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Sunday, August 1, 1999

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18th Sunday Ordinary Time


Isaiah 55:1-3
Romans 8:35, 37-39
Psalm 145
Matthew 14:13-21

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hyper?

"Yet in all this we are more than conquerors because of Him Who has loved us." —Romans 8:37

As Christians, we are children of God, members of Christ's body, and temples of the Holy Spirit. Because of this, we are so very powerful and great that no words can express our glory in Jesus. So Paul called us "more than conquerors" (Rm 8:37). This is a translation of the Greek word, which is more literally translated, "hyper-conqueror."

However, because of our weaknesses, most Christians feel more "hyper" than "hyper-conquerors." Nevertheless, we must walk by faith and not by sight — not by the way we look or the way we feel (2 Cor 5:7). "There is One greater" in us "than there is in the world" (1 Jn 4:4). We will conquer the world through our faith (1 Jn 5:5; see also Heb 11:33).

The Lord will give total and final victory to His "hyper-conquerors" when we totally empty our lives of all our "loaves and fish" (see Mt 14:19-20). He will take our little lives plus our total "all" and multiply them to feed, transform, and sanctify the masses of the world. All we have to do is to live for Him alone. We must love the Lord with all our hearts, all our souls, all our strength, and all our minds (Lk 10:27). All-love conquers all.

Prayer:  Father, at Mass today, I give my all to You to be multiplied.

Promise:  "All you who are thirsty, come to the water!" —Is 55:1

Praise:  Praise You Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life (Jn 11:25). You are "the Amen, the faithful Witness and true, the Source of God's creation" (Rv 3:14). Alleluia!

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, February 22, 1999


Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 24, 1999