SERVE NOTHING BUT GOD

SERVE ONLY GOD. 

THE GOLDEN VERSE OF THE GOSPEL. 

"No one can serve two masters; 

for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. 

You cannot serve God and mammon. 

 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, 

nor about your body, what you shall put on. 

Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 

 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. 

Are you not of more value than they? 

 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? 

 And why are you anxious about clothing?

 Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 

 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? 

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat?' or What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?'

 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. 

"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.

 Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day." (Matthew 6: 24 - 34).

The Gospel of today from Matthew 6: 24 - 34 is the crème de la crème of the Sermon on the Mount.

It contains the Golden Verse of the Gospel:

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well." 

In our opinion, this is the Golden VERSE. 

Are you looking for one Verse of Sacred Scripture to change your life? 

To catapult you to spiritual and material prosperity? Look no further than Matthew 6: 33. This Verse contains everything you need. 

This great teaching of Jesus Christ concludes by saying:

"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself." 

 

Why are we full of fear, worry and doubt?

 Because we are of little faith.

We may go to Church and live in the Church. We may be involved deeply in several ministries in our parish.

But deep deep down, we are no different from the pagans if we do not trust in the promises of God.

 How? Jesus says in the Gospel of today that pagans worry a lot about what to eat, what to wear, which car to drive or fine house to live in. 

Stop behaving like pagans. You have a Father in Heaven who knows exactly what you need and when you need it.

How do we come by the faith that trusts God the Provident and Gentle Father and stop behaving like pagans?

Go back to the basics. Start praying. 

Mother St Teresa of Kolkata says:

 "The fruit of prayer is faith." 

As you commit to daily prayer and listening to God in His word, your faith start growing and fears, worries and doubts start receding.

Jesus concludes the teaching in today's Gospel by giving the supreme remedy for trusting and enjoying the merciful and powerful Providence of God:

"Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” (Matthew 6: 33 - 34).

The Holy Catholic Church honors the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus every June.

"In times of anxiety and trouble, the Sacred Heart remains an unshakeable refuge. 

We do not look to the right or left, but straight into the eyes of Christ, whose love governs the universe."

 When structural disorder, age, or temporal troubles create anxiety, the enemy's strategy is to make you look to the right or to the left—focusing on human solutions, political chaos, or physical limits. 

 The correct teleological posture is: 

Look straight into the eyes of the Person of Jesus from the Icon or image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

 His gaze is steady, peaceful, and filled with infinite authority.

 The very same love that looks down upon you at this moment is the love that actively governs the entire cosmos. 

If the Ruler of the universe is looking at you with infinite affection, what room is left for fear?

 Prayer:

Sacred Heart of Jesus, fix my wandering eyes straight upon Your sovereign, loving gaze.

"TRUE devotion to the Sacred Heart demands, further, reparation and atonement. 

If you truly love the Heart of Jesus, you will grieve that this Divine Heart is so little loved, so often forgotten, reviled, grieved and offended, and you will grieve in particular at the infidelity, the ingratitude and the outrages that are committed against this loving Heart in the Most Blessed Sacrament." (DEVOTION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS).

The Holy Catholic Church honors the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus every June. 

Read of the abundant promises made to people who honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus especially in June. 

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below. 

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

FEAST OF ST ROMUALD, ABBOT AND FOUNDER.

FEAST OF ST ROMUALD, ABBOT.

WHERE IS YOUR SECURITY? 

"Jesus said to his disciples: 

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. 

But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.

 For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be."

 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness.

 And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.” (Matthew 6: 19 - 23).

Friday 19th June 2026 in 11th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Romuald, Abbot, hermit and founder of a religious congregation. 

St Romuald was born in Ravenna, Italy. St. 

Romuald founded the Camaldolese order and reformed monasteries and hermitages in Italy.

 A Benedictine monk, he is renowned for his love and expertise in solitary prayer.

 He traveled all over Italy renewing Benedictine monasteries in the art of monastic prayer. He died in 1027.

Who is your security? Our Gospel of today asks. 

 Where is your security?

Our Gospel today gives us a great opportunity to reflect on this great question and with the help and grace of the Sacred Heart of Jesus 

and our diligence, we will become convinced that our security lies in Jesus alone.

Consider these great necessities in life. Think of them as War Zones. 

These are areas where Satan wages war on us day and night.

The Seven War Zones:

1. Health.

2. Family.

3. Money.

4. Job.

5. Possessions.

6. Food.

7. Future.

If Jesus Christ is not your Security in all the above 7-War Zones, consider yourself most insecure.

The Holy Catholic Church honors the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus every June.

"O Jesus, when I see that the plans of the enemy are breaking like waves against the rock of Your Sacred Heart, my soul fills with a deep peace, knowing Your Providence rules over all."

— St. Maria Faustina Kowalska. 

Visualize the

 hostile, chaotic forces of the world—

the spiritual assaults of doubt, the cultural trends of godlessness, and personal anxieties—as roaring, violent ocean waves. 

Now look at the unshakeable rock of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

 No matter how fiercely those waves crash, they are utterly powerless;

 they shatter and break into harmless foam against Him.

 The teleology of these spiritual battles is to demonstrate the absolute supremacy of God's rule.

 Let your soul be filled with the deep, quiet peace of St. Maria Faustina today.

 You do not need to fight the waves; you only need to stand firmly upon the Rock, knowing that Divine Providence actively rules over every storm.

 Prayer:

Sacred Heart of Jesus, unshakeable Rock, be my peace when the storms of life assault me.

Read of the abundant promises made to people who honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus especially in June.

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below.

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

OUR FATHER IS THE BEST PRAYER.

LEARN WELL THE LORD'S PRAYER. 

FATHER KNOWS ALL WE NEED BEFORE WE ASK. 

THE GOODNEWS:

"Jesus said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them.

 Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“This is how you are to pray:

‘Our Father who art in heaven,

 hallowed be thy name, 

thy Kingdom come, 

thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread;

 and forgive us our trespasses,

 as we forgive those who trespass against us;

 and lead us not into temptation,

 but deliver us from evil.’

“If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you.

 But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.” (Matthew 6: 7 - 15).

Thursday 18th June 2026 in 11th Week in Ordinary Time. 

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus scatters the seed of His teaching on the all important subject of Prayer. 

In today's Gospel from the Sermon on the Mount, we get the concentrated solution.

 Everyone has his best line in this classic teaching on Prayer called Our Father or the Lord's Prayer. 

This is my favorite line:

"Your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

From the time I wake up in the morning to the time I go to bed at night, I ask Abba Father a lot of things. It is like a child reminding his dad that his birthday is next week. Daddy, don't forget the bicycle. 

To pray to Abba Father with confidence, you must have and practice these core beliefs:

"I believe that You are a Father to me at every moment of my life, and that I am Your Child!

I believe that You love me with an infinite love!

"I believe Father that, in Your infinite Wisdom, You know better than I what is good for me. 

"I believe that, in Your infinite power, You can bring good even out of evil. Out of all my weaknesses." 

"I believe that You are watching over me night and day and that not a hair falls from my head without Your permission." 

At the heart of every prayer to Abba Father is a core belief in God's mighty, merciful and mysterious Providence. 

If God is not all powerful, then He cannot answer every prayer. 

If God is not all loving, He cannot answer the prayer of everyone. 

Prayer is the most powerful gift of God to His creation. 

Even animals pray. Scripture says that animals cry to God for their food. God grants them their daily portion in due time. (Cf Psalm 104: 27).

Every Season in the liturgical calendar is the time to deepen your prayer life.

When you pray with the word of God, you learn the heart of God from the mouth of God. (Cf St Ambrose of Milan, Bishop and Doctor of the Church). 

If you pray well, you live well. If you live well, you die well. If you die well, all is well. (St Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church). 

If you pray more, you sin less. If you pray less, you sin more. (Anonymous). 

Ask the Sacred Heart of Jesus whom we honor in June to give you the gift of Prayer. 

The Holy Catholic Church honors the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus every June. 

"The Heart of Christ expresses the core of the Christian good news. 

In Jesus, God has given us a heart that beats with ours, guiding our history toward its ultimate teleological fulfillment in eternal life."

— Pope Benedict XVI

Contemplate the staggering truth of the Incarnation: 

the Creator of the universe has a physical, human Heart that actively beats in unison with your own. 

He is not an unfeeling force or a distant cosmic architect; 

He is the Person of Jesus, whose human heartbeats registered every sorrow, every joy, and every physical limitation you will ever face. 

The ultimate purpose (teleology) of human history and your individual life is to be guided safely through this passing world into eternal life.

 Trust the hand that steers your history today, knowing It is a hand guided by a Heart that loves you perfectly.

 Prayer:

Sacred Heart of Jesus, beat within my heart and guide my history toward eternal life.

"I beseech Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus through Thine infinite Goodness, grant that my name be engraved upon Thy Heart, for in this I place all my happiness and all my glory, to live and to die as one of Thy devoted servants." Amen.

Read of the abundant promises made to people who honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus especially in June and in the First Fridays of every month. 

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below:

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

STOP PLEASING THE WORLD.

STOP PLEASING THE WORLD. 

"THE GOSPEL:

"Jesus said to his disciples: 

“Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them;

 otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.

"When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others.

 Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 

But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret.

 And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them.

 Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.

 And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. 

They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting.

 Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 

But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. 

And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.” (Matthew 6: 1 - 16, 16 - 18)."

 

Wednesday June 17th 2026 in the 11th Week in Ordinary Time.

#1. "When you give alms..." (Matthew 6: 2).

#2. “When you pray ... " (Matthew 6: 5).

#3. "But when you fast..." (Matthew 6: 6). 

My brethren, the Gospel of today is the Gospel proclaimed on Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the holy Season of Lent.

Holy Mother Church is reminding us that Praying, Fasting and Almsgiving are the cornerstone of Christian religion and spirituality.

These three anchors are timeless which means that they are excellent for all seasons.

Just as we pray always, everywhere and for everything, we should practice almsgiving and fasting in similar manner.

We do all these not for show but because it is pleasing to Abba Father whose reward is very generous.

The Church honors the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus every day in June. 

"Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You.

 It is impossible that You should fail us when the Holy Spirit has instilled this trust within our souls."

— St. Padre Pio

Meditate on the absolute impossibility of Christ failing a soul that trusts Him. Your trust is not a fragile human emotion that you have to muster up by your own power; it is a supernatural virtue infused into your intellect by the Holy Spirit.

 Therefore, your confidence has a divine foundation. When physical trials or unexpected life updates shake your human security, recall this unshakeable truth.

 Divine Providence cannot contradict itself.

 If the Holy Spirit has given you the grace to call upon the Sacred Heart, victory over despair is already guaranteed.

 Prayer:

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You, for it is impossible that You should fail me.

JUNE IS THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS FESTIVAL. 

Read of the abundant promises made to people who honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus especially in June and in the First Fridays of every month.

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below.

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

BE KIND AND MERCIFUL LIKE YOUR FATHER.

BE PERFECT LIKE YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER. 

THE GOOD NEWS:

"Jesus said to his disciples:

“You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 

But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

 that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,

 and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.

 For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?

 Do not the tax collectors do the same?

"And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? 

Do not the pagans do the same? 

So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5: 43 - 48).

Tuesday 16th June 2026 in the 11th Week in Ordinary Time. 

LOVE YOUR ENEMIES. 

Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. 

How to love your enemies? 

1. Pray for your enemies. 

2. Forgive your enemies. 

How to forgive your enemies? 

#1. Forgive at once.

#2. Forgive everyone without discrimination.

#3. Forgive always.

#4. Forgive everywhere.

#5. "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." Forgive everyone. This step is modeled for us from the Cross.  Jesus forgave in real time those who were killing Him. He did not wait until Easter Sunday when He rose from the dead to forgive.

#6.  Pray everyday for all those whom you have offended, known or unknown to forgive you and set you free.

Jesus Christ invites us to a life of continual conversion so that we can pray Our Father (the Lord's Prayer) with confidence.

Prayer and Forgiveness are the two most powerful tools of the Christian. 

"If you pray well, you live well. If you live well, you die well. If you die well, all is well." (St Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church).

"Were you to ask what are the means of overcoming temptations, I would answer:

 The first means is prayer; the second is prayer; the third is prayer; and you, should you ask me a thousand times, I would repeat the same." 

(St Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church).

"If you pray more, you sin less. 

If you pray less, you sin more." (Anonymous). 

Ask the Sacred Heart of Jesus whom we honor in June to give you the grace to forgive all your enemies. 

The Holy Catholic Church honors the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus every June.  

"Let us leave the care of our future entirely to the Sacred Heart. He knows our needs, He desires our happiness, and His Providence is infinite. Our sole duty is to love Him and fulfill His holy will."— Fr. Jean Croiset, S.J.

We waste immense spiritual energy projecting worries into the future—worrying about health updates, spatial order, and life transitions.

 

Father Croiset calls you to a radical, liberating teleology: your only duty today is to love the Person of Jesus and execute His immediate will.

 Leave the architecture of tomorrow entirely to His infinite Providence. 

He knows your exact physical and material needs better than you do, and He desires your ultimate eternal happiness with an intensity you cannot fathom.

 Close your eyes to the anxieties of the future and rest inside the certainty of His present grace.

 Prayer:

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I hand over my future entirely to Your infinite, loving Providence.

"Be Thou, O Most Merciful Heart, my justification before God Thy Father, and screen me from His anger which I have so justly merited. I fear all from my own weakness and malice, but placing my entire confidence in Thee, O Heart of Love, I hope all from Thine infinite Goodness.

 Annihilate in me all that can displease or resist Thee. Imprint Thy pure love so deeply in my heart that I may never forget Thee or be separated from Thee."

Read of the abundant promises made to people who honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus especially in June and in the First Fridays of every month. 

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below. 

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

OFFER NO RESISTANCE TO ONE WHO IS EVIL.

OFFER NO RESISTANCE TO ONE WHO IS EVIL. 

THE GOODNEWS:

"Jesus said to his disciples:

“You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 

But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.

When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.

If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well.

Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles.

Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.” (Matthew 5: 38 - 42).

Monday 15th June in the 11th Week in Ordinary Time.

In the Gospel of today (Matthew 5: 38 - 42), we see Jesus transform the moral law and overlaid it with a higher code for the citizens of the Kingdom that He came to establish. 

How did Jesus do this? 

The main principles are in today's Gospel.

 But the practicum is in  2 Corinthians 6: 1 - 10).

Before we comment on the Reading, let us consider a few principles. 

The existence of the stubborn persistence of evil in the world is the major cause of unbelief today.

When you tell people that Christ has destroyed evil, they do not believe you because of the apparent dominance of evil everywhere. 

Jesus teaches that the Answer to Evil is the CROSS.

"We adore Thee O Christ and praise Thee. Because of Your holy Cross 

YOU have redeemed the world."

Jesus Christ redeemed the world by embracing the Cross that is the Will of Abba Father for the salvation of humanity and not running away from from it or arguing with Abba Father or challenging His wisdom. 

Brothers and sisters, we too will be overcomers if we imitate our Captain. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 272) has a dense chapter which deals with how God overcomes Evil. 

This is how Magis  summarizes and comments on CCC 272:

CCC 272 "teaches that Christian faith does not set God’s power against God’s goodness: God’s omnipotence is ordered perfectly to his wisdom, justice, and love, so nothing can be in God’s power that is contrary to his just will or wise intellect. In other words, God is not a force that can do arbitrary or evil things; his power is the power of perfect Being, and evil is excluded because it is a privation of good and contrary to God’s nature."

"Offer no resistance to one who is evil." (Matthew 5: 39).

 This Scripture verse offers us the CROSS through which we too can destroy evil.

Remember "The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christianity." (Tertulian, 3rd Century African theologian). 

Let us see the practicum (catechesis) for today's Gospel from Paul's letter to the Corinthians:

"We prove we are servants of God by great fortitude in times of suffering: in times of hardship and distress; when we are flogged, or sent to prison, or mobbed; labouring, sleepless, starving." ((2 Corinthians 6: 4 - 5 & follows).

How did the early Christians overcome the most powerful empire ever designed by man? 

The early Christians conquered the super powerful Roman Empire through the Cross.

They were crucified, thrown to wild beasts in amphitheaters all over the empire and experienced everything that Paul mentioned in the Letter to the Corinthian Church. 

The martyrs did not receive the grace of God in vain because God is a Promise-Maker and a Promise-Keeper.

For God says:

“In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” (2 Corinthians 6: 2).

Those who persevere in this struggle will surely be saved and vindicated in the fullness of time. 

Every promise of God comes to a beautiful fruition in the Fullness of time. (Cf Ecclesiastes 3: 11).

The Church honors the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus every June. 

"Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy.

 Tepid souls shall become fervent. 

Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection."

Look intently at this magnificent promise one the 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St Margaret Mary Alacoque. 

 No matter your state—whether struggling with habitual fault, fighting off spiritual lukewarmness, or striving for higher sanctity—the Sacred Heart is your exact teleological answer. If you are broken, He is the infinite ocean of mercy; if you are sluggish, He is the spark of fervor; if you are already running the race, He is the engine of perfection. Do not allow your human age, your physical tiredness, or your internal anxieties to make you stagnant. 

Dive into this ocean today, knowing that Divine Providence intends for you to mount to high perfection before your earthly journey closes.

 Prayer:

Sacred Heart of Jesus, plunge my soul into the infinite ocean of Your mercy.

Jesus, meek and humble of heart.

Make our hearts like to Thine.

The Holy Catholic Church honors the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus every day in June. 

Read of the abundant promises made to people who honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus especially in June and in the First Fridays of every month. 

For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below.

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