The wicked and corrupt judge feared the persistent widow.

"While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me."  (Luke 18: 4 - 5).

Today, our Great Teacher Jesus uses the parable of the the persistent widow and the wicked and unjust judge to teach us a valuable lesson on persistence in prayer. Note that the unjust and corrupt judge was most probably an atheist.  Hence, he has no fear of God or man. But in today's event, he met his match.  A poor but courageous widow who had nothing to lose in the battle with the empty headed, corrupt and unjust judge. The widow's strategy was simple. Be persistent. Never give up. She won.

Then Jesus made extraordinary extrapolation from the story. God too can be worn out by persistent prayer.  But why does God delay in answering our prayers?

Learn to wait for God in prayer, the saints have taught persistently:
"That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy."  (Romans 8: 24 - 25 MSG).

"God grants us not always what we ask so as to bestow something preferable."..... “The desire is thy prayers; and if thy desire is without ceasing, thy prayer will also be without ceasing. The continuance of your longing is the continuance of your prayer.”  (St Augustine).

St Augustine also said that God delays answering our prayer in order to make us ready by enlarging us for a far superior gift which we cannot  imagine. How comforting!

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Only fools say in their hearts, there is no God.

"All men were by nature foolish who were in ignorance of God, and who from the good things seen did not succeed in knowing him who is, and from studying the works did not discern the artisan."  (Wisdom 13: 1).

What is the Spirit saying here?  God the Creator is an Artisan who stamped His DNA on every single work He made. Sacred Scripture notes this: 
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims the works of his hands." (Psalm 19: 2).

Why then do certain individuals say there is no God?  See what the Scriptures say of such fools:

"Only fools say in their hearts, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!" (Psalm 41: 1).

Scripture is harsh in its indictment of atheism but the Church is more gentle in her Good Friday Prayers for those who do not believe in God:

"The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from heaven against every impiety and wickedness of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness.  For what can be known about God is evident to them, because God made it evident to them.  Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made. As a result, they have no excuse."  (Romans 1: 18 - 20).

Could the atheists say to God: "I refused to acknowledge You because of the evil and corrupt behaviors of so-called Christians."
Lord have Mercy!

Every Good Friday, the Church prays thus:

"For Those Who Do Not Believe in God:
Let us pray
For those who do not believe in God, that they may find Him
By sincerely following all that is right.

Almighty and eternal God,
You created mankind
So that all might long to find you
And have peace when you are found,
Grant that, in spite of the hurtful things
That stand in their way,
They may all recognize in the lives of Christians
The tokens of your love and mercy,
And gladly acknowledge you
As the one true God and Father of us all.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen"

We say with the Church, AMEN!

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Behold I am with you always.

"Behold, the kingdom of God is among you.”  (Luke 17: 21).

The kingdom of God is among you. The kingdom of God is inside you.
Jesus Christ is the King of eternal glory. His reign is the Kingdom.
"The word was made flesh and dwelt among us."  (John 1: 14).
The birth of Jesus ushers in the reign of God on earth.

You may wonder:  Where is the Kingdom? The Kingdom is wherever the King is. The King is in the Church, which is a visible sign of His Presence and authority in the world. The King is in the hearts and minds and souls of everyone who accepts His reign and authority. The King is in every person who loves, as we are taught by the ancient liturgical hymn:  "Wherever there is love, there is God."  (Ubi Caritas).

The thought that Jesus is truly living in you and me is thrilling beyond measure.  One of the aspects of this Live-in that I enjoy most is this:  "I am not alone."  No matter wherever I am, I am not alone.  Earthquake can shake the city, I am not alone. The stock market can crash and all the banks fail at the same time, I am not alone.  The promise of Jesus to this effect can never fail!  Jesus Christ will always be with me, come what may.
"Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age”  (Matthew 28: 20).

Thank You Jesus!

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Ten of you were blessed. Only one of you came on Sunday to give thanks.

“Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”..
“Go show yourselves to the priests.”

"And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him."  (Cf Luke 17: 11 - 19).

God is glorified by our Thanksgiving.  Yet, less than 30% of our community is willing to thank God on Sunday for all His blessings of the past six days. God commanded us to do Eucharistein (Thanksgiving) on Sunday in order to honor and praise Him for all the benefits He provides us, viz: health, family, finances, job, homes and cars, computers and cell phones, food and security.  Every good gift comes from God including security.  (Cf James 1: 17).

Ingratitude offends sharply the Heart of God as it does to every parent.

“Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”  (Cf Luke 17: 11-19).

"Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High."  (Psalm 50: 14).

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Jesus is the Master who calls us and equips us for service. Who should be grateful to who?

"Is he [the Master] grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded?   So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do."  (Luke 17: 9 - 10).

Jesus Christ is the Master who calls us to service in His Kingdom on Earth and gives us every single gift we bring to the service.  "He equip you with everything good for doing his will."  (Hebrews 13: 21).

"Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.  Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ."  (Ephesians 4: 11 - 12)

Now use your gifts to build up the Body of Christ.

"I will praise the Lord at all times.
I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart."  (Psalm 34: 1 - 2).

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Forgive Always. Forgive Everywhere. Forgive Everything.

"If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you should forgive him.”  (Luke 17:  3 - 4).

Forgive always.
Forgive everything.
Forgive everywhere.
Forgive anyone that offends you.
Forgive immediately.  At once.

Why should you forgive?
#1. The Lord has commanded it.
#2.  He forgives everything.
#3.  Jesus blots out the record of your sins and gives you a clear conscience that enables you to to live in peace and sleep well.
#4.  If you refuse to forgive others, the divine forgiveness extended to you will be retracted and you will be required to pay your debt to the full.
#5. Without forgiveness, you may pray but you will gain no favors from God.
#6.  When you bury grievances and unforgivenness, you suffer alone. Your victim is unaware of the pain in your heart.
#7.  Finally, forgive immediately. At once. Don't wait to evaluate the harm done to you. Do it at once.

"Be on your guard!" (Luke 17: 3). Do not fall victim to the evil spirits of unforgivenness.

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Stay awake for you do not know when your Lord will come.

"Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“The kingdom of heaven will be like ten Virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 
The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps."  (Matthew 25:  1 - 4).

The foolish virgins did not anticipate a delay and were unprepared when the bridegroom was long delayed. (v5)

St. Augustine in his Sermons, 93 wrote: "Watch with the heart, watch with faith, watch with love, watch with charity, watch with good works […]; make ready the lamps, make sure they do not go out […], renew them with inner oil of an upright conscience; then shall the Bridegroom enfold you in the embrace of his love and bring you into his banquet room, where your lamp can never be extinguished."

"Stay awake and be ready!
For you do not know on what day your Lord will come."  (Matthew 24: 42, 44).

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You cannot serve God and mammon.

"No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”  (Luke 16: 13).

What is mammon?

Lust of the flesh
Lust of the eye
Pride of life
Food
Comfort
Sports and pastimes
Riches
Honors
Praise of men

"I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever hunger; no one who believes in me will ever thirst." (John 6: 35)

You cannot serve God and mammon. Both are mutually exclusive. If you pick up one, you drop the other. The Bread of life destroys hunger for mammon in our lives. Hunger for mammon destroys hunger for the Bread of life. It is either one or the other. Never the two at the same.
Jesus the Bread of life is the antidote against mammon.

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The Lord made him a priest forever.

"The Lord established for him a covenant of peace, and made him the prince, that he might have the dignity of the priesthood for ever."  (Sirach 45: 30)

Today is the Memorial of St Leo the Great.  Who is this man?  He was Pope and Doctor of the Church who lived in the 5th century and helped to define what we know today as the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church.

"God, who never allow the gates of hell to prevail against your Church,
firmly founded on the apostolic rock, grant her, we pray, that through the intercession of Pope Saint Leo, she may stand firm in your truth and know the protection of lasting peace.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever."  (Collect on the Feast of St Leo the Great).

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The Sanctuary is the source of every blessing from God.

"I saw water flowing from the temple, and all who were touched by it were saved."  (Cf Ezekiel 47: 1, 9).

"Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail.
Every month they shall bear fresh fruit, for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary.
Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”  (Ezekiel 47: 12).

Water and fire are popular images for the Holy Spirit. In the above Scripture, we are told that all types of blessings flow from the Sanctuary.  The Sanctuary is where the Church calls upon the Holy Spirit to transform the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.  From the Sanctuary flows the blessings of salvation to the waiting world.

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Don't be intimidated by the cost of discipleship.

"Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion?"  (Luke 14: 28).

What is the cost of following Jesus? Read the Gospels and you will find that the cost of the discipleship is all time, all talent and all treasure.  Does Jesus deserve less? Absolutely No!  Some people commit everything to their work or business.

The first Commandment comes to mind again:

"Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone!  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength."  (Mark 12: 29 - 30).

With the constant availability of the Holy Spirit, nothing can overcome us. (Cf Romans 8: 31 - 32).  No towers to construct. No army to vanquish.

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The King gave a great dinner and those invited brazenly rejected the invitation.

“A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many.  When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, ‘Come, everything is now ready.’  But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves."  (Luke 14:  16 - 18).

The Great Dinner represents the Heavenly Banquet, the Marriage Feast of the Lamb.  The Sunday Eucharist is a replica, a rehearsal of the Heavenly Banquet. The Host of the Banquet is the Lord Jesus Himself.

Why should anyone reject such an invitation?  Such brazen insult reminds one of the Sin against the 1st Commandment:

#1. " I am the Lord your God:  You shall have no strange gods before Me."  (Exodus 20: 3).

Do I love anybody or anything more than God?

Do I give God time everyday for prayer?  Do I seek to love him with my whole heart?  Have I been involved with superstitious practices?  Have I been involved with the occult?  Do I seek to surrender myself to God’s Word as taught by the Church?  Have I ever received Communion in a state of mortal sin?

"Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled."  (Luke 14: 23)

The Lord Jesus wants the Sunday Mass to be filled to capacity.
"Make holy the Lord's Day."

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When you have a party, invite those who cannot repay you.

"Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;  blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”  (Luke 14: 13 - 14).

Jesus it would appear looks forward to dinner invitations since it gives Him a teaching moment to meet the kind of crowd He did not reach on daily basis.  Here Jesus gives a difficult lesson to the aristocratic group gathered for the dinner and frankly to us as well.

Why are humans so self centered? Even little children act always in a quid pro quo manner.  Jesus set a new rule in the Kingdom He gave His life for. Act like your Heavenly Father, who is lavishly generous to All His children, Jesus admonishes.

"All you who are thirsty, come to the water!
You who have no money, come, buy grain and eat; Come, buy grain without money,
wine and milk without cost!"  (Isaiah 55: 1).

Jesus offers the Bread of life free of charge.

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11-6

"Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;  blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”  (Luke 14: 13 - 14).

Jesus it would appear looks forward to dinner invitations since it gives Him a teaching moment to meet the kind of crowd He did not reach on daily basis.  Here Jesus gives a difficult lesson to the aristocratic group gathered for the dinner and frankly to us as well.

Why are humans so self centered? Even little children act always in a quid pro quo manner.  Jesus set a new rule in the Kingdom He gave His life for. Act like your Heavenly Father, who is lavishly generous to All His children, Jesus admonishes.

"All you who are thirsty, come to the water!
You who have no money, come, buy grain and eat; Come, buy grain without money,
wine and milk without cost!"  (Isaiah 55: 1).

Jesus offers the Bread of life free of charge.

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The Lord is angry with His priests.

"And now, priests, this commandment is for you: If you do not listen,
And if you do not take to heart giving honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts,
I will send a curse upon you and your blessing I will curse."  (Malachi 2: 1 - 2).

A chilling warning for our priests.  How do we support our priests in their onerous vocation?  The one that comes to mind is to pray for them.  I do this every day but I could and should do more.

God's anger is not abated against His priests. The Almighty God continues:

"But you have turned aside from the way, and have caused many to stumble by your instruction;
You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of Hosts. I, therefore, have made you contemptible and base before all the people,
For you do not keep my ways, but show partiality in your instruction."  (Malachi 2:  8 -  9).

What fraternal advice can we offer to our priests in the light of this terrible indictment?

Do you preach but not practice?
Then practice what you preach.

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He chose and called me.

"For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable."(Romans 11: 29 NRSV).

"For the gracious gifts of God and his calling are irrevocable." (Revised English Bible). 

"There is no change of mind on God's part about the gifts he has made or his choice." – (New Jerusalem Bible).

"God’s gifts and God’s call are under full warranty—never canceled, never rescinded."  (MSG).

"For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn; he will never go back on his promises."  (TLB).

"For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable [for He does not withdraw what He has given, nor does He change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call].  (AMP).

The original application of Romans 11: 29 are the Jewish people, our Elders in the Faith.  But there is also an individual application for all of us.  Rejoice fellow Christians in the gracious mercies of Abba Father.

This Scripture is so critical to my self understanding that when it was revealed to me, I tried to read all the versions of it I saw.
I shudder when I apply this Scripture to myself. I flash back to my high school days when I had a great desire to be a friend and companion of Jesus. I abandoned the dream for many years.  Then many years ago, the dream started slowly but surely to come back to me. Today I regard everything rubbish compared with the hope of knowing the Heart of Jesus intimately, loving Him passionately and following Him everywhere. I want to be a friend and companion of Jesus. Certainly God has not revoked his gracious gifts to me or His calling.

My God, I thank You for Your faithful love and mercies. May Your gifts and call to me not be ineffective in Jesus name. Amen!

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They kept silent.

"Jesus spoke to the scholars of the law and Pharisees in reply, asking,
“Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?”
But they kept silent; so he took the man and, after he had healed him, dismissed him."  (Luke 14: 3 - 4)

Why did they keep silent?  Probably because of malicious intent.  They did not care for the condition of the man with dropsy and watched intently to see what Jesus would do on the Sabbath.

Only a few days ago, we read:
"Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath.  And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect."  (Luke 13: 10 - 11).

The Pharisees and the law makers opposed her healing.

Who are the scholars of the law and Pharisees today?  May we say politicians and law makers, community leaders and all of us who are unaware of the reason for our vocation in life:  to enhance and save lives.  Man needs God today more than ever before in the history of the world

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." (John 10: 27).

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First Friday in November: the 4th. Honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

November 4th, 2017 First Friday in November.

The 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus:  Jesus promised 12 special favors to all those who will honor His Sacred Heart especially on the First Friday of every month.  In the 11th month of the year, we look at Promise #11.

#11. "Those who propagate this devotion shall have their name written in My Heart, and it shall never be effaced."

I love this promise. I covet it.  How do I live out this promise?  I invest a tiny amount of money on 500 First Friday cards with the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.   I drop some of the cards in the Narthex of my parish Church and two other Churches during the week.  If I have the opportunity to hand them to someone face to face, I point out Promise #11.

Honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Friday, November 4th.

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For the 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2017/11/the-12-promises-of-sacred-heart-of-jesus.html?m=1

The 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus!!!

Below are the Twelve Promises of the Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary:

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.

5. I will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings.

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

7. Tepid souls shall become fervent.

8. Fervent souls shall speedily rise to great perfection.

9. I will bless the homes in which the image of My Sacred Heart shall be exposed and honored.

10. I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.

11. Those who propagate this devotion shall have their name written in My Heart, and it shall never be effaced.

12. The all-powerful love of My Heart will grant to all those who shall receive Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months the grace of final repentance; they shall not die under My displeasure, nor without receiving their Sacraments; My Heart shall be their assured refuge at that last hour.

+ Imprimatur: E. Morrogh Bernard, Vic. Gen.,  Westmonasterii, 1954

“Jesus knew and loved us each and all during his life, his agony and his Passion, and gave himself up for each one of us.  ‘The Son of God ….loved me and gave himself for me.’  He has loved us all with a human heart.  For this reason, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pierced by our sins and for our salvation, ‘is quite rightly considered the chief sign and symbol of that …. love with which the divine Redeemer continually loves the eternal Father and all human beings’ without exception.”  (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #478

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Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed.

"The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. (Wisdom 3: 1 - 3).

Today is All Souls Day. The Church commemorates All the Faithful Departed this Day. Who are the Souls involved here? Let the Church speak:

"All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven."  (CCC 1030)

Also:

"The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned..... (CCC 1031).

"But they are in peace."  ( Wisdom 3: 3)
The souls in Purgatory are in peace because they hope that one day, they will be welcomed into Heaven.

"Brothers and sisters:
Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our heart through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us."  (Romans 5: 5).

"Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."  (Matthew 25: 34).

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Solemnity of All Saints.

"After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands."  (Revelation 7: 9).

The Church celebrates the Solemnity of All Saints today.  A holy day of obligation.

Who are the Saints? Our brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, children, neighbors, ancestors who have died and are already enjoying the blessed assurance of immortality.

How can one join the club?
“[Saints] are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."  (Revelation 7: 14).

What does the above Scripture mean? This world is not our home. We are on a long Journey? There will be delays, disappointments, obstacles, frustrations, bumps, hunger, wars, refugees, immigrants dumped on us on the way.  How do you handle these unforeseen developments? How you do cope with these makes you a Saint or not.

"As we adore you, O God, who alone are holy and wonderful in all your Saints, we implore your grace,
so that, coming to perfect holiness in the fullness of your love,
we may pass from this pilgrim table
to the banquet of our heavenly homeland.
Through Christ our Lord."  (Prayer after Communion on All Saints).

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My friend, wait for the Lord with courage.

"For in this hope we were saved.But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?  But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."  (Romans 8: 24 - 25).

Beautiful HOPE has been the dominant theme since we started reading Romans in daily liturgical cycle. I hope you are uplifted by the message. You must be if you nurse some secret hope in your heart.  I am immersed in immense joy and consolation.  As a young school boy, we bantered with this phrase frequently:  "Where there is hope, there is life."  How true! But the Bible puts it better:  "Hope never fails." (Romans 5: 5).

The Prophet Jeremiah who suffered a great deal and waited and waited for the Lord, knew one or two things about trusting, hoping and waiting.  He committed his experience in these immortal words :

“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit."  (Jeremiah 17: 7 - 8).

"Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord."  (Psalm 27: 14)

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Woman, you are free of your infirmities.

"Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath.  And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect."  (Luke 13: 10 - 11).

This story of a woman incapable of standing erect reminds me of Caroline.  Caroline was in her seventies when I met her in morning Mass.  After the Mass, she approached me and gave me a  miraculous medal. I accepted it and believed her testimony about it. Although I upgraded the medal and the chain, the miraculous medal found a comfortable home around my neck for the past 20 years.

Although Caroline may still be bent over, Jesus must have said to her before we met:  “Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.”  (Luke 13: 12). Our greatest infirmities are not bodily but spiritual.  St Paul teaches:  "For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, “Abba, Father!”  (Romans 8: 15).

Abba Father, give us the light, the grace, and the power of the Holy Spirit!  Strengthen us in this Spirit, that we may never lose Him, never sadden Him, and never allow Him to become weaker in us. Amen.

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No possibility of migration, no Church.

“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the greatest and the first commandment.  The second is like it:  You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  (Matthew 22:  37 - 39).

Who is your neighbor? How do you love him?

"You shall not oppress or afflict a resident alien, for you were once aliens residing in the land of Egypt. You shall not wrong any widow or orphan.  If ever you wrong them and they cry out to me, I will surely listen to their cry.  My wrath will flare up, and I will kill you with the sword; then your own wives will be widows, and your children orphans."  (Exodus 22:  20 - 23).

Why did God bless America more than other nations. Certainly not because we are the most hard working or honest. It is because our forebears who never forgot they were immigrants opened their hearts to migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

God is good and powerful enough to create a world without the necessity for migrations.  But for His own mysterious purposes, He created a world where like the poor, the migrants will always be with us whether we like it or not.

Migrants in the Bible:
Mary, Joseph and Jesus.
Abraham and Jacob.
David
All the 12 Apostles.

Without the possibility of migration, the Church would have died in infancy when Rome destroyed Jerusalem completely in 70 AD.

"This I command you:  Love one another."  (John 15: 17).

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After an entire night spent in prayer, Jesus chose 12 ordinary men whom He made pillars and foundation of of His Church.

"Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God.
When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:
Simon, whom he named Peter,............ Simon who was called a Zealot and Judas the son of James...... ( Luke 6: 12 - 16).

Jesus called the 12 after a  night spent in prayer to His heavenly Father.  He chose twelve men who had been with Him from the Baptism of John. He chose them to become the pillar and foundation of the truth, the Church.  Today is the feast of Simon and Jude, two of the Apostles chosen by Jesus.

"These are the holy men
whom the Lord chose in his own perfect love; to them he gave eternal glory."  (Entrance Antiphon of the feast).

"O God, who by the blessed Apostles have brought us to acknowledge your name,
graciously grant, through the intercession of Saints Simon and Jude, that the Church may constantly grow by increase of the peoples who believe in you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever."  (Collect of the feast).

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Who can save me from the principle of sin in me?

"For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing."  (Romans 7: 18 - 19).

How difficult and near impossibility it is for you and me to conform our will to the will of God. Have you ever found yourself confessing the same sin again and again. This is the perpetual conflict between nature and grace. Long after we become believers and are "saved," we discover this principle at work in us:  "Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.  For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me."  (Romans 7: 22 - 23).  Addiction to depravity? You guessed it.

What does it mean then? An unfinished business about our salvation? Yes indeed. This is the experience of Paul the Apostle. This rabid attraction to evil in every human being is called concupiscence.

How do we win? Again the experience of St Paul:
"What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?  Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7: 24 - 25).

Moses brought the Law. Grace and mercy comes through Jesus. (Cf John 1: 17). How then do we gain access into the unlimited mercy of God? The ABC of Mercy:

Ask for mercy.
Be merciful.
Completely trust Jesus for mercy.

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The world needs the Good News.

"The wages of sin is death."  (Romans 6: 23).

"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." (1 Timothy 1: 15).

Sin is at the very heart of the the Incarnation and the Paschal Mystery.  Without the tragedy of Sin, the Word would never have become flesh. There would never have been Mary, Peter and Paul, Pontius Pilate. There would never have been the Church.

Now consider this triangle:
SIN * SUFFERING *  SALVATION.

The wages of Sin is death. Can anybody doubt this? Watch the TV. See the brokenness in families. What do you make of the massive opioid addiction? And the total despair in a large segment of the population.  The condition produced by all these tragedies cause deaths. But worst still, they cause death by slow motion.

"But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  (Romans 6: 23).

This is the GOOD NEWS!

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Lord You gave me $50,000 to trade with,...

"Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more."  (Luke 12: 48).

All gifts come from God. All time, talent and treasure. (James 1: 17).
A wealthy landlord distributed seed money to three of his servants. He gave $50,000 to one, $20,000 to another and $10,000 to the third servant. Each according to his talent.

God expects a faithful servant to make a good return on investment.   St Catherine of Sienna, St Teresa of Avila and St Thèrese of Lisieux were given modest capital. They all made  huge return on investment. Jesus Christ was very delighted. He raised the three to the Altar as saints and made each of them Doctor of the Church.

Your Lord will come on an unexpected day for the accounting of your time, talent and treasure.

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Be prepared for everything. Be prepared at all times. Be prepared wherever you are.

 “Gird your loins and light your lamps  and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.  Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival."  (Luke 12:  35 - 37).

We all know that life is a Journey. Our destination is Heaven. When does the critical transition happen? Nobody knows. The One who knows will never let us into the secret. But He gives us the next best thing. Since you do not know when the bus will arrive, if you do not want to miss it, you must wait for it with critical discipline as if your very life depends on catching Bus #777.

Be ready at all times.
Be ready for anything.
Be ready anywhere you may be.

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You too can imitate the Faith of Abraham.

"Abraham did not doubt God’s promise in unbelief; rather, he was empowered by faith and gave glory to God and was fully convinced that what God had promised he was also able to do.
That is why it was credited to him as righteousness."  (Romans 4: 20 - 22).

Regard the faith of Abraham as the gold standard and emulate it.

What is Promise?
What is Faith?
What is the difference between Faith and Unbelief?
Why is Faith so pleasing to God and why is it so highly rewarded?
What is righteousness? How do you become righteous in the Eyes of God?

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Never give to Caesar what belongs to God.

“Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God.” (Matthew 22:21)

Caesar represents earthly powers and governments. Christ says that we must recognize the rights of earthly powers and governments. Scripture teaches that God installs governments. All power comes from God.  (Cf Romans 13: 1).  We are not only to obey them but we are urged to pray for them. (Cf 1 Timothy 2: 1 - 2).

What belongs to Caesar?
Work: Monday to Saturday.
taxes, civil obedience, etc.

We offer to God what is properly His. This includes:
Obedience, Worship, Prayer, Love.

Is there a conflict? When Caesar wants what belongs to God, the Christian must say no. We must obey God rather than man, St. Peter said.  (Acts 5: 29).  Jesus Christ foreseeing the conflict urges his follower not to fear the person who can destroy the body and can do nothing more. The person to fear is God, who can destroy body and soul in hell.  (Matthew 10: 28).

The martyrs of the Church never tried to deprive Caesar of what belongs to him. It was always Caesar who keeps what belongs to him and wants to deprive the creator of what belongs to Him.

Consider something that belongs to God that is very dear to His Heart.
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy."  (Exodus 20: 28).

This is what the Church teaches on keeping holy the Lord's Day.

"On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord's Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body. Family needs or important social service can legitimately excuse from the obligation of Sunday rest. The faithful should see to it that legitimate excuses do not lead to habits prejudicial to religion, family life, and health.

The charity of truth seeks holy leisure - the necessity of charity accepts just work."  (CCC 2185).

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Only in God can I hope against hope.

"He believed, hoping against hope,
that he would become the father of many nations, according to what was said, Thus shall your descendants be."  (Romans 4: 17 - 18).

What does it mean to hope against hope? Have you ever hoped against hope? Yes I have. A couple of times  I was in a situation where no hope or remedy could be expected. Even in such dire situation, in rear sight, I saw a tiny flicker of hope.
Hope like faith and love are theological virtues.  They are supernatural gifts.  Direct gifts of God Himself. "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who builds." (Psalm 127: 1).

How can we believe that God will give us the gifts of Faith, Hope and Charity? Because when we believe and become reconciled to God, God gave us the Holy Spirit to live inside us.  The presence of the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of these supernatural gifts.

"Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."  (Romans 5: 5 NKJV).

The nature of God is to keep His promises come what may.  And "The Lord remembers his covenant for ever."Psalm 105: 8).

"May your grace, O Lord, we pray,
at all times go before us and follow after and make us always determined to carry out good works.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever."  (Collect : Saturday of 28th Week).

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Divine Providence is the sweetest Doctrine of our Faith.

"Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins?  Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God.  Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows."  (Luke 12: 6 - 7).

It amazes me every day I think of this truth of our faith:  Our God micro manages our lives. This is called Divine Providence, the sweetest doctrine of our Faith. God did not create and dump us to get on with life.  Not at all. He provides step-by-step directions and moment by moment protection. The Church Fathers and the Doctors of the Church treat the Doctrine of Divine Providence with such lavish joy.  Here is what the Church teaches today about Divine Providence:

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church :

321 Divine providence consists of the dispositions by which God guides all his creatures with wisdom and love to their ultimate end.

322 Christ invites us to filial trust in the providence of our heavenly Father (cf.Mt 6:26-34), and St. Peter the apostle repeats: "Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you" (I Peter  5:7; cf. Psalm 55:23).

323 Divine providence works also through the actions of creatures. To human beings God grants the ability to cooperate freely with his plans.

324 The fact that God permits physical and even moral evil is a mystery that God illuminates by his Son Jesus Christ who died and rose to vanquish evil. Faith gives us the certainty that God would not permit an evil if he did not cause a good to come from that very evil, by ways that we shall fully know only in eternal life.

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You are not qualified. Try again next year.

"For we consider that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law." (Romans 3: 28 NABRE).

"For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law."  (Romans 3: 28 NIV).

"So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law." (Romans 3: 28 NLT).

For clarity, 3 versions of the key Scripture for today are presented.

Scripture teaches that the just man lives by faith. (Cf Romans 1:17, Hebrews 10: 38, Habakkuk 2: 4).
It means that it is through faith that we appropriate all the promised blessings of God.  We are justified before God by faith in Jesus the Christ.  Another word for justification is qualification. Consider this scenario:

You submit an application for a "job" with God. You are filled with misgivings because you know you are just not qualified. God reviews your application.  He is about to toss it out when He notices where you wrote in the footnote: "I also believe in Jesus Christ."  He smiles and says "That is the only thing I am looking for."

You are now qualified and can ask for any favors.
Our sins disqualify our relationship with God.  We are made righteous  through faith in the death of Jesus the Christ on the cross.  His death paid the debt of Sin.
If you think this is amazingly too simplistic to be true, you are not alone. But believe the Bible, believe the Church: No Justification, No Salvation. No favors.

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The harvest is abundant but the laborers are still very few.

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings of peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation!"  (Isaiah 52: 7).

Such beautiful feet are those of St Luke the Evangelist whose feast we celebrate today. St Luke wrote:    “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest."  (Luke 10: 2).  The Master of the harvest, God the Father sent Luke to preach the word and author the Gospel according to St Luke. A few words on the profile of St Luke is in order here.

According to Tradition, St Luke is a Gentile physician. When he heard the Good News, he abandoned his medical practice and attached himself to St Paul as his traveling companion. He demonstrated a thorough research and an eye to detail in his subjects.  He showed a preferential option for the poor, women and sinners. Without St Luke, our knowledge of the life and work of Jesus Christ would be poorer.

“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few."  (Luke 10: 2).  It was so in the beginning. It is still so today.
So many people in our communities no longer consider themselves members of any Church and live lives far removed from the Gospel of Christ. How do we reach these people? This is the challenge for you and me. Whatever answer you have, consider Prayer as the first tool.

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The word of God is living and effective.

 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes."  (Romans 1: 16).

The consequence of St Paul not being ashamed of the Good News is that St Paul evangelized or shared the Gospel day and night, season and out of season. (Acts 4: 2, 1 Thessalonians 2: 9).  Paul advised Timothy and us to follow his example (2 Timothy 4: 2).

Are you ashamed of sharing the Gospel?  How enthusiastic are you in sharing it at home, school, work and everywhere?

"But whoever denies me before people I, too, will deny before my Father in heaven."  (Matthew 10: 33).

The Bible has more to say about people who refuse to acknowledge God and give Him honor and glory:

"For although they knew God they did not accord him glory as God or give him thanks. Instead, they became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless minds were darkened.  While claiming to be wise, they became fools  and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of an image of mortal man or of birds or of four-legged animals or of snakes."  (Romans 1: 21 - 23).

Lord Jesus, save us from this fate by all means.

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We remember and honor a holy Virgin of Jesus Christ.

"How beautiful you are, O Virgin of Christ, who were worthy to receive the Lord's crown 👑, the crown of perpetual virginity."  (Entrance Antiphon, feast of St Margaret Mary Alacoque. Monday, 28th Week of Ordinary Time).

Why should a young, beautiful and sane woman abandon the joys and romance of marriage and motherhood to become one of the Virgins of Jesus Christ?
Because of something more:

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life."  (Matthew 19: 29).

The Church rejoices with St Margaret Mary, Virgin and Visionary on the occasion of her feast day.

"Pour out on us, we pray, O Lord, the spirit with which You so remarkably endowed St Margaret Mary, so that we may come to know that love of Christ which surpasses all understanding and be utterly filled with Your fullness. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."  (Collect, Feast of St Margaret Mary).

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The invited guests refused to come.

The Gospel this Sunday (Matthew 22: 1- 14) is a sad parable to read.
The President gave a wedding feast for his son. The invited guests refused to come. He sent another reminder:  "Everything is ready; come to the feast." They ignored the invitation, gave insulting excuses  and to add insult to injury abused the official messengers.

Now consider this:
"On this mountain the Lord of Hosts will provide for all peoples
A feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines."  (Isaiah 25: 6)

Before the Lord provided a feast of rich food and choice wine, before He gave the wedding feast for His son, He had made a provision for the Day:
"Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy."  (Exodus 20: 8).

The Sabbath Day, Sunday is a Day of Rest and festivities. The biggest feast is the Eucharist. The parable in Matthew 22: 1 - 14, reflects what happens today.  The invited guests refuse to come. But why?

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Yes, I believe. Let it be done for me exactly as You promised.

"While Jesus was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.”
He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”  (Luke 11: 27 - 28).

What did this pious woman observe in Jesus that filled her with awe and wonder in this truly awesome personality. She probably sensed in her inner spirit, an indefinable person in whom the Eternal Word became flesh. The Christus? The Messiah? Some great Prophet? We may never know. It is the response of Jesus to this lady that we shall consider briefly.

"Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”  (Luke 11: 28).

Who is the original target of the word?  Mary the Mother of Jesus. The Angel Gabriel brought a message to her from Abba Father. You Mary will become pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit and give birth to a little boy, who will be called Jesus. Mary replied:
"I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true."  (Luke 1: 38).

Are you capable of such a faith?
When God told Cyrus King of Persia: "I will make you a powerful king and use you to end the Babylonian captivity of my people." Cyrus believed God. (Cf Isaiah 44: 28).
A young man not overly religious like Cyrus rose up one day and told us some ten years ago that he was destined to be the President of the United States of America. He believed this. Just like Cyrus, the rest is history.

Mary is the Ideal and Exemplar of listening to the word of God and observing it.

Who are the losers? Those who listen to the word of man (TV, News, Gossips) more than they listen to the word of God.

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Remember the Four Last Things.

"The Lord will judge the world with justice.

"I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart;
I will declare all your wondrous deeds.
I will be glad and exult in you;
I will sing praise to your name, Most High.

"You rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;
their name you blotted out forever and ever.

"But the LORD sits enthroned forever; he has set up his throne for judgment.
He judges the world with justice;
he governs the peoples with equity.

The Lord will judge the world with justice."  (Psalm 9: 2 - 3, 6, 8 - 9)

Today's Responsorial Psalm reminds us of the Four Last Things:
Death, Judgment, Heaven or Hell.

While nobody can escape these, the Scriptures comfort us by reminding us that God tempers justice with mercy.  Remember therefore the ABC of Mercy:

Ask for Mercy.
Be Merciful.
Completely trust Jesus for Mercy.

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God is yearning and waiting for you to ask Him small and big favors.

“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."  (Luke 11: 9 - 10).

The above Scripture, the greatest encouragement to prayer is well known. But do you believe it?  Or do you think that answers to prayer is reserved for a lucky few?
Please note that in Luke 11: 9 - 10, it is God Himself who makes the promise without pressure or any showmanship. God is not running for election to claim what He could never do. In brief, God never lies.
"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).

God wants us to ask Him for everything we need.  He knows that there is no better way to grow in faith than to experience the pure joy of answered prayer.  Saints append Luke 11: 9 - 10 at the end of their petitions. The Church prays in like manner.  Call this: the ground for confidence in prayer. God Never Fails! Period!!!

Let us thank God for the gift of Prayer. Without this gift, we will all be Unbelievers.

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Simple rules of Prayer

“Lord, teach us to pray...... When you pray, say:"  Then Jesus gave His disciples the Lord's Prayer, "the most perfect of prayers" (CCC 2763). Let us consider a few points about Prayer.

#1.  Nowhere in Scriptures did Jesus teach that work is a  necessity. He taught that Prayer is a vital necessity:  "Then he told them a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary."  (Luke 18: 1).

#2.  The experience of saints confirm the ancient axiom that a spiritual warrior advances on his knees.  "With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication.." (Ephesians 6: 18).

#3.  The fruit of prayer is peace.
"The fruit of Silence is prayer.The fruit of Prayer is faith.The fruit of Faith is love.The fruit of Love is service.The fruit of Service is peace." (Mother St Teresa of Kolkata). Everything in fact starts with Prayer.

Now let us consider the environment of Prayer.  We may call it the 4 S of Prayer. All begin with S for sacred. Sacred means set apart for a holy purpose.

1. Sacred Time:  Do you have a specific and fixed time set aside for prayer? If you don't, it will be hard to form the habit of Prayer.
2. Sacred Place:  Where do you pray? Whenever I come to a new place like a hotel room, I consecrate a part of the room for Prayer by spreading what the Moslems call the prayer mat.  In my case, I place a Bible, candle 🕯, crucifix, Rosary and a spiritual book on the table.
3. Sacred Intention: Prayer time is communion with God and my mind must be cleared of all distractions. 
4.  Sacred Posture: There is a posture for prayer and a posture for watching television or chatting with your buddy.  If you have the privilege of being in the Oval Office, how do you stand or sit?  Kings David and Solomon knelt and prostrated before Almighty God. Jesus adopted a posture of filial humility before His heavenly Father.
Cause no harm when you pray.

Saints teach us that if we understand the meaning of the Lord's Prayer and say it with faith and humility, that is the only prayer we will ever need.

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Be still and know that I am God.

"Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.”  The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”  (Luke 10: 40 - 42).

Jesus lays down this judgment: Between Martha and Mary, it is Mary who is smarter.  You may argue, but this is the word of God. Remember too that God says:

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways—oracle of the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts."  (Isaiah 55: 8 - 9).

Martha was so anxious to offer Jesus her renowned gift of hospitality that she missed the gift of the word of God which Jesus brought to her home. 🌿.
Allow God to bless you with His gifts.

"For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel:
By waiting and by calm you shall be saved, in quiet and in trust shall be your strength.
But this you did not will."  (Isaiah 30: 15)

“Lord, Lord, King and Ruler of all, everything is in your power, and there is no one to oppose you when it is your will to save Israel.  You made heaven and earth and every wonderful thing under heaven.  You are Lord of all, and there is no one who can resist you, the Lord.  You know all things."  (Esther 4: 2 - 5)

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In my distress, I cried for help, the Lord heard me.

"Out of my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me;
From the midst of the nether world I cried for help, and you heard my voice."  (Jonah 2: 3).

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O Israel, what does your God require of you today?

"During the Babylonian captivity, the exiles prayed:
“Justice is with the Lord, our God;
and we today are flushed with shame, we men of Judah and citizens of Jerusalem, that we, with our kings and rulers and priests and prophets, and with our ancestors, have sinned in the Lord’s sight and disobeyed him.
We have neither heeded the voice of the Lord, our God, nor followed the precepts which the Lord set before us.
From the time the Lord led our ancestors out of the land of Egypt
until the present day, we have been disobedient to the Lord, our God, and only too ready to disregard his voice."  (Baruch 1: 15 - 19).

What is going on here? The Israelites had lived outside the Law for a long time.  The prophets and priests sent to them by the Lord Yahweh spoke and screamed but to deaf ears.
A wise proverb says: "Everyday for the thief but one day for the owner of the house."  When God decided to strike, it was by the way of a very long and painful exile. Consider our country here and now.

Weeks after the 9/11 event, the significance and message of the historic event was accurately discerned by many people. Then the empire struck back by means of the powerful Media. The Church was tongue-tied and could not fight back. The opportunity of a Revival riding on the back of 9/11 was lost. But our God is a God of a Second Chance.

O Israel, what does Your God require of you?
Ask for Mercy.
Be Merciful.
Completely trust Jesus for Mercy.

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The Joy of the Lord is your strength.

"Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the Lord is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8: 10).

The power of joy is unbelievable.  Do you know that you can have a powerful ministry of joy or cheerfulness?

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"  (Philippians 4: 4).  Joy is contagious. Spread it freely.

St Philip Neri, gifted evangelizer, also known as Apostle of Rome, founder of the the Oratorians was noted for his ministry of cheerfulness. Just by being joyful and cheerful, he attracted many souls to Christ. Joyfulness or cheerfulness is so easy to notice in people. This is why many spiritual writers have identified it as the sure mark of the Holy Spirit in a soul.

"This is what the Sovereign Lord,
the Holy One of Israel, says:
“Only in returning to me
and resting in me will you be saved.
In quietness and confidence is your strength."  (Isaiah 30: 15)

So in quietness, confidence, joy and cheerfulness shall lie your strength.
Do you want to try the Joy Therapy?

"The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart." (Psalm 19: 9).
If you want Joy to permeate your personality, immerse yourself in the word of God. The Holy Spirit will notice and come with other gifts.

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Francis, repair My Church.

“Why do you look sad? If you are not sick, you must be sad at heart.” (Nehemiah 2: 2).

King Artexerxes asked his page, Nehemiah the above question?
Who is Nehemiah? Nehemiah is one of the men God raised up in the Babylonian captivity to shepherd His people in their transition from slavery to freedom. Unlike Ezra the priest, Nehemiah's gift is administration or governance.

"Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!" (Psalm 42 :11 NLT).

"But, O my soul, don’t be discouraged. Don’t be upset. Expect God to act! For I know that I shall again have plenty of reason to praise him for all that he will do. He is my help! He is my God!"  (Psalm 42: 11 TLB).

"If it please the king, send me to the city of my ancestors and I will rebuild it." (Nehemiah 2: 5).
This is Nehemiah's answer to King Artexerxes.

"How could we sing a song of the LORD in a foreign land?
If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand be forgotten!"  (Psalm 137: 4).

Today, October 4th is the Feast of St Francis of Assisi.  Jesus said to him: "Francis, repair My Church."

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Jesus instructed them on what to take for the Journey.

"When the days for his being taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him."  (Luke 9: 51 - 52).

Where there is a Journey, there is a Destination. Biblical narratives are filled with Journeys.  Consider a few:

"Leave your country, your kindred and your father's house for a country which I shall show you." (Genesis 12: 1).

"With their patience worn out by the journey, the people complained against God and Moses."  (Numbers 21: 4).

"But the angel of the LORD came back a second time, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat or the journey will be too much for you!"  (1 Kings 19: 7).

"He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts."  (Mark 6: 8)

Our life by divine providence is a Journey. A Journey where the destination is Heaven and the Way is Jesus Himself. It is a long and hazardous Journey where the sick and feeble die on the road.  The Lord Himself has provided food for the Journey, His own Body and Blood.  "The Eucharist is food for the Journey."  (St Ignatius of Antioch).

Where are you today in your life cycle? Quo vadis?

“Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water?
We are disgusted with this wretched food!” (Numbers  21: 4 -  5 RM)

"Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation.  Through your goodness we have this delay, disappointment, obstacle to offer, let it become for me like a spiritual drink for the Journey." 

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The angels of the little ones behold the Face of God continually.

“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me."  (Matthew 18: 3 - 5)

Jesus praises the humility of a little child.  What is humility?
Just like love, humility is patient and kind.  Humility is not jealous, conceited or proud. It does not keep a record of wrongs. In short, humility is love. 💟.

St Augustine says that Humility is the queen of virtues. He added that you can still get into Heaven by breaking every Commandment in the Book. But you can never get into Heaven without Humility.

Today is the Memorial of Our Guardian Angels.

"O God, who in your unfathomable Providence are pleased to send your holy Angels to guard us,
hear our supplication as we cry to you, that we may always be defended by their protection and rejoice eternally in their company.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever."  (Collect - Feast of the Guardian Angels).

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