December 18, 2021

For you this week:

• Reflection for Saturday: Discover the angels God is sending to you!
  
• Inside the Ministry: “30 Days to the Father’s Heart” is healing the hearts of readers
  
• This week’s WordBytes faith-builder: How a Baby Teaches Us to Have Peace
  
• Footsteps to Heaven podcast: Helpers from Heaven
  

Saturday December 18, 2021

Jeremiah 23:5-8
Ps 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19
Matthew 1:18-25
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121821.cfm
Podcast:
bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/2021-12-18

Saints Calendar:
gnm.org/saints-find/saints-calendar

Such was his intention when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.” (From Saturday’s Gospel reading)

Reflection for Saturday:
Discover the angels God is sending to you!

Sometimes, no matter how much we want to do God’s will, we make mistakes and interpret him wrongly. Saint Joseph, in our Gospel reading today, desired only to do what was holy and compassionate.

He assumed that the right thing to do was to end his betrothal to Mary quietly, rather than subject her to the penalties of the law, which called for her to be stoned for having relations with a man outside of marriage. But when an angel spoke to him in a dream about it, he changed his mind. And after Jesus was born and an angel told Joseph to take his family to pagan Egypt instead of back home to Nazareth where everything was familiar, he changed his plans again.

If our desire truly is to do God’s will at all times, we, too, are being guided by holy angels. Whenever we have the humility to accept correction, God responds generously — including by providing help from angels. Often they help without our awareness. However, by asking for their help, we get more help. You can, in that way, more fully discover the angels God is sending to you.

Angels are messengers of light. Some have the specialty of bringing enlightenment; Saint Gabriel is the archangel of this host. Our guardian angels and other enlightening angels are available to help us make good decisions. They reveal the right direction to follow by giving it a shine that makes it brighter than any other decision. Our spirits are attracted to this light.

Think of a choice you need to make today. There’s an angel leading you to the correct path. Your spirit recognizes it by sensing the presence of holiness, the peace of Christ, and the courage of God. Get in touch with what your spirit knows, and trust it.

Inside the Ministry: “30 Days to the Father’s Heart” is healing the hearts of readers

A reader named Erica shares how my new book made a difference in her relationship with Father God:

“He tells me that he loves me all the time, but due to my unbelief at times, it is a truth I know but it’s hard for me to accept. Today, God has really pierced my heart and I am so thankful and grateful to God for that. I am also thankful to you, Terry, that Abba used you to deliver this wonderful message to me. From the first chapter till chapter 19 that I have read, Abba has truly been healing me of the misconceptions that I had about him. Before reading your book, I thought that my ideas of Abba were clear, but as I read through the chapters I realized that I had some misconceptions of him. And since he is Our Good, Good Father, he is leading me into a deeper love that only he can give. He is healing of the wounds that I did not know existed.”

My friend, he wants to heal your misconceptions about him, too, so that he can make his love better known to you. In my new book, 30 Days to the Father’s Heart, I can help you experience the wonderfulness of the Father’s heart so that your faith can be set free to reach its full potential. This book is an inspirational guide to healing that will enable you to experience God the Father as he truly is by identifying and overcoming the most common misconceptions that interfere with faith in God. It includes spiritual exercises that will help you heal from father wounds and to open you up to more of the Father’s love.

How to order it:

The book is ready! You can now buy it from anywhere in the world. Go to charispublishing.com/products/30-days-to-the-fathers-heart-terry-modica.

Note: The book will become available on Amazon in a couple of weeks at a higher price with no discount.

My prayer is that it will bless you beyond your deepest needs and greatest hopes.

This week’s recommended faith-builder:
How a Baby Teaches Us to Have Peace

I hurried about running countless errands. I had so much to do and I began to get anxious thinking about how I was going to accomplish so much before Christmas. The tree isn’t up, the decorations are still packed away in boxes. There are presents to buy, cards to be written and cookies to be baked. And then I remembered the calmness, the peace, the joy I experienced holding little Matthew.

That thought gave birth to another and soon my mind wandered. I began to ponder the Baby Jesus. Just as I had approached the young mother this morning, in my mind’s eye I saw myself approach Mary, holding her newborn son in her arms. That same peace I had felt earlier returned and enveloped me. I understood that this interior vision was taking me to the stable in Bethlehem. Will you come with me? Let’s allow our minds to take a little Advent journey together.

For more on this, visit wordbytes.org/spiritual-growth/how-baby-teaches-peace.

WordBytes is a library of Catholic faith-building articles by Good News Ministries. Come on in and explore! Visit WordBytes.org today.

Helpers from Heaven (listen again)

We all need supernatural help in difficult and challenging situations. So God provides to us helpers from heaven to assist us in our daily lives. In this episode, I share true stories about getting help from angels and from saints in my own life. You will discover how you too can receive the same kind of help.

Listen to this podcast @ gnm.org/footstep73.

Or watch the video @ gnm-media.org/helpers-from-heaven. Or if you prefer to read it, download the transcript at this link.

God bless you!

Every morning, I lift up in prayer everyone who helps Good News Ministries in any way (donors, volunteers, prayer supporters, etc.) and all the prayer requests posted on our site. What can I cover in prayer for you? Post your prayer request.

How else can the team and I serve you today? Visit our homepage.

Thank you for reading this newsletter.

Your servant in Christ,
Terry Modica, Executive Director
Good News Ministries
gnm.org

Let’s connect in GNM’s community: See you there!

Keep your eyes on Jesus!
And when you have to look at others, see them through his eyes.