Day 7 - Look in the night for light and hope

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"O Jesus crucified and resurrected, you humbly welcomed the failures of human life, as you did with the agony of crucifixion. Help us live our pains and our struggles as opportunities to grow similar to you. Make us capable of facing those difficulties, while being confident of your support. May nothing hurt us or make us cry to the point of forgetting the joy of your resurrection". - Mother Teresa.

Mother Teresa will endure for five decades a "night of the faith," where there's nothing but darkness within her. Her smile hides countless torments. 

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27, 47) Her spiritual advisor, Father Neuner, explains that the darkness within her is a participation in the redemptive suffering of Christ and a mirroring of the poor she serves, by their rejection and their lack of faith in God.

Mark 9, 14-29

When they came to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them. Immediately on seeing him, the whole crowd was utterly amazed. They ran up to him and greeted him. He asked them, "What are you arguing about with them?" Someone from the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit. Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so."  He said to them in reply, "O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring him to me." They brought the boy to him. And when he saw him, the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions. As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around and foam at the mouth. Then he questioned the father, "How long has this been happening to him?" He replied, "Since childhood. It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." Jesus said to him, "If you can? Everything is possible to one who has faith." Then the boy's father cried out, "I do believe, help my unbelief!" Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering, rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it, "Mute and deaf spirit, I command you: come out of him and never enter him again!" Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out. He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, "He is dead!" But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up. When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private, "Why could we not drive it out?" He said to them, "This kind can only come out through prayer."

Here, the demon can physically possess a human being and torment him, so that he may lose his soul and doubt God's kindness and God's creation. By becoming man, Jesus comes to every one of us for healing and rescue. He expects from us in return an unconditional faith, a pure hope, and a limitless trust in his authority. 

This is a call to renew our spiritual life: God ought to become a part of our daily life and dwell in our souls.

Prayer

O Lord, my God, I hereby place under your authority all that belongs to you. I trust in the power, in the goodness of your plans for the upcoming months. Make of this new year whatever You wish, because I know that you'll obtain for me the peace and salvation I need at the appropriate time. I offer to you my pains, my trials, my struggles and my doubts. Amen. 

Follow this prayer by one "Our Father," one "Hail Mary," and the daily prayer of Mother Teresa, which can be accessed by clicking on "Pray" below.

Today's little resolution: I will offer my pains and sufferings for the salvation of the souls in Purgatory.

Artwork: Mother Teresa of Calcutta, by Amrita Dutia.

Community prayer

Dear Lord, I kneel before you, by Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Dear Lord, the Great Healer, I kneel before you, Since every perfect gift must come from You. I pray, give skill to my hands, clear vision to my mind, Kindness, and meekness to my heart. Give me singleness of purpose, Strength to lift up a part of the burden of my suffering fellow men, And a true realization of the privilege that is mine. Take from my heart all guile and worldliness, That with the simple faith of a child, I may rely on You. Amen.

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. Col 4:6

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Novena to Mother Teresa of Calcutta

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