WE DO NOT POSSESS THE SPIRIT OF FEAR BUT THE SPIRIT OF POWER.

"Jesus went down to Caper­naum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority.

"In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

"Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” : CHÚA GIÊ-SU QUÁT MẮNG NÓ: "CÂM ĐI, HÃY XUẤT KHỎI NGƯỜI NÀY".

"Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm.

"They were all amazed and said to one another, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region."
(Luke 4:31-37).

Tuesday 30th August 2022 of the 22nd Week of Ordinary Time.

In today's Gospel, Jesus came face to face with a demoniac. Yesterday I started a book called THE SAINTS THAT BATTLED SATAN. Some of the saints in this study are: Anthony the Abbot, Francis of Assisi, Dominic, Ignatius Loyola, Teresa of Avila, Benedict, John of Vianney, Martin de Poress and others. I was depressed yesterday as a result of reading stories after stories of endless struggles with the powers of darkness. Today I am filled with consolation as I realized that this is a necessary knowledge for every true disciple of Jesus. Whether you like it or not, you cannot escape your own spiritual combats.

"Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!”
"Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm."

The people were amazed that with a word of authority, Jesus expelled the devil from the man.

What is authority? Authority means power.  Listen to Jesus in the promise of the Gift of the Father in Acts 1: 8. "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes."
Only then can you bear witness to Me and do My work. The Holy Spirit power is critical to witnessing and evangelization. Witnessing and evangelization involves spiritual warfare.

The Holy Spirit is therefore the Spirit of power above every other attribute He has. The miracles of Jesus which are the works of Jesus like in the Gospel of today are works of authority or power. The words of Jesus in the Gospel are words of authority or power. The words or sayings of Jesus are authoritative. That means they produce at once what they say.

The miracle itself or works of wonders clarify the words of Jesus. In Jesus, words and actions form a mysterious unity.  "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (Revelation 19: 10). Whatever Jesus says must happen!

We the Baptized do not have the spirit of fear. Many of us act in fear as if possessed by the spirit of fear. In Baptism, we receive the Spirit of power. This is the Spirit that marks the children of God the Father and not the spirit of cowardice, which is evil and impure spirit.

"Hence the apostle Paul rightly says: You have been granted the privilege not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for his sake. He tells us why it is Christ’s gift that his chosen ones should suffer for him: The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us." (St Bede the Venerable).

How then do we activate the Holy Spirit in our lives? Faith acting through Prayer is the Activator of the Holy Spirit. Mary says: "I believe what you have told me. Now let it be done to me according to your promise." (Cf Luke 1: 37 - 38).
Following this declaration of Mary, Jesus became instantly incarnate in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Jesus says in IN SINU JESU:
"Be faithful to her Rosary. It is the shield and sword of spiritual combat. It assures your victory over the powers of darkness. Why? Because it is a humble prayer, a prayer that binds the soul who prays it to the victory of My Mother over the ancient serpent." (IN SINU JESU page 59).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com

DELAY IS NOT DENIAL. IT MEANS MORE TIME TO PREPARE.

"Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise.

"The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

"At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’

"While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked.

"Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”  (Matthew 25: 1 - 13).

Our Gospel for today is the Parable of the Ten Virgins. Five foolish and five wise. The bridegroom was delayed in his coming. Both the wise and the foolish Virgins did not know that the bridegroom will be delayed. The wise Virgins brought some extra oil for their lamps. Because the foolish Virgins did not anticipate a delay, they provided no extra oil.

How do you deal with the Delay Factor in your life? The Second Coming of Jesus has been delayed. Most likely than not, the fulfillment of God's precious promise to you will be delayed. What do you do?

There are 106 occurrences of WAIT in the Bible. The message is uniform: There may be delays. Wait for the Lord.  There is an appointed time for the fulfillment. You must wait for this fullness of time.

“For the vision is yet for the appointed [future] time It hurries toward the goal [of fulfillment]; it will not fail. Even though it delays, wait [patiently] for it, Because it will certainly come; it will not delay." (Habakkuk 2: 3 AMP).

"Don’t be impatient. Wait for the Lord, and he will come and save you! Be brave, stouthearted, and courageous. Yes, wait and he will help you." (Psalm 27: 14 TLB).

Those who waited for the Lord:
Abraham and Sarah, Jacob, David, Elizabeth and Zachary, Simeon and the Prophetess Anna.  St Monica whose feast is tomorrow waited patiently for God for the conversion of her son, Augustine.

The Lord does not delay as human beings consider delays. All His actions are guided by His mighty, merciful and mysterious Providence. God cannot be even one second late for His appointments. God is always on time.

"In this Sacrament I wait for you. So many emphasize that they must wait for Me, and yet I am already present, close to them, and disposed to reveal to them the secrets of My Heart. They forget that it is I who wait for them to come to Me. How often did I say to My disciples, “Come to Me.” They understood, at least most of them did, the intensity of My longing for the company of souls. I would have all souls come to Me and remain with Me." (IN SINU JESU page 94).

Wait for the Lord!

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com

"IF YOU SHOULD ASK ME WHAT ARE THE WAYS OF GOD, I WOULD TELL YOU THAT THE FIRST IS HUMILITY, THE SECOND IS HUMILITY, AND THE THIRD IS HUMILITY. NOT THAT THERE ARE NO OTHER PRECEPTS TO GIVE. BUT IF HUMILITY DOES NOT PRECEED ALL THAT WE DO, OUR EFFORTS ARE FRUITLESS." (ST AUGUSTINE, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH. AUGUST 28TH.)

"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....14).

Christ our Teacher gives us a poignant lesson on humility.  One of our great theologians writes that humility is the queen of virtues.  St Augustine, whose feast day is August 28th (today) writes that you can get into heaven without perfect chastity but you cannot enter heaven without humility. Humility is the queen of virtues.

Jesus teaches us a very practical lesson on humility.  The type of lesson a dad will give his son or a mother her daughter to spare them embarrassment.
“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor."  (Luke 14: 8).  That seat may have been reserved for someone else.

Everyone struggles with some type of pride.  My best lesson on humility is from the autobiography of St Ignatius Loyola which the saint dictated to his secretary, Father Gonzalez.  Father Gonzalez who said he struggled with pride asked St Ignatius how to overcome it. "Pray about it sincerely to the Lord."  St Ignatius said simply. He reminded Father Gonzalez of Jesus' promise of "Ask, Seek and Knock and Receive."  I know I have tried many things to obtain humility until I read this. I pray for humility always and believe that the Lord will grant me the gift. Even if humility is granted me incrementally, I will thank the Lord for it with all my heart.

Through St Ignatius, Jesus teaches me to trust Him to deal with my pride in His own way and in His time.
"Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls."  (Matthew 11: 29).

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

WHAT IS HYPOCRISY? PRETENDING TO BE WHAT YOU ARE NOT.  ACTING LIKE A A SAINT WHILE IN REALTY YOU ARE THE OPPOSITE AND HATE SAINTS.

"Jesus said: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. But these you should have done, without neglecting the others. Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.” (Matthew23: 23 - 26).

Tuesday 23rd August 2022 of the 21st Week of Ordinary Time is the feast of St Rose of Lima. (1586 - 1617). Lima, Peru. Virgin and a Dominican tertiary. Rose admired St Catherine of Sienna from her youth and was deeply inspired by this Doctor of the Church who was a Dominican tertiary also. St Rose of Lima became a model of penitence, prayer and simplicity. St Rose of Lima was canonized less than 50 years after her death in 1671. She became the first native born saint in the Americas.

Our key Scripture for today deals with hypocrisy and lawlessness. We live in a time that seems to be marred by both vices.  How can a Christian deal with temptation of hypocrisy?  Hypocrisy is caused by Pride, one of the Seven Deadly Sins. St Philip Neri teaches that frequent Confession will lead us to truth and humility. The Church teaches that frequent Holy Communion will transform us into the copy image of the Person we receive in the Eucharist.

"Let them come here to remain in adoration before my Son, the Lamb Who was slain. Let them wash themselves in His precious Blood by seeking absolution from all their sins. Let them entrust and consecrate themselves to me as Virgin Bride and Mother. Almighty God will do great things in them and through them. I so desire that Knock should become for all priests a fountain of living water, a place of healing, of comfort, and of renewal.  My hands are ever raised in supplication for my priest sons, and my Heart is ready to receive them here."  (IN SINU JESU, Tuesday, February 5th 2008).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com