Share the Good News without cost.

You received the Good News without cost. Share it without cost. 

"At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. 

"Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

"Then he summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. 

"The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon from Cana, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

"Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.

"Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation:

‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons.

"Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.” (Matthew 9: 36 - 10: 8).

Sunday June 18th 2023 in the 11th Week of Ordinary Time. 

As Jesus sends us out today to evangelize the world, He gives a stern warning:

"Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give." 

The Church as an institution has obeyed this mandate from its birthday, Pentecost Sunday. Thus, the Church does not charge for:

• The proclamation of the Gospel. 

• The Eucharist. 

• Baptism. 

• Reconciliation. 

• Healing ministries. Etc. 

Let every charismatic ministry trust in the promise of Jesus Christ:

"The laborer deserves his upkeep." (Cf Matthew 10: 10). 

Jesus Christ is not a cruel and insensitive Master. 

June is the month the Church honors the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Today is just June 18th. 

For Prayers and Meditations on the Sacred Heart of Jesus click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2021/06/consecrate-yourself-to-sacred-heart-of.html?m=1

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

The Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. 

"Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom.

"After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.

"Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.

"After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.

"When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, 

“Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” 

And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

"But they did not understand what he said to them. 

"He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; 

"And his mother kept all these things in her heart." (Luke 2: 41 - 51).

Saturday June 17th in the 10th Week of Ordinary Time is the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. 

Mary was intimately involved in the Jesus Revolution from the Annunciation to the Birth of the Church on Pentecost Sunday. 

Mary supplied the stories of the key events of the lives of Jesus to the early House Churches. These stories became the raw material for the Gospels. On the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we thank Mary, the Mother of God and the Mother of Church for her immense gifts to us. 

"Turn to My Mother in every need of yours. I have made her the Immaculate Mediatrix of all My graces. All that I would give you, I want you to have through her." (IN SINU JESU, Thursday, January 3, 2008 The Holy Name of Jesus). 

For Prayers of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Litany, Promises of Mary to those who say the Holy Rosary, etc click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/06/immaculate-heart-of-mary-consecration.html?m=1

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Immaculate Heart of Mary - Consecration and Prayers.

Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary 

The Litany of Loreto

V. Lord, have mercy.

R. Christ have mercy.

V. Lord have mercy. Christ hear us.

R. Christ graciously hear us.

God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us. 

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us. 

Holy Mother of God, pray for us. 

Holy Virgin of Virgins, 

Mother of Christ, 

Mother of the Church

*MOTHER of Mercy*

Mother of divine grace,

MOTHER of Hope

Mother most pure,

Mother most chaste,

Mother inviolate,

Mother undefiled,

Mother most amiable,

Mother most admirable,

Mother of good Counsel,

Mother of our Creator,

Mother of our Savior,

Virgin most prudent,

Virgin most venerable,

Virgin most renowned,

Virgin most powerful,

Virgin most merciful,

Virgin most faithful,

Mirror of justice,

Seat of wisdom,

Cause of our joy,

Spiritual vessel,

Vessel of honor,

Singular vessel of devotion,

Mystical rose,

Tower of David,

Tower of ivory,

House of gold,

Ark of the covenant,

Gate of heaven,

Morning star,

Health of the sick,

Refuge of sinners,

COMFORT of Migrants

Comforter of the afflicted,

Help of Christians,

Queen of Angels,

Queen of Patriarchs,

Queen of Prophets,

Queen of Apostles,

Queen of Martyrs,

Queen of Confessors,

Queen of Virgins,

Queen of all Saints,

Queen conceived without original sin,

Queen assumed into heaven,

Queen of the most holy Rosary,

Queen of families,

Queen of peace,

Official Act of Consecration to MaryWritten by St. Maximilian Kolbe

O Immaculata, Queen of Heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to you.  I, (name), a repentant sinner, cast myself at your feet humbly imploring you to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to yourself as your possession and property.  Please make of me, of all my powers of soul and body, of my whole life, death and eternity, whatever most pleases you.

If it pleases you, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of you: “She will crush your head,” and, “You alone have destroyed all heresies in the world.”  Let me be a fit instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing your glory to the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.  For wherever you enter, you obtain the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through your hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

V. Allow me to praise you, O sacred Virgin.

R. Give me strength against your enemies.

St Maximilian Kolbe, pray for me.

St Louis Marie de Monfort,

St Alphonsus Liguori,..

The Fifteen Promises of Mary to Christians Who Recite the Rosary

1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary shall receive signal graces.

2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.

3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against Hell; it will destroy vice, decrease sin and defeat heresies. 

4. It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities and will lift them to the desire of eternal things.  Oh, that soul would sanctify themselves by this means!

5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not perish.

6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred Mysteries, shall never be conquered by misfortune.  God will not chastise him in His justice; he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just, he shall remain in the grace of God and become worthy of eternal life.

7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church.

8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in Paradise.

9. I shall deliver from Purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.

10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.

11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary. 

12. All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities. [7-War Zones] 

13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.

14. All who recite the Rosary are my sons, and brothers of my only Son, Jesus Christ.

15. Devotion to my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

"There are no sufferings that cannot be borne peacefully, so long as a soul is praying the Rosary. Through the Rosary, all the grace and power of My mysteries passes through My Mother’s Immaculate Heart into the hearts of the little ones who invoke her, repeating the angel’s “Ave” over and over again. There are illnesses that can be cured through the Rosary. There are clouds of darkness and confusion that only the Rosary can disperse, and this because it is My Mother’s favourite prayer, a prayer that originated in the heights of heaven and was carried to earth by My Archangel, a prayer echoed and amplified in the Church through the ages, a prayer loved by all My saints, a prayer of disarming power and of immense depth." (IN SINU JESU, Tuesday, December 2, 2014).

Daily Bible Verse@SeekFirstcommunity.com 

The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

THE SOLEMNITY OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS. 

"At that time Jesus exclaimed: “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 little ones. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. 

"All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. 

"For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Matthew 11: 25 - 30).

Friday June 16th in the Octave of Corpus Christi is the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

Congratulations to those who completed the Novena of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I did and I am feeling very good. 

Jesus praised the "Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will."

Who are the "little ones" the Father revealed the secrets of the Sacred Heart? 

1. St Margaret Mary Alacoque. 

2. St Gertrude. 

3. St Aloysius Gonzaga. 

4. St. Claude de la Columbiere. 

There are many others in the Church whom our gracious Lord revealed the immeasurable treasures of the Sacred Heart. The four great saints mentioned above have been assiduous in sharing the treasures of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

For Prayers and Meditations on the Sacred Heart of Jesus click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2021/06/consecrate-yourself-to-sacred-heart-of.html?m=1

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Be More and Do More.

Be more and Do more. 

"Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. 

"But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. 

"Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 

"Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."  (Matthew 5: 20 - 26).

Thursday 15th June 2023 10th Week of Ordinary Time. 

Be more than the scribes and Pharisees. Do more than the scribes and Pharisees. 

Are you a minimalist or one who lives Magis in everything. Magis simply means More. It is an attitude of the heart and mind that goes for More in everything and never for the least or minimum.  This is a core principle of St Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus.

In Matthew 5: 20, Jesus says that the Minimum will never get you into Heaven.  For example, the Church law states that you must receive Holy Communion "at least" once a year. The minimalist rejoices and says to himself:  "This is great. I can do this."

"Dearest Lord,

teach me to be generous;

teach me to serve You as You deserve;

to give and not to count the cost,

to fight and not to heed the wounds,

to toil and not to seek for rest,

to labour and not to ask for reward

save that of knowing I am doing Your Will."  (St Ignatius Loyola).

"In our age of religious indifference, when fervor and charity have grown cold, Jesus exhibits to the world His Sacred Heart as the symbol of God’s infinite love—the symbol of His own generous self-sacrificing love for men. Jesus shows His Divine Heart as a furnace whose burning rays of love are able to reanimate faith and rekindle love in hearts grown cold and ungrateful." (Anonymous. Likely author: Fr Lukas Etlin, O.S.B. (1864-1927).

For Prayers and Meditations on the Sacred Heart of Jesus click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2021/06/consecrate-yourself-to-sacred-heart-of.html?m=1

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Teacher beware!

Teacher Beware! 

"Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. 

"I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 

"Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. 

"Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.

But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5: 17 - 19).

Wednesday June 14th 2023 of the 10th week of Ordinary Time.

Teacher beware! You teach not only by what you say. Every action of yours is closely scrutinized. People talk about teachers and preachers in these terms: "He is real. He is not real."

Hear St James: "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you realize that we will be judged more strictly, for we all fall short in many respects. If anyone does not fall short in speech, he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body also." (James 3: 1 - 2).

Are you concerned or discouraged by the warnings? No need to be.  We take consolation from the promise of the Spirit:

"Live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh......  In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.  (Galatians 5: 16, 22-23).

We are not qualified to take credit for anything in our ministry. Our qualification comes from God,  who has indeed qualified us as ministers of a new covenant by giving us the Holy Spirit. (Cf 2 Corinthians 3: 4 - 6).

"THE Church, governed and taught by the Holy Ghost, has approved and recommended devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and has enriched it with many indulgences. She has instituted the Feast of the Sacred Heart, which, in the course of years, has increased in extent and solemnity until now it is celebrated solemnly with an octave by the universal Church on the Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi."

For Prayers and Meditations on the Sacred Heart of Jesus click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2021/06/consecrate-yourself-to-sacred-heart-of.html?m=1

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

The Feast of St Anthony of Padua, OFM.

Feast of St Anthony of Padua. 

You are the Salt and Light of the world. 

"Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth. 

"But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.

"Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house.

"Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5: 13 - 15).

Tuesday 13th June 2023 of the 10th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Anthony of Padua. (1195 to 1231)

Priest and Doctor of the Church. St Anthony of Padua was a Franciscan friar who was filled with the Holy Spirit and faith and was never discouraged by setbacks in the ministry the Lord entrusted him. His preaching ministry took him from North Africa to Italy and France. He is known as the Evangelical Doctor because he based all his teaching and preaching on the Gospel.

St Anthony is renowned also as a ready helper in difficult cases. Some years ago, Microsoft seized one of my Internet properties. I did everything to get it back but no success. Then I had the inspiration to pray to St Anthony of Padua and within a few hours got back the asset.

In today's Gospel, Our Lord Jesus Christ calls Us Christians the Light of the world. How did Jesus transmit this light to the world?

Primarily through His teaching. The public ministry of Jesus covers a number of activities, viz: healing people, casting out demons, feeding people, etc. It is through teaching that Jesus is primarily known by all and sundry. The common people, the doctors of the law, the Pharisees all know Jesus as Rabbi, Teacher.

The Mission of Jesus Christ is to bring light to a world covered in darkness. (Isaiah 49: 6).

In our key Scripture for today, Jesus said to His disciples: You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.

The message of Jesus Christ is pure and uncorrupted. 

This salt of Christ's teaching is found in Sacred Scripture, in the Creed of the Church which was fleshed out at the Council of Nicaea, and Sacred Tradition and the teaching of Sacred Magisterium.

The Lumen Christi (Light of Christ) is to be mediated to the world through teaching and preaching.

Christians are commissioned by virtue of their Baptism to be the Light of the world. 

St John Chrysostom comments thus on being the light of the world:

"You are the light of the world. Once again, “of the world”: not of one nation or twenty cities, but of the whole world. The light he means is an intelligible light, far superior to the rays of the sun we see, just as the salt is a spiritual salt."

How is this done in practice?

Baptism incorporates the Christian fully into the Body of Christ. When the Church gather in worship, it catechizes the Christian through the act of worship, reading and breaking open the word of God, homilies and songs.

At the end of the Service, the Christian is sent forth into his community and the world to go and be the light of the world. He indicates his understanding and acceptance of the commissioning by answering "Thanks be to God."

Christians, God called us to be the

light of the world so that His salvation will reach the ends of the earth. Do not therefore hide your lamp under the bed. Place it on the Internet, emails, text messages, conversations, etc.

The Church honors the Sacred Heart of Jesus in June. 

Four of the twelve Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to Christians who honor His Sacred Heart:

1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.   

2. I will give peace in their families.

3. I will console them in all their troubles.

4. They shall find in My Heart an assured refuge during life and especially at the hour of death.

For Prayers and Meditations on the Sacred Heart of Jesus click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2021/06/consecrate-yourself-to-sacred-heart-of.html?m=1

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

The King of Mercy wants us to be merciful.

Jesus teaches The Eight Beatitudes. 

"When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

"Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.

"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.

"Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

"Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

"Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

"Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5: 1 - 12).

Who is your favorite saint when it comes to Mercy? 

I elect St Teresa of Kolkata, the Saint of Mercy. God chose her to be missionary of Mercy in India. 

St Maria Faustina, Apostle of Divine Mercy. Secretary of Divine Mercy. She took down the message of Divine Mercy and propagated it to the world. 

The ABC of Mercy is the summary of St Maria Faustina's teaching on Divine Mercy:

A: Ask for mercy. 

B: Be merciful. 

C: Completely trust Jesus for mercy. 

The Church honors the Sacred Heart of Jesus in June. Friday June 16th is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

For Prayers and Meditations on the Sacred Heart of Jesus click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2021/06/consecrate-yourself-to-sacred-heart-of.html?m=1

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com