Thursday, February 22, 2024
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
THE FEAST OF THE CHAIR OF ST PETER THE APOSTLE.
THE CHAIR OF ST PETER THE APOSTLE.
"When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16: 13 - 19).
Thursday 22nd February 2024, in the 1st Week in Lent is the Feast of the Chair of St Peter the Apostle.
What are we celebrating today?
+ The Pope as Bishop of Rome.
+ St Peter, more than the Chairman of the Church and his successors to the Chair of St Peter.
+ The Teaching Authority of the Popes.
+ The universal Magisterium of the Roman Church.
+ The unity of the Church founded upon the Apostle Peter and his successors.
+ Our faith based on the Confession of the Apostle Peter.
To the question of Jesus: Who do people say I am?
"Peter said to Jesus: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus replied: You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church." (Matthew 16: 16, 18).
"The Lord says to Simon Peter:
I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail, and, once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." (Luke 22: 32).
Let us pray today especially for our Holy Father Pope Francis and for the unity of the Church.
"John made reparation for Peter’s denial of Me, not by standing in judgment over Peter, whom he honoured and loved as a father, but by weeping with Peter, and by offering himself in reparation for Peter’s fall." (IN SINU JESU, Tuesday, December 27, 2011).
For Devotional prayer and prayer intentions to the Holy Family, click the link below:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-holy-family-devotion.html
Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com
Tuesday, February 20, 2024
THE FEAST OF ST PETER DAMIAN, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH.
FEAST OF ST PETER DAMIAN, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH.
"The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time:
“Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.” So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh, according to the Lord’s bidding. Now Nineveh was an enormously large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,” when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes. Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh, by decree of the king and his nobles: “Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep, shall taste anything; they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water. Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God; every man shall turn from his evil way and from the violence he has in hand. Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath, so that we shall not perish.” When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.” (Jonah 3: 1 - 10).
Wednesday February 21st, 2024 in the first Week in Lent is the feast of St Peter Damian (1001 - 1072). Italian. Benedictine monk. Bishop and Doctor of the Church.
The monk-Cardinal whose life we celebrate today is a Reformer in the make of the great reformers of the Church: Saints Francis of Assisi, Dominic, Ignatius Loyola, Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, etc. . Damian urged his fellow clergy to live upright lives. Many clergy at all levels were at that time living sordid lives. But Peter pursued reforms with the heart of a pastor.
Our key Scripture is from Jonah 3: 1 - 10. This Scripture reminds us that God calls us to repentance this Lent 2024. There is no time to waste. God is waiting to see a humble and contrite spirit. He pleads: "Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart for I am gracious and merciful." (Joel 2: 12 - 13).
Do not delay the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Remember the ABC of Mercy:
A: ASK FOR MERCY.
B: BE MERCIFUL.
C: COMPLETELY TRUST JESUS FOR MERCY.
A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spur.
Behold, now is the favourable time.
This is the day of salvation.
For Devotional prayer and prayer intentions to the Holy Family, click the link below:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-holy-family-devotion.html
Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com
Monday, February 19, 2024
JESUS TEACHES US HOW TO PRAY.
"Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This is how you are to pray:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
“If you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.” (Matthew 6: 7 - 15).
I CANNOT SAY: FORGIVE ME MY SINS AS I FORGIVE THOSE THAT SIN AGAINST ME, IF I CONTINUE TO HARBOR A GRUDGE AGAINST ANYONE.
"Jesus said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This is how you are to pray:
‘Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’
“If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
(Matthew 6: 7 - 15).
Tuesday 20th February 2024 in the 1st Week of Lent.
Jesus teaching on Prayer is without doubt His very best. Why? Prayer is the most important gift of God to His creation. Everyone needs Prayer. Even animals ask God for their food. "All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time." (Cf Psalm 104: 27).
The absolute necessity of Prayer is summarized by St Alphonsus Liguori thus: If you pray, you will be saved. If you don't pray, you will be lost.
Our reflection on the Our Father or the Lord's Prayer will focus on Forgiveness.
Why did Jesus conclude the teaching on Our Father, the Lord's Prayer by stating unequivocally a precondition for the forgiveness of our sins and reconciliation with the Father?
This is obviously an important theme for Jesus because He taught it in Matthew 18:21–35, which concluded thus: "Then in anger his master handed him [the unforgiving servant] over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.”
Reconciliation is crucial to enjoying the privileges of filial adoption. (Our sonship privileges from Baptism).
A girl who ran away from home and lived a lawless life for a couple of years may be hesitant as she approaches home. The prodigal son understands that there are consequences for vagrancy and knows the importance of Reconciliation.
Many people claim that forgiveness of the other person is hard. Here are some lessons that can help forgiveness:
#1. Forgive at once.
#2. Forgive everyone without discrimination.
#3. Forgive always.
#4. Forgive everywhere.
#5. "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." Forgive everyone. This step is modeled for us from the Cross. Jesus forgave in real time those who were killing Him. He did not wait until Easter Sunday when He rose from the dead to forgive.
#6. Pray everyday for all those whom you have offended, known or unknown to forgive you and set you free.
Jesus Christ invites us to a life of continual conversion so that we can pray Our Father (the Lord's Prayer) with confidence. NEVER FORGET THE SWEETEST WORD IN ALL OF Scripture is in the Our Father Prayer:
"Your Father knows what you need before you ask him."
For Devotional prayer and prayer intentions to the Holy Family, click the link below:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-holy-family-devotion.html
Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com
Sunday, February 18, 2024
LOVE YOUR BROTHER. LOVE YOUR SISTER.
"The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the whole assembly of the children of Israel and tell them: Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy.
“You shall not steal. You shall not lie or speak falsely to one another. You shall not swear falsely by my name, thus profaning the name of your God. I am the Lord.
“You shall not defraud or rob your neighbor. You shall not withhold overnight the wages of your day laborer. You shall not curse the deaf, or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but you shall fear your God. I am the Lord.
“You shall not act dishonestly in rendering judgment. Show neither partiality to the weak nor deference to the mighty, but judge your fellow men justly. You shall not go about spreading slander among your kin; nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor’s life is at stake. I am the Lord.
“You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart. Though you may have to reprove him, do not incur sin because of him. Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19: 1 - 11-18).
Monday 19th of February 2024 in the 1st Week of Lent.
God is appealing to us in the first Reading today from Leviticus to be holy.
The child of God must emulate the character of the Father.
Why do we assume that holiness is impossible for many except a few? This is a big lie of the Devil.
Jesus teaches that the shortcut to a happy fulfilled life is to make first priority His Kingdom and His righteousness and everything we need will flow to us. Do you realize that righteousness is another word for holiness? Trust in the Divine Providence.
How do we become righteous or holy? The saints have taught us the secrets since the dawn of Christianity. The simplest formula may be: Embrace God’s gracious and mysterious Will every moment. When you do this, you keep ALL the commandments.
Start by praying for the desire to embrace God’s gracious and mysterious Will every moment in everything.
St Ignatius Loyola teaches that Desire is the Key to holiness. Desire transforms a man. Desire produces a spiritual kinetic energy that moves you to action. Then in the Last Judgment, you can ask Jesus with a smile on your face:
"Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?" (Matthew 25: 37 - 39).
"Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation."
For Devotional prayer and prayer intentions to the Holy Family, click the link below:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-holy-family-devotion.html
Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com
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