September 4, 2023, Monday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time-A

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Psalm 96

Luke 4:16-30

Thus, we shall always be with the Lord.  1 Thes 4:17

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me…to let the oppressed go free…Lk. 4:18

Lord, I praise you for the good news and words of encouragement today. Your mission on earth is to free the oppressed, heal the sick in body, mind and spirit and cure our physical and spiritual blindness. We often speculate and wonder what happens after we die. We may be anxious even fearful of the unknown that lies beyond death. When a loved one dies, we pray that they will have a peaceful entry into this heavenly home. St. Paul assures us that we are never out of your care. Lord, I trust in your mercy and love for all my friends and family members who have gone before me. They may have gone from my sight, but they are never out of yours. While I can’t really know what will happen to me when I close my eyes for the final time, I trust in you completely to bring me safely from this world to the next. I’m in good hands. Dear Jesus, help me to have the hope that you have everything under control. I can rest assured that you will always be with me, and I will always be with you for eternity.  Amen.