Tag: The Word

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“Truly, You Are the Son of God…”

Jesus

The angels had asked me to dedicate Sundays to the Gospels . With Love and gratitude, here is the Gospel of Matthew 14:22-33   MT 14:22-33

After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat
and precede him to the other side,
while he dismissed the crowds. 
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. 
When it was evening he was there alone. 
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. 
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them walking on the sea. 
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. 
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. 
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” 
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 
He said, “Come.” 
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. 
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 
After they got into the boat, the wind died down. 
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”

 

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Even when we become focused on the world, God and Jesus show us that they never left us, that worry is useless, and to have complete, unwavering faith in the Lord our God and in the Savior. Jesus and God our Strength at all times. 

In Jesus Name 

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“Just As the Living Father Sent Me…”

Jesus 2

Awhile back the angels asked me to dedicate Sundays to the Gospels. With love and gratitude, here is the Gospel of John.  JN 6:51-58

 Jesus said to the Jewish crowds:
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my flesh for the life of the world.”

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
“How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
Jesus said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food,
and my blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me
will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

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Jesus is the true Living Eucharist and the Living Word. Living in Him and Receiving Him and Receiving Him in the Eucharist, Jesus is asking us to be more like him (he can help us to do that!), to live in love and to serve each other in love- in the Power of the Holy Spirit, the compassion of Christ, and the Love of God. When we receive Him in our hearts and remain in His Love, there He and the Father will remain with and in us- until we see Him in His Glory. 

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I Am the Way and the Truth and the Life

lord-jesus

Awhile back, the angels asked me to dedicate Sundays to the Gospels. With love and gratitude, here is the Gospel of John 14: 1-12  JN 14:1-12

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way.”
Thomas said to him,
“Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you know me, then you will also know my Father.
From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to him,
“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.
The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,
or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.”

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There are many dwelling places in Heaven. God has created a place for all of us to dwell with Him and with Jesus. A place in Heaven of Peace and One in Love and with God. Through the Spirit of God-we are one with God the Father and with the Savior who are One in each other. We are one with them as they are One with Each other. The Father dwells in each of us as does the Son and the Spirit of God. Love one another because the Father is One with you-who will help you to Love because it glorifies Him when we do. “Love each other and Love God first” are the Words of the Lord.  In this way, Love is what glorifies the One who sent Jesus to be with us, Love is what honors the Son. Christ is the Way and the Truth and the Light -and it is through Christ -the Christ Way-the way of our Highest Self that honors and glorifies God who sent Him. 

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So It Will Be Also at the Coming of the Son of Man- with Lectio Divina

Jesus

Awhile back, the angels asked me to dedicate Sundays to the Gospels, With love and gratitude, here is the Gospel of  Matthew 24:37-44- with a loving message behind it and Lectio Divina for prayerful reading. 

Jesus said to his disciples:
“As it was in the days of Noah,
so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
In those days before the flood,
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage,
up to the day that Noah entered the ark.
They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away.
So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man.
Two men will be out in the field;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
Therefore, stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
Be sure of this: if the master of the house
had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake
and not let his house be broken into.
So too, you also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

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Today’s Gospel stresses that the time  of God’s coming in unknown; therefore believers must always be prepared. As the great flood caught people unawares, the coming of the Son of Man will also arrive in God’s own time. Matthew uses the greek word “parousia”, here translated as “Coming”, which in Roman society, referred to a ruler’s visitation to a city or an arrival of a deity bringing salvation to the people. Christians adopted the word, combining both meanings, to speak of Christ’s Coming to complete God’s final rule, which began in His ministry. For that Coming, Christians must always be prepared.[see reference] 

Today is the first Sunday of advent, which continues through Christmas Eve. Here is a sample of Lectio Divina, that you can practice at home with God’s Word, and is meant for prayerful reading, but also for meditating on God’s Holy Word. 

Lectio Divina for Prayerful Reading 

  1. Lectio: Read a scripture passage aloud and slowly. Notice what phrase captures your attention and be attentive to its meaning. Silent pause.

  2. Meditatio: Read the passage aloud slowly again, reflecting on the passage, allowing God to speak  to you through it.  Silent pause.

  3. Oratio: Read it aloud slowly a third time, allowing it to be your prayer or response to God’s gift of insight to you. Silent pause. 

  4. Contemplatio: Read it slowly a fourth time, now resting in God’s Holy Word. 

 Reference: The Workbook for Lectors , Gospel Readers and Proclaimers of the Word. 

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Jesus Saves

Jesus 2

Awhile back, the angels asked me to dedicate Sundays to the Gospels. With Love and Gratitude, here is the Gospel of Luke 23:35-43. With a loving message behind it. 

The rulers sneered at Jesus and said,
“He saved others, let him save himself
if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.”
Even the soldiers jeered at him.
As they approached to offer him wine they called out,
“If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.”
Above him there was an inscription that read,
“This is the King of the Jews.”

Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
“Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us.”
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
“Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
but this man has done nothing criminal.”
Then he said,
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
He replied to him,
“Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me in Paradise.”

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Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ, the King of the Universe. We recognize and celebrate that Jesus is Lord over all of God’s Kingdom. Lord of Heaven, Earth and the Universe. Jesus is Lord over even the stars, all religions, belief systems, and even those who do not believe in him. This very special Sunday falls the very week before we begin the Advent season, which is the following weekend. 

The Mercy of God is great, as well as the Mercy  and Passion of the Lord. Note that Jesus has handed himself over for his bitter Passion, and is in complete agony on the cross after being scourged. When the thief to the left of him recognizes Jesus, and uses faith and humility, asking Jesus Christ to remember him when he goes in front of the Father, Jesus doesn’t say,”Well , hang on and I will think about it .” He doesn’t say, “Whew! You sure did mess up big time! Let me talk about it with God first.” No, Jesus forgives him on the spot, the moment the thief asked and announces that the thief will be in Paradise with the Lord , when he goes to the Father. Jesus knows that Mercy of God is Eternally Great, and knows He has Authority to forgive sin. The thief received eternal salvation right then and there, the second he asked. 

I offer this to you because Jesus and God are both extremely Merciful. Jesus came to save many, and announces to the thief, who has lived not the best life, that he too will be in Paradise. What a Great God we serve ! What A Merciful and Great God. Trust in Jesus and in God’s Mercy. For even when Jesus was in complete and total agony, Jesus was still able to forgive sin, and bring this son of God to Heaven with him. 

In Jesus’ Name 

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Today Salvation Has Come To This House

Jesus

Awhile back, the angels asked me to dedicate Sundays to the Gospel Readings. With love and gratitude, here is the Gospel of Luke LK 19:1-10.  With an angel inspired message behind it. 

At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.
Now a man there named Zacchaeus,
who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,
was seeking to see who Jesus was;
but he could not see him because of the crowd,
for he was short in stature.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,
who was about to pass that way.
When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,
“Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house.”
And he came down quickly and received him with joy.
When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying,
“He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.”
But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,
“Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor,
and if I have extorted anything from anyone
I shall repay it four times over.”
And Jesus said to him,
“Today salvation has come to this house
because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.
For the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save what was lost.”

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One of the items in this scripture passage, that was pointed out today in church, was that Zacchaeus placed himself in a position for God’s Calling. Jesus didn’t say to Zacchaeus, ” Maybe I should stay  at your house”

Jesus said ” I must stay at your house.” – This was pre-ordained by the Heavenly Father and Christ/God Authority. Zacchaeus placed himself in a position for this calling- from tax collector to disciple.

Additionally, this Gospel reading also states that Zacchaeus received Jesus with joy. 

Placing our own selves in a position of God’s Calling or Christ’s Calling and Blessings is something we are all called to do- and to rejoice and receive God and Jesus with joy when receiving him in communion, prayer and/or when receiving Jesus and the One who sent Him in the Word of God. 

In Jesus’ Name 

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