The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

"For Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly." (Romans 5: 6).

Friday of the 12th week in Ordinary Time is the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Hosea characterizes the love of God for us thus: "I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them." (Hosea 11: 4). Was he writing about the Heart of Jesus?

Do you know personally the love and mercy of Jesus? Have you experienced His forgiveness, healing, peace, answered prayers etc? What is the Sacred Heart of Jesus and why do we celebrate this feast? Here is what the Church says :

"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." (CCC 478).

"Deep calls to deep." When you experience deep love, respond with deep love. Honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus with reverence and love.

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11: 28).

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Friday the 28th.

Friday the 28th of June is the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Honor the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus with a Mass and adoration.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

The house built on rock did not collapse.

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.  The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse."(Matthew 7: 24 - 25).

Why did the house not collapse? Because "it had been set solidly on rock." 

Thursday of the 12th week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Cyril of Alexandria (376 - 444), Bishop and Doctor of the Church. St Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria in Egypt is famous for his defense of the oneness of the Person of Jesus Christ. If Jesus is One Person, then the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of God (Theotokos).

St Cyril listened to the words of Christ, meditated long on them.  During the crisis of faith that engulfed Christiandom in the middle of the 5th century, Cyril did not collapse from the virulent and battering attacks of heretics. His house "had been set solidly on rock."

Listen daily to the words of Christ and do what it tells you.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Abraham believed the impossible and what happened?

"Do not fear, Abram! I am your shield; I will make your reward very great." (Genesis 15: 1).

Wednesday of the 12th week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Josemaria Escriva, Priest (1902 - 1975), the Founder of Opus Dei. His memories are still fresh for some reading this. Josemaria is a man of deep faith like Abraham and experienced both the shield and great reward of God during his life on earth and now in heaven. A few words about him from the Roman Missal:

"St Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei, opened a new path of holiness in the Catholic Church, teaching that people can become holy by performing their work and daily duties with a Christian spirit."

"He [God] took him[Abraham] outside and said: Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so, he added, will your descendants be.  Abram put his faith in the Lord, who attributed it to him as an act of righteousness." (Genesis 15: 5 - 6).

Note what Abraham did to be declared righteous by God. He believes the humanly impossible promise of God. What did the Blessed Virgin Mary do when a similar but greater promise was communicated to her by the Angel Gabriel? "I am the Lord's handmaid. Let what you have promised be done to me." In both cases, God fulfilled His promises. As a young man in Spain before the Spanish civil war, Josemaria heard the call from God to start a radical ministry with a new teaching. He did not walk away from the challenges. Today the world is blessed by the ministry of Opus Dei working in many countries of the world.

Has God put any dreams in your heart? Do not be afraid.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Do not be fooled by the Broadway.

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many." (Matthew 7: 13).

Tuesday of the 12th week in Ordinary Time. The Lord Jesus gives us a counsel that is counter intuitive but full of wisdom. In the first Reading from Genesis 13, Abraham's nephew chose the Jordan Plain that looked like "the Lord's own garden." Abraham chose the "narrow gate."

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many."

"Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold." (Genesis 13: 2). Abraham was filled with faith and the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of God guided his investment decisions. The Responsorial Psalm paints the character of Abraham:

"Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain?
He who walks without fault;
he who acts with justice
and speaks the truth from his heart; he who does not slander with his tongue.

"He who does no wrong to his brother, who casts no slur on his neighbour, who holds the godless in disdain, but honours those who fear the Lord.

"He who keeps his pledge, come what may; who takes no interest on a loan and accepts no bribes against the innocent.
Such a man will stand firm for ever. (Psalm 15: 2 - 5).

A Rabbinic writing says that When God found Abraham, He said that He has found a rock to make the foundation of the world.

Let your faith show like Abraham and Mary's.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

The Solemnity of the Birth of St John the Baptist.

“No. He will be called John.” (Luke 1: 60). And John the Baptist was called John as Elizabeth his mother insisted.

Monday of the 12th week in Ordinary Time is the Solemnity of the Birth of St John the Baptist. Only three birthdays are celebrated in the liturgical calendar of the Church: Jesus, Mary and John the Baptist. Who is John the Baptist?

"John the Baptist is "more than a prophet." In him, the Holy Spirit concludes his speaking through the prophets. John completes the cycle of prophets begun by Elijah. He proclaims the imminence of the consolation of Israel; he is the "voice" of the Consoler who is coming. As the Spirit of truth will also do, John "came to bear witness to the light." In John's sight, the Spirit thus brings to completion the careful search of the prophets and fulfills the longing of the angels. "He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God. . . . Behold, the Lamb of God." (CCC 719).

The core ministry of St John the Baptist is Reconciliation: "Come back to Me." (Joel 2: 17; Jeremiah 3: 14, 3: 22, 4: 1; Hosea 11: 2).

"He came as a witness, as a witness to speak for the light,
preparing for the Lord a people fit for him." (John 1:7; Luke 1: 17).

Jesus gives John His greatest recognition of any human being:
"Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." (Matthew 11: 11).

St John the Baptist pray for us.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi.

"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him, says the Lord." (John 6: 57).

Sunday of the 12th week in Ordinary Time is the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.

The Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian life. (CCC 1324). The Eucharist is also the new Covenant ratified with the Blood of Jesus.  (Mark 14: 24).

"While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.”  Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it.  He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many."  (Mark 14: 22 - 24).

"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him, says the Lord."  (John 6: 57).

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

It is impossible to serve two masters.

“No one can serve two masters." (Matthew 6: 24).

Saturday of the 11th week in Ordinary. We celebrate today the feast of St Thomas More, Martyr. This principled man refused to serve two masters at the same time. Here is a short summary of his life.
"St Thomas More (1477 - 1535) was born in London and was Chancellor of King Henry VIII. As a family man, a public servant, and a writer, he displayed a rare combination of human warmth, Christian wisdom, and sense of humor." (Roman Missal).

From the CCC:
"We know that in everything God works for good for those who love him." The constant witness of the saints confirms this truth:

"St. Thomas More, shortly before his martyrdom, consoled his daughter: "Nothing can come but that that God wills. And I make me very sure that whatsoever that be, seem it never so bad in sight, it shall indeed be the best." (CCC 313).

The pagans are always tortured by these anxieties: "What are we to eat? What are we to drink? What are we to wear?" (Matthew 6: 31 - 32). Turn to God and trust in Him completely and let Him take care of everything you need.
"Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil." (Matthew 6: 33 - 34).

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Your heart will follow your treasure.

"For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be." (Matthew 6: 21).

Friday of the 11th week in Ordinary Time. Lord, why do you link our hearts with treasure? This is too close for comfort.

The teaching of Jesus today on treasure and the heart is good news. It is truth that can give you victory and freedom in your life:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal.  But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal." (Matthew 6: 19 - 20).

During the great Depression, some people who stored up their treasures in the stock market committed suicide when the stock market crashed. These guys are surely losers in this world. May God have mercy on them in the Kingdom of God.

"I sought the Lord, and he answered me, delivered me from all my fears." (Psalm 34: 5).

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Your Father knows what you need and when you need it.

"Your Father knows what you need before you ask him." (Matthew 6: 8).

Thursday of the 11th week in Ordinary Time. Today, the Lord teaches the disciples the Great Our Father or the Lord's Prayer. Our key Scripture is from what Jesus said before He taught the Lord's Prayer: "Your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

“You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead?" (Luke 11: 11). Even in our deep selfishness, we know the difference between a fish and a snake.
"You shall know the truth and the truth will make you free." Do you know one truth that will make you free? "Your Father knows what you need before you ask him." It is the truth you understand and appropriate that will give you the victory and freedom you desire so desperately.

"Do you not yet understand? Do you not remember?" Jesus queried the disciples. Understand what Jesus is teaching us about the Father. The Father acknowledges everything He created but loves us tenderly as sons and daughters. He provides all living things with food. His plan for our life is peace and prosperity. The shortcut is: "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and everything else will be given you besides." (Matthew 6: 33).

We are truly sons and daughters of God who deserves the best from God. (Romans 8: 15).

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

God loves a cheerful giver.

"God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9: 7).

Wednesday of the 11th week in Ordinary Time. Our daily bible verse is from 2 Corinthians 9: 7).
"God loves a cheerful giver." Why on earth would anyone not be joyful and cheerful in giving to God and His works? Only one reason occurs to me. Not meanness. Not stinginess. But crass IGNORANCE!

Ignorance of elementary facts are dangerous. God is the source of every blessing, every gift, everything. He is the source of the food on the table from the seed, the sowing, harvesting, cooking and serving the food. God is the first cause of everything. He is the cause of the inspiration and the power to act.

Today's word continues to teach:
"Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work." (2 Corinthians 9: 8). Do you believe this? Faith is nothing more than hearing this word or reading this word of God now and believing it. I believe it with my whole heart. This is why the most joyful thing I do on every eve of the Lord's Day is writing that check for offering.

Giving to God and His Church does not only bring peace and joy to the heart but guarantees security. Taste and see that the Lord is faithful and merciful.

"Remember, the man who plants only a few seeds will not have much grain to gather. The man who plants many seeds will have much grain to gather." (2 Corinthians 9: 6 NLV).

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

What do you do when life throws you a knock out punch?

"My soul, give praise to the Lord.
I will praise the Lord all my days,
make music to my God while I live." (Cf Psalm 146: 2).

Tuesday of the 11th week in Ordinary Time. What do you do when life throws you a knock out punch? David the man after God's heart is one who receives far more punches from life than anyone in the Bible. The trials did wonders to his character as the Bible predicts.

"Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1: 2 - 4).

And this one too:

"We even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance,  and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope,  and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us." (Romans 5: 3 - 5).

David left us a winning formula for dealing with hard times. In one word, it is praise and thanksgiving. This is why we choose the Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 146)for our reflection today.

"He is happy who is helped by Jacob’s God, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who alone made heaven and earth, the seas and all they contain.

"It is he who keeps faith for ever, who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry, the Lord, who sets prisoners free.

"It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind, who raises up those who are bowed down, the Lord, who protects the stranger and upholds the widow and orphan." (Psalm 146: 2, 5 - 9).

8 different mercies of God are listed in Psalm 146: 5 - 9. Relishing them is the way your faith grows.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Overcome evil by good.

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

Monday of the 11th week in Ordinary Time. In the Gospel of today (Matthew 5: 38 - 42), we see Jesus transform the moral law and overlaid it with a higher code for the citizens of the Kingdom that He came to establish. How did Jesus do this? The main principles are in today's Gospel. But the practicum is in the first Reading for today (2 Corinthians 6: 1 - 10).

Before going to the first Reading, let us consider a few principles. The existence of the stubborn persistence of evil in the world is the major cause of unbelief today. When you tell people that Christ has destroyed evil, they are unbelieving because of the apparent dominance of evil everywhere. Jesus teaches that the Answer to Evil is the CROSS.
"Offer no resistance to one who is evil." (Matthew 5: 39). This Scripture verse offers us the CROSS through which we too can destroy evil. Remember "The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christianity."
Let us see the practicum from Paul's letter to the Corinthians:

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

How did the early Christians overcome the most powerful empire ever designed by man? The early Christians conquered the super powerful Roman Empire through the Cross. They were crucified, thrown to wild beasts in amphitheaters all over the empire and experienced everything that Paul mentioned in the first Reading. They did not receive the grace of God in vain because God is a Promise-Maker and a Promise-Keeper.
For God says:

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

Those who persevere in this struggle are already saved.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

The Blessed Trinity is a mystery.

"Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
the God who is, who was, and who is to come." (Cf Revelation 1: 8).

Sunday of the 11th week in Ordinary Time is Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, so revealed our Lord Jesus Christ. So believes all who call themselves Christians and are baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

How do we go about describing the God who is One in Three and at the same time the most perfect Unity. I would rather trust what the Church teaches:

"The Trinity is a mystery of faith in the strict sense, one of the "mysteries that are hidden in God, which can never be known unless they are revealed by God". To be sure, God has left traces of his Trinitarian being in his work of creation and in his Revelation throughout the Old Testament. But his inmost Being as Holy Trinity is a mystery that is inaccessible to reason alone or even to Israel's faith before the Incarnation of God's Son and the sending of the Holy Spirit." (CCC 237).

"Blest be God the Father,
and the Only Begotten Son of God,
and also the Holy Spirit,
for he has shown us his merciful love." (Entrance Antiphon).

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Become a new creation.

"So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come." (2 Corinthians 5: 17).

Saturday of the 10th week in Ordinary Time. We can be "a new creation" or remain the old creature. But we can not be both. This is the word to live by for today.

Brethren, how do we become a new creation? What does the Scriptures say? Listen:
That old self corrupted by worldly and deceitful ideas must be discarded. Then you must allow the daily consumption of the word of God to reshape and renew your thoughts, words and actions. When this is accomplished, you will no longer conform to the sinful patterns of this world. Your desires will be transformed. Your friends will say: "What happened to you? You are different." You will smile and bear witness to the power of the name of Jesus. (Cf Romans 12: 2, Ephesians 4: 22 - 23. Etc)

It is all God's work. (Cf 2 Corinthians 5: 14 - 31).

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We hold fragile genuine riches in clay vessels.

"But we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us." (2 Corinthians 4: 7).

Friday of the 10th week in Ordinary Time. Treasure in earthen vessel? We are the vessels. What treasure are we holding? Much genuine treasures:

#1 The Holy Spirit
#2 The Eucharist
#3 The Gift of Reconciliation
#4 The word of God
#5 Faith

All these and many more give us extraordinary power to be used by God for ministry. Let us consider our weaknesses as earthen vessels:

#1 Physical
#2 Spiritual
#3 Mental
#4 Moral

No government, company or business can entrust its critical resources and assets to the baggage that we present to God. Yet what happens? The The Father embraces us "so that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us."

Consider some extraordinary people God used in our days:
#1 Mother St Teresa of Kolkata.
#2 St John Paul II.
Like the Blessed Virgin Mary, they said YES to God and the rest is history.

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I shall not be discouraged in the wonderful ministry God gave me through His mercy.

"Therefore, since we have this ministry through the mercy shown us, we are not discouraged." (2 Corinthians 4: 1).

Thursday of the 10th week of Ordinary Time is the feast of St Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church. St Anthony of Padua (1195 to 1231) was a Franciscan friar who was filled with the Holy Spirit and faith and was never discouraged by setbacks in the ministry the Lord entrusted him. His preaching ministry took him from North Africa to Italy and France. He is known as the Evangelical Doctor because he based all his teaching and preaching on the Gospel.

St Anthony is renowned also as a ready helper in difficult cases. Some years ago, Microsoft seized one of my important email addresses. I did everything to get it back but no success. Then I had the inspiration to pray to St Anthony of Padua and within a few hours got back the email address.

St Anthony believed that God in His mercy gave him a wonderful ministry of spreading His Good News to others and discouragement is not an option. Today's key Scripture inspires me to believe the same.

St Anthony of Padua pray for us.

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Not many of us should become teachers.

"Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5: 19).

Wednesday of the 10th week in Ordinary Time. Call the message from our Master and Teacher today "a double-edged sword." Teacher beware! You teach not only by what you say. Every action of yours is closely scrutinized. I have heard people talk about teachers and preachers in these terms: "He is real. He is not real."

How do you react with this kind of warning from St James?
"Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you realize that we will be judged more strictly, for we all fall short in many respects. If anyone does not fall short in speech, he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body also." (James 3: 1 - 2).

Are you concerned or discouraged by the warnings? No need to.  We take consolation from the promise of the Spirit:
"Live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh......  In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.Galatians 5: 16, 22-23).

We are not qualified to take credit for anything in our ministry. Our qualification comes from God,  who has indeed qualified us as ministers of a new covenant by giving us the Holy Spirit. (Cf 2 Corinthians 3: 4 - 6).

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This man encourages us to remain faithful to Jesus.

"When he [Barnabas] arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart,  for he was a good man, filled with the holy Spirit and faith." (Acts 11: 23 - 24).

Tuesday of the 10th week of Ordinary Time is the feast of St Barnabas the Apostle. Barnabas introduced St Paul to the other Apostle in Jerusalem and later did missionary work with Paul.

Barnabas' special gift of the Holy Spirit is encouraging the brethren. The gift of encouragement is sorely needed in the Church today. Without encouragement, many people will give up fruitful ministry at the first setback.

Who is the Barnabas in your life? Who are you encouraging to remain faithful to Jesus in firmness of heart? How do you encourage? You encourage as the Lord encourages you. (Cf 2 Corinthians 1: 3 - 4). You can encourage with words via text messages, emails, letters. You can pray for the servant of God regularly. You can offer financial help. Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance on how you can become an encourager of the brethren.

"I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
But I have called you friends,
because I have told you
everything I have heard from my Father." (John 15: 15).

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

"The disciples devoted themselves with one accord to prayer with Mary, the mother of Jesus." (Cf Acts 1: 14).
 
Today is Monday of the 10th week in Ordinary Time. Today the Church celebrates the Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church, a brand new feast "instituted by Pope Francis on February 11, 2018 — the 160th anniversary of the apparition of Mary at Lourdes."

“Behold, your son.... Behold, your mother.” (Cf John 19: 26 - 27).

The Blessed Virgin Mary is the only human being that witnessed all the mysteries of our salvation from Conception to Death of Jesus to the Birth of the Church on Pentecost Sunday. Is this an accident or mere coincidence?

O God, Father of mercies, Your Only Begotten Son, as he hung upon the Cross, chose the Blessed Virgin Mary, his Mother, to be our Mother also; grant with the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary that Your Church will grow to embrace all people. (Cf Collect of the feast).

"Happy are you, holy Virgin Mary, and most worthy of all praise,
for from you arose the sun of justice, Christ our God." (Gospel Acclamation).

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