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The Psalmist is confident in the presence of God: there is no malice in him. In that, the Psalmist resembles Job. No matter what befell him, "Job did not sin nor did he say anything disrespectful of God." Can we be so confident in the presence of God? We can indeed, but in an entirely different way. We can stand confidently before God, not because we are sinless, but because we are forgiven. Our Christian confidence before God is not a self-confidence. Our confidence is based on God's mercy. Our confidence is that hope which, with faith and love, determines our stance before God. Through His passion, death and resurrection, Jesus won for us the grace to be able to stand unafraid in the presence of God. We can thus stand, not because we are totally sinless, but because we are sinners who by grace can entrust our lives to God and His mercy. Jesus answered John, "Anyone who is not against you is on your side." Because God loved us by sending His Son we can be sure that God will never be against us. God will always be on our side, not indeed to affirm that we have never sinned but that our sins are forgiven in Christ Jesus.
Father, we have sinned before You. Confident of Your mercy, we open our hearts to Your forgiving love.
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DAILY OFFERING
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Eternal Father, I offer You everything I do this day; my thoughts, words, joys and sufferings. Grant that, vivified by the Holy Spirit and united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, my life this day may be of service to You and to others. I also pray that all those preparing for marriage discover in Sacrament the source of Christ's grace for living a fithful and fruitful love. Amen.
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PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH
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INTENTION
That in less developed parts of the world the proclamation of the Word of God may renew people's hearts, encouraging them to work actively towards authentic social progress.
Elaboration
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