"It is impossible to find a Saint who did not take the 'two P's' seriously, Prayer and Penance." (St Francis Xavier SJ. 1506 - 1552).

"Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness.

"At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.

"Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

"Then he summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.

"Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

"As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.” (Matthew 9:35–10:1, 5A, 6-8).

Saturday 3rd December 2022 of the First Week of Advent is the feast of St Francis Xavier of the Society of Jesus (1506 - 1552). Priest and Missionary. Spanish.
This Saturday is also the first Saturday in December. Honor the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

Francis Xavier is one of the seven men along with leader St Ignatius Loyola who founded the Society of Jesus, which is popularly known as Jesuits. Francis Xavier will rank as one of the greatest missionaries in the history of the Church. We know who has the title #1: St Paul. Francis is said to have baptized over 30,000 souls in his 10 years of missionary endeavors. He is called the Apostle of the East. He worked in India and Japan and died facing the coast of China in 1552 at the age of 46.

We see in our key Scripture for today the compassion of Jesus for the crowds who were troubled and appeared totally abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus healed many of their illnesses and preached to them the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Yet Jesus was sad because the need is so great and the human resources needed for the work are paltry.

What can you do to help?

"No one takes this honor on himself; it needs a call from God, as in Aaron's case." (Hebrews 5: 4)

A vocation is a call from God, an appointment by God. God appoints those he chooses to share in a particular manner in the work of redemption with his son, Jesus. When we are baptized, God chooses us to be his adopted children. This is also when we receive our vocation. While some are called to the ministerial priesthood like Aaron, every baptized is called to a particular ministry.

Become an evangelist. From here, you may be led to your proper path.

"My Eucharistic Heart overflows with love for My priests. I would give to each of them the grace I gave Saint John, My beloved disciple: that of intimacy with My Heart and with the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of My Mother. I would renew the priesthood of My Church in this way. I would make My priests resplendent with holiness. I would impart to their tongues and to their hands the very graces that I poured out upon My Apostles in the beginnings of My Church." (IN SINU JESU, Friday, December 7, 2007).

For information on the Compendium of the the Church, click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2021/03/compendium-of-catholic-teachings.html?m=1

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com

“We human beings are story-tellers, we pass on our values through the stories we tell. ..." (St Edmund Campion, SJ).

"Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.

"The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.

"And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house.

"And it collapsed and was completely ruined.” (Matthew 7:21, 24-27).

Thursday 1st December of 2022 of the first Week of Advent is the feast of St Edmund Campion of the Society of Jesus. Born January 25th, 1540 in London. He became a junior fellow at Oxford University at 17. Confused by the adulation his intellectual prowess attracted, Edmund abandoned his Catholic roots and became an Anglican, even a deacon in the Anglican church. He soon saw the true light. He went to Rome and studied for the priesthood in the Society of Jesus. After ordination, he returned to England secretly and ministered to Catholics. He was betrayed by one of his flock and tried and condemned to be hanged, drawn and quartered in Tyburn, London on December 1st, 1581.

St Edmund Campion could have chosen to remain a Fellow at Oxford University and enjoy this life to the fullest. But he believed in the promises of Jesus. "There is something better." St Edmund Campion is the most famous of the English Catholic martyrs. He is acclaimed universally as a great poet.

Our key Scripture instructs us to build our lives on rock. That Rock is Jesus. If we do not build on Him, we build on sand.

To build your life on rock, you need Wisdom. Wisdom is the gift of the Holy Spirit that helps us make good choices and decisions. Wisdom deals with Choice - this or that? To build the foundation of your family home on rock or try to save money and compromise the foundation with inferior material..
True wisdom lies in hearing and doing the word of God, the will of God, the command of God. How do we become wise?

How do good and godly choices become a habit?
#1. Pray for Wisdom every day. You will surely get it.
#2. Read and ponder the word of God daily. It is the source and foundation of Wisdom.
#3. Practice daily examination of conscience. You will see where you have been wise and foolish in the course of the day. You resolve to act appropriately in the future.

Wisdom is listed as the first of the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Ask for the Promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit. Ask and you receive Him immediately.

"Trust Me with all the events of your life. I will not abandon you. You are Mine and I will not forsake you. The decisions of men are all in My hands. Nothing will befall you that I do not permit. I will give you My grace to accept the changing circumstances of your life. It is I who am behind all that happens to you. Nothing escapes My wisdom; nothing escapes My love; nothing escapes My omnipotence. Trust Me, and be at peace. I bless you with all the love of My Sacred Heart. Do not be afraid. Tell Me again and again that you trust in My merciful love for you." (IN SINU JESU, Tuesday, June 17, 2008 ).

The Church honors the Immaculate Conception of Mary in the Month of December. The preeminent feast of Mary is December 8th, the great Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Honor Mary under her Immaculate Conception every day this December.

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com

December 2nd, 2023  -  First Friday in December 2022.

Jesus promised 12 special favors to all those who will honor His Sacred Heart especially on the First Friday of every month by attending Holy Mass and receiving Holy Communion. In the 12th and last month of the year 2022, we look at Promise #12.

#12. "The all-powerful love of My Heart will grant to all those who shall receive Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months the grace of final repentance; they shall not die under My displeasure, nor without receiving their Sacraments; My Heart shall be their assured refuge at that last hour."

What is the grace of Final Repentance? This is tantamount to the grace of Perseverance in being a good Christian to the end of your life. This is one of the best things anyone can ask for.

Friends, this is a tremendous promise. Let us thank our Lord Jesus Christ for such a generous offer.   You will appreciate this promise when you are close to death. No fear. No worry. No doubt about your eternal destiny.

Honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus this Friday by attending Holy Mass and receiving Holy Communion.

For the 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Sacred Heart prayers and prayer intentions, click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2020/08/12-promises-of-sacred-heart-of-jesus.html?m=1

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com

"Mark the season of Advent by loving and serving others with God’s own love and concern."
(Saint Mother Teresa of Kolkata).

"When Jesus entered Caper­naum, a centurion ap­proa­ch­ed him and appealed to him, saying,

“Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.”

"Jesus said to him, “I will come and cure him.”

"The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

"When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those ­following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 8: 5 - 11).

Why does Jesus praise the faith of the Centurion?  Faith is a rare commodity and one of the greatest gifts of God.  The opposite of faith is Unbelief and Doubt.

How does faith work?  Jesus said to the Centurion:  “I will come and cure him.” The Centurion heard this and believed.  The faith of the Centurion is much deeper.  He said to Jesus: 'No need to come to my house.  Just heal my servant with a word said right here, right now.'

How does Faith work?

Faith comes from hearing and believing the promises of God.  As you obey the Divine Word or Command your faith  grows.

Here are 7 examples of Faith from the Gospels to reflect on this Advent:

1. The Blessed Virgin Mary at the Annunciation.
2. The shepherds at the Nativity.
3. The 3 Magi at the Hut of the Holy Family.
4. Simeon and Anna at the Presentation.
5. The Calling of Matthew and Zacchaeus.
6. The Good Thief at the Crucifixion.
7. The Roman Soldier at the Crucifixion.

What is the common factor in all these 7 cases?
They heard. They saw. They believe.

Happy Advent!

"Why do you think I have spoken to you so often of My Eucharistic Face? It is because “face” signifies “presence.” The devotion to My Eucharistic Face is the remedy to the loss of faith in My real presence that has swept through My Church at every level, extinguishing the fire of Eucharistic charity and causing even My elect, My priests, to grow cold and distant from Me. This is My word to you tonight and this is why I brought you to this place. Any loneliness you may feel is an invitation to seek Me out in the Sacrament of My divine friendship and to console My Eucharistic Heart." (IN SINU JESU, Sunday, October 19, 2008 Saint Paul of the Cross).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com