Bible Verses

Freedom from sin... walking in the light
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:7-9 NIV
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(Speaking to the woman caught in the act of adultery) And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more." Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." John 8:11,12 NASB
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For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.
Ephesians 5:8,9 KJV
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Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

Bible Verses

Psalm 72: 1-2, 10, 12-13
R: Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
1 O God, with your judgment endow the king, and with your justice, the king's son; 2 he shall govern your people with justice and your afflicted ones with judgment. (R) 10 The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts; the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute. (R) 12 For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out, and the afflicted when he has no one to help him. 13 He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor; the lives of the poor he shall save.

G O S P E L
Mark 6:45-52
The presence of Jesus with them in the boat ought to have been enough to give the apostles peace. However, what we have is a lesson in the way fear can lead us to make an irrational response to a given situation. The apostles have seen the power Jesus has over the natural world in the multiplication of the loaves and fish. They ought to have been free from fear in this situation but they were not. Why? They allowed fear in and it began to take over. Let this be a sobering lesson to us all.

45 Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And when he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain to pray. 47 When it was evening, the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore. 48 Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing, for the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them. 49 But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out. 50 They had all seen him and were terrified. But at once he spoke with them, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid! 51 He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were [completely] astounded. 52 They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.
my reflections

think: Fear is ultimately a destructive thing if it goes unchecked. The antidote to fear is love.

Bible Verses

1 John 4: 11-18

Fear is ultimately a destructive thing if it goes unchecked. The antidote to fear is love. As John says, "perfect love casts out all fear". This is why we should always be wary if fear arises in our lives. Where does it come from? Why is it there? Let us seek to address the fears in our lives with the truth of God's love for us. If we do this, I am 100 percent sure that we will be transformed for the better.

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us. 13 This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us, that he has given us of his Spirit. 14 Moreover, we have seen and testify that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world. 15 Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God. 16 We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. 17 In this is love brought to perfection among us, that we have confidence on the day of judgment because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.

Bible Verses

Redemption in Him: Christ Has Set Us Free!
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:5,6 NIV
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Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Galatians 1:3-5 KJV
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He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
1 Peter 2:24,25 NASB
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How's the memorization project coming? "Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee." Be an overcomer! Memorize Romans 6.
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Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

Bible Readings

Meditation: The Bread of Life

"I Am The Bread of Life"

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.

"But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe.

"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.

"For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

"This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.

"For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."

John 6:35-40 NASB

Bible Readings

No longer slaves to sin.

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin -- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

Romans 6:6,7 NIV

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My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

1 John 2:1-3 KJV

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This is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.''

Acts 10:42,43 NASB

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In Christ, we are more than conquerors... Try memorizing Romans 6 - the whole chapter and ask the Lord to help you overcome sin on a daily basis!

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Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

Bible Verses

If God is for us, who shall stand against us?

Whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm.

Proverbs 1:33 NIV

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They will no longer be a prey to the nations, and the beasts of the earth will not devour them; but they will live securely, and no one will make them afraid.

I will establish for them a renowned planting place, and they will not again be victims of famine in the land, and they will not endure the insults of the nations anymore.

Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are My people, declares the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 34:28-30 NASB

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The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the strength of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes,
came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

Though an host should encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear:
though war should rise against me,
in this will I be confident.

Psalm 27:1-3 KJV

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Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

The Meaning of Peace

There was once a king who offered a prize to the artist who could paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried.The king looked at all the pictures, but there were only two that he really liked, and he had to choose between them.One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for the peaceful towering mountains all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.The second picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky from which rain fell, and in which lightening played.

Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all.But when the king looked, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest.... a perfect picture of peace.Which of the pictures won the prize?The king chose the second picture.Do you know why?"Because," explained the king, "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work.Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart.

That is the real meaning of peace.

What's in A Name?

Names today are just labels. Parents give their children strange and unique names, names that the children later don't like to be called by. Nicknames often replace the given names to avoid using those embarrassing ones given at birth! And so we have many elderly men who are still called "Boy" and elderly matrons who are called "Baby".

During Jesus' time, a name expressed the child's future task in life. Today, the Church still urges Catholic parents to give their children the name of a saint. The life of this saint can become a model for the child. The child also has one to whom he can pray.
When Zechariah was told by Gabriel that he and his wife would have a son, he was told to name him John which means "God is gracious." John was to prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah, telling them that God is gracious by sending the Savior. Mary and Joseph were also told to name their child Jesus which means "God saves." The name of Jesus contained the sole purpose for His birth: to save humankind.

The apostles first baptized and healed only in the name of Jesus. No wonder then that Jesus' name was soon considered to be holy and powerful. St. Paul wrote, "At the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father" (Philippians 2:10).

St. Ignatius of Loyola was very inspired by the name of Jesus that he named his congregation the Society of Jesus. And what great things the Jesuits have done and are still doing for the Church. We know that Pope John Paul II often uttered the phrase, "Praise be Jesus Christ!"

T h e "J e s u s Prayer" from the Eastern churches is a prayer where Jesus' name is uttered slowly while inhaling and exhaling. This prayer calms and unites us with our Savior.
We could be stronger in our spiritual life if we rely on the power of Jesus' name. Fr. Rudy Horst

Reflection Question:
Do I have the habit of using the name of Jesus in vain? Why do I not use the powerful name of Jesus more often as a prayer?

Praised be Jesus Christ! May we who honor the holy name of Jesus enjoy His friendship in this life and be filled with eternal joy in His kingdom. Jesus, I trust in You!

St. Genevieve, virgin, pray for us.

adapted from Kyregma

Making Christ Real..

The era in which we live out our Christian faith is the era of God present with his people, present in human form, human acts, human abilities. The Incarnation, once begun, has never ceased, and never will. God's choice to take on human nature, human flesh and blood and mind and feeling is as real and immediate now as it was in Bethlehem. The humanity Christ claims today is ours. The flesh and blood, the hearts and minds he claims as his are our own.

So in a very real sense God's people must not only celebrate the Incarnation, God's people must be the Incarnation. We must, each of us, be Christ incarnate, Christ in the flesh, for every other human being. Those whom we will meet today, tomorrow, at home, at work, on the street, depend on us to make Christ real, to give Christ human form and human life.

*And the Word became flesh and made his
dwelling among us.....John 1:14

Contemplation-A Basic Human Right

...to guide our feet into the path of peace. Luke 1:79

Humanity received a mission other than doing, producing and accumulating goods, information and power. Humanity has received the mission of being more intimate with the One who is being itself, to the point of union.

We work in order to rest. Our labor make no sense if they are not energized and motivated by the ultimate goal of our Christian life, which is to rest in God, to repose peacefully in God, to be one with God.

Respect for Sabbath is a commandment. We discover in fulfilling our Sabbath duties to rest our identity as children of God. The least known and most important human right is the right to contemplation. But contemplation is never easy as it looks. It is the fruit and sign of a personality in harmony with itself and with God.

By dint of looking for peace many have lost it! Their hearts of flesh have become hearts of stone. Peace of heart is the desire of all but the experience of a few.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!!!

Wake Up Call...

I went early to bed last night. Reasons..got stomach cramps and headache..Result..woke up so early today. My husband usually wakes up early around 4am when he go to work. As my husband's alarm rang this morning, it also woke me up. I tried to go back to sleep again but I can't any more.

He just told me last night that he was never been late in his whole life in going to work. I was kidding him that I will give him an Early Bird Award. He just laughed. As I don't feel like sleepy any more, I grabbed something for reading. This is now what I want to share to you. It's very nice and worth sharing as this is also happening to me.

Tried by Fire
Read Psalm 66:1-12
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You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined....Psalm 66:10

"The main end of life is not to do but to become," F.B. Meyer said. And for this we are being prepared everyday. As silver is being refined by fire, the heart is often refined in the furnace of sadness. The psalmist said in his sorrow, "We went through fire". (Psalm 66:12)

The refining process maybe painful, but it will not destroy us, for the Refiner sits by the furnace tending the flame. He will not allow us to be tried beyond our endurance; it is for our good.

We may not understand why we have to endure such misery year after year. The ordeal seems endless and pointless. Our days are wasted, or so it appears. We feel as if we are doing nothing of lasting significance.

But God is doing what matters- we are refined. He is placing us into a crucible in which we acquire patience, meekness, humility, compassion and the other "quite" virtues, our souls naturally lack.

So don't be afraid and don't fret, Your present trial, as painful as it may be has been screened through God's wisdom and love. The Refiner sits beside the crucible tempering the flames, monitoring the process, waiting patiently until His face is mirrored in the surface. - David Roper

"The fire of testing can produce a shining testimony"

These Busy 'Days To Come'

* In days to come.....Isaiah 2:2

This is just what we're thinking about as Advent begins, isn't it? All of the "days to come" from now until Christmas. For many of us, the struggle will be the same we've gone through in years past: trying to hold the line against the pressures to entertain, to be entertained, to purchase gifts, to cook, to decorate. They are intense. We know we should be attending to our spiritual lives above all, preparing the way for the Lord in our own hearts.....but when???

In days to come.
Notice what Isaiah says will happen "in days to come." Not: you will do things that will please others. Not: you will achieve and accomplish. Not: you will earn God's favor. No, in "days to come" God will give a great gift.

Perhaps that clear a path through the busyness. In days to come, we might let go, listen and let God work wonders.

Lord in days to come, fill my heart with joy.

Do you know what day today is???

Let me share to you about the story of the Immaculate Conception..

HER NAME

When Bernadette Soubirous asked the beautiful lady who was appearing to her at Lourdes, France, in 1858, who she was, the lady answered, “I am the Immaculate Conception.”

The Immaculate Conception – Mama Mary wanted us to remember God more than herself. The Immaculate Conception – this is what we celebrate today. On December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX defined the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception, making this feast celebrated in the East since the 8th century a part of the article of faith of the Universal Church. The dogma states that the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, from the first moment of her conception, in view of her unique vocation as mother of the Son of God, has been free from the stain of original sin.

The Immaculate Conception was because of the Divine Motherhood. It was God’s work just as her becoming the mother of His Son was purely God’s unique grace given her. We celebrate the Immaculate Conception to remember three things and so live by it.

First, the Immaculate Conception was the triumph of good over evil, of grace over sin. Eve, the first woman, though called “mother of all the living”, became the “mother of all the dead” because of her disobedience. God reversed the effect of Eve’s disobedience by the obedience of Mama Mary. The Immaculate Conception was God’s victory even before the ultimate battle on the cross was won by His Son.

Second, the Immaculate Conception affirmed that Mariology is a function of Christology. Her preservation from all sin had a definite orientation: her Divine Motherhood. She was given this unique privilege not for her own sake.

Third, the Immaculate Conception assured us that God supplies the grace needed for the vocation He calls us to. While it was true that she remained free as to what response she would give to God’s calling, Mama Mary was nonetheless readied, nurtured, and supported by God’s grace. Without it, she would not have responded to God’s calling the way she did. Without a prior grace from God, Mama Mary would not have been able to accept and fulfill her vocation.

“The Immaculate Conception” – this is the name of Mama Mary by which all generations call her “blessed”. Fr. Bobby T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: “Mary is blessed among all women because she conceived the Word in her heart before she conceived Him in her womb” (St. Augustine of Hippo).

“O Mary, conceived without original sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee” (Traditional Marian ejaculatory prayer).

adapted from Kerygma...