"As Jesus approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out — the only son of his mother, and she was a widow." (Luke 7: 12 NIV)
He said,“Young man, I say to you, get up!” The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother."
"They were all filled with awe and praised God. “ A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” (Luke 7: 14 - 16 NLT)
"Beloved:
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus:
proclaim the word;
be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.
" For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths.
"But you, be self - possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship;
perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry." (2 Timothy 4: 1, 2, 3-5 RM)
"God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
"While we were still helpless [powerless to provide for our salvation], at the right time Christ died [as a substitute] for the ungodly." (Romans 5: 5-6 AMP)
"But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5: 8 AMP)
We honor the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus today. A Solemn Feast.
"This is a trustworthy saying:
If we die with him,
we will also live with him.
If we endure hardship,
we will reign with him.
If we deny him,
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful,
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny who he is."
"Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them." (2 Timothy 2: 11-14 NLT)
"It is you who have stood by me in my trials; 29 and I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father has conferred one on me, 30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom." (Luke 22: 28-30 NABRE)
Are you discouraged of living as a Christian?
"For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.
For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control." (2 Timothy 1: 6-7 RM)
"Bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God." (2 Timothy 1: 8 RM)
"I was appointed preacher and Apostle and teacher.
On this account I am suffering these things; but I am not ashamed, for I know him in whom I have believed
and am confident that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day." (2 Timothy 1: 12 RM)
"You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
Mary responded,
“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. (Luke 45-49 NLT)
"May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord."
"By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence." (2 Peter 1: 2 - 3 NLT)
"And this is the way to have eternal life -- to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth." (John 17: 3 NLT)
You enjoy God's favors in proportion to your knowledge of God and Jesus Christ.
"He fed them with the finest wheat
and satisfied them with honey from the rock." (Cf. Psalm 81 (80): 17 RM)
"For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying,“This cup is the new covenant between God and his people — an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” (1 Corinthians 11: 23 - 25 NLT)
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6: 51 NIV)
"Beloved, remember the words spoken beforehand by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit.
Keep yourselves in the love of God
and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life." (Jude 17, 20b-25 RM)
The Path to Freedom / Victory in Life:
PRAYER AND MERCY!
Ask for Mercy.
Be Merciful.
Completely trust Jesus for Mercy.
"Jesus replied, “Have faith in God [constantly]. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!’ and does not doubt in his heart[in God’s unlimited power], but believes that what he says is going to take place, it will be done for him [in accordance with God’s will]."
"For this reason I am telling you, whatever things you ask for in prayer [in accordance with God’s will], believe [with confident trust] that you have received them, and they will be given to you." (Mark 11: 22 - 24 AMP)
Confidently trust Jesus for Mercy.
“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Mark 10: 47 NIV)
"Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10: 48 NIV)
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
The blind man (Bartimaeus) said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road."
(Mark 10 : 51 - 52 NIV)
"Realizing that you were ransomed from your futile conduct, handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb." (1 Peter: 18-19 NABRE)
"Since you have purified yourselves by obedience to the truth for sincere mutual love, love one another intensely from a [pure] heart." (1 Peter 1: 22 NABRE)
"Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said.
“Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property — along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life." (Mark 10: 28 - 30 NLT)
"Looking at him, Jesus felt a love (high regard, compassion) for him, and He said to him, “You lack one thing: go and sell all your property and give [the money]to the poor, and you will have[abundant] treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me[becoming My disciple, believing and trusting in Me and walking the same path of life that I walk].”
But the man was saddened at Jesus’ words, and he left grieving, because he owned much property and had many possessions [which he treasured more than his relationship with God]." (Mark 10: 21 - 22 AMP)
Today is the Solemn Feast of the Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.
"We confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." (Romans 5: 2-5 NLT)
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end. Amen.
"Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven." (James 5: 13 - 15 NLT)
"The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God — it is dynamic and can have tremendous power]." (James 5: 16 AMP)
"Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!" (James 5: 9 NIV)
No Complain. No Criticize. No Condemn.
To trust in wealth is to trust in folly.
"So don’t be impressed with those who get rich and pile up fame and fortune.
They can’t take it with them;
fame and fortune all get left behind.
Just when they think they’ve arrived
and folks praise them because they’ve made good,
They enter the family burial plot where they’ll never see sunshine again." (Psalm 49: 16 - 19 MSG)
"You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter." (James 5: 5 NLT)
To trust in wealth is to trust in folly.
"So don’t be impressed with those who get rich and pile up fame and fortune.
They can’t take it with them;
fame and fortune all get left behind.
Just when they think they’ve arrived
and folks praise them because they’ve made good,
They enter the family burial plot where they’ll never see sunshine again." (Psalm 49: 16 - 19 MSG)
"You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter." (James 5: 5 NLT)
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." (Matthew 16: 24 NIV)
“If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give it up for me, you will save it." (Matthew 10: 39 TLB)
"Why should I fear when trouble comes,
when enemies surround me? They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches." (Psalm 49: 5-6 NLT)
The Eucharist gives us the determination to be faithful in bearing witness to Jesus and victorious in suffering. Never miss the Eucharist!
