SPRINGS OF LIVING WATER

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SUNDAY, TWENTY SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

 

Is 5: 1-7;       Ps 80: 9, 12-16, 19-20;       Phil 4: 6-9;      Mt 21: 33-43

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NEED TO BE RESPOSIBLE STEWARD

 

God speaks to us in different forms and different ways. Only if we are responsible and watchful, shall we receive his real message and eventually be able to respond to it. Otherwise, we will be failures because we have lost something very important and precious, and we may not even realize that we have lost this great pearl. As we celebrate Twenty Seventh Sunday of the Ordinary Time, today’s readings invite us to reflect and find out how each of us have lived our lives as responsible stewards of what is entrusted to us!

 

The first reading and the Gospel passage speak about the Vineyard. As we know very well whoever plants the vineyard always expects good harvest because of the hard work and the care which accompany the efforts. In the first reading God is the owner of the vineyard. The vineyard which He planted was the nation of Israel, the people whom He chose as his own. He sent prophets time and again to teach them to live in the right way and to show them the true and saving paths. From reading the history of Israel, we understand that the people of Israel, they did not listen to the prophets instead they rejected them and lived as they wanted and even persecuted the prophets, not even refraining from killing some. In other words, they failed to produce good fruits. The first reading ends saying: “…and He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, a cry!”

 

In the Gospel, we see almost the same story. Jesus tells the parable to inspire us how in the Old Testament people of Israel who represented the vineyard, failed to listen to the prophets and how they rejected them even to the extent of persecuting them. On the other hand, we also notice the scrupulous care taken by God who is the owner of that vineyard and His patience and mercy. He repeatedly gives opportunities for repentance. The tenants who represented the religious leaders knew what Jesus claims to be but choose to reject and stay neutral as well as indifferent for the sake of own power and authority. Though they knew it, they chose not to stand by that just to hold on to their high position in society. In other words, they produced sour grapes.

 

In the parable, Jesus wanted to make us realize that after the prophets God sent His own Beloved Son that is Christ Himself who was nailed to the Cross. We could very much understand that the life which we enjoy at present is the vineyard which God has planted and which He has entrusted to each one of us that we may take care of it and produce good fruits. Do we make him proud through our actions? Jesus is the Living Word that we hear always, to which we need to respond! Do we do that in life? He comes to us through our parents, through our teachers, through our elders, through all those in authority, and even through our good friends, how generously do we listen to them? What is our response? Do we produce good fruits or bad fruits? How is our behavior and attitudes? So how could we qualify ourselves if we consider us as the tenants of our own lives?

 

We are not the owners of our lives but only the tenants who must give an account to the owner! We need to be consciously aware of this truth and try to produce good fruits and surely not sour ones. Besides we need to be consciously aware of God’s blessings and gifts which He bestows on us every day and every moment and respond to it more creatively and effectively. It does not mean that God abandons His promises rather, Jesus is saying that those who reject Him will lose their privileged role in God’s kingdom. The kingdom will be entrusted to the people who are responsible stewards who bear fruit. This includes all faithful Jews and gentiles together, the community of believers. The vineyard was planted to produce grapes. Likewise, God expects lives marked by faith, justice, love, obedience and righteousness, not just religious activity only. The tenants reject both the servants and the Son, symbolizing Israel’s history of rejecting God’s messengers and ultimately, the Messiah. Jesus warns that rejecting Him leads to judgment, while those who receive Him and bear spiritual fruit will share in God’s kingdom.

 

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Response: The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel.

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SATURDAY, TWENTY SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

 

Job 42: 1-3, 5-6, 12-17;        Ps 119:66,71,75,91,125,130;          Lk 10: 17-24

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FROM EMOTIONAL OVERSHOT, TO HUMBLE REPENTANCE

 

The readings today have a remarkable consonance. In the first reading, Job comes before God after having poured out his anguish in the midst of terrible suffering. Earlier, in the intensity of his pain, he had spoken harshly, even wishing that God would simply take his life. He had also assumed that God was punishing him, although he knew himself to be innocent. Now, however, Job has passed through the darkness and gained a deeper understanding. He realizes that his suffering cannot be explained by the rigid logic of retributive justice that his friends had imposed upon him. God is not a merciless judge waiting to punish him for every failure. Rather, Job encounters a God whose wisdom is greater than human understanding and whose mercy embraces even our anguished questions and outbursts. Though Job spoke with harsh words, God recognizes the sincerity of his heart. Job is eventually restored, while his friends are corrected for presenting a distorted image of God.

 

Something similar happens in today’s Gospel. The disciples return from their mission filled with enthusiasm because they have witnessed remarkable things in Jesus’ name. They are excited about their success, but Jesus gently redirects their attention. The true reason for their joy is not the power they have exercised or the wonders they have accomplished, but the fact that their names are written in heaven. Jesus teaches them to move from the excitement of achievement to the deeper joy of belonging to God. Their mission is not about personal glory but about growing in love and communion with the Father.

 

Both readings, therefore, invite us to look beyond our immediate experiences and discover the heart of God. God is not a distant, mechanical dispenser of rewards and punishments. He is a loving Father who understands our weakness, receives our questions, and patiently leads us towards maturity in love. Let us, then, learn to recognize those around us who are angry, wounded or struggling with God. Instead of judging them, let us accompany them patiently and help them rediscover the merciful Father who understands the cries of the human heart.

 

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Response: Lord, let your face shine on me.

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FRIDAY, TWENTY SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

 Memorial of The Holy Guardian Angels

 Ex 23: 20-23; Ps: 91: 1-6, 10-11; Mt 18: 1-5, 10

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GOD’S UNSEEN COMPANIONS

 

The Memorial of Guardian Angels reminds us that God’s providence is never distant. Throughout salvation history, He lovingly accompanies His people through the ministry of the angels. In the first reading, God assures Israel, “Behold, I send an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared.” This promise extends beyond Israel; it reveals God’s fatherly care for every believer. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that “From infancy to death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession.” A Guardian Angel is therefore not a symbol but a real presence of God’s loving presence.

 

In the Gospel, Jesus places a child amid His disciples and teaches that greatness in the Kingdom is found in humility and childlike trust. He then adds, “Their angels in heaven always behold the face of my Father.” This profound statement reveals the dignity of every human person. Each one is precious before God and entrusted to the care of an angel who continually intercedes before the Father. Respect for every person, especially the little, the vulnerable, and the forgotten, is therefore not merely a moral obligation but a response to God’s own love. St. Bernard of Clairvaux beautifully exhorts us: “Let us be devoted and grateful for such great guardians; let us love them in return and honour them as much as we can.” Guardian angels constantly inspire, protect, and guide us toward God’s will, yet they never replace our freedom. They gently lead us to choose the path of holiness.

 

Vatican document Lumen Gentium teaches us that God’s plan of salvation embraces both the visible and invisible creation, united in worship before His throne. From a Carmelite perspective, the ministry of the Guardian Angels invites us to cultivate an interior life attentive to God’s gentle movements. St. Teresa of Avila encouraged her daughters to live continually in God’s presence, knowing that heaven is never far from the soul united to Him. Silence, prayer, and recollection make us more receptive to the quiet inspirations through which God often speaks.

 

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Response: For you has he commanded his angels,
to keep you in all your ways.

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THURSDAY, TWENTY SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

 Feast of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus

 Is 66:10-14;                   Ps 131:1-3;                            Mt 18:1-5

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THE GREATNESS OF SPIRITUAL CHILDHOOD

 

The readings chosen for the feast of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus beautifully express the essence of her “little way.” The prophet Isaiah speaks of Jerusalem as a mother who consoles her children, feeding them with tenderness and peace. This maternal image of God as nurturing, gentle, and abundant in love resonates deeply with Thérèse’s spirituality. For her, God was not a distant judge but a loving Father whose mercy was more powerful than weakness or sin.

 

The Gospel passage from Matthew presents Jesus setting a child amid His disciples as the model of true greatness in the Kingdom. In a world that values achievement, status, and self-assertion, Jesus points to simplicity, trust, and humility as the real signs of spiritual maturity. The child is not perfect, but receptive; not powerful, but dependent; not proud, but open.

 

St. Thérèse took these words with radical seriousness. She discovered that sanctity does not lie in extraordinary deeds but in extraordinary love within ordinary life. She called it her “little way of spiritual childhood.” For Thérèse, to be small was not immaturity—it was spiritual realism. She recognized that human strength cannot reach God, but love can. The more she acknowledged her littleness, the more she trusted in the infinite tenderness of the Father. Her life in the Carmel of Lisieux was hidden, monotonous, and marked by suffering, yet through that hiddenness she became a luminous witness to divine love. She lived Isaiah’s vision: comforted by God like a child on a mother’s lap and radiating that same gentleness toward others. Thérèse embodies a theology of trust which is a spirituality where divine grace is not earned but received. Her insight restores balance to Christian spirituality: it reminds us that growth in holiness is not climbing higher but descending deeper into humility and confidence in God’s mercy. To become like a child, as Jesus says, is not regression but transformation which offers the freedom to live without fear, to love without calculation, and to rest in God’s arms with joy.

 

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Response: I believe that I shall see the good things
of the Lord in the land of the living.

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WEDNESDAY, TWENTY SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

 

Memorial of St Jerome

 

Jb 9: 1-12, 14-16; Ps 88: 10-15; Lk 9: 57-62

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NO HESITATION IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD

 

In today’s first reading we see that trusting in God instead of material possessions, is what allowed Job to respond with faith to the temptations that came his way, and the tests he was to endure, especially at the hands of his friends whose reasoning challenged his convictions. Job’s real love was for God not for cattle, sheep and camels, family members or even health and Job responded considering everything else as rubbish compared to his relationship with God. Job trusted in God more than anything else and his eyes leaned on God rather than on what he has lost. Thus, he was able to respond constantly as God’s dear servant.

 

The gospel tells us that Jesus wants a single-minded response to His invitation to follow Him: a life devoted exclusively to His mission, to live in simplicity and trust. A disciple of Jesus is to be free of all attachments; anything that ties one down must be left behind in order to focus fully on the mission. Following Jesus means giving up all attachments – familial, friends, desires, and choosing him and the time to do so is ‘now.’ Jesus turned his face towards Jerusalem and never looked back, even when it meant certain death; his followers are invited to do the same. Once a decision is made to follow Jesus, serve God, let there be no turning back.

 

While Jesus’ demands might seem hard, what they really reveal is the urgency of the Kingdom. St. Jerome recognized an essential point, that to know Christ better, to fix our gaze on him, to follow him as he desires and deserves to be followed, we must know Sacred Scripture better. He is famous for his saying, quoted in the Catechism, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” To fix our eyes where Jesus has fixed his, we must treasure God’s word. The same Jesus who called his disciples in the Gospel, called Saint Jerome and calls us anew today. Let us positively welcome his invitation and be steadfast like Job and committed like St Jerome.

 

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Response: Let my prayer come into your presence, O Lord.

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TUESDAY, TWENTY SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

 

STS. MICHAEL, GABRIEL, RAPHAEL, ARCHANGELS

 

Dan 7: 9-10, 13-14 or Rev 12: 7-12; Ps 138: 1-5                 Jn 1: 47-51

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ANGELS OF GOD

 

Today the church celebrates the feast of Archangels and this fest reminds us of three special angels mentioned by name in the Bible: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. Angels are God’s messengers and servants who help carry out His plan of salvation. The Church honours these three Archangels because of their important role in God’s work.

 

Michael means “Who is like God?” This name reminds us that no one is equal to God. Michael is the leader of God’s heavenly army who defeated Satan and the forces of evil. He is a symbol of courage, strength, and faithfulness. The Church looks to St. Michael as a protector against evil and prays for his help in times of temptation and spiritual struggle. He teaches us to remain faithful to God and to stand firm for what is right.

 

Gabriel means “Man of God” or “God is mighty.” Gabriel is the messenger who brought God’s greatest news. He announced the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah and later appeared to Mary to announce that she would become the Mother of Jesus. Gabriel reminds us that God continues to speak to His people. Like Gabriel, we are called to share God’s message with joy, hope, and courage. Every Christian is invited to be a messenger of God’s love in daily life.

 

Raphael means “God heals.” In the Book of Tobit, Raphael guided and protected Tobias on his journey and brought healing to Tobit’s blindness. Because of this, he is known as the patron of travellers, the sick, doctors, nurses, and the blind. Raphael reminds us that God cares for those who suffer and brings healing in many ways. We too are called to bring comfort, kindness, and hope to those who are hurting. The Feast of the Three Archangels is more than remembering these heavenly messengers. It is also a reminder of our own mission. Like Michael, we must stand against evil. Like Gabriel, we must share the Good News. Like Raphael, we must bring healing and compassion to others. May these holy Archangels inspire us to live faithfully and become true messengers of God’s love.

 

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Response: In the presence of the angels I praise you, O Lord.

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MONDAY, TWENTY SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

 Job 1: 6-22;      Ps 17: 1-3, 6-7;      Lk 9: 46-50

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TRUSTING GOD WHEN WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND

 

Today’s first reading presents the story of a faithful man whose life suddenly changed. In a single day, he lost his possessions, his servants, and even his beloved children. The pain was overwhelming. Yet, in the midst of such darkness, he did not turn away from God. Instead, he bowed down in worship and entrusted everything to the Lord, in whom he trusted.

 

This passage reminds us that faith is not tested when everything is going well. But the depth of our faith is tested when life becomes difficult and confusing. There are moments when we too face unexpected losses, disappointments, sickness, broken relationships, or unanswered prayers. During such times, we often ask, “Why is this happening to me?” Like the man in the reading, we may not receive immediate answers. It is his humility before God that should touch our hearts. He recognized that everything he had was a gift. He came into the world with nothing and would leave with nothing. This awareness gave him the strength to surrender what he could not control. His trust did not depend on the blessings he received from God, but it rested on God Himself.

 

This reading challenges us to examine our own faith. Do we love God only when He grants our desires? Can we still praise Him when our plans fail? True faith remains steady not because life is easy, but because God remains faithful. Today let us pray for the grace to trust God more deeply. When we experience struggles, help us not to lose hope. When we do not understand Your ways, teach us to lean on Your wisdom rather than our own. Give us a heart that continues to pray, believe, and worship even in moments of sorrow. May we remember that God never abandons His children. Even when everything seems lost, His presence remains. In every trial, He walks beside us, strengthening us and leading us toward a greater good that we may not yet see. Lord, help us to trust You completely, in joy and in suffering alike. Amen.

 

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Response: Lord, turn your ear to me; hear my words.

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SUNDAY, TWENTY SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Ez 18: 25-28;        Ps 25: 4-9;       Phil 2: 1-11;        Mt 21: 28-32

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WHEN A HEART TURNS BACK TO GOD

 

Many people believe that once a person has failed, there is no hope left. They think that one mistake defines a whole life. Sometimes we also judge others in the same way. We remember their past more than their present. But today’s first reading from Ezekiel 18:25–28 gives us a different picture of God. God is not interested in condemning people. He is interested in changing hearts. He always gives a person another chance. The people of Israel complained that God was not fair. They thought God judged them harshly. But God answered them with a simple question. Is God unfair, or are people walking on the wrong path? God reminds them that every person is responsible for his or her own choices. A good person can choose to turn away from goodness. A sinner can also choose to leave sin behind and return to God. What matters is the direction of the heart today. This message is full of hope. Our past does not have to control our future. God never closes the door to repentance. He waits patiently for us. He rejoices when even one sinner comes back. This shows us the greatness of God’s mercy.

 

The Gospel (Mt 21:28–32) gives us a practical example of this truth. Jesus tells the story of two sons. The first son refuses to work in the vineyard. Later he changes his mind and goes to work. The second son politely says yes, but he never goes. Jesus teaches that actions speak louder than words. God is pleased not by beautiful promises alone but by faithful obedience. The first son reminds us of many people who have made mistakes but later changed their lives. Tax collectors and sinners listened to John the Baptist. They accepted God’s call. They repented. Their past did not stop them from becoming new people. The religious leaders, however, knew the right words. Yet many refused to change their hearts. They appeared holy, but they did not respond to God’s invitation. This Gospel also invites us to examine ourselves. How often do we promise God many things? We promise to pray every day. We promise to forgive someone. We promise to help those in need. But many a time, those promises remain only as words. God is not looking for perfect people. He is looking for honest people. He wants people who are ready to change and to follow His will.

 

St. Augustine once said that God who created us without us, will not save us without us. God gives grace freely. Yet He respects our freedom. We must respond. We must choose every day to walk with Him. Conversion is not only one moment. It is a daily decision. Our daily life gives us many opportunities to live this message. A husband who begins to care for his family after years of neglect is living this Gospel. A student who decides to stop cheating and study honestly is turning back to God. A young person who leaves harmful habits and begins to pray is choosing the right path. A Christian who forgives an old wound is saying “yes” to God through action. These small decisions please God more than empty words. Over its history, the Church has very many times reminded us that God never grows tired of forgiving us. It is we who grow tired of asking for forgiveness. This is an encouraging thought. No matter how far we have gone, God is always ready to welcome us back. We only need the courage to take the first step.

 

Today’s readings invite us to look into our own hearts. Am I like the second son, saying the right things but failing to act? Or am I ready to become like the first son, who had the humility to change? True discipleship is not about appearing good before others. It is about allowing God to transform our hearts. Let us ask the Lord for the grace of a humble and faithful heart. May we never lose hope because of our failures or judge others by their past mistakes. Instead, let us trust completely in God’s endless mercy and respond generously to His call through our daily actions. Then our “yes” will not remain only on our lips but will be clearly evident in the way we live.

 

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Response: Remember your compassion, O Lord!

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SATURDAY, TWENTY FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

 

Eccl 11:9–12:8;             Ps 90: 3-6, 12-14, 17;               Lk 9: 43-45

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WISDOM OF HEART

 

The book of Ecclesiastes invites us to reflect deeply on the shortness and fragility of life. “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth” is not merely advice for the young; it is a call for every person to live with a wise and discerning heart before the passing of time. Human life, with all its beauty, energy, and achievements, quickly fades like grass in the morning. The Psalmist highlights this truth: “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart.” Wisdom of heart is the ability to see life from God’s perspective — to recognize what truly lasts and what is temporary.

 

The Catholic Church teaches in the Catechism: “Wisdom is a breath of the power of God” (CCC 1831). True wisdom is not merely intelligence or knowledge; it is a gift of the Holy Spirit that helps us choose what leads us closer to God. The Catechism also reminds us that “man’s life has a limit” and that death gives urgency to our conversion (CCC 1007). Therefore, every moment becomes precious when lived in the light of eternity.

 

St Edith Stein, beautifully wrote, “The more deeply a person is drawn to God, the more he must go out of himself in love toward others.” Wisdom of heart leads us away from selfishness and toward loving surrender. Edith Stein understood that earthly success alone cannot satisfy the soul; only union with God gives lasting peace. Likewise, Teresa of Ávila reminds us, “Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you; all things are passing, God never changes.” These words perfectly reflect the message of Ecclesiastes: worldly pleasures fade, but God remains forever.

 

Jesus Himself teaches, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?” (Mark 8:36). Wisdom of heart helps us treasure what is eternal: faith, love, mercy, and communion with God. When we remember our Creator daily, our lives gain direction and meaning. May the Lord fill our hearts with true wisdom, so that amidst the passing realities of life, we may remain rooted in His eternal love and walk faithfully toward Him each day.

 

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Response: O Lord you have been our refuge, from generation to generation. 

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FRIDAY, TWENTY FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

 

Eccl 3: 1-11                 Ps 144: 1-4                  Lk 9: 18-22

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PARTICIPATION IN DIVINE IDENTITY

 

We humans grow gradually in time. There is nothing that can happen overnight in the historic realm. Our physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth is but normal and a gradual happening in time. When one grows beyond nature’s laws, we call it abnormality and such cases require medical or psychological treatment. The first reading of today speaks extensively about how everything in life happens in the realm of time. There is time for everything, and by chance if one goes to mutate things outside the usual time sequence of nature then one may end up ruin everything.

 

Having said that about the realm of time and history, something quite distinct happens when one enters the realm of prayer and contemplation, where one is able to experience the bond of love between the divine heart and the human. Here the human person enters the sphere of the spiritual or mystical and experiences things beyond time and season. This is what we call the transforming effect of prayer and contemplation.

 

The Gospel of today speaks of one such experience of St. Peter. To begin with, Jesus spends the entire night in prayer with deep intimacy with the Father where he experiences his divine identity and oneness with the Father being the Son of God. At the same time Jesus wanted to see whether his close disciples who prepared for the same divine intimacy could understand his divine identity. Thus, he asks Peter, “Who do you say that I am?” It is heartening to see when Peter answers Jesus rightly, saying that He was the Christ Son of the living God. Jesus immediately declares that flesh and blood has not revealed this to him but His heavenly Father, because he too was able to enter the realm of the spiritual. In other words, it is the grace of the Holy Spirit alone that can help us transcend time and history and make us understand who truly Jesus is on one hand and what our true identity is as the disciples of Jesus.

 

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Response: Blest be the Lord, my rock

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