The LORD said to Moses:
“Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them:
This is how you shall bless the Israelites.
Say to them: The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!
So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6: 22 - 27 RM)
This is the word of God. May the Lord shine His Face upon you and your family all through 2017.
"But you have the anointing that comes from the holy one." (1 John 2: 20 NABRE)
Can this be my word to live by for 2017? I don't know about you. At this point of the year, I search for this word. I like (1 John 2: 20) by because in truth, I am seeking desperately for this anointing that comes from the Holy One.
Let us see what this anointing is and what it can do:
#1. The Anointing is the Holy Spirit Himself.
#2. The Holy Spirit is the Source of inspiration and power.
#3. The Holy Spirit is the power of Evangelization. Without Him, no ministry.
#4. He is the Spirit of love and holiness.
#5. He is the Spirit of joy and consolation.
#6. He is the Spirit of Jesus. Where He is, there is Jesus.
"But you have the anointing that comes from the holy one." (1 John 2: 20 NABRE)
Lord, is this my word for 2017? What a beautiful word! Thank You Abba Father. I accept it with my whole heart. Brothers and sisters, grab your word for 2017. Let this word of Christ dwell in you richly. (Colossians 3: 16) Please grab your word for 2017 and run with it. Happy 2017!
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." (Exodus 20: 8 NIV)
Today is the feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The Church puts this family up as a shining example for every family. How do you rank your family? Good, OK, Work-in-progress? No matter the ranking, your family is a microcosm of God's grand Family, the Church.
Someone said to Jesus: "Lord, heal the brokenness in my family." Jesus said to him: "My friend, don't you see that my Family is also broken? Together, we shall start healing the two."
Remember: Jesus submitted Himself to the authority of Joseph and Mary. A family that prays together stays together.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3: 16 NIV)
We love You Jesus. We trust in You. Have mercy on us and the whole world.
"Had not the Lord been with us,
when people rose against us,
Then they would have swallowed us alive, for their fury blazed against us." (Psalm 124: 2-3 NABRE)
Psalm 124 is attributed to David. David's faith in God grew during the many years he was on the run for his life. How do you invest your crisis? Moaning, pity partying? Or stepping out to reap the rich harvest of faith which is the reason the Lord allowed the problem in the first place.
If God is with you, who can be against you? The answer is simple. Nobody! Jesus Himself promises to be with us 7/24 always and everywhere. If crisis is the only way this truth will penetrate your heart, Lord send us crisis. Amen.
If the Lord is with you, then it is accomplished.
"What we have seen and heard
we proclaim now to you so that you too may have fellowship with us." (1 John 1: 3 NABRE)
John the Evangelist whose feast is today saw Jesus, heard Him speak and touched Him several times. He leaves us a compelling eyewitness account of the solid basis of our faith. We can better appreciate what St Paul says to the Ephesians:
"[Our Household is] built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone." (Ephesians 2: 20)
Brothers and sisters, won't you rejoice in the truth that our faith is sound, safe and secure?
