Spring Semester with Bishop Sheen led by Isaac Padriga

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WEEK 2: “human emotions and passions”

• We must understand our emotions and passions by true reason and goodwill.
• Direct your will to God, for we human beings are finite creatures and our emotions and passions long for the infinite; that is God.

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Emotions and passions are gifts that God has given to us, but at times we let these emotions have control over our actions. We become uncertain of what to do and of what we believe. We must be certain of what we believe by reason and will (deliberate choices), so we don’t take our emotions and passions for granted. The action of using reason and being deliberate in our choices ensures that our emotions are justified and our passions are true. Don’t waste away with unwanted passions and emotions, find clarity and sincerity in yourself. Be mindful so that our emotions are true and justified.  

pray

Dedication To Jesus
Take Lord and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, my entire will, all that I have and possess. You have given all to me. To you O Lord I return it. All is yours, dispose of it according to your Holy will. Give me your love and your grace, for this is sufficient for me. Amen.

Resource
“Lord, Prepare My Hands for Battle” Prayer Compilations by Jesse Romero (Pg.48)

act

• Do you understand your emotions? Do you have control over certain emotions? Is what you’re feeling true, or are you uncertain of your own passions?
• Be watchful and be prudent of your emotions, contemplate whether these passions or emotions are true and pleasing to God. Be certain that your emotions are justified, genuine, and clear. Direct your true emotions to God.

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WEEK 1: “Is Self-expression Always Wrong?”

• To know the world we must first look inside ourselves before we look outside, for God created the world and He created us in His own image. 
• In order to express what is true we need to repress what is false.

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Self-expression takes time to cultivate, since we need to have self-knowledge and understanding of who we are as people. When we express things about the people around us, do we express the good or the bad? How should we better express ourselves for the good? We must understand that in order to express ourselves we need to repress the bad. In order to properly express virtue we need to repress our vices. We need to stay sober and avoid what prevents us from doing good. We shouldn’t aim for shallow things. God created us to be the best version of ourselves. This means we should desire the higher things, rather than the lower things in life.

pray

Prayer for my heart
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like Your heart.
Mary, Mother of God, show Yourself a Mother to me.
Saint Joseph, protector of the Holy Family, protect me in all dangers.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul.

Resource
“True Knights Christian Husbands, Fathers and Son: Combat Training Daily Prayers
For Purity” Compiled and Edited by Kenneth Henderson and Jesse Romero (Pg.
27)

act

• Find the true expression of things  
• Understand that the difference of all things lies in the intentions behind them
• Know the states of your self-expression Do you pervert things? Do you discipline yourself for the sake of discipline?
• Do you know yourself, and do you understand the limits and pain in the things that you need to repress?

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WEEK 15: “christ, the center of the world”

Christ is the center of the world for he is our King and our redeemer. We must be an active participant with our faith in Christ and not just an observer.

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As we go deeper in the understanding of our faith, we come to a conclusion that all of us are sinners. And as we fully grasp this understanding of our imperfections, as St. Peter has said to Christ, “turn away from me O Lord for I am a sinner”. All of us are broken in our hearts and we need Christ to work in us. We cannot idle by and just observe or be at a distance; Christ wants a relationship with us. He doesn’t want us to just know of Him but to be close to Him. As Christ called down Zacchaeus from the tree, Jesus wants us to know Him personally to a point that Christ lives in us.

With this calling to know Christ, that is why we look at saints, holy men and women, and to our friends who are close in Christ. For they have Christ in them and they understand that Jesus is working through them.

We also need to understand that to know Christ we must know His spouse, which is the universal church. In today’s modern world, Christ’s body is divided into factions. People tend to be confused about the understanding and the purpose of the greatest thanksgiving of all time and moment of intimacy with Christ in the Holy Mass. We tend to argue about the external things of the Mass and fail to understand the fullness of its internal beauty. In other words, we must understand that we are not worthy in front of our Lord but yet He desires to be the central anthesis in our hearts.

pray

St. Augustine- Lord Jesus Let Me Know Myself

Lord Jesus, let me know myself and know Thee,
And desire nothing save only Thee.
Let me hate myself and love Thee,
Let me do everything for the sake of Thee.
Let me humble myself and exalt Thee.
Let me think nothing except Thee.
Let me die to myself and live in Thee. Let me accept whatever happens as from Thee.
Let me banish self and follow Thee,
And ever desire to follow Thee.
Let me fly from myself and take refuge in Thee,
That I may deserve to be defended by Thee.
Le me fear for myself, let me fear Thee,
And let me be among those who are chosen by Thee.
Let me distrust myself and put my trust in Thee.
Let me be willing to obey for the sake of Thee.
Let me cling to nothing and save only to Thee,
And let me be poor because of Thee.
Look upon me, that I may love Thee.
Call me that I may see Thee,
And forever enjoy Thee. Amen

Resource

“The Raccolta; prayers and devotions enriched with indulgence” Authorize by The Holy 

Sea (Pg. 37)https://www.archspm.org/faith-and-discipleship/prayer/catholic-prayers/st-augustine-lord-jesus-let-me-know-myself/

act

• Are you letting Jesus Christ work in your conscience? Keep Christ as the center of your life and be always aware of Him in every decision and action that you make.
• Come down from the tree like Zacchaeus and let God enter into your home for He is the only person that can bring healing and peace in your heart
• Know our faith for Christ establishes the Roman Catholic Church. We must defend Christ at all times and always hold fast the infinite love and mercy that He gives us.

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WEEK 14: “sin and guilt”

The shedding of blood is necessary for the forgiveness of sin for God covered the shame of Adam and Eve through the killing of an animal. And, by the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal fount of blood washes away all of our sins.

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We must not deny the existence of sin for our Lord Jesus Christ shed his blood for us in order for our sins to be forgiven. For sin is in our blood, and the sins of our parents were passed on to us. In order to be forgiven, it is necessary for the Son of God to shed his blood since sin shows us our shame. And our first parents covered their shame with fig leaves that wither and welt. God covered their shame with leather tunics, showing that the shedding of blood was necessary for the forgiveness of our sins. That is why as we read about sacrifice in the old testaments and history – that blood is a sacred symbol that pays the price for sin. 

In our modern age, we tend to neglect our sins by rationalizing our guilt. Instead of asking forgiveness first and foremost, we go to a psychiatrist to understand, and maybe even justify, our defects. Although psychiatry is beneficial, we must understand that psychiatric care has its limits. While we may want an explanation for our sins, the most important step is to ask  for forgiveness for them Instead of trying to escape our feelings of guilt or attempting to make excuses for our sins, we should kneel at the foot of the Cross and go to a priest for Confession.

pray

For the Redemptive Use of Suffering
O Christ, my Lord, who for my sins did hang upon a tree, grant that your grace in me, poor wretch, may still engrafted be.
Grant that you naked hanging there may kill in me all pride, and care of wealth since you did then in such poor state abide.
Grant that your crown of prickling thorns, which you for me did wear, may make me willing for your sake all shame and pain to bear.
Grant that your pierced hand, which did of nothing all things frame, may move me to lift up my hands and ever praise your name.
Grant that your wounded feet, whose steps were perfect evermore, may learn my feet to tread those paths which you have gone before.
Grant that your blessed grave, wherein your body lay awhile, may bury all such vain delights as may my mind defile.
Grant, Lord, that your ascending then may lift my mind in thee, that there my heart and joy may rest, though here in flesh I be.

St. Philip Huward (1557-1595)

Resource
“Prayer of Christian Consolation” Compiled by William G Storey, published by Loyola Press (Pg. 86)

act

• Do you rationalize your sin?  We all sin, and we all must be aware of this  Do not rationalize and justify sin in order to avoid feelings of guilt. Rather, repent and ask for forgiveness.
• Do not deny your guilt and say that it is a mental illness, and do not rationalize your sin and blame it on others.
• Do not hide your sins for it can manifest as an abnormal expression of guilt.

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WEEK 13: “Confession Talk to Children”

If you have never sinned then you can never call Jesus your Savior. Like a blind man denies that he is blind than how he can know the existence of light. Sin is not the worst, but denying sin is the diabolical thing to do, since it perpetually prevents unification with our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Every person sins, and whoever denies that he has sinned will manifest that into guilt. This guilt does not always come right away after sin, but the more sins are repressed, the stronger the pain of guilt that will take place. The effect of sin is like breaking a bone, it damages and cripples you. The only way to remedy sin is through confession where the casting off and the healing from the effects of sin takes place. After this healing process is passed, the person must do penance, which is like regaining the limb’s strength to reduce the possibility of breaking it again. 

Another thing to ponder about sin is that sin will always remain in the person, and only through sacramental confession can sin be forgiven by God and taken away. The effects of sin will still remain, but confession will give the person a fresh start to regain the favor of God through God’s own mercy towards our repentance.

Furthermore, we must also be sincere in changing our life and turning away from sin. Prior to confession, we must thoroughly examine our conscience and understand that the sins that we committed separate us from Lord God and through reconciliation we are given a clean conscience. God’s mercy is infinite but we are finite beings, God requires us to participate in salvation; God does not impose His will upon us. Sin will always be inevitable if we act according to our temptations and do not cleanse our souls of past evil.

pray

Psalm 51
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy steadfast love;
according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned,
and done that which is evil in thy sight,
so that thou art justified in thy sentence
and blameless in thy judgment.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward being;
therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Fill[b] me with joy and gladness;
let the bones which thou hast broken rejoice.
Hide thy face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right[c] spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence,
and take not thy holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of thy salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors thy ways,
and sinners will return to thee.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness,[d] O God,
thou God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of thy deliverance.
O Lord, open thou my lips,
and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.
For thou hast no delight in sacrifice;
were I to give a burnt offering, thou wouldst not be pleased.
The sacrifice acceptable to God[e] is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Do good to Zion in thy good pleasure;
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,
then wilt thou delight in right sacrifices,
in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on thy altar.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
As it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever, Aneb
Our Father… (Pater Noster)

May the Lord bless us and keep us through time and eternity. Amen

Resources
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2051&version=RSVCE
“A Beginners Book of Prayer” Compiled by William G. Storey, published by Loyola Press (Pg. 27, 28 & 11).

act

• How long has it been since your last confession? Try to go to confession within this week. Be sincere and show the nakedness of your soul to our Lord and do not hold back anything.
• Try to set a certain day to go to confession either once a month, every 2 weeks or once a week. Confession is a gift that you should take advantage with proper intent. Take confession seriously.
• Do a quick reflection of conscience at the end of your day and say the Act of Contrition afterward.

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WEEK 12: “the demonic today”

We must be aware and be ready for the demonic attack when we least notice and expect it. The church has already been attacked through the infiltration of the evil one, penetrating in the priest’s hearts.

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Do you see the demonic and the diabolic of today, or do you not believe that they exist? Even our church stopped talking about the demonic, they seem to believe that everything is joyous and forget the Via Dolorosa (Sorrowful Way). The only things that talk about the demonic are literature, psychology, and the gospels.

In literature, the demonic is depicted as anti-christ and it is always depicted as an attack from within. Literature shows the image of Satan; it describes him as an abomination and he, the demonic, will manipulate the priest inside the Church. As the second coming of Christ comes to fruition, a priest will attack Christ and the priest will banish Christ from the Church which Christ establish.

The psychological depiction of the demonic is shown as a split or tearing apart of a person, becoming double-minded. Do you see today the splitting of our priest and bishops and the laity, there is no unity in the church. Also, this depiction establishes 3 distinct factors of disunity. The love of unity (sex without love), the love of violence, and a split-minded mentality.

The third and last depiction of the demonic is in the Gospels, specifically at the time where Jesus was tempted in the desert. Jesus was tempted three times and the three temptations were; appealing to human pleasure, showing people wonders, and disregarding theology for politics. These three temptations are the three shortcuts of the cross.

As Christ was tempted, so we will be tempted, and the closer we are to Christ, the closer the demonic will be with us, waiting for an opening. We must understand and see the attacks of the demonic and be always vigilant and ready to have final perseverance in our hearts. 

pray

Prayer to Our Lord Jesus
(This is a powerful personal prayer when prayed with faith. It is prayer when a person believes that he/she is undergoing some form of demonic oppression and obsession.)

O Jesus, my Savior, my Lord and my God, my God and my All, who, through the sacrifice of the cross, redeemed us and overcame the power of Satan. I beseech you to free me from every harmful presence and influence of evil.
I ask this in Your Name; I ask this for the sake of your wounds, I ask this through Your blood, I ask this for the sake of Your cross, I ask this through the intercession of Mary, Immaculate and Virgin, our Lady of Sorrows. May the blood and water which gushed forth from Your side flow down upon me to purify, free, and heal me. Amen.

Resource
“Catholic Handbook of Deliverance Prayers” By Fr. Jose Francisco C. Syquia Director,
Archdiocese of Manila Office of Exercism (Pg. 166).

act

• Do you believe in the existence of Satan? If you don’t then Satan has won over you. Be watchful and sober for the diabolic spirits will hunt you down like a wild animal
• Ask for the intercessions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph Terror of Demons and the Saints. You are not alone in this fight, God’s family is always here to help us and pray for us
• Establish a closer relationship with your guardian angel and ask also for the intercession of the archangels: St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael.

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WEEK 11: “The Philosophy Of Communism”

Because the philosophy of Communism is relevant in today’s world, we must understand how our Christian faith plays a role in combating it. To know the individual and to care for one another is the Christian perspective that Christ calls each one of us to live out.

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The philosophy of communism is based on two things. The first is economic determinism. This means that everything from art to literature to religion to books is uprooted because of economics, even to the point that our moral values are based on economics. This philosophical idea that economics influences societal culture results in a society of “no right or wrong,” since morals are only determined by economics. 

The second major idea of Communism is that a human person is valued only as a representative of an economic plan. The essence of communism thus destroys the spirituality of mankind. Doing so also destroys the individuality of a person so that their worth is determined by only their economic value. 

Communism is a philosophy that can be seen throughout the western and eastern world. The fight of this communistic philosophy begins in every human being’s heart, starting with belief in God. This philosophy can be applied to a Democratic society, or any political party, even the Socialistic, republic, and Constitutionalist society/party. Without any Christian traditions or any spiritual identity in society, its culture becomes materialistic, and human desire becomes driven by finding heaven on earth.

pray

Prayer of Saint Teresa of Avila
Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices
Amen.

Resources
“Lord, Prepare My Hands for Battle” Prayer Compilations by Jesse Romero (Pg.129)

act

• Do you know your Christian traditions? Have you ever pondered the true role we have in politics? Many Christian saints and martyrs died for their faith because they spoke the truth. Ask for their intercession and pray for courage.
• Delve into your Catholic faith, and seek the guidance of God to help you find the truth.

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WEEK 10: “Action and contemplation”

Jesus Christ is calling us to follow Him and hear the good news to understand the true purpose of our stay on this earth. And as we accept His calling, He will then send us into the world to preach the Gospel.

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In the moments of our day-to-day life, we tend to forget the life of a contemplative and become too much of an activist. All great deeds and all strong persons are made with withdrawal and detachment. We need to withdraw from the lives that we have in order to contemplate and be close to our Lord Jesus Christ. And at this time of withdrawal is the hour where we face and fight Satan. As Christ was tempted in the desert, so too the followers of Christ went into the desert and followed our Creator’s example. We must withdraw, not because the world around us is bad, but because we need to fight Satan and be close to our Lord. 

As we contemplate, we must understand that our actions can at first have good intentions. But, as we leave our active and busy lives we tend to lose track of time and forget the reasons for our activism. We must detach ourselves from our actions and know that what we are doing is for the glory of God and the love of neighbor and not for ourselves. In history, some kind of detachment is necessary before action. The first word of Jesus Christ in public life was “come” and His last was “go and preach the Gospel’. We must keep ourselves Christo-centric for we are the bearers of Christ and we must become a reflection of Christ onto others, while at the same time seeing Christ in other people.

pray

The Invocations to Christ Our Lord
Lord Christ, Son of the living God, you humble yourself by becoming like us that we might become like you. You lodge in the womb of the Virgin Mary for us and for our salvation. You were born in the cave of Bethlehem to teach us humility and love of poverty. You were adored by shepherds and wise men and taught us to worship you in our hearts. You were present in the temple to teach us to surrender ourselves to you.
You were baptized by John in the Jordan and created the sacrament of our rebirth. You spent your life proclaiming the Good News and filled our hearts with joy. You went about doing good in Galilee and Judea, driving out demons, healing the sick, and raising the dead.
You submitted to suffering and death for our sake to save us from all sin and danger. You died on the cross for bitter pain to set us free from sin and death. You were buried in noble Joseph’s tomb to give us confidence and hope. You rose again on the third day to fill us with new life and full joy. You ascended into heaven to raise our hearts on high. You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us, now and for ever.
Glory to you, O Lord, glory to you!
Amen.

Resources
“A Beginners Book of Prayer” Compiled by William G. Storey, published by Loyola Press (Pg. 72).

act

• Is life only one big emotional kick for you? We must come down from the mountain and see the reality of the world.
• We must understand that not everyone is joyful, for Christ is not with them and it is for us Christians to show the true joy that Christ gives in our lives.
• There are times that we must partake in the obligations that we have in life but there must be moments where we must sit at Jesus Christ’s feet.

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WEEK 9: “Betrayal and forgiveness”

When we see the cross we see the autobiography of our life, and as we stare at the victorious victim, it’s hard not to be reminded that we are the ones who put him there. Our hearts are weak and our sins are great but God is calling us back to Him.

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We are imperfect human beings, but our Lord is always patient with us, no matter how many errors we tend to make. However, we must understand God’s true mercy for all of us, which is in the form of sorrow. Humans have two natures, the first nature that came from our parents and the second nature that came from our Creator. St. Peter was a prime example that expresses these two natures. St. Peter shows us the example of the weakness of human nature; by his lack of faith, and yet he received the strength of the divine nature when the Holy Spirit gave him the realization that Jesus is God. For God turned Simon into Peter (rock), the man who denied Christ three times and turned his back on Him because of his shame and guilt. We ourselves fall away; we neglect prayer, we substitute actions for prayer, we look for creature comforts and human consolation. But even after all these things, God is always willing to take us back. He always sees the potential of a sorrowful heart. Never justify the guilt that we have in our hearts and always be fearful to offend our God, for His Mercy is everlasting.

pray

For Repentance and Forgiveness
Come now, let us argue it out, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient,

you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be devoured by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
(Isaiah 1:18-20)

Let us pray for the gift of tears:
Merciful Savior, you forgive and forget our sins at the moment we repent before you. No matter how stupid or malicious they were, they should vanish from our hearts too. If we trust your word, “Your sins are forgiven!” we must not doubt that they are in truth. Kneeling at the foot of the cross, we look to your five precious wounds for complete healing of our sinful tendencies and for the strength to remedy their effects. Your reign, Lord Jesus, is a reign for all ages! AMEN.

Resource
“Prayer of Christian Consolation” Compiled by William G Storey, published by Loyola Press (Pg. 144)

act

• Do you substitute action for prayer? If you’re prayerful you will have a different kind of action. Do not neglect prayer and always pray before you act.
• Are you a lukewarm Catholic (meaning: you do not completely deny the Lord, but you do not want to be completely identified with Him either)? Are you going to be able to accept our Lord? Or deny Him three times? Be fervent in prayer to prepare ourselves for the trials in our day-to-day life.
• Don’t turn your back on God, for our God is always willing to take us back. The Lord will take anyone who will turn to him, but not to those who justify their guilt.

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WEEK 8: “Law of Love – Total Commitment”

Let us fully understand what it means to be fully committed to God through the action of love. We must be ready to become a sin bearer for God who forgave us by taking all our sins and dying on the cross with them.

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God wants us to be totally committed to Him in every aspect of our lives, for without Him we cannot accomplish anything. God doesn’t want us to know Him through learning the doctrines of His Church but submitting to His will. If you do the will of God you will come to know Christ’s redemption. Knowing God is different than being fully committed to Him. If you only know Him we limit ourselves from having an intimate relationship with our Lord. For God ever so loves us that He died for our sins, through the cross he bears our sins. And the depiction of the cross, is what forgiveness looks like. The action of love is forgiveness, and forgiving others is to bear their sins. A sin bearer is what God wants us to become, for He had died for our sins so we must too for the people we love. To become followers of Christ we must carry our own cross, for the cross is the greatest act of love for all. Love is an overflowing of limitless giving of oneself. To it, love must not be commanded but it can only happen. God wants us to die within ourselves so He can give Himself fully to us.

pray

Morning Offering to the Sacred Heart

My dear Father, I offer you this day all my prayers, works, joys and sufferings in union with Jesus in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in the Holy Spirit. I unite with our Mother Mary, all the angels and saints, and souls in purgatory, to pray to the Father for myself, for each member of my family, for my friends, for all people throughout the world, for all the souls in purgatory, and for all other intentions of the Sacred Heart. I love You, Jesus, and I give You my heart. I love you, Mary, and I give you my heart. Amen.

References: “True Knights Christian Husbands, Fathers and Son: Combat Training Daily Prayers For Purity” Compiled and Edited by Kenneth Henderson and Jesse Romero (Pg.3)

act

• Do you have false peace in your life? That your world of view is sufficient to make you happy? Being in a state of contentment is not enough to secure peace in our lives. We must fully understand that we must give ourselves to God in order to have a peaceful life.
• Seek security only through sacrifice, for sacrifice is pain with love. Love will never be easy.
• Be consistent with your commitment to God, do not falter to temptation and always pray for final perseverance.

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