Our God is the God of Divine Providence and not of Chance.

"Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has its time, presses on to ful­fillment, and will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late." (Habakkuk 2: 2 - 3).

Sunday of the 27th week in Ordinary Time. What a feast of Sacred Scriptures we enjoy this Sunday.

In the first Reading today, God asks the Prophet Habakkuk to write down the answer to what He plans to do in the future. Every plan, vision of God is for its intended time. Abraham and Sarah were promised a son. When this promise was fulfilled 25 years later, Sarah sang that it had pleased God to fulfill His promise at the time of His own choosing. Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist praised God for answering her prayers for a son at His chosen time. In the fullness of time, the Angel Gabriel visited Mary of Nazareth and announced the birth of the Messiah.

Search throughout Sacred Scripture, you will not find anything  happening by haphazard. Our God is a Father of Divine Providence and not a god of Chance. Your future and your destiny does not belong to lottery or gambling. It is not from any chance that your comfort and happiness springs. Every joy, every good thing you enjoy in life comes from God's gracious ordaining.

Thank You O Faithful Father. I have learned that You are a Father who keeps His promises. You asked me to write down my dream so that I do forget it. I nearly forgot it but You reminded me and restored my dream. Thank You Father.

"Within your will, O Lord, all things are established, and there is none that can resist your will. For you have made all things, the heaven and the earth, and all that is held within the circle of heaven; you are the Lord of all." (Cf Esther 4: 17).

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Are you aware of the power of the name of Jesus?

“Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” (Luke 10: 17).

Saturday of the 26th week in Ordinary Time. Do you believe in demons? Do you believe in angels? How irrational it is to believe in one and not in the other.

I believe in demons because the Sacred Scriptures reveal and teach it. I believe in demons because holy Mother Church teaches it. I believe in demons because I had contended with demons and lost many battles. But today, thanks to the Name of Jesus, I win more battles than I lose.

“Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” The name of Jesus is the Person of Jesus. The name of Jesus is the Power of Jesus. The name of Jesus is the Presence of Jesus. Jesus ordered us to bear witness to the power of His name. His disciples were ecstatic when they discovered the power of the name of Jesus. You too will experience unbelievable joy when you discover the power of this name.

How do you activate this power? When you remember Jesus, He promises to be present. You remember Jesus by calling His sweet name, by looking at His picture, by reading His word, by receiving Him in the Eucharist.  Form the habit of saying this sweet name often. The name of Jesus is a full prayer. By calling on His name often, you strengthen yourself against the snares and wiles of the enemy of mankind who prowl the world looking for easy victories.

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Feast of St Francis of Assisi.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5: 3).

Friday of the 26th week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Francis of Assisi and the First Friday in October.

Who is St Francis of Assisi? (1182 - 1226). He became famous for imitating closely the poverty of Jesus Christ in spirit and in deed. Holiness always attracts. Francis soon attracted a group of like-minded young men who bound themselves together to live evangelical poverty, chastity and obedience. Our Lord Jesus Christ, Head of the Church has used simple men like Francis and the Franciscans to renew the Church which is ever in need of reform. Other pivotal figures raised up by Jesus for the renewal of the Church are:
Benedict, Clare, Dominic, Ignatius Loyola, Teresa of Avila, etc.

Are you the next great Saint?

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Honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus this Friday.

October 4, 2019 - First Friday in October.

The 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus:  Jesus promised 12 special favors to all those who will honor His Sacred Heart especially on the First Friday of every month.  In the 10th month of the year 2019, we look at Promise #10.

#10.  "I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts."

Do not think: "I am not excited by this promise.  I am not a priest."  Error! We are all baptized and by virtue of this Baptism are priests, princes and prophets. Of course, Jesus Christ chose a tiny percentage of men and configured them to be ministerial priests to celebrate the Sacraments.  The first mission of the Church is evangelization.  You see where the 10th Promise is relevant for you?  Moreover, the first 3 Spiritual Works of Mercy instruct us:
#1. Instruct the ignorant.
#2. Counsel the doubtful.
#3. Admonish sinners.

Jesus promises to give you power to touch the most hardened of sinners.  They could be family. They could be friends or neighbors.  Will you refuse such a gift?

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

For the 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, click the link below:

http://sfjweb.com/?q=content/sacred-heart-12-promises

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The kingdom of God is here.

"The kingdom of God is at hand for you." (Luke 10: 9).

Thursday of the 26th week in Ordinary Time. Jesus appointed 72 disciples and sent them out on practice evangelization. He gave them a precise talking point. No beating about the bush. No disputations. No arguments. Just a simple message:
‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’

We have seen that Jesus has magnificent obsession for the Kingdom. The Teacher knows that those who are ready will receive and understand this code. Mind you, Israel has been waiting for the Kingdom to come for centuries. Isaiah has prophesied it. John the Baptist came as a herald to prepare for it. Now Jesus commissioned 72 disciples to announce the imminent breakout of the Kingdom.

What is the Kingdom of God? The Kingdom of God is the Reign of God. There cannot be a Kingdom without a King. ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’ This is a code to alert the chosen ones that the King has arrived. Jesus is the King. But this King is different from worldly kings. He was born of the Virgin Mary in a manger. He was an apprentice carpenter and then a self-employed carpenter for all his working life. What do you make of this humble King?

The Church teaches that the Church is the seed of the Kingdom of God on earth.

"The kingdom of heaven was inaugurated on earth by Christ. "This kingdom shone out before men in the word, in the works and in the presence of Christ" (LG 5). The Church is the seed and beginning of this kingdom. Its keys are entrusted to Peter." (CCC 567).

Does the King Jesus reign in every situation in your life?

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Angel of God my Guardian and my Friend...

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father." (Matthew 18: 10).

Wednesday of the 26th week in Ordinary Time is the feast of Our Guardian Angels. God blessed me with Christian parents. One of the legacies they bequeathed to me is strong devotion to my Guardian Angel. As an active and adventurous boy, I know how many times my Friend saved me from peril. Today I honor my Guardian Angel with a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.

This is what the Church says of Guardian Angels: "From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life." Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God." (CCC 336).

"Receive, O Lord, the offerings we bring before you as we venerate your holy Angels, and graciously grant that under their constant protection we may be delivered from present dangers and brought happily to life eternal. Through Christ our Lord." (Offertory Prayer on the Feast of the Guardian Angels).

The Angel of God my Guardian and dear Friend, thank you for your protection. Continue to enlighten and guard me till my last breath. Amen!

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Feast of St Therese, the Little Flower.

"Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children." (Matthew 11: 25).

Tuesday of the 26th week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Therese of Lisieux (1873 - 1897), also called Therese of the Child Jesus and the Little Flower. Therese is Virgin and the youngest of the 35 Doctors of the Church. She died at the age of 24.

Father God loved her Little Flower, the Lily of Carmel and lavished on her immense spiritual favors. I like very much the application of Deuteronomy 32: 10 - 12 to this humble French Carmelite nun:

"The Lord led her and taught her,
and kept her as the apple of his eye. Like an eagle spreading its wings he took her up and bore her on his shoulders. The Lord alone was her guide." (Deuteronomy 32: 10 - 12).

Unlike other Doctors of the Church, Therese left us one book: THE STORY OF A SOUL, a best seller of all time. This is the autobiography of the Saint detailing how God taught her and through her taught the world simple principles of holiness.

"Thus says the Lord:
Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 18: 3).

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Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.

"The Son of Man came to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10: 45, Gospel Acclamation).

Monday of the 26th week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church (342 - 420). St Jerome is one of the foremost Scripture scholar in the Church. He translated the Bible into Latin and his translation, the Vulgate was used by the Church as the official version for over 1000 years.

St Jerome's most famous saying is:
"Ignorance of Scriptures is ignorance of Christ." Is your knowledge of Sacred Scripture scanty? The Church agrees with Jerome:
"The Church "forcefully and specifically exhorts all the Christian faithful. . . to learn the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ, by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures. Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ." (CCC 133).

Consider our lead Scripture for today:
"The Son of Man came to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10: 45). You cannot understand what this means until you have met Jesus in the pages of Sacred Scripture from the stories of Joseph in Genesis, David in the Book of Samuel, Daniel in the Book of Daniel and so forth. The Jesus of Scriptures say:
“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” (Luke 24: 44).

What can you discover as precious as the Pearl of Great Price?
"When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight." (Jeremiah 15: 16 NLT).

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