Have sight; your faith has saved you.

“Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” 
“What do you want me to do for you?” 
"Lord, please let me see.”
“Have sight; your faith has saved you.”  (Luke 18: 35 - 43 NABRE)

Consider faith as sight. 
Consider faith as light that illuminates the mysteries of God.
Faith can also be seen as spiritual understanding.
Faith brings peace to our lives.  Obedience of faith brings total liberation.  You see God in action in everything.  Do you have faith in God's mysterious and loving Providence?

Lord, increase our faith.

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To be near God is my happiness, to place my hope in God the Lord.

"It will lead to your giving testimony."   (Luke 21:  13 NABRE)

Have you ever seen adversity as opportunity in disguise?  Jesus says that when you are arrested for being a Christian,  it will open a door to your bearing witness.

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

"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)

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I was a stranger and you welcomed me.

"Beloved, you are faithful in all you do for the brothers, especially for strangers."  (3 John 5 NABRE)

The Church in America exhorts the faithful to support strangers, that is, immigrants in our midst.  It reminds all of us that we are all children of immigrants.  Our forebears came to America either as economic refugees or fleeing from religious persecution.  As you were welcomed, welcome others.

If you are kind to the "strangers"  among us, they will testify to your love before God.  (3 John 6)  "Please help them in a way worthy of God to continue their journey."  (3 John 6)

"I was a stranger and you welcomed me."  (Matthew 25 : 35)
Consider some famous immigrants in history:  Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, David, Joseph, Mary and Jesus.

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May our life be always directed by Your Holy Spirit whether in tribulation or in prosperity.

"Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it."  (Luke 17: 33 NABRE)

What can be the signs that you may be working over time to preserve your life?  Do you have excessive concern for your health, job and money?  Do you postpone the things of God till tomorrow or later?

Watch out.  You may be working too hard to preserve a life that is ebbing every second.  

May neither death nor life separate us from the love of Christ.

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Where to look for King Jesus.

"The Kingdom of God is among you."   (Luke 17: 21 NABRE)

In truth, the Kingdom of God is already here and now.  In the fullness of time, the Kingdom of God will be manifested in its fullest glory.  How is the Kingdom of God here and now?  Where is it?  Jesus Christ is the King.  Wherever He is, there is His reign.  He reigns already in every heart, mind and soul that welcomes Him.

How do you know if King Jesus is the Lord of your heart, mind and soul?  Peace, joy, contentment, etc are a few of the signs of His presence.   All these will transcend material circumstances and will surpass all understanding.  (Philippians 4: 7)

When you seek first King Jesus and His manner of doing right, He promises to provide all your needs.  (Matthew 6 : 33)

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The River of God flows through the Sanctuary of the living God.

"Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them."  (Ezekiel 47: 12 NIV)

Ezekiel describes a vision of the future Church of God in Chapter 47. What in fact is the Church? 
The Church is the People of God.
The Church is the Temple of the Holy Spirit.
The Church is the Body of Christ.
The Church is the Bride of Christ.

We can now understand why Christ says that the gate of hell shall never prevail against the Church.  (Matthew 16: 17 - 19l

What is the life principle of the Church?  Ezekiel describes it as the water from the Sanctuary which flow from it.  This water is the Holy Spirit.   The Holy Spirit is the life principle of the Church.  In the Creed, He is called the Lord and Giver of life.

Come O Holy Spirit fill the hearts of Your faithful.  Come and kindle in us the fire of Your love.

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Trust in the Lord and do good, that you may dwell in the land and fed in security.

"Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart."  (Psalm 37: 4)

How does a child take delight in her mother?  When I was a kid, I enjoyed visiting my mother's shop on my way from school.  I was rewarded with cookies and peanuts which I still enjoy to this day.   I dashed in and out of the kitchen to the displeasure of my sisters when my mom prepared meals.  Reward: little pieces of meat and fish.

It is good to take delight in the LORD.  The rewards are higher and varied: peace, faith, understanding and presence.

King David took delight in the LORD through prayer, worship, psalms and songs.  He meditated often on the word of God.  The Lord called David "a man after my heart" (1 Samuel 13: 14) and forgave David his sins.

"The Lord makes firm the steps
 of the one who delights in him;
 though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand."  (Psalm 37: 23 -  24)

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To be forgiven and to receive favors from God, you must learn to forgive.

"If your brother sins and disregards God’s precepts, solemnly warn him; and if he repents and changes, forgive him."  (Luke 17: 3 AMP)

Brother here means also sister, father, mother, children, wife, neighbor, stranger.  Sin means all actions against the  Commandments, brotherly love, gossips, calumny, etc.  Forgiveness means letting go of a hurt completely, no revenge, no grudges, no shunning, etc.

There are two core messages in the entire Bible that affects our salvation and life after death:
#1. Repentance /Conversion
#2. Forgiveness

If they seem impossible, ask for grace and mercy.  All things are possible for God. (Mark 10: 27)

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Jesus Christ is faithful and trustworthy.

"The Lord is faithful."  (2 Thessalonians 3 : 3 NABRE)

What is to be faithful?  Simply, reliable, trustworthy, a person of your word.  Faithfulness, reliability, trustworthiness is a human character trait I admire most.  I keep far from people who are not.  Pardon me.  I am not yet a saint.  I am working on it.

No wonder, of all divine attributes, His faithfulness is the one I love most.   In the Bible, there are thousands of promises.   Scripture reminds us that these promises are for us and our children.  (Acts 2: 39)

How do you appropriate these promises? First, be aware of them.  Desire them.  Confidently ask for them.  One of the first promises I appropriated is:  "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."  (Matthew 6: 33 KJV)   I was incredulous when I read it for the first time.  This is too easy.  Too good to be true.  Then I believed it.  I use it as my business name, Blog name and eventually bought the song from Amazon Music.

Grab your Scripture today.  When the word meets its owner, life is changed.

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I have learned an amazing secret.

"I have learned the secret of.... living in abundance and of being in need."  (Philippians 4: 12 RM)

Have you learned this great secret of contentment?  Or do you subscribe to the notion that life must be always and everywhere trouble free, full health, full stomach and full fun?

Before St Paul learned this secret of   God's Providence, he felt insecure about his needs.   After he learned the secret, he knew that God Never Fails.  God's loving Providence has designed for us to experience joys and frustrations, pleasures and pains in life.  Jesus Himself experienced the ups and downs of daily life.  Think of the four seasons:  spring, summer, autumn and winter.  Each of them brings richness to our life.

"And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4 : 19 NLT)

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Prepare a full account of your stewardship.

"What is this I hear about you?"  (Luke 16:  2 NABRE)

Are you ready at all times to render an account of your stewardship?  Are you confident that the Just and Merciful Judge will approve your management of your gifts of Time, Talent and Treasure?  Or are you one of those whose god is their stomach?  (Philippians 3: 19)

If you have received more gifts of Time, Talent and Treasure, God will demand more of you.  (Luke 12: 48)

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11-3

"We do not put confidence in flesh."  (Philippians 3: 3 RM)

When crisis strikes, where do you put your confidence? Where do you instinctively run to for solace?
Countries may think of their nuclear weapons; businessmen may think of their huge cash deposits; others may think of their family.  Everyone has a backup in the moment of great distress.  What is yours?

The word of God warns us not to put our trust in princes, chariots, Assyria or Egypt. (Psalm 146: 3-5)  Rather, we are to put all our trust and confidence in God alone.   So as we approach this critical weekend, remember this truth:  Neither Assyria or Egypt will save us.  Our salvation shall come from the Lord who made heaven and earth.  (Psalm 121: 2)
Whatever the outcome, you will just be fine because God is on His throne.

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Our hope for eternal life shall not disappoint.

How do you imagine life after death?  Remember the 4 Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell.
The Scriptures give us the consolation of the truth.

The souls of the just are in peace.
"For if to others, indeed, they seem punished, yet is their hope full of immortality;
Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself.
As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself."  (Wisdom 3: 4 - 6 NABRE)

God promises that His faithful ones shall abide with Him in love,  "Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with the elect."   (Wisdom 3:  9 NABRE)

Our hope for eternal life shall not disappoint.  (Cf Romans 5: 5)

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Be a Saint.

Who are the saints?

“These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."  (Revelation 7: 14 NABRE)

The Church celebrates today the Solemnity of All Saints.  The Church teaches that these Four Last Things are certain:  Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell.

The saints persevered during their life here on earth in following Jesus.  Their hands were sinless, their hearts clean; they did not desire what is vain. 

Everybody can be a saint.  Be a saint.  That is the best thing.

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I am the way and the truth and the life.

"If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth."   (John 8: 31 - 32 RM)

A disciple is a student.  Why is knowledge of the truth so important in our Journey of Faith?  First, the Truth is Jesus Christ Himself.  "I am the way, and the truth and the life."  (John 14: 6)  Secondly, a knowledge of Jesus Christ as Truth,  that is, as ultimate reality sets us free from false truths that enslave us.  The sun gives the constellation of stars their relative positions in the sky.  So is Jesus Christ, the Alpha and the Omega.  (Revelation 1: 8)

"Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ."  (St Jerome)
The first step in knowing Jesus is spending time in the Scriptures every day.

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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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