Choose life

“I summon heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I offer you the choice of life or death, blessing or curse. Choose life and you and your descendants will live; love the Lord your God, obey him, and hold fast to him: that is life for you and length of days on the soil which the Lord swore to give to your forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Deuteronomy 30: 19 – 20)

Life and blessing for me in the Enterprise consist in this:
• Love the Lord your God
• Obey him
• Hold fast to him

Rewards:
Life, success, health, prosperity, security
Divine filiation

Observe all the commandments

Observe all the commandments


“Be careful to observe ll the commandments I enjoin on you today, that you may live and increase, and may enter in and possess the land which the Lord promised on oath to your fathers.” (Deuteronomy 8: 1)
• Diligently observe the commandments
• Be careful to observe all the commandments
• Carefully observe every command
• You must keep and put into practice all the commandments

WHY?

• So that you may live and increase and occupy the land
• So that you may ….. and possess the land
• So that you may survive and increase and enter the Promised Land and make it your own

KEY POINT:

Observe all the commandments; not just some.

REWARD:

You enter and possess the land.

Building on Rock

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

The Rewards of Wisdom

“Wisdom instructs her children and admonishes those who seek her.
He who loves her loves life; those who seek her out win her favor.
He who holds her fast inherits glory; wherever he dwells, the Lord bestows blessings.
Those who serve her serve the Holy One; those who love her the Lord loves.
He who obeys her judges nations; he who hearkens to her dwells in her innermost chambers.
If one trusts her, he will possess her; his descendants too will inherit her.
She walks with him as a stranger, and at first she puts him to the test;
Fear and dread she brings upon him and tries him with her discipline;
With her precepts she puts him to the proof, until his heart is fully with her.
Then she comes back to bring him happiness and reveals her secrets to him.
But if he fails her, she will abandon him and deliver him into the hands of despoilers.”
(Sirach 4: 11 – 19)

He appointed me ......

“I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has made me equal to the task; I thank him for judging me worthy of trust and appointing me to his service – although in the past I had met him with abuse and persecution and outrage. But because I acted in ignorance of unbelief I was dealt with mercifully; the grace of our Lord was lavished upon me, along with faith and love which are ours in Christ Jesus. Here is a saying you may trust, one that merits fully acceptance:

‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; and among them I stand first. But I was mercifully dealt with for this very purpose, that Christ Jesus might find in me the first occasion for displaying his inexhaustible patience, and that I might be typical of all who were in future to have faith in him and gain eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1: 12 – 16)

Continual Guidance

Continual Guidance


“Yahweh will always guide you, will satisfy your needs in the scorched land; he will give strength to your bones and you will be like a watered garden, like a flowing spring whose waters never run dry.” (Isaiah 58: 11)

Continual guidance: (Joshua 1: 9; Proverbs 3:5)
Total support: (Hebrews 13: 5; Matthew 6: 34)
Healing (Matthew 18: 17; Psalm 103: 2)
Fresh and renewed (Psalm 103: 5; Psalm 23: 2)

Continual guidance is promised. God will provide total support even if resources become generally greatly reduced. Good health, renewal of mind and body are also promised.

St. John the Baptist - June 24

St. John the Baptist – June 24


St. John the Baptist is the patron saint of my alma mater, St. John’s College, Alor. He is the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Born into a priestly family, he had an educated upbringing and was privileged.

St. John the Baptist understood very well God’s purpose for life, that is, to prepare the way for Jesus Christ. Without compromise, he fulfilled this mission which was foretold long before his birth by the Prophet Isaiah. Jesus called John the Baptist the greatest of the prophets.
What are his virtues? Courage, wisdom and the spirit of prophecy must be mentioned among many. His greatest attainment was the crown of martyrdom. In the Eucharistic prayer on his feast day, the Church says that God favored John with a martyr’s death. John died like Christ for the kingdom of God. In dying for Christ, we are most like Christ. This is why the Church honors martyrs very highly.
Apart from physical death, there are other ways of dying for Christ.
We die for Christ, when we accept:

• Delays, disappointments and obstacles
• Insults, contempt, humiliations and rejections
• Physical pain and injuries

We do not invite these situations; they come to us in the course of life.
“It is the spirit that gives life. The flesh has nothing to offer.”
When we apply the words of Jesus in our situation, the Holy Spirit breathes life into our spirituality. When we hear the words and do not apply them, we become like flesh that has nothing to offer.

The Enterprise

"Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side;

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In every change he faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: thy best, they heavenly friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end"

Anonymous

Have peace! Be calm! Relax!

For God is with you and for you in this project.

Wait patiently for God's time.

Let your hope make you joyful and patient.

Trust in God's disposal of events.

God is faithful.

He will not abandon you nor forsake you.

He is guiding you every step in this project.

And his guidance is peace.