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reading of the prophecy of Zephaniah
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Sing For Joy city of Zion Rejoice people
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of Israel rejoice and be glad with all
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your heart city of Jerusalem the Lord
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has revoked the sentence against you he
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has removed your enemies the king of
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Israel is the Lord he is in your midst
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you will never fear evil again
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on that day it will be said to Jerusalem
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do not be afraid Zion do not be
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discouraged the Lord your God is in your
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midst the Valiant Warrior who saves you
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he will rejoice over you moved by love
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he will exalt over you with praises as
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on feast days word of the Lord thank
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God reading of the letter of St Paul to
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the Philippians Brothers rejoice in the
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lord always I repeat Rejoice may your
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kindness be known to all men the Lord is
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near do not worry about anything but
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present your needs to God in prayers and
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supplications accompanied by
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Thanksgiving and the peace of God which
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surpasses all understanding will guard
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your hearts and Minds in Christ Jesus
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word word of the Lord thank
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God proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
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Christ according to Luke Glory To You
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Lord at that time the crowds asked John
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what should we do John replied Whoever
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has two coats give one to whoever does
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not have one and whoever has food do the
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same tax collectors also came to the
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baptism and they asked John teacher what
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should we do John replied do not charge
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more than has been established there
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were also soldiers who asked and what
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should we do John replied do not take
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anyone's money by force nor make false
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accusations be satisfied with your
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salary the people were expectant and
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everyone wondered in their hearts
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whether John would not be the Messiah
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therefore John declared to everyone I
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baptize you with water but he who is
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stronger than I will come I am not
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worthy to untie the strap of his sandals
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he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit
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and with fire he will come with a shovel
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in his hand he will clear his threshing
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floor and gather the wheat into the barn
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but the straw he will burn in the fire
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that does not go out and in many other
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ways John announced the good news to the
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Salvation Glory To You
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Lord dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ
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We Begin our reflection today with a
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very powerful image a great Festival of
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Joy imagine a City full of people with
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decorated streets Hearts overflowing
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with happiness and songs of praise
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echoing everywhere everyone is
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celebrating together like one big family
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now imagine that the reason for this
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party is something much deeper than
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festivities it is a celebration of God's
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presence in our lives and the
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transformation he brings today's
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readings invite us to exactly this party
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of joy and transformation in the first
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reading from the prophet Zephaniah we
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are called to sing and celebrate as the
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Lord is present Among Us offering us
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salvation and peace in the letter to the
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Philippians Paul exhorts us to live with
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joy and to seek the peace of God in our
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hearts and in the gospel John the
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Baptist teaches us the way to prepare
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our hearts for the coming of the Lord
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through conversion and the practice of
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good works the first reading from
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Zephaniah begins with a call for Joy
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Rejoice oh Daughter of Zion Rejoice oh
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Israel rejoice and be glad with all your
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heart oh daughter of of Jerusalem these
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words are like an explosion of Hope an
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invitation to surrender to the joy of
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Salvation the prophet is talking about a
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reality that goes beyond a simple human
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celebration he is inviting us to Divine
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Joy a joy that comes from the certainty
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that God is with us that he dwells among
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us and that he rescues us when we talk
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about joy we often think about the small
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happiness in life a good time with
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friends a Vic ictory a dream come true
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but the joy that Zephaniah proposes to
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us is much deeper it does not depend on
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external circumstances but on the
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constant presence of God in our lives
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and it is this presence that should
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generate peace Serenity and hope even in
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the midst of life's challenges the
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prophet also tells us about God's mercy
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the Lord your God is in your midst a
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hero who will save you this image of the
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god God hero is powerful he is not just
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a distant or inaccessible being but a
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God who approaches us who enters our
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reality and offers us salvation he is
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the one who even in the face of our
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weaknesses and limitations lifts us up
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and gives us strength to move forward
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the second reading from Paul to
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Philippians invites us to live with joy
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and peace always trusting in God rejoice
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in the lord always again I say to you
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Rejoice the repetition of the word
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Rejoice is an invitation to a continued
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attitude of gratitude and praise
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circumstances the joy that Paul speaks
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of is not a temporary Joy but a constant
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attitude that is born from our trust in
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God the Apostle also teaches us not to
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worry but to present to God everything
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that troubles Us in everything by prayer
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and supplication with Thanksgiving let
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your request be made known before God
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how many times do we allow ourselves to
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be consumed by worry fear anxiety modern
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life teaches us to live on autopilot
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always chasing something without time to
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reflect pray or even rest Paul reminds
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us that when we present our requests to
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God in faith he gives us a peace that
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passes all understanding this peace
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guards us protects us and helps us
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maintain balance even in the most most
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difficult situations in the gospel John
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the Baptist calls us to conversion to
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change our lives he begins with a simple
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but profound question what should we do
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this question is asked by different
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groups of people the people the tax
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collectors and the soldiers each person
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receives a practical and direct answer
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an invitation to act justly to share
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with those in need to treat others with
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respect and to live honestly and
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truthfully for the people the answer is
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clear Whoever has two coats give one to
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the one who has none xah challenges us
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to reflect on our relationship with
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material goods and with others we are
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called to live concrete solidarity to
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look at the needs of others and act in a
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practical way it's not just about good
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intentions but about concrete actions
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that transform the reality around us for
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the publicans who were known for their
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John asks them not to charge more than
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what is established for the soldiers he
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urges them not to extort to be fair and
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to be content with their pay John's
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message is clear conversion is not just
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an internal change but a transformation
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in our daily attitudes especially in our
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dealings with others the gospel ends
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with a word of Hope John the Baptist is
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not the Messiah but he is preparing the
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way for the one who will come after him
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he points to Jesus as the one who is
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most powerful who will bring about true
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transformation now brothers and sisters
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is the time to reflect on how we can
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apply these words to Our Lives the joy
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and peace that Zephaniah and Paul speak
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of are possible in any circumstance but
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to do so we need to prepare ourselves
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for the coming of the Lord and how do we
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do this first just as John the Baptist
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teaches us we need to practice charity
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it is not enough to have good intentions
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we need to act concretely in favor of
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those in need it may be with a simple
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gesture like offering a little of what
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we have but it is this generosity that
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prepares our heart for the Lord second
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we must cultivate Inner Peace by
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trusting God life often presents us with
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plenty of reasons to worry but God
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offers us a peace that goes beyond human
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understanding he invites us to rest in
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him to surrender our worries in prayer
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and to trust that he is in control of
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everything finally we are called to live
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with joy regardless of difficulties the
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joy that Paul speaks of is that which
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Springs from the certainty that God is
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with us even in tribulations and it is
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this joy that strengthens us and enables
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us to move forward with Faith and Hope
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dear brothers and sisters today's
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message is clear God is with us he is
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our strength stren our joy we are called
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to live with generosity with inner peace
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and with joy as we prepare for the
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coming of Christ may we be light in the
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world reflecting his love and mercy in
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all we do may God's grace accompany us
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and may we always be faithful in our
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mission to spread the joy and peace of
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Christ wherever we go let us now in
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silence ask the Lord for the grace to
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live with joy peace and generosity
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Transforming Our Lives and the world
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amen St Michael the Archangel defend Us
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in battle be our protection against the
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wickedness and snares of the devil may
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God rebuke him we humbly pray and do
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thou o Prince of the Heavenly Host by
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the power of God cast into hell Satan
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and all the evil spirits who prowl
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throughout the world seeking the ruin of
