We should delight in the law of the Lord (Ps 1:2; 40:9) and not consider His commandments burdensome (1 Jn 5:3). We are privileged to hear and obey God's commands. We would destroy ourselves and the lives of others, if God had not had mercy on us and revealed to us through His commandments how to live, love, be free, pure, holy, and fully human. Therefore, His law makes the difference between life and death, light and darkness. We cherish and obey even the smallest part of a letter of His law (see Mt 5:18). That is why God's law is sweeter than even the finest delicacies (Ps 119:103) and why we consider it more valuable than thousands of gold and silver pieces (Ps 119:72).
After reading the Gospel at Mass, the priest kisses the book of the Gospels, the book of the new law. He does this to express our love for the law of God and especially for the God of the law. So God's law and love are not opposites. We love God's law, for it reveals to us how to love.
Kiss your Bible as a sign of your love for the Lord Who has revealed to us in His law how to live. Read the word daily and meditate on it day and night (Ps 1:2; Jos 1:8). Love the Word and His law of love.
| PRAYER: | Father, use this book, One Bread, One Body, to deepen our appreciation for Your Word, the law of life and of love. |
| PROMISE: | "What great nation has statutes and decrees that are as just as this whole law which I am setting before you today?" –Dt 4:8 |
| PRAISE: | Living daily in God's Word gives Marla special insights to be able to pass on to others. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College