The Feast of St Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist.

 "Jesus... saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him." (Matthew 9: 9).

Monday 21st September 2020, 25th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Matthew the Apostle. Jewish. Evangelist. Author of the Gospel according to St Matthew. Died a martyr.

A man called Matthew was called by Jesus to follow Him. The man left everything: job, money, house and property and friends and followed the stranger called Jesus. Matthew was not a saint when Jesus called him. But Jesus did not come to call saints. He called Paul who describes his calling thus:

"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.  Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 1: 12 - 14).

Jesus delights in sinners because sinners give Him the opportunity to show off His mercy. Why did Jesus institute the Sacred Heart of Jesus Devotion? The Divine Mercy Devotion? Mercy may well be the last covenant with mankind.

For Prayer to Abba Father to check out your life Purpose: the Choice, the Call and the Anointing, click on the link below:

http://seekfirstcommunity.com/2020/09/abba-father.html?m=1

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com 

Happy Birthday Mother Mary. We your children love you.

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us.” (Matthew 1: 23).

Tuesday 8th September 2020, 23rd Week in Ordinary Time is the great feast of the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her birth marks the moment when she who was to conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit and give birth to our Savior Jesus Christ was born.

Who is Mary?
Why is her cult so passionate and universal?

Mary we have seen is the Mother of Emmanuel, God-with-us, Jesus "who will save his people from their sins."
The Blessed Virgin Mary was held in reverence by the Apostles and disciples in the earliest Christian community. That may be why so little was said about her in the Gospels.
The Mother of Emmanuel was the only person who knew Jesus from womb to tomb. She was always there in the most important moments in the life of Jesus:
* Annunciation.
* Birth in the Manger.
* Visit of the Magi.
* Presentation in the Temple and the encounter with the Prophet and Prophetess Simeon and Anna.
* The Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross).
* The Sacrifice of the Lamb of God at Calvary when it pleased the Father to make the Mother of His Son, our Mother through John the Evangelist.
* The Birth of the Church on Pentecost Sunday.

Mary was faithfully there in all the great moments! Accident or Providence? Mary's role in salvation history was planned by the Most Holy Trinity before the beginning of the world.

It is with great joy that we honor Mary on her Birthday. Happy Birthday Mother. We your children love you very much. We join all the generations that have called you blessed to hail you:
Holy Mary full of grace, the fruit of your womb, Jesus is blessed forever!

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com

What is lawful to do on Sunday?

"Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” (Luke 6: 9).

Monday 7th September 2020, 23rd Week in Ordinary Time.

You, what do you consider lawful to do on the Sabbath [Sunday]? The scribes and the Pharisees were probably seated when Jesus walked into the Synagogue with His disciples on this Sabbath. A man whose right hand was withered was sitting where everyone could see him. The scribes and Pharisees became tense as they watched Jesus glance at the man with the withered hand. "Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” The scribes and Pharisees knew the answer to the question but decided to keep quiet.
For Jesus, mercy triumphs always over law and order. His providence is wholly at the disposal of His merciful love.

The Sabbath Rest is a key aspect of Judaism. The Sabbath day is sacred. The Sabbath Rest is one of the Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai. Christianity being the daughter of Judaism adopted the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). The Sacred Magisterium of the Church (Teaching Authority) made Sunday the Day of Rest instead of the Sabbath (Saturday) because of the Resurrection of Jesus on Sunday.

Make no mistake about it, the requirement for the Sabbath Rest has not changed under Christianity. "Keep Holy the Lord's Day" is one of the most positive and beneficial commandments of the Decalogue. Let us list a few reasons:

#1 Sunday becomes a Day of Rest for the entire family.
#2 Sunday is the Day of mandatory worship of God in the Holy Eucharist.
#3 Sunday is a Day of exercise of faith in God who ordered the rest and promised to provide fully for the day.
#4 Sunday rest is rehearsal for eternal life. When this life ends, there will be no more work. It will be an eternity of enjoyment of the most beautiful liturgies and music and other things which eyes have not seen, nor eyes heard, nor has it ever entered the mind of man what God has prepared for those who love and obey Him.

Jesus observed the Sabbath scrupulously and desires His followers to do the same.
For the Teaching of the Church on Keep Holy the Lord's Day, click on the link below:
http://Seekfirstcommunity.com/2020/09/keep-holy-lords-day.html?m=1

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

This is Pentecost

John 20:22

"And when he had said this, Jesus breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit."

The disciples were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke of the great things God had done.  (Acts 2: 4, 11)

Keep within us the vigor of Your Spirit O Lord.

Prepare us for the gifts of the Spirit.

John 16:7

"Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you."

Let Your Spirit come upon us with power to fill us with His gifts.

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We did not choose Jesus

John 15:16

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you."

The Choice, the Call and the Anointing.

Jesus Always, Everywhere in All Things!

Romans 8:38-39

"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,  nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

"The life of faith is nothing less than the continued pursuit of God through all that disguises, disfigures, destroys and, so to say, annihilates Him." (John Pierre de Caussade, SJ)
      

Let us strive to know Jesus

Hosea 6:6

"For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings."

Abba Father, grant us the grace to know the Heart of Jesus intimately, to love Him passionately and to follow Him everywhere.

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Devotion to St Joseph

“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)

"I wish I could persuade everyone to be devoted to this glorious saint, for I know from long experience the benefits he obtains from God. I have never known anyone who was truly devoted to him and performed particular services in his honor, who did not advance greatly in virtue... I only ask, for the love of God, that anyone who doubts what I say make a test of it himself, and he will see, from actual experience, the great benefit it is to commend oneself to this glorious Patriarch, and to have devotion to him." (St Teresa of Avila, LIFE)

Tell the Good News Everywhere

John 15:16

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you."

The Good News is Jesus Christ!

"Every soul with Christ is a missionary ; every soul without Christ is a mission field."  -  (Our Daily Bread)

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The family can be a path to holiness

"The shepherds hastened to Bethlehem, where they found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger."  (Luke 2:16)

Eternal Father, we want to live as Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, in peace with you and one another.

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What is my cross?

Matthew 16:24

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus

"Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

Rejection of the cross is rejection of Jesus Christ.

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