We must bear witness to what we have heard and seen.

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN MARY, LOVE GROWS THROUGH KNOWLEDGE. IN THIS MONTH OF MAY, MARIAN MONTH WHEN THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH HONORS MARY, WE PLAN TO INCLUDE A SNIPPET OF MARIAN TEACHING ON THE BLOG FOR THE 31 DAYS OF MAY.

Bearing witness to who we are is a duty.

"We are witnesses of these things, as is the holy Spirit that God has given to those who obey him.” (Acts 5: 32).

Sunday May 1st 2022, 3rd Sunday of Easter.

“We [Sanhedrin] gave you strict orders, did we not, to stop teaching in that name? Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles said in reply, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus,...... God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.” (Acts 5: 27....41).

Peter declared that we must bear witness to what we have seen and heard. Are you ready? What does it mean to bear witness or to be sent on a mission? What does the Church say?

"The duty of Christians to take part in the life of the Church impels them to act as witnesses of the Gospel and of the obligations that flow from it. This witness is a transmission of the faith in words and deeds. Witness is an act of justice that establishes the truth or makes it known." (CCC 2472).

Bearing witness to Jesus is a duty and a necessity from our privileges as Christians.
"It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you."  (John 15: 16).
I will bear witness to You in the world O Lord, I will spread the knowledge of Your name to my brothers and sisters.

We honor the Virgin Mary in May.
1. "It is impossible for a client of Mary, who is faithful in honouring and recommending himself to her, to be lost." (St Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop & Doctor of the Church. Founder of the Redemptorist. One of the most eminent Mariologists in the Church.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Feast of St Pius V, Pope.

THE ROSARY IS THE WEAPON. (ST PADRE PIO).

"When it was evening, the disciples of Jesus went down to the sea, embarked in a boat, and went across the sea to Capernaum...... When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they began to be afraid. But he said to them, “It is I. Do not be afraid.” They wanted to take him into the boat, but the boat immediately arrived at the shore to which they were heading." (John 6: 16....21).

Saturday 30th April 2022, in the 2nd Week of Easter. 
30th April is the feast of Pope St Pius V. (1504 - 1572). Italian. Dominican Friar. Pius had tremendous impact in the post Tridentine Church of the 16th century. Some of his accomplishments are: implementing forcefully the decrees of the Council of Trent, building seminaries, publishing the Roman Catechism and revising the Missal and the Breviary. 

Pius V is credited for saving Europe from Islamic domination in 1571 in the Battle of Lepanto. That victory was attributed to the power of the Holy Rosary which was recited continuously by soldiers, lay people and clergy. This is the origin of the Feast of the Holy Rosary celebrated on October 7th.

Jesus said to the Apostles who panicked on seeing Him walking on the sea towards their boat in the dark of the night: “It is I. Do not be afraid.” Jesus puts them at ease by identifying Himself: "It is I." This expression could mean "I AM." His word, the self identification of Yahweh was enough to calm their nerves.

St Hildegard of Bingen, Doctor of the Church says that the word of God is Divine Command. A single word from God is enough to bring light, courage, peace and joy to our hearts.

Once upon a time, I spent a night alone in a house in the countryside. The house had a wall round it with a gate. There were fruit trees in the backyard. About 1 am in the morning, I heard a large thud that sounded like some heavy person had jumped into the yard. I was deeply frightened. I sat on the bed in cold sweat wondering what to do. "Look for a heavy object like metal or wood to defend yourself." At that moment, I heard these words in my heart:
"If the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain do the sentries defend it."

The full Verse of the Psalm is this:
"Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain." (Psalm 127: 1).
This is one of my favorite verses in the Scriptures. The Lord used the same Scripture I repeat so often to bring me peace that dark night.

Jesus used the Scripture I know to identify Himself." "I AM here. Do not be afraid." I went back to sleep and slept till about 7 am. When I checked the backyard to see what happened, I saw that it was a large breadfruit that had fallen down.

Jesus says to us:
"It is I. Do not be afraid!" God is in His word. And His word is Divine Command. All things obey God. (Psalm 119: 11). The word of God accomplishes everything it is sent to. (Cf Isaiah 55: 7-8).

Memorize your favorite Scriptures. You do not know when they will come handy.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

The Feast of St Catherine of Siena, Virgin & Doctor of the Church.

GOD IS CLOSER TO US THAN WATER TO A FISH. (ST CATHERINE OF SIENA).

“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. (Matthew 11: 25 - 26).

Friday April 29th 2022, 2nd Week in the Easter Season is the feast of a giant of the faith: St Catherine of Siena (1347 - 1380). Italian Dominican Tertiary. Virgin and Doctor of the Church.

Catherine died at the age of 33 and accomplished for the Kingdom of God what most of us could never accomplish even if we live to be 90 years. 

She brought about the renewal of the Church in a period of moral laxity. She was instrumental in reuniting the Church during the great Western Schism. She authored a spiritual classic, THE DIALOGUE. Catherine is the first woman to be named Doctor of the Church. She is the patron saint of plagues and Italy and co-patron saint of Europe with St Benedict.

God set St Catherine on fire with divine love and boldness in the service of the Church. And Catherine set the Church on fire with her zeal and service.

"Be who you were created to be, and you will set the world on fire." St Catherine of Siena said and lived this maxim. One of the poignant lessons of our key Scripture from Acts 4: 31, the first Reading is the power of prayer. God answers prayers.

A few quotes to nourish our faith from St Catherine of Siena:

1. “Love follows knowledge.”
2. “The human heart is drawn by love.”
3. "Humanity is nothing of itself; what we have, we have from God by grace, not because he owes it to us."
4. “God is more willing to pardon than we have been to sin.”
5. “What father ever gave up his son to death for the sake of his slave!”.
6. “God was made man and man was made God.”
7. “Proclaim the truth and do not be silent through fear.”
8. “All the way to heaven is heaven, because Jesus said, "I am the way.”

Let us note that St Catherine of Siena had no formal education.

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

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

The Feast of Saints Louis Marie de Monfort and Peter Chanel.

"NEVER WILL ANYONE WHO SAYS HIS ROSARY EVERY DAY BECOME A FORMAL HERETIC OR BE LED ASTRAY BY THE DEVIL." (ST LOUIS MARIE DE MONFORT, APOSTLE OF THE ROSARY).

"The one who comes from above is above all. ...... He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy. For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit." (John 3: 31...36).

Thursday April 28th 2022, 2nd Week in the Easter Season.

April 28th is the feast of two French saints: St Peter Chanel and St Louis de Monfort.

Louis de Monfort was born on the 31st of January 1673 in Monfort in France. Louis was ordained a priest in 1700. His great contribution was in fostering devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the holy Rosary.
In 1715, he founded the Missionaries of the Company of Mary. Among his books which are still in print are: TRUE DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN; SECRET OF THE Rosary.

Louis de Monfort made the Rosary one of the most popular Catholic devotions throughout the world. Catholics everywhere are indebted to him for articulating the incredible
powers of this simple devotion.

St Peter Chanel (1803 - 1841). Priest and Martyr. St Peter Chanel died a martyr in the island of Futuna in the Oceania.

The Holy Spirit and Peace are the dominant theme of the Easter Season.

We are told that God does not ration His Holy Spirit. When you ask for the Holy Spirit in faith, be sure you will receive what you ask for. God told Solomon when he asked for wisdom and not for riches and power: "Here and now I grant you what you ask for and more."

Jesus promises: Ask and you shall receive. If you ask for the Holy Spirit, your Father will be so delighted that He will give you what you ask for at once.

The Father does not ration the Holy Spirit. It means you receive in direct proportion to your desire and capacity to receive. The Holy Spirit is the source of abundant life.

Ask for the Holy Spirit today.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

When God gives you a Mission, His support is TOTAL.

"LET NOTHING TROUBLE YOU, LET NOTHING FRIGHTEN YOU.
GOD NEVER CHANGES.
PATIENCE OBTAINS ALL THINGS.  HE WHO POSSESSES GOD LACKS NOTHING : GOD ALONE SUFFICES." (ST TERESA OF AVILA).

"The high priest rose up and all his companions, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and, filled with jealousy, laid hands upon the Apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them [Peter and John] out, and said, “Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life.” When they heard this, they went to the temple early in the morning and taught."  (Acts 5: 17....  26).

Wednesday 27th April 2022, in the 2nd Week in the Easter Season.

A note in the margin of the Daily Roman Missal for Wednesday of the 2nd Week of Easter reads: "Mission/Purpose Wednesday." Why? The Scriptures for this Wednesday are replete of Mission statements. Peter and John discovered in Acts 5: 19 - 20, that when God anoints you for a mission, no force on earth can stop you. Did not God promise:

"I have set in front of you an open door that no one can shut." (Revelation 3: 8 CEB).

In the Gospel of today, we are urged to proclaim the Good News to everyone, everywhere in the world:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life." (John 3: 16).

Our response to the divine invitation to come forward and participate in the work of evangelization is proposed for us in the Entrance Antiphon:

"I will be a witness to You in the world O Lord.  I will spread the knowledge of your name among my brothers, Alleluia! " (Psalm 18:50;  22 :23 RM)

Yes Lord, I will share Your Gospel with my brothers and sisters.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

What do we know about the first Christians?

JESUS CHRIST IS THE TRUTH. ONLY ABSOLUTE TRUTH CAN GIVE US ABSOLUTE STABILITY IN THIS WORLD.

The Apostles bore powerful witness to the Resurrection of Jesus.

"The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. With great power the Apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the Apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need." (Acts 4: 32 - 37).

Tuesday, April 26th 2022, of the 2nd week of Easter.

The first Reading from Acts 4: 32 - 37 answers our curiosity: How did those very first Christians live? They had no doubt great problems but also great community life. Our key Scripture for today deals with one crucial aspect: The Apostles testified with powerful sermons to the Resurrection of Jesus. Their testimony was so convincing that many people believed.

The Resurrection of the Lord became their magnificent obsession. This is a very important and interesting point given their initial timidity after the Crucifixion. What made the difference? Let us hear from Jesus.
"You must be born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified]." (John 3: 7 AMP).
In plain language it means: "To understand and believe in the Resurrection of Jesus and bear witness to it by your life day after the day, you must receive and activate the gift of the Holy Spirit."

All things are created twice. The first creation is earthy and earthly. Like Adam. The second creation is heavenly like Jesus.
Do you embrace your mission of bearing witness to the Resurrection of the Lord by sharing your gifts of time, talent and treasure?

"Alleluia, alleluia!
You, O Christ, are the faithful witness, the First-born from the dead, you have loved us and have washed away our sins with your blood. Alleluia!" (Revelations 1: 5).

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

The Feast of St Mark the Evangelist.

GOD CREATED THE SMART PHONE, INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THE NEW EVANGELIZATION. THIS MAY INDICATE THAT THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST IS IMMINENT.

"Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16: 15.... 20).

Monday 25th April 2022, 2nd Week in the Easter Season is the feast of St Mark the Evangelist. (AD 12 - 68 AD). Cyerene from Libya in North Africa. Also called John Mark. Son of Mary who provided her home as a place of meeting for the early Christian community in Jerusalem.
Mark worked with Saints Paul and Barnabas and later with St Peter the Apostle. St Mark founded the Church in Alexandria where he is honored with a beautiful Basilica.
St Mark is the patron saint of Egypt, Copts, Mainar, Venice and Barristers.

St Mark is the writer of the  Gospel according to St Mark.

The Holy Spirit commands us in today's Gospel:
"Go into all the world, and proclaim the Gospel to every creature."

Today, this mission of universal evangelization is very urgent. Recent Popes are insistent that the Church mobilize for New Evangelization.

Why did God create the Internet and cell phone at this time? Probably over 50% of mankind today can be reached through social media groups, viz: Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, etc.

It is possible for most people to share the Gospel with family, friends, colleagues, etc.
Not everyone is called by God to be Mark the Evangelist. Not everyone of us can write like St Augustine. Most people receive the word of God daily from different sources. What inspires you can inspire a family member, a friend or colleague. Share it through text, email, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
Do not be afraid. You may be surprised how much it will be appreciated. The Holy Spirit will help you.

Most of my ministry in evangelization is sharing content created by others. All I need is the help of the Holy Spirit to discern the material as the truth. It will be terrible to distribute error or untruth. I share blogs, music, photos, videos and any content that contains the truth and can help people grow their faith and relationship with God. The word today encourages each of us to share the Gospel. Practice makes perfect.

"Go into all the world, and proclaim the Gospel to every creature."

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com