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God our Father, thank you for being on our side: "For God did not desire us for wrath, but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with him. Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do." (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10)
May we always seek and respond to your call to us, O God, in every person and in every experience we go through daily so that we are not caught by surprise in your Son Jesus Christ's coming.
May we learn to understand and appreciate the true meaning of "authority" like that of Jesus Christ: an authority to serve and not of domination.
Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. They were all amazed and said to one another, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.
Luke 4:31-32, 36-37
Remind us, almighty Father, of your gift of authority to each one of us - in our family, in our community, and in our jobs or profession - so that like Jesus, we may use our authority to enhance, not to diminish, the abilities of others. Amen.
