Zacchaeus succumbed to the charm of Jesus.

“Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.” (Luke 19: 8).

Sunday of the 31st week in Ordinary Time. Zacchaeus experiences the irresistible power of the Presence of Jesus. Result: Instant and profound conversion. Many thieves and fraudsters who are caught red handed try to negotiate the terms of the settlement. Not Zacchaeus. His attitude is: Lord, I give up everything to be a part of You and Your Enterprise.

Taking a cue from the conversion of Zacchaeus, the Church teaches:
"Jesus calls to conversion. This call is an essential part of the proclamation of the kingdom: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel."......... It is by faith in the Gospel and by Baptism that one renounces evil and gains salvation, that is, the forgiveness of all sins and the gift of new life." (CCC 1427).

"But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook sins for the sake of repentance." (Wisdom 11: 23).

I will praise Your name forever my King and my God.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

The Feast of All Souls.

"But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.  He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself." (Philippians 3: 20 - 21).

Saturday of the 30th week in Ordinary Time is the Feast of the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed traditionally called the Feast of All Souls. Where are your loved ones who have departed from this life? They are no longer Australian citizens, or American or Mexican citizens. If they died in Jesus Christ, their citizens is now in heaven. Are they enjoying eternal life right away with Jesus? Possibly. Most likely, they "await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.  He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself."

This purification or transformation that most of us need is what the Church calls Purgatory. Furthermore, "All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven...... The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned." (CCC 1030 - 1031).

"Listen kindly to our prayers, O Lord,
and, as our faith in your Son, raised from the dead, is deepened,
so may our hope of resurrection for your departed servants also find new strength.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." (Collect of the Mass of All Souls).

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

The Solemnity of All Saints.

“Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”.... “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7: 13 - 14).

The Church worldwide celebrates today a major feast in its Liturgical Calendar: The Solemnity of All Saints. In the Communion of Saints, we celebrate the Communion of holy people and holy things. Man is the apex of creation. It is therefore fitting that a holy person glorifies God's work of creation.

"Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfillment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness." (CCC 1024). The Church declared.

Our Scripture verse today teaches that in order to be among those in white robe, you must must make that robe white again in the blood of the Lamb. Brethren, do not be afraid of this for your Father is determined to give you the Kingdom. Make this Kingdom your first priority and the holiness it requires and everything else here on earth and in heaven shall be given to you.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Don't forget to honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus also on the Solemnity of All Saints.

November 1st, 2019 - First Friday in November: Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on us.

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 11th month of the year 2019, 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."

Friday, November 1st , 2019 is  the Solemnity of All Saints, a major feast in the Church Calendar. The Church remembers all the souls of the just who are in heaven with Jesus. The Sacred Heart of Jesus, who is true and faithful Witness promises us that "Those who propagate the devotion to His Sacred Heart shall have their name written in My Heart, and it shall never be effaced."

Do you trust the promises of Jesus or do you not?

Honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus this Friday.

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

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

FOR BLOG ON ALL SAINTS, HEAD HERE: Seekfirstcommunity.com

When God is with you, you accomplish important things.

"If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8: 31).

Thursday of the 30th week in Ordinary Time is the 31st of October.

Brethren, make our Scripture for today personal: "If God is for me, who can be against me?" If you do not know the powerful punch of this Scripture, it may be because you do not fully know who God is! "The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits." (Daniel 11: 32 NKJV).

If God is for you in your job, who can be against you? When God is with you in your family, health, finances, possessions your objectives and heart's desire will be accomplished. What if you do not know your God or His plan for your life? You will be like a heir to a great estate and fortune who sleeps under the bridge as a homeless because he is ignorant of the fact that less than a kilometer from him is his father's estate.

Those who minister to the dying report that in the last few days of life, their greatest regret is not having invested time to know God.
Now that you know, you will be blessed if you do it.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

God can write straight with crooked lines.

"We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified." (Romans 8: 28 - 30).

Wednesday of the 30th week in the Ordinary Time. Brethren, what does Scripture mean by "All things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose?"

Our daily Scripture verse for today contains one of this most significant word: "ALL." Define simply, ALL here means No exceptions, No discriminations, No exemptions. It means the Whole, Todo, Tuus.

We have supreme confidence in Divine Providence based on this significant revelation in Romans 8: 28. God promises: "No matter whatever happens, you are covered. I am able to write straight lines with crooked lines. Where you are now is exactly where I want you to be. I AM GOD."

Come back to this Scripture again and again to nourish your soul. As you do, your insight into what it means for you expands more and more.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Do not despise small beginnings

“What is the kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a person took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and ‘the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.’” (Luke 13: 18 - 19).

Tuesday of the 30th week in Ordinary Time. What is the significance of comparing the Kingdom of God with a mustard seed?

The mustard seed is a very tiny seed and therefore liable to be lost without regret, thrown away without remorse. Jesus gives us the best analogy of the the humble beginning of the Church in the Parable of the Mustard Seed.

After a night of prayer to His Father, Jesus chose, called and anointed 12 Apostles to go and announce the Kingdom of God. Imagine that you were there in the crowd on the day that Jesus appointed Peter, Simon and Jude and others as Apostles. Could you believe that 2000 short years after, this tiny mustard seed will be a family of some 3.5 billion people spreading out branches throughout the earth?

The Kingdom of God is a mystery. The life inside the tiny mustard seed is a mystery. The tiny spermatozoon is packed with a DNA which is a mystery.

Do not despise the small beginning. Do not thrash the Church and its mysteries because you do not understand them. The mystery of faith calls for only one thing: Belief. When you believe, you stand the chance that you can understand. Believe always comes first.

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

Accept the Kingdom of God like a little child.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Feast of Saints Simon and Jude.

"Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles." (Luke 6: 12 - 13).

Monday of the 30th week in Ordinary Time is the feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles. These two are among the Twelve called by Jesus in the Gospel of today. Jesus did not choose people from the upper class, nor from the middle class. He did not select scientists or doctors of the law or people from the merchant class. He intentionally chose simple fishermen, uneducated, untraveled and men without influence in the society.

Those Jesus chose, He trained and qualified. He instructed them:
"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28: 19 - 28).

Jesus built His worldwide Church on the foundation of the Apostles and prophets. Each year, we celebrate the glory of Saints Simon and Jude and the other Apostles. We do not celebrate the glory of Caesar or King Henry VIII or Napoleon.

The message of the Apostles still go out throughout the world.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com