Cristy Li

Jesus: “I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through Me.” –John 14:6
Image Courtesy: Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word

• All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. –2 Timothy 3:16-17

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say Rejoice!

Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.

Do not worry about anything but in everything by prayer

and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God

and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts

and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just,

whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable,

if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise,

think about these things.

Keep on doing the things you have learned, received,

heard and seen in me and the God of peace will be with you. –Philippians 4:4-9

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings for the Memorial of St. Philip Neri, Visit: -USCCB

If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above,
where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. –Colossians 3:1
Image Courtesy: St. Benedict Center

Blessed are You, O Lord;
Teach me Your statutes. (Psalm 119:12)

How can young people keep their way pure?
By guarding it according to Your Word. 

Blessed are You, O Lord;
Teach me Your statutes. (Psalm 119:12)

With my whole heart I seek You;
Do not let me stray from Your Commandments.

I treasure Your Word in my heart,
so that I may not sin against You.

Blessed are You, O Lord;
Teach me Your statutes.

With my lips I declare all the Ordinances of Your mouth.
I delight in the way of Your decrees as much as in all riches. 

I will meditate on Your precepts
and fix my eyes on Your ways.

I will delight in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your Word. –Psalm 119:9-16

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More Visit, -USCCB

Today’s Holy Scripture Readings for Memorial of St. Bede The Venerable, Priest & Doctor of the Church

I bow down toward Your Holy Temple and give Thanks to Your name
for Your steadfast love and Your Faithfulness. –Psalm 138:2A  Image Courtesy: Catholic San Francisco

Thanksgiving and Praise of David

Though I walk in the midst of trouble,

You preserve me against the wrath of my enemies;

You stretch out Your hand and Your right hand delivers me. (Psalm 138:7)

I give You Thanks, O Lord with my whole heart, before the gods (princes)
I sing Your praise. (Psalm 138:1)  Image Courtesy: Catholic San Francisco

I bow down toward Your Holy Temple

and give Thanks to Your name for Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness;

For You have exalted Your name and Your Word above everything.

On the day I called, You answered me, You increased my strength of soul.

All of the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord,

for they have heard the Words of Your mouth.

They shall sing of the ways of the Lord,

for great is the Glory of the Lord!

For though the Lord is high, He regards the lowly

but the haughty He perceives far away.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve me
against the wrath of my enemies. (Psalm 138:7A)  Image Courtesy: Catholic San Francisco

You stretch out Your hand and Your right hand delivers me. 

The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me;
Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever!
Do not forsake the work of Your hands. –Psalm 138:1-8

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB

It is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will,
than to suffer for doing evil. –1 Peter 3:17
Image Courtesy: EWTN

Suffering For Doing Right

All of you, have unity in spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart and a humble

mind. Do not repay evil-for-evil or abuse-for-abuse but on the contrary, repay with a blessing.

It is for this that you were called — that you might inherit a blessing.

For — Those who desire life

and desire to see good days,

let them keep their tongues from evil

and their lips from speaking deceit;

Let them turn away from evil and do good;

Let them seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous

and His ears are open to their prayer

but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.

Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? Even if you do suffer for doing what

is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they (their) fear and do not be intimidated but in

your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who

demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; Yet do it with gentleness and

reverence (respect) — Keep your conscience clear so that when you are maligned, those who

abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for

doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil. For Christ also

suffered (and died) for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring

you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit, in which also He went

and made a proclamation (ministered) to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not

obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a

few, that is, eight persons were saved through water and baptism, which this prefigured, now

saves you (See: Mark 16:16;  Acts 2:38) — not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an

appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone

into Heaven and is at the right hand of God, with Angels, authorities and powers made subject

to Him. –1 Peter 3:8-22

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB

Blessed are you, Holy Virgin Mary, deserving of all praise;
From you rose the Sun of Justice, Christ Our God!  Image Courtesy: Ascension Press

• “…What must I do to be saved? — Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved,
  you and your household.” –Acts 16:30-31
  
• Jesus: “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.
  No one comes to the Father except through Me.” –John 14:6
• All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. –2 Timothy 3:16-17
  

The True Vine

Jesus to His Disciples: “I am the True Vine and My Father is the Vinegrower. He removes every

branch in Me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit He prunes to make it bear more

fruit. You have already been cleansed by the Word that I have spoken to you. Abide in Me as I

abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither

can you unless you abide in Me. I am the Vine, you are the braches. Those who abide in Me and

I in them bear much fruit because apart from Me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide

in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; Such branches are gathered, thrown into the

fire and burned. If you abide in Me and My Words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish and

it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become My

disciples. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; Abide in My love. If you keep My

Commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s Commandments and

abide in His love. I have said these things to you so that My joy may be in you and that your joy

may be complete.

This is My Commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

You are My friends if you do what I commanded you. I do not call you servants any longer

because the servant does not know what the master is doing but I have called you friends

because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from My Father. You did not

choose Me but I chose you and I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last so that

the Father will give you whatever you ask Him in My name. I am giving you these commands so

that you may love one another.”

The World’s Hatred

Jesus: “If the world hates you be aware that it hated Me before it hated you. If you belonged tp

the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world but I

have chosen you out of the world — therefore the world hates you. Remember the Word that I

said to you, ‘Servants are not greater than their master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will

persecute you; If they kept My Word, they will keep yours also but they will do all these things

to you on account of My name because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come

and spoken to them, they would not have sin but now they have no excuse for their sin.

Whoever hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one

else did, they would not have sin but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father. It

was to fulfill the Word that is written in their Law,

‘They hated Me without a cause.’ (See: Psalm 69:4)

When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth who

comes from the Father, He will testify on My behalf. You also are to testify because you have

been with Me from the beginning.” –John 15:1-27

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB

The Lord records as He registers the peoples, “This one was born there.” –Psalm 87:6 (NRSVCE)
Image Courtesy: I Love Jesus & Mary 

Universal Call To Worship

Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Extol Him, all you peoples!
For great is His steadfast love toward us
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 117:1-2)

The Joy of Living in Zion

On the Holy mountain stands the city He founded;
the Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all of the dwellings of Jacob.
Glorious things are spoken of you,
O City of God.

Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Extol Him, all you peoples!
For great is His steadfast love toward us
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 117:1-2)

Among those who know Me I mention Rahab and Babylon;
Philista too and Tyre, with Ethiopia (Cush)
“This one was born there they say”
and of Zion it shall be said,
“This one and that one were born in it,”
for the Most High Himself will establish it.

Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Extol Him, all you peoples!
For great is His steadfast love toward us
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 117:1-2)

The Lord records, as He registers the peoples,
“This one was born there.”

Singers and dancers alike say,
“All my springs (innards are concerned) are in you.” –Psalm 87:1-7

Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Extol Him, all you peoples!
For great is His steadfast love toward us
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 117:1-2)

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB

Jesus: “I am the Good Shepherd.
I know My own and My own know Me.” –John 10:14 (NRSVCE)

The Divine Shepherd
Psalm of David

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul.

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1)

He leads me in right paths for His name sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

I fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and your staff

they comfort me.

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1)

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil,

my cup overflows.

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1)

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life

and I shall dwell in the House of the Lord

my whole life long. –Psalm 23:1-6

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB

The Words that I (Jesus) have spoken to you are spirit and life;
You have the Words of eternal life. –John 6:63C; 68C

Faith Conquers The World

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ, has been born of God and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His Commandments. For the love of God is this, that we obey His Commandments. His Commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world and this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Testimony Concerning the Son of God

This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with water only but with the water and the blood and the (Holy) Spirit is the one that testifies, for the (Holy) Spirit is the truth. There are three that testify: The (Holy) Spirit, the water and the blood, these three agree. If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; For this is the testimony of God that He testified to His Son. Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made Him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son and this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Epilogue

I (John the Evangelist) write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

This is the boldness we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us and if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of Him.

If you see your brother or sister committing what is not a mortal sin, you will ask and God will give life to such a one — to those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin that is mortal; I do not say that you should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin but there is sin that is not mortal.

We know that those who are born of God do not sin but the One who was born of God protects them and the evil one (Satan) does not touch them. We know that we are God’s children and that the whole world lies under the power of the evil one (Satan) and we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true and we are in Him, who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ.

He is the true God and eternal life. –1 John 5:1-20

Thanksgiving to God For His Deliverance/Recovery From Illness

How can I repay the Lord
for all the great good done for me? (Psalm 116:12 (NABRE)

I love the Lord because He has heard my voice and my supplications. Because He inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call on Him as long as I live. The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol (grave) laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I pray, save my life!” Gracious is the Lord and righteous; Our God is merciful. The Lord protects the simple; When I was brought low, He saved me. Return, O my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. I walk before the Lord in the land of the living. I kept my faith, even when I said, ‘I am greatly, afflicted.’ I said in my consternation, ‘Everyone is a liar.’

How can I repay the Lord
for all the great good done for me? (Psalm 116:12 (NABRE)

I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord, I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful ones.

How can I repay the Lord
for all the great good done for me? (Psalm 116:12 (NABRE)

O Lord, I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the child of Your serving girl. You have loosed my bonds. I will offer to You a Thanksgiving sacrifice and call on the name of the Lord.

How can I repay the Lord
for all the great good done for me? (Psalm 116:12 (NABRE)

I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people, in the courts of the House of the Lord, in Your midst, O Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord! –Psalm 116:1-19 (NRSVCE)

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings here and here for the Memorial of St. Athanasius, Visit: -USCCB

Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life…I am the living Bread that came down from Heaven. Whoever eats of this Bread will live forever and the Bread that I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”
John 6:48;51 (NRSVCE)

Jesus said, “Go into all the world and proclaim the Good News to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved but the one who does not believe will be condemned.
(Mark 16:15-16)

Universal Call To Worship

Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Extol Him, all you peoples!

Go into all the world and proclaim the Good News to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved but the one who does not believe will be condemned.
(Mark 16:15-16)

For great is His steadfast love toward us
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord! –Psalm 117:1-2

Go into all the world and proclaim the Good News to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved but the one who does not believe will be condemned.
(Mark 16:15-16)

Jesus said — “I am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to Me will never be hungry and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty but I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. Everything that the Father gives Me will come to Me and anyone who comes to Me I will never drive away; For I have come down from Heaven, not to do my own will but the will of Him who sent Me and this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I should lose nothing of all that He has given Me but raise it up on the last day. This is indeed the will of the Father, that all who see the Son and believe in Him may have eternal life and I will raise them up on the last day.”

“No one can come to Me unless drawn by the Father who sent Me and I will raise that person up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets ‘and they shall be taught by God.’ (Isaiah 54:13) Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the Bread of Life. Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness and they died. This is the Bread that comes down from Heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the Living Bread that came down from Heaven. Whoever eats of this Bread will live forever and the Bread that I will give for the life of the world is My Flesh.”

The Jews then disputed among themselves saying, ‘How can this man give us flesh to eat?’

Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink My blood have eternal life and I will raise them up on the last day; For My flesh is true food and My blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink My blood abide in Me and I in them. Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats Me will live because of Me. This is the Bread that came down from Heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate and they died but the one who eats this Bread will live forever.” –John 6:35-58

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB