THE PLAN TO KILL JESUS.

THE PLAN TO KILL JESUS. 

THE GOODNEWS:

"Many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him. 

"But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 

"So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, 

“What are we going to do? 

This man is performing many signs. If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation.” 

"But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, 

“You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.”

 He did not say this on his own, but since he was high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.

 So from that day on they planned to kill him.

"So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews, but he left for the region near the desert, to a town called Ephraim, and there he remained with his disciples.

"Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before Passover to purify themselves. 

They looked for Jesus and said to one another as they were in the temple area,

 “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?” (John 11: 45 - 56).

Saturday 28th March 2026 of the 5th Week in Lent. 

We are on the Eve of Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. 

The plot to kill Jesus has thickened at this point. 

Who wants to kill Jesus and who will benefit most from His disappearance from the religious-political scene?

“You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” (John 11: 49 - 50).

This is the voice of the High Priest, Caiaphas. 

He provides a powerful motive for the criminal conspiracy. The fate of Jesus is sealed.

The plan of the Father for the salvation of the world has taken a definitive path to victory.

 Is God the Father incapable of stopping the execution of His beloved Son Jesus? Or to stop all the evils in the world? 

Just one word from the Father will change everything.

"In the most mysterious way God the Father has revealed his almighty power in the voluntary humiliation and Resurrection of his Son, by which he conquered evil." (CCC 272).

The Cross has been ordained by the Father from eternity to be the means of our Salvation. 

No Cross, No Crown. No Trials. No Triumph.

As we enter the most holy Week of the year, we pray for the grace to understand the meaning of the Cross in our lives.

May God open our mind and heart to the mysterious designs of His Divine Providence. 

THE CHURCH HONORS ST JOSEPH IN MARCH. 

St Joseph is the man chosen by God to be the foster father and guardian of Jesus.

Joseph proves that "Adversity is an opportunity for God to be glorified." 

His flight to Egypt was not a defeat, but a strategic move directed by the Holy Spirit.

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/05/devotion-to-st-joseph.html?m=1

 

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO ARE PERSECUTED.

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO ARE PERSECUTED. 

"The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. 

For which of these are you trying to stone me?”

"The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.”

"Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’? 

If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and Scripture cannot be set aside, can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?

"If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 

"Then they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power.

"He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. 

Many came to him and said,

 “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” And many there began to believe in him." (John 10: 31 - 42).

Friday March 27th of 5th Week of Lent. 

The common theme in the Gospel Reading and the first Reading from Jeremiah 20: 10 - 14 is Persecution. 

Sirach the Sage teaches: 

"My child, if you want to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials."

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5: 10).

The human nature shrinks from every type of suffering. As we see from Sirach and Jesus, it is impossible to avoid suffering as a child of God. 

The best examples of humanity are the saints.

 They are the cremè de la cremè. 

Moses, David, Elijah, John the Baptist, Peter and Paul, Teresa of Avila, Mother St Teresa of Kolkata.

 They all suffered. They suffered persecutions from the forces of evil. 

They suffered persecutions from human beings instigated by demons. 

Do not think you can escape persecution even if you are a millionaire.

Julius Caesar, Augustus Caesar, Napoleon, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill were not spared persecution. 

Trials are baked into the human condition because of Original Sin. 

To erase the effects of Original Sin is why Jesus Christ came to earth. 

Again let us reflect on the words of the Sage:

"My child, if you want to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials."

The Masters of Spiritual life teach that the best way to prepare for tomorrow is to imagine all possible trials that can befall you, viz: Illness, accidents, bankruptcy, flood, war, etc. Since we humans do not control events, since all events are controlled by God's mighty and sovereign Providence. The same merciful and loving Providence teaches us to be prepared for trials.

THE CHURCH HONORS ST JOSEPH IN MARCH. 

St Joseph is the man chosen by God to be the foster father and guardian of Jesus.

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/05/devotion-to-st-joseph.html?m=1

 

THE CHOICE AND THE CALL OF ABRAHAM.

YOUR NAME SHALL NOW BE ABRAHAM.

"When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him:

“My covenant with you is this:

you are to become the father of a host of nations.

No longer shall you be called Abram;

your name shall be Abraham,

for I am making you the father of a host of nations.

I will render you exceedingly fertile;

I will make nations of you;

kings shall stem from you.

I will maintain my covenant with you

and your descendants after you

throughout the ages as an everlasting pact,

to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.

I will give to you

and to your descendants after you

the land in which you are now staying,

the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession;

and I will be their God.”

God also said to Abraham:

“On your part, you and your descendants after you

must keep my covenant throughout the ages.” (Genesis 17: 3 - 9).

The first Reading on this Thursday March 26th in the 5th Week of Lent is like a succulent bone full of marrow. My Scripture teacher would say: "Suck it. Suck it. Suck it dry!"

Well, let us consider a few salient points in this rich word of God.

1. God chose and called Abraham to begin a New Project. This something God had never done before.

2. God changed the name of the man from Abram to Abraham.

3. God made two significant promises to this lucky man or you may say "this Predestined Man."

3.1 You will be the Father of a multitude of people.

3.2 I give you the land where you stand. Yes. All the rich land. The land shall belong to you and your family forever.

If you are Abraham what will you think?

Now, where is the Catch?

God said to Abraham: You and your people shall belong to Me exclusively forever. You shall worship Me and obey ALL MY COMMANDMENS.

You are reading this because you too belong to the family of Abraham. You are a daughter or a son of Abraham.

One of the richest promises in today's Scripture is:

"THE Lord remembers his covenant for ever." from the Responsorial Psalm Psalm 105:4-5, 6-7, 8-9.

Read it. Suck it. Suck it dry!

The Church honors St Joseph in March. St Joseph was chosen like Abraham for a very big job.

Let us always go to Joseph with confidence for all our needs.

Litany of the Silent Provider:

* Guardian of the Redeemer, Pray for us.

* Protector of the Virgin, Pray for us.

* Model of Artisans, Pray for us.

* Terror of Demons, Pray for us.

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/05/devotion-to-st-joseph.html?m=1

THE SOLEMNITY OF THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD.

THE SOLEMNITY OF THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD. 

Mary, the humble Virgin of Nazareth became the THEOTOKOS, the Mother of God! 

"The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.

 And coming to her, he said, 

“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” 

But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 

Then the angel said to her, 

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 

Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.

 He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,

 and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”

 But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”

 And the angel said to her in reply, 

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

 Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

 And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age,

 and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” 

Mary said,

 “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. 

May it be done to me according to your word.”

 Then the angel departed from her." (Luke 1: 26 - 38).

WEDNESDAY the 25th of March 2026 in the Season of Lent 2026 is the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. 

Today, the Sacred Scripture focuses on the Call and Mission of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of the Lord. 

 Who is Mary of Nazareth and why is she a powerful person in the history of salvation and life of the Church? 

#1. Mary is the only daughter of Joachim and Anne. The little Mary was a sweet joy of answered prayer to Joachim and Anne. The couple sensed her uniqueness and destiny and dedicated her to God and after she was weaned brought her to the Temple where she was educated by priests. 

#2. The Church draws most of her knowledge of the infancy narrative of Mary from credible non-biblical sources called Apocrypha. This source is collaborated by the writings of Mystics like St Mary of Alagreda, Blessed Catherine Emerich and others. 

All these are faithful, true and credible sources.

 Remember that the Church discerns the truth of Revelation from not only Sacred Scripture but also Sacred Tradition and Sacred Magisterium.

 Sensus fidelium (the common faith of the faithful plays a role in the discernment of truth in the Church. 

#3. The biblical sources of our knowledge of Mary are not voluminous but they contain all we need to know for our devotion and salvation. (Cf Luke, Matthew, Isaiah 7: 14, etc). 

#4. The four Mysteries of the Holy Rosary, viz: Annunciation, the Luminous Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries and the Glorious Mysteries tell the whole story of salvation and who Mary is. 

If you do not pray the Rosary, you miss the acres of diamonds in your backyard.  

#5. The Blessed Virgin Mary is the only human being who knew Jesus Christ from the Visitation of the Angel Gabriel (the Annunciation) to the death of Jesus on the Cross, His burial and Resurrection.

 Mary was present in the Upper Room waiting and praying for the Holy Spirit to descend on Pentecost Sunday, the Birthday of the Church. 

From the writings of Mystics, we learn that Mary continued to teach the Church from Pentecost to her death and Assumption into Heaven.

#6. Mary continues to intervene in the lives of simple people in significant apparition events throughout Church history, viz: Guadalupe, Fatima, Lourdes, etc. 

We read today of how God sent the Angel Gabriel to a young woman with an astonishing promise. Gabriel told Mary that through the power of God, she will become the Mother of God. Once Mary fully understands the implications of the message, she replies:  

"I am the handmaid of the Lord: let what you have said be done to me. (Luke 1: 38).

The Church elaborates:

"To become the mother of the Savior, Mary "was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role." The angel Gabriel at the moment of the annunciation salutes her as: "full of grace". In fact, in order for Mary to be able to give the free assent of her faith to the announcement of her vocation, it was necessary that she be wholly borne by God's grace." (CCC 490).

"I am your Mother, the Mother given you by my Son Jesus, from the Cross, in the solemn hour of His sacrifice.

 And you are my son, dear to my Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart, precious to me, and ever under the mantle of my protection.

 Let me live with you as I lived with John, the second son of my Heart and the model for all my priest sons down through the ages. 

Speak to me simply and with complete trust in the compassion of my maternal Heart and in the power given to my maternal intercession." (IN SINU JESU, Wednesday, March 25, 2009

The Annunciation).

The Church honors St Joseph in the Month of March. 

 O St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in thee all my interests and desires and those of my family. 

O Terror of Demons, protect us always and everywhere. Amen. 

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/05/devotion-to-st-joseph.html?m=1

 

MOSES INTERCEDED FOR THE PEOPLE.

MOSES INTERCEDED FOR THE PEOPLE. 

"From Mount Hor the children of Israel set out on the Red Sea road,

to bypass the land of Edom.

But with their patience worn out by the journey,

the people complained against God and Moses,

“Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert,

where there is no food or water?

We are disgusted with this wretched food!”

In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents,

which bit the people so that many of them died.

Then the people came to Moses and said,

“We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you.

Pray the LORD to take the serpents away from us.”

So Moses prayed for the people, and the LORD said to Moses,

“Make a saraph and mount it on a pole,

and whoever looks at it after being bitten will live.”

Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole,

and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent

looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.    

INTERCESSION:

"We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you.

 Intercede for us with the Lord to save us from these serpents.’

 Moses interceded for the people, and the Lord answered him." 

When the people got frosty in their attitude on the way to the Promised Land, they took it out on God and Moses. 

The punishment was swift and deadly.

 Quickly repenting of their sin, they begged Moses to intercede for them. 

Moses interceded for them. 

Those of them who repented and became obedient were healed. 

Prayer is a key component of most religious traditions.

 We have seen that throughout Sacred Scripture, Intercessory prayers are conditio sine qua non of a living faith. 

The prophets and priests owe their continued relevance to this necessity. 

Jesus Christ is our able High Priest who intercedes for us day and night at the Father's right hand.

 The Blessed Virgin Mary owes her exalted position in Heaven as Queen and Mother to her Intercessory prowess. A giant Prayer Warrior!

 Saints in Heaven pray for us all the time. Our Guardian Angels and the Archangels protect us and intercede for us. 

Where is the Prayer of Intercession in your spirituality?

 Who do you intercede for and how much time do you devote to interceding for your loved ones who have passed into eternity?

 Remember the Four Last Things: Death and Judgment, Heaven and Hell.

 Many souls destined for Heaven will of necessity need purification. 

The Church calls this stage and process Purgatory. 

"When I am lifted up from the earth,I will draw all to myself, says the Lord." (John 12: 32). 

"Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

The seed is the word of God, Christ the sower;whoever finds this seed will remain for ever.

Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!" (Gospel Acclamation). 

"O God, who choose to show mercy not angerto those who hope in you,grant that your faithful may weep, as they should,for the evil they have done,and so merit the grace of your consolation.Through Christ our Lord." (Prayer Over the People). 

The Church honors St Joseph in the Month of March. 

Joseph stands as the silent guardian of the Holy Family, a man whose life was entirely oriented toward the grand fulfillment of the Incarnation. 

His role was not accidental but a profound act of Divine Providence, Cooperation  with the Holy Spirit to protect the Person of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/05/devotion-to-st-joseph.html?m=1

 

THE FEAST OF ST TORIBIO, BISHOP AND MISSIONARY.

SAINT TORIBIO OF MOGROVEJO — BISHOP AND MISSIONARY OF MERCY

AN ADULTERER SURPRISED BY MERCY

“Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7)

There are moments when the weight of sin or accusation feels crushing. But it is exactly there that Divine Providence appears — quietly, suddenly, mercifully.

In the Book of Daniel, in the First Reading, a virtuous woman named Susanna stood falsely accused of adultery.

 Two corrupt elders plotted her death, yet just as judgment was about to fall, God raised up the young prophet Daniel, who exposed the lies and cleared her name.

 “The whole assembly cried aloud, blessing God who saves those who hope in Him.” (Daniel 13:60)

Centuries later, in another Jerusalem courtyard, another woman faced the same horror — this one truly guilty, surrounded by men holding stones.

 Once again, God intervened, this time in Person. 

Jesus stooped and wrote in the dust, silencing every accuser.

 Then came words that still echo through time:.

 “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.” (John 8:11)

Two women, worlds apart, both rescued by divine mercy.

 One falsely accused, one truly guilty — yet both delivered because God is faithful and just, defending the innocent and forgiving the penitent. 

What happened for them was no isolated miracle; it is a revelation of His unchanging Providence that still moves across the ages to reach us.

“Now, be silent. Adore Me. Trust Me... I have saved you, through a particular intervention of My most holy Mother, from the fate that the Evil One was preparing for you.”

(In Sinu Jesu, March 28, 2008). 

When you hear these testimonies, see yourself within them. The same Mercy that defended Susanna and pardoned the adulteress is ready to intervene in your story. “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:10)

 What Jesus once did, He promises to do again — for you.

SAINT TORIBIO OF MOGROVEJO — BISHOP AND MISSIONARY OF MERCY

Feast: Monday, March 23

St. Toribio, Bishop of Lima, carried the same spirit of Divine Providence to the far mountains of Peru.

 Born in Spain in 1538, he was a man of learning and integrity whom God called from law to shepherd souls. Tireless and meek, he traveled through rugged lands bringing Christ’s compassion to the poor and forgotten, baptizing saints like Rose of Lima and Martin de Porres.

His life reminds us that Divine Mercy is not limited to time or distance; it continues wherever hearts open to serve.

“Bless the Lord who saves those who hope in Him.” (Daniel 13:60)

REFLECTION:

Mercy is not an abstract idea — it is a Person who steps into our story. When we are accused, misunderstood, or even guilty, Jesus bends low beside us and writes new beginnings in the dust of our shame.

Today, invite Him into the place where you need mercy most. Be still, listen, and trust that the same God who saved Susanna and forgave the adulteress will act again in your life with tenderness and power.

The Church honors St Joseph in the Month of March. 

Joseph stands as the silent guardian of the Holy Family, a man whose life was entirely oriented toward the grand fulfillment of the Incarnation. 

His role was not accidental but a profound act of Divine Providence, Cooperating with the Holy Spirit to protect the Person of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/05/devotion-to-st-joseph.html?m=1

LAZARUS ARISE!

UNTIE LAZARUS. 

Gospel: John 11:1-45:

"Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, 

the village of Mary and her sister Martha.

Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil 

and dried his feet with her hair; 

it was her brother Lazarus who was ill.

So the sisters sent word to him saying, 

“Master, the one you love is ill.”

When Jesus heard this he said,

“This illness is not to end in death, 

but is for the glory of God, 

that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

So when he heard that he was ill, 

he remained for two days in the place where he was.

Then after this he said to his disciples, 

“Let us go back to Judea.”

The disciples said to him, 

“Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, 

and you want to go back there?”

Jesus answered,

“Are there not twelve hours in a day?

If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, 

because he sees the light of this world.

But if one walks at night, he stumbles, 

because the light is not in him.” 

He said this, and then told them,

“Our friend Lazarus is asleep,

but I am going to awaken him.”

So the disciples said to him,

“Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved.”

But Jesus was talking about his death, 

while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep. 

So then Jesus said to them clearly,

“Lazarus has died.

And I am glad for you that I was not there,

that you may believe. 

Let us go to him.”

So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, 

“Let us also go to die with him.”

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus 

had already been in the tomb for four days.

Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away.

And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary 

to comfort them about their brother.

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,

she went to meet him;

but Mary sat at home.

Martha said to Jesus, 

“Lord, if you had been here,

my brother would not have died.

But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,

God will give you.”

Jesus said to her,

“Your brother will rise.”

Martha said to him,

“I know he will rise,

in the resurrection on the last day.”

Jesus told her,

“I am the resurrection and the life; 

whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, 

and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.

Do you believe this?”

She said to him, “Yes, Lord.

I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,

the one who is coming into the world.”

When she had said this, 

she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, 

“The teacher is here and is asking for you.”

As soon as she heard this,

she rose quickly and went to him.

For Jesus had not yet come into the village, 

but was still where Martha had met him.

So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her 

saw Mary get up quickly and go out,

they followed her, 

presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, 

she fell at his feet and said to him, 

“Lord, if you had been here,

my brother would not have died.”

When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, 

he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, 

“Where have you laid him?”

They said to him, “Sir, come and see.”

And Jesus wept.

So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.”

But some of them said, 

“Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man 

have done something so that this man would not have died?”

So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb.

It was a cave, and a stone lay across it.

Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”

Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, 

“Lord, by now there will be a stench; 

he has been dead for four days.”

Jesus said to her,

“Did I not tell you that if you believe 

you will see the glory of God?”

So they took away the stone.

And Jesus raised his eyes and said,

“Father, I thank you for hearing me.

I know that you always hear me; 

but because of the crowd here I have said this, 

that they may believe that you sent me.”

And when he had said this,

He cried out in a loud voice, 

“Lazarus, come out!”

The dead man came out,

tied hand and foot with burial bands, 

and his face was wrapped in a cloth.

So Jesus said to them,

“Untie him and let him go.”

Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary

and seen what he had done began to believe in him." (John 11: 1-45).

Sunday March 22 in the 5th Week of Lent. 

“This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”  (John 11: 4)

Our adversity is always an opportunity for God to be glorified. 

 Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary was dead and the sisters sent word to Jesus about it. 

  Jesus said to Martha:  “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?”   (John 11:  40). 

 And Jesus said, “Lazarus, come out!”  (John 11: 43). And then commanded:  “Untie him and let him go.” (John 11: 44).

The faith of Martha in the Resurrection amazes me. “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” (John 11: 27).

The whole point of our Christian religion hinges on faith. 

God called Abraham and made a great promise to him. Abraham responded in obedience of faith.

 God announced the Incarnation to Mary. She too responded in obedience of faith. 

Chapter 11 of Hebrews is a list of Who is Who in the Bible. 

The common thing among all of them is Faith. They all accomplished impossible things because of Faith.

 If you do not have faith, you are simply not in the game. You have to do everything to get faith, to increase faith and to use and enjoy your faith. 

Are you bound and "tied hand and feet" by Unbelief? 

 If God can raise Lazarus from the grave after four days, He certainly can restore your marriage, health, finances, job, etc.

Faith is saying YES to God so that He will do what He promises to do.

"I trust in the LORD; my soul trusts in his word.

More than sentinels wait for the dawn, let Israel wait for the LORD."  (Psalm 30: 5 - 6 RM)

How to increase your faith:

You increase your faith by exercising your faith. 

You exercise your faith in three ways:

1. Thank God for everything He does for you. 

2. Pray for every need, everything. 

3. Repeat Scriptures about faith and belief.

The Church honors St Joseph in the Month of March. 

Joseph stands as the silent guardian of the Holy Family, a man whose life was entirely oriented toward the grand fulfillment of the Incarnation. 

His role was not accidental but a profound act of Divine Providence, Cooperating with the Holy Spirit to protect the Person of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/05/devotion-to-st-joseph.html?m=1

 

DISSENSION FOLLOWED JESUS EVERYWHERE.

DISSENSION AND DIVISION FOLLOWED JESUS.  

THE GOSPEL:

"Some in the crowd who heard these words of Jesus said, 

“This is truly the Prophet.” 

Others said, “This is the Christ.”

 But others said, “The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he?

 Does not Scripture say that the Christ will be of David’s family and come from Bethlehem, the ­village where David lived?” 

So a ­division occurred in the crowd because of him. 

Some of them even wanted to ­arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, 

“Why did you not bring him?” 

The guards answered, 

“Never before has anyone spoken like this man.” 

So the Pharisees answered them,

 “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?

 But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.”

 Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them, 

“Does our law condemn a man before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?” 

They answered and said to him,

 “You are not from Galilee also, are you? Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”

Then each went to his own house" (John 7: 40 - 53). 

Saturday 21st March 2026  in the 4th Week of Lent.

As Jesus embarked in His public ministry, dissension and division followed Him everywhere. No surprise at all because Simeon prophesied this to Mary and Joseph in the Temple during the Presentation of Jesus.

"Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted." (Luke 2: 34).

Like the Prophet Jeremiah in the first Reading, Jesus "knew their plot because the Lord informed me; at that time you, O Lord, showed me their doings." (Cf Jeremiah11:18-20). 

"So a division occurred in the crowd because of him [Jesus]." (John 7: 43).

Jesus was born to be a sign of contradiction.

 This is true while he was walking the muddy terrain of Galilee as it is today, 2000 years after He ascended into Heaven. 

Let us consider the cause of dissensions about Jesus today:

#1. The First is Ignorance: The dissenters in the days of Jesus could have easily learned that Jesus was born in Bethlehem and not in Nazareth.

 They did not care to find out. "Ignorance of Scripture is Ignorance of Christ." (St Jerome).

#2. Today, people can look at the religious terrain in Christianity and ask: Did Jesus truly found 60,000 churches?  The multiplicity of churches is a great cause of scandal and dissension. 

#3. Some claim that the doctrine of Jesus is too harsh and restrictive. Why can't people destroy babies in the womb if they choose to or marry whoever  they wish? For example. 

#4. Who is this Jesus to tell us how to live our lives? Pseudo-philosophy. 

The Gospel proclaims the eternal verity:

“Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted," proclaims prophecy. The Day of reckoning is coming. It came for the Jews in 70 AD. It will come for everyone sooner than later.

"O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge;

save me from all my pursuers and rescue me, lest I become like the lion’s prey, to be torn to pieces, with no one to rescue me." (Cf Psalm 7).

The Church honors St Joseph in the Month of March. 

Joseph stands as the silent guardian of the Holy Family, a man whose life was entirely oriented toward the grand fulfillment of the Incarnation. 

His role was not accidental but a profound act of Divine Providence, Cooperating with the Holy Spirit to protect the Person of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/05/devotion-to-st-joseph.html?m=1

 

THE HOUR OF JESUS.

 THE HOUR OF JESUS. 

"So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come."

Jesus wants us to trust Him with the Hour in our lives. (IN SINU JESU). 

Jesus is absolutely in control of every second in our life. Nothing happens unless Jesus permits it. 

THEY COULD NOT HARM JESUS BECAUSE HIS HOUR HAS NOT COME. 

"Jesus moved about within Galilee; he did not wish to travel in Judea, because the Jews were trying to kill him. But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near.

"But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret.

"Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, “Is he not the one they are trying to kill? And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him. Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ? But we know where he is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from.” 

"So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, “You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” 

So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come." (John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30).

Friday March 20th 2026 in the 4th Week of Lent. 

"TRUST ME WITH THE TIMING OF ALL THINGS." - JESUS CHRIST - (IN SINU JESU). 

"They tried to arrest him, but his hour had not yet come." (Cf John 7: 30).

On Friday, 20th March 2026, we reflect on the Hour of Destiny.

 Jesus refers uncannily to His hour not yet come or His hour that has come.

 What is this hour that Jesus talks about all the time? 

We know that the biblical concept of time is divided into Chronos time and Kairos time. 

Chronos time from where we get chronology: years, months, weeks, hours, minutes, etc. 

Is this what Jesus means when He talks of the Hour? For example: Friday. March 20, 2026? 

Or does Jesus allude to Kairos time, which can be interpreted as the hour of grace, the appointed time  set by the Almighty Father for the execution or realization of His plans, purposes, designs and providences.

God’s Kairos hour governs all events in the life of Jesus, viz: Birth, Baptism, Desert Experience, Transfiguration, Last Supper, Passion, Death and Resurrection to mention but the outstanding ones.

 It also governs the major events in our life. 

Nothing is left to Chance. 

Are you impatient that some prayers or expectations of yours have not been fulfilled?

 Are you in the appointed time?

 Nothing happens in God's government of the world before the appointed time.

"There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens." (Ecclesiastes 3: 1).

In the fullness of time, Jesus would hand over Himself to be glorified on the Cross.

 For the Cross is the appointed means of the glorification of the Son of Man. Before that hour, no enemy can harm Jesus.

As followers of Jesus, our lives are hemmed in by God's loving and powerful Providence. 

If we make the Kingdom of God and His holiness the top priority of our life, God's promise of provision and protection for us will never fail.

"Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

"Now, now – it is the Lord who speaks –come back to me with all your heart, for I am all tenderness and compassion." ( Joel 2: 12 - 13).

St Joseph is the man chosen by God to be the foster father and guardian of Jesus.

Joseph is a man of high purity and chastity. God chose him to be the husband of Mary because God had fitted him with the appropriate graces to protect the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Church considers St Joseph the greatest Saint after the Blessed Virgin Mary. Joseph is so fittingly named the Patron of the Universal Church.  Remember that he was the Guardian of Jesus and in his intercessory role, you can believe that Jesus will deny nothing to Joseph.

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/05/devotion-to-st-joseph.html?m=1

 

THE SOLEMNITY OF ST JOSEPH, THE HOLY SPOUSE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN.

SOLEMNITY OF ST JOSEPH, HUSBAND OF MARY. 

THE GOOD NEWS:

"Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

"Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.

"Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.

"Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. 

For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.

 She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

"When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home."  (Matthew1:16, 18-21, 24a).

Thursday 19th March 2026 in the 4th Week of Lent is Solemnity of St Joseph , the holy Spouse of the Immaculate Virgin.

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her." (Matthew 1: 20).

Here is what we know about Joseph:

#1. Joseph is from the royal line of David.

#2. A carpenter by trade and a man of humble means.

#3. He is a just and honest man.

#4. Because it was not good for a woman with child to be alone, God chose Joseph to provide for Mary and Jesus; to protect them and to be foster father to Jesus and raise Him up in virtue and manly manners.

5. Joseph excelled in all the roles that Divine Providence entrusted to him.

6. Joseph is the patron saint of the Church and a powerful intercessor for the Church and us all.

7.  He is also the patron saint of a happy death.

Jesus praises Joseph:

"Let My priests be fathers! Let them beg Me for the grace of spiritual fatherhood, and I will give it to them in abundance.

 Such a man was Saint Joseph. He was the living image of My Father, and he was chosen by My Father to be a father to Me in My sacred humanity. 

Let My priests go to Saint Joseph.

 He will obtain for them this priceless gift of spiritual fatherhood, and he will guide them in the delicate and difficult work of being true fathers to souls" (IN SINU JESU. Friday, November 15, 2013). 

HONOR ST JOSEPH ON HIS GREAT FEAST DAY WITH MASS AND HOLY COMMUNION. 

St Joseph is the man chosen by God to be the foster father and guardian of Jesus.

The Church honors St Joseph in March. 

St Joseph is the man chosen by God to be the foster father and guardian of Jesus.

The Church considers St Joseph the greatest Saint after the Blessed Virgin Mary. Joseph is so fittingly named the Patron of the Universal Church.  Remember that he was the Guardian of Jesus and in his intercessory role, you can believe that Jesus will deny nothing to Joseph.

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/05/devotion-to-st-joseph.html?m=1