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Saturday, February 15, 2003

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Genesis 3:9-24
Psalm 90
Mark 8:1-10

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jesus means "savior"

"He will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel." —Genesis 3:15

Satan used food to alienate the human race from the Lord (see Gn 3:6). Jesus made His flesh real food (Jn 6:55) to give us an intimate communion with the Lord in which He lives in us and we in Him (see Jn 6:56).

Satan seduced Adam and Eve to sin and by this fall seriously wounded and disordered human nature. Jesus even became sin (2 Cor 5:21) and gave us a new nature (see Jn 3:3, 5) by which we can be adopted sons and daughters of God (see Jn 1:12), heirs of God's kingdom (see Rm 8:17), "a royal priesthood, a holy nation" (1 Pt 2:9).

After the first sin, marriage became so disordered (see Gn 3:16) that divorce became necessary (Dt 24:1ff). Jesus is the Bridegroom (see Mk 2:19), Who made divorce unnecessary for those united in Him (see Mt 19:3ff).

After the first sin, work tended to be more an expression of slavery than creativity (see Gn 3:17-19). Jesus is the Worker, the Carpenter from Nazareth (Mk 6:3), Who has prepared a life of good works for us (Eph 2:10).

Jesus became a human being and not only restored us but transformed us. He is the new Adam (Rm 5:17), the Savior of the human race (see Acts 4:12), our Lord, and our God (see Jn 20:28). Thank Jesus forever. Give your life totally to Him.

Prayer:  Father, I accept Jesus on His terms.

Promise:  "The people in the crowd ate until they had their fill; then they gathered up seven wicker baskets of leftovers. Those who had eaten numbered about four thousand." —Mk 8:8-9

Praise:  Robin listened to the voice of the Lord as spoken to her in the Sacrament of Penance and was able to avoid a serious sin that had formerly ensnared her.

Reference:  (For a related teaching, order our tape Jesus the Redeemer on audio AV 50-3 or video V-50.)

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, August 1, 2002


Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, August 7, 2002