Cristy Li

God has called you through our proclamation of the Good News
so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. –2 Thessalonians 2:14 (NRSVCE)

Lord My God, I trust in Your mercy. (Psalm 13:6)

Look upon me, answer me, Lord My God!

Give light to my eyes lest I sleep in death,

Lest my enemies say, ‘I have prevailed,”

lest my foes rejoice at my downfall.

Lord My God, I trust in Your mercy. (Psalm 13:6)

I trust in your mercy.

Grant my heart joy in Your salvation,

I will sing to the Lord, for He has dealt bountifully with me! –Psalm 13:4-6 (NABRE)

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

The Angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth to a virgin named Mary and said, ‘Greetings favored one! The Lord is with you. –Luke 1:26-28 (NRSVCE)
Image Courtesy: St. Paul Street Evangelization

Mary’s Song of Praise

Mary said, “My soul magnified the Lord

and my spirit rejoices in God My Savior,

for He has looked with favor on the lowliness of His servant.

Surely, from now on, all generations will call me Blessed;

For the Mighty One has done great things for me and Holy is His name.

His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with His arm,

He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly;

He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.

He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, according to the promise

He made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” –Luke 1:46-55

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

In the sixth month the Angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a

virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the House of David – The virgin’s name was

Mary and he (Gabriel) came to her and said, ‘Greetings favored one! The Lord is with you.’

Mary was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

The Angel (Gabriel) said to her, ‘Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favor with God and

now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you will name Him Jesus. He will be

great and will be called the Son of the Most High and the Lord God will give to Him the throne

of His ancestor David. He will reign over the House of Jacob forever and of His Kingdom there

will be no end.’

Mary said to the Angel (Gabriel) ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’

The Angel (Gabriel) said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most

High will overshadow you; Therefore the Child to be born will be Holy; He will be called Son of

God and now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son and this is the

sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’

Then Mary said, ‘Here I am, the Servant of the Lord, let it be with me according to your word.’

Then the Angel (Gabriel) departed from her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she

entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,

the child leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a

loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why has this

happened to me, that the mother of My Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of

your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who believed that there

would be fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’ –Luke 1:26-45

Related: For Today’s Bible Readings on the ‘Memorial of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary’ Visit: -USCCB

The Word of The Lord endures forever.
That Word is the Good News that was announced to you. –1 Peter 1:25 (NRSVCE)

Beloved: I am grateful to God, whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did,

when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.

For this reason I remind you to rekindle the Gift of God that is within you through the laying on

of my hands; For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather a Spirit of Power and of

love and of self-discipline. Do not be ashamed then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me

His prisoner but join with me in suffering for the Gospel, relying on the power of God, who

saved us and called us with a Holy calling, not according to our works but according to His own

purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began but is now

revealed through the appearing of Our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought

life and immortality to light through the Gospel…I am not ashamed, for I know the One in

whom I put my trust — Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in

the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard the Good Treasure entrusted to you, with the

help of the Holy Spirit living in us. – 2 Timothy 1:3; 6-10; 12B-14

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

Commentary: ‘Mustard Seeds and the Fidelity to Christ’ User Guide for Sunday, 06 October -NC Register

“For the wages of sin is death but the FREE GIFT of God
is ETERNAL LIFE in Christ Jesus Our Lord.” –Romans 6:23

• Good News!!! How To Receive God’s FREE GIFT of ETERNAL LIFE
  Courtesy of: St. Paul Street Evangelization

For you know the generous act of Our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor so that by His poverty you might become rich. –2 Corinthians 8:9 (NRSVCE)
Image Courtesy: Mission For The Homeless

The Parable of the Dishonest Manager

Jesus said to His Disciples: “There was a rich man who had a manager and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property, so he summoned him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management because you cannot be my manager any longer.’

Then the manager said to himself. ‘What will I do, now that my Master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.’

So summoning his masters debtors one by one he asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my Master?’

He answered, ‘A hundred jugs of olive oil.’

He (the manager) said to him, ‘Take you bill, sit down quickly and make it fifty.’

Then he (the manager) asked another, ‘How much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘A hundred containers of wheat.’

He (the manager) said to him, ‘Take your bill and make it eighty.’

His Master commended the dishonest manager because he acted shrewdly; For the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.

I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.

“Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful in much and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.

If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? If you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own?

No slave can serve two masters, for a slave will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

The Law and The Kingdom of God

The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this and they ridiculed Him, so Jesus said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of others but God knows your hearts, for what is prized by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God.

The Law and the Prophets were in effect until John came, since the Good News of the Kingdom of God is proclaimed and everyone tries to enter it by force but it is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter in The Law to be dropped.”-Luke 16:1-17

“Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery and whoever marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.” –Luke 16:18

The Rich Man and Lazarus

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen, who feasted sumptuously every day. At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; Even the dogs would come and lick his sores.

The poor man died and was carried away by the Angels to be with Abraham.

The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades (Hell) where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He (the rich man) called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames.’

Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received good things and Lazarus in like manner evil things; Now he (Lazarus) is comforted here and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so and no one can cross from there to us.’

He (the rich man) said, ‘Then Father (Abraham) I beg you to send him (Lazarus) to my father’s house — for I have five brothers that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place (Hell) of torment.’

Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets, they should listen to them.’

He (the rich man) said, ‘No, Father Abraham but if someone goes to them from the dead they will repent.’

He (Abraham) said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'” –Luke 16:19-31

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

Our Savior Christ Jesus, abolished death and brought life and immortality
to light through the Gospel. –2 Timothy 1:10 (NRSVCE)

Thanksgiving and Encouragement

I am grateful to God — whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did — when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.

Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy.

I am reminded of your  sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your Grandmother — and your Mother and now, I am sure lives in you.

For this reason I remind you to rekindle the Gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather a Spirit of Power and of love and of self-discipline.

Do not be ashamed, then of the testimony about Our Lord or of me a prisoner but join with me in suffering for the Gospel, relying on the Power of God who saved us and called us with a Holy Calling, not according to our works but according to His own purpose and grace.

This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began but it has now been revealed through the appearing of Our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.

For this Gospel I was appointed a herald, an Apostle and a teacher, for this reason I suffer as I do but I am not ashamed, for I know the One in whom I have put my trust and I am sure that He is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to Him.

Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard the Good Treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us. –2 Timothy 1:3-14

Related: For Today’s Bible Readings and More Visit: -USCCB

(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

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