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Wednesday, November 20, 2013

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2 Maccabees 7:1, 20-31
Psalm 17:1, 5-6, 8, 15
Luke 19:11-28

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captain courageous

"Do not be afraid." —2 Maccabees 7:29

Eleazar "died, leaving in his death a model of courage" (2 Mc 6:31). "Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother, who saw her seven sons perish in a single day, yet bore it courageously" (2 Mc 7:20). These acts of courage, as great as they were, were only intimations of the greatest act of courage: Jesus' death on the cross.

As Jesus' disciples, we have followed in our Master's footsteps. We have been renowned for two thousand years for our acts of great courage. We have courageously "endured mockery, scourging, even chains and imprisonment" (Heb 11:36). We have become martyrs, virgins, missionaries, and pastors — risking and giving our lives courageously for the gospel of Jesus. We Christians are a people of courage.

Are you courageous? Do you have the courage to speak publicly of your love for God? Will you courageously let God plan your family? Do you have the courage and love to call sin "sin"? Do you refuse to be intimidated by the pressures of our secular humanistic "culture of death"?

Let us pray for each other that the Holy Spirit may give us the courage to proclaim Jesus and the gospel as we ought (Eph 6:20).

Prayer:  Father, give me a martyr's faith.

Promise:  "You showed yourself capable in a small matter. For that you can take over ten villages." —Lk 19:17

Praise:  For decades, the Demarest family has sung together in the choir at Mass, praising God with full voice (Ps 149:6).

Reference:  (For encouragement, order any or all of these audio or video tapes: Ignorance of Scriptures is Ignorance of Christ, AV 82-1, V-82, How to Pray the Bible on audio AV 82-3 or on video V-82, How to Read the Bible on audio AV 46-3 or on video V-46, Principles of Bible Interpretation, audio AV 79-1, video V-79, Biblical Counseling, AV 13A-1, AV 13A-3, AV 13B-1 or on video starting with V-13A.)

Rescript:  †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, May 22, 2013

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