The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.

"Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go, therefore,  and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”  (Matthew 28: 18 - 20).

Sunday 30th May is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. The Godhead, the adorable Blessed Trinity, One God, three co-equal Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit is a revelation of the Son, Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity. This truth did not come to us from a philosophical deduction.

It is interesting that the mystery of the Holy Trinity was revealed at the end of Christ's earthly ministry. This mystery was revealed in the context of Baptism and Mission of the Church. What could this mean? Jesus Christ became Man so that man can know God, love Him and serve Him and live with God in eternity.

The Trinity is a great mystery beyond the intellect of man. We make the sign of the Cross in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. We are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The Creed teaches us all we need to know about the Holy Trinity, the One Undivided Unity.

"We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
Maker of all that is, seen and unseen.

"We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father.

"We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified."

This is the Faith of our Fathers. The Faith revealed by Jesus Christ.
We believe!

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

The Feast of Pope St Paul VI.

"The chief priests, the scribes, and the elders approached Jesus and said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them?” (Mark 11: 27 - 28).

Saturday 29th May 2021, 8th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of the gentle Pope St Paul VI, (1897 - 1978), Pontiff. Paul's papacy spanned the period of Vatican Council II which was followed by a period of change and ferment in the Church and society.

Our key Scripture for today mirrors the experience of Pope St Paul VI, whose feast we celebrate today. When the Roman Pontiff issued the watershed and prophetic HUMANAE Vitae on 1st July 1968, high churchmen and theologians especially in North America asked mockingly: “By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them?”

The Encyclical warned bluntly what would follow if the world go the way of contraception and abortion.
His prophecy has been vindicated to the letter. Think about this: There is a drastic reduction in birth rate in the First World today. People here today must choose between : Contraception and Abortion or beautiful and sweet baby boy or girl. You cannot have the two.

The authority of Jesus Christ is not of human origin. The authority of Pope St Paul VI is not of human origin. "Thou at Peter. Upon this rock, I will build My Church. The gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The battle with the powers of Hell continues. So far, the Church of Jesus Christ is holding steadfast to the Boat.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Our heroes of Faith and Prayer in the Bible.

"Jesus said to them in reply, “Have faith in God.  Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him.  Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours." (Mark 11: 22 - 24).

Friday 28th May 2021, in the 8th Week in Ordinary Time.

I like our key Scripture for today very much because Jesus teaches with clarity on the subject of Prayer. I consider myself a beggar and in the course of the day, I am constantly asking God for many favors: heal my nerve pain in my left foot, show me the way to get to that location quickly, how do I do this, Lord and so forth and so on.

Jesus has taught throughout His public ministry that prayer works. Not just the petty prayers like the ones I make frequently. But also big ticket items: life and death issues, vocations and jobs, marriage and divorce, elections and the economy. Everything comes under God's powerful and merciful Divine Providence. This is true.  Jesus teaches that not even a single hair will fall from our head without our Father in Heaven knowing about it and permitting it.

Who are my heroes of faith and prayer in the Bible?
Bartimaeus, Cornelius, the Syrophoenician woman and Jairus. Jesus praised the faith of these people and their prayers were answered according to their faith.

Therefore pray with faith.
Pray with persistence.
Pray for God's will and purpose in your life.
Pray for grace to forgive all your enemies.
Pray always. Pray for everything. Pray everywhere.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

The Feast of St Augustine of Canterbury.

"As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging.  On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”  And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.” (Mark 10: 46 - 48).

Thursday 27th May 2021, in the 8th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Augustine of Canterbury. (+ 604). Italian monk sent by Pope St Gregory the Great to evangelize the Anglo-Saxon who conquered England and dominated the original Celtic population who embraced Christianity centuries earlier. St Augustine baptized Ethelbert, the Anglo-Saxon king and the people followed their king into the Church. St Augustine made Canterbury his Episcopal See and became the first Primate of all England.

Our key Scripture introduces us to the lovable character Bartimaeus. He teaches us that great faith is born of great need. It reminds us of the maxim: No cross, no crown. No trial, no triumph. Bartimaeus used the liability of his blindness to climb the ladder of faith to meet the Son of David who was impressed by his determination and faith and said to Bartimaeus:

“What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.”  Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way." (Mark 10: 51 - 52).

What a truly beautiful story. Won't you like to have the faith and courage of Bartimaeus? Not when we shrink from the least discomfort. Our pains and trials could be the setting for the powerful and merciful Providence of God to elevate our faith and bring us the kind of healing we need.

Jesus, I trust in Your merciful love. I remain steadfast in Your love. I cling tightly to Your love come what may. I believe firmly in Your loving and powerful Providence. I do not depend on my filthy works. I surrender myself completely to You. Take care of everything Your way according to Your Plan for my life. Amen.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Feast of St Philip Neri, Super Priest.

"They were on the way, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus
.... Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them what was going to happen to him.  “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles." (Mark 10: 32 - 33).

Wednesday 26th May 2021, in the 8th Week of Ordinary Time is the feast of St Philip Neri.  (1515 - 1595), Italian Priest.

St Philip Neri was an extraordinary priest filled with the Holy Spirit and ecstatic joy. He founded the Congregation of the Oratory, the same religious community of St John Henry Newman. He converted thousands through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. He was a great catechist and spiritual director. He was noted for his joyful and cheerful disposition which attracted thousands to him. One of my favorite quotes from Philip is:
"One of the very best means of obtaining humility is sincere and frequent confession."

Our key Scripture is Jesus' third prediction of His Passion. It is unthinkable that the disciples could forget such a prediction. Even His foretelling of His Resurrection was totally forgotten. We just celebrated Pentecost after 50 days of the Season of Easter. We all remember that Jesus has risen from the dead.

In what ways is the Risen Jesus available to us. He is no longer available to us in flesh and blood. He is truly present to us in the Eucharist, in the Blessed Sacrament, in His word especially when it is proclaimed in Holy Mass. He is present in us in the Sacrament of the Present Moment when we remember Him and call upon Him.

Let us never forget all these ways Jesus is truly and uniquely present to us. Let us pray to the Holy Spirit to keep this truth alive in us.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Jesus promises full provision in His service plus persecution.

"Peter began to say to him, “We have given up everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come." (Mark 10: 28 - 30).

Tuesday 25th May 2021, in the 8th Week of Ordinary Time is the feast of 3 great saints:

#1. St Bede the Venerable (672 - 735), English Benedictine Priest and Doctor of the Church. Bede was a theologian and is known as Father of English history.

#2. St Gregory VII, (+ 1085),Pope and Monk of Cluny. Gregory incurred the wrath of Emperor Henry IV by fighting against the evils of Lay Investiture. The Emperor exiled him to Salerno where he died.

#3. St Mary Magdalene de Pazzi (1566 - 1607), Italian Carmelite from Florence. Great ascetic. Worked untiringly for the renewal of the Church.

Our key Scripture for today is a tremendous promise of our Lord Jesus Christ. This promise motivated His disciples to join the Jesus Revolution. It still motivates the young novice in 2021 and the missionary packing her bag today for a missionary field in a distant land. Jesus promises that anyone who leaves everything for His "sake and for the sake of the gospel will receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands." 

How do we know that such promise is true? Is there any proof that it has ever been fulfilled in the past? The answer is:

#1. If the promise has never been fulfilled, there will be no new missionaries or martyrs in the Church. There are new missionaries every day and people are laying down their lives for Jesus Christ every day. 

#2. Our saints of today: Magdalene de Pazzi, Pope St Gregory VII and Venerable Bede are proofs of disciples who have tested eternal life in this world and are today enjoying it in Heaven.

What is eternal life? Eternal or Abundant life is to be filled with the Holy Spirit and with His gifts and fruits. This life is compatible with the suffering that Jesus promises His disciples in our key Scripture: The great promise comes "with persecutions."

Can you take this? 

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com 

The Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church.

"Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala.  When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”  Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home." (John 19: 25 - 27).

Monday May 24th 2021, in the 1st Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. Our Blessed Mother has many titles:

Mother of Christ
Mother of the Church
MOTHER of Mercy
Mother of divine grace
MOTHER of Hope
Mother most pure
Mother most chaste
Mother inviolate
Mother undefiled,
Mother most amiable
Mother most admirable,
Mother of good Counsel
Mother of our Creator
Mother of our Savior.

The feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church was promulgated by Pope Francis in 2018 to be celebrated all over the world on the Monday after the Solemnity of the Pentecost.

At the Annunciation, the young Mary accepted to be the Mother of the Savior: "Be it done to me according to Your word."  At the foot of the Cross of Jesus, Mary nodded silently when Jesus said: "Woman, behold your son." John the Apostle represents the Church. And Mary becomes the Mother of the Church.

The Church prays in her Collect of today's feast:
"O God, Father of mercies,
whose Only Begotten Son, as he hung upon the Cross, chose the Blessed Virgin Mary, his Mother,
to be our Mother also, grant, we pray, that with her loving help your Church may be more fruitful day by day and, exulting in the holiness of her children, may draw to her embrace all the families of the peoples...."

Mary Mother of the Church, pray for us.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

The Solemnity of Pentecost.

 “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me.  And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning." (John 15: 26 - 27).

Sunday 23rd May 2021, the Solemnity of Pentecost, the Birthday of the Church.

My friends, the waiting is over. The promise has been fulfilled. If you thirsted for the Spirit, you are now filled. Brethren, this is Pentecost! This is the Birthday of our Mother, the Church. She is Mother and our Teacher. Very old and ever young and beautiful. Virgin and Mother of many children. Queen of Peace and Seat of Wisdom. Happy Birthday Mother Church! 🎂🎂🎂🌹🌹🌹❤️❤️❤️

The Holy Spirit descended on the disciples in the Cenacle "like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were." (Acts 2: 2). The waiting and praying are over. The Father has delivered the Big Gift He promised.

"The Spirit prepares men and goes out to them with his grace, in order to draw them to Christ. The Spirit manifests the risen Lord to them, recalls his word to them and opens their minds to the understanding of his Death and Resurrection." (CCC 737).

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

The Feast of St Rita of Cascia.

 "It is this disciple who testifies to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true.  There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written." (John 21: 24 - 25)

Saturday May 22nd 2021, 7th Week in the Easter Season is also the feast of the Italian mystic, St Rita of Cascia (1381 - 1457), Augustinian nun. Rita was able to stop a vendetta between the relations of her murdered husband and the murderers. That was a feat in those days. Rita subsequently entered a convent where she spent 40 years in contemplation, austerities and service to the poor and sick.

We summarize our understanding of the two verses of the key Scripture thus: The word of God, Sacred Tradition and Apostolic Magisterium.

#1. The word of God: John the Evangelist testifies to the veracity of the word of God he committed to writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
#2. Sacred Tradition: John warns that it is an error to limit God's word to what is written. There is so much more. The Holy Spirit is promised to lead the Church into the fullness of truth.
#3. Apostolic Magisterium: Anyone who doubts that full teaching authority is given to the Apostles headed by St Peter and his successors should read the New Testament prayerfully. This authority was foreshadowed in the Old Testament by the authority given to Moses and the Prophets to teach and interpret Scripture. God is not the author of confusion.

On the eve of Pentecost, let us pray to God to restore unity of heart and mind in the Church.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Feed My sheep.

“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” (John 21: 15).

Friday 21st May 2021, in the 7th Week of Easter is also the feast of St Christopher Megallanes (1869 - 1927), Priest and his companions martyrs. The Mexican government was very anti-Catholic and anti clerical in the 1920s.  It massacred 21 priests and 3 lay men during the Cristeros movement.

Peter denied Jesus three times. After the Resurrection, Jesus met the Apostles on the shores of Lake Tiberius. Jesus offered Peter the opportunity for complete reconciliation. Peter confirmed three times that he loves Jesus dearly. Jesus confirmed Peter's leadership of the Church.

What if Jesus asks us: Do you love me more than your family? Do you love me more than your job, money, country? Consider carefully how you respond to the Lord. Peter was very presumptuous before the Passion of Christ to claim that he loved Jesus more than the rest of the Apostles.

Our love for Jesus may not be perfect. But this love can grow through our openness to receive the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. The highest proof of love is for a man to lay down his life for his friends. This is what our saints of the day did. St Christopher Magallanes and his 21 companion martyrs laid down their lives for their faith in Jesus in Mexico.  As Tertulian prophesied: "The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christianity."

St Peter and the other Apostles would lay down their lives to prove their love for Christ.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Feast of St Bernardine of Siena, Franciscan Friar.

"I pray..... so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me." (John 17: 21).

Thursday 20th May 2021, in the 7th Week of Easter is the feast of St Bernardine of Siena (1380 - 1444). Italian Franciscan Priest. St Bernardine had a great charism for preaching. During his relatively short life, he was able to evangelize all Italy. Below is a snippet from his biography.

"When other priests consulted him for advice, Bernardine gave them a simple rule: “In all your actions, seek in the first place the kingdom of God and his glory. Direct all you do purely to his honor. Persevere in brotherly charity, and practice first all that you desire to teach others.”

Bernardine came down to us in history for his special love for the holy name of Jesus.
Here is a great quote from St Bernardine on the name of Jesus:

“The name of Jesus, is in fact,
the great foundation of the faith
that turns people into children of God.
The Catholic Faith indeed,
consists in the news of Jesus Christ, as light of the soul, gate of life and foundation of eternal salvation.”

In our key Scripture for today, Jesus prayed for Church Unity. He wants Christians to be of one heart and one mind so that the world would look at Christians and see Jesus in us.  The standard for this unity is: "Just as you [Father] are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me."
Today there may be more than 60,000 denominations in the world.  You may wonder: What type of answer is this to prayer? This is surely mystery of Divine Providence.

One of the greatest obstacles to Unity is that a sizable number of denominations do not believe in the type of Unity that Jesus prayed for His Church. Number one obstacle without doubt is Sin. Sin exists in all churches. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit deals  with sins in the churches. We may still hope to see visible unity in our lifetime.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Lord Jesus, consecrate us in the truth.

"Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth." (John 17: 17).

Wednesday 19th May 2021, in the 7th Week of Easter.

In the high priestly prayer on the night before His Passion, Jesus prayed to His Father that His disciples should be consecrated in the truth. God's word is truth. Jesus, the Word of God is truth. To consecrate means to set apart, to sanctify, to purify for holy purposes.

Have you ever seen a new Altar or Chalice consecrated by the Bishop? It is a worthwhile experience. It will help to appreciate the prayer of Jesus in our key Scripture. What will you do if you walk into your church and find gansters partying around the Altar and drinking beer with the Chalice. Calling the police will not make the Altar and Chalice pure, holy and consecrated again. The sacred objects have been desecrated. They have been made unholy through sacrilegious action. The Bishop may  order both objects to be destroyed or he may decide to reconsecrate the expensive Altar and have the Chalice destroyed and buried.

You are consecrated by your Baptism for Mission and Witness. When one fails through a serious sin, the person has become desecrated. Our Supreme High Priest, Jesus the Christ who delights in mercy has made provision for our re-consecration through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

When you live as one consecrated to the truth, you will avoid conforming yourself to the ways and habits of this world. Rather through daily renewal of your mind by the word of God the Holy Spirit will transform your mind. When being fed by the Scriptures becomes your habitual manner of living, discerning what is the will of God for you becomes a habit. The will of God is our peace and prosperity.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Feast of Pope St John I, Martyr.

"Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ." (John 17: 3).

Tuesday 18th May 2021, in the 7th Week of Eastertide is the feast of Pope St John 1, (+ 526). Martyr. St John was martyred by the Arian King Theodoric.

Before expositing on our key Scripture for today, let us look at an alternative translation:

"And this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent." (AMPC).

Let us consider a number of points about eternal life:

#1. What type of knowledge of God and Christ leads to eternal life? It is not book knowledge. Like knowing the facts in the Catechism. It is to know and experience God as God. It is knowledge mixed with faith. It is also knowledge that engenders love.

#2. Eternal life actually begins here and now. It begins when you are baptized and maintains the original innocence and purity of that state. Because God is rich in mercy, He established the Sacrament of Confession as the means of restoring the original innocence and purity.

#3. Eternal life is to know deeply that you are enjoying the Abundant Life promised by Jesus in John 10: 10. Jesus also promised: “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid." (John 14: 27 TLB).

#4. Eternal life is the awareness and enjoyment of the presence of the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of abundant and eternal life.

St Catherine of Siena, a great Mystic and Doctor of the Church says that Eternal life starts here and continues all the way to eternity.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Holy Spirit Novena

HOLY SPIRIT NOVENA 2021

Novena to the

Holy Spirit

Begin by reciting the following prayer...

O Holy Spirit, Divine Consoler!

I adore you as my True God.

I bless You by uniting myself to the praises

You receive from the angels and saints.

I offer You my whole heart,

and I render You heartfelt thanks

for all the benefits You have bestowed 

and do unceasingly bestow upon the world.

You are the author of all supernatural gifts

and who did enrich with immense favors the soul

of the Blessed Virgin Mary,

the Mother of God,

I beseech you to visit me by Your grace and Your love,

and grant me the favor

I so earnestly seek in this novena...

State your request here...

O Holy Spirit,

spirit of truth,

come into our hearts:

shed the brightness of your light on all nations,

that they may be of one faith and pleasing to You.

Amen.

Come, O Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of your faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

Recite the prayer of the appropriate day...

DAY ONE

O Holy Spirit,

bestow upon us Your seven holy gifts.

Enlighten our understanding that we may know You.

Give us wisdom that Your will may be clear to us

and that we may accept it.

Grant us the gift of counsel

that we may always perceive what is right.

Fortify us that we may always be capable

of fulfilling Your Divine Will.

Inspire us with the spirit of learning

that we may be able to penetrate more deeply

into the truths that You have revealed.

Let our hearts be steeped in the spirit of childlikeness

that we may bring You joy.

Let us have proper fear of God

that we may never grieve You

or wander from the path of goodness.

Give us the fullness of Your gifts

that we may glorify You.

Amen.

Look with compassion upon us,

O Holy Spirit,

and grant us the favor we seek in this novena...

State your request here...

if it be in accordance with Your Holy Will.

DAY TWO

O Holy Spirit,

make me faithful in every thought,

and grant that I may always listen to your voice,

and watch for Your light,

and follow Your gracious inspirations.

I cling to You,

and give myself to You,

and ask You by Your compassion

to watch over me in my weakness.

Holding the pierced feet of Jesus,

looking at His Five Wounds,

trusting in His Precious Blood,

adoring His opened side and stricken heart,

I implore You adorable Spirit,

helper of my infirmity,

to keep me in Your grace,

now and always,

and grant us the favor we ask in this novena...

State your request here...

Amen.

Come, O Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of Your faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

DAY THREE

Heavenly Father,

You have called me to be a member

of the mystical body of Your Son, Jesus Christ,

and to be a temple of the Holy Spirit.

I ask You to give me these gifts of the Holy Spirit:

wisdom, that I may understand the follies of this world;

understanding, that I may grasp more fully

the meaning of my existence

and the purpose of all things in the world;

counsel, that I may always choose the proper way;

fortitude, that I may remain faithful to You

under the pressure of temptation.;

piety, that I may revere You in all I do, think or say;

fear of the Lord, that should the motive of love fail me,

I may quickly be awakened to the eternal consequences of my deeds.

Visit me by Your grace

and Your love

and grant me the favor I so earnestly seek in this novena...

State your request here...

Amen.

Come, O Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of Your faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

DAY FOUR

O God, Who today by the light of the Holy Spirit

did instruct the hearts of the faithful,

give us, by the light of the same Holy Spirit,

a love for what is right and just

and a constant enjoyment of His comforts.

Pray Holy Spirit,

that I may strive to learn more of my faith;

that I may ever be conscious that reason in all

its human magnificence is capable of grasping 

but a glimpse of the reality that is God.

Pray that I may accept as the motto of my life:

"All for the greater glory of God"

and grant me the favor I so earnestly seek in this novena...

State your request here...

Amen.

Come, O Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of Your faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

DAY FIVE

Come, O Spirit of sanctity,

from the glory of heaven

and send forth the radiance of Your light.

Father of all the poor,

light and peace of all hearts,

come with Your countless gifts.

Consoler in desolation; 

refreshment full of loveliness, 

come dear friend of my soul. 

In weariness send repose; 

breath gently cool refreshing breeze; 

console the desolate who weep alone. 

Light of Beatitude, 

make our hearts ready; 

come enter our souls. 

Without Your grace, 

man stands alone; 

he cannot be good or sure. 

Cleanse what is soiled; 

heal what is wounded; 

moisten what is arid. 

Bend the stubborn will; 

warm the cold heart; 

guide the wandering footstep. 

O Holy Spirit, 

we beg You to give us grace through Your sevenfold power 

and grant me the favor I so earnestly seek in this novena...

State your request here...

Give us merit for the present, 

and one day beatitude when we have finished our earthly journey.

Amen.

Come, O Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of Your faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

DAY SIX

O Father in Heaven,

I beg You to send the Holy Spirit.

May Your Holy Spirit remind me 

when I am apt to forget Your law.

Your love, Your promises.

May Your Holy Spirit strengthen my memory 

to recall frequently Your sanctity, 

omniscience, wisdom, and goodness,

faithfulness, and love.

May Your Holy Spirit encourage me when I am slothful;

strengthen me when I am weak;

enlighten me when I no longer can help myself.

Breathe into me, O Holy Spirit, 

that I may do what is holy.

Stir me, that I may love what is holy.

Strengthen me, that I may preserve what is holy.

Protect me, Holy Spirit, 

that I may never lose what is holy 

and grant me the favor I so earnestly seek in this novena...

State your request here...

Amen.

Come, O Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of Your faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

DAY SEVEN

Come, Holy Spirit,

creator of all things: 

come visit our hearts with Your power. 

Fill with grace, friendly guest, 

the hearts which You have created. 

You are called the Consoler, 

gift from the hand of God, 

source of life, light, love, 

and flame, highest good. 

You are the pledge of sevenfold grace, 

finger of the Father’s hand, 

promised us by Him, 

and You make our tongues speak the truth. 

Cast light on our senses, 

pour love into our hearts. 

Grant our weak bodies strength 

that they may never grow weary of doing good 

and grant me the favor I so earnestly seek in this novena...

State your request here...

Keep the enemy far from us, 

give us peace always, 

let us willingly follow in Your footsteps 

that we may be far removed from sin. 

Grant that through You 

we may grow in knowledge of the Father and of the Son, 

and that we may ever strongly believe in You, 

the Spirit of both. 

Praise and honor be forever to the Father on the highest throne, 

in the risen Son of God, 

in the Consoler.

Amen.

Come, O Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of Your faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

DAY EIGHT

O Holy Spirit, 

life and light of the Church, 

give us thoughts higher than our own thoughts, 

and prayers better than our own prayers, 

and powers beyond our own powers, 

that we may love and live, 

imitating Jesus Christ, 

our Lord and Savior. 

Come to us, Holy Spirit, 

come with the Father 

and the Son 

and grant me the favor I so earnestly request in this novena...

State your request here...

Vouchsafe to dwell within our souls 

and quickly make our hearts Your own. 

Quench in us the fires of hate and strife, 

the wasting fever of the heart. 

From perils guard our feeble life 

and to our souls Your peace impart. 

Let voice and mind and heart 

and strength confess 

and glorify Your name 

and let the fire of charity burn bright 

and other hearts inflame. 

Amen.

Come, O Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of Your faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

DAY NINE

O Lord, Holy Spirit,

grant me sight to see the wondrous promise of divine love;

insight to see my own weakness;

delight in Your divine presence in my soul

which You have made Your temple through sanctifying grace.

I pray, O Holy Spirit,

that I may be not doubting;

that I be spared the pain of being alone

without trust or hope in Christ;

that my prayer may always be "My Lord and my God!"

I pray that I may acquire a sense of retreat

to prayer and recollection at various times in my daily life;

for prayer is the bond that joins us to Christ.

I pray that I may be aware of the physical needs of the poor

and that I may share what I can with them

in the charitable works of the Church.

I pray, O Holy Spirit,

that You will in Your mercy 

grant me the favor I have sought in this novena...

State your request here...

Amen.

Come, O Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of Your faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of Your love. 

Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?

"He [Paul] said to them [Ephesian Christians], “Did you receive the holy Spirit when you became believers?” (Acts 19: 2).

Monday, 17th May 2021, in the 7th Week of Easter.

Our key Scripture for today is the interesting conversation between the Apostle Paul and 12 Ephesian Christians. Paul asked if they received the Holy Spirit when they became Christians.
They answered him, “We have never even heard that there is a holy Spirit.”

Why did Paul ask the question?
#1. The men were not manifesting the fruits of the Holy Spirit?
Or:
#2. They did not speak in tongues during prayer.

And you:  “Did you receive the holy Spirit when you became believers?”

If you are not manifesting the fruits of the Holy Spirit in your life:  [Charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control and chastity], the chances are that you have not activated the gifts.
After you receive a new credit card, you activate it before you can use it. After the activation of the card, timely payment of your bill is the way to continue to enjoy the credit card.

We receive the Holy Spirit in Baptism whether we are baptized as children or adults. In Confirmation, this gift is strengthened. Once we claim ownership of the gifts through activation, the fruits of the Holy Spirit mentioned above will be evident in our lives.

What if we fail through sin? The Lord is kind and merciful. He gave us the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Penance. This Sacrament is so powerful and restores us to the original purity of our Baptism.

It is not too late to join the worldwide Novena of the Holy Spirit for the feast of Pentecost on Sunday, May 23rd 2021.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord.

"So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.  But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs." (Mark 16: 19 - 20).

Sunday 16th May 2021, in the 7th Week of Easter is the Solemnity of the Ascension.  The Feast of the Ascension is celebrated on the Thursday of the 6th Week of Easter or on the 7th Sunday of Easter depending on the Diocese.

Jesus is taken up into heaven in full view of His disciples. During the forty days after His Resurrection, Jesus continued teaching, encouraging and comforting His disciples. Now the time of Departure has come. He instructed them to wait in Jerusalem for the promised Gift of the Father. He then turned the work of building the Kingdom of God on earth to them with the Great Commission:

“Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature." ( Mark 16: 15).

Every epoch and people respond to the Great Commission with the peculiar gifts and infrastructure provided by God. But the universal and perennial Gift of God is the Holy Spirit. Without the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit we cannot evangelize. Nobody can undertake the onerous missionary work of evangelization without the Holy Spirit.

Two powerful and different examples of evangelization are:
#1. St Therese of the Chlld Jesus (1873 - 1897). She became the Patroness of Missionaries without stepping out of her Carmelite Convent. She offered her prayers and sufferings to support the missionary endeavors of the Church. She gave the world a spirituality of "little ways."  One can be very effective in the spiritual life by doing "little things." She is a Doctor of the Church.

#2. St Teresa of Kolkata (1910 - 1997). Her missionary endeavors all over the world earned her a Noble Peace price.

Every saint in the Church, that includes you and me are missionaries. Our Baptism gives us the mandate of Mission and Witness.

Do what you are inspired to do. The Holy Spirit will do the rest.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

St Isidore the Farmer and our common Environment.

"Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.  Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete." (John 16: 23 - 24)

Saturday 15th May 2021, in the 6th Week in the Easter Season is the Feast of St Isidore the Farmer (1070 - 1130). Isidore was a humble Spanish farmer who spent most of his day on the land and managed to attend daily Mass and spend significant time before the Blessed Sacrament. His wife Maria is a canonized saint. His life reminds us that all creation belong to God who requires us to care for the environment that surrounds us. Isidore is the Patron of the National Rural Life Conference in the US.

Two important things to note from the key Scripture for this Saturday.
#1. Asking Abba Father for our needs and gifts in the Name of Jesus.
#2. The joy of of answered prayer.

Before the coming of the Holy Spirit, the disciples have not prayed to Abba Father in the Name of Jesus. When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He was no longer available for His disciples to answer their questions and fulfill their needs. But in His Ascension, the Holy Spirit descended and the disciples could ask the Father directly for their needs in the Name of Jesus. Jesus promises:  "Whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you."

If you do not ask with faith, you will never know the joy of answered prayer. It is intense. It is intended to grow your faith.
An exercise I give to my class is this: Write down 5 of the most joyful events in your life. Some have written: Wedding day, birth of my first child, day of first job, first car, engagement, home, etc. Next question: Which of them is answer to prayer? Almost all. Prayer is the Activator of Power. God will look silly if He promises to answer all prayers and then equivocate.
"God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?" (Numbers 23: 19 NTL).

The Holy Trinity wants to share with us the joy of Answered Prayer.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

The Feast of St Matthias, Apostle.

"It was not you who chose me, says the Lord, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last." (John 15: 16).

Friday 14th May 2021, 6th Week of the Easter Season is the feast of the Apostle Matthias. (+ 64). The story of his election into the College of Apostles to replace Judas is the first Reading today: (Cf Acts 1: 15 - 26). Matthias witnessed to Jesus in Palestine where he was stoned to death.

How did Matthias become the 12th Apostle? It was necessary to replace Judas who had perished after his betrayal of Jesus. "Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the Eleven Apostles."

Our Scripture verse is from the Last Supper Discourse. Like St Matthias, each of us is called, chosen and anointed for a specific mission in the Kingdom. This is true whether we are soldiers, teachers, accountants, lawyers or housewives. Your day job is the field for your ministry. We are called to be friend and companion of Jesus who will carry on His ministry through us in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Matthias must have been deeply surprised by his call to join the Apostolic College. This is the way of God:
"God raises up the lowly from the dust; from the dunghill he lifts up the poor to seat them with princes,
with the princes of his own people." (Psalm 113: 7 - 8).

"I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord." (John 15: 16).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

The Feast of Our Lady of Fatima.

"Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized."  (Acts 18: 8).

Thursday 13th May 2021, in the 6th Week of Easter. 13th May 1917 is the day that Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. She gave them a message to the world: Conversion of heart, repentance from sin and a dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the promise of peace through the saying of the Holy Rosary.

Our key Scripture today is the conversion of Crispus, the synagogue official and all his family to Christianity and their subsequent Baptism by St Paul. How did this happen? Read below:

"After Silas and Timothy had arrived from Macedonia, Paul devoted all his time to preaching, declaring to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ." (Acts 18: 5).

Crispus heard Paul proclaim that Jesus is the long expected Messiah. Paul used the Scripture to prove his point. Crispus the synagogue official considered Paul a faithful and credible witness. He believes that Jesus is the Messiah. Happy and delighted, he went home and shared his faith with his family. They all believed because they know Crispus and trusted him.

This is the ABC of Evangelization.
Do you doubt any teaching of the Church? For example: the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and in the Blessed Sacrament? You don't have to die with your doubts. Pray that the Lord leads and guides you to a faithful and credible witness. Your doubt will vanish and you will enjoy the the fullness of faith. Do not be content in living 50% or 70% of the faith. The Lord Jesus wants you to live 100%. The fullness of abundant life.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

I have chosen you from the world.

"I have chosen you from the world, says the Lord, and have appointed you to go out and bear fruit, fruit that will last." (John 15: 16, 19 Communion Antiphon).

Wednesday 12th May 2021, in the 6th Week of Easter. We celebrate today the feast of St Pancras (+ 304). Roman. Martyred at 14 under Emperor Diocletian. Also today: Saints Nereus and Achilleus, Roman soldiers. Both martyred under Emperor Trajan.

Jesus looks upon us with merciful love and overlooked our filthy works or useless credentials when he chose and called us from the marketplace.  Jesus called us to join Him in building the kingdom of God.  When He asked me: Do you accept this? I said, Yes Lord.

By the power of the Holy Spirit, the call and choice of Jesus will transform our lives. We will start to bear fruits of love, joy, peace, kindness, generosity, gentleness, chastity, etc. Will people that inhabit the marketplace notice that we are different from them? What would be their reaction? Persecution! They will attack us with lies and defamation. We may be denied the opportunity of promotion. Our property may be seized.

In the midst of all the persecution, the Spirit urges us:
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world." (1 John 2: 15 - 16).

Jesus reveals this inevitable consequences of the spirit-transformed life so that we may be prepared. We must be persistent in bearing fruit knowing that our persistence will break the resistance at some point.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com