I am the Way.

I AM THE WAY. 

"Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way.” 

Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” 

"Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life.

"No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 

"Philip said to him, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” 

"Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? 

"Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?

"The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.

"Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. 

"Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14: 1 - 12). 

Sunday 7th May 2023 5th Week in the Easter Season.

Let us continue to savor the words of Jesus in the Last Supper Discourse. Most Christians know this saying of Jesus by heart: “I am the way and the truth and the life."

If you understand what it means and apply it to your life, you will be blessed.

Jesus is the Way, the Bridge to Heaven, to Eternal life. Jesus is the Way that is superior to your expert guide. Jesus our Way is incomparable in ability and know how to the best GPS. 

In the Bread of life Discourse, Jesus laid out clearly one critical infrastructure of this Way: the Eucharist. Below are other powerful elements of the Way:

#1 Prayer.

#2 Word of God.

#3 Reconciliation

What do you consider to be your greatest need in this moment?

"Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart. And do not rely on your own insight or understanding.

In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him,

And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way]." (Proverbs 3: 5 - 6 AMP).

“I am the way and the truth and the life."

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Now you know the Father.

Do you know Me? Then you know the Father. 

"Jesus said to his disciples: “If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 

"Philip said to Jesus, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” 

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? 

"Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

"Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?

"The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.

"Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves.

"Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.

"And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.” (John 14: 7 - 14). 

Saturday 6th May 2023 of the 4th Week in the Easter Season is the First Saturday in May. May is the Month of Mary. 

Jesus continues this intimate and profound conversation with His chosen friends in the Last Supper Discourses the night before His death. You may call this the Last Testament.

Jesus stated categorically: "If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 

From what we learned from St Augustine and St Anselm of the nature of faith, my response to the Lord Jesus might be: "Amen Lord. I know the Father and I have seen Him."

Our great teachers of faith tell us that we believe so that we can understand. We understand in order to believe more. Although I see myself as a poor man, if the Lord Jesus says to me: Emmanuel, you are a billionaire. My response will be: "Yes, Lord Jesus. I am a billionaire." Is this what our Sister, the Blessed Mary did? "Let it be done to me according to Your word." And it was done to her precisely.

Jesus revealed a lot about the Father in this segment of the Last Supper Discourse. 

Brothers and sisters note how He ended it. 

"And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it." (John 14: 13 - 14).

The Father is glorified when He grants us favors in Jesus name.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

HONOR THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS TODAY, MAY 5, 2023.

First Friday, May 5, 2023.

Jesus promised 12 special graces and favors to all those who will honor His Sacred Heart especially on the First Friday of every month by attending Holy Mass and receiving Holy Communion.  In the 5th month of the year 2023, we look at Promise #5.

#5.  "I will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings."
I like this one very much.

We celebrated the feast of St Joseph the Worker on May 1st. St Joseph is the patron saint of men and women who earn their livelihood from any kind of work.  St Joseph will intercede for workers for success and prosperity in all their understandings. Don't hesitate to ask for his help and do it often.  St Joseph is the Patron Saint of my work of life. I call on him every day for his help and I have never been disappointed. If you honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Jesus will give you His foster father to help you.

Sacred Heart of Jesus come to our help and prosper the work of our hands.

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

For the 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Sacred Heart devotional prayers and prayer intentions click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2020/08/12-promises-of-sacred-heart-of-jesus.html?m=1

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Trust in the Father. Trust in Me too.

Do not let your hearts be troubled. 

"Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.

"If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.

"Where I am going you know the way.”

Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” 

"Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14: 1 - 6).

Friday 5th May 2023 in the 4th Week of Easter. 

Our key Scripture for today takes us to the Upper Room where the Last Supper was taking place. On this night before His passion, Jesus was huddled together with His 12 Apostles in the Upper Room. He had revealed to them His departure from them through death. They were crushed.

How on earth could they survive without Him with enemies everywhere?

Then the Master said to them: Don’t be afraid or cowardly. As you believe in God and trust Him to protect and provide for you, you must believe in Me likewise. 

What would be the impact of these words on the extremely agitated disciples? Comfort and Peace! Such is the power of the word of God. The same Jesus is speaking to us today through the Scripture:

“You must not let yourselves be distressed—you must hold on to your faith in God and to your faith in me." (John 14:1 Philips). 

How can you avoid worry and surrendering yourself to fear and doubt?

Saturate your mind and heart with the creative words of Jesus. 

One thing I found helpful is  repeating memorized verse of Scriptures or an inspirational maxim for example:

"No fear. No worry. No doubt. Jesus is my Security now and always."

“The Heart open to God, purified by contemplation of God, is stronger than guns and weapons of every kind. The fiat of Mary, the word of her heart, has changed the history of the world, because it brought the Saviour into the world—because, thanks to her Yes, God could become man in our world and remains so for all time." (Benedict XV1 on Fatima). 

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Do to others as I do to you.

Do you understand why I washed your feet? 

"When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them: 

“Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.

"I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.

"From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” (John 13: 16 - 20).

Thursday 4th May 2023, 4th Week of the Easter Season.

 We enter one of the most consequential conversations of Jesus with His disciples: The Last Supper Discourse.

The first thing Jesus did as He gathered the disciples to celebrate the Passover in the Upper Room which became the Last Supper was to wash the dirty feet of His disciples. What is the lesson for them and for us?

"Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him.  If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it." (John 13: 16 - 17).

Jesus the Christ came to serve and not to be served. Imitation of Jesus is the key to a blessed life.

We become saints not by the amount of knowledge or degrees we have but by imitating Jesus. As we become little by little like Jesus every day we start to imitate his mannerisms: His words and actions.  Jesus promises that this is the secret of the ultimate blessings and happiness in this world and the next.

Saints are the happiest people on earth. Why not start by desiring to be a saint?

“From Mary we learn to surrender to God's Will in all things. From Mary we learn to trust even when all hope seems gone. From Mary we learn to love Christ her Son and the Son of God!” “As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.” (St John Paul II).

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

The Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles.

Feast of Saints Philip & James, Apostles. 

"Jesus said to Thomas, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 

Philip said to him, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” 

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

"How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. 

"Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves.

"Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.

"And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.” (John 14: 6 - 14).

Wednesday 3rd May 2023 in the 4th Week of Easter is the feast of the Apostles Philip and James. Philip and James were among the 12 Apostles of Jesus. Philip introduced Bartholomew (Nathanael) to Jesus. 

According to tradition, Philip was crucified in Phrygia.

St James was the cousin of Jesus. He was the first Bishop of Jerusalem. He was thrown down from the terrace of the Temple and then stoned to death.

In our key Scripture for today, Jesus repeats for emphasis: "Ask anything of me in my name, I will do it."  Why the emphasis? According to Catholic tradition, most writers on the subject of Prayer would answer simply: Because Jesus means every word of His promises on Prayer. How about the man in the pew, how does he view the promises of Jesus on Prayer?

A lot of scepticism.  Scepticism that is born of ignorance. They know neither the Scriptures or the power of God. (Cf Matthew 22: 29).

"God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" (Numbers 23: 19).

How about me, the writer? Do I believe in the promises of Jesus on Prayer? Absolutely! I would not have answered with such certainty a decade ago. Investment in the study of Sacred Scripture and the writings of the saints on Prayer made the difference. There are two rich resources on Prayer by St Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church and St Claude de la Colombiere under the titles of UNIFORMITY WITH GOD'S WILL and TRUSTFUL SURRENDER TO DIVINE PROVIDENCE respectively. These two works are pamphlets that you can read several times in a day. Both will change your mind on Prayer.

How can we test Jesus' faithfulness to His promises on Prayer if we do not pray? My friend, there is only one way to prove this truth: JUST PRAY AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS!

"This is the [remarkable degree of] confidence which we [as believers are entitled to] have before Him: that if we ask anything according to His will, [that is, consistent with His plan and purpose] He hears us." (1 John 5: 4 AMP).

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Feast of St Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church.

The Feast of St Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. 

"The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter. And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon.

 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

"Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.

"My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. 

No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” (John 10: 22 - 30).

Tuesday 2nd May 2023 of the 4th Week in the Easter Season is the feast of St Athanasius of Alexandria, Egypt (297 - 373) Bishop and Doctor of the Church.  

Athanasius is rightly called the Father of Orthodoxy. Athanasius was a key light at the Council of Nicaea (325), where he defended vigorously that Jesus Christ is true God (100%) and true Man (100%).

He defended this truth all his life and suffered much persecution from the Arians including several exiles. Athanasius' other great contribution to the early Church is the Life of St Anthony the Great, known also as St Anthony of the Desert or St Anthony of Egypt). Athanasius had personal acquaintance with St Anthony. The biography of the great Desert monk became the gold standard for monastic rules for the Church both in the East and the West.

In the Gospel of today, Jesus was in the Temple during the feast of the Dedication. The people accosted Him and challenged Him to tell them if He is the expected Messiah.

Jesus answered with our key Scripture verse for today:

"The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me." What does Jesus mean? His miracles: healing, casting out demons, raising the dead, feeding multitudes are evidence of who He is. These "works" should be sufficient proof to anyone who is well disposed towards Him.

His sheep who are well disposed towards Him, hear His teachings and see His miracles and they believe in Him. This group do not waste time seeking for proof after proof about what should be obvious to men of good will. If you consider you are one of the sheep of Jesus, do you believe in these revealed truth about Jesus Christ below:

I believe in Jesus Christ the Only Son of God, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God.

This is our ancient Faith. The Faith of Christians who are the sheep of Jesus Christ.

When Jesus is your good Shepherd, He promises that His sheep will be fully provided for and fully protected from all dangers. Learn to trust in Jesus for all your needs.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

The Feast of St Joseph the Worker, Patron Saint of Workers.

The Feast of St Joseph the Worker. 

"He came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?

"Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? 

 Are not his sisters all with us? Where did this man get all this?”  And they took offense at him.

"But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.”  And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith." (Matthew 13: 54 - 58).

Monday 1st May 2023 in the 4th Week of Easter. Today is May Day, the feast of St Joseph the Worker.

The Church teaches that God laid down for human beings the law of work. 

Jesus Christ, a man in all things but sin was not exempt from the law of work. He followed the profession of His foster father Joseph the Carpenter.

 After Joseph died, Jesus became a self employed business man running the family carpentry shop until he was 30 years. Then he left Nazareth to start His ministry.

The feast of St Joseph the Worker "reminds us that honest work, no matter how seemingly menial, can be sanctified. Through work we can sanctify ourselves and others, making each of us participants in the work of redemption." (Roman Missal).

May the Lord prosper the work of our hands.

St Joseph the Worker, Pray for us.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com