My grace is sufficient for you.

 “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.”  (2 Corinthians 12: 9).

If the grace of Christ is sufficient for the Apostle Paul, the same grace of Jesus will do exactly the same for us. To enjoy this favor, understand and trust the Divine Providence.  Then adopt these three steps to peace of heart and mind:

#1 Accept all that has happened.
#2 Accept everything that is happening.
#3  Cooperate with everything except what is sinful.

St Paul understood the mystery of Divine Providence and the Sufficiency of the Grace of God. His attitude underwent 360 degree change. Read St Paul's insight into mysteries of faith:

"I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.  Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong."  (2 Corinthians 12: 9 - 10).

Before you can boast of the things Paul boasted about, you must accept them.
Help us O Lord to know Your power working in us.

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The Lord promises full restoration.

"Thus says the Lord: On that day I will raise up the fallen hut of David;
I will wall up its breaches, raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old." (Amos 9: 11).

God castigated His people through His word proclaimed by Prophet Amos. God's anger lasts a moment. His mercy lasts forever.  The Chosen people that once dwelt in palaces and big mansions now lived in dilapidated huts.  From riches to rags.  God's ways are not our ways.  He strikes and He heals.

"There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.
A time to give birth, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to tear down, and a time to build.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance."  (Ecclesiastes 3: 1 - 4).

The Lord promises restoration to a long suffering people.  Are you waiting for restoration in any areas of your life? This promise is for all of us.
"I will restore my people Israel, they shall rebuild and inhabit their ruined cities, Plant vineyards and drink the wine, set out gardens and eat the fruits."  (Amos 9:  14).

"I, the LORD will do it." (Amos 9: 12).

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When will the new moon be over?

"See what days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks –
days when I will bring famine on the country, a famine not of bread, a drought not of water, but of hearing the word of the Lord.
They will stagger from sea to sea,
wander from north to east,
seeking the word of the Lord
and failing to find it."  (Amos 8: 11 - 12).

Can a day actually come when people will hunger so much for the word of God?
"O God, when will this day come?" could be the unsurprising response of modern prophets worn out by constant rejection of their message. 

“When will the new moon be over,” you ask, “that we may sell our grain,
And the sabbath, that we may open the grain-bins?"  (Amos 8: 5).

The people rejected the Sabbath Rest which is a bonus bestowed by a loving God on His people. 
"They must realize that the Sabbath is the LORD's gift to you. That is why he gives you a two-day supply on the sixth day, so there will be enough for two days. On the Sabbath day you must each stay in your place. Do not go out to pick up food on the seventh day."  (Exodus 16: 29 NLT).

"Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest, says the Lord."  (Matthew 11: 28).
Who will respond to this cry of Jesus?
"Human beings cannot live on bread alone, but need every word that God speaks."  (Matthew 4: 4), Jesus teaches.

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Honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the First Friday of July 2018.

July 6, 2018 First Friday in July 2018.

The 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus:  Jesus promised 12 special favors to all those who will honor His Sacred Heart especially on the First Friday of every month.  In the 7th month of the year 2018, we look at Promise #7.

#7.  "Tepid souls shall become fervent."

What is tepid?  Tepid is defined as lukewarm, slightly warm, unenthusiastic, apathetic, half-hearted.
Listen to what Jesus said about such persons:
"Because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth."  (Revelation 3: 16).

Honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus this Friday by attending Holy Mass.

For the 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, click the link below:

http://sfjweb.com/?q=content/sacred-heart-12-promises

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Is it easier to heal the body or the soul?

"When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”  (Matthew 9:   2).

Jesus was ministering in a room packed with people.  The friends of the paralytic man lowered him from the roof and dropped him in front of Jesus.  Their action is the "faith" that Jesus saw.  So you can see faith.

The bigger theme of the Gospel of today is the sin of the paralyzed man.  Since Jesus came to suffer and die for sin, He dealt first with the root and source of illness.  “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven." (Matthew 9: 2).  Jesus was immediately attacked for forgiving the man's sins. “This man is blaspheming.” (Matthew 9: 3).

The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world knows more than anyone the intricate connection between Sin, Suffering and Salvation.  He proves it:
"Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”  (Matthew 9: 5 - 6).

"Lord, send your mercy and your truth to rescue us from the snares of the devil, and we will praise you among the peoples and proclaim you to the nations, happy to be known as companions of your Son."  (Psalm Prayer, Lauds Thursday, July 5th, 13th Week in Ordinary Time).

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The message of Prophet Amos on the occasion of the Independence Anniversary.

"Seek good and not evil, that you may live; Then truly the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you as you claim. Hate evil and love good,
and let justice prevail at the gate;
Then it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will have pity on the remnant of Joseph."  (Amos 5: 14 - 15).

America celebrates its Independence Anniversary today.  The exhortation from the Prophet Amos in today's Scripture reminds us that genuine freedom is a gift from God.   To safeguard this freedom, the nation must pursue goodness and justice.
The prophet concludes his persuasive nudge to the nation thus:
"But if you would offer me burnt offerings, then let justice surge like waters, and righteousness like an unfailing stream."  (Amos 5:  22, 24).

"Father of all nations and ages,
we recall the day when our country
claimed its place among the family of nations; for what has baen achieved we give you thanks,
for the work that still remains we ask your help, and as you have called us from many peoples to be one nation, grant that, under your Providence, our country may share your blessings with all the peoples of the earth.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen." (Collect of the Mass of Independence Day).

Happy Independence to you all.

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I command you stop doubting and you start believing now.

"Do not be unbelieving, but believe.”  (John 20: 27).

The above text is a sharp rebuke of of Thomas the Apostle by Jesus. Thomas insisted that he had to see with his two eyes, stick his fingers into the nail holes before he would believe.
What is the principal error of Thomas? Against reason, he refused to believe the testimony of credible witnesses.  He discounted the affirmation of Peter and the other apostles and Mary Magdalene who had become eye witnesses to the apparitions of Jesus after the Resurrection.  Faith comes from believing the testimony of credible witnesses.   There are just a few things in life you can see and touch. Vast majority of things we believe because someone we trust tells us so.

Disbelief, unbelief, unreasonable doubt are crippling mental states. Can you believe that there are folks among us today who deny the Holocaust? Victims of these barbarism still live among us.

Jesus told Thomas, "Stop doubting and believe.”  (John 20: 27).  This command was all that Thomas needed to make him a super believer.  Jesus too can command our doubts, fears and worries disappear.  Let us ask Him:

Lord Jesus, command that we no longer be faithless but strong believers in You and Your mission.   Say but a word Jesus and our doubts will be gone. Amen.

Today is the feast of St Thomas the Apostle, martyr and great missionary to India.  This feast is a Solemnity in India.
St Thomas pray for us.

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How far and how long are you prepared to follow Me?

“Teacher,  I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”  Another of [his] disciples said to him, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.”  But Jesus answered him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.”  (Matthew 8: 19 - 22).

Two enthusiastic would be disciples received one answer to their application to follow Jesus:
You must count carefully the cost of discipleship.  How far and how long are you prepared to follow Me? What will you do when the going becomes tough?  I will show you what a prudent and faithful disciple looks like.  That disciple followed Me from the beginning of my ministry to the end.

“What sort of servant, then, is faithful wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at his employment. I tell you solemnly, he will place him over everything he owns.” (Matthew 24: 45 – 48)

Pope St John Paul II writing on faithfulness says:
It is good to be faithful for one day.
It is better to be faithful for ten years.
It excellent and blessed to be faithful day after day to the end.

This is why the Blessed Virgin Mary is called the most excellent and faithful disciple of Jesus.  She received the message of salvation from the Archangel Gabriel. She followed Jesus learning everything she could. She walked the Via Dolorosa with her Son to Calvary.  She received the body of her Son from the Cross from the Roman soldiers. She laid Him in the tomb and witnessed the sealing of the tomb.
Call this: faithful from womb to tomb.
A disciple of Jesus must be prepared to give all.

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Woman, go in peace. You are free of your issues.

“Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”  (Mark 5: 34).

Who heard this most beautiful words from the lips of Jesus?
"A woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.  She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse." (Mark 5: 25 - 26).

Sounds familiar?  First a few details about the woman.  After she had become bankrupt without getting cured, a friend suggested she try Jesus.  The amazing thing is that from hearing about Jesus and His ministry, she believed that Jesus would heal her.  The Scriptures say that faith comes from hearing. Not any type of hearing but hearing the word of God.  (Romans 10: 17).

“Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”  (Mark 5: 34).

This woman had faith and humility. She was dogged in her perseverance to regain her health. She believed the story about Jesus. She committed to finding Jesus wherever He might be. When she found Jesus, she pushed everybody out of the way and did as she planned:   “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” (Mark 5: 28).

"Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but what is still possible for you to do." (Pope St John XXIII).

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Lord I am not worthy to receive You in my house.

“Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed."  (Matthew 8: 8).

Do you recognize the Scripture above as our prayer before Holy Communion?  These are the words of a Roman Centurion to Jesus.  The Church uses it as the most appropriate prayer to excite us to faith and humility. Ask yourself this question:  If a military officer from pagan Rome can rise to this level of faith and humility, why not you?  Why after years and years of Holy Communion  can one deny Jesus the faith and reverence He expects and deserves in this great Sacrament? I think of three possible reasons:

1. "Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ."  (St Jerome).
2. "Ignorance of God is the principle and explanation of moral deviations." (CCC 2087).
3.  Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God."  (Matthew 22: 29).

The situation can be remedied.  You can start growing and enjoying your faith by resolving today to give 15 minutes of your time every day to reading the Bible.

I believe in prayer.
I believe in the word of God.
I believe in miracle.
I Ieave the rest to God.

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The message of Peter and Paul still goes out through all the world.

"Peter said to Jesus: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
And Jesus replied: You are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my Church."  (Matthew 16: 16, 18).

Today is the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. These are the two great pillars of the Church.  Peter became the first Pope while Paul became the first missionary.  Both were martyred in Rome under Emperor Nero.

The message of these two Apostles still goes out through all the world.

"O God, who on the Solemnity of the Apostles Peter and Paul
give us the noble and holy joy of this day, grant, we pray, that your Church may in all things follow the teaching of those through whom she received the beginnings of right religion.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."
(Collect on the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul).

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The consequences of building on unstable foundation.

"Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock." (Matthew 7: 24 - 25)

Who do you hire to build a solid family home that will last many years?  Will you not employ the best builder?

"Unless the LORD build the house,
they labor in vain who build.
Unless the LORD guard the city,
in vain does the guard keep watch."  (Psalm 127: 1)

The Lord Himself is the expert Builder.

Below are a few Gospel principles that ensure we build our spiritual life home on solid rock and not on sand:

"Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves." (James 1: 22)
Power comes from acting/doing.

"He [Jesus] replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” (Luke 11: 28)
Blessings come from obeying the word.

"For it is not those who hear the law who are just in the sight of God; rather, those who observe the law will be justified." (Romans 2: 13)
Emphasis again is on observing, acting and doing. 

"Children, let no one deceive you. The person who acts in righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous." (1 John 3: 7)

Believe what you read.
Teach what you believe.
Practice what you teach.

"Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." (John 13: 17)
Change happens not because of what you know but because of what you do daily.

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Their fruits will expose them.

"By their fruits you will know them."  (Matthew 7: 16 & 20).

Jesus warns us to beware of false prophets. They sneak in smiling and looking very innocent.  Give them a little time and they will be exposed by the bad fruits they bear.
The false prophets seek to corrupt sound doctrine and leave trails of  fruitless works of darkness:  "immorality, impurity, licentiousness,  idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like."  (Galatians 5: 19 - 21).

To detect and expose the false prophets, we need the word of God and the spirit of discernment.

On discernment, the Church says:  "Finally, discernment unmasks the lie of temptation, whose object appears to be good, a "delight to the eyes" and desirable, when in reality its fruit is death."  (CCC 2847).

"By their fruits you will know them."  (Matthew 7: 16 & 20). Be Vigilant!

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Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you.

 “Thus shall you say to Hezekiah, king of Judah: Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you by saying, ‘Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria." (1 Kings 19: 10).

You may call the above Scripture verse:  super power bravado.  We saw plenty of this recently between the US and North Korea.   The world had good experience of this throughout history.

This type of rant is not peculiar to dictators.  Who has not heard of doctors playing god and saying: "You have less than three months to live."  Or bank managers or supervisors boasting: "You are fired and will be completely ruined."

Now read the inspired response of Hezekiah King of Judah:
"Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; then he went up to the house of the Lord, and spreading it out before the Lord,  Hezekiah prayed in the Lord’s presence."  (2 Kings 19: 14).  Then Hezekiah poured out his heart before the Lord.

I have been inspired several times  to imitate Hezekiah literally.  The result  has been divine intervention.

Abba Father, I believe that You are watching over me night and day and that not a hair falls from my head without Your permission!
I believe that, in Your infinite Wisdom, You know better than I what is good for me.
I believe that, in Your infinite power, You can bring good even out of evil. 
In all the crises of my life, may I run to your holy Presence with confidence.  I ask for this in the mighty Name of Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Instruct the ignorant and admonish sinners.

“Stop judging, that you may not be judged.  For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you."  (Matthew 7: 1-2).

Jesus affirms these spiritual principles: Criticism, Complaining and Condemning are vices of the world that has no place in the Kingdom.

But we still have the sacred duty to help our brothers and sisters who may be undergoing temptations using 3 of the 7 spiritual works of mercy:
#1 Instruct the ignorant.
#2 Counsel the doubtful.
#3 Admonish sinners.

When you perform the above with mercy, you fulfill a key Christian duty.   The Church teaches: "Ignorance of God is the principle and explanation of moral deviations." ( CCC 2087).

"Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."  (Matthew 9: 13)

Lord, you desire mercy and not sacrifice.  You show us so much mercy.  Give us  merciful hearts.  Help us this day to show mercy to everybody we encounter in thought, word and deed.  Thank you Jesus.

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Who is John the Baptist?

“John is his name.”  (Luke 1: 63).

June 24th is the Solemnity of St John the Baptist. The feast fell on a Sunday this year.  Because of the stature of St John the Baptist in God's plan of salvation, the Church all over the world gives the feast precedence over the Sunday Liturgy which is very unusual.

We know that his name John was revealed to the parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth before his birth. But what does John mean? It means "the Lord is gracious." But who is John?  For answer we dive into the Old Testament, the first Reading today from Isaiah:

"The Lord called me from birth,
from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. He made my mouth like a sharp-edged sword, concealed me, shielded by his hand. He made me a sharpened arrow, in his quiver he hid me. He said to me, You are my servant, in you, Israel, I show my glory." (Isaiah 49: 1 - 3).

Not many people were called from their mother's womb for special mission.  To be called, named and given a mission before you were born makes you pretty very special.  As the son of a priest, John was born into the upper class.  He forsook all the privileges for the sake of his calling. Scripture tells us:  "The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel." (Luke 1: 80).

"And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins."  (Luke 1: 76 - 77).

There is great need today to prepare our brothers and sisters for the Second Coming of Jesus.  People's ignorance of God is the chief reason for all moral deviations according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. (CCC 2087).  Are you willing to be an evangelist or a catechist?

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Why do pagans worry a lot?

"Do not worry about your life."  (Matthew 6: 25).
"So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?" (Matthew 6: 31).
"Do not worry about tomorrow."  (Matthew 6: 34).

Jesus has one remedy for worries. All worries: family, health, money, job, all types of possessions and tools.  He first tells us that those who do not know the Scriptures and the power of God are consumed by such foolish and unnecessary worries. (Cf Matthew 22: 29).  Pagans think of nothing else but these things.

But for you:  "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides." (Matthew 6: 33).
So what is the Kingdom of God? It is here and now the reign, rule or control of Jesus Christ in the hearts and minds of Christians. His righteousness means His manner of life and doing things. When you embrace the reign of the King and His teachings, you have a singleness of purpose in everything in life.  Examples:  St John the Baptist, St Paul, St Ignatius Loyola, etc. Then you experience abundance or affluence in your life.

Is this utopian? Maybe for those who do not know the Scriptures and the power and promises of God.  (Cf Matthew 22: 29)
"For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29: 11).

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Two men who invested their treasure in different places.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth.... But store up treasures in heaven...... For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be."  (Matthew 6: 19 - 21).

Where do you hide your treasure? What does prosperity mean to you?
The Gospel differentiates genuine riches and filthy lucre.  Genuine wealth is one you can  keep and enjoy always and everywhere.  It is faith, hope, love, patience, wisdom, peace, courage, contentment, humility, etc.  He who has God has everything.  He who hoards the wealth of this world has nothing.

Two men illustrate the difference between genuine riches and filthy lucre:  St Thomas More and Cardinal Thomas Wosley.  Both men were in the inner circle of the government of King Henry VIII of England in the 16th century.  St Thomas More put God first in his life and work. Cardinal Thomas Wosley put the king first.  Henry VIII beheaded St Thomas More because he refused to put the king first.  Cardinal Thomas Wosley continued in power for a little longer.  Cardinal Wosley said while he laid dying in disgrace:  "But if I had served God as diligently as I have done the King, he [God] would not ..."
Surely God would never forsake His own.

Today is the feast of St Thomas More.  Among many patronages that he enjoys is the patron saint of lawyers.

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O God from whom all good things come!

"Your Father knows what you need before you ask him."  (Matthew 6: 8).

Behold one of the most beautiful revelations of Jesus!
Lord Jesus, You give us the consolation of Scriptures.  Praise and honor and glory be to You.

Other truths of Scripture to warm your heart:
1.  All things are possible for God.
2.  There is nothing too marvelous for God to do for you.
3.  O God from whom all good things come.
4.  Have you not seen how God has provided all our needs?
5.  God knows exactly what you need and when you need it.
6.  "Ignorance of God is the principle and explanation of moral deviations." ( CCC 2087).
7.   In Your infinite Wisdom, You know better than us what is good for us. In Your infinite power, You can bring good even out of evil.  

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I want a double portion of your spirit.

"Request whatever I might do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha answered, “May I receive a double portion of your spirit.”  (2 Kings 2: 9).

Elijah the great prophet knowing that his time has come to leave this earth, wanted to bestow on Elisha his disciple a memorable gift.  He asked Elisha the above question. Elisha gave a great answer that reminds us of Solomon when God asked him a similar question:
"That  night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."  (2 Chronicles 1: 7).

Solomon asked for wisdom. If you have a similar opportunity like Solomon and Elisha, what will you ask for?
Jesus Himself suggests to us what to ask for:
"If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11: 13).

Do you believe the word of Jesus?  Then open your heart and mind to the promise of God who cannot lie:
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."  (Matthew 7: 7).

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