Today salvation will come to your house.

"Zacchaeus received Jesus with joy."   (Luke 19: 6 RM)

What a gracious act.  Zac was short and because he wanted to see Jesus so badly and the crowd around Jesus was huge, Zac climbed a tall tree.  No problem for Jesus. He knew where Zac was.  "Come down Zac.  This is your day.  I am going to have dinner with you."  Zac hurried down and "received Jesus with joy."  (Luke 19: 5)

Some of us have the opportunity to receive Jesus frequently in Holy Communion or in His word.  Do you receive Him with joy?  "Today salvation has come to this house."   (Luke 19:  9)  What a mighty reward for Zac and his family.

Do not let your heart  grow lukewarm.  Pray for the grace of joy and enthusiasm.

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I long to depart this life

"I  long to depart this life and be with Christ, [for] that is far better."  (Philippians 1:23 NABRE)

Are you one of those who have put down deep tap root on earth?  Do you find the thought of death and leaving behind everything you worked so hard for disarming?  This was me not long ago.  Then I started reading the word of God and found it is life-changing.

Listen to Paul :  "For to me life is Christ, and death is gain."  (Philippians 1: 21 NABRE)  

David in Psalm 42 expresses the same prayer:  "My soul is thirsting for the living God.  As the hinds long for running waters, so my soul longs for You, O God.  When shall I go and behold the face of God?"

Pray for the grace of hope.

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Jesus calls Prayer a Necessity.

"Jesus spent the night in prayer to God."   (Luke 6 : 12)

This was before He chose the twelve Apostles.  Jesus taught His disciples the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.  Jesus calls Prayer a necessity.

We are urged to pray constantly always and for everything giving thanks in the name of Jesus Christ to God the Father.  (Ephesians 5: 20; 1 Thessalonians 5: 18)

"For we have not been commanded to work, to keep watch and to fast constantly, but it has been laid down that we are to pray without ceasing."  (CCC 2742)

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Put on the full armor.

"Put on the full armor of God."  (Ephesians 6 : 11 NIV)

In the famous Ephesians 6: 10 - 20 passage, St Paul urged us twice to put on the full armor of God.
Two quick questions:
First, what is the armor of God?
It is not guns, gun ships, rockets, etc.  The armor of God are spiritual weapons of Truth, Righteousness, Faith, Word of God, and Prayer.  These spiritual weapons demolish without mercy demonic strongholds.  These are the weapons of Christianity.  This is the open secret of the survival of the Christian Faith in the past 2000 years.  Every other power had collapsed and consigned to the dust of history, viz: Roman Empire, British, French, Ottoman (Islamic) , etc.

The answer to question #2  "Why put on the full armor?" is clear.  The full armor makes survival and victory possible.
The battle is not for the future.  It is raging now.   "The battle is not yours, but God's."   (2 Chronicles 20: 15)  So we need the armor of God.

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If you honor your father and mother, it will be well with you and you will enjoy a long and happy life.

"Honor your father and mother."  (Ephesians 6:2)

Quoting the 4th Commandment, St Paul reminds us of this great Law.
My parents are dead.  Am I then excused from this Commandment?  Not at all.  My father and mother are all legitimate authorities, viz:  civil, religious and commercial authorities.  All seniors are included in this Law.

What does honor mean?  Obey, respect, esteem, treat as precious.
Who can resist this sales pitch from the word of God?
Honor your father and mother is the first commandment with a promise. If you do this, it will be well with you and you will enjoy a long life.   (Cf Ephesians 6: 2 - 3)

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The Lord bless you from Zion and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem.

"Blessed are you who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways."   (Psalm 128: 1 RM)

To be blessed is to be happy and sheltered by God's favor.  Who will not like to be always happy, with a sunny outlook because you know that come what may, it shall be well with you.

Scripture also promises that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  What is wisdom?  Wisdom is that quality of capitalizing on your experience and knowledge that produces a person of good judgment.

Psalm 128 also promises that those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways shall enjoy the fruit of their labor in peace.

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Imitate Jesus Christ.

"Be imitators of God."   (Ephesians 5:1 RM)

You cannot imitate anyone you do not know.  To imitate God, you must know who God is.  God is invisible, so how do you know God?  God made Himself visible in Jesus Christ.  So be imitators of Jesus Christ.  "Know the Heart of God from the word of God."  (St Gregory the Great)  St Jerome, another Doctor and Father of the Church teaches:  "Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." 

If you want to know God and imitate Him, feed on the word of God every day.

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God does not delay in answering our prayers.

"The Lord will not delay."   (Sirach 35: 22 RM)

The Lord will not delay to respond to the prayer of the lowly.  (Cf Psalm 34: 7) For He always hears the cry of the poor.

Do you ever feel the Lord delays answer to your prayers?  Me too.  We read in many places in the Bible that the Lord does not delay to answer us.  (2 Peter 3 : 9)

How do we deal with the frustration of God's delay to answer our prayers?  Consider the following points:

#1.  Are you praying with faith?  (Mark 11: 24, James 1: 6-7)
#2. Do you harbor unforgiveness?  It will be a miracle if any of your prayers is answered with a spirit of unforgiveness in your heart.  (Mark 11: 25)
#3.  Are you praying in accordance with God's will?  (Luke 11 :13; James 4: 3)
#4.  When you pray, are you humble before God?  (Luke 18: 13 - 14)
#5.  Do you pray once and then give up?  Persistence is a fundamental law of prayer.  (Luke 18: 7-8)

Keep praying.  God is faithful and bigger than whatever you ask Him.  God Never Fails!

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Folly is in the heart of a child. (Proverbs)

"I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord,
but rather in his conversion that he may live."  (Ezekiel 33: 11 RM)

Every great prophet in Israel preached Conversion.  Isaiah, Jeremiah, John the Baptizer,  Jesus Christ, Saints Peter and Paul.  They all preached Conversion unceasingly.  Conversion is therefore at the very heart of the Gospel.

What is Conversion?  Conversion is abandoning folly and coming back to one's senses.   When the rebellious teenager turns away from his wild and foolish lifestyle and returns to submission and obedience, he has experienced Conversion.   Conversion is a lifelong process.  Every Christian is in a Journey of Faith.  We fall down, we get up and continue the Journey.

To experience Conversion and continue in Conversion, we need the grace and mercy of Jesus.  The Heart of Jesus is the infinite ocean of grace and mercy.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU.

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10-22

"I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord,
but rather in his conversion that he may live."  (Ezekiel 33: 11 RM)

Every great prophet in Israel preached Conversion.  Isaiah, Jeremiah, John the Baptizer,  Jesus Christ, Saints Peter and Paul.  They all preached Conversion unceasingly.  Conversion is therefore at the very heart of the Gospel.

What is Conversion?  Conversion is abandoning folly and coming back to one's senses.   When the rebellious teenager turns away from his wild and foolish lifestyle and returns to submission and obedience, he has experienced Conversion.   Conversion is a lifelong process.  Every Christian is in a Journey of Faith.  We fall down, we get up and continue the Journey.

To experience Conversion and continue in Conversion, we need the grace and mercy of Jesus.  The Heart of Jesus is the infinite ocean of grace and mercy.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU.

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Christ our Teacher is waiting for you.

"Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom."  (Matthew 11: 25 RM)

How many mysteries are there in the Kingdom of God?  A lot.  How do we acquire knowledge of these mysteries?  By prayer and study.   Are you one of the adults with an elementary or middle school knowledge of the faith?

Christ our Teacher is always ready to teach.  Imitate St Paul and go straight to the university of the faith:

"I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except for Jesus Christ, and him crucified. (Cf 1 Corinthians 2: 2 RM)

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O God, our hearts are restless.

"Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord."  (Philippians 3: 8 TLB)

Consider your priorities one by one.  Paul did this and labeled all of them rubbish.  What do you cling to as your first love?  If it is not Jesus, you will feel empty all the time.  "O God, You have made us for Yourself.  Our hearts are restless until they rest in You" cried the great St Augustine as he struggled with Jesus during his conversion process.

Jesus promises:  "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."   (Matthew 6: 33 NLT)

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You too will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.

"With joy you will draw water
from the fountains of salvation."   (Isaiah 12: 3 NABRE)

In the early fall of 1995, still during my conversion process, I was in the sick bed ready to die.  One of my teachers and priest came and anointed me and gave me the last Sacrament.  This made me calm and serene and ready to meet the Just and Merciful Judge.  Another visitor, a man of God brought me this word of God:  "With joy you will draw water
from the fountains of salvation."

What is "water" and "fountains of salvation?"  I struggled for years to understand the word I believed and claimed.  In the past year, I have come to understand "water"  as grace and mercy.  And "fountains of salvation"  as the inexhaustible Heart of Jesus, source of grace and mercy.

You too with joy you will draw water
from the fountains of salvation.  What is keeping you?  Believe and start drawing immediately.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU.

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The Lord is near to those who call upon Him.

"At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me....  But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength."  (2 Timothy 4: 16 - 17 NABRE)

Jesus sent His disciples into the world as lambs among wolves.  (Luke 10 : 3)  He promised to be with them always. (Matthew 28: 20)

Do not be afraid of witnessing to Jesus.  He will not leave you or forsake you.  (Hebrews 13: 5-6)

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Do not place your security on perishable stuff.

"Take care to guard against all greed."  (Luke 12: 15 RM)

Are you part of the rat race?
*  Bigger bank account
*  Bigger house
*  Bigger car
*  Bigger wardrobe
*  Bigger job
*  Bigger food

"One's life does not consist of possessions."  (Luke 12: 15)
Those who store up treasures for themselves on earth and have no credit line with God face dismal future.

Be rich in what matters to God.   (Luke 12: 21)

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To You I call; for You will surely heed me, O God.

"Give peace, O Lord, to those who wait for you,
that your prophets be found true.
Hear the prayers of your servant,
and of your people Israel."  (Sirach 34: 18 RM)

Do you believe in prayer?
Then pray constantly.
Pray about everything.
Then leave the outcome to God.

Every test of faith is a type of spiritual warfare.  As long as you continue to pray, you are winning.  (Exodus 17: 8-13)

"One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up."  (Luke 18: 1)

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The Holy Spirit will teach you.

"The Holy Spirit will teach you."  (Luke 12: 12)

What the Holy Spirit will teach you:
+  How to pray.
+  How to evangelize
+  The word of God
+  Your gifts
+  Etc

Today is the Memorial of St Teresa of Avila,  Virgin and Doctor of the Church.   St Teresa did not go to high school or university.  The Holy Spirit taught her everything she knew.  Universities all over the world study her writings.  Numerous Churches are named after her.   An example of her wisdom is below:

"Let nothing trouble you,
let nothing frighten you.
All things are passing;
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
He who possesses God lacks nothing: God alone suffices."  St Teresa of Avila

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Your promises give me strength in all my troubles, how they refresh and revive me.

"Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows."  (Luke 12: 7 NABRE)

Why are we so fearful?  Consider for a moment the things we fear:  ill-health, poverty, depression, divorce, joblessness, thefts, bankruptcy, etc.  We can fill pages with the things we fear.

Now consider the words of Jesus:  The price of five sparrows is less than a dime.  Yet one of these sparrows is precious in the eyes of God.

Do you think you are precious in the eyes of God?  God loves humanity so much that He entrusted to him the care of the universe.  He sent His Son to die to save man.  Yet man cannot trust God to provide him with his needs.   Think of the sparrow and give thanks to God for His love and plan for man.

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The Eucharist is Jesus Christ Himself.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ."  (Ephesians 1: 3 NIV)

God lavishes upon us the riches of the grace of Christ.  (Ephesians 1: 7)  What would you consider your greatest blessing in life? Family, Health, Money, Job, etc?

The Church has constantly taught that the greatest blessing in her treasury is the Eucharist.  The Eucharist is Jesus Himself, the Giver of all gifts.  The Church defines herself as the Church of the Eucharist.  No Eucharist, No Church.  In Christ, we have Redemption by His Blood.  (Ephesians 1: 7)

Never miss an opportunity to enjoy the Eucharist.

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If you are guided by the Holy Spirit, enjoy without limit grace and mercy.

"If we are living now by the Holy Spirit’s power, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives."  (Galatians 5 : 25 TLB)

What is controlling your thoughts, words and actions?  The Holy Spirit or your nature?  Are you still counting how many good works you do every day?   What do you know of grace and mercy?

The Holy Spirit is the good and sound Tree that produces good and wholesome fruits season after season.  Enjoy and share the fruits of the Spirit:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.
Peace be on Jerusalem!

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