THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS HERE AMONG US.

ONLY FAITH CAN SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT NOW. 

"Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus said in reply,

“The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.”

Then he said to his disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. 

"There will be those who will say to you, ‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’ Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.

"But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.” (Luke 17: 20 - 25)

Thursday 14th November 2024, 32nd Week in Ordinary Time. 

"Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come,

"Jesus said in reply, “The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.”

One fact is absolutely certain:  Jesus spent most of His preaching and teaching ministry talking about the Kingdom. Even after His Resurrection, Acts 1 informs us that Jesus continued to speak about the Kingdom of God. How do we address these questions about the identity and operations of the Kingdom of God?

"The Kingdom of God is among you." 

What does this mean to you?

What is the Kingdom?

Where is the Kingdom?

Why the Kingdom?

How does the Kingdom operate?

Any signs of the Kingdom here and now? 

The Kingdom is the King Jesus. Where the King is, there is His Kingdom. 

The Kingdom has certain similarities with earthly kingdoms. But the differences are striking.

The Kingdom of God is the reign of God in hearts and minds of people who believe in Jesus and have committed to allow Jesus to reign in their hearts and minds.

 For example: The Kingdom of Belgium comprises all the people who live in the geographical area that is recognized as Belgium. They obey the laws of Belgium. The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Belgium have officers and structures for their operations. That is where the similarities end.

The Kingdom of God is worldwide. It is eternal and indestructible.

 The mighty Roman Empire and many kingdoms of the world have been destroyed. 

The Kingdom of God launched by Jesus Christ in the course of His earthly ministry will never be destroyed. God will never allow the powers of hell to wipe out the Church. The Church will be there at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. 

In summary, only Faith can see the Kingdom of God right now and right here. How do we come by this strong faith? Jesus tells us:

“If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (Cf John 8:31-2). 

When you dwell in the word of God for a long time, you begin to see Jesus in you, in the priest celebrating the Eucharist, in the Church gathered for Mass, in the poor and the migrants. 

What does all this mean to us here and now? There are two types of people: those who are aware only of the earthly, material and physical kingdom. Others who belong to the the Kingdom of God whose seed is the Church.

November is the Month we pray for the Souls in PURGATORY. 

“Temporal punishments are suffered by some in this life only, by some after death, by some both here and hereafter, but all of them before that last and strictest judgment. But not all who suffer temporal punishments after death will come to eternal punishments, which are to follow after that judgment”  -Saint Augustine, Father and Doctor of the Church, (The City of God 21:13 [A.D. 419]).

For Catholic Church teaching on the Souls in PURGATORY and how to help them, click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/10/10-ways-to-assist-poor-souls-in.html

A GREAT AMERICAN SAINT: PATRONNESS OF IMMIGRANTS.

MEMORIAL OF ST FRANCES XAVIER CABRINI. RELIGIOUS AND VIRGIN. 

"As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.

"They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” 

"And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.”

"As they were going they were cleansed. And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. 

"Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”

"Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.” (Luke 17: 11 - 19).

Wednesday 13th November 2024 , 32nd Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Frances Xavier Cabrini. (1850 - 1917). Virgin. Italian. Patroness of Immigrants.

Our saint for today overcame the first obstacle to her vocation: fear of drowning.  She founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to serve immigrants in schools, hospitals and parishes in the United States. Before she died in 1917, St Frances Xavier Cabrini had traversed the seas about 30 times planting missionary services to the vulnerable in many countries of the world.

Our Gospel of today from (Luke 17: 11 - 19) is perhaps one of the most dramatic healing stories of Jesus. Healing one leper is dramatic enough, especially if you understand the disease of leprosy and the social taboo it attracts at the time of Jesus. Healing ten lepers at once with a word of command is Only what God can do. 

Another famous leprosy healing in the Bible is that of Naaman the Leper. (2 Kings 5: 1 - 19).

"Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram." 2 Kings 5: 1). Naaman was a top General and a very capable military leader, valued highly by his king. 

His leprosy did not threaten his career. Yet he wanted to get rid of the accursed disease by any means. With the backing of his king, he traveled to Israel in search of healing. God's mercy smiled upon him and he was healed by the Prophet Elisha. Read of the gold, silver, expensive garments Naaman brought for Thanksgiving in 2 Kings 5. 

The Ten Lepers in today's story are in a worse predicament than the General Naaman. Be this as it may, the real essence of the Healing of the Ten Lepers is a lesson on Thanksgiving or Gratitude. 

Are you a thankful person? 

Everything we have: family, health, money, job, food, friends, every possession from the smallest to the largest is a gift from God. 

How do we render thanks for the gifts we enjoy?

Do you know the source of your gifts? Do you know that God expects you to render thanks?

"A sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me." (Psalm 50: 23).

This means that God is most delighted if you honor Him with the Sacrifice of the Mass (Eucharist = Thanksgiving). 

November is the Month we pray for the Souls in PURGATORY. 

“For the souls in purgatory there is great joy as well as pain as they know for certain they are bound for Heaven!” ~ St. Catherine of Genoa

For Catholic Church teaching on the Souls in PURGATORY and how to help them, click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/10/10-ways-to-assist-poor-souls-in.html

THE MEMORIAL OF ST JOSAPHAT, BISHOP AND MARTYR.

ST JOSAPHAT, BISHOP AND MARTYR. 

"The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.

Tuesday 12th November 2024 in the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time. 

"Trust in the Lord and do good,

that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.

Take delight in the Lord,

and he will grant you your heart’s requests. 

"The Lord watches over the lives of the wholehearted;

their inheritance lasts forever.

"By the Lord are the steps of a man made firm, and he approves his way. 

"Turn from evil and do good,

that you may abide forever;

"The just shall possess the land and dwell in it forever."  (Psalm 37: 3-4, 18 and 23, 27 and 29). 

Tuesday 12th November 2024 in 32nd Week in Ordinary Time is the Memorial of St Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr.  (1580 - 1623). 

Born in Poland to Orthodox parents, Josaphat became a Catholic. As Bishop, he worked for the unity of the Orthodox and the Roman Church and was martyred for his efforts in Ukraine. 

Our saint of today, St Josaphat had the opportunity to preserve his life by hiding from his killers. He chose to die as Jesus did when He refused to come down from the Cross when His enemies taunted Him to do so and prove that He is the Son of God.

Our key Scripture for today is from the Responsorial Psalm 37. This Psalm along with Psalms 23, 27, 46 and 51 are my all-time favorites. 

Why is Psalm 37 one of my all-time favorite? Because every single word in it is sweet music to my ears. It is like a quid pro quo. You do this, you get that. Do you want this outcome in life? Then do the following. 

"Man does not live on bread alone. There is spiritual nourishment in every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Cf Matthew 4: 4).

Thank You Jesus for the spiritual nourishment You provide us daily in Your word. 

Friends, read this Scripture and see how these words can apply to you: 

"The Lord watches over the lives of the wholehearted; their inheritance lasts forever.

"By the Lord are the steps of a man made firm, and he approves his way." 

"If you trust in the Lord and do good, you will dwell in the land and be fed in security.

"If you take delight in the Lord,

He will grant you your heart’s requests. (Cf Psalm 37).

Everyone of us can surely take delight in the Lord. Is He not our Father who provides all our needs and protects us from all evil?

"If you find your delight in the Lord, he will grant your heart’s desire." (Psalm 37: 4).

How do I find my delight in the Lord? 

1. Immerse yourself in the word of God. 

2. Pray every day. Frequent Confession and Communion.  

3. Wait for the Lord with patience. 

Scripture teaches us that the love of God compels us. (Cf 2 Corinthians 5: 14). Because God loves us so much, we cannot help but loving Him back if we know of His unbelievable love for us. 

Many people do not love God back because they are not aware of God’s immense love for them. 

One way you can know of God’s immense love for you is through daily prayers and daily reading of Holy Scriptures. 

Lord Jesus, I believe. I trust. Increase my faith. 

"The attack on My priesthood that appears to be spreading and growing is, in fact, in its final stages. It is a satanic and diabolical onslaught against My Bride the Church, an attempt to destroy her by attacking the most wounded of her ministers in their carnal weaknesses; but I will undo the destruction they have wrought and I will cause My priests and My Spouse the Church to recover a glorious holiness that will confound My enemies and be the beginning of a new era of saints, of martyrs, and of prophets."  (IN SINU JESU, Tuesday, March 2, 2010). 

November is the Month we pray for the Souls in PURGATORY. 

“One of the holiest works,one of the best exercises of piety, which we can practice in this world, is to offer sacrifices, alms and prayer for the dead.” (St John Chrysostom, Doctor of the Church). 

For Catholic Church teaching on the Souls in PURGATORY and how to help them, click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/10/10-ways-to-assist-poor-souls-in.html

THE MEMORIAL OF ST MARTIN OF TOURS, BISHOP.

THE MEMORIAL OF ST MARTIN OF TOURS, BISHOP. 

"Jesus said to his disciples,

“Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. 

"Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you should forgive him.”

"And the Apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

"The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” (Luke 17: 1 - 6).

Monday 11th November 2024, 32nd Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Martin of Tours. (316 - 397). 

St Martin was Bishop.  St Martin was born of pagan parents in modern day Hungary.

Martin was a soldier in the imperial army of Rome. After he encountered Jesus Christ, he became a Christian and a man of peace.

Today is also Veteran Day in the USA, Armistice Day in other countries. November 11  served in the past as a day of the memorial of the signing peace treaties.  The treaty to end World War 1 was signed on the Feast of St Martin of Tours, November 11th. Hail Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace. Happy Veterans Day!

In the Entrance Antiphon on the Feast of St Martin of Tours, the Lord made Martin a faithful priest who embraced God's will in everything.

Martin founded a monastery in France and was consecrated later as the Bishop of Tours. He sent missionaries to evangelize France. France is one of the earliest Christian countries in the world and is known as the Elder Daughter of the Church.

St Martin de Tours can help us appreciate the truth that God's gracious and mysterious will is our peace and prosperity.  Lust for power and greed for riches lead nations to war. Consider the end of these nations: The France of Napoleon, the Germany of Hitler, the liquidation of the Soviet Union of Stalin. The Prince of Peace warns that those who live by the sword will perish by the sword. (Cf Matthew 26: 52).

Our key Scripture deals with the all important question of faith.

"And the Apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

"The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

"What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead." (Hebrews 11: 1 TLB).

FAITH COMES FROM HEARING THE WORD OF GOD AND PLEADING BOLDLY FOR FAITH. 

I thank our Lord Jesus for the mustard size faith that I have. Because of this small faith, I am who I am today. Everything I enjoy in life such as the Eucharist, Reconciliation, Sunday leisure, even this Blog, etc comes from faith.

I heard this word of God from Psalm 103: 1 - 5, in the depth of my heart and said to myself: This is exactly what I need. Then I believed that this word is a personal Rhema for me. I believed it. Today this word is coming true in my life. 

"1 Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's." (Psalm 103: 1 - 5).

In the 11th Chapter of Hebrews, we see the portrait of faith drawn from the key characters of the Hebrew Scriptures. For example: Abraham, David, Elijah, etc. We may add to this list: Mary, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, Mary Magdalene, Paul, etc. 

All these people and All the Saints we celebrate in the Roman Missal lived by faith and fulfilled the spiritual law that "the just man shall live by faith." (Cf Habakkuk 2: 4, Romans 1: 17, Galatians 3: 11, Hebrews 10: 38).

How do we get faith?

"So faith comes from hearing, and what is heard comes by the [preaching of the] message concerning Christ." (Romans 10: 17 AMP).

Faith comes too by asking for, pleading, praying for faith like the Apostles: "Lord increase our faith." 

Do you believe the message below?

"God so loved the world that he gave his Only Begotten Son, so that all who believe in him may not perish, but may have eternal life." (John 3: 16). If you believe this Scripture, you have faith. Fan it into flame. 

"Why do you think I have spoken to you so often of My Eucharistic Face? It is because “face” signifies “presence.” The devotion to My Eucharistic Face is the remedy to the loss of faith in My real presence that has swept through My Church at every level, extinguishing the fire of Eucharistic charity and causing even My elect, My priests, to grow cold and distant from Me. This is My word to you tonight and this is why I brought you to this place. Any loneliness you may feel is an invitation to seek Me out in the Sacrament of My divine friendship and to console My Eucharistic Heart." (IN SINU JESU, Sunday, October 19, 2008 Saint Paul of the Cross).

November is the Month we pray for the Souls in PURGATORY. 

“One of the holiest works, one of the best exercises of piety, which we can practice in this world, is to offer sacrifices, alms and prayer for the dead.” (St John Chrysostom, Doctor of the Church). 

For Catholic Church teaching on the Souls in PURGATORY and how to help them, click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/10/10-ways-to-assist-poor-souls-in.html