"How could I bear a crown of gold when the Lord bears a crown of thorns? And bears it for me!" (St Elizabeth of Hungary).

"As Jesus drew near Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it, saying,

“If this day you only knew what makes for peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” (Luke 19: 41 - 44).

Thursday 17th November 2022 of the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time is
the feast of St Elizabeth of Hungary. (1207 - 1231) Religious. Born Hungarian Princess. Married a German Prince. In her short life of only 23 years, Elizabeth had four children and then became a Franciscan Tertiary after the death of her husband. She spent the rest of her life bringing comfort to the poor, the sick and the aged.

In our key Scripture from Luke 19, Jesus wept over Jerusalem for two reasons:
#1. Jerusalem failed to recognize the time of the visitation of her long awaited Messiah.
#2. Jerusalem thirsted desperately for peace for peace but the people are totally ignorant of what makes for peace.

These two conditions apply to our world today. As we near the end of the Church Year, we are served more and more with Scriptures of the End Times.

Thursday 17th November 2022 of the 33rd week of Ordinary Time  is  the feast of St Elizabeth of Hungary. (1207 - 1231) Religious. Born Hungarian Princess. Married a German Prince. In her short life of only 23 years, Elizabeth had four children and then became a Franciscan Tertiary after the death of her husband. She spent the rest of her life bringing comfort to the poor, the sick and the aged.

Jesus wept for Jerusalem because they did not recognize what makes for peace. Do we recognize what makes for peace?
Jesus the Prince of Peace knows what makes for peace. He is in truth our peace.

Romans 12: 2 shows us the secret of peace.
"Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect." Conforming your thoughts, words and actions to the will of God is exactly what makes for peace.

Father, in Your will is our peace!

"I bless you and I bless those whom you entrust to the mercy of My open Heart. The light of My Face shines upon you. Believe in My love for you. I will never abandon you, never disappoint you. My plans are for your happiness, for your holiness, for your peace. Have no fear. I will do for you all that I have promised, and your heart will rejoice, and you will praise and glorify Me forever." (IN SINU JESU, Wednesday, December 19, 2007).

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"Banish, therefore, from thy heart the distractions of earth and turn thine eyes to spiritual joys, that thou mayest learn at last to repose in the light of the contemplation of God." (St Albert the Great OP, Bishop and Doctor of the Church).

Zacchaeus succumbed to the charm of Jesus.

“At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.

"Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature.

"So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way.

"When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.”

"And Zacchaeus came down quickly and received him with joy.

"When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.”

"But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.”

"And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19: 1 - 10).

Tuesday 15th November 2022 of the 33rd week of Ordinary Time is the feast of St Albert the Great OP, Bishop and Doctor of the Church.

(1206 - 1280) German. St Albert belongs to the Order of Preachers (Dominican). He is an eminent theologian and scientist and Doctor of the Church.
Albert the Great combined his human wisdom and divine faith to advance knowledge and science.
St Albert wrote a great deal on Divine Providence. One of the most comforting is this one below:
“The greater and more persistent your confidence in God, the more abundantly you will receive all that you ask.”
St Albert the Great is the patron saint of scientists.

Our Scripture for today is from Luke 19: 1 - 10. We read exactly the same Scripture on October 30th. Why is the Church offering us the same menu today? Perhaps to dig into this Scripture more. Discover deeper spiritual nourishment, new insights.

Listen to what Zacchaeus says:
"But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.”

Zacchaeus says: If I have cheated you in any way, come forward and lay down your case. I am willing and ready to make full restitution and more. Unfortunately, we don't know whether anyone took up the challenge.

Because Zacchaeus is a tax collector, many commentators decide that Zacchaeus is a corrupt man. The text of the Scripture does not say that. It is like saying that every politician and every lawyer is a liar and corrupt. God says: "I do not judge a man from his lofty height and stature. I read the heart." (Cf 1 Samuel 16: 7).

Many thieves and fraudsters who are caught red handed try to negotiate the terms of the settlement. Not Zacchaeus. His attitude is: Lord, I give up everything to be a part of You and Your Enterprise.

Taking a cue from the conversion of Zacchaeus, the Church teaches:
"Jesus calls to conversion. This call is an essential part of the proclamation of the kingdom: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel."......... It is by faith in the Gospel and by Baptism that one renounces evil and gains salvation, that is, the forgiveness of all sins and the gift of new life." (CCC 1427).

"Above all there is My Holy Mother, My all-beautiful and Immaculate Mother Mary. She is where I am. She is close to the priest who is close to Me in the Sacrament of My love. Nothing gives so much joy to her Immaculate Heart as seeing one of her priest sons in adoration before My Eucharistic Face. She opens her hands over him—as she is doing over you at this very moment—and causes a shower of graces to fall into his soul. Love My Mother, love My Mother more and more. You will never approach the love of My own Heart for her by yourself, but I, by My free gift, can and will unite you to the love of My Sacred Heart for her. Thus will you come to experience the ineffable union of our two Hearts in your own heart." (IN SINU JESU, Thursday April 14, 2008).

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"Bodily and spiritual affliction are the surest sign of Divine predilection. ... Man should always firmly believe that God sends just that trial which is most beneficial for him." (St Gertrude the Great).

"While people were listening to Jesus speak, he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the Kingdom of God would appear there immediately.

"So he said, “A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them,

"‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’

"His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’

"But when he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading.

"The first came forward and said, ‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’

"He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’

"Then the second came and reported, ‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’ And to this servant too he said, ‘You, take charge of five cities.’

"Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.’

"He said to him, ‘With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding man, taking up what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant; why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’

"And to those standing by he said, ‘Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.’

"But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’

"He replied, ‘I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.’”

"After he had said this, he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem." (Luke 19: 11 - 28).

Wednesday 16th November 2022 of the 33rd week of Ordinary Time is the feast of St Gertrude the Great.  (1256 - 1301). Virgin. German. Known as Gertrude the Great, she was a respected scholar and mystic. Over 300 years before St Margaret Mary Alacoque, Gertrude introduced the Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus to her community and wrote much about it. The Lord Jesus appointed St Margaret Alacoque in the 1600s to establish the Sacred Heart Devotion worldwide.

Pope Benedict XVI, says that St Gertrude “shows us that the heart of a happy life, of a true life, is friendship with the Lord Jesus.”

Our Gospel for today is from Luke 19: 11 - 28. It is called the Parable of the Ten Gold Coins. By the standard of Gospel parables, it is long. It is purposely detailed because Jesus is making a very important point. We are heading to the End of the Liturgical Year and theme of the lectionary readings inspired by the Holy Spirit for the universal Church is End of the World themes.

What may be considered as the main points of the Parable of the Ten Gold Coins?

#1. Every human being is given the gifts of time, talent and treasure.
#2. At the End of Time, there will be an accountability for the use of every gift.
#3. If you do not know your gifts and your purpose in life, prayerfully invest whatever is necessary to find out the most important information about you, your God-given Purpose. It may be the One Thing Necessary Today and this Advent.

St Gertrude the Great foresaw the universal introduction of Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus by over 300 years.
“O Sacred Heart of Jesus, fountain of eternal life, Your Heart is a glowing furnace of Love. You are my refuge and my sanctuary. O my adorable and loving Savior, consume my heart with the burning fire with which Yours is aflamed." (St Gertrude the Great).

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Man's extremity is God's opportunity.  Man's security is Satan's opportunity.
Bartimaeus got back his sight and became a disciple of Jesus.

"As Jesus approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening.

"They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

"He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!”

"The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me!”

"Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him,

“What do you want me to do for you?” He replied,

“Lord, please let me see.”

Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.”

"He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God." (Luke 18: 35 - 43).

Monday October 14th 2022 of the 33rd week of Ordinary Time.

The Gospel of St Mark identifies the blind man as Bartimaeus.  Bartimaeus blind and without sight represents a person without faith. Bartimaeus with his sight restored is the type of person who has come to believe. Bartimaeus wanted his sight so badly that he shouted above the noise of the crowd trying to silence him. “Son of David, have pity on me!”

What incredible faith, persistence and audacity. The Bible teaches that audacity of faith pays off every time. (Cf Hebrews 11).

Jesus ignored the crowd trying to shout down Bartimaeus. He stopped and ordered that he be brought to him.
“What do you want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, please let me see.” Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.”

Bartimaeus immediately received his sight and followed Jesus, giving glory to God. You too can receive anything you ask for with faith.

"Faith in this mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist grows in proportion to the time one gives Me in adoration. It is not enough that My priests should celebrate Holy Mass daily, even correctly and devoutly, if they do not approach Me and remain with Me, who wait for them in the Sacrament of My love. Nothing can replace the intimate experience of My Eucharistic friendship—and this is the experience that I offer to you and to all who seek My Eucharistic Face, all who offer a sacrifice of time to My Eucharistic Heart." (IN SINU JESU, Saturday, October 25, 2008).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com