Cristy Li

“I give you a new commandment: That you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” –John 13:34 (NRSVCE) Image Courtesy: Great Silence@Twitter

Jesus Speaking To His Disciples

“I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek offer the other also and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. Love your enemies, do good and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High; For He is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” –Luke 6:27-38

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

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. –Jeremiah 17:7 (NRSVCE)
Image Courtesy: Fr. John Lewis

Thus says the Lord:

Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals and make flesh their strength, whose hearts turn away from the Lord. They shall be like a shrub in the desert and shall not see when relief comes. They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness, in the uninhabited salt land.

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes and its leaves shall stay green; In the year of drought it is not anxious and it does not cease to bear fruit. –Jeremiah 17:5-8

The Two Ways

Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path that sinners tread or sit in the seat of Scoffers but their delight is in the Law of The Lord and on His Law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by the streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.

The wicked are not so but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous but the way of the wicked will perish. –Psalm 1:1-6

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

Jesus said to them, “Follow Me and I will make you fish for people.” –Matthew 4:19 (NRSVCE)
Image Courtesy: –Fr. John Lewis

Jesus Calls The First Disciples

Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret and the crowd was pressing in on Him to hear the Word of God, He (Jesus) saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; The Fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He (Jesus) got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then He (Jesus) sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When He (Jesus) had finished speaking He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”

Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’ When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break, so they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them and they came and filled both boats so that they began to sink but when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees saying, ‘Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ For he and all who with with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed Him (Jesus). –Luke 5:1-11

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

Celebration of Holy Mass -Image Courtesy: Gadel@Twitter

God gave us eternal life and this life is in His Son (Jesus Christ) Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. –1 John 5:12 (NRSVCE)

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 and 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 the water only but with the water and blood and the Spirit is the one who testifies, for the (Holy) Spirit is the truth. There are three that testify: The Spirit and the water and the blood and these three agree. If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that He has 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 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 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 one — to those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin that is mortal: I do not say that you should not pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin but there is a 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 does not touch them. We know that we are God’s children and the whole world lies under the power of the evil one 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.

Keep yourself from idols. –1 John 5:1-21

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

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the Prophets but in these last days He has spoken to us by a Son whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being and He sustains all things by His powerful Word. When He made purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. –Hebrews 1:1-3 (NRSVCE)  -Image Courtesy: Fr. John Lewis

Who is a liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the anti-christ, the one who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; everyone who confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father and this is what He has promised us, eternal life.

I write these things to you concerning those who would deceive you. As for you, the anointing that you received from Him abides in you and so you do not need anyone to teach you but as His anointing teaches you about all things and is true and is not a lie and just as it has taught you, abide in Him.

Now little children, abide in Him so that when He is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before Him at His coming. –1 John 2:22-28

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

Behold the Lord comes to save His people;  Blessed are those prepared to meet Him.
Image Courtesy: Gadel@Twitter

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.

Indeed, God not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through Him. – John 3:16-17 (NRSVCE)

Blessed is the One Who Comes in the Name of the Lord…
The Lord is God and He has Given Us Light –Psalm 118:26-27
Image Courtesy: Sister Veronica Paul

In you O Lord I seek refuge, do not ever let me be put to shame, in Your righteousness deliver me. Incline your ear to me, rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress save me.

You are indeed my rock and my fortress for Your name’s sake, lead me and guide me, take me out of the net that is hidden for me, for You are my refuge. Into Your hand I commit my spirit, You have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

You hate those who pay regard to worthless idols but I trust in the Lord. I will exalt and rejoice in Your steadfast love because You have seen my affliction, you have taken heed of my adversities and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy, You have set my feet in a broad place.

Be gracious to me O Lord, for I am in distress, my eye wastes away from grief, my soul and body also. For my life is spent with sorrow and my years with sighing, my strength fails because of my misery and my bones waste away.

I am the scorn of all my adversaries, a horror to my neighbors, an object of dread to my acquaintances, those who see me in the street flee from me. I have passed out of mind like one who is dead. I have become like a broken vessel. For I hear the whispering of many…but I trust in You O Lord, I say: ‘You are my God.’ My times are in Your hand. –Psalm 31:1-15

O how abundant is Your goodness that you have laid up for those who fear You and accomplished for those who take refuge in You, in the sight of everyone. In the shelter of Your presence You hide them from human plots, You hold them safe under Your shelter from contentious tongues.

Blessed be the Lord, for He has wondrously shown His steadfast love to me when I was beset as a city under siege, I had said in my alarm: ‘I am driven far from Your sight’ but You heard my supplications when I cried out to You for help.

Love the Lord all you His Saints, the Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily. Be strong and let your heart take courage all you who wait for the Lord. –Psalm 31:19-24