FEAST OF ST ALBERT THE GREAT OP, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH.

FEAST OF ST ALBERT THE GREAT, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH. 

HOW VITAL IS PRAYER FOR YOU? 

"Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.

 He said, “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being.

 And a widow in that town used to come to him and say,

 ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’

 For a long time the judge was unwilling, 

but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being,

 because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’”

 The Lord said,

 “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.

 Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? 

Will he be slow to answer them?

 I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.

 But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18: 1 - 8).

Saturday 15th November 2025 in the 32nd week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Albert the Great OP, Bishop and Doctor of the Church.

 (1206 - 1280) German.

St Albert belongs to the Order of Preachers (Dominicans). 

He is an eminent theologian and scientist and Doctor of the Church.

Albert the Great combined his human wisdom and divine faith to advance knowledge and science.

St Albert wrote a great deal on Divine Providence. One of the most comforting is this quote below:

“The greater and more persistent your confidence in God, the more abundantly you will receive all that you ask.” 

Another precious quote from St Albert:

"Banish, therefore, from thy heart the distractions of earth and turn thine eyes to spiritual joys, that thou mayest learn at last to repose in the light of the contemplation of God." 

 St Albert the Great is the patron saint of scientists. 

Pray for us St Albert the Great. 

In the Gospel of today, 

"Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary."

The Widow in today's Gospel proves that even with God, persistence breaks resistance.

 So pray always. Pray everywhere. Pray about everything. 

God hears the prayers of the widow, the orphan and the immigrant.

 He hears the prayers of all who call on Him in faith and persistence. 

"Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" (Psalm 27: 14). 

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." (Romans 12: 12).

St Augustine teaches that "God wills that our desire should be exercised in prayer, that we may be able to receive what He is prepared to give."

It is important to persevere in prayer because if we do, God will not simply answer the prayer, He will reveal His will to us - this is much more important. 

 Perseverance in prayer reveals the quality of our faith. 

James says, "I will show you my faith by my works" (James 2:18).

( Anonymous.) 

God could NEVER say NO to any prayer.

 God promises:

"Ask and you will be given. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you." 

Then God adds: "Whoever asks shall receive..." 

In another passage God promises that

 "Whatever you ask for shall be given you..." 

For God to say No to a Prayer will be DIVINE INJUSTICE. God is not capable of being unjust. It is one of the greatest lies of Satan to convince us that God is a Liar. He never answers all our prayers, the Great Liar says. 

In the Parable of the Persistent Widow in Luke 18: 1 - 8, Jesus calls failure to answer prayers by God an act of injustice. Read the text below:

"Because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’” 6 The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. 7 Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? 8 I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily."

Jesus reveals the power of the Holy Rosary Prayer to a Benedictine mystic:

"There are no sufferings that cannot be borne peacefully, so long as a soul is praying the Rosary. Through the Rosary, all the grace and power of My mysteries passes through My Mother’s Immaculate Heart into the hearts of the little ones who invoke her, repeating the angel’s “Ave” over and over again. There are illnesses that can be cured through the Rosary. There are clouds of darkness and confusion that only the Rosary can disperse, and this because it is My Mother’s favourite prayer, a prayer that originated in the heights of heaven and was carried to earth by My Archangel, a prayer echoed and amplified in the Church through the ages, a prayer loved by all My saints, a prayer of disarming power and of immense depth." (IN SINU JESU, Tuesday, December 2, 2014).

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

“Purgatory is simply the place where already saved souls are cleansed of the temporal effects of sin before they are allowed to see the holy face of Almighty God.

 Revelation 21:27 tells us that “...nothing unclean will enter [Heaven].”

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

BE VIGILANT. YOU DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE SON OF MAN WILL COME.

WHOEVER SEEKS TO PRESERVE HIS LIFE WILL LOSE IT.  

"Jesus said to his disciples: 

“As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man;

 they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

 Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot:

 they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; 

on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. 

So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed.

 On that day, someone who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, 

and likewise one in the field must not return to what was left behind. 

Remember the wife of Lot. 

Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it.

 I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left.

 And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left.”

 They said to him in reply, “Where, Lord?”

 He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather.” (Luke 17: 26 - 37).

Our key Scripture for today from Luke 17: 26 - 37 is a sobering message from Jesus. In one word, History Repeats Itself. 

In the times of Noah, people lived with abandon. The world is ours. No fear, no worry, no doubt about tomorrow. 

But the truth is that this world is not our home. We are pilgrims passing by. 

What is your attitude? A permanent resident in the world or a temporary resident? 

As temporary residents, we must be in a Waiting mode. 

How do we wait? "Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come." (Mark 13: 33).

In order to be fully awake and take full advantage of all the blessings that God has prepared for those who wait for His time and season, we must be vigilant about our daily devotions:

Prayer, Word of God, Eucharist, Adoration, Penance, etc.

“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap." (Luke 21: 34). 

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

Origen:

 “If a man departs this life with lighter faults, he is condemned to fire which burns away the lighter materials, and prepares the soul for the…" 

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 FRANCES XAVIER CABRINI, APOSTLE OF Immigrants.

THE MEMORIAL OF ST FRANCES CABRINI, VIRGIN AND FOUNDRESS. 

"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).

Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it." (Luke 17: 33).

Thursday 13th November 2025, 32nd Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Frances Xavier Cabrini. (1850 - 1917). Virgin. Italian. Patroness of Immigrants.

We glorify Jesus when we honor any of His saints.

 Each of His saints reflects an aspect of the beautiful character of Jesus as encoded in the Scriptures.

 What aspect of the word of God does St Frances Cabrini personify?

"Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it." (Luke 17: 33).

Before she came to the United States as a missionary to serve immigrants, Frances was terrified of water.

 But once she heard the call of Christ which came to her through Pope Leo XIII, she plunged into the waters and arrived at New York to start a very fruitful missionary service to immigrants in America. 

God in His economy of Salvation made immigration a necessity for humanity.

 Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Mary and Jesus were all immigrants.

 America is populated by immigrants. 

The life of the immigrant is not easy. At least in the first few years.

 So God gave a strict order in the Scriptures not to molest these vulnerables: widows, orphans and migrants.

Our saint for today overcame the first obstacle to her vocation: fear of drowning to serve the immigrants.

 She founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to serve immigrants in schools, hospitals and parishes. 

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.

Jesus Christ chose St Frances Xavier Cabrini to be a symbol of His tender care for immigrants. This is why the Church honors her today.

 In honoring her, we glorify Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd of all immigrants.

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

St. Alphonsus Liguori: “The clients of this most merciful Mother (Mary) are very fortunate. She helps them both in this life and in the next, consoling them and sponsoring their cause in Purgatory… See how important it is then to have devotion to this good Lady, because she never forgets her servants as long as they suffer in these flames.” 

For Catholic Church's 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.

THE MEMORIAL OF ST JOSAPHAT, BISHOP AND MARTYR.

"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).

Thursday 12th November 2025, 32nd Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Josaphat. (1580 - 1623). Bishop and Martyr.

Born in Poland, St Josaphat ministered and was martyred in Ukraine.

Josaphat spent his life working for the reconciliation and unity of the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Church.

He paid the supreme price for this with his life.

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.

 Today, Jesus heals 10 lepers at once with a single word of command.

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

Naaman's leprosy did not threaten his career. Naaman was a highly valued 4-star General.

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 merciful Providence smiled upon him and he was healed by the Prophet Elisha.

Read of the gold, silver, expensive garments Naaman brought for thanksgiving.

The Ten Lepers in today's story are in a worse predicament. 

Be this as it may, the real essence of the Healing of the Ten Lepers is a lesson on Thanksgiving, Gratitude, Eucharist ein (Thanksgiving).

Are you a thankful person?

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

How do you render thanks for the gifts you 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 MARTIN OF TOURS, BISHOP.

THE MEMORIAL OF ST MARTIN OF TOURS, BISHOP. 

"Jesus said to the Apostles: “Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? 

Would he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished’?

 Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? 

So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’” (Luke 17: 7 - 10). 

Tuesday 11th November 2025, 32nd Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Martin of Tours. (316 - 397). 

St Martin was a Bishop. He 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 Veterans Day in the USA, Armistice Day in other countries. November 11  served in the past as a day of memorial of 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. 

What is the essence of today's Gospel? 

Today's Scripture elevates our conception, knowledge of who God is. In this Parable, the Master is Jesus and the servant is you and me. 

Why did God create man? An older Catechism puts it beautifully:

God created man to know Him, to love Him and serve Him. 

Why? So that man will enjoy eternity with God. 

God is kind and merciful. But He is not your buddy. You must give Him full honors and reverential fear at all times. 

Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. 

Trust, obedience, humility and submission to God's will is what belongs to God. 

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

St. Bernadette:

 “In our prayers, let us not forget sinners and the poor souls in Purgatory, especially our poor relatives.” 

For Catholic Church's 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 LEO THE GREAT, PONTIFF AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH.

MEMORIAL OF ST LEO THE GREAT. POPE & DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH. 

"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 10th November 2025 in the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time is the Memorial of a giant of our faith: St Leo the Great. (+ 461). Pope. Italian. Doctor of the Church.

Leo was from a Roman aristocratic family. He was the first of three popes in the history of the Church to be called "the Great."

Pope Benedict XVI said that Leo's papacy "was undoubtedly one of the most important in Church history."

 Leo is remembered in history for many things. Here are the two things that stand out:

#1 Leo put his stamp on the authoritative definition of who Jesus Christ is: Jesus Christ is true God (100%) and true Man (100%).

#2 In 452, Pope Leo confronted Attila the Hun and persuaded the conqueror of the whole of the Italian Peninsula from sacking and torching Rome, the capital of the Roman empire. 

St Leo, Doctor of the Church had his teachings in volume of tomes. Here is a quote from St Leo that I like:

"Recall how you had been wrested from the power of darkness and brought into the kingdom of God (Col 1:13). Through the sacrament of baptism you were made a temple of the Holy Spirit. Do not drive away such a dweller by your wicked actions and subject yourself again to servitude under the devil, because your price is the very blood of Christ, because he will judge you in truth who has redeemed you in mercy." (St Leo the Great). 

St Leo the Great taught decisively that after His Ascension, Jesus Christ ordained that we encounter Him in an imminent manner in the Eucharist and other Sacraments. 

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 pray for increase in faith every day. I thank our Lord Jesus for the mustard size faith that I have.

 Because of this small faith, I am today who I am . Everything I enjoy in life such as the Eucharist, Reconciliation, Sunday leisure, even this Blog, etc comes from faith.

Once upon a time, 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, I still believe in this promise. 

"Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.  who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,  who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,  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. 

Jesus speaks below of faith in His Presence in the Eucharist and the Blessed Sacrament. 

"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

THE FEAST OF THE DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN BASILICA, THE MOTHER OF ALL THE CHURCHES IN THE WORLD.

THE FEAST OF THE DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN BASILICA. 

"Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 

He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there.

 He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables,

 and to those who sold doves he said, 

“Take these out of here,

 and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” 

His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, 

Zeal for your house will consume me.

 At this the Jews answered and said to him, 

“What sign can you show us for doing this?” 

Jesus answered and said to them,

 “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”

 The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?”

 But he was speaking about the temple of his Body.

 Therefore, when he was raised from the dead,

 his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had ­spoken. (John 2: 13 - 22).

Sunday November 9th, 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time.

"Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”  (John 2: 16).

We see Jesus displaying righteous anger when He witnessed unrighteous activities inside the Temple.  

How far are you prepared to go to defend the sacredness of the House of God? 

 Many people are prepared to show some spirited zeal to defend the honor of their mother, for example.  

What would you do if you see someone in your parish drinking beer with a chalice?

Let us remind ourselves what the Bible says about the House of God:

"He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."  (Genesis 28: 17).

"They are to make a sanctuary for me, that I may dwell in their midst.  According to all that I show you regarding the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of its furnishings, so you are to make it." (Exodus 25: 8 - 9).

"Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle."  (Exodus 40: 35).

"And he said to them, “It is written:

"My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a den of thieves.”  (Matthew 21: 13).

Jesus has left us an example of how to honor the House of God.  Watch out for an opportunity to do the same.

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

Venerable Fulton Sheen:

 “As we enter Heaven, we will see them, so many of them, coming towards us and thanking us. We will ask who they are, and they will say, ‘a poor soul you prayed for in Purgatory.” 

For Catholic Church's 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

YOU CANNOT LOVE GOD AND MONEY.

YOU CANNOT LOVE GOD AND MONEY. 

"Holy Mother Church dedicates the 30 Days of November to thinking and praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. As we think and pray for them, we remember the Last Four Things:. 

Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell. 

What a great gift from the Church of this Memento Morris. (Remember you shall die). 

"Jesus said to his disciples: 

“I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

"The ­person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones;

 and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones.

"If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth?

"If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours?

"No servant can serve two masters. 

He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. 

You cannot serve God and mammon.”

"The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all these things and sneered at him.

"And Jesus said to them,

 “You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.” (Luke 16: 9 - 15).

Saturday 8th November 2025 in the 31st week of Ordinary Time is the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

What is dishonest wealth? Dishonest wealth is any material possession above your concrete needs which is obtained dishonestly.

Who then will your dishonest wealth belong to?

 Many Church Fathers notably Saints Ambrose and John Chrysostom teach that they belong to the poor.

 That extra car, coat, shoes, cash belong to the poor. 

All belong to the poor who are in need of these necessities right here and right now.

 They do not belong to your grandchildren who are not yet born and may never be born.

What will be your reward if you obey God on this?

 "My God will fully supply whatever you need, in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4: 19).

What if you choose to live in disobedience to this commandment? 

Then understand clearly:  "No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”"

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

St. Francis de Sales:

 “With Charity towards the dead, we practice all the works of charity. The Church encourages us to aid the souls in Purgatory, who in turn will reward us abundantly when they come into their glory.” 

For Catholic Church's 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

HONOR THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS ON THE FIRST FRIDAY IN NOVEMBER.

FIRST FRIDAY IN NOVEMBER, 2025.

Jesus promised 12 special favors to all those who will honor His Sacred Heart especially on the First Friday of every month

 by attending Holy Mass and receiving Holy Communion in Nine Consecutive First Fridays.

  In the 11th month of the year, November 2025, we look at Promise #11.

#11. "Those who propagate this devotion shall have their name written in My Heart, and it shall never be effaced."

Seven Easy Ways to Promote the Sacred Heart of Jesus Devotion and earn the everlasting rewards:

1. Make a list of your family, friends and colleagues and share this Sacred Heart of Jesus Blog with them every month.

2.    Get about 100 or more Sacred Heart of Jesus picture cards from your a local Catholic Bookstore.  Or from Amazon or any Internet vendor of Catholic books and holy cards. Get the ones with the picture of the Sacred Heart in front and the Promises of the Sacred Heart on the back.

3. Give the Sacred Heart cards to family members, relatives, friends and work mates.

Leave some of the Sacred Heart cards in the Church Narthex or Gathering Area at the back of the Church. Don't be afraid.

4. Water your new Sacred Heart of Jesus ministry through daily prayers. Praying for the success of your ministry is very important and tells Jesus something about who you are: "This person is serious about this ministry. I will try her for a few months to see if she is faithful." You are already on the way as a promoter of the Sacred Heart devotion.

5. Tell friends and family about the 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus any opportunity you have.

6. Remind the Sacred Heart often of these promises especially those that touch your present needs. Jesus loves to be reminded of His promises.  Not that He forgets.  It is important for you to know deeply that the Lord is faithful in all His promises.

7. Friends, this is a question of whether you trust the promises of Jesus or not. Review the 12 Promises about once a month to see which promises have been fulfilled.

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

For the Sacred Heart of Jesus Promises, Prayers, Prayer intentions, click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2020/08/12-promises-of-sacred-heart-of-jesus.html?m=1 

I HAVE FOUND MY ONE LOST SHEEP.

THE ONE LOST SHEEP. 

"The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, 

but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, 

“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

 

So Jesus addressed this parable to them. 

“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it?

 And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy

 and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, 

‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 

I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents 

than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, 

searching carefully until she finds it? 

And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, 

‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ 

In just the same way, I tell you, 

there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15: 1 - 10).

Thursday November 6 in the 31st Week in Ordinary Time.

Our key Scripture is from the famous Luke's Chapter 15. 

Jesus exclaims joyfully 

"Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep." 

 Thank You Jesus for the lesson You teach us in this parable. 

You teach us the power of One. 

You have also reminded us of the power of the mustard seed. Help us to follow Your example, Our Good Shepherd.

"I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance."

The Communion of the Saints abound with many saints who were once the "one lost sheep". The patient love and mercy of Jesus pursued them, found them and brought them back. 

Here are some of these saints:

#1 Mary Magdalene

#2 Paul the Apostle

#3 Peter Chief Apostle

#4 Augustine

#5 Francis of Asissi

#6 Ignatius Loyola

Jesus is the Face of Mercy of Abba Father. 

 Mercy is the name and essence of God the Father revealed to us through His Only Son, Jesus the Christ.

 The open Heart of Jesus is the symbol and seat of Mercy.  

Mercy is promised to all.

To demonstrate that the powerful gift and message of Mercy that Jesus shared in His public ministry will remain in the Church after His Ascension, Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation and gave His Apostles and their successors the power to forgive sins. 

To prepare ourselves to receive and retain Mercy, the ABC OF MERCY is very useful.  

It is called  ABC because, it is an acronym that can be remembered easily and secondly it is as simple as ABC.

A:  Ask for Mercy.

B:  Be Merciful.

C:  Completely Trust Jesus for Mercy.

God is rich in mercy and is waiting for us to turn to Him to blot out all our sins and receive us in His merciful love.

Mercy, mercy. Nothing but mercy!

"Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection.

I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by."  (Psalm 57: 1)

"Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, 

look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent,

 but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself." (The Diary of St Maria Faustina, #950).

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

 “If during life, we have been kind to the suffering souls in Purgatory, God will see that help be not denied us after death.”-St. Paul of the Cross. 

For Catholic Church's 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