Cristy Li

(Via: The Catholic Thing)

Jesus teaching, “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them, for then you have no reward from your Father in Heaven — When you give alms do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your alms may be done in secret and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” –Matthew 6:1; 3-4 (NRSVCE)  Image Courtesy: Vatican News

Thanksgiving For Deliverance and Prayer For Help

Lord, make haste to help me! (Psalm 40:13B)

I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me and heard my cry.

Lord, make haste to help me! (Psalm 40:13B)

He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog

and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

Lord, make haste to help me! (Psalm 40:13B)

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to Our God.

Many will see and fear and put their Trust in the Lord.

Lord, make haste to help me! (Psalm 40:13B)

Happy are those who make the Lord their trust,

who do not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after false gods.

You have multiplied, O Lord My God, Your wondrous deeds

and Your thoughts toward us; None can compare to you.

Were I to proclaim and tell them, they would be more than can be counted.

Sacrifice and offering you do not desire but you have given me an open ear.

Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.

Then I said, ‘Here I am; In the Scroll of the Book it is written of me.

I delight to do Your will, O My God; Your Law is within my heart.’

I have told the Glad (Good) News of deliverance in the great congregation,

see, I have not restrained my lips as you know, O Lord.

I have not hidden Your saving help within my heart, I have spoken of your faithfulness

and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness

from the great congregation.

Do not withhold Your mercy from me; Let Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness

keep me safe forever. For evils have encompassed me without number;

My iniquities have overtaken me, until I cannot see;

They are more than the hairs of my head and my heart fails me.

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me.

O Lord, make haste to help me!

Let all those be put to shame and confusion who seek to snatch away my life;

Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire my hurt.

Let those be appalled because of their shame who say to me, ‘Aha, Aha!’

May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You!

May those who love Your salvation say continually, ‘Great is the Lord!’

Lord, make haste to help me! (Psalm 40:13B)

As for me, I am poor and needy but the Lord takes thought for me.

You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O My God! –Psalm 40:1-17

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True Disciples: Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in Him, “If you continue in My Word, you are truly My Disciples; You will know the truth and the truth will make you free.”
John 8:31-32 (NRSVCE)

The True Kindred of Jesus

Jesus’ Mother and brothers came and standing outside they sent to Him and called Him.

A crowd was sitting around Him and they said to Him, ‘Your Mother, your brothers

and sisters are outside asking for you.’

Jesus replied, “Who are My Mother and My brothers? Looking at those who sat around Him,

Jesus said, “Here are My Mother and My brothers! Whoever does the Will of God is My brother

and sister and Mother.” –Mark 3:31-35

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Keep Awake — For you do not know on what day Your Lord is Coming! Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. –Matthew 24:42;46 (NRSVCE)
Image Courtesy: Fr. John Lewis

The Destruction of the Temple Foretold

As Jesus came out of the Temple and was going away, His Disciples came to point out to Him

the buildings of the Temple. Then He asked them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly I tell

you, not one stone will be left here upon another; All will be thrown down.”

Sign of the End of the Age

When Jesus was setting on the Mount of Olives, the Disciples came to Him privately saying,

‘Tell us, when will this be and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?’

Jesus answered them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. For many will come in My name

saying, ‘I am the Messiah’ and they will lead many astray and you will hear of wars and rumors

of wars; See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place but the end is not yet. For nation

will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom and there will be famines and

earthquakes in various places, all this is the beginning of the birth pangs.”

Persecution Foretold

“Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death and you will be hated by

all nations because of My Name. Then many will fall away and they will betray one another and

hate one another and many false prophets will arise and lead many astray and because of the

increase in lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold but the one who endures to the end will

be saved and the Good News of the Kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a

testimony to all the nations; then the end will come.”

The Desolating Sacrilege

“So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the Holy Place, as was spoken by the

Prophet Daniel, (9:23-25) then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; the one on the

housetop must not go down to take what is in the house; the one in the field must not turn back

to get a coat. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those nursing infants in those days! Pray

that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. For at that time there will be great

suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the wold until now, no and never will be.

If those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved but for the sake of the elect those

days will be cut short. Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There he is!’

— Do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs

and omens, to lead astray, if possible even the elect. Take note. I have told you beforehand. So,

if they say to you, ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes

from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever

the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”

The Coming of the Son of Man

“Immediately after the suffering of those days

the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light;

the stars will fall from heaven and the powers of heaven will be shaken.

Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in Heaven and then all the tribes of the earth will

mourn and they will see ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of Heaven’ with power and great

glory and He will send out His Angels with a loud trumpet call and they will gather His elect

from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: As soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its

leaves, you know that Summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that He

is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these

things have taken place. Heaven and Earth will pass away but My Words will not pass away.”

The Necessity For Watchfulness

“Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household,

to give the other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom

his master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of

all his possessions but if the wicked slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed’ and he begins

to beat his fellow slaves and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that slave will come

on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know. He will cut him in

pieces and put him with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

–Matthew 24:1-51

A Warning Against Hypocrisy

Meanwhile, when the crowd gathered by the thousands, so that they trampled on one another,

He began to speak first to His Disciples, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, that is, their

hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered and nothing secret that will not

become known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light and

what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed from the housetops.”

Exhortation To Fearless Confession

“I tell you, My friends, do not fear those who kill the body and after that can do nothing more

but I will warn you whom to fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into

Hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him!

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight but

even the hairs of your head are all counted. Do not be afraid; You are of more value than many

sparrows. And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges Me before others, the Son of Man also

will acknowledge before the Angels of God but whoever denies Me before others will be denied

before the Angels of God.

Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven but whoever blasphemes

against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

When they bring you before the Synagogues, the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about

how you are to defend yourselves or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you at

that very hour what you ought to say.”

The Parable of the Rich Fool

Someone in the crowd said to Him (Jesus), ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family

inheritance with me.’ Jesus said to him, “Friend, who set Me to be a judge or arbitrator over

you?”

Jesus said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; For one’s life does

not consist in the abundance of possessions.”

Then Jesus told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly and he thought

to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘I will do

this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones and there I will store all my grain and my

goods, I will say to my soul, soul you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink,

be merry.’ God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you and

the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So it is with those who store up treasures

for themselves but are not rich toward God.”

Do Not Worry

Jesus said to His Disciples. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat

or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food and the body more than

clothing. Consider the ravens, they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor

barn and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! Can any of you

by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do so small a thing

as that, why do you worry about the rest?

Consider the lilies, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all

his glory was not clothed like one of these but if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is

alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you – you of

little faith! Do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink and do not

keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things and Your

Father knows that you need them. Instead, strive for His Kingdom and these things will be

given to you as well.

Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is Your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. Sell

your possessions and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing

treasure in Heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure

is, there your heart will be also.”

Watchful Slaves

“Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; Be like those who are waiting for their master

to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he

comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; Truly

I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat and he will come and serve them.

If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn and finds them so, blessed are those

slaves but know this:

If the owner of the house had known what hour the thief was coming he would not have let his

house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected

hour.”

The Faithful or the Unfaithful Slave

Peter said, ‘Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?’

The Lord (Jesus) said, “Who then is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will

put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is

that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that

one in charge of all his possessions but if that slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in

coming’ and if he begins to beat the other slaves, men and women and to eat and drink and get

drunk, the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour

that he does not know and will cit him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. That slave who

knew what his master wanted but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a

severe beating but the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a

light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required and from

the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.”

Jesus The Cause of Division

“I came to bring fire to the earth and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with

which to be baptized and what stress I am under until it is completed!

Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you but rather division!

From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three,

they will be divided:

father against son and son against father,

mother against daughter and daughter against mother,

mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Interpreting The Time

Jesus also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It

is going to rain’ and so it happens and when you see the south wind blowing you say, ‘There will

be scorching heat’ and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance

of earth and sky but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”

Settling With Your Opponent

“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? Thus, when you go with your accuser

before a magistrate, on the way make an effort to settle the case or you may be dragged before

the judge and the judge hand you over to the officer and the officer throw you in prison. I tell

you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.” –Luke 12:1-59

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God Loves a Cheerful Giver and God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:7B-8 (NRSVCE)
Image Courtesy: Archbishop Jose Gomez

The one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly and the one who sows bountifully will also

reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or

under compulsion, for God Loves a Cheerful Giver and God is able to provide you with every

blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share

abundantly in every good work. As it is written,

“He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.” (Psalm 112:9)

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for

sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. –2 Corinthians 9:6-10

Blessings of the Righteous

It is well with those who deal generously and lend,

who conduct their affairs with justice. (Psalm 112:5)

Praise The Lord!

Happy are those who fear the Lord, who greatly delight in His Commandments.

Their descendants will be mighty in the land; The generation of the upright will be blessed.

It is well with those who deal generously and lend,

who conduct their affairs with justice. (Psalm 112:5)

Wealth and riches are in their houses and their righteousness endures forever.

They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; They are gracious, merciful and righteous.

It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice.

For the righteous will never be moved; They will be remembered forever.

They are not afraid of evil tidings; Their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord.

Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid;

In the end they will look in triumph on their foes.

They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor;

Their righteousness endures forever; Their horn is exalted in honor.

The wicked see it and are angry; They gnash their teeth and melt away;

The desire of the wicked comes to nothing. –Psalm 112:1-10

It is well with those who deal generously and lend,

who conduct their affairs with justice. (Psalm 112:5)

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Acknowledge today and take to heart that the Lord is God in Heaven above
and on the earth beneath; There is no other. –Deuteronomy 4:39 (NRSVCE)
Image Courtesy: St. Paul Street Evangelization

God’s Mighty Deeds Recalled

I will mediate on all Your Work! (Psalm 77:12A)

I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, that He may hear me.

In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; In the night my hand is stretched out without

wearying; My soul refused to be comforted.

I think of God and I moan; I meditate and my spirit faints.

You keep my eyelids from closing; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

I consider the days of old and remember the years of long ago.

I commune with my heart in the night; I meditate and search my spirit:

“Will the Lord spurn forever and never again be favorable? Has His steadfast love ceased

forever? Are His promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in

anger shut up His compassion?”

I say, “It is my grief that the right hand of the Most High has changed.”

I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord; I will remember Your wonders of old.

I will mediate on all Your work and muse on Your mighty deeds.

Your way, O God is Holy.

What god is so great as Our God?

You are the God who works wonders; You have displayed Your might among the peoples.

With Your strong arm You redeemed Your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

When the waters saw You, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; The very deep

trembled. The clouds poured out water; The skies thundered; Your arrows flashed on every

side. The crash of Your thunder was in the whirlwind; Your lightnings lit up the world; The

earth trembled and shook.

Your way was through the sea, Your path, through the mighty waters; Yet Your footprints were

unseen. You led Your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. –Psalm 77:1-20

I will meditate on all Your work! (Psalm 77:12A)

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Jesus said, “…You are Peter and on this rock I will build My Church and the Gates of Hades (Hell) will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.”
Matthew 16:18-19 (NRSVCE)

Peter’s Declaration About Jesus

When Jesus came into the District of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His Disciples, “Who do

people say that the Son of Man is?’ They said, ‘Some say John the Baptist but other say Elijah

and still others say Jeremiah or one of the Prophets.” Jesus said to them, “Who do you say that

I am?” Simon Peter answered,’You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.’

Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not

revealed this to you but My Father in Heaven and I tell you, you are Peter and on this rock I will

build My Church and the Gates of Hades (Hell) will not prevail against it. I will give you they

keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven and

whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven.”

Then Jesus sternly Ordered the Disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Messiah.

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

From that time on, Jesus began to show His Disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and

undergo great suffering at the hands of the Elders, Chief Priests, Scribes and be killed and on

the Third Day be raised. Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him saying, ‘God forbid it,

Lord! This must never happen to you.’

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; For

you are setting your mind not on Divine Things but on human things.”

The Cross and Self Denial

Then Jesus told His Disciples, “If any want to become My followers, let them deny themselves

and take up their cross and follow Me. For those who want to save their life will lose it and

those who lose their life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the

whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

For the Son of Man is to come with His Angels in the Glory of His Father and then He will repay

everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not

taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom.” –Matthew 16:13-28

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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 (NRSVCE)

Whom To Fear

Jesus said, “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered and

nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light and

what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but

cannot kill the soul, rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in Hell.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from

Your Father and even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid, you are of

more value than many sparrows.

Everyone therefore who acknowledges Me before others, I will also acknowledge before My

Father in Heaven but whoever denies me before others. I also will deny before My Father in

Heaven.” –Matthew 10:26-33

Things That Defile

Then Jesus called the crowd to Him and said to them, “Listen and understand: It is not what

goes into the mouth that defiles a person but it is what come out of the mouth that defiles.”

Then the Disciples approached and said to Him (Jesus), ‘Do you know that the Pharisees took

offense when they heard what you said?’

Jesus answered, “Every plant that My Heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let

them alone; They are blind guides of the blind and if one blind person guides another, both will

fall into a pit.”

Peter said to Jesus, ‘Explain that parable to us.’

Then Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes

into the mouth enters the stomach and goes out into the sewer but what comes out of the

mouth proceeds from the heart and this is what defiles. For out of the heart comes evil

intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a

person but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.” –Matthew 15:10-20

Jesus said, “Do not be afraid little flock, for it is Your Father’s good pleasure to give you the

Kingdom. Sell your possessions and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear

out, an unfailing treasure in Heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For

where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” –Luke 12:32-34

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Moses & Elijah Talking With Jesus –Matthew 17:1-8 (NRSVCE)
Image Courtesy: Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word

Eyewitnesses of Christ’s Glory

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and

coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but we had been eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received

honor and glory from God the Father when that Voice was conveyed to Him by the Majestic

Glory saying, “This is My Son, My Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

We ourselves heard this Voice come from Heaven, while we were with Him on the Holy

Mountain. So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be

attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star

rises in your hearts. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a

matter of one’s own interpretation because no prophecy ever came by human will but men and

women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. –2 Peter 1:16-21

The Transfiguration

Now about eight days after (Jesus gave His Disciples power and authority for their Mission to

share the Good News –Luke 9:1-6) Jesus took with Him Peter, John and James and went up on

the mountain to pray and while He was praying, the appearance of His face changed and His

clothes became dazzling white.

Suddenly they (Peter, John and James) saw two men, Moses and Elijah talking to Him. They

appeared in glory and speaking of His departure, which He was about to accomplish at

Jerusalem.

Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep but since they had stayed awake,

they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. Just as they were leaving Him, Peter

said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here; Let us make three dwellings, one for You, one

for Moses and one for Elijah‘ — not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud

came and overshadowed them and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the

cloud came a Voice that said,

“This is My Son, My Chosen, listen to Him!”

When the Voice (God) had spoken, Jesus was found alone and they kept silent and in those

days told no one any of the things they had seen. –Luke 9:28-36

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