Author: regan.ocd

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THURSDAY, FOURTH WEEK OF EASTERTIDE

 

Acts 13: 13-25                        Ps 89: 2-3, 21-22, 25, 27                    Jn 13: 16-20

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FROM SERVANTS TO MESSENGERS

 

In today’s Gospel reading Jesus outlines the role that the disciples will have to take on after his death. Through his action he urges his disciples to follow in the same way and serve each other. The washing of the feet was a job reserved for the lowest even among slaves. Jesus sets an example of service: governed by love. Though discipleship is marked by service and humility, service flows not from duty but from love. And Jesus does this himself when he chooses to die on the Cross – an action some of the disciples replicate in imitation of their master. For this he came into the world so that people may experience the love of the Father.

 

And though he is fully aware of the betrayal that will follow, he accepts it, for he knows it is for the fulfilment of Scripture “the one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.” Anyone who accepts this discipleship accepts both Jesus and the Father who has sent him. We notice unity from the Father going through the Son and passing through the disciple to others. There is just one mission – to bring about the Kingdom, the Reign of God in the world. We see this focus on the Mission in Paul as he embarks on his first journey in the First Reading. Today’s passage speaks of “Saul also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit”. The Holy Spirit decides and acts in the person of Paul who is an instrument of God; this is evidently seen as Paul speaks. At the Synagogue Paul is invited to read Scripture and speak to the assembly as was tradition on the Sabbath. Paul takes the opportunity to introduce Jesus to the Jews by tracing His ancestry and going over the great events in the Old Testament. He sums up the salvation history by recalling John’s (the Baptist) testimony. Jesus calls us too, to keep our hopes set upon him. In the midst of confusing times or struggles that does not make any sense to us in the present time, let Jesus remind you: I AM HE!

 

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Response: I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord!

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Copyright ©2013-2026 ©Springs of Living Water  http://springs.carmelmedia.in

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WEDNESDAY, FOURTH WEEK OF EASTERTIDE

 

Acts 12:24–13:5                    Ps 67: 2-3, 5-6, 8                    Jn 12: 44-50

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LETTING GOD “SHOW THROUGH”

 

Today’s Gospel confronts us with a powerful truth: to see Jesus is to see the Father, and to hear Jesus is to hear the very words of God. Jesus is not merely a messenger; He is the visible revelation of the invisible God, as St Paul teaches us! As St. John Paul II beautifully reminds us in ‘Theology of the Body,’ the body exists to make the invisible visible. In Christ, God’s love, mercy, and truth are no longer hidden-they are embodied in the person of Jesus. This Gospel does not stop with Jesus. It gently but firmly turns toward each of us. If Christ reveals the Father through His words and actions, then those who follow Him, as his disciples and believers, are called to do the same. The simple wisdom of the child captures this calling perfectly: If God is so big, and I am so small, and God lives inside me, should He not show through? That question becomes the heart of Christian discipleship.

 

Jesus tells us that His words will judge us, not because He desires condemnation, but because His words are life. To accept them is to live in the light; to reject them is to choose darkness. As St. John of the Cross famously said, “We will be examined in love.” In the end, our lives will not be measured by success, possessions, or status, but by love made visible.

 

The so-called “final exam” of life is not about loopholes or technicalities or a test to manifest how much we have done and thus to earn merits or a place God’s kingdom. God will not ask about our cars, houses, salaries, or social standing. He will solely be concerned about how we loved, and that alone will be his heart-piercing question to us: Did our words heal or harm? Did our actions lift others up? Did we allow our possessions to serve love, or did we allow them to rule us? Did our deeds match the Gospel we spoke? In living the life of a faithful catholic, every word we speak, every choice we make, becomes a testimony. When our words reflect Christ’s truth and our actions embody His love, God shines through us. This is humbling as much as it is challenging; but in the end, it is also our deepest calling as a Catholic.

 

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Response: Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!

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Copyright ©2026 ©Springs of Living Water  http://springs.carmelmedia.in

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TUESDAY, FOURTH WEEK OF EASTERTIDE

 

Acts 11: 19-26                      Ps 87: 1-7                     Jn 10: 22-30

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LISTENING TO THE VOICE THAT GIVES LIFE

 

After Easter, the Church invites us to reflect on what it truly means to belong to the risen Lord. Today’s readings speaks softly yet firmly about listening, belonging, and remaining faithful. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of Himself as the shepherd whose voice His sheep recognize. This is not just a comforting image; it is a deeply personal one. Jesus tells us that He knows His followers. He does not know us as numbers or faces in a crowd, but as individuals with names, stories, wounds. To be known like this is a great gift. Many people today struggle with loneliness, feeling unnoticed. Jesus reassures us that we are never invisible to Him. When we listen to His voice and choose to follow Him, we are held securely in His hands, where nothing can destroy the life He gives. The first reading shows how this voice of the shepherd guided the early believers. Scattered and unsure, they spoke about Jesus wherever they went. Their faith was not perfect, but it was sincere. Slowly, a community emerged which learned how to live as followers of Christ in daily life. It was there that believers were first recognized by their way of living. Their actions reflected the voice they listened to.

 

This is our challenge: People may not always read the Bible, but they read our lives. Do our words bring hope? Do our actions show kindness, patience, and courage? Are we willing to stand for what is right, even when it is uncomfortable? Listening to the voice of Jesus means allowing His way of love to shape how we speak, forgive, and serve. Today’s reflection invites us to pause and quieten our hearts. The world is full of loud voices that confuse and divide. Yet the voice of Jesus remains steady and trustworthy. He does not force; He invites. He does not threaten; He promises life. Let us ask for the grace to recognize His voice more clearly. In prayer, in silence, in the needs of others, He continues to call us. May we respond with trust, knowing that when we follow Him, we are walking toward life!

 

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Response: O praise the Lord, all you nations.

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Copyright ©2026 ©Springs of Living Water  http://springs.carmelmedia.in

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MONDAY, FOURTH WEEK OF EASTERTIDE

 

Acts 11: 1-18              Ps 42: 2-3; 43: 3-4                 Jn 10: 11-18

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GATHERED BY THE GOOD SHEPHERD

 

Life with God is a journey of slow understanding. Even when we believe in Him, we do not always grasp His ways immediately. He teaches us patiently, through events, through prayer, and through His Son. In the early Christian community, there was a moment of confusion. Peter had entered the house of Gentiles and shared a meal with them. This disturbed many believers. For generations they had thought that God’s promises were meant only for their own people. Now God did something new. Peter explained quietly how he had received a vision and how the Holy Spirit had come upon the Gentiles just as upon them. It was clear that this was not a human decision but God’s action. When they understood this, their hearts opened. They praised God because they saw that His was for everyone.

 

The psalmist’s prayer, “My soul is thirsting for the living God” encompasses the universal thirst of humanity. It is the cry of a heart that feels empty and desires the living God. There is sorrow and trust in these words. The person asks God to send light and truth, believing that He will guide the way back to joy. The thirst itself becomes a prayer. Then Jesus speaks with tenderness about who He is. He calls Himself the Good Shepherd. A true shepherd knows his sheep and remains with them. He does not run away in danger. Instead, He offers His life for them. His love is not oriented to any identity, but he desires that all may become one flock under His care. Here we see how God answers human longing and confusion. When the community struggles to understand, Jesus reveals a love that gathers all. When the heart thirsts for God, the Shepherd comes near and offers His life.

 

We are invited to trust the broadness of God’s love. He is the true shepherd who cares and is willing always to go the extra mile to save the lost and the needy sheep of his flock. As his flock, if our hearts feel narrow, He can open them. If our souls feel thirsty, He can fill them. Let us listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd and follow Him with a simple yet profound faith.

 

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Response: My soul is thirsting for you, the living God.

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Copyright ©2026 ©Springs of Living Water  http://springs.carmelmedia.in

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SUNDAY, FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTERTIDE

 

Acts 2: 14. 36-41        Ps 23: 1-6       1 Pt 2: 20-25      Jn 10: 1-10

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BEING HIS SHEEP

 

The readings today present a unified and powerful image of Christ as Shepherd: the One who calls, heals and gives life. They lead us on a spiritual journey: from conversion, to trust, to perseverance, and finally to abundant life in Him. In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter stands before the crowd and boldly proclaims that the Jesus they crucified is both Lord and Messiah. Soon after Pentecost, filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter speaks not with fear, but with courage and conviction. Scripture says they were “cut to the heart.” This phrase marks the beginning of true conversion. Before transformation can occur, there must be an honest recognition of sin and an openness to grace. The crowd responds with urgency: “What are we to do?” Peter answers plainly: “Repent and be baptized.”

 

Repentance is more than regret. It is a turning; a deliberate reorientation of one’s life toward God. Baptism seals that turning. It signifies forgiveness of sins and entrance into the community of believers. About three thousand responded to Peter that day. The Shepherd began to gather His flock. Psalm 23 deepens this image of God’s shepherding care: “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.” It speaks of green pastures and still waters: symbols of nourishment, rest, and restoration. Yet it does not ignore hardship. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for you are with me.” The comfort lies not in the absence of danger, but in the presence of the Shepherd. The rod and staff represent both protection and guidance. The anointing with oil and the overflowing cup speaks of blessing and abundance. God’s goodness and mercy pursue us – not occasionally, but all the days of our lives. The Shepherd does not abandon His sheep when the path grows dark; He walks with them.

 

The First Letter of Peter connects this shepherd imagery directly to Christ’s suffering. Peter reminds believers that enduring suffering for doing good is part of their calling. Christ Himself is the model. “When he was insulted, he returned no insult.” He did not retaliate or threaten. Instead, He entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly. This radical trust lies at the heart of discipleship. Christ’s suffering was not meaningless but was redemptive. He bore our sins so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. Peter concludes with a striking image: “You had gone astray like sheep, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.”

 

In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes the image explicit. He calls Himself the gate for the sheep and declares that He has come so that they might have life abundantly. He contrasts Himself with thieves and robbers, who climb into the sheepfold by another way, who bring destruction and chaos. The sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd, which speaks of relationship. Christianity is not merely adherence to rules; it is communion with a Person. Sheep follow because they know and trust the shepherd’s voice. In the same way, believers learn to discern Christ’s voice through prayer, Scripture, and faithful obedience. When Jesus promises abundant life, He is not speaking of material prosperity. He is speaking of fullness: peace rooted in trust, forgiveness that frees the heart, purpose anchored in truth, and hope that stretches into eternity. Abundant life is life lived in communion with God. Taken together, these readings form a coherent path of an invitation to return to the flock of Christ, to embrace his love, to pay keen attention to his voice, and a warning not to go astray so as to enter into life with the shepherd!

 

The central question remains: Do we recognize and follow the Shepherd’s voice? Many voices compete for our attention: cultural pressures, ambitions, fears, distractions. Not all voices lead to life. Some promise freedom but deliver emptiness. Christ’s voice, however, leads to safety, truth, and lasting joy. To follow the Good Shepherd means allowing His Word to challenge us. It means trusting Him in dark valleys, enduring suffering with hope, remaining within the fold of His Church, choosing daily to return when we begin to falter. The Shepherd continues to call. He continues to gather. He continues to heal. He continues to offer not a minimal existence, but abundant life – life overflowing with grace.

 

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Response: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

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Copyright ©2026 ©Springs of Living Water  http://springs.carmelmedia.in

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SATURDAY, THIRD WEEK OF EASTERTIDE

 

FEAST OF ST MARK, EVANGELIST

 

1 Pt 5: 5-14                 Ps 89: 2-3, 6-7, 16-17             Mk 16: 15-20

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SERVICE AS PARTICIPATION IN DIVINE LOVE

 

There is a vast difference between any Philanthropic activity or social work and authentic Christianity service. The uniqueness of the meaning of the word ‘service’ in Christian tradition can be best understood from an example from the life of Mother St. Teresa of Kolkata. One day mother Teresa was washing and bandaging the wounds of a leper. A foreigner who watched at the incident explaimed; “Even if someone gave me a million dollars, I will not do such a work.” Mother Teresa who heard these words quipped back, “Even if someone gives me millions dollars, I would not do it, but if I do it, because I see the face of Jesus in these little ones who suffer.” Christian service is an extension of Christ’s love for humanity now undertaken by a Christian. It flows from the heart of Christ for the poor and needy, and flows for the love of Christ from the heart by one who performs it. Therefore, service is not an isolated human activity, but, it has the touch of the divine. It is in fact a participation in the divine act of love for humanity undertaken with the love and grace imparted by the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is the touch of the divine that makes the act efficacious and transformative unlike any work based solely on human efforts.

 

In the first reading, St. Peter exhorts the elders of the church to serve the flock in their care with humility just as God would serve them in love. In the Gospel, Jesus commands his disciples to make this service as the expression of their proclamation adding that effectiveness of such activity would be noticed in their miraculous powers. Maybe it is worth pondering again: Is our mission in the Church, especially in India, where we run so many educational, health and social work centres are really undertaken as a participation in the divine work of Love? That depends on the intimacy and union one experiences with Christ Jesus and His love. Let our service flow with our union with God in Christ Jesus, through the gift of the Holy Spirit: efficacious and transforming.

 

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Response: I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord.

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Copyright ©2026 ©Springs of Living Water  http://springs.carmelmedia.in

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FRIDAY, THIRD WEEK OF EASTERTIDE

 

Acts 9: 1-20              Ps 117: 1-2                  Jn 6: 52-59

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OPENING BLIND EYES

 

Today’s first reading, speaks deeply about the authenticity of transformation. Its focus is not merely a dramatic spiritual experience, but the unsettling truth that grace can overturn even the most rigid heart. There is a kind of blindness that does not come from ignorance but from certainty. A person may be convinced that they are defending truth, protecting faith, or standing on the right side of God. Yet beneath that confidence, pride can quietly take root. The most dangerous dimension of blindness is to believe that there is nothing left to learn. Conversion begins when that certainty cracks open and human individual begins to lean on God! The encounter with Christ is not presented as gentle affirmation. It is a confrontation that forces self-examination. When a person realizes that harm done to others touches Christ himself, faith moves from theory to relationship. God is no longer an idea to defend but a living presence who feels, who loves, and who suffers with his people.

 

Another strong thread in this passage is humility. Real change requires being led, waiting, and surrendering control. Before any mission begins, there must be a breaking open of the heart. Silence becomes a teacher. Dependence becomes a doorway. The journey of faith is not about proving strength, but about accepting vulnerability. The figure of Ananias reminds us that transformation is never solitary. Fear could have kept him distant. Suspicion would have looked justified. Yet obedience moves him beyond both. Mercy becomes concrete when he chooses to see not an enemy, but a brother. The Church grows not through retaliation, but through courageous trust in God’s power to renew. The psalm calls all nations to praise the Lord. This universal invitation suggests that no one is excluded from grace. A wounded past does not disqualify a person from a holy future. In fact, the very places of failure often become the starting point of mission. Today’s readings gently but firmly asks: where might blindness still remain? Where does pride resist correction? When hearts remain open, even the most unexpected lives can become instruments of light.

 

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Response: Go into all the world, and proclaim the Gospel.

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Copyright ©2026 ©Springs of Living Water  http://springs.carmelmedia.in

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THURSDAY, THIRD WEEK OF EASTERTIDE

 

Acts 8: 26-40              Ps 66: 8-9, 16-17, 20              Jn 6: 44-51

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DRAWN BY THE LIVING BREAD

 

God often leads us along unexpected roads to draw us closer to Him. In the Acts of the Apostles, Philip is sent to a desert road where he meets an Ethiopian official reading Prophet Isaiah. Though sincere and devout, he does not fully understand what he reads. With humility he asks, “How can I understand, unless someone guides me?” His question reveals a heart that truly longs for God. Philip gently walks beside him and begins explaining the Scriptures and proclaiming Jesus. On that lonely road, confusion turns into understanding and nurtures faith. An ordinary journey turns into a life-altering encounter. This reminds us that we too have “desert roads” times of dryness, doubt, or unanswered questions. Yet God sees our searching hearts. He sends the right people at the right time who bring His grace to us. May we trust Him in our deserts, and may we also be docile like Philip ready to guide and to lead others toward the light.

 

The Gospel of John gently deepens this message. Jesus says, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,” and He reveals Himself as the living bread come down from heaven. In the Ethiopian’s journey, we see this quiet drawing of God at work. The Father draws him through Scripture and through a longing he carries in his heart; and Christ becomes the beautiful fulfillment of that search. Just as water refreshes a tired traveller in the desert, Jesus nourishes the weary soul with the promise of eternal life. These readings reveal a God who draws us with tenderness and feeds us with generosity. He does not force His way into our lives; He lovingly invites us. He offers Himself as the bread that truly satisfies. When we allow the Father to draw us, the Son to nourish us, and the Spirit to guide us, our own journeys quietly become blessings for others. May we learn from Philip’s readiness, from the Ethiopian’s humble seeking, and from Christ’s promise of life. may we trust that even on our desert roads, God leads us toward springs of living water.

 

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Response: Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.

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Copyright ©2026 ©Springs of Living Water  http://springs.carmelmedia.in

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WEDNESDAY, THIRD WEEK OF EASTERTIDE

 

Acts 8: 1-8                  Ps 66: 1-7                   Jn 6: 35-40

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WHEN LIFE SCATTERS YOU, STAY CLOSE TO WHAT FEEDS YOU

 

In our day-to-day life we experience scattering in very ordinary ways; may be a transfer we did not want, migration or relocation, a job loss, a family crisis, a health diagnosis and even emotional scattering like; burnout, confusion, loss of direction. In situations like this our instinct would ask: “Why is my life being disrupted?” But Jesus teaches us something different today.

 

In the first reading, persecution scatters the early believers out of Jerusalem. The Church looks weak and like a failure. But something surprising happens: wherever they go, they carry the Gospel, God uses this scattering to spread life. This is not an isolated pattern in the Bible. See the life of Joseph in Egypt – sold by his brothers, scattered from his family, yet later able to say: “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Gen 50:20). Or the people of Israel in exile – uprooted, humiliated, and yet purified in faith. God does not cause the suffering, but he redeems it.

 

In the Gospel, Jesus says “I am the Bread of Life… whoever comes to me will never hunger.” Here is the inner answer to outer scattering. Life can uproot us, but Christ roots us. We may be displaced, but we are not empty. Even in suffering and displacement, the Church teaches that nothing is wasted when lived in Christ. The Cross itself looked like total scattering -the disciples fled, the community collapsed yet the Resurrection turned that moment of collapse into the birth of the Church.

 

Therefore, in situation like this we should ask, “How can God use this disruption to bring life to others and depth to me?” Many people discover their deepest faith not when life is settled, but when life is shaken. They pray and listen differently. They find Christ not as an idea, but as Bread that sustains them day by day. The Risen Lord does not promise that you will never be scattered. He promises that you will never be empty if you come to him, and allow him to be our life’s centre.

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Response: Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.

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Copyright ©2026 ©Springs of Living Water  http://springs.carmelmedia.in

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TUESDAY, THIRD WEEK OF EASTERTIDE

 

Acts 7: 51–8:1                       Ps 31: 3-8, 17, 21                   Jn 6: 30-35

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THE SOLE BREAD FOR THE SOUL

 

In today’s Gospel, the crowd asks Jesus for a sign. They remember the manna in the desert and want proof that He can provide again. Jesus responds by lifting their eyes from the past to the present: “It was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread.” Then comes the heart of the revelation: “I am the bread of life.” The people are hungry, but they do not yet understand the depth of their hunger. They think of bread that fills the stomach; Jesus speaks of bread that fills the soul. The manna sustained Israel for a day, but it could not give eternal life. Jesus offers Himself as the living Bread who alone satisfies the deepest longing of the human heart.

 

Saint John of the Cross helps us grasp this mystery. He teaches that the soul is created for God alone, and therefore nothing created can fully satisfy it. When we cling to comforts, achievements, or even spiritual consolations, we remain restless and hungry. In the Ascent of Mount Carmel, John of the Cross insists that only when the soul is purified of lesser attachments can it receive God as its true nourishment.

 

Jesus says, “Whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” Yet coming to Him and believing in Him does not always feel sweet. Often it leads us through dryness, silence, and the experience of the “dark night.” This is not God abandoning us, but God removing false bread so that we may hunger only for Him. The dark night teaches us to live by faith alone. In the Eucharist, Christ gives us this Bread of Life in a visible and sacramental way. He desires to become our daily nourishment through prayer, surrender, and trust. To feed on Christ is to allow Him to become our strength when everything else fails. Let us ask ourselves: what bread am I seek to satisfy my hunger? May we dare to let go of what does not last, so that Christ alone may be our food, our joy, and our life forever.

 

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Response: Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

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Copyright ©2026 ©Springs of Living Water  http://springs.carmelmedia.in