Day 8 – The Devil's Trap
Cantonese
Mandarin
English
When we were born, we trusted our parents in every aspect of our lives. We relied on them, learned from them, lived with them, and trusted their guidance. This is what it should be like for our relationship with the Heavenly Father. But someone doesn't like that! That is Satan. This should not be a surprise to us. Who on earth would want to break our relationship with God?
By casting doubts in the minds of Adam and Eve, Satan successfully caused them to trust in God no more. This same tactic of Satan has kept repeating itself throughout history. Satan wants us to shift our trust away from God to ourselves so that we can be easily manipulated by its evil plans on us. By fueling our ego, Satan effortlessly leads us away from God so that its goal to divide will succeed.
Unfortunately, Satan knows us very well. It knows we love success. Cunningly it finds ways to silently tempt us through pleasures, popularity, power, etc. Satan will provide all the fuel we need to drift away from the Father's House! That is why we need to be vigilant. Otherwise, we can be easily tricked by the Devil unknowingly.
Our Father's love for us is not possessive. He allows us to choose Him, or not. His love for us is so unconditional but that makes Him so vulnerable! The choice is ours to make, to stay with Him, or to leave Him; to love Him, or not to love Him; to trust in Him, or to trust in the Devil.
REFLECTION
Reflect upon the times when you set off to go your own way, and how God has come to your rescue as you called for His help.
Reflect on how Jesus had chosen to remain faithful and obedient to His Father. Will you follow Jesus’ footsteps in choosing your future path?
TODAY'S PRAYER
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
If you find this reflection helpful and have not registered to receive our daily email, we invite you to sign up here. If you have a Facebook account and would like to share your thoughts there, we invite you to join this Facebook group .
至愛的天父！在我選擇未來的路向時，我一定會跟隨耶穌的腳步，服從祢的指示，在過去的日子，多少次為追求成功，而傷害自己的健康，使祢難受，主啊！祢無條件的愛，白白為我安排一切為我想走成聖之路，而備下更好的機會，主父啊！我感謝讚美祢！
Dear God, please give me strength to resist temptation and be good. Amen.
仁慈的天父，我每天都選擇享樂、怠惰，總把祢放在最後面。因此漸漸的離祢越來越遠，我常常向祢許下甜蜜的諾言，卻沒有一次能夠做到。然而祢卻依然不變的愛著我，我痛悔自己的冷漠，我希望接近祢、投奔祢的懷抱，不要再離開祢。請幫助我、帶領我！阿門
在選擇的時候，相信我們都會選擇天主而棄絶魔鬼！但我們有沒有跟著我們的選擇繼續去做呢？
天主，求您賜我們忠信的力量，不但選擇天主，也要跟隨天主的旨意直到永遠！
天主，我們感謝您、我們讚美您?
誘惑從來都在我們身旁，而魔鬼亦是從來離不開我們，為的是要使我們遠離天主的恩寵，正如原祖一樣(創3:1-13)。今天的反思，給我們一個清晰的提醒，魔鬼的誘惑隨時在我們身上出現，且不斷出現，令我們被它的吸引而與天主的愛斷絕，墮入了它疑似美麗的圈套，甚至跌進罪惡的深淵，就像《蕩子的比喻》中的小兒。
然而，天主也是從來不會放棄祂所愛的，總是等待回頭的蕩子，只要我們願意走向光明之路，依賴基督的救贖，人便可以尋回自己已失去的恩寵，重回光明(若1:3-5)。
仁慈的天父，求祢幫助我們體察慈父的苦心和等待，使我們不要像這小兒，令他感到痛心！
Times when I drifted away from God are numerous. Likewise are Satan’s temptations. They come in all different forms and the worst thing is I might not be aware of having fallen into their traps. I pray to God for forgiveness and rescue, so that I can be more vigilant in resisting temptations.
天主，在未來的路向上我願意忠信和服從地跟隨祢。因人性的軟弱我有時會跌落魔鬼的陷阱。求祢增強我的信望愛德使我抗拒魔鬼的誘惑，聽從祢的旨意，順服你的指引和教導。我感謝祢，讚美祢！
Lord thank you so much all these years you were with me. Even before you called me you are always there for me, guiding me all my life. You gave me the courage for the years of struggled i go through my life. You teached me to be humble even i was humilted by the people around me. You are my saviour, my rock and many more.
I will put all my trusts in you.
Jesus i love you
感謝天父，這麼多年之中，因為自己的軟弱，順從了心中的魔鬼，一次又一次離棄你，但每一次在我快要跌落深淵的時候，你總是寬恕我，拯救我，希望從今以後，我要堅定拒絕自己心中魔鬼的誘惑，一心一意跟隨你 ，願你嘅旨意成就於我，與你再不分離 ! 求主垂憐 !
全能永生的天父，我每日都有魔鬼的纏繞，使我犯罪。幸多得有祢驅走他。???
你要我做的，我沒有做，但你叫我不能做的，我就去做。
我常落入魔鬼的圈套，傷害祢的心，
我感到難过，我决定改过，求圣神保佑，亞孟！
我這幾天在慈幼避靜，向著聖母瑪莉亞聖像祈禱，聖母的腳踏著蛇的頭顱。我對著這條被踏著的蛇，向主祈求，這條蛇正正是我內心的魔鬼 纏繞著我，求主給我驅散這魔鬼，讓我得到釋放。在這四旬期，希望在祈禱，聖言，善工下，更新自己，把壞東西，壞心魔趕走，好能與天主更親近。
以上所求，是以主耶穌基督的名而求。
亞孟！
God has been look after me all these years, protecting and guiding me. He rescued me from all harms.
I will follow Jesus footsteps in choosing my future path no matter how difficult it will be as this is the best path and ONLY path to Salvation.
大陸地區一位教友的分享：
第八天：今天吸引到我的，是大聖若瑟成為天父在世上的影子。他是真正平凡而偉大的人，默默無聞的實幹家，忠信地完成了在世的使命。他的榜樣，讓我看到了希望。我也是個平凡渺小的人，我也遇到過各種困境，我也可以學習若瑟對天父的信賴，他的勇敢和擔當，他對耶穌和聖母的愛與照顧。他從來不上魔鬼的當，從一而終地選擇完成天父的旨意。他與天父合作，在軟弱貧苦中彰顯出天主的徳能。童年的耶穌在他身上也一定看到、學到、感受到這種父愛，慈悲，謙遜和服從。請求大聖若瑟為我等轉求，成為一個真正擁有並活出信、望、愛的人！
卑鄙的魔鬼，用盡方法。。想令我不能閱讀及細聽第8日談及牠的圏套，什至連留言都不能順利完成登出！
感謝主的引領！只要堅持對主的信靠，我們必戰勝牠！
慈愛的天父，感謝祢在任何時候也給了我最美好的眷顧。有時候，我是任性了，令祢多添了功夫！感恩祢待我的不離棄，我要堅強信心，學習主耶穌的忠信和服從，回應祢的慈恩。