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reading of the Book of Genesis after 40
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days Noah opened the window that he had
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made in the ark and sent out a raven
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which flew away until the waters on the
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earth dried up he also released a dove
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to see if the waters had receded from
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the face of the Earth but the dove
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finding no place to rest returned to him
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in the ARK for the waters still covered
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the surface of the whole earth Noah
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reached out caught the Dove and put it
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in the ark he then waited another 7 days
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and released the dove again in the
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evening she returned and behold she had
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in her beak an olive branch with green
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leaves thus Noah understood that the
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waters had ceased to cover the Earth he
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waited another 7 days and released the
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dove which never returned it was in the
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601st year of Noah's life on the first
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day of the first month that the waters
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withdrew from the earth Noah opened the
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roof of the Ark looked and saw that the
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entire surface of the Earth was dry then
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Noah built an altar to the Lord and
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taking animals and birds of all clean
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species he offered burnt offerings on
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the altar the Lord breathed in the
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pleasant odor and said to himself I will
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never again curse the ground because of
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man for the inclinations of his heart
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have been evil since his youth nor will
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I again harm every living living thing
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as I did as long as the Earth lasts
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planting and harvesting cold and heat
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summer and winter day and night will
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never end word of the Lord thank
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God proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
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Christ according to St Mark Glory To You
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Lord at that time Jes Jesus and his
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disciples arrived at bethseda some
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people brought a blind man to him and
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asked Jesus to touch him Jesus Took the
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blind man by the hand led him out of the
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village spat in his eyes placed his
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hands on him and asked do you see
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anything the man looked up and said I
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see men they look like walking trees
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then Jesus placed his hands over his
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eyes again and he began to see clearly
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he was cured and saw all things clearly
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Jesus told the man to go home and said
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to him do not enter the village word of
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Salvation Glory To You
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Lord Brothers and Sisters in Christ
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today we are invited to reflect on two
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biblical passages that at first glance
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may seem distant in time and context but
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which in fact are deeply connected by
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the theme of renewal healing and Faith
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the first reading taken from the book of
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20-22 presents us with the end of the
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flood and the renewal of the Covenant
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between God and Humanity the gospel of
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22-26 brings us the healing of a blind
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man in Betha a miracle that tells us
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about the gradualness of faith and
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spiritual vision let's dive into these
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stories and discover how they can
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brighten our lives today in the Genesis
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account after 40 days of flood Noah
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sends a dove to see if the waters have
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receded the dove leaves but finds no
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place to land and returns to the ark
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Noah Waits another seven days and sends
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the dove again this time she returns
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with an olive leaf in her beak a sign
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that the land is being reborn on the
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third attempt the dove does not return
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indicating that the land is dry and
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ready to be inhabited again Noah then
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leaves the ark and offers a sacrifice to
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God who promises to never again curse
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the Earth because of man despite the
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inclination of the human heart towards
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evil he establishes an alliance with
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creation symbolized by the rainbow and
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promises that the seasons heat and cold
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day and night will not cease Brothers
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this passage tells us about God's
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patience and his Mercy the flood was a
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fresh start a purification but also a
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sign that God does not give up on on us
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he always gives us a new chance even
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when we fail the dove with the olive
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leaf is a symbol of hope that even after
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the storms of life there is always a
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rebirth possible and Noah's sacrifice
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reminds us that gratitude and
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recognition of God's goodness should be
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the natural response to his love now
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let's get to the gospel Jesus is in
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bethseda and some people bring him a
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blind man asking him to heal him jesus
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takes him outside the Village applies
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saliva to his eyes and lays hands on him
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after the first touch the man begins to
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see but in a confused way he sees men as
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trees that walk Jesus then lays hands
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again and the man sees clearly Jesus
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sends him home saying do not enter the
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8:26 this miracle is deeply symbolic the
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Blind Man's healing does not happen all
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at once but in stages this tells us
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about the gradualness of faith and
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spiritual understanding how many times
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do we also see but not
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clearly how often do we have a clouded
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view of God others and ourselves Jesus
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with his patience and mercy leads us
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step by step until we can see clearly he
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does not give up on us even when our
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faith is uncertain or our spiritual
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vision is confused here we can make a
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connection between the two readings in
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the flood God purifies the Earth and
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renews his Covenant with Humanity in
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healing the blind man Jesus purifies the
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man's vision and leads him to the
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fullness of light in both cases there is
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a process Noah patiently waits for the
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dove signal and the blind man goes
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through two stages until he sees clearly
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this teaches us that faith and spiritual
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renewal are not instantaneous but
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require time patience and trust in God
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Brothers how many times have we also
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experienced floods in our lives moments
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of pain of loss of doubt that seem to
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flood everything around us but like Noah
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we are called to wait with patience and
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confidence knowing that God does not
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abandon us he sends his dove with signs
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of Hope a friend who comforts us a word
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of comfort in the Bible a moment of
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Peace in the midst of the storm and when
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the earth dries up we are called like
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Noah to offer our gratitude to God God
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recognizing his goodness and
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faithfulness likewise how often are we
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like the blind man at Betha we see but
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not clearly we have faith but it is weak
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we understand God's plans but in a
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confusing way Jesus however does not
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abandon us in this condition he touches
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us heals us and leads us to the fullness
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of spiritual vision but this requires us
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to have an attitude of humility and and
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openness the blind man allowed Jesus to
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take him out of the village to touch him
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to heal him we too need to allow Jesus
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to lead us even when we don't understand
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his ways and there is an important
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detail in the gospel Jesus tells the man
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not to enter the village why perhaps
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because the village represents the world
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with its distractions its Illusions its
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values contrary to the gospel Jesus
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wants the man now healed to live a new
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life away from the influences that could
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Cloud his vision again we are also
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called to live a new life far from sin
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and temptations that can keep us from
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God Brothers these readings challenge us
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to reflect on our own Journey of Faith
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how are we dealing with the floods of
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our lives are we waiting with patience
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and confidence like Noah or are we
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desperate thinking that God has
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abandoned us and how is our spiritual
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vision are we allowed ing Jesus to heal
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us to lead us into the fullness of Faith
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or are we resisting his touch preferring
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to remain in darkness may we today learn
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from Noah and the blind man at bethseda
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may we trust in God's patience and mercy
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even in the most difficult times may we
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allow Jesus to heal us touch us and lead
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us to the fullness of light and that
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renewed and healed we can live a new
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life far from the influences of the
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world but always close to God who never
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abandons us may the Virgin Mary model of
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faith and patience help us to always
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trust in God's love and allow him to
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lead us step by step to the fullness of
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life in his presence amen Lord Jesus you
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who healed the blind man of Betha and
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renewed The Covenant with Noah also heal
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our blindness and renew our faith help
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us to trust in your love even in the
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most difficult moments and to allow you
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to lead us into the fullness of Light
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May our life be a testimony of your
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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 heaven Satan
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and all the evil spirits who prow
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throughout the world seeking the ruin of
