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Wednesday, July 23, 2014

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St. Bridget of Sweden


Jeremiah 1:1, 4-10
Psalm 71:1-6, 15, 17
Matthew 13:1-9

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right in the mouth

"My mouth shall declare Your justice, day by day Your salvation." —Psalm 71:15

The Lord has promised to place His words in your mouth, as He did for Jeremiah (Jer 1:9; see also Mt 10:20). From that day, He will "set you over nations and over kingdoms, to root up and to tear down, to destroy and to demolish, to build and to plant" (Jer 1:10). With God's Word in your mouth, you will be a world force. In fact, the Lord will not only occasionally place a word in your mouth; He will fill it (see Ps 81:11) with His words of spirit and life (Jn 6:63). You will be like Samuel in that God will not permit any word of yours to be without effect (1 Sm 3:19; see also Is 55:11).

The Lord will make your mouth a powerful, glorious instrument of His righteousness (Rm 6:13), if you repent. You must cry out as Isaiah did: "Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips" (Is 6:5). The Lord will send an angel to touch your mouth with a burning ember (Is 6:6) and then He will say: "Now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged" (Is 6:7). The Lord has promised you: "If you repent, so that I restore you, in My presence you shall stand; if you bring forth the precious without the vile, you shall be My mouthpiece" (Jer 15:19). You can be the mouthpiece of God.

Prayer:  Father, use every part of my body for Your glory. Control every part of my body through my purified mouth (see Jas 3:2-3).

Promise:  "Part of it, finally, landed on good soil and yielded grain a hundred- or sixty- or thirtyfold. Let everyone heed what he hears!" —Mt 13:8-9

Praise:  St. Bridget dwelt more on practicing charity rather than receiving spiritual favors.

Reference:  (For related teaching, order our leaflet, Seek Prophecy.)

Rescript:  †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, January 2, 2014

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