“Keep in mind that our community is not composed of those who are already saints, but of those who are trying to become saints. Therefore let us be extremely patient with each other’s faults and failures.”  (Mother Teresa).

"I, John, saw another angel come up from the East, holding the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were given power to damage the land and the sea, “Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”

"I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked from every tribe of the children of Israel.

"After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.”

"All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God, and exclaimed:

“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanks­giving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

"Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, “Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?” I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.” He said to me, “These are the ones who have sur­vived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7: 2 - 4, 9 - 14).

Tuesday 1st November 2022 of the 31st Week of Ordinary Time is the Solemnity of All Saints.

In the vision, the two elders asked John: “Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”
These are the Saints whose feast we celebrate today. The Church venerates in one huge celebration the merits of All the Saints. From Abel the Just to the newest Saint who enters Paradise Now.

“These are the ones who have sur­vived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”

The Saints are now in Heaven enjoying the reward that Jesus Christ promised. What is Heaven? "Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfillment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness." (CCC 1024).

The Saints tell us that our experience of Heaven begins right here and now. Our Baptism makes us children of God. If you are in sanctifying grace, you experience the presence of the Blessed Trinity living in you. What does this mean? You enjoy to the extent of your capacity the gifts and the fruits of the Holy Spirit. This is what the Saints in Heaven enjoy all the time. St Catherine of Siena says that the joy of Heaven begins here and all the way to eternity.

Jesus promises that He is glorified when we honor His saints. Communion of Saints is one of the most powerful and comforting doctrines in the Church. You can have as close friends many of the saints. These friend saints take your petitions to the Prince of Saints who has promised to be favorable to their intercessions on your behalf.

All Saints come from all races, countries, backgrounds and occupations. They give us powerful example and motivation to imitate them.

Become a Saint. Become holy.

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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).

Sunday 30th October of the 31st week of Ordinary Time.

Zacchaeus experiences the irresistible power of the Presence of Jesus. Result: Instant and profound conversion. What do you think of the encounter of Jesus with Zacchaeus in Jericho? Accident or Providence? Accident, chance, coincidence are not part of Bible vocabulary or worldview. In the Scriptures, the teaching of the Church and the Church Fathers, everything is Providence.
It is therefore interesting to note that Zacchaeus was ready for this moment. Abraham was ready when God called. David was ready. Mary was ready when Archangel Gabriel came knocking. Are you ready now if Jesus is passing by your house?

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).

"But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook sins for the sake of repentance." (Wisdom 11: 23).

I will praise Your name forever my King and my God.

10. 30 "As for you, dear brother, beloved friend, and priest of My Heart, attach yourself firmly to My Mother by means of her Rosary, and she will never forsake you. Call upon her in every need of yours, great or small, of soul or of body, and you will understand that she is in truth your Mother of Perpetual Help." (IN SINU JESU).

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Remember the poor during the Thanksgiving and Holiday festivities.

"On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees.

"He said to the host who invited him.

“When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.

"Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.

"For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”  (Luke 14: 13 - 14).

Monday 31st October 2022 of the 31st week of Ordinary Time.

Thanksgiving Day is weeks away. It marks the beginning of the holiday season. Parties, dinners and invitations to family, friends and colleagues.

Jesus looks forward to dinner invitations since it gives Him a teaching moment to meet the kind of crowd He did not reach on daily basis.  Here Jesus gives a difficult lesson to the aristocratic group gathered for the dinner and frankly to us as well.

Who do you plan to invite to your home this Thanksgiving 2022? What are your motives behind your guest list?

"Invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind," advises Jesus.
Why this group?
"Blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you."

Jesus challenges our self-centeredness. Why are humans so self centered? Even little children act always in a quid pro quo manner.  Jesus set a new standard in the Kingdom.  Act like your Heavenly Father, who is lavishly generous to All His children, Jesus admonishes.

"All you who are thirsty, come to the water!
You who have no money, come, buy grain and eat; Come, buy grain without money, wine and milk without cost!"  (Isaiah 55: 1).

Jesus offers the Bread of life free of charge.

10. 31 "There is no problem or difficulty that cannot be solved or resolved by faithful persevering recourse to My Mother’s most holy Rosary. The Rosary is My Mother’s gift to the poor and to the simple, to the little ones who alone are capable of hearing the Gospel in all its purity and of responding to it with a generous heart. It is to such as these—the childlike and the weak, the poor and the trusting—that the Rosary is given. It is to such as these that the Rosary belongs." (IN SINU JESU).

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WHO IS THE MOST HUMBLE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD?

"On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully.

"He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say,

"‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place.

"Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say,

"‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”  (Luke 14: 1, 7 - 11).

Saturday 29th October 2022 of the 30th Week of Ordinary Time.

In our Gospel of today, Jesus is in a dinner party and the principal guests recognized Him and were observing Him to see what He would do or say. Jesus was observing their manners too.

The crowd justled to get prominent places in order to show who is who? Jesus did not pass the opportunity to teach about social manners and humility. He teaches here that humility is a prudent virtue that will serve us well even in social life.

Humility is a key spiritual virtue to possess. St Augustine says that while you can enter the Kingdom of God without some other virtues, you can never enter Heaven without humility.

Here is my definition of humility by example: Who do you consider the most humble person in Heaven? Here are my top five:

+ Jesus Christ.
+ The Blessed Virgin Mary.
+ St Martin de Poress.
+ St Brother Andre.
+ St Mother Teresa of Kolkata.

The saints model for us the best practice of the Gospel. If you imitate the saints, you will not be wrong.

"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

"You, My priest adorer, will live in silence and humility, attentive to the sound of My voice and obedient to whatsoever I will say to you. Submit to the discernment of those whom I have set over you, and in all things prefer the mind and sentiments of the Church to your own thoughts and attractions." (IN SINU JESU, Thursday, August 7, 2008).

10. 29  "The Rosary will preserve you in purity, in humility, and in all the virtues pleasing to My Mother’s Immaculate Heart and My own Heart." (IN SINU JESU).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com