23 December 2023 - Only By Grace Reflections

NOTE: Please click the Subscribe key on YouTube and press the black notification bell to receive the daily reflections. Or, open in YouTube for easy access. View and Like. Thank you. TOPIC: ARE WE GRATEFUL FOR THE WAYS THAT GOD HAS WORKED IN OUR LIVES? First Reading: Malachi 3: 1-4, 23-24 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 25: 4-5ab, 8-9, 10 and 14 Gospel: Luke 1: 57-66 Are we surprised to see the relatives of Zechariah and Elizabeth quibble over what to name their newborn child?  Don’t we do the same thing? This child, however, has been named from above!  And Elizabeth is firm in her faith and determined to see that God be glorified through this child.  The name John means "the Lord is gracious".  In the birth of John and in the birth of Jesus the Messiah we see the grace of God breaking forth into a world broken by sin and death and without hope. John’s miraculous birth shows the mercy and favor of God in preparing His people for the coming of its Lord and Savior, the Christ. When God acts to save us, He graciously fills us with His Holy Spirit and makes our faith "alive" to His promises. Do we make our lives as an offering to God, along with our families, and all that we possess? Each and every day, the Lord is ready to renew us in faith, hope and love. Like John the Baptist, the Lord invites each of us to make our life a free-will offering to God. God wants to fill us with his glory all the days of our lives, from birth through death. Let us renew the offering of our lives to God and give Him thanks for His mercy and favor towards us. This is the 1338th installment of our CFC contemplation series focusing on the daily liturgical readings. [NOTE: As we continue to pray for Bro Bong Arjonillo’s healing and recovery, let us listen to our brother Solphie Confiado as he brings us today's reflection. All the regular reflections are between 3-7 minutes long, enough time for us to ponder what God's message is for us individually and to pray that we may live them out in our lives. This video is also available on Couples for Christ’s Facebook page. In You Tube, just type ONLY BY GRACE REFLECTIONS] #OnlyByGraceReflections #CFC #CouplesforChrist