YESTERDAY I ATTENDED THE 25TH EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS IN A BIG METROPOLIS. I LEARNED THAT THERE IS A VITAL AND INTIMATE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS, THE EUCHARIST AND THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.
ANYONE WHO CAN THROW LIGHT ON THIS, PLEASE SHARE.

"Jesus said to his disciples: “Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”  (Matthew 7: 1 - 5).

What is Jesus teaching us in the Gospel for today? You may call it: Lesson in - No Complain, No Criticize, No Condemn.

If you can deal with complaining in your life,  you can eliminate temptation to criticize and condemn people indiscriminately. If you find that you must reprove a sinful behavior, pray to discern whether the task of gentle and fraternal correction is part of your gifts. If you must correct the offender, pray for the grace of wisdom and counseling. All these prayers can be made in seconds. "HOLY SPIRIT GIVE ME WISDOM AND COUNSEL TO HANDLE THIS SITUATION."

One way I deal with the fatal character flaw in me of complaining, criticizing and condemning people is using the power of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. St Philip Neri who is a renowned confessor and spiritual director teaches that frequent and good Confessions is one of the best ways to acquire humility. Think about it: Isn't pride the cause of our complaining, criticizing and condemning other people?

6. 20.  "Once, on the Feast of St. John the Apostle, Our Lord appeared to St. Margaret Mary and made known to her that the devotion to His Sacred Heart was, as it were, the last effort of His love to save mankind. He said that by this devotion He desired to annihilate the dominion of sin in the hearts of men and to establish in its place the dominion of love. In no way is this twofold purpose accomplished more perfectly than by the frequent and worthy reception of Holy Communion."  (DEVOTION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS).

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DO YOU YOU WANT TO SUCCEED IN LIFE GOD'S WAY? NEVER MIX GOD AND MONEY.  MONEY TAINTS & CORRUPTS EVERYTHING IT TOUCHES. NO MAN CAN SERVE GOD AND MONEY AT THE SAME TIME.  LET YOUR MOTTO BE: SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. YOU WILL SUCCEED GOD'S WAY!

"Jesus said to his disciples: “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes?.....

"So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; ­tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”
(Matthew 6: 24.....34).

Saturday 18th June 2022, in the 11th Week in Ordinary Time.

The Gospel of today from Matthew 6: 24 - 34 is the crème de la crème of the Sermon on the Mount.
Why are we full of fear, worry and doubt? Because we are of little faith.

We may go to Church and live in the Church. We may be involved deeply in several ministries in our parish.
But deep deep down, we are no different from the pagans if we do not trust in the promises of God. How? Jesus says in the Gospel of today that pagans worry a lot about what to eat, what to wear, which car to drive or fine house to live in. Stop behaving like pagans. You have a Father in Heaven who knows exactly what you need and when you need it.

How do we come by the faith that trusts God the Provident and Gentle Father and stop behaving like pagans?
Go back to the basics. Start praying. Mother St Teresa of Kolkata says: "The fruit of prayer is faith." As you commit to daily prayer and listening to God in His word, your faith start growing and fears, worries and doubts start receding.

Jesus concludes the teaching in today's Gospel by giving the supreme remedy for trusting and enjoying the merciful and powerful Providence of God:

"Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” (Matthew 6: 33 - 34).

6. 18.  "TRUE devotion to the Sacred Heart demands, further, reparation and atonement. If you truly love the Heart of Jesus, you will grieve that this Divine Heart is so little loved, so often forgotten, reviled, grieved and offended, and you will grieve in particular at the infidelity, the ingratitude and the outrages that are committed against this loving Heart in the Most Blessed Sacrament." (DEVOTION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS).

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THE EUCHARIST IS THE SOURCE AND SUMMIT OF CHRISTIAN LIFE. (CCC 1324). THE EUCHARIST IS ALSO THE NEW COVENANT RATIFIED WITH THE BLOOD OF JESUS. (MARK 14: 24).

"Jesus spoke to the crowds about the kingdom of God, and he healed those who needed to be cured. As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said, “Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.” He said to them, “Give them some food yourselves.” They replied, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people.”

"Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty.” They did so and made them all sit down. Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets."  (Luke 9: 11 - 17).

Sunday June 19th 2022, Solemnity of Corpus Christi (the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus).

Today, the Church demonstrates her faith in the most precious Eucharist: the source, center and summit of her life. It is also the occasion of great thanksgiving for this immense gift and the radical faithfulness of Jesus to His Bride all these 2000 plus years.
The Church and the world needs the Eucharist desperately.

"The Church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of love. Let us not refuse the time to go to meet him in adoration, in contemplation full of faith, and open to making amends for the serious offenses and crimes of the world. Let our adoration never cease." (CCC 1380).

Jesus Christ is everyday inviting everyone to come to the Eucharist. "Come and eat bread without money." The more we respond to this invitation, the more we experience the salvation Jesus Christ won for us.

The Eucharist brings us immense peace. Do you lack peace of soul? Then go often to the Eucharist. The Prince of Peace is waiting to heal your heart and mind of fears, worries and doubts. He will heal you and immerse you in peace.  When you cannot receive Jesus physically, make a Spiritual Communion. You will be blessed. 
Are you hungry for the Eucharist? How strong is your faith in the Real Presence? "They all ate and were satisfied."

Jesus I believe in Your Real Presence in the Eucharist.
Jesus I believe in Your Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament.
Jesus I believe in Your Real Presence in me in the Sacrament of the Present Moment.

The mode of Christ's presence in these three forms is unique and very real. The whole of Jesus is present in each of these modes.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

YOUR TREASURE HAS AN INFLEXIBLE EXPIRATION DATE. SO IS YOUR LIFE. EACH DAY, YOU COME CLOSER TO LOSING YOUR LIFE AND YOUR TREASURE. GET SMART. STORE YOUR TREASURE IN HEAVEN.

"Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.”  (Matthew 6: 19.... 21).

Friday 17th June 2022, of the 11th Week in Ordinary Time.

Do you believe that your heart is always where your treasure is? This is a spiritual law. We cannot do anything about it. Consider these six areas most people consider treasure:

Health, family, money, job, tools and possessions and food. Each of these has an expiration date. There is no security in anything with an expiration date.

How do we store up treasures in heaven while living on earth? Consider the following:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven."
The poor in spirit understand that every material thing is subject to decay and loss. So they do not cling tightly to them.

The teaching of Jesus today on treasure and the heart is good news for many who need to hear it. It is truth that can give us victory and freedom in  life:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal.  But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal." (Matthew 6: 19 - 20).

During the great Depression in 1929, some people who stored up their treasures in the stock market committed suicide when the stock market crashed. These guys lost hope about the future. They are losers.

"I sought the Lord, and he answered me, delivered me from all my fears." (Psalm 34: 5).
The supreme remedy for greed, idolatry and materialism is given by Jesus:

"But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also." (Matthew 6: 33 AMP).

Those who are entrusted with material wealth like Abraham have the responsibility of using their wealth to help others.
Those who seek the will of God in their lives on wealth will find it.
Father, in Your will is our peace. 

6. 17. "Do not let the past disturb you, just leave everything in the Sacred Heart and begin again with joy." (St Teresa of Kolkata).

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