Imitate Jesus - PRAY !

Imitate Jesus - PRAY !

These are instances in the Bible where Our Lord either prayed or talked about prayer. I've only included the more pointed passages about Jesus and prayer. I've excluded other less pertinent exhortations of Jesus to His disciples and the crowds. My goal here is to show that we can't really call ourselves Christians unless we lead an active prayer life.

Truth Seeker

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Mat 6:9-13 NIV
9 "This, then, is how you should pray :
"'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.'

Mat 14:23 NIV
23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray . When evening came, he was there alone,

Mat 19:13 NIV
13 Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

Mat 26:36-46 NIV
36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray ." 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed , "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as
you will."
40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. 41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
42 He went away a second time and prayed , "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."
43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"

Mk 1:35 NIV
35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed .

Mk 6:46 NIV
46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray .

Mk 14:32-42 NIV
32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray ." 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36 "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
37 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
39 Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 40 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him. 41 Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"

Mk 9:28-29 NIV
28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"
29 He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer ."

Lk 3:21 NIV
21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying , heaven was opened

Lk 5:16 NIV
16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed .

Lk 6:12 NIV
12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray , and spent the night praying to God.

Lk 9:18 NIV
18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say I am?"

Lk 9:28-29 NIV
28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray . 29 As he was praying , the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.

Lk 11:1-4 NIV
1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray , just as John taught his disciples."
2 He said to them, "When you pray , say:
"'Father,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.'"

Lk 18:1 NIV
1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

Lk 21:36 NIV
36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."

Lk 22:31-32 NIV
31 "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

Lk 22:40-46 NIV
40 On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." 41 He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and
prayed , 42 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 "Why are you sleeping?" he asked them. "Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation."

Jn 17:1 NIV
1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed :

Jn 17:9 NIV
9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.

Jn 17:15 NIV
15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.

Jn 17:20 NIV
20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,

Jn 18:1 NIV
1 When he had finished praying , Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley.

Philip 4:4-7 NIV
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Spirit vs Flesh

Spirit vs Flesh

Gal 5:16-17 NIV
16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the
Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.

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Mat 26:41 NIV
41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

We are in the Midst of the Apostasy

We are in the Midst of the Apostasy

2 Thes 2:1-4 NIV
The Man of Lawlessness
1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for (that day will not come) until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

2 Tes 2:1-4 (Reina-Valera 1995)
Manifestación del hombre de pecado
1 Con respecto a la venida de nuestro Señor Jesucristo y nuestra reunión con él, os rogamos, hermanos,
2 que no os dejéis mover fácilmente de vuestro modo de pensar, ni os conturbéis, ni por espíritu ni por palabra ni por carta como si fuera nuestra, en el sentido de que el día del Señor está cerca.
3 ¡Nadie os engañe de ninguna manera!, pues no vendrá sin que antes venga la apostasía y se manifieste el hombre de pecado, el hijo de perdición,
4 el cual se opone y se levanta contra todo lo que se llama Dios o es objeto de culto; tanto, que se sienta en el templo de Dios como Dios, haciéndose pasar por Dios.

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1 Timothy 4:1 NIV
1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Everywhere we look nowadays we see people
not content with their previously held religious beliefs
The present Roman Catholic Church crisis
is the main example but there are other creeds in flux
As the passages above cite, the apostasy is a vital part
of the end time before the Antichrist appears

>>>>>Another source of end time prophecy is Fatima:<<<<<<

Our Lady of Fatima told the children that war is a punishment for sin. She warned that God would penalize the world for its disobedience to His will through war, hunger, and persecution of the Catholic Church, the Pope, and the faithful.

"If My (Our Lady's) requests are not granted, Russia will spread its errors throughout the world, raising up wars and persecutions against the Church. The
good will be martyred, the Holy Father (Pope) will suffer much and various nations will be annihilated."

Truth Seeker

Biblical Basis for the Sacraments

Biblical Basis for the Sacraments

BAPTISM

Matt 28:19 - Jesus commissions the apostles: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit";
John 3:22; 4:1-2 - Jesus' first disciples baptize other disciples;
Acts 2:38-41; 10:47-48 - new believers are baptized "in the name of Jesus" by Peter & others;(not just Jesus' own baptism: Mark 1:9-11 & par.)

EUCHARIST

Mark 14:22-25; Matt 26:26-30; Luke 22:14-23; 1 Cor 11:23-25 - Jesus' "Last Supper" with his disciples;
John 6: 48-58 - the end of the Bread of Life discourse: "eat my flesh; drink my blood";
Luke 24:35; Acts 2:42 - Christians gather for the "Breaking of the Bread"

CONFIRMATION

John 20:22 - "(Jesus) breathed on them (the disciples) and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit'";
Acts 8:17; 19:6 - believers receive the Spirit, esp. through laying on of the apostle's hands
Acts 10:44-48 - the coming of the Spirit is closely associated with the Baptism of new believers

PENANCE / RECONCILIATION

John 20:23 - "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained";
Matt 16:19; 18:18 - more sayings on "binding and loosing";
James 5:16 - "confess your sins to one another"

ANOINTING OF THE SICK

Mark 6:7-13 - Jesus' disciples "anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them";
James 5:14-16 - "call for the elders of the church and have them pray over (the sick), anointing them with oil in the names of the Lord."

MATRIMONY / MARRIAGE

Gen 2:24 - "a man leaves his parents and clings to his wife and they become one flesh";
Mark 10:2-12; Matt 19:1-9 - Jesus teaches against divorce; "What God has joined together, let no one separate";
Eph 5:22-33; 1Cor 7:10-16 - Paul stresses the unity of husbands and wives;
(not simply Jesus' presence at the wedding at Cana, John 2:1-11)

HOLY ORDERS (Ordination of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons)

Mark 3:13-19 & par. - Jesus "calls" and "appoints" the 12 apostles;
Acts 6:6; 1 Tim 4:14; 5:22; 2 Tim 1:6 - "laying on of hands" as the "ordaining" or commissioning rite of local Christian leaders

St. Don Bosco Pray for All Priests and Victims of Priestly Pedophilia

St. Don Bosco Pray for All Priests and Victims of Priestly Pedophilia

Mat 19:13-15 NIV
13 Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

Mar 10:13-16 NIV
13 People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." 16 And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

Luk 18:15-17 NIV
15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

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Mat 18:1-6 NIV
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. 6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

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NO Sexual Immorality, Impurity and Debauchery (ESPECIALLY PRIESTS)

1 Cor 6:9-10 NIV
9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Gal 5:19-21 NIV
19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage,
selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Eph 5:3-5 NIV
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person — such a man is an idolater — has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Col 3:5-6 NIV
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.

Rev 21:8 NIV
8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars — their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

A New Creation

A New Creation

2 Cor 5:16-17 NIV
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

1 Cor 6:19-20 NIV
19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

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I believe that, in order for it to survive, the Roman Catholic Church must shed its old coccoon and metamorphose into a new creature. It's either that or face the consequences.

Truth Seeker

Misplaced Trust

Misplaced Trust

John 21:15-17 NIV
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
16 Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"
He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."

Act 20:28-30 NIV
28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.

1 Cor 6:18 NIV
18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.

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When I was a child, a priest was someone
you looked up to and respected.
I really felt inadequate, thinking he knew my sins.
He represented Jesus in Confession and Communion.
No one usually questioned his authority
even on non-religious matters.
Still, at such an impressionable age,
I find it hard to believe that I would've
done an unmentionable act at a priest's bidding.
Then, I respected my body above all else
and would never have acquiesced to a lewd act.
These thousands of paedophile victims differ
in their unfortunate stories but I ask...
why didn't they tell their parents?
I can't believe that their respect for the Church
overrode the welfare of their children.
Now, in 2010, most of the parents are dead
and the children are well into maturity.
The victims' cry for justice has been long in coming.
High ranking Church officials will have to fess up their part
in the cover-up of these despicable crimes.
In the end, it's a Higher Authority they'll have to answer to.

Truth Seeker

Prudence in Action

The Imitation of Christ
Thomas à Kempis
BOOK ONE
THOUGHTS HELPFUL IN THE LIFE OF THE SOUL
The Fourth Chapter

PRUDENCE IN ACTION

DO NOT yield to every impulse and suggestion but consider things carefully and patiently in the light of God's will. For very often, sad to say, we are so weak that we believe and speak evil of others rather than good. Perfect men, however, do not readily believe every talebearer, because they know that human frailty is prone to evil and is likely to appear in speech.

Not to act rashly or to cling obstinately to one's opinion, not to believe everything people say or to spread abroad the gossip one has heard, is great wisdom.

Take counsel with a wise and conscientious man. Seek the advice of your betters in preference to following your own inclinations.

A good life makes a man wise according to God and gives him experience in many things, for the more humble he is and the more subject to God, the wiser and the more at peace he will be in all things.

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Isaiah 5:21 NIV
21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
and clever in their own sight.

Beam Me Up Sweet Jesus

Beam Me Up Sweet Jesus

A Wondering Heart is a Sign of an Unstable Mind
Seek Your Happiness in Your Own Backyard Instead
Forget the Lure of the Beauty of Other Worlds
You Cannot Escape Your Trials by Fleeing From Them
Let Adventure Befriend You in Your Youth
But Allow Steadiness to Accompany You When You're Old
Remember That People Can Be Strange
When You're From a Different Part of the World
Soon Your New Friends' Foibles Will Appear Insurmountable
On the Other Hand, No Place on Earth Can Be Called Home
You, Good Soul, Would Get Bored Even on the Space Station
Jesus and His Saints Await Us in Our Permanent Abode
There, We'll Not Feel Homesick for This Earth
So... Whenever You're Ready... Beam Me Up Sweet Jesus

The God of All Comfort

The God of All Comfort

2 Cor 1:3-5 NIV
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

True Love vs the Hollywood Type

True Love vs the Hollywood Type

1 Corinthians 13:4-7,13 NIV
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

THE LUCK OF THE IRISH - - - HEAVEN KNOWS WE NEED IT

THE LUCK OF THE IRISH - - - HEAVEN KNOWS WE NEED IT

An Old Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

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Irish Marriage Blessing

May God be with you and bless you.
May you see your children's children.
May you be poor in misfortunes
and rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but happiness
from this day forward.

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A Wish for a Friend

Wishing you a rainbow
For sunlight after showers—
Miles and miles of Irish smiles
For golden happy hours—
Shamrocks at your doorway
For luck and laughter too,
And a host of friends that never ends
Each day your whole life through!

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An Irish Prayer

May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

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Bless This House

Bless this house, o Lord, we pray.
Make it safe by night and day.
Bless these walls so firm and stout,
Keeping want and trouble out.
Bless the roof and chimney tall,
Let thy peace lie over all.
Bless the doors that they may prove
Ever open to joy and love.
Bless the windows shining bright,
Letting in God's heavenly light.
Bless the hearth a-blazing there,
With smoke ascending like a prayer.
Bless the people here within...
Keep them pure and free from sin.
Bless us all, that one day, we
May be fit, O lord, to dwell with Thee.

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In Time of Sorrow...

May you see God's light on the path ahead
When the road you walk is dark.
May you always hear,
Even in your hour of sorrow,
The gentle singing of the lark.
When times are hard may hardness
Never turn your heart to stone,
May you always remember
when the shadows fall—
You do not walk alone.

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From Saint Patrick's Breastplate

Christ be with me
Christ before me
Christ behind me
Christ in me
Christ beneath me
Christ above me
Christ on my right
Christ on my left
Christ where I lie
Christ where I sit
Christ where I arise
Christ in the heart of every man
who thinks of me
Christ in the mouth of every man
who speaks of me
Christ in every eye that sees me
Christ in every ear that hears me
Salvation is of the Lord.

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Said during thunder and lightning...

O Lord, be between us and harm and protect us from the harm of the world.

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Said in the morning when rising...

Christ be with me,
be after me,
be before me,
and be at my right and left hand.
May everything I do be for Christ.

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An Old Irish Blessing

May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life's passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!

Our Unseen Friend

Our Unseen Friend

God assigns our Guardian Angels to us when we're conceived.
Each Angel's mission is, quite simply, to assist
in our immortal souls' attainment of eternal life and, if possible,
to keep our mortal bodies safe from harm and evil.
After Jesus and Mary, our Guardian Angels are our best friends.
They know our lives like a book.
They know why we did something or didn't do something.
They are our reliable witnesses.
They're our constant companions even when we're alone.
They are accurate recorders of our virtues and our sins.
Our trespasses cause them grief because they know
they'll have to testify to them in front of God.
Whatever we wish to be kept secret,
they'll have to blurt out loud on Judgment Day.
Our thoughts are never hidden from them.
The current world population is roughly 7 billion;
that means there's that many Guardian Angels on earth.
I'm sure that they network with each other with the goal
of assuring the salvation of their assigned keeps.
Sometimes, we may wonder, why we meet certain people.
Besides Divine Providence as an explanation, I think our
Guardian Angels might be involved for our best intentions.
Likewise, we at times part ways with certain people for similar reasons.
We should pray to our Guardian Angels and those of our loved ones
and thank them for their constant protection.

Truth Seeker

Supreme Accountability and Stewardship

Supreme Accountability and Stewardship

Mat 18:21-35 NIV

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23 "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 "The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27 The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
29 "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
30 "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

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Luk 19:11-27 NIV

The Parable of the Ten Minas

11 While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12 He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. 'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.'
14 "But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.'
15 "He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
16 "The first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten more.'
17 " 'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.'
18 "The second came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned five more.'
19 "His master answered, 'You take charge of five cities.'
20 "Then another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21I was afraid of you, because you are a hard

man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.'
22 "His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?'
24 "Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.'
25 " 'Sir,' they said, 'he already has ten!'
26 "He replied, 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me."

Extreme Accountability

Extreme Accountability

Isa 45:23 NIV
23 By myself I have sworn,
my mouth has uttered in all integrity
a word that will not be revoked:
Before me every knee will bow;
by me every tongue will swear.

Rom 14:10-12 NIV
10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. 11 It is written:
" 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will confess to God.' " 12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

2 Cor 5:10 NIV
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

God - The Master Chef

God - The Master Chef

Isa 64:4 NIV
4 Since ancient times no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

1 Cor 2:9 NIV
9 However, as it is written:
"No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him"

Words of Eternal Encouragement

Words of Eternal Encouragement

2 Cor 4:16-18 NIV
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

The World is Full of Big Bad Wolves

The World is Full of Big Bad Wolves

In the Bible, the wolf got Adam and Eve but good...
but God always has a contingency plan and
is never caught unprepared - - - like the wise little pig,
who can be likened to Jesus who built His Church of bricks.
The boiling pot was the Lake of Fire, the devil's ultimate destination.

Truth Seeker

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The Story of the Three Little Pigs

Once upon a time there were three little pigs, who went from home to seek their fortune. The first that went off met a man with a bundle of straw, and said to him:--
"Good man, give me that straw to build me a house."
The man gave the straw, and the little pig built his house with it. Presently came along a wolf, and knocked at the door, and said:--
"Little pig, little pig, let me come in."
But the pig answered:--
"No, no, by the hair of my chiny-chin-chin."
So the wolf said:--
"Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in."
So he huffed, and he puffed, and he blew his house in, and ate up the little pig.

The second little pig met a man with a bundle of furze, and said:--
"Good man, give me that furze to build me a house."
The man gave the furze, and the pig built his house. Then once more came the wolf, and said:
"Little pig, little pig, let me come in."
" No, no, by the hair of my chiny-chin-chin."
"Then I'll puff, and I'll huff, and I'll blow your house in."
So he huffed, and he puffed, and he puffed and he huffed, and at last he blew the house in, and ate up the little pig.

The third little pig met a man with a load of bricks, and said:--
"Good man, give me those bricks to build me a house with."
The man gave the bricks, and he built his house with them. Again the wolf came, and said:--
"Little pig, little pig, let me come in."
"No, no, by the hair of my chiny-chin-chin."
"Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in."
So he huffed, and he puffed, and he huffed, and he puffed, and he puffed and huffed; but he could NOT get the house down. Finding that he could not,
with all his huffing and puffing, blow the house down, he said:--

"Little pig, I know where there is a nice field of turnips."
"Where?" said the little pig.
"Oh, in Mr Smith's field, and if you will be ready to-morrow morning we will go together, and get some for dinner."
"Very well," said the little pig. "What time do you mean to go?"
"Oh, at six o'clock."
So the little pig got up at five, and got the turnips before the wolf came crying:--
"Little pig, are you ready?"
The little pig said: "Ready! I have been and come back again, and got a nice potful for dinner."
The wolf felt very angry at this, but thought that he would be a match for the little pig somehow or other, so he said:--

"Little pig, I know where there is a nice apple-tree."
"Where?" said the pig.
"Down at Merry-garden," replied the wolf, "and if you will not deceive me I will come for you, at five o'clock to-morrow, and get some apples."
The little pig got up next morning at four o'clock, and went off for the apples, hoping to get back before the wolf came; but it took long to climb the tree, and
just as he was coming down from it, he saw the wolf coming. When the wolf came up he said:--
"Little pig, what! are you here before me? Are they nice apples?"
"Yes, very," said the little pig. "I will throw you down one."
And he threw it so far that, while the wolf was gone to pick it up, the little pig jumped down and ran home. The next day the wolf came again, and said to the little pig:--

"Little pig, there is a fair in town this afternoon; will you go?'
"Oh yes," said the pig, "I will go; what time?"
"At three," said the wolf. As usual the little pig went off before the time, and got to the fair, and bought a butter-churn, which he was rolling home when he
saw the wolf coming. So he got into the churn to hide, and in so doing turned it round, and it rolled down the hill with the pig in it, which frightened the wolf
so much that he ran home without going to the fair. He went to the little pig's house, and told him how frightened he had been by a great round thing which came past him down the hill. Then the little pig said.--
"Ha! ha! I frightened you, then!"

Then the wolf was very angry indeed, and tried to get down the chimney in order to eat up the little pig. When the little pig saw what he was about, he put a pot full of water on the blazing fire, and, just as the wolf was coming down, he took off the cover, and in fell the wolf. Quickly the little pig clapped on the cover, and when the wolf was boiled ate him for supper.

Pray the Rosary - Daily!

Pray the Rosary - Daily!













The Fifteen Promises of the Virgin Mary
to those who recite the Rosary

1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces.
2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.
4. It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of people from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish.
6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its Sacred Mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just, he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life.
7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church.
8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plentitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the Saints in Paradise.
9. I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.
10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.
11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.
12. All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.
14. All who recite the Rosary are my children, and brothers and sisters of my only Son, Jesus Christ.
15. Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

Blessings of the Rosary

1. Sinners are forgiven.
2. Souls that thirst are refreshed.
3. Those who are fettered have their bonds broken.
4. Those who weep find happiness
5. Those who are tempted find peace.
6. The poor find help.
7. Religious are reformed.
8. Those who are ignorant are instructed.
9. The living learn to overcome pride.
10. The dead (the Holy Souls) have their pains eased by suffrages.

Benefits of the Rosary

1. It gradually gives us a perfect knowledge of Jesus Christ.
2. It purifies our souls, washing away sin.
3. It gives us victory over all our enemies.
4. It makes it easy for us to practice virtue.
5. It sets us on fire with love of Our Lord.
6. It enriches us with graces and merits.
7. It supplies us with what is needed to pay all our debts to God and to our fellow men; and finally, it obtains all kinds of graces for us from Almighty God.

Fear's Many Faces

Fear's Many Faces

Concern
Anxiety
Agitation
Uneasiness
Apprehension
Worry

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Mat 6:25-34 NIV
25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 1:7 NIV
7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

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Jesus or St.Paul never meant the first two passages to be directed to disaster victims, like the recent ones in Haiti and Chile. The humanitarian efforts take precedence over the spiritual needs. No, these texts are mainly meant for those who have their bodily needs taken care of.

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On the subject of fear, I've wondered for a long time why people feel the compulsion to want to be scared by watching horror films. In 1922 it was Nosferatu; in 1931, Dracula and Frankenstein; in 1980 it was Friday the 13th. A work colleague told me in 1973 not to go see The Exorcist because the Pope had banned it. I told her I'd already seen it and besides, I didn't share the Pope's views. My respect for the Pope has since then increased in proportion to my disrespect for horror films. Back then, I knew very little about demonology or the spirit world and I thought The Exorcist was just a lot of Hollywood schlock. How the years can change a person.

But the point I'm trying to make is... In this day of real earthquakes, multiple shootings, and terrorist bombings, etc. why would people need to make up make-believe disasters? Some would say we need to be in control of the panic button, something which reality doesn't permit us to have.

Truth Seeker