord who is our Saviour, and made real to us by the Spirit, who is our Sanctifier. As we have been born again, may we love others truly from the heart, living in, through and together with the One who is Your living and abiding Word of promise, our Saviour. The fullness of life offered us as we experience the friendship of our Saviour Brother, is not something we can create for ourselves, it is pure gift from heaven, freely given, to be rejoiced in because this results from love. Our emptiness is overcome. No longer does our life feel pointless, for we become prosperous in the life shared with Jesus, a life full of godly purpose, such a happiness. This is the fullness of love only You can gift us, dearest Father, choosing to do this in Your Son, by Your Spirit. We are graced to be recipients of a new life in the Lord Jesus, a life overflowing with love and its purpose. We are called to become more like the Lord Jesus when we see Him as He really is. May our partaking of His holy body and blood in the Sacred Mystery, go a long way to ensuring this, enabling us to watch and pray. Amen. 30.09.20 Sue O’Donnell

“...in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5 v 18) Beloved Lord, Adored In heaven above And earth below. God’s store of goodness Is released through His Beloved Son, We call ‘Jesus’. He comes to us In a way most miraculous. “All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name.” (Psalm 86 v 9) According to the zealous Spirit, At work in the Eucharist, The Spirit works with Jesus, Turning the host, A wafer of bread Into the real presence Of the Lord, Beloved Lord, Adored. “...God sent forth His Son...that we might receive the adoption as sons (daughters) ...And because you are sons (daughters), God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out ‘Abba, Father’!” (Galatians 4 v 5, 6) As God’s Word To be heard, Touched, Jesus is with us. In addition for holy communion, The chalice of wine Is transformed, transubstantiated Into the blood of Jesus, As shed at the †, Entirely for our forgiveness. “For You are great and do wondrous things; You alone are God.” (Psalm 86 v 10) Forgiveness is freeing us from all sinfulness. We adore to be fortified In our hope of renewal, Holy love the tool. Because now we live In Jesus, our Beloved Lord, Adored. “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ came into the world to save sinners...” (1 Timothy 1 v 15) “Devote yourselves to prayer being watchful and thankful.” (Colossians 4 v 2) Lord, I thank You, I praise You for being the One adored as light amidst our darkness, truth in our ignorance, guidance against our defiance, our full saving help and protection as by Your Spirit, You live within us. Our Father gifts You so we experience as we pray, Your way to live and Your truth to live by. Your life in us is our blessing of holiness, the fullness we seek. We are promised protection against satan. You are that protection for, ever loved and adored Lord, You are our saving help. The outcome of the †is merciful forgiveness. How glorious it is to come to You in the Holy Eucharist, to taste of Your goodness as we pursue a life of holiness through You, by Your Spirit. Only in You, adored Lord, can we say “Preserve my life, for I am holy.” (Psalm 86 v 2) Yes, You are our Saviour Brother, You have established the hope of holiness for us, but there is much to yet be done! “You are my God, save Your servant who trusts in You” (v 3) and turns to You so I can then enter the throne room of heaven and plead for mercy. “Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I cry to You all day long,” or want to. I am sorry for the all too many times I fail to turn to You, to acknowledge Your presence amongst us – all thanks to the most marvellous miracle of all, Your gift of Yourself under the form of bread and wine. “Rejoice the soul of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul,” (v 4) and I ask to ever adore, glorify, thank and praise Your holy name as Saviour. “For You, Lord, are good and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You,” (Cont) whatever form our prayer takes in our adoration. We can ask You anything that is in accord with Your holy will and You present our petition to the Father of mercy, so as to enable His blessings to flow, according to the Spirit of love. You gift us this Spirit, Your very own Spirit, our Father’s spirit, so that inspired, graced, guided by Him, You live in us, praying with us as a redeemed people. Our freedom, our adoration of You at the † of forgiveness and risen to a new life You share with us, blessing us by a share in Your holiness, this is the very fullness we seek. You take us forward in glory, the glory of Your continuous presence, the outworking of Your Spirit of faith, teaching us to pray as we have been nourished and fed in the Holy Eucharist, making our faith vibrantly alive. You are to be thanked, praised and adored, all loving, ever loving Lord of Life, Conqueror over all that is evil, Victor over death, making this not an ending which is final, but an opening to heaven. “I will sing of mercy and justice; to You O LORD, I will sing praises,” (Psalm 118 v 1) especially for Your gifting of the Spirit of wisdom and truth, ever busy safeguarding us by correcting all errors of our worldly ways. It is You Lord, adored Saviour and Brother, Redeemer and Friend, we can offer praise to our Father for His everlasting mercy. “For His mercy endures forever,” (Psalm 118 v 1) for You are our forever Saviour. “Open to us the gates of righteousness, and we will go through them and we will praise You LORD” (based on v 19) full of admiration for our salvation, adoring You as the living and abiding holy Word of our Father. “This is the gate of the LORD, through which the righteous shall enter,” (v 20) the praise we offer for Your real presence amongst us, the blessed and gifted most holy body and blood offered us in the celebration of holy communion. We will praise You, Lord Jesus, dearest Father and Holy Spirit Lord, for together in the closest unity of love and mercy, “You have answered us and have become our salvation.” (based on v 21) Adored Lord, You are “The stone which the builders rejected” (v 22) but we have accepted as “The chief cornerstone,” who by Your Spirit, holds the body of Christian faith, Your church, together. “This was the LORD’s doing,” (23) the faith building, life enhancing, adoration giving Spirit. “It is marvellous in our eyes” (Cont) and each day we hope to offer all our praise. Adored Lord, Jesus, our Redeemer, Your body and blood most precious, this is the highest worship we can offer up to our Father of mercies, proclaiming in faith. “This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, I pray, O LORD,” (v 24, 25) for there are many who as yet do not know You, and this is such a sadness. We need to know You as the Word of God, loving and true to us, making Your love our focus by the Spirit, so as to be able to worship adequately, for “Blessed is (s)he who comes in the name of the LORD.” (v 26) “You are my God,” (v 28) together with the Father and the Spirit, forming a perfect family of deep love and profound mercy. “I will praise You. You are my God and I will exalt You.” (v 28) We offer You all thanks living, ever loving, adored Lord, for “You are good!” (v 29) being the image of our Father, merciful, kind and just. “His mercy endures forever” (Cont) for You agreed to become our Saviour, our Father’s love perfectly manifest. By Your active Spirit, You usher us into the way of holiness, the way You modelled for us that “Blessed are the undefiled...who keep Your testimonies, who seek You with the whole heart.” (Psalm 119 v 1, 2) May this ever happen in partaking of Your body and blood, adored Lord. You are our faith’s source, sustenance and nourishment as “You have commanded us to keep Your precepts diligently (v 4)...we will praise You with uprightness of heart when we learn Your righteous judgments.” (based on v 7) Adored Lord, “Let us not wander from Your commandments!” (based on v 10) especially the concern for us to love God with our whole self and our neighbour in similar vein, for this demand encompasses all other godly commands. Please keep us alert to Your Spirit, to Your Leadership as the Spirit alerts us, to how we can best serve lovingly by living through You, with You in us continuously. May we be equipped and enabled to deal with any adversity, setback, upheaval caused by the enemy, for adored Lord, You are our forever Saviour Redeemer leading us forwards in faith. In any situation, when we are unsure of the way to go, please remind us to ask of the Spirit to show us, by answering the question we ask ourselves: ‘What would Jesus do?’ Adored Lord, You are our Protector and Provider through our Father. Anything worthwhile we accomplish, all that is of eternal value, will be done in You, through You, by You in us, all thanks to the Holy Eucharist fortifying us. Your life is given to love, forgive, save and renew us through Your Spirit, all to the glory of God as a Trinity. What joy there is to be found in Your friendship adored Lord, our Saviour and our Brother. “Christians ...should appear as people who wish to share their joy, who point to a horizon of beauty, and who invite others to a delicious banquet,” (Pope Francis evangelii gaudium 111-134) which You provide, adored Lord. O Lord, make us Your authentic, Spirit blessed, love possessed witnesses as we live in You, with You in us, Your eternal goodness proclaimed all to the glory of God. Please, please, fill our emptiness, cleanse our sinfulness, heal our sickness, forgive and redeem us, save us and sanctify us as You come to possess us in all holy wisdom and truth. May we live a life of faith Spirit led, Spirit fed, graced and blessed as You are formed in us to show what true love is, adored Lord. True love is You alive in us, all thanks and praise ever, ever be, all to the glory of God. Amen. 06.08.20 Sue O’Donnell

“Blessed be Jesus in the most holy Sacrament of the altar.” (From “The Divine Praises”) Sacramentally present with us, Here is the body and blood of Christ Jesus, A sacred place, love’s warmest embrace, We receive of our Saviour intimately. He gifts His body to us fully Just as at the †of forgiveness. Jesus offers His blood to us, The vine mankind had grown, Harvested and presented sacrificially, Becoming miraculously, the blood of Jesus Christ, He who died was resurrected To be connected with us now. Jesus is our forever Saviour, Gifting His body and blood to us Exactly as He offered Himself at the †. What a sacrament of grace, True love’s fullest embrace. God’s loving mercy on all believers in Christ Jesus, The righteous – if that is any of us – And the sinners in need of forgiveness. We all stand in dire need of God’s mercy. Jesus has opened out for us a resolution, So special it is a revolution God given In steadfast loving kindness and all faithfulness. All thanks and praise ever be for our Saviour, Jesus the Christ, Offering us at the †and in the Holy Eucharist, The scandalous grace of healing love shaped by mercy. May we enter eternity to thank You unceasingly. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8 v 1) “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8 v 2) You accomplished this Lord Jesus, by honouring our Father’s plan for our salvation and accepting the † for our forgiveness. Thank You seems such an inadequate response as the occasion is re-called during the Holy Eucharist when You come to us so intimately. In the Holy Eucharist, blessed by the will of our Father, Your loving kindness and the mysterious working of the Holy Spirit, we are united with You in an incomparable way. We praise You as our prized possession Lord Jesus. We possess You and You possess us! What a divine exchange Your and the Father’s Spirit works. “Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.” (From the Divine Praises). By this plan of salvation, the power of the Holy Spirit brings love to life. Partaking of You, Lord Jesus, we become temples where the Spirit can reside. May we neither say nor do anything to mar this. You have raised us to a royal status as sons and daughters of a King. But what a King You are, Lord Jesus, One who came to ransom us, pay the debt of our sin by serving our Father’s merciful purpose. Without Your life given for us, we could not be redeemed. But willingly You chose to live and die on the †for our forgiveness. We are called to be a holy, chosen people, saints in fact. May our partaking of Your most precious body and blood accomplish a blessing of the highest standard, preparing us to spend an eternity in heaven, praising with all thanksgiving for our becoming Your followers, Your witnesses, the Holy Spirit having enabled the gospel message of new life to go out to the far corners of the world. What an honour to be made an Ambassador working for a heavenly kingdom upon earth. Lord Jesus, may we never fail You in this. Daily let us pray to be filled by Your Spirit aligning our life with Your intentions. Jesus, Light of the world, ever please shine the light of Your love upon us in the Holy Eucharist. Without You, we have no hope of spiritual progress, of being the salt of the earth well able to favour life. Lord, giving fully of Yourself, You show us the way to live to delight and honour our Father. May we never impair this high calling making us servants like You. We need the Holy Spirit to steward us. As sons and daughters, we are called to be Your image-bearers. There can be no other way to develop a likeness to You in all things, this being the holiness You offer to share with us, than to develop our faith in a godly outcome. O Lord, dear Jesus, You do so much for us, it is hard to take in all we learn and have to put into practise. Please keep coming to us in the Holy Eucharist and please keep rendering love upon us through the Spirit of life. “The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it,” (Proverbs 10 v 22) thankfully. “To do evil is like sport to a fool, but a (wo)man of understanding has wisdom” (v 23) and we need this wisdom to combat the world, our errors of judgment and the works of the devil. “The desire of the righteous will be granted” (v 24) because Lord Jesus, You bring us fully into step with Your life enhancing Spirit of holiness seeking to bless everybody if only we would co-operate. We are asked to “Present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God,” (based on Romans 12 v 1) which is exactly what You did for us, Jesus Lord. So we must veer away from the world. May our holy communion with You enable this to happen consistently, not just when it suits us. “If it is possible, as much as depends on you,” we are told, “Live peaceably with all men.” (Romans 12 v 18) Well, You are our peace of mind and have gained in re-establishing our relationship with the love of our Father, through Your sacrifice. Thank You for showing us the Lord God is our Father who is “Ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in kindness.” (Nehemiah 9 v 17) Our Father will never forsake us, for He has sent You to save us from death and an ongoing separation. “The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble and He knows those who trust in Him.” (Nahum 1 v 7) Lord Jesus, You are life to us, everything that we need to live contentedly, happy to be members of a world wide family under Your jurisdiction now, until one blessed day of God’s favour, we enter heaven. For all that You are and all that You do for us, especially at the † and in the Holy Eucharist, I praise and thank You. I hope the day will come when we are all believers, that “All Your works shall praise You O LORD, and Your saints shall bless You,” (Psalm 145 v 10) because of the tender mercy we meet with so regularly. Redeemed to be a chosen race we “Shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom” (v 11) as set up here on earth as well as the kingdom to come, for which You are the way there, all thanks to the enlightening, faith building Spirit. Let us ever talk of the amazing, life changing power of holy love offered in mercy, “To make known to the sons (and daughters) of men, Your mighty acts” (v 12) none greater than the sacrifice at the † and the ensuing sacramental presence You gift us in the Holy Eucharist. How majestic, almighty and most marvellous is this power of holy love meaning “Your dominion endures throughout all generations”. (v 13) Lord Jesus, life to us, the life of God that is, be then that life in us, flourishing according to the working of the Holy Spirit, always helping us to “Overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12 v 21) I ask this in Your name as Christ, the King of Glory, our Saviour, offering all thanks for helping us be “Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer,” (Romans 12 v 12) especially as we pray the Holy Eucharist. Amen. 21.09.20 Sue O’Donnell