Feast of St Philip Neri, Super Priest.

"They were on the way, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus
.... Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them what was going to happen to him.  “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles." (Mark 10: 32 - 33).

Wednesday 26th May 2021, in the 8th Week of Ordinary Time is the feast of St Philip Neri.  (1515 - 1595), Italian Priest.

St Philip Neri was an extraordinary priest filled with the Holy Spirit and ecstatic joy. He founded the Congregation of the Oratory, the same religious community of St John Henry Newman. He converted thousands through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. He was a great catechist and spiritual director. He was noted for his joyful and cheerful disposition which attracted thousands to him. One of my favorite quotes from Philip is:
"One of the very best means of obtaining humility is sincere and frequent confession."

Our key Scripture is Jesus' third prediction of His Passion. It is unthinkable that the disciples could forget such a prediction. Even His foretelling of His Resurrection was totally forgotten. We just celebrated Pentecost after 50 days of the Season of Easter. We all remember that Jesus has risen from the dead.

In what ways is the Risen Jesus available to us. He is no longer available to us in flesh and blood. He is truly present to us in the Eucharist, in the Blessed Sacrament, in His word especially when it is proclaimed in Holy Mass. He is present in us in the Sacrament of the Present Moment when we remember Him and call upon Him.

Let us never forget all these ways Jesus is truly and uniquely present to us. Let us pray to the Holy Spirit to keep this truth alive in us.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Jesus promises full provision in His service plus persecution.

"Peter began to say to him, “We have given up everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come." (Mark 10: 28 - 30).

Tuesday 25th May 2021, in the 8th Week of Ordinary Time is the feast of 3 great saints:

#1. St Bede the Venerable (672 - 735), English Benedictine Priest and Doctor of the Church. Bede was a theologian and is known as Father of English history.

#2. St Gregory VII, (+ 1085),Pope and Monk of Cluny. Gregory incurred the wrath of Emperor Henry IV by fighting against the evils of Lay Investiture. The Emperor exiled him to Salerno where he died.

#3. St Mary Magdalene de Pazzi (1566 - 1607), Italian Carmelite from Florence. Great ascetic. Worked untiringly for the renewal of the Church.

Our key Scripture for today is a tremendous promise of our Lord Jesus Christ. This promise motivated His disciples to join the Jesus Revolution. It still motivates the young novice in 2021 and the missionary packing her bag today for a missionary field in a distant land. Jesus promises that anyone who leaves everything for His "sake and for the sake of the gospel will receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands." 

How do we know that such promise is true? Is there any proof that it has ever been fulfilled in the past? The answer is:

#1. If the promise has never been fulfilled, there will be no new missionaries or martyrs in the Church. There are new missionaries every day and people are laying down their lives for Jesus Christ every day. 

#2. Our saints of today: Magdalene de Pazzi, Pope St Gregory VII and Venerable Bede are proofs of disciples who have tested eternal life in this world and are today enjoying it in Heaven.

What is eternal life? Eternal or Abundant life is to be filled with the Holy Spirit and with His gifts and fruits. This life is compatible with the suffering that Jesus promises His disciples in our key Scripture: The great promise comes "with persecutions."

Can you take this? 

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com 

The Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church.

"Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala.  When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”  Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home." (John 19: 25 - 27).

Monday May 24th 2021, in the 1st Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. Our Blessed Mother has many titles:

Mother of Christ
Mother of the Church
MOTHER of Mercy
Mother of divine grace
MOTHER of Hope
Mother most pure
Mother most chaste
Mother inviolate
Mother undefiled,
Mother most amiable
Mother most admirable,
Mother of good Counsel
Mother of our Creator
Mother of our Savior.

The feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church was promulgated by Pope Francis in 2018 to be celebrated all over the world on the Monday after the Solemnity of the Pentecost.

At the Annunciation, the young Mary accepted to be the Mother of the Savior: "Be it done to me according to Your word."  At the foot of the Cross of Jesus, Mary nodded silently when Jesus said: "Woman, behold your son." John the Apostle represents the Church. And Mary becomes the Mother of the Church.

The Church prays in her Collect of today's feast:
"O God, Father of mercies,
whose Only Begotten Son, as he hung upon the Cross, chose the Blessed Virgin Mary, his Mother,
to be our Mother also, grant, we pray, that with her loving help your Church may be more fruitful day by day and, exulting in the holiness of her children, may draw to her embrace all the families of the peoples...."

Mary Mother of the Church, pray for us.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

The Solemnity of Pentecost.

 “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me.  And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning." (John 15: 26 - 27).

Sunday 23rd May 2021, the Solemnity of Pentecost, the Birthday of the Church.

My friends, the waiting is over. The promise has been fulfilled. If you thirsted for the Spirit, you are now filled. Brethren, this is Pentecost! This is the Birthday of our Mother, the Church. She is Mother and our Teacher. Very old and ever young and beautiful. Virgin and Mother of many children. Queen of Peace and Seat of Wisdom. Happy Birthday Mother Church! 🎂🎂🎂🌹🌹🌹❤️❤️❤️

The Holy Spirit descended on the disciples in the Cenacle "like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were." (Acts 2: 2). The waiting and praying are over. The Father has delivered the Big Gift He promised.

"The Spirit prepares men and goes out to them with his grace, in order to draw them to Christ. The Spirit manifests the risen Lord to them, recalls his word to them and opens their minds to the understanding of his Death and Resurrection." (CCC 737).

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

The Feast of St Rita of Cascia.

 "It is this disciple who testifies to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true.  There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written." (John 21: 24 - 25)

Saturday May 22nd 2021, 7th Week in the Easter Season is also the feast of the Italian mystic, St Rita of Cascia (1381 - 1457), Augustinian nun. Rita was able to stop a vendetta between the relations of her murdered husband and the murderers. That was a feat in those days. Rita subsequently entered a convent where she spent 40 years in contemplation, austerities and service to the poor and sick.

We summarize our understanding of the two verses of the key Scripture thus: The word of God, Sacred Tradition and Apostolic Magisterium.

#1. The word of God: John the Evangelist testifies to the veracity of the word of God he committed to writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
#2. Sacred Tradition: John warns that it is an error to limit God's word to what is written. There is so much more. The Holy Spirit is promised to lead the Church into the fullness of truth.
#3. Apostolic Magisterium: Anyone who doubts that full teaching authority is given to the Apostles headed by St Peter and his successors should read the New Testament prayerfully. This authority was foreshadowed in the Old Testament by the authority given to Moses and the Prophets to teach and interpret Scripture. God is not the author of confusion.

On the eve of Pentecost, let us pray to God to restore unity of heart and mind in the Church.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Feed My sheep.

“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” (John 21: 15).

Friday 21st May 2021, in the 7th Week of Easter is also the feast of St Christopher Megallanes (1869 - 1927), Priest and his companions martyrs. The Mexican government was very anti-Catholic and anti clerical in the 1920s.  It massacred 21 priests and 3 lay men during the Cristeros movement.

Peter denied Jesus three times. After the Resurrection, Jesus met the Apostles on the shores of Lake Tiberius. Jesus offered Peter the opportunity for complete reconciliation. Peter confirmed three times that he loves Jesus dearly. Jesus confirmed Peter's leadership of the Church.

What if Jesus asks us: Do you love me more than your family? Do you love me more than your job, money, country? Consider carefully how you respond to the Lord. Peter was very presumptuous before the Passion of Christ to claim that he loved Jesus more than the rest of the Apostles.

Our love for Jesus may not be perfect. But this love can grow through our openness to receive the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. The highest proof of love is for a man to lay down his life for his friends. This is what our saints of the day did. St Christopher Magallanes and his 21 companion martyrs laid down their lives for their faith in Jesus in Mexico.  As Tertulian prophesied: "The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christianity."

St Peter and the other Apostles would lay down their lives to prove their love for Christ.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Feast of St Bernardine of Siena, Franciscan Friar.

"I pray..... so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me." (John 17: 21).

Thursday 20th May 2021, in the 7th Week of Easter is the feast of St Bernardine of Siena (1380 - 1444). Italian Franciscan Priest. St Bernardine had a great charism for preaching. During his relatively short life, he was able to evangelize all Italy. Below is a snippet from his biography.

"When other priests consulted him for advice, Bernardine gave them a simple rule: “In all your actions, seek in the first place the kingdom of God and his glory. Direct all you do purely to his honor. Persevere in brotherly charity, and practice first all that you desire to teach others.”

Bernardine came down to us in history for his special love for the holy name of Jesus.
Here is a great quote from St Bernardine on the name of Jesus:

“The name of Jesus, is in fact,
the great foundation of the faith
that turns people into children of God.
The Catholic Faith indeed,
consists in the news of Jesus Christ, as light of the soul, gate of life and foundation of eternal salvation.”

In our key Scripture for today, Jesus prayed for Church Unity. He wants Christians to be of one heart and one mind so that the world would look at Christians and see Jesus in us.  The standard for this unity is: "Just as you [Father] are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me."
Today there may be more than 60,000 denominations in the world.  You may wonder: What type of answer is this to prayer? This is surely mystery of Divine Providence.

One of the greatest obstacles to Unity is that a sizable number of denominations do not believe in the type of Unity that Jesus prayed for His Church. Number one obstacle without doubt is Sin. Sin exists in all churches. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit deals  with sins in the churches. We may still hope to see visible unity in our lifetime.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Lord Jesus, consecrate us in the truth.

"Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth." (John 17: 17).

Wednesday 19th May 2021, in the 7th Week of Easter.

In the high priestly prayer on the night before His Passion, Jesus prayed to His Father that His disciples should be consecrated in the truth. God's word is truth. Jesus, the Word of God is truth. To consecrate means to set apart, to sanctify, to purify for holy purposes.

Have you ever seen a new Altar or Chalice consecrated by the Bishop? It is a worthwhile experience. It will help to appreciate the prayer of Jesus in our key Scripture. What will you do if you walk into your church and find gansters partying around the Altar and drinking beer with the Chalice. Calling the police will not make the Altar and Chalice pure, holy and consecrated again. The sacred objects have been desecrated. They have been made unholy through sacrilegious action. The Bishop may  order both objects to be destroyed or he may decide to reconsecrate the expensive Altar and have the Chalice destroyed and buried.

You are consecrated by your Baptism for Mission and Witness. When one fails through a serious sin, the person has become desecrated. Our Supreme High Priest, Jesus the Christ who delights in mercy has made provision for our re-consecration through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

When you live as one consecrated to the truth, you will avoid conforming yourself to the ways and habits of this world. Rather through daily renewal of your mind by the word of God the Holy Spirit will transform your mind. When being fed by the Scriptures becomes your habitual manner of living, discerning what is the will of God for you becomes a habit. The will of God is our peace and prosperity.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Feast of Pope St John I, Martyr.

"Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ." (John 17: 3).

Tuesday 18th May 2021, in the 7th Week of Eastertide is the feast of Pope St John 1, (+ 526). Martyr. St John was martyred by the Arian King Theodoric.

Before expositing on our key Scripture for today, let us look at an alternative translation:

"And this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent." (AMPC).

Let us consider a number of points about eternal life:

#1. What type of knowledge of God and Christ leads to eternal life? It is not book knowledge. Like knowing the facts in the Catechism. It is to know and experience God as God. It is knowledge mixed with faith. It is also knowledge that engenders love.

#2. Eternal life actually begins here and now. It begins when you are baptized and maintains the original innocence and purity of that state. Because God is rich in mercy, He established the Sacrament of Confession as the means of restoring the original innocence and purity.

#3. Eternal life is to know deeply that you are enjoying the Abundant Life promised by Jesus in John 10: 10. Jesus also promised: “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid." (John 14: 27 TLB).

#4. Eternal life is the awareness and enjoyment of the presence of the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of abundant and eternal life.

St Catherine of Siena, a great Mystic and Doctor of the Church says that Eternal life starts here and continues all the way to eternity.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Holy Spirit Novena

HOLY SPIRIT NOVENA 2021

Novena to the

Holy Spirit

Begin by reciting the following prayer...

O Holy Spirit, Divine Consoler!

I adore you as my True God.

I bless You by uniting myself to the praises

You receive from the angels and saints.

I offer You my whole heart,

and I render You heartfelt thanks

for all the benefits You have bestowed 

and do unceasingly bestow upon the world.

You are the author of all supernatural gifts

and who did enrich with immense favors the soul

of the Blessed Virgin Mary,

the Mother of God,

I beseech you to visit me by Your grace and Your love,

and grant me the favor

I so earnestly seek in this novena...

State your request here...

O Holy Spirit,

spirit of truth,

come into our hearts:

shed the brightness of your light on all nations,

that they may be of one faith and pleasing to You.

Amen.

Come, O Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of your faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

Recite the prayer of the appropriate day...

DAY ONE

O Holy Spirit,

bestow upon us Your seven holy gifts.

Enlighten our understanding that we may know You.

Give us wisdom that Your will may be clear to us

and that we may accept it.

Grant us the gift of counsel

that we may always perceive what is right.

Fortify us that we may always be capable

of fulfilling Your Divine Will.

Inspire us with the spirit of learning

that we may be able to penetrate more deeply

into the truths that You have revealed.

Let our hearts be steeped in the spirit of childlikeness

that we may bring You joy.

Let us have proper fear of God

that we may never grieve You

or wander from the path of goodness.

Give us the fullness of Your gifts

that we may glorify You.

Amen.

Look with compassion upon us,

O Holy Spirit,

and grant us the favor we seek in this novena...

State your request here...

if it be in accordance with Your Holy Will.

DAY TWO

O Holy Spirit,

make me faithful in every thought,

and grant that I may always listen to your voice,

and watch for Your light,

and follow Your gracious inspirations.

I cling to You,

and give myself to You,

and ask You by Your compassion

to watch over me in my weakness.

Holding the pierced feet of Jesus,

looking at His Five Wounds,

trusting in His Precious Blood,

adoring His opened side and stricken heart,

I implore You adorable Spirit,

helper of my infirmity,

to keep me in Your grace,

now and always,

and grant us the favor we ask in this novena...

State your request here...

Amen.

Come, O Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of Your faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

DAY THREE

Heavenly Father,

You have called me to be a member

of the mystical body of Your Son, Jesus Christ,

and to be a temple of the Holy Spirit.

I ask You to give me these gifts of the Holy Spirit:

wisdom, that I may understand the follies of this world;

understanding, that I may grasp more fully

the meaning of my existence

and the purpose of all things in the world;

counsel, that I may always choose the proper way;

fortitude, that I may remain faithful to You

under the pressure of temptation.;

piety, that I may revere You in all I do, think or say;

fear of the Lord, that should the motive of love fail me,

I may quickly be awakened to the eternal consequences of my deeds.

Visit me by Your grace

and Your love

and grant me the favor I so earnestly seek in this novena...

State your request here...

Amen.

Come, O Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of Your faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

DAY FOUR

O God, Who today by the light of the Holy Spirit

did instruct the hearts of the faithful,

give us, by the light of the same Holy Spirit,

a love for what is right and just

and a constant enjoyment of His comforts.

Pray Holy Spirit,

that I may strive to learn more of my faith;

that I may ever be conscious that reason in all

its human magnificence is capable of grasping 

but a glimpse of the reality that is God.

Pray that I may accept as the motto of my life:

"All for the greater glory of God"

and grant me the favor I so earnestly seek in this novena...

State your request here...

Amen.

Come, O Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of Your faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

DAY FIVE

Come, O Spirit of sanctity,

from the glory of heaven

and send forth the radiance of Your light.

Father of all the poor,

light and peace of all hearts,

come with Your countless gifts.

Consoler in desolation; 

refreshment full of loveliness, 

come dear friend of my soul. 

In weariness send repose; 

breath gently cool refreshing breeze; 

console the desolate who weep alone. 

Light of Beatitude, 

make our hearts ready; 

come enter our souls. 

Without Your grace, 

man stands alone; 

he cannot be good or sure. 

Cleanse what is soiled; 

heal what is wounded; 

moisten what is arid. 

Bend the stubborn will; 

warm the cold heart; 

guide the wandering footstep. 

O Holy Spirit, 

we beg You to give us grace through Your sevenfold power 

and grant me the favor I so earnestly seek in this novena...

State your request here...

Give us merit for the present, 

and one day beatitude when we have finished our earthly journey.

Amen.

Come, O Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of Your faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

DAY SIX

O Father in Heaven,

I beg You to send the Holy Spirit.

May Your Holy Spirit remind me 

when I am apt to forget Your law.

Your love, Your promises.

May Your Holy Spirit strengthen my memory 

to recall frequently Your sanctity, 

omniscience, wisdom, and goodness,

faithfulness, and love.

May Your Holy Spirit encourage me when I am slothful;

strengthen me when I am weak;

enlighten me when I no longer can help myself.

Breathe into me, O Holy Spirit, 

that I may do what is holy.

Stir me, that I may love what is holy.

Strengthen me, that I may preserve what is holy.

Protect me, Holy Spirit, 

that I may never lose what is holy 

and grant me the favor I so earnestly seek in this novena...

State your request here...

Amen.

Come, O Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of Your faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

DAY SEVEN

Come, Holy Spirit,

creator of all things: 

come visit our hearts with Your power. 

Fill with grace, friendly guest, 

the hearts which You have created. 

You are called the Consoler, 

gift from the hand of God, 

source of life, light, love, 

and flame, highest good. 

You are the pledge of sevenfold grace, 

finger of the Father’s hand, 

promised us by Him, 

and You make our tongues speak the truth. 

Cast light on our senses, 

pour love into our hearts. 

Grant our weak bodies strength 

that they may never grow weary of doing good 

and grant me the favor I so earnestly seek in this novena...

State your request here...

Keep the enemy far from us, 

give us peace always, 

let us willingly follow in Your footsteps 

that we may be far removed from sin. 

Grant that through You 

we may grow in knowledge of the Father and of the Son, 

and that we may ever strongly believe in You, 

the Spirit of both. 

Praise and honor be forever to the Father on the highest throne, 

in the risen Son of God, 

in the Consoler.

Amen.

Come, O Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of Your faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

DAY EIGHT

O Holy Spirit, 

life and light of the Church, 

give us thoughts higher than our own thoughts, 

and prayers better than our own prayers, 

and powers beyond our own powers, 

that we may love and live, 

imitating Jesus Christ, 

our Lord and Savior. 

Come to us, Holy Spirit, 

come with the Father 

and the Son 

and grant me the favor I so earnestly request in this novena...

State your request here...

Vouchsafe to dwell within our souls 

and quickly make our hearts Your own. 

Quench in us the fires of hate and strife, 

the wasting fever of the heart. 

From perils guard our feeble life 

and to our souls Your peace impart. 

Let voice and mind and heart 

and strength confess 

and glorify Your name 

and let the fire of charity burn bright 

and other hearts inflame. 

Amen.

Come, O Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of Your faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

DAY NINE

O Lord, Holy Spirit,

grant me sight to see the wondrous promise of divine love;

insight to see my own weakness;

delight in Your divine presence in my soul

which You have made Your temple through sanctifying grace.

I pray, O Holy Spirit,

that I may be not doubting;

that I be spared the pain of being alone

without trust or hope in Christ;

that my prayer may always be "My Lord and my God!"

I pray that I may acquire a sense of retreat

to prayer and recollection at various times in my daily life;

for prayer is the bond that joins us to Christ.

I pray that I may be aware of the physical needs of the poor

and that I may share what I can with them

in the charitable works of the Church.

I pray, O Holy Spirit,

that You will in Your mercy 

grant me the favor I have sought in this novena...

State your request here...

Amen.

Come, O Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of Your faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of Your love. 

Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?

"He [Paul] said to them [Ephesian Christians], “Did you receive the holy Spirit when you became believers?” (Acts 19: 2).

Monday, 17th May 2021, in the 7th Week of Easter.

Our key Scripture for today is the interesting conversation between the Apostle Paul and 12 Ephesian Christians. Paul asked if they received the Holy Spirit when they became Christians.
They answered him, “We have never even heard that there is a holy Spirit.”

Why did Paul ask the question?
#1. The men were not manifesting the fruits of the Holy Spirit?
Or:
#2. They did not speak in tongues during prayer.

And you:  “Did you receive the holy Spirit when you became believers?”

If you are not manifesting the fruits of the Holy Spirit in your life:  [Charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control and chastity], the chances are that you have not activated the gifts.
After you receive a new credit card, you activate it before you can use it. After the activation of the card, timely payment of your bill is the way to continue to enjoy the credit card.

We receive the Holy Spirit in Baptism whether we are baptized as children or adults. In Confirmation, this gift is strengthened. Once we claim ownership of the gifts through activation, the fruits of the Holy Spirit mentioned above will be evident in our lives.

What if we fail through sin? The Lord is kind and merciful. He gave us the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Penance. This Sacrament is so powerful and restores us to the original purity of our Baptism.

It is not too late to join the worldwide Novena of the Holy Spirit for the feast of Pentecost on Sunday, May 23rd 2021.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord.

"So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.  But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs." (Mark 16: 19 - 20).

Sunday 16th May 2021, in the 7th Week of Easter is the Solemnity of the Ascension.  The Feast of the Ascension is celebrated on the Thursday of the 6th Week of Easter or on the 7th Sunday of Easter depending on the Diocese.

Jesus is taken up into heaven in full view of His disciples. During the forty days after His Resurrection, Jesus continued teaching, encouraging and comforting His disciples. Now the time of Departure has come. He instructed them to wait in Jerusalem for the promised Gift of the Father. He then turned the work of building the Kingdom of God on earth to them with the Great Commission:

“Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature." ( Mark 16: 15).

Every epoch and people respond to the Great Commission with the peculiar gifts and infrastructure provided by God. But the universal and perennial Gift of God is the Holy Spirit. Without the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit we cannot evangelize. Nobody can undertake the onerous missionary work of evangelization without the Holy Spirit.

Two powerful and different examples of evangelization are:
#1. St Therese of the Chlld Jesus (1873 - 1897). She became the Patroness of Missionaries without stepping out of her Carmelite Convent. She offered her prayers and sufferings to support the missionary endeavors of the Church. She gave the world a spirituality of "little ways."  One can be very effective in the spiritual life by doing "little things." She is a Doctor of the Church.

#2. St Teresa of Kolkata (1910 - 1997). Her missionary endeavors all over the world earned her a Noble Peace price.

Every saint in the Church, that includes you and me are missionaries. Our Baptism gives us the mandate of Mission and Witness.

Do what you are inspired to do. The Holy Spirit will do the rest.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

St Isidore the Farmer and our common Environment.

"Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.  Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete." (John 16: 23 - 24)

Saturday 15th May 2021, in the 6th Week in the Easter Season is the Feast of St Isidore the Farmer (1070 - 1130). Isidore was a humble Spanish farmer who spent most of his day on the land and managed to attend daily Mass and spend significant time before the Blessed Sacrament. His wife Maria is a canonized saint. His life reminds us that all creation belong to God who requires us to care for the environment that surrounds us. Isidore is the Patron of the National Rural Life Conference in the US.

Two important things to note from the key Scripture for this Saturday.
#1. Asking Abba Father for our needs and gifts in the Name of Jesus.
#2. The joy of of answered prayer.

Before the coming of the Holy Spirit, the disciples have not prayed to Abba Father in the Name of Jesus. When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He was no longer available for His disciples to answer their questions and fulfill their needs. But in His Ascension, the Holy Spirit descended and the disciples could ask the Father directly for their needs in the Name of Jesus. Jesus promises:  "Whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you."

If you do not ask with faith, you will never know the joy of answered prayer. It is intense. It is intended to grow your faith.
An exercise I give to my class is this: Write down 5 of the most joyful events in your life. Some have written: Wedding day, birth of my first child, day of first job, first car, engagement, home, etc. Next question: Which of them is answer to prayer? Almost all. Prayer is the Activator of Power. God will look silly if He promises to answer all prayers and then equivocate.
"God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?" (Numbers 23: 19 NTL).

The Holy Trinity wants to share with us the joy of Answered Prayer.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

The Feast of St Matthias, Apostle.

"It was not you who chose me, says the Lord, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last." (John 15: 16).

Friday 14th May 2021, 6th Week of the Easter Season is the feast of the Apostle Matthias. (+ 64). The story of his election into the College of Apostles to replace Judas is the first Reading today: (Cf Acts 1: 15 - 26). Matthias witnessed to Jesus in Palestine where he was stoned to death.

How did Matthias become the 12th Apostle? It was necessary to replace Judas who had perished after his betrayal of Jesus. "Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the Eleven Apostles."

Our Scripture verse is from the Last Supper Discourse. Like St Matthias, each of us is called, chosen and anointed for a specific mission in the Kingdom. This is true whether we are soldiers, teachers, accountants, lawyers or housewives. Your day job is the field for your ministry. We are called to be friend and companion of Jesus who will carry on His ministry through us in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Matthias must have been deeply surprised by his call to join the Apostolic College. This is the way of God:
"God raises up the lowly from the dust; from the dunghill he lifts up the poor to seat them with princes,
with the princes of his own people." (Psalm 113: 7 - 8).

"I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord." (John 15: 16).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

The Feast of Our Lady of Fatima.

"Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized."  (Acts 18: 8).

Thursday 13th May 2021, in the 6th Week of Easter. 13th May 1917 is the day that Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. She gave them a message to the world: Conversion of heart, repentance from sin and a dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the promise of peace through the saying of the Holy Rosary.

Our key Scripture today is the conversion of Crispus, the synagogue official and all his family to Christianity and their subsequent Baptism by St Paul. How did this happen? Read below:

"After Silas and Timothy had arrived from Macedonia, Paul devoted all his time to preaching, declaring to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ." (Acts 18: 5).

Crispus heard Paul proclaim that Jesus is the long expected Messiah. Paul used the Scripture to prove his point. Crispus the synagogue official considered Paul a faithful and credible witness. He believes that Jesus is the Messiah. Happy and delighted, he went home and shared his faith with his family. They all believed because they know Crispus and trusted him.

This is the ABC of Evangelization.
Do you doubt any teaching of the Church? For example: the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and in the Blessed Sacrament? You don't have to die with your doubts. Pray that the Lord leads and guides you to a faithful and credible witness. Your doubt will vanish and you will enjoy the the fullness of faith. Do not be content in living 50% or 70% of the faith. The Lord Jesus wants you to live 100%. The fullness of abundant life.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

I have chosen you from the world.

"I have chosen you from the world, says the Lord, and have appointed you to go out and bear fruit, fruit that will last." (John 15: 16, 19 Communion Antiphon).

Wednesday 12th May 2021, in the 6th Week of Easter. We celebrate today the feast of St Pancras (+ 304). Roman. Martyred at 14 under Emperor Diocletian. Also today: Saints Nereus and Achilleus, Roman soldiers. Both martyred under Emperor Trajan.

Jesus looks upon us with merciful love and overlooked our filthy works or useless credentials when he chose and called us from the marketplace.  Jesus called us to join Him in building the kingdom of God.  When He asked me: Do you accept this? I said, Yes Lord.

By the power of the Holy Spirit, the call and choice of Jesus will transform our lives. We will start to bear fruits of love, joy, peace, kindness, generosity, gentleness, chastity, etc. Will people that inhabit the marketplace notice that we are different from them? What would be their reaction? Persecution! They will attack us with lies and defamation. We may be denied the opportunity of promotion. Our property may be seized.

In the midst of all the persecution, the Spirit urges us:
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world." (1 John 2: 15 - 16).

Jesus reveals this inevitable consequences of the spirit-transformed life so that we may be prepared. We must be persistent in bearing fruit knowing that our persistence will break the resistance at some point.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

The Spirit of truth will guide you to all truth.

"I will send to you the Spirit of truth, says the Lord; he will guide you to all truth." (John 1 6: 7, 13 Alleluia Verse).

Tuesday 11th May 2021, in the 6th Week of Easter.

Who is the Holy Spirit? The Lord Jesus calls Him here The Spirit of truth.  He is "the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby)." (AMPC).

Why is He sent after the Ascension of Jesus? He is sent to take up permanent residence in the disciple. As the Spirit of power, He will empower the disciple to fulfill his mission and witness to Jesus. The Holy Spirit continues the ministry of Jesus today through the Body of Christ.

Jesus also promised that the Holy Spirit "will guide you [Church] to all truth." This is a very important detail that has divided the Body of Christ. St John the Evangelist writes in the conclusion of his Gospel:
"It is this disciple who testifies to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written." (John 21: 24 - 25).

The Holy Spirit reveals to the Church through the written and oral sources the truth that concerns Jesus and the Church.

An example of this is the stability of doctrine that characterize the early Church up to the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD and continues till today 2021. Only the Holy Spirit could have guaranteed this phenomenon:
One People, One Faith, One Shepherd, Worldwide.

"I will send to you the Spirit of truth, says the Lord; he will guide you to all truth."

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Liturgical Norms

Is it okay for a lay person to preach at Sunday Mass? 

Answer

This is clearly a liturgical abuse. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal states:

The homily should ordinarily be given by the priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it to a concelebrating priest or occasionally, according to circumstances, to the deacon, but never to a lay person. In particular cases and for a just cause, the homily may even be given by a bishop or a priest who is present at the celebration but cannot concelebrate. (GIRM 66)

St Damien of Molokai bore witness to Jesus in a Leper Colony.

"The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord, and you also will testify." (John 15: 26, 27 Alleluia Verse).

Monday 10th May 2021, in the 6th Week of Easter is the feast of St Damien Joseph de Veuster of Molokai. (1840 - 1889). Priest. Belgian missionary. Father Damien requested to be sent to the leper colony in Molokai where he spent the rest of his life ministering to lepers. Four of these years were lived in confinement after he contracted leprosy. St Damien was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 11, 2009. He is the patron saint of people with leprosy.

In our key Scripture for today, Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will bear witness to His person and His work through you and me. We are no longer neophytes. It has been many years since our Baptism. Baptism is the Sacrament that calls us to Mission and Witness.

Example of those who witnessed to Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit after Pentecost:
Peter, John, Stephen, Barnabas, James. These saints were expressly mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles.
In today's first Reading from Acts 16: 11 - 15, a wealthy business woman of Philippi witnessed to Jesus after she was baptized by St Paul.

In the Cursillo Movement, you are challenged every week in the small group meeting with this question:
"What Apostolic success did the Lord want to accomplish in His Church through you this week?
  * In your family
  * In your neighborhood
  * In your environment

These questions challenge me and  remind me that Baptism is for Mission and Witness. Jesus tells us today: "You too (you reading this) will witness to me." In your family, market place, environment, etc.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

How to obey Jesus command: Love one another.

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

Sunday 9th May 2021, in the 6th Week of Easter.

The Church repeats this Sunday part of the Gospel that we heard this Friday because the message of love is very important. "This I command you: love one another." This is a command from Jesus. Not a suggestion. We can't love anyone if we don't understand what love is. This is how God loves us and what He commands us to apply to everyone.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, love is not pompous, it is not inflated,  it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,  it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.  It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (1 Corinthians 13: 4 - 7).

St Paul believes that love is key and absolutely foundational in Christian life:
"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love [for others growing out of God’s love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction]." (1 Corinthians 13: 1 AMP).

Given our fallen human nature, we are not capable of genuine love without the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit we receive in Baptism activates the presence of Jesus in us. Now Jesus in us says: Let Me love this person through you.   Cooperate with My actions in faith.
"God’s love for us was revealed when God sent into the world his only Son so that we could have life through him; (1 John 4: 9 JB).

Here is what the Church teaches on the important subject of Love:

"Charity is the soul of the holiness to which all are called: it "governs, shapes, and perfects all the means of sanctification."
...... LOVE, IN FACT, IS THE VOCATION WHICH INCLUDES ALL OTHERS; IT'S A UNIVERSE OF ITS OWN, COMPRISING ALL TIME AND SPACE - IT'S ETERNAL!" (CCC 826).

Let us ask the Holy Spirit living inside us to love others with the love of Christ. Jesus in us is the Spirit and He is the hope of glory.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

You will be persecuted because of My Name.

"Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours." (John 15: 20).

Saturday 8th May 2021, in the 5th Week of Easter.

Our key Scripture for today shows the reality of persecution in Christian ministry. The disciple of Christ is the bearer of the Good News. He is kind, gentle and generous in his ways. Naturally he expects to be welcomed with smiles and open arms. This does not always happen. What he experiences is the outright rejection of his message. He is treated as a bearer of Bad News who deserves persecution.

This is why Jesus teaches naive disciples this basic lesson: Remember! Remember! Remember! Forget this lesson and you will be fried as a fish. I Jesus am the Lord, you are my servants. I am the Rabbi. You are my disciples. The people I am sent to reject My message. They curse me and maltreat me. Before your eyes, they will crucify Me. Tell Me honestly: How do you think they will treat you? You bear my name. My name provokes their hatred.

Since God cursed the Ancient Serpent, the warfare between Satan and man has not abated:  "From now on you and the woman will be enemies, as will your offspring and hers. You will strike his heel, but he will crush your head.” (Genesis 3: 15).

We see in the Old Testament, the types and shadows of Jesus Christ:
Abel persecuted by Cain, Jacob by Esau, Joseph by his brethren, David by Saul, Elijah by Ahab. These are examples to drive home the teaching of Jesus.

If the disciples of Jesus do not take special care to study the Scriptures and remember the message of Jesus, they will merit a rebuke from the Master:
“You are such foolish, foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures!  Wasn’t it clearly predicted by the prophets that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his time of glory?” (Luke 24: 25).

Never forget the words and works of the Lord. Because the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Cf Revelation 19: 10).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Chosen, Called and Anointed by Jesus to bear rich fruit.

"It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you." (John 15: 16).

Friday 7th May 2021, in the 5th Week of Easter is also First Friday in May. To read the First Friday promise for May 2021, click below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2021/05/5-7.html?m=1

In our key Scripture for today, we reflect on the Call, the Choice and the Anointing we have from God our Father. When God wanted to start His family, He called Abraham. Through faith and obedience, Abraham became fruitful. Other examples of people in the Bible that God chose, called and anointed are:
Moses, Joseph the Prince of Egypt, David, John the Baptist and Paul the Apostle.  All of them responded to God with faith and obedience and became fruitful. 

Today Jesus reminds us of His Call on us: "To go and bear fruit that will remain." We know that the only fruits that remain and abide are fruits produced by the Holy Spirit.

The Lord Jesus is looking for a generous response:

"I will be a witness to You in the world O Lord.  I will spread the knowledge of Your name among my brothers, Alleluia! " (Psalm 18:50;  22 :23 RM)

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus this First Friday.

First Friday, May 7, 2021.

Jesus promised 12 special graces and favors to all those who will honor His Sacred Heart especially on the First Friday of every month.  In the 5th month of the year 2021, we look at Promise #5.

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

We celebrated the feast of St Joseph the Worker on May 1st. St Joseph is the patron saint of men and women who earn their livelihood from any kind of work.  St Joseph will intercede for workers for success and prosperity in all their understandings. Don't hesitate to ask for his help and do it often.

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

Honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus this Friday by attending Holy Mass or virtual Mass this Friday.

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

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

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Be steadfast in believing in My love for you.

"Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love." (John 15: 9 - 10).

Thursday 6th May 2021, in the 5th Week of Easter.

A Bible translation renders our key Scripture thus:
“I love each of you with the same love that the Father loves me. You must continually let my love nourish your hearts." (John 15: 9 TPT).

In John 15: 10, we see the condition for remaining in the love of Christ:
" keep my commands." Love and obedience go together. You cannot love God and disobey Him constantly. Jesus gives us His supreme example: "I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love."

It is impossible for anyone to understand how much Jesus loves him until he commits to obeying Jesus and embracing His love in little and big things in their daily lives. He comes to understand with awe that "T'is not from chance our comfort springs O Lord. They are from Your gracious ordaining O Lord our God."

You can confirm from your daily experience this truth:
"What a wonderful God we have—he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us." (2 Corinthians 1: 3 - 4 TLB).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

7-Daily Habits for bearing abundant fruit.

"I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing." (John 15: 5).

Wednesday 5th May 2021, in the 5th Week of Easter.

The three things St Augustine urged Christians to study every day so that they may abide in Christ and produce rich harvest are:
#1. Commandments.
#2. Examples.
#3. Sacraments.

Examples or biographies or lives of the Saints are important because examples are the best teachers. In our key Scripture for today Jesus says that if you want to bear much fruit in the Christian life, you must abide in Him. Without Him, you can do nothing. Not a little. But nothing.  Here are 5 saints who embraced this teaching of Jesus and bore abundant fruit. All these saints are still bearing fruit today through their religious families.

#1. St Francis of Assisi.
#2. St Dominic.
#3. Mother St Teresa of Kolkata.
#4. St. Ignatius Loyola.
#5. Mother Angelica of EWTN.

What are the 7 Daily Habits of these  saints.

#1. Prayer.
#2. Word of God.
#3. Eucharist.
#4. Penance: About weekly.
#5. Examination of Conscience.
#6. Spiritual Reading.
#7. Ministry (Faith sharing).

Their lives shone with the fruits of the Holy Spirit: Charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control and chastity.

You too can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. (Cf Philippians 4: 13).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

How I overcame demonic fear through the Peace of Christ.

"Jesus said to his disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you." (John 1 4: 27).

Tuesday 4th May 2021, in the 5th Week of Easter.

The Gospel for today is a practical solution to the problem of fear, worry and doubt. Jesus gave this comforting message the night before His death. He was leaving His disciples a farewell Gift. Not a huge bank account or a sprawling real estate in the city center. But PEACE!

Jesus calls this Gift "My Peace." This is true because Scripture calls Jesus "our Peace." He is also the Prince of Peace. We are talking here about perfect peace. First let us see what the Peace of Christ is not. It is not Pax Romana, the peace imposed on a conquered nation by force by the conqueror. It is not the peace of a welfare state. It is not the peace you feel if you are in good health, the kids are behaving and your 401K is fantastic.

The peace that Jesus bequeaths to Christians is His own peace. Peace in the midst of crisis because you know who your Security is. The world does not know this peace and cannot know it until they bend their knees to Jesus. This peace is supreme remedy for fears, worries and doubts.

Once upon a time, I believed that the key to peace is financial stability and to have a perfect credit score in the 800 range. And I had this for a number of years. Suddenly without warning, my business became shaky and I did all I could to meet my obligations to my creditors in order to maintain my credit score. At this point, I moved to a new residence and my landlord was not happy with me. He reported me to the credit reporting agency who promptly reported it to one of my banks. A letter to me from the bank followed. The bank jacked up my interest rates.

I took the letter to Jesus in my Prayer Place and spread the letter before the Lord. I asked for one favor: I asked for peace so that I could sleep that night. Jesus gave it to me. I slept like a baby. The following afternoon, I called the Credit Agency. They reversed the decision. I called the bank and they restored my privileges.

The Peace of Christ is real. It is for us Christians. Claim it. It banishes fear.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Do you believe God's promises on Prayer?

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

Monday 3rd May 2021, in the 5th Week of Easter is the feast of the Apostles Philip and James. Philip and James were among the 12 Apostles of Jesus. Philip introduced Bartholomew (Nathanael) to Jesus. According to tradition, he was crucified in Phrygia.
St James was the cousin of Jesus. He was the first Bishop of Jerusalem. He was thrown down from the terrace of the Temple and then stoned to death.

In our key Scripture for today, Jesus repeats for emphasis: "Ask anything of me in my name, I will do it."  Why the emphasis? According to Catholic tradition, most writers on the subject of Prayer would answer simply: Because Jesus means every word of His promises on Prayer. How about the man in the pew, how does he view the promises of Jesus on Prayer? A lot of scepticism.  Scepticism that is born of ignorance. They know neither the Scriptures or the power of God. (Cf Matthew 22: 29).
"God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" (Numbers 23: 19).

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

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

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

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

My Father is the Gardener.

"Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit." (John 15: 1 - 2).

Sunday 2nd May 2021, in the 5th Week in Easter.

The AMPC translation below seems to throw more light on the verses.
"Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit." (John 15: 1 - 2).

Note the following conditions:
#1. Disciples of Jesus may bear fruits at one time and then stop bearing fruits.
#2. The Divine Gardener "cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit."
#3 "Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing."

Do you desire to produce abundant fruits for Jesus? The conditions are above. Identify the dead branches in your life and ask Jesus constantly to prune them. The pruning could be painful but the fruits are sweet and lasting.

What are the fruits of the pruned vines? They are the fruits the Holy Spirit produces daily in our lives: Charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control and chastity.

Now you can ask for anything and Jesus promises: "Ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples." (John 15: 7 - 8).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

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

"Is he not the carpenter's son?" (Matthew 13: 55).

Saturday 1st May 2021 in the 4th Week of Easter. Today is May Day, the feast of St Joseph the Worker.
This Saturday is also the first Saturday in May. May and October are the months we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary. We are celebrating the feasts of St Joseph and St Mary together.

The Church teaches that God laid down for human beings the law of work. Jesus Christ, a man in all things but sin was not exempt from the law of work. He followed the profession of His foster father Joseph the Carpenter. After Joseph died, Jesus became a self employed business man running the family carpentry shop until he was 30 years when he left Nazareth to start His ministry.

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

May the Lord prosper the work of our hands.

St Joseph the Worker, Pray for us.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

The Feast of Pope St Pius V, great Reformer.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me." (John 14: 1).

Friday 30th April 2021, in the 4th Week of Easter is the feast of Pope St Pius V. (1504 - 1572). Italian. Dominican Friar. Pius had tremendous impact in the post Tridentine Church of the 16th century. Some of his accomplishments are: implementing forcefully the decrees of the Council of Trent, building seminaries, publishing the Roman Catechism and revising the Missal and the Breviary. 

On the night before His passion, Jesus was huddled together with His 12 Apostles in the Upper Room. He had revealed to them His departure from them through death. They were crushed. How on earth could they survive without Him with enemies everywhere? Then the Master said to them: Don’t be afraid or cowardly. As you believe in God and trust Him to protect and provide for you, you must believe in Me likewise. 

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

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

How can you avoid worry and surrendering yourself to fear and doubt? Saturate your mind and heart with the creative words of Jesus. One thing I have found helpful is to keep repeating:

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

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com 

The Feast of St Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church.

"Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children." (Matthew 11: 25).

Thursday April 29th 2020, 4th Week in the Easter Season is the feast of a giant of the faith: St Catherine of Siena (1347 - 1380). Italian Dominican Tertiary. Virgin and Doctor of the Church.

Catherine died at the age of 33 and accomplished for the Kingdom of God what most of us could never accomplish even if we live to be 190 years. 

She brought about the renewal of the Church in a period of moral laxity. She was instrumental in reuniting the Church during the great Western Schism. She authored a spiritual classic, THE DIALOGUE. Catherine is the first woman to be named Doctor of the Church. She is the patron saint of plagues and Italy. Co-Patron saint of Europe with St Benedict.

We skip the Gospel of today and use the Gospel of the Memorial of St Catherine of Siena to draw the fullest inspiration from the special Mass to honor St Catherine:

"Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children." (Matthew 11: 25).

11 Quotes to nourish our faith from St Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Church:

1. "What heart is so hard and stubborn that it would not melt contemplating the affectionate love divine goodness bears for it? Love, then, love!"

2. “Love follows knowledge.”

3. “The human heart is drawn by love.”

4. "Adam’s foolish children may well be ashamed. For is there any greater sight than to see God stooped down to humanity—as if humanity were in control of God rather than God having control over humanity? For humanity is nothing of itself; what we have, we have from God by grace, not because he owes it to us."

5. “God is more willing to pardon than we have been to sin.”.

6. “What father ever gave up his son to death for the sake of his slave!”.

7. “God was made man and man was made God.”.

8. "This is why the saints say that God’s servants are the ones who are free sovereigns; they have won the victory. There are many who have been victorious over a city or a fortress, but if they have failed to conquer themselves and their enemies—the world, the flesh, and the devil—one could say they have nothing at all…."

9. “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” ...

10. “Proclaim the truth and do not be silent through fear.” ...

11. “All the way to heaven is heaven, because Jesus said, "I am the way.” ...

Let us finally note that St Catherine of Siena had no formal education, no PhD, no Doctorate. 

"Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children." (Matthew 11: 25).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com 

The Light of Christ in our world.

"I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness." (John 12: 46).

Wednesday 28th April 2021, in the 4th Week of Easter is the feast of two French saints:

#1. Louis de Monfort. (1673 - 1716). Priest.Among Monfort's books which are still in print are: TRUE DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN; SECRET OF THE Rosary. Louis de Monfort made the Rosary one of the most popular Catholic devotions throughout the world.

#2.  St Peter Chanel (1803 - 1841). Priest and Martyr. St Peter Chanel died a martyr in the island of Futuna in the Oceania.

In our key Scripture for today, Jesus says that He came into the world as light. What does Jesus mean? The Easter Vigil Service starts at sunset outside the Church. The congregation is positioned around a huge fire of burning wood. After prayers, the Deacon lights the heavy Pascal Candle and leads the parishioners into the dark Church. The only light comes from the Pascal Candle. The Pascal Candle signifies Christ as the Light coming into a dark world. The gathered Church lights their candles from the Pascal Candle and their neighbors in the pew light from them. Soon the whole Sanctuary is lit from hundreds of candles.

Only those who believe in Jesus Christ find meaning from the Easter Vigil ceremony. Without faith, the whole ceremony may appear strange to unbelievers. Those who believe and trust Jesus are no longer in the dark with regard to the critical and existential questions of life: origin of life and the world, life and death, poverty and wealth, divine providence, racial diversity, eternal life, etc.
The light of Christ brought us knowledge of the Trinity, the Three Persons in One God. The meaning of the life and death of Jesus.
The carnal man with his 20/20 vision and all the scientific knowledge at his disposal does not understand 0.001% of the physical world and nothing at all of the spiritual domain.

"I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life." (Cf John 8: 12).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Look at My works. They show who I AM.

"The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me." (John 10: 25).

Tuesday 27th April 2021, in the 4th Week of Easter.

In the Gospel of today, Jesus was in the Temple during the feast of the Dedication. The people accosted Him and challenged Him to tell them if He is the expected Messiah.
Jesus answered with our key Scripture verse for today:
"The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me." What does Jesus mean? His miracles: healing, casting out demons, raising the dead, feeding multitudes are evidence of who He is. These "works" should be sufficient proof to anyone who is well disposed towards Him. His sheep who are well disposed towards Him, hear His teachings and see His miracles and they believe in Him. This group do not waste time seeking for proof after proof about what should be obvious to men of good will. If you consider you are one of the sheep of Jesus, do you believe in these revealed truth about Jesus Christ below:

"I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead."
This is our Faith. The Faith of Christians who are the sheep of Jesus Christ.

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

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com

What is the Abundant life Jesus promises us?

"A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly." (John 10: 10).

Monday 26th April 2021, in the 4th Week of Easter.

John 10: 10, our Scripture verse for today:  "I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly," is one of the most quoted verses in the entire Bible. Why? It has the ring of a marketing slogan. Who is not attracted to Abundant Life? Abundant wealth, abundant health, abundant peace in the family, abundant quality food, abundant possessions and so forth. This is not what Jesus was thinking at all. I browsed on a number of English translations of this verse, I found that the Messengers' rendition is the closest to the mind of Christ:

"I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of."  (John 10: 10 MSG).

In Acts 1, Jesus talked again about the "Promise of the Father" that will soon be bestowed on the Apostles. That Promise of the Father is also called the "Big Gift" of the Father. You know by now that we are talking about the Awesome Holy Spirit, "the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son." He is worshipped together with the Father and the Son. He is the Giver of the Abundant life. What is this Abundant life? You remember what the Angel Gabriel said to Mary? She is "full of grace" and "the Lord is with her." Yes, Mary has abundant life. She is full of the Gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.

When you fan into flame the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit you received in Baptism and strengthened in the Sacrament of Confirmation, your life will be utterly transformed. Imagine if you exercise the gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel and knowledge, you will be sought after by the whole world.  St Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Church, who is richly endowed by the Holy Spirit says that eternal life starts here and now and continues all the way to eternity. If you do not enjoy the love, peace, joy and contentment that come from the Holy Spirit indwelling in you, what is wrong? Two things possibly:
#1. Unconfessed sins.
#2. Unbelief.

Let us pray:
"O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord." Amen.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirst.blogspot.com