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Thursday, October 15, 1998

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St. Teresa of Avila


Ephesians 1:3-10
Psalm 98
Luke 11:47-54

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in him

"God chose us in Him." —Ephesians 1:4

We have been baptized into Christ (Rm 6:3). Therefore, we are baptized into His body, the Church (1 Cor 12:13), which has been given "every spiritual blessing in the heavens" (Eph 1:3). In Jesus, we have been chosen by God "before the world began, to be holy and blameless in His sight, to be full of love; He likewise predestined us through Christ Jesus to be His adopted sons" and daughters (Eph 1:4-5). "It is in Christ and through His blood that we have been redeemed and our sins forgiven" (Eph 1:7). "God has given us the wisdom to understand fully the mystery, the plan He was pleased to decree in Christ" (Eph 1:9).

In summary, in Christ we are gifted, chosen, holy, loved, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, and enlightened. The meaning of life is to be in Christ (see Jn 6:56; 15:5). "It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in Him (Jesus) and, by means of Him, to reconcile everything in His Person" (Col 1:19-20).

We have been baptized into Christ. Live in Christ, and "remain in Him now, little ones" (1 Jn 2:28).

Prayer:  Father, may I celebrate with great joy my baptismal anniversary each year and each day.

Promise:  "Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done wondrous deeds." —Ps 98:1

Praise:  St. Teresa wrote: "How different (our love) would be, how much more like that of heaven, if we really knew our Lord!"

Rescript:  ..

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.


Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, April 4, 1998


Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, April 8, 1998