HUMILITY:

No matter how important you portray yourself to be for the people around you or outside your environment, there is always someone/group who will try at times successively/in-futility to deflate that egocentric nature (“…who say here, there is no one else but us” Sirach36:9) whether you publicly accept it or not [‘you will come to know the truth and the truth will set you free’ Jn.8:32]; the lesson therein is that when deflated/insulted/humiliated one should see it as a message on the nothingness of man (dust you are and dust you shall return)being humble in spirit {“He must grow greater, I must grow less” Jn.3:30} as well as a call for a closer desire to improve on ones dependency on God who alone exalts (‘commend what you do to God and what plan will be achieved’ Prov.16:3) hence take the lesson and leave the offence {“remember this, my dear brothers everyone should be quick to listen but slow to human anger; God’s saving justice is never served by human anger” James 1:19-20}.

HUMILITY:

No matter how important you portray yourself to be for the people around you or outside your environment, there is always someone/group who will try at times successively/in-futility to deflate that egocentric nature (“…who say here, there is no one else but us” Sirach36:9) whether you publicly accept it or not [‘you will come to know the truth and the truth will set you free’ Jn.8:32]; the lesson therein is that when deflated/insulted/humiliated one should see it as a message on the nothingness of man (dust you are and dust you shall return)being humble in spirit {“He must grow greater, I must grow less” Jn.3:30} as well as a call for a closer desire to improve on ones dependency on God who alone exalts (‘commend what you do to God and what plan will be achieved’ Prov.16:3) hence take the lesson and leave the offence {“remember this, my dear brothers everyone should be quick to listen but slow to human anger; God’s saving justice is never served by human anger” James 1:19-20}.

THE COURT OF GOD:

Low and behold one member of God’s court. God’s court and council, the angels. These include satan, the accuser, who is responsible for testing human beings in their faithfulness to God. He is later identified with the spirit of evil thus “one day when the sons of God came to attend on the Lord, among them came satan. So the Lord said to satan, where have you been? Prowling about the earth, he answered, roaming around there” (Job1:6-7) hence as a human being in this earth are you prowling and roaming around fulfilling the detects of your flesh/concupiscence or the Holy Spirit/tender voice?

Whatever you do or intend doing remember, you will face the court of God and council as either a loyal servant to God having testified for him on earth with consistent righteousness {‘but anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved’ Mtt.24:13} thus “…come, you whom my Father has blessed, take as your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world” (Mtt.25:34)or a disobedient servant [‘Rebellion is a sin of sorcery, presumption a crime of idolatry’ 1Sam.15:23] who chose stubbornness in sin (“your stubborn refusal to repent is only storing up retribution for yourself on that Day of retribution when God’s just verdicts will be made known” Rom.2:5) thus ‘…go away from me, with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’ {Mtt.25:41}.

Do you think there will be comfort for you and I in a place prepared for the devil and his angels while we are human beings made in the image and likeness of God?

WHY PRAY FOR THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED IN PURGATORY:

“all then blessed the ways of the Lord, the upright judge who brings hidden things to light and gave themselves to prayer begging that the sin committed might be completely forgiven. Next, the valiant Judas urged the soldiers to keep themselves free from all sin, having seen with their own eyes the effects of the sin of those who had fallen; after this he took a collection from them individually amounting to nearly two thousand drachmas and sent it to Jerusalem to have a sacrifice for sin offered, an action altogether fine and noble, prompted by his belief in the resurrection. For had he not expected the fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead, whereas if he had in view the splendid recompense reserved for those who make a pious end, the though was holy and devout. Hence, he had this expiatory sacrifice offered for the dead, so that they might be released from their sin” (2Macc.12:41-45)

‘…Though he himself will be saved; he will be saved as someone might expect to be saved from a fire’ (1Cor.3:15)

Eternal life grant unto them Oh, Lord

Let perpetual light shine upon them.

May they rest in peace. Amen.

Our Father…

Hail Mary…

Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit…

May they rest in peace. Amen.

MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE GOOD AT READING AND CITING THE SCRIPTURES:

After sharing the word of God with anybody use these passages to cross your ‘T’ and doth your “I”. These passages can also be used to help a preacher ponder on his/her own life after sharing with you anywhere, any day and any time you encounter them.

“You pore over the scriptures, believing that in them you can find eternal life; it is these scriptures that testify to me” {Jn.5:39}

‘Besides, I know you too well: you have no love of God in you’ [Jn.5:42]

ERRONOUS SIDE OF PURGATORY

Yes there is purgatory, somewhere in this one Kingdom of God (‘…though he himself will be saved; he will be saved as someone might expect to be saved from a fire’ 1 Cor.3:15) because there is a sin unto death (mortal sin) with its reward as a place of eternal punishment/torture [Hell-fire] and there is a sin not unto death {venial sin} with its reward as a place of temporary punishment/torture [Purgatory] hence Christ retorted ‘the servant who knows what his master wants, but has got nothing ready and done nothing in accord with those wishes, will be given a great many strokes of the lash. The one who did not know but has acted in such a way that he deserves a beating will be given fewer strokes. When someone is given a great deal, a great deal will be demanded of that person; when someone is entrusted with a great deal of that person even more will be expected’ (Lk.12:47-48) and his beloved apostle St. John re-affirms this statement thus “if anyone sees his brother commit a sin that is not a deadly sin, he has only to pray and God will give life to this brother – provided that it is not a deadly sin. There is sin that leads to death and I am not saying you must pray about that. Every kind of wickedness is sin, but not all sin leads to death” {1Jn.5:16-17}

The words of St. John the apostle is a clear indication that one should not make purgatory a target as well as a directive to flee from any form of sin/unrighteousness [“Sirach 21:2] just as many people excuse grave and heinous sins they commit with these clauses ‘God is merciful’, “after committing this sin, we shall go to confession”, ‘after all there is purgatory for the weak’, “Grace is made manifest in weakness, later I shall repent”. If you are in this category of creature remember purgatory and hell-fire has the same punishment/torture just the time-frame (Lk.12:47-48) or the hope of seeing God some time for the purgatorians while those in hell-fire will live with life worms/maggots and anguish eternally {“and on their way out they will see the corpses of those who rebelled against me; for their worm will never die nor their fire be put out and they will be held in horror by all humanity” Isaiah 66:24} also ‘if it is hard for the upright to be saved, what will happen to the wicked and to sinners’ (1Pet.4:18), “…you were a God of forgiveness to them, but punished them for their sins” {Ps.99:8}, ‘if, after we have been given knowledge of the truth, we should deliberately commit any sins, then there is no longer any sacrifice for them. There is left only the dreadful prospect of judgment and of the fiery wrath that is to devour your enemies’ [Heb.10:26-27] and “there is no favoritism with God” (Rom.2:11)

As you commit sin with the hope of going to purgatory, remember you are presuming the mercy of God which is a grave sin against the Holy Spirit and is rarely forgiven as well as bearing in mind that currently some people are in the pit of hell-fire who gave the same reason we are giving today for wallowing in sin while presuming purgatory/extinguishing the fire of hell with their populace(number)/outsmarting God [‘don’t delude yourself: God is not to be fooled; whatever someone sows, that is what he will reap’ Gal.6:7] now wishing they had the second-chance you and I are wasting that they may reprimand us {“so he said, Father, I beg you then to send Lazarus to my father’s house since I have five brothers. To give them warning so that they do not come to this place of torment too” Lk.16:27-28} while looking for excuses to insult the spirit of grace inside us {‘this is how an adulteress behaves: she eats, then wipes her mouth and says, I have done nothing wrong’ Prov.30:20, “and you may be sure that anyone who tramples on the Son of God and who treats the blood of the covenant which sanctified him as if it were not holy and who insults the Spirit of grace, will be condemned to a far severer punishment” Heb.10:30} and the time [‘so stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming’ Mtt.24:42] as well as the place (“and there will be no one to say, look it is here! Look, it is there! For look, the kingdom of God is among you” Lk.17:21) rapture will take place.

If there is anything you can do to save your soul and that of others from hell like consistency in prayers, decency in dressing, evangelism, fasting and prayers, daily attendance of Holy Mass, Weekly attendance of confession/whenever your conscience is not at peace, mortification of the senses, worthy reception of holy communion, making honest and sincere effort to obey the ten commandments, being selective of relationships/videos/pictures/books/discussions e.t.c one reads or is involved in, midnight prayers, reading the Bible, listening to preachers with the aim of drawing closer to the call of consistent righteousness with God e.t.c do it now because next second might be too late {‘his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth’ Mtt.24:50-51} and leave the discernment for which is venial sin that deserves purgatory and mortal sin that deserves hell-fire for the Supreme judge [“…you have come to God himself, the supreme Judge…” Heb.12:23] bearing in mind that our ways and thoughts are different from His (‘for my thoughts are not your thoughts and your ways are not my ways declares the Lord’ Isaiah 55:8) as well as that all unrighteousness is wickedness [1Jn.5:17] and must be accompanied with a punishment whether committed knowingly or unknowingly {“be sure of it, the wicked will not go unpunished, but the race of the upright will come to no harm” Prov.11:21} then ‘we have been given possession of an unshakeable kingdom. Let us therefore be grateful and use our gratitude to worship God in the way that pleases him, in reverence and fear. For our God is a consuming fire’ (Heb.12:28-29) and some people who misused their time/talent/Grace/wealth/Opportunity/span on earth are currently blazing in hell-fire while wishing for a second chance which will never be given to them {“so he cried out, Father Abraham, pity me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his anger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames…but that is not all: between us and you a great gulf has been fixed,  to prevent those who want to cross from our side to yours or from your side to ours” LK.16:24-26}.

“…Look anxiously to the ordering of your lives while your stay on earth lasts” (1Pet.1:17), ‘think of our Lord’s patience as your opportunity to be saved…’ {2 Pet.3:15}

REFLECTIONS

“They are happy whose life is blameless, who follow God’s law! They are happy who do his will, seeking him with all their hearts, who never do anything evil but walk in his ways” (Ps.119:1-3)

‘will the evil-doers not understand? They eat up my people as though they were eating bread, they never pray to the Lord. See how they tremble with fear without cause for fear, for God is with the just. You may mock the poor man’s hope, but his refuge is the Lord’ {Ps.14:4-6}

“Blessed shall he be that puts his trust in the Lord, makes the Lord his refuge. Not more favored is a tree planted by the water’s edge, that pushes out its roots to catch the moisture and defies the summer heat; its green leaves careless of the drought, its fruit unfailing” [Jer.17:7-8]

‘Happy the man who discovers wisdom, the man who gains discernment: gaining her is more rewarding than silver, more profitable than gold. She is beyond the price of pearls nothing you could covet is her equal’ (Prov.3:13-15)

“Happy indeed the man whom God corrects! Then do not refuse this lesson from the Lord. For he who wounds is he who soothes the sore, and the hand that hurts is the hand that heals” {Job 5:17-18}

‘I have been made the servant of that gospel by a gift of grace from God who gave it to me by the workings of his power. I, who am less than the least of all God’s holy people, have been entrusted with this special grace of proclaiming to the gentiles the unfathomable treasure of Christ and of throwing light on the inner workings of the mystery kept hidden through all the ages in God, the Creator of everything. The purpose of this was, that now, through the Church, the principalities and ruling forces should learn how many-sided God’s wisdom is according to the plan which he had formed from all eternity in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him we are bold enough to approach God in complete confidence, through our faith in him’ [Eph.3:7-12]

EXCERPTS FROM PSALM 119

“I observe your precepts, your judgments, for all my ways are before you” {Ps.119:168}

Why do we have to observe all the precepts of God and the judgments he gives out to different people for varying actions?

Bearing in mind that one day, all our passions, thoughts, actions, intentions, silence, speech, endeavors e.t.c will bring about an eternal condemnation or justification on our immortal soul {Mtt.25:31-46}.

“Great peace for those who love your law; no stumbling-blocks for them” [Ps.119:165]

The peace that the Most High God gives is not the peace from worldly tribulations but the inner joy of the heart when a man steers clear from sinful inclinations, desires, passions, actions and thoughts as well as the strong conviction of the soul that if death comes at the instance, it will be welcomed as a transitory path to eternal glory thus “…Father, into your hands I commit my spirit…” (Lk.23:46) prepared for those who consistently followed the path of righteousness till the end {‘but anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved’ Mtt.24:13} hence keep your light burning though surrounded by deceitful environment (‘let your behavior be free of murmuring and complaining so that you remain faultless and pure, unspoilt children of God surrounded by a deceitful and underhand brood, shining out among them like bright stars in the world’ Phil.2:14-15), never give up on righteousness {“My brothers, never slacken in doing what is right” 2 Thess.3:13} since it would tantamount to giving up the crown of your victory (‘I am coming soon: hold firmly to what you already have and let no one take your victor’s crown’ Rev.3:11) worn over by the blood of the Lamb {“they have triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb…” Rev.12:11].

THE CALVARY OF OUR LIVES:

Is your present job/hobby/career/time-table/schedule/event/activity/vocation e.t.c for each day that with which you can draw/muster courage to say “consumatum est” {it is finished; Jn.19:30} to God should death meet you at that point or ‘as for me, my life is already being poured away as a libation and the time has come for me to depart. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come for me now is the crown of uprightness which the Lord, the upright judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his appearing’ [2 Tim.4:6-8] since our Lord’s sixth word on the cross at the Calvary confirmed the fear most men are unwilling to admit {‘since human beings die only once, after which comes judgment’ Heb.9:27} that we can die any second of the day whether rich/poor/married/single/barren/potent/righteous/unrighteous e.t.c [‘your pride has been flung down to Sheol with the music of your lyres; under you a mattress of maggots, over you a blanket of worms’ Isaiah 14:11]which will be followed by a detailed account of how we utilized or misused the Grace, Talent, Span, Intelligence, Honor, Immortality, Power e.t.c poured on us at creation (“the Lord God shaped man from the soil of the ground and blew the breath of life into his nostrils and man became a living being” Gen.2:7) and baptism {‘I shall no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know the master’s business; I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father. You did not choose me, no I chose you; and commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last; so that the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name’ Jn.15:15-16} as Christ did [“I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do” Jn.17:4] which gave him the boldness to commend His Soul (‘…Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. With these words he breathed his last’ Lk.23:46) as his last word on the cross to the One who alone could save him and He was heard for His righteousness {“During his life on earth, he offered up prayer and entreaty, with loud cries and with tears, to the one who had the power to save him from death and winning a hearing by his reverence, he learnt obedience, Son though he was, through his sufferings; when he had been perfected, he became for all who obey him the source of eternal salvation and was acclaimed by God with the title of high priest of the order of Melchizedek” Heb.5:7-10}

BEFORE EACH DAY RUNS OUT TRY TO CROSS ANY OR SOME OF THESE HURDLE:
Abstinence from Food and Drinks supplemented with mental prayers and selfless encounter with other human being; Esther did with Mordecai and few Jew which saved them from the devious plan of Haman thus “whereupon Esther sent this reply to Mordecai, Go and assemble all the Jews now in Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink day or night for three days. For my part, I and my waiting-women shall keep the same fast, after which I shall go to the king in spite of the law and if I perish, I perish. Mordecai went away and carried out Esther’s instructions…He looked up afire with majesty and blazing with anger, saw her. The queen sank to the floor…but God changed the king’s heart, inducing a milder spirit. He sprang from his throne in alarm and took her in his arms until she recovered comforting her with soothing words. What is the matter, Esther? He said. I am your brother. Take heart, you are not going to die; our order applies only to ordinary people. Come to me” {Esther 4:15-5:1}
Give alms to the poor and let your love for others exude from your inner-heart for it washes away multitude of sin (‘above all preserve an intense love for each other, since love covers many a sin’ 1 Pet.4:8) when performed with good intention [“almsgiving is a most effective offering for all those who do it in the presence of the Most High” Tobit 4:11]
Let your actions, dressing, speech, intentions, silence, diligence, commitment e.t.c relay the message of righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit {Rom.14:17-19} to your soul and others bearing in mind the imminence of death, judgment, hell and Heaven (Col.3:16-17)
Why you should start practicing these and many more other virtues consistently and continuously:

“You love uprightness and detest evil. This is why God, your God has anointed you with oil of gladness as none of your rivals” {Ps.45:7}
‘Be sure of it, the wicked will not go unpunished, but the race of the upright will come to no harm’ [Prov.11:21]
“Uprightness makes a nation great by sin whole race are disgraced” (Prov.14:34)
‘It is hard for the upright to be saved, what will happen to the wicked and to sinners? {1 Pet.4:18}
“Uprightness will be the belt around his waist and constancy the belt about his hips” (Isaiah 11:5)
‘He never commanded anyone to be godless, he has given no one permission to sin’ {Sirach 15:20}
“But anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved” [Mtt.24:13]
‘love virtue, you who are judges on earth, let honesty prompt your thinking about the Lord, seek him in simplicity of heart; since he is to be found by those who do not put him to the test he shows himself to those who do not distrust him’ (Wisd.1:1-2)

PRAYER:
Lord, in answer to our prayer give us patience in suffering hardships after the example of your Only-begotten Son, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

OUR LIFE OF SACRIFICE

“Yes, I will go further: because of the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, I count everything else as loss. For him I have accepted the loss of all other things and look on them all as filth if only I can gain Christ and be given a place in him, with the uprightness I have gained not from the Law, but through faith in Christ, an uprightness from God based on faith, that I may come to know him and the power of his resurrection and partake of his sufferings by being molded to the pattern of his death, striving towards the goal of resurrection from the dead” {Phil.3:8-11}.

This is one of the scriptural passage that seems quite difficult to many believers to accept including myself in our bid to overcome a particular predominant fault/sin in our lives but it is the word of God which remains forever (1 Pet.1:25) and keeping his word brings about genuine living, good-health and longevity [‘My child, pay attention to what I am telling you, listen carefully to my words; do not let them out of your sight, keep them deep in your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to all humanity. More than all else, keep watch over your heart, since here are the wellsprings of life’ Prov.4:20-23] as image of God {Gen.1:27} who share in his complete blessings (“God saw all he had made and indeed it was very good…” Gen.1:31) and witnesses to His Word [Jn.18:37] therefore we do not need to run about for an escape route from one fellowship to another as many do in the search for truth (“…many will roam about, this way and that and wickedness will continue to increase” Dan.12:4)

 rather we should remain firm with the sound but hard doctrine (‘and he must have a firm grasp of the unchanging message of the tradition, so that he can be counted on both for giving encouragement in sound doctrine and for refuting those who argue against it’ Titus 1:9) of truth which is the only thing that will set us free at the judgment {Jn.8:32}, pray and open our whole being {soul, will-power and body} to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, who will reveal and bring its meaning to our own level of understanding/perception thus “so this is the way in which all of us who are mature should be thinking and if you are still thinking differently in any way, then God has yet to make this matter clear to you” (Phil.3:15).

Do not brood over your inability to be at the same terrain with your neighbor whether in our quest for closer contact with God or social status rather let your hearts burn with the desire to believe in your unique {‘I too was once a child with a farmer, in my mother’s eyes a tender child, unique’ Prov.4:3} nature since every human being is peculiar and has a particular divine plan to accomplish which no other can perform {‘children you are from God and have overcome them, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world’ 1 Jn.4:4} and accept the responsibilities therein [“honor God with what goods you have and with the first-fruit of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with corn, your vats overflowing with new wine” Prov.3:9-10] with the sufficient Grace God has apportioned to you (‘…My Grace is enough for you: for power is at full stretch in weakness…’ 2 Cor.12:9)

LOVE

‘Love is always patient and kind; love is never jealous; love is not boastful or conceited, it is never rude and never seeks its own advantage, it does not take offence or store up grievances. Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but finds its joy in the truth. It is always ready to make allowances, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes. Love never comes to an end…’ [1 Cor.13:4-8]
Since God is love and he who loves is a child of God and knows God {1 Jn.4:7ff} then as children of God (1 Jn.4:4) let us compare and contrast how these qualities or characteristics mentioned above manifest in our relationship with God and neighbors:

I LOVE GOD AND MY NEIGHBOR;
How long have you prayed/waited for a particular intention?
(“but when the completion of the time came…” Gal.4:4, ‘when that Day comes you will never again be ashamed of all the deeds with which you once rebelled against me, for I shall rid you of those who exult in your pride; never again will you strut on my holy mountain’ Zeph.3:11)

When last did you actually give a thought to the genuine plan of God for creating you and how many souls that starve because of this misappropriation of God’s blessing and the feeling of nostalgia we develop towards righteousness when we encounter the word of God, preachers or peruse through the Sacred Scriptures with these statements {‘the world is a free place’, “I have got my life to live”, ‘God will understand’}?
[“only be careful that this freedom of yours does not in any way turn into an obstacle to trip those who are vulnerable” 1 Cor.8:9, ‘talk and behave like people who are going to be judged by the law of freedom. Whoever acts without mercy will be judged without mercy but mercy can afford to laugh at judgment’ James 2:12-13, “young man, enjoy yourself while you are young, make the most of the days of your youth, follow the prompting and desire of heart and eye, but remember God will call you to account for everything” Eccles.11:9, ‘…so be cunning as snakes and yet innocent as doves. So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of human beings, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of human beings, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven’ Mtt.10:16, 32-33]

How generous have you been with your talent/wisdom/wealth/beauty/handsomeness/intelligence/position/time in the service of God and your neighbor?
{“yes, I will go further: because of the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, I count everything else as loss. For him I have accepted the loss of all other things and look on them all as filth if only I can gain Christ” Phil.3:8}
When last did your inner self radiate with joy at the welfare of others whether in their relationship with God or societal class?
(‘above all preserve an intense love for each other, since love covers over many a sin’ 1 Pet.4:8)

What is the content of your boast/conceit?
[“as scripture says: if anyone wants to boast, let him boast of the lord” 1 Cor.1:31, ‘yours, Lord is the greatness, the power, the splendor, length of days and glory, everything in heaven and on earth is yours. Yours is the sovereignty, Lord you are exalted, supreme over all. Wealth and riches come from you, you are ruler of all, in your hand lie strength and power and you bestow greatness and might on whomsoever you please” 1 Chr.29:11-12]

When last did you remember that your house-boy/girl, gateman/driver, client/customer, poor relations/friends, enemies/family members, beggars/sick-people, employees/employer e.t.c deserve to be respected at the same way they lavish it on you?
{‘because the judgments you give are the judgments you will get and the standard you use will be the standard used for you’ Mtt.7:2}

What you did previously, currently and future plans, to whose advantage?
(“and whatever you say or do, let it be in the name of the Lord Jesus, in thanksgiving to God the Father through him” Col.3:17, ‘Nobody should be looking for selfish advantage, but everybody for someone else’s’ 1 Cor.10:24, “Don’t delude yourself: God is not to be fooled; whatever someone sows, that is what he will reap” Gal.6:7)

In sincerity take a deep walk through your heart, is any man/woman enslaving your soul in anger/offence/grievance that you are storing up for a day of vengeance which may never come since the thoughts of God for each person is different from our own thoughts for them {Isaiah 55:8} while he/she is walking about freely because whoever the son of man sets free is free indeed?
{‘the Lord will do the fighting for you; all you need to do is to keep calm’ Ex.14:14, “be generous to one another, sympathetic, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ” Eph.4:32, ‘more than all else, keep watch over your heart, since here are the wellsprings of life’ Prov.4:23}

Are you among those who delight in other peoples mistakes/sins or promote such in others as well as inflicting pain on others?
[“…I know about your behavior: how you are reputed to be alive and yet are dead” Rev.3:1, ‘but anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones who have faith in me would be better drowned in the depths of the sea with a great millstone round his neck’ Mtt.18:6, “disaster for those who plot evil, who lie in bed planning mischief! No sooner is it dawn than they do it, since they have the power to do so” Micah 2:1, ‘God made everything for its own purpose, yes even the wicked for the day of disaster’ Prov.16:4]

When do you speak the truth?
(‘but if you were all prophesying when an unbeliever or someone uninitiated came in, he would find himself put to the test by all and judged by all and the secrets of his heart revealed and so he would fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is indeed among you’ 1 Cor.14:24-25, “Do not be ashamed to correct a stupid person or a fool, or an old dotard who bickers with young people. Then you will show yourself really educated and win the approval of everyone” Sirach 42:8)

Do you accept truth when you are told one?
{‘you will come to know the truth and the truth will set you free’ Jn.8:32, “you love uprightness and detest evil. This is why God, your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness as none of your rivals” Ps.45:7, ‘but to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believed in his name’ Jn.1:12, “the unbelievers whose minds have been blinded by the god of this world, so that they cannot see shining the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” 2Cor.4:4}

How long does the truth/promise to God for a grace-filled lifestyle stay?
[‘Uprightness will be the belt around his waist, and constancy the belt about his hips’ Isaiah11:5, “but anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved” Mtt.24:13]

IS IT TRUE THAT YOU LOVE GOD AND YOUR NEIGHBOR?
HAVE YOU STARTED LOVING GOD AND YOUR NEIGHBOR?

LOVE

‘Love is always patient and kind; love is never jealous; love is not boastful or conceited, it is never rude and never seeks its own advantage, it does not take offence or store up grievances. Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but finds its joy in the truth. It is always ready to make allowances, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes. Love never comes to an end…’ [1 Cor.13:4-8]
Since God is love and he who loves is a child of God and knows God {1 Jn.4:7ff} then as children of God (1 Jn.4:4) let us compare and contrast how these qualities or characteristics mentioned above manifest in our relationship with God and neighbors:

I LOVE GOD AND MY NEIGHBOR;
How long have you prayed/waited for a particular intention?
(“but when the completion of the time came…” Gal.4:4, ‘when that Day comes you will never again be ashamed of all the deeds with which you once rebelled against me, for I shall rid you of those who exult in your pride; never again will you strut on my holy mountain’ Zeph.3:11)

When last did you actually give a thought to the genuine plan of God for creating you and how many souls that starve because of this misappropriation of God’s blessing and the feeling of nostalgia we develop towards righteousness when we encounter the word of God, preachers or peruse through the Sacred Scriptures with these statements {‘the world is a free place’, “I have got my life to live”, ‘God will understand’}?
[“only be careful that this freedom of yours does not in any way turn into an obstacle to trip those who are vulnerable” 1 Cor.8:9, ‘talk and behave like people who are going to be judged by the law of freedom. Whoever acts without mercy will be judged without mercy but mercy can afford to laugh at judgment’ James 2:12-13, “young man, enjoy yourself while you are young, make the most of the days of your youth, follow the prompting and desire of heart and eye, but remember God will call you to account for everything” Eccles.11:9, ‘…so be cunning as snakes and yet innocent as doves. So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of human beings, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of human beings, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven’ Mtt.10:16, 32-33]

How generous have you been with your talent/wisdom/wealth/beauty/handsomeness/intelligence/position/time in the service of God and your neighbor?
{“yes, I will go further: because of the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, I count everything else as loss. For him I have accepted the loss of all other things and look on them all as filth if only I can gain Christ” Phil.3:8}
When last did your inner self radiate with joy at the welfare of others whether in their relationship with God or societal class?
(‘above all preserve an intense love for each other, since love covers over many a sin’ 1 Pet.4:8)

What is the content of your boast/conceit?
[“as scripture says: if anyone wants to boast, let him boast of the lord” 1 Cor.1:31, ‘yours, Lord is the greatness, the power, the splendor, length of days and glory, everything in heaven and on earth is yours. Yours is the sovereignty, Lord you are exalted, supreme over all. Wealth and riches come from you, you are ruler of all, in your hand lie strength and power and you bestow greatness and might on whomsoever you please” 1 Chr.29:11-12]

When last did you remember that your house-boy/girl, gateman/driver, client/customer, poor relations/friends, enemies/family members, beggars/sick-people, employees/employer e.t.c deserve to be respected at the same way they lavish it on you?
{‘because the judgments you give are the judgments you will get and the standard you use will be the standard used for you’ Mtt.7:2}

What you did previously, currently and future plans, to whose advantage?
(“and whatever you say or do, let it be in the name of the Lord Jesus, in thanksgiving to God the Father through him” Col.3:17, ‘Nobody should be looking for selfish advantage, but everybody for someone else’s’ 1 Cor.10:24, “Don’t delude yourself: God is not to be fooled; whatever someone sows, that is what he will reap” Gal.6:7)

In sincerity take a deep walk through your heart, is any man/woman enslaving your soul in anger/offence/grievance that you are storing up for a day of vengeance which may never come since the thoughts of God for each person is different from our own thoughts for them {Isaiah 55:8} while he/she is walking about freely because whoever the son of man sets free is free indeed?
{‘the Lord will do the fighting for you; all you need to do is to keep calm’ Ex.14:14, “be generous to one another, sympathetic, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ” Eph.4:32, ‘more than all else, keep watch over your heart, since here are the wellsprings of life’ Prov.4:23}

Are you among those who delight in other peoples mistakes/sins or promote such in others as well as inflicting pain on others?
[“…I know about your behavior: how you are reputed to be alive and yet are dead” Rev.3:1, ‘but anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones who have faith in me would be better drowned in the depths of the sea with a great millstone round his neck’ Mtt.18:6, “disaster for those who plot evil, who lie in bed planning mischief! No sooner is it dawn than they do it, since they have the power to do so” Micah 2:1, ‘God made everything for its own purpose, yes even the wicked for the day of disaster’ Prov.16:4]

When do you speak the truth?
(‘but if you were all prophesying when an unbeliever or someone uninitiated came in, he would find himself put to the test by all and judged by all and the secrets of his heart revealed and so he would fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is indeed among you’ 1 Cor.14:24-25, “Do not be ashamed to correct a stupid person or a fool, or an old dotard who bickers with young people. Then you will show yourself really educated and win the approval of everyone” Sirach 42:8)

Do you accept truth when you are told one?
{‘you will come to know the truth and the truth will set you free’ Jn.8:32, “you love uprightness and detest evil. This is why God, your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness as none of your rivals” Ps.45:7, ‘but to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believed in his name’ Jn.1:12, “the unbelievers whose minds have been blinded by the god of this world, so that they cannot see shining the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” 2Cor.4:4}

How long does the truth/promise to God for a grace-filled lifestyle stay?
[‘Uprightness will be the belt around his waist, and constancy the belt about his hips’ Isaiah11:5, “but anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved” Mtt.24:13]

IS IT TRUE THAT YOU LOVE GOD AND YOUR NEIGHBOR?
HAVE YOU STARTED LOVING GOD AND YOUR NEIGHBOR?

GETTING TO OTHERS THROUGH YOU:

Remember that the person next to you is human just like you are

Remember that the person next to you deserve to live as you desire longevity

Remember that the person next to you deserves honor as you would expect it from others hence in your bid to undress a man or woman for stealing in the public call to memory that you would have been in such a position if not by His Grace thus be wary for the sin and compassionate for the sinner {Jude 1:22}

Remember that the person next to you has a soul  that needs to be saved in your bid to move up the ladder of righteousness thus remind him/her of what might be at stake in his/her life

Remember that the child in your womb would like to experience life as you are currently enjoying the resultant effect of your mothers’ co-operation with God’s grace through perseverance within the months of pain and labor as you aid and abate abortion/murder through spillage of sperms and ova via condom sells and usage {whether married or single}, masturbation, fornication, adultery, lesbianism, homosexuality, bestiality [intercourse with animals] as well as thoughts, clothes, videos, relationships, religions, preachers, environments, pictures, books that promote inordinate desire for sexual satisfaction and unwanted pregnancy in you, friends, relations e.t.c

Be sympathetic and share in others feeling as you would expect others to do for you in as much as we look up to God for mercies and love

A lady who throws her face the other way having seen another lady with breasts on the public eyes or her legs wide apart probably without underwear or goes about gossiping/snapping pictures and uploading as well as blackmailing such a person with the phrase ‘she lacks manners and deserves what she got’ should remember her own nakedness is on display because what you have is what she has thus reducing the glory of womanhood to grass and “…the standard you use will be the standard used for you” {Mtt.7:2}. This is also applicable to men remember you are exposing your mothers’/sisters’ nakedness by such devious acts.

Whether married or single you should not allow anybody have your half-naked/naked picture in his/her phone or even snap such pictures of yourselves for keeps in your phone as a secret for you or with any other person because you cannot undo the consequences that will follow (‘…everything now covered up will be uncovered…’Mtt.10:26) since many people are using these images for blackmail and you can do something to prevent it bearing in mind that with different phones, cameras, laptops, electronic gadgets on sale now one can take a picture of you from anywhere while you are in a particular dress, position, environment and edit it to suitability in order to destroy your image because all the enemy, the devil does for us, with us and in us is to accuse us every second before God {‘…now that the accuser, who accused our brothers day and night before our God…’ Rev.12:10} but we have been given all that we need to be truly religious in life and detach ourselves from such accusations thus “By his divine power, he has lavished on us all the things we need for life and for true devotion, through the knowledge of him who has called us by his own glory and goodness” [2Pet.1:3]

IF THE ELDERS COULD, WHAT MORE THE MOTHER OF GOD & THE SAINTS?

“When he had come to the end of all he wanted the people to hear, he went into Capernaum. A centurion there had a servant, a favorite of his, who was sick and near death. Having heard about Jesus he sent some Jewish elders to him to ask him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus they pleaded earnestly with him saying, He deserves this of you, because he is well disposed towards our people; he built us our synagogue himself. So Jesus went with them and was not very far from the house when the centurion sent word to him by some friends to say to him, sir do not put yourself to any trouble because I am not worthy to have you under my roof and that is why I did not presume to come to you myself; let my boy be cured by your giving the word…” {Lk.7:1-10}

From this Sacred Scripture, elders of Israel were able to intercede on behalf a benevolent centurion to Christ who immediately honored their call (Prayer), what then is this bias about the intercessory of the mother of God on the behalf of the whole whose mother she is since Christ is the Redeemer of the World (‘…Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world’ Jn.1:29) as well as the saints whose prayers are like a pleasing incense before the throne of God {“and so from the angel’s hand the smoke of the incense went up in the presence of God and with it the prayers of the saints” Rev.8:4}. Anyway, it could be what they were thought by their head concerning the Sacred Scripture [‘…in all his letters there are of course some passages which are hard to understand and these are the ones that uneducated and unbalanced people distort, in the same way as they distort the rest of scripture – to their own destruction. Since you have been forewarned about this my dear friends, be careful that you do not come to the point of losing the firm ground that you are standing on, carried away by the errors of unprincipled people’ 2 Pet.3:16-17] though at a point in one’s life he need to ask for the old ways and follow the good old ways in order to gain rest of soul (“the Lord says this, stand at the crossroads and look, ask for the ancient paths: which was the good way? Take it and you will find rest for yourselves. But they said, We will not take it” Jer.6:16) or unwillingness to open entirely to the whole truth contained in the Sacred Scripture by rejecting some {‘you stubborn people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears. You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do’ Acts.7:51} which brings about stubborn blindness in the spiritual realm [“the unbelievers whose minds have been blinded by the god of this world, so that they cannot see shining the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” 2 Cor.4:4] especially among those who think they are good at reading and quoting the Sacred Scripture (‘you pore over the scriptures believing that in them you can find eternal life; it is these scriptures that testify to me’ Jn.5:39) and the intellectuals of the world {“at that time Jesus exclaimed, I bless you Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do” Mtt.11:25-26} but the passionate desire/hunger for authentic truth amongst some of them often lead them to the reality of God’s righteousness thus ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for uprightness: they shall have their fill’ [Mtt.5:6] though the willingness to submit one’s will-power to the Holy Spirit is often a hindrance since the battle is not against flesh and blood rather a war against powers, principalities in the spiritual realm hence only those who equip themselves with the sword of the Spirit (“and then you must take salvation as your helmet and the sword of the Spirit, that is the word of God” Eph.6:17) that is correct [‘and he must have a grasp of the unchanging message of the tradition, so that he can be counted on both for giving encouragement in sound doctrine and for refuting those who argue against it’ Titus 1.9], consistently {“this is the doctrine that you can rely on. I want you to be quite uncompromising in teaching all this, so that those who now believe in God may keep their minds constantly occupied in doing good works. All this is good and useful for everybody” Titus 3:8} will be able to overcome the devil’s tactics (‘finally, grow strong in the Lord, with the strength of his power. Put on the full armor of God so as to be able to resist the devil’s tactics’ Eph.6:10-11).

       Do not also believe/think that those we refer to as occultic/ritualist in the church who make donations are too far from salvation, some part of their lifestyle is also making a supplication for their conversion thus ‘…When they came to Jesus they pleaded earnestly with him saying, He deserves this of you, because he is well disposed towards our people; he built us our synagogue himself. So Jesus went with them…’ {Lk.7:4-6} but we should not put the Lord to thirst with sin [“and we are not to put the Lord to the test; some of them put him to the test and they were killed by snakes. Never complain; some of them complained and they were killed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them by way of example and they were described in writing to be a lesson for us, to whom it has fallen to live in the last days of the ages” 1 Cor.10:9-11] since He loves righteousness and reproofs sinners/wicked (‘then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me. All evil doers’ Mtt.7:23; “it is not anyone who says to me, Lord, Lord who will enter the kingdom of Heaven but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven’ Mtt.7:21) thus has not permitted any man to sin {“He never commanded anyone to be godless, he has given no one permission to sin” Sirach 15:20}

THE BARREN IN LIFE

THOSE WHO HAVE NOT PRODUCED BEFORE:

‘Shout for joy, barren one who has borne no children! Break into cries and shouts of joy, you who were never in labor! For the children of the forsaken one are more in number than the children of the wedded wife, says the Lord…do not fear, you will not be put to shame again, do not worry, you will not be disgraced again; for you will forget the shame of your youth and no longer remember the dishonor of your widowhood. For your Creator is your husband, the Lord Sabaoth is his name, the Holy One of Israel is your redeemer, he is called God of the whole world. Yes, the Lord has called you back like a forsaken, grief-stricken wife, like the repudiated wife of his youth, says your God. I did forsake you for a brief moment, but in great compassion I shall take you back. In a flood of anger, for a moment I hid my face from you. But in everlasting love I have taken pity on you says the Lord, your redeemer’ (Isaiah 54:1-8)

“If seed-corn is still short in the barn and if vine and fig tree, pomegranate and olive tree still bear no fruit. From today onwards I intend to bless you. When that day comes – Lord Sabaoth declares – I shall take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel my servant – the Lord declares – and make you like a signet ring. For I have chosen you – Lord Sabaoth declares” {Haggai 2:19, 23}

PRIDE

The fourth word from the cross was in reparation for the sin of pride. Pride is an inordinate love of one’s own excellence, either of body or mind or the unlawful pleasure we derive from thinking we have no superiors. Pride being swollen egotism, it erects the human evil into a separate centre of originativeness apart from God; exaggerates its own importance and becomes a world in and for itself. All other sins are evil deeds, but pride insinuates itself even into good works to destroy and slay them. For that reason Sacred Scripture says: “Pride goes before the fall” (Prov.11:2).

         Pride manifests itself in many forms: atheism, which is a denial of our dependence on God, our Creator and our final end; intellectual vanity, which makes minds unteachable because they think they know all there is to know; superficiality, which judges others by their clothes, their accent and their bank account; snobbery, which sneers at inferiors as the earmark of its own superiority, “they are not of our social status”; vainglory, which prompts some Catholic parents to refuse to send their boys and girls to Catholic colleges because they would there associate only with the children of carpenters; presumptuousness, which inclines a man to seek honors and positions quite beyond his capacity and exaggerated sensitiveness which makes one incapable of moral improvement because so unwilling to hear one’s own faults.

     Pride it was that made Satan fall from heaven and man fall from grace. By its very nature such undue self-exaltation could be cured only by self-humiliation. That is why He who might have  been born in a palace by the Tiber as befitting His Majesty as the Son of God, chose to appear before men in a stable as a child wrapped in swaddling bands. Added to this humility of His birth was the humility of His profession – a carpenter in an obscure village of Nazareth whose name was a reproach among the great. Just as today there are those who sneer at the humble walks of life, so too there were then those who jibed: “Is this not the carpenter’s son?” There was also the humility of His actions, for never once did He work a miracle in His own behalf, not even to supply Himself with a place to lay His head. Humility of example there was too, when on Holy Thursday night He who is the Lord of heaven and earth girds Himself with a towel, gets down on His knees and with basin and water washes the twenty-four calloused feet of His Apostles saying: “The servant is not greater than his lord… If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you too should wash each other’s feet” (Jn.13:16, 14). Finally, there was humility of precept: “Unless you be converted and become as little children, you shall not enter the kingdom of Heaven” {Mtt.19:14}.  

       But the supreme humiliation of all was the manner of death He chose, for “He humbled Himself… even to death, death on a cross” {Phil.2:8}. To atone for false pride of ancestry: he thrusts aside the consolation of Divinity; for the pride of popularity: He is laughed to scorn as he hangs curse upon a tree (Gal.3:13); for pride of snobbery: He is put in the company of thieves [Lk.23:33]; for pride of wealth: He is denied even the ownership of His own deathbed {Mtt.27:59-60}; for pride of flesh: “there was no beauty in him” for pride in influential friends: he is forgotten even by those whom He cured; for pride of power: He is weak and abandoned; for pride of those who surrender God and their faith: He wills to feel without God. For all the egotism, false independence and atheism: He now offers satisfaction by surrendering the joys and consolations of His Divine Nature. Because proud men forgot God, He permits Himself to feel Godlessness and it broke His heart in the saddest of all cries: “…My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (Mtt.27:46). There was union even in the separation; but they were words of desolation uttered that we might never be without consolation.

      Two lessons emerge from this Word: (1) Glory not in ourselves for God resists the proud; and (2) Glory in humility for humility is truth and the path to true greatness.

     Why should we be proud? As St. Paul reminds us “what do you have that you have that you didn’t receive? And if you received it, why do you boast, as if it were your own?” Is it our voice, our wealth, our beauty, our talents of which we are proud? But what are these but gifts of God, anyone of which He might revoke this second? From a material point of view, we are worth so little. The content of a human body is equivalent to as much iron as there is in a nail, as much sugar as there is in two lumps, as much oil as there is in seven bars of soap, as much phosphorous as there is in 2200 matches and as much magnesium as it takes to develop one photograph. In all, the human body, chemically, is worth a little less than two dollars – “O why should any mortal spirit be proud?” But spiritually we are worth more than the universe (‘Children, you are from God and have overcome them, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world’ 1 Jn.4:4) therefore “For what profit is there if one gains the whole world and loses himself in the process? What could one give in exchange for his soul?

ADMONITION:

“You have already been told what is right and what the Lord wants of you. Only this, to do what is right, to love loyalty and to walk humbly with your God” [Micah 6:8]

Exaltation of the Cross of Christ

"Then speaking to all, he said, if anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me" {Lk.9:23}
The Tree of life where man failed became the object of His Glory ('As Moses liftee up the snake in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him' Jn.3:14-15) hence that weak aspect of our lives by which we dishonor the Spirit of Grace in us can be made a strong for the Glory of God to illumine our world {"...I am the light of the world; anyone who follows me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the light of life" Jn.8:12}
May the Cross of Christ, His death between the two thieves and Blood expiated on the Calvary for our sake bring us constant victory over sin. Amen.
We adore you, Oh Christ and praise you!
By Thy Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world!

THE DIFFERENCE:

The human impulse is vindictive because of the unity of three persons in one God (‘Gen.1:26-27) which is broken whenever selfishness and the anger of Cain our forefather {Gen.4:6} sets in within events and encounters but the new order of Christ through baptism has changed this ideology to love beyond what words and human eyes can imagine or pray for [‘Glory be to him whose power, working in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine’ Eph.3:20] thus we have to move from our old bad habits and cravings to the new call of Christ gospel thus “do not allow yourselves to be shaped by the passions of your old ignorance, but as obedient children, be yourselves holy in all your activity after the model of the Holy One who calls us since scripture says, be holy for I am holy” (1 Pet.1:14-16) because our Lord Jesus has redefined what used to be an eye for an eye; tooth for tooth of the old testament (Ex.21:24) to ‘…Father forgive them for they know not what they do…’ {Lk.23:34} because anybody can engage in these old orders of morbidity but the new nature of Christ requires openness to the Spirit of righteousness thus ‘but to those who did accept him, he gave power to become children of God, to those who believed in his name’ [Jn.1:12]; the power received only when we submit our will-power to the will of God (‘…Father into your hands I commit my spirit…’ Lk.23:46, “…my grace is enough for you: for power is at full stretch in weakness…” 2 Cor.12:9) and the level of ones disposition to Holy Spirit is how much of the Spirit that will be at work {‘…the standard you use will be the standard used for you’ Mtt.7:2} as well as the desire for renewal and consistency in righteousness (“blessed are those who hunger and thirst for uprightness: they shall have their fill” Mtt.5:6, ‘but those who hope in God will regain their strength, they will sprout wings like eagles though they run they will not grow weary though they walk they will never tire’ Isaiah 40:31, “you love uprightness and detest evil. This is why God, your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness as none of your rivals” Heb.1:9)

What is the difference between your {both the writer and the reader} life and that of those you refer to as pagans, sinners and the wicked since most of your actions they also perform them with dexterity thus “but I say this to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly. To anyone who slaps you on one cheek, present the other cheeks as well; to anyone who takes your cloak from you, do not refuse your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you and do not ask for your property back from someone who takes it. Treat others as you would like people to treat you. If you love those who love you what credit can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit can you expect? For even sinners do that much. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to get money back, what credit can you expect? Even sinners lend to sinners to get back the same amount. Instead, love your enemies and do good to them and lend without any hope of return. You will have a great reward and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked” (LK.6:27-35).

You can be better than what you are now “there is nothing I cannot do in the One who strengthens me” {Phil.4:13} just make the move and remove fear for the Spirit we received is not the Spirit of fear rather that of Power, self-control and chaste as well as genuine love [2 Tim.1:7] and also remember to fan such Spirit into flame (2 Tim.1:6) for God to be glorified {1 Cor.10:31} and human souls to be edified i.e moved to worship God better thus ‘with this in view, do your utmost to support your faith with goodness, goodness with understanding, understanding with self-control, self-control with perseverance, perseverance with devotion, devotion with kindness to brothers and kindness to the brothers with love, the possession and growth of these qualities will prevent your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ from being ineffectual or unproductive. But without them is blind or short-sighted, forgetting how the sins of the past were washed away’ (2 Pet.1:5-9).  

BROTHERLY AFFECTION

“How good, how delightful it is to live as brothers all together! It is like a fine oil on the bread, running down the beard, running down Aaron’s beard, onto the collar of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon falling on the heights of Zion; for there the Lord bestows his blessing, everlasting life” {Ps.133} 

When last did you experience that genuine smile from a brother/sister/mother/father/wife/husband/son/daughter/family relation?

In the physical realm, there is nothing in the world that can genuinely provide you this type of affection, warmth and company; once any of them is gone, his/her place in our hearts cannot be substituted anymore hence we need to do our best to take care of them in a Godly manner {‘seek peace with all people and the holiness without which no one can ever see the Lord. Be careful that no one is deprived of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness should begin to grow and make trouble; this can poison a large number. And be careful that there is no immoral person or anyone worldly minded like Esau, who sold his birthright for one single meal. As you know when he wanted to obtain the blessing afterwards, he was rejected and though he pleaded for it with tears, he could find no way of reversing the decision’ Heb.12:14-17}.

Behind every disunity in a family is always found this hidden/unnoticed/subtle/deceptive object ‘Pride’ which provides one with a thousand and one reasons both scriptural and otherwise why the other party in the family should not be forgiven whether the offender or the defender. Be it as it may, no matter how rich/spiritual/beautiful/talented/handsome/successful e.t.c you are, the brother of a mad-man is a mad-mans’ brother, the son of a prostitute is a prostitutes’ son hence ones inability to integrate his/her spiritual/temporal gifts from the nuclear family leaves the most important unattended to while pursuing shadows (‘what are your endless sacrifices to me? Says the Lord. I am sick of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of calves. I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come and present yourselves before me, who has asked you to trample through my courts…when you stretch out your hands I turn my eyes away. You may multiply your prayers, I shall not be listening. Your hands are covered in blood’ Isaiah 1:11-15). The apostles of Jesus were instructed to proclaim the gospel not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judea and Sameria and indeed to earth’s remotest end {Acts.1:8} hence there country home should be a starting point for the mission then to other parts of the world.

For one to uproot pride from within, the fear of God as one of the seven spirit [Rev.4:5] of God dwelling in man must be activated fully without sentiments or bias (“my brothers, do not let class distinction enter into your faith in Jesus Christ, our glorified Lord” James 2:1, ‘do not be ashamed to correct a stupid person or a fool, or an old dotard who bickers with young people. Then you will show yourself really educated and win the approval of everyone’ Sirach 42:8) thus ‘In fear be submissive to the Lord; with trembling kiss his feet, lest he be angry and your way come to nothing, for his fury flares up in a moment. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!’ [Ps.2:11-12]. The fear of God in a man brings about the reverence and respect for every living creature {man} as an image of God [Gen.1:26-27] whether poor/rich/graceful/habitual-sinner e.t.c who has a soul that needs to be forgiven and saved (‘I take no pleasure in the death of anyone – declares the Lord God – so repent and live!’ Ezek.18:32). The  fear of God also helps us to know that whatever we do against another will be used to attend to us {“do not judge and you will not be judged; because the judgments you give are the judgments you will get and the standard you use will be the standard used for you” Mtt.7:1-2} hence openness to humility (“how blessed are the poor in spirit: the kingdom of heaven is theirs” Mtt.5:4), love {‘above all preserve an intense love for each other, since love covers over many a sin’ 1 Pet.4:8} and forgiveness [“any bitterness or bad temper or anger or shouting or abuse must be far removed from you – as must every kind of malice. Be generous to one another, sympathetic, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ” Eph.4:31-32] towards our family relations is a strong foundation for Heavenly honor [‘…those who honor me I honor in my turn and those who despise me will be an object of contempt’ 1 Sam.2:30] and a better relationship with other members of the society (“you love uprightness and detest evil. This is why God, your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness as none of your rivals” Heb.1:9).

Let us therefore use calmness (‘Keep sober and alert, because your enemy the devil is on the prowl like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand up to him, strong in faith and in the knowledge that it is the same kind of suffering that the community of your brothers throughout the world is undergoing’ 1 Pet.5:8-9) of the soul to observe our families in order to uproot the canker pride whether you are the offender or defender learn to say “I am sorry” it will not change your status/position/carrier/intelligence/spirituality to something lower, be mindful of your thoughts {‘More than else, keep watch over your heart, since here are the wellsprings of life’ Prov.4:23} and watch what you say as well as the type of advice you proffer in trying situations hence “guard your tongue from evil, your lips from any breath of deceit. Turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it” [Ps.34:13-14].

This can be achieved via

Sending goodwill text messages at the beginning of the months to all concerned or the most important i.e those with whom there has been a big vacuum in communication.

Making calls to such people if your financial status permits.

 Above all beyond what is seen with the physical-eyes, continuous remembrance of all concerned in prayers {‘I urge then, first of all that petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving should be offered for everyone’ 1 Tim.2:1, “for my part, far be it from me to sin against God by ceasing to pray for you or to instruct you in the good and right way” 1 Sam.12:23}

FASTING AND PRAYERS:

“They then said to him, John’s disciples are always fasting and saying prayers and the disciples of the Pharisees, too but yours go on eating and drinking. Jesus replied surely you cannot make the bridegroom’s attendants fast while the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them; then in those days they will fast” (Lk.5:33-35)

This does not mean that fasting and prayers is not important rather for different individuals it can be done in different ways, time and modes with regards to ones disposition towards the voice of God’s spirit in him/her [“instead, I tell you be guided by the Spirit and you will no longer yield to self-indulgence” Gal.5:16] as well as the directives of your spiritual director {‘the priest’s lips ought to safeguard knowledge; his mouth is where the law should be sought, since he is the Lord of sabaoth messenger’ Mal.2:7, “let no one disregard you because you are young but be an example to all the believers in the way you speak and behave and in your love, your faith and your purity” 1 Tim.4:12}.

But the highest, noble and awesome fasting as well as prayers you can do that will attract Divine approval is extrication from sinful habits like prayerlessness, smoking, lying-lips, exam-malpractices, forging-documents/results, anger, pride, unforgiving-spirit, buying and selling on Sundays, unworthy reception of Eucharist, drunkenness, masturbation, glutton, disobedience to parents/elders/clergy/constituted authority, stealing, abortion, fornication, adultery, depraved or corrupt friendships/relationships/discussions, pornography, lesbianism, homosexuality, back-biting, jealousy, injustice against the less-privileged/disabled/orphans/widows, neglect of the poor and our neighbors needs/plights, malice, envy, slander, heresy, apostasy, partying-spirit, idolatry, blasphemy, indecent dressing, upload and download of nude/half-nude pictures of ourselves or others from the internet to our phones/ipads/ipods/laptops e.t.c, keeping or hanging nude/half-nude pictures of ourselves or others on our wall-rooms/offices/shops/schools e.t.c thus “you love uprightness and detest evil. This is why God, your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness as none of your rivals” (Heb.1:9)

Hence replacing these bad habits in a world where it seems everybody is doing the wrong thing under the disguise of religiosity (“this people honors me only with lip-service while their hearts are far from me” [Mtt.15:8], ‘these people are counterfeit apostles of Christ. There is nothing astonishing in this: even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. It is nothing extraordinary, then when his servants disguise themselves as the servants of uprightness. They will come to the end appropriate to what they have done’ {2 Cor.11:13-15}) is much of an acceptable fasting and prayer to God who does not delight in sacrifice rather than obedience {1 Sam.15:22} with these good habits; joy, peace, patience, trustfulness, pray constantly (1 Thess.5:17), diligence to responsibilities, gentleness, kindness {‘refuse no kindness to those who have a right to it, if it is in your power to perform it. Do not say to your neighbor, go away! Come another time! I will give it to you tomorrow, if you can do it now’ Prov.3:27-28}, utterances that administer grace to the hearer, building up mutually as occasion offers [Eph.4:29], “with this in view, do your utmost to support your faith with goodness, goodness with understanding, understanding with self-control, self-control with perseverance, perseverance with devotion, devotion with kindness to brothers and kindness to brothers with love. The possession and growth of these qualities will prevent your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ from being ineffectual or unproductive. But without them, a person is blind or short-sighted, forgetting how the sins of the past were washed away. Instead of this, brothers, never allow your choice or calling to waver; then there will be no danger of your stumbling, for in this way you will given the generous gift of entry to the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet.1:5-11)

CONSIDER OTHERS SPIRITUAL WELFARE IN ALL YOU DO:

“Only be careful that this freedom of yours does not in any way turn into an obstacle to trip those who are vulnerable…and then it would be through your knowledge that this brother for whom Christ died, vulnerable as he is, has been lost. So sinning against your brothers and wounding their vulnerable consciences, you would be sinning against Christ…” (1 Cor.8:9-13)

Thus when as a woman/lady; you wear tight/fitted clothes like skirts, bomb-shots, pencil-skirts, tight-tops, trousers e.t.c transparent clothes like gowns, skirts, tops, trousers, e.t.c revealing clothes like mini/pencil/tight-skirts, hanging-gowns, sleeveless-tops e.t.c upload and download of nude/half-nude pictures/videos/comments/write-ups/links on social websites and other sinful inclinations of the internet bear in mind what you might be doing to several vulnerable souls (lesbians/porn-addicts/minors/frail-creatures) also men when you dress nude/half-nude with boxers, sagging, tight trousers/shorts/tops, sleeveless for others consumption within the house/streets environments as well as upload and download of such on the internet; this could be a clarion call to demonic wife/husband/homosexuals/frail-souls e.t.c as the Heavens takes note “His eyes are on those who fear him, he notes every human action” (Sirach 15:19)

However, whether frail or strong do not fail to correct with prudence these set of people thus ‘brothers, even if one of you is caught doing something wrong, those of you who are spiritual should set that person right in a spirit of gentleness and watch yourselves that you are not put to the test in the same way. Carry each other’s burdens; that is how to keep the law of Christ. Someone who thinks himself important when he is not, only deceives himself; but everyone is to examine his own achievements and then he will confine his boastings to his own achievements not comparing them with anybody else’s. Each one has his own load to carry’ {Gal.6:1-5}.

As we know every little thing matters “A drunken workman will never grow rich and one who makes light of small matters will gradually sink” {Sirach 19:1} bearing in mind that God takes note of all our endeavors thus ‘His eyes are on those who fear him, he notes every human action’ (Sirach 15:19) and by such engagements whether in thoughts {‘more than all else, keep watch over your heart, since here are the wellsprings of life’ Prov.4:23}, words (“since it is by your words you will be justified and by your words condemned” Mtt.12:37), habits {‘anyone who welcomes one little child like this in my name welcomes me. But anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones who have faith in me would be better drowned in the depths of the sea with a great millstone round his neck’ Mtt.18:5-6} and deeds (“Don’t delude yourself: God is not to be fooled; whatever someone sows, that is what he will reap” Gal.6:7) shall we face the judgment on the last day [‘I saw the dead, great and small alike, standing in front of his throne while the books lay open. And another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged from what was written in the books as their deeds deserved…and anyone whose name could not be found written in the book of life was hurled into the burning lake” Rev.20:12-15].

As we know death can come to us any day/hour/second/environment/positional status after which follows judgment (‘since human beings die only once, after which comes judgment’ Heb.9:27) which proceeds from the same giver of life “the Lord gives death and life brings down to sheol and draws up” {1 Sam.2:6} and he does not respect anybody [‘there is no favoritism with God’ Rom.2:11] even His only Son; Jesus had to carry out his earthly ministry in the right, hard and only way {‘after the ordeal he has endured he will see the light and be content. By his knowledge, the upright one my servant will justify many by taking their guilt on himself’ Isaiah 53:11} so what sinful habits and lifestyle are you managing with against the abundant life Christ gave us (“the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may life and have it to the full” Jn.10:10) with excuses on your lips and mind? {‘He never commanded anyone to be godless, he has given no one permission to sin’ Sirach 15:20}

So what happens to testing and trials? You can think about these “None of the trials which have come upon you is more than a human being can stand. You can trust that God will not let you be put to the test beyond your strength but with any trial will also provide a way out by enabling you to put up with it” (1 Cor.10:13) and ‘all this being so, let us rather give thanks to the Lord our God who as he tested our ancestors is now testing us. Remember how he treated Abraham, all the ordeals of Isaac, all that happened to Jacob in Syrian Mesopotamia while he kept the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother. For as these ordeals were intended by him to search their hearts, so now this is not vengeance that God is exacting on us but a warning inflicted by the Lord on those who are near his heart’ {Judith 8:25-27} much more affirmed in the last book of the Holy Bible thus “I reprove and train those whom I love: so repent in real earnest” [Rev.3:19]

What of temptation? Temptation is not from God rather from our selfish desires; nurtured and nursed within the double faced {devious; “the heart is more devious than any other thing and is depraved; who can pierce its secrets?” Jer.17:9 / good; ‘God saw all he had made and indeed it was very good…’ Gen.1:31} platform that dwells in man thus “Never, when you are being put to the test say, God is tempting me; God cannot be tempted by evil and he does not put anybody to the test. Everyone is put to the test by being attracted and seduced by that person’s own wrong desire. Then the desire conceives and gives birth to sin and when sin reaches full growth, it gives birth to death” (James 1:13-15)

We are not to succumb to these trials and testing as well as the temptations that gush forth from the cravings our carnality but should make use of the sufficient Grace provided for us “but he has answered me, My grace is enough for you: for power is at full stretch in weakness…” (2 Cor.12:9) hence opening the windows of His blessings on us ‘blessed is anyone who preserves when trials come. Such a person is of proven worth and will win the prize of life, the crown that the Lord has promised to those who love him’ [James 1:12]

BIRTHDAY GIFTS FOR OUR LADY TODAY:

Attending Holy Mass (‘seeing his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, Woman this is your son. Then to the disciple he said, this is your mother…’ Jn.19:26)

Attaining perfect contrition via Sacrament of Reconciliation {“His mother said to the servants, Do whatever he tells you” Jn.2:5} by speaking the truth from your heart [Ps.15:2]

Dressing decently like Our Lady {‘only be careful that this freedom of yours does not in any way turn into an obstacle to trip those who are vulnerable’ 1Cor.8:9} today and always [‘if you come back, Israel, the Lord declares, if you come back to me, if you take your horrors out of my sight, if you go roving no more, if you swear, as the Lord lives! Truthfully, justly, uprightly, then the nations will bless themselves by him and glory in him’ Jer.4:1-2].

Promoting decency in dressing/pictures/videos/discussions/engagements/habits/jobs/feeding e.t.c amongst people we will encounter today and everyday whether on the internet or streets by taking the bold step of prudent corrections (‘To some you must be compassionate because they are wavering; others you must save by snatching them from the fire, to others again you must be compassionate but wary, hating even the tunic stained by their bodies’ Jude 1:22-23)

Try to say the Holy Rosary complete [20 decades with the litany] today while meditating on the biblical quote for each mystery as She always pondered on the word of God ‘…His mother stored up all these things in her heart’ {Lk.2:51}

Remember, you cannot choose her more than God did [“Hence the Lord will abandon them only until she who is in labor gives birth, and then those who survive of his race will be reunited to the Israelites” Micah 5:2] because ‘you did not choose me, no, I chose you; and I commissioned you to go out and bear fruit, fruit that will last; so that the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name’ {Jn.15:16}

You cannot honor/reverence/respect the Blessed Virgin Mary and other saints {‘He went down with them then and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority…’ Lk.2:51, “…those who honor me I honor in my turn and those who despise me will be an object of contempt” 1 Sam. 2:30} in Heaven (“…then he said, these are the people who have been through the great trial; they have washed their robes white again in the blood of the Lamb” Rev.7:14) than Jesus did, is doing and is always doing [‘Jesus Christ is the same today as he was yesterday and as he will be forever’ Heb.13:8]; an attitude which was approved by the Heavens with increase in wisdom, favor with God and people thus “And Jesus increased in wisdom, in stature and in favor with God and with people” (Lk.2:52) confirming this scriptural passage ‘you love uprightness and detest evil. This is why God, your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness as none of your rivals’ {Heb.1:9}

BIBLICAL LINKS TO THE HOLY ROSARY MYSTERIES:

THE FIVE JOYFUL MYSTERY_

The Annunciation {‘…he went in and said to her, Rejoice, you who enjoy God’s favor! The Lord is with you…’ Lk.1:26-38}

The Visitation [“…Now it happened that as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit…” Lk.1:39-45]

The Birth/Nativity (‘…and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the living-space…’ Lk.2:1-19)

The Presentation {“And when the day came for them to be purified in keeping with the Law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord…” Lk.2:22-38}

The Finding [‘…it happened that, three days later, they found him in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions…’ Lk.2:41-50]

THE FIVE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES:

The Baptism (‘…And when Jesus had been baptized he at once came up from the water and suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him…’ Mtt.3:13-17)

The Manifestation {“…Jesus said to the servants fill the jars with water and they filled them to the brim…they did this; the president tasted the water and it had turned into wine…” Jn.2:1-12}

The Proclamation [‘from then onwards Jesus began his proclamation with the message, repent for the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand’ Mtt.4:17]

The Transfiguration (“…there in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as dazzling as light. And suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them; they were talking with him…” Mtt.17:1-8)

The Institution of the Holy Eucharist {‘then he took bread and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me. He did the same with the cup after supper and said, This cup is the new covenant in my blood poured out for you’ Lk.22:19-20}

THE FIVE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES:

The Prayer and Agony in the garden (‘then Jesus came with them to a plot of land called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, stay here while I go over there to pray…then he said to them, My soul is sorrowful to the point of death. Wait here and stay awake with me. And going on a little further he fell on his face and prayed. My Father, he said, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. Nevertheless, let it be as you, not I, would have it…’ Mtt.26:36-46)

The Scourging at the pillar {“Pilate then had Jesus taken away and scourged” Jn.19:1}

The Crowning with thorns [‘and after this, the soldiers twisted some thorns into a crown and put it on his head and dressed him in a purple robe…’ Jn.19:2-3]

The Condemnation and Carrying of the Cross (“Pilate asked them, what harm has he done? But they shouted all the louder, crucify him! So Pilate, anxious to placate the crowd, released Barabbas for them and after having Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified…they led him out to crucify him. They enlisted a passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, father of Alexander and Rufus, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha, which means the place of the skull” Mk.15:14-22)

The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus {‘when they reached the place called The Skull, there they crucified him and the two criminals, one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, Father forgive them; they do not know what they are doing… Jesus cried out in a loud voice saying, Father into your hands I commit my spirit. With these words he breathed his last’ Lk.23:33-46}

THE FIVE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES:

 The Resurrection (‘After the Sabbath and towards dawn on the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary went to visit the sepulcher. And there was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descending from heaven, came and rolled away the stone and sat on it…He is not here, for he has risen as he said he would…’ Mtt.28:1-8)

The Ascension {“then he took them out as far as the outskirts of Bethany and raising his hands he blessed them. Now as he blessed them, he withdrew from them and was carried up to heaven. They worshipped him and then went back to Jerusalem full of joy…” Lk.24:50-53}

The Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles [‘When Pentecost day came round, they had all met together when suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of a violent wind which filled the entire house in which they were sitting and there appeared to them tongues as of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak different languages as the Spirit gave them power to express themselves’ Acts 2:1-4]

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven (‘for you will not abandon me to Sheol, you cannot allow your faithful servant to see the abyss’ Ps.16:10)

The Coronation of Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth {“… the consort at your right hand in gold of Ophir” Ps.45:9, ‘Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman robed with the sun, standing on the moon and on her head a crown of twelve stars…’ Rev.12:1-17}