EXERCISE THIS TRUST AND CONFIDENCE AND SEE IT GROW.

"Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.” (Luke 5: 25 - 32).

Saturday 5th February 2022, Saturday after Ash Wednesday.

The Pharisees and their scribes became scandalized when they saw that Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors.

Jesus heard their murmuring and said to them: “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

Levi who is also called Matthew left everything: job, money, house and property and friends and followed the stranger named Jesus. This strikes me as a great act of faith. Matthew was not a saint when Jesus called him. But Jesus did not come to call saints.  Paul describes his own calling thus:
"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.  Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 1: 12 - 14).

The word Mercy is found in the Bible countless times.  Abba Father Himself is described as the "Father of mercy and God of all consolation."  (2 Corinthians 1: 3). 

In the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we find abundant mercy waiting for everyone.  To receive mercy is as simple as ABC:
+Ask for Mercy.
+Be Merciful.
+Completely trust Jesus for Mercy.

Jesus delights in sinners because sinners give Him the opportunity to show off His mercy. Why did Jesus institute the Sacred Heart of Jesus Devotion? The Divine Mercy Devotion? Jesus delights in mercy.

"My apostles wanted for nothing so long as I was with them.  In having Me in their midst, they had the very Source and Creator of all that is, that was, and that ever will be. You have Me close to you. I am here before you in the Sacrament of My love. Remain with Me for My sake; I will provide for you." (IN SINU JESU, Tuesday, February 3, 2009)

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

THE DEVIL QUESTIONED THE IDENTITY OF JESUS DURING HIS TEMPTATION. "IF YOU ARE TRULY THE SON OF GOD..." IN EVERY TEMPTATION, THE DEVIL IS QUESTIONING OUR IDENTITY. ANSWER THE DEVIL:
"I AM WHO GOD SAYS I AM. I AM THE CHILD OF GOD. GOD IS SUPPLYING ALL MY NEEDS ACCORDING TO HIS PROMISE.."
TRUST IN GOD TO HELP YOU.

"Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, One does not live on bread alone.” (Luke 4: 1 - 13).

Sunday 6th April 2022, First Sunday of Lent.

First Sunday of Lent, the Church presents us the Temptation of Jesus in the Desert according to St Luke.  Nobody can go through life without multiple desert experiences. Jesus was severely tempted after 40 days of rigorous fasting. He was tempted to abandon the path His Father marked out for His mission for a grandiose scheme of the Devil.

Jesus ate nothing during the 40 days, and when they were over he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, One does not live on bread alone.”

If you do not know your IDENTITY IN CHRIST, you will be an easy prey for the Devil. He will suggest to you your "true identity" and then sell you a fake ID Card to be carried all the time.  What if your area of weakness is money (bread). The devil might suggest that you are born to be a millionaire, own fine houses and beautiful clothes, etc. Do not be deceived. The word of God in the Scriptures reveal our TRUE IDENTITY. Armed with this truth, you can strike back at the Devil. Here are a few Scriptures about money:

#1 “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." (Matthew 6: 19 - 21).

#2 "Keep your lives free from love of money, and be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, 'I will never leave you, I will never abandon you'" (Hebrews 13:5).

#3 Man does not live on money alone.  Man is created to live on every word that comes from the mouth of God.  (Cf Matthew 4 : 4).

Jesus defeated Satan by quoting the Scriptures. Can we afford to do less? Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ, says St Jerome.

"The Eucharist is heaven on earth; the Eucharist is My Church on earth already assumed into heaven. Heaven is wheresoever the words of consecration have been pronounced over the bread and wine in the holy oblation, for there I am present, even as I am present in the glory of My Ascension, adored by the angels, praised by all the saints, held in the divine gaze of My Father, and burning with the fire of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Amen. Believe this and you will find heaven on earth, while waiting and hoping to see My Face in glory."  (IN SINU JESU, May 29, 2014 Ascension Thursday).

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

JESUS ATE NOTHING DURING HIS 40 DAYS IN THE DESERT. HE STRENGTHENED HIS SPIRIT AND WAS ABLE TO DEFEAT SATAN IN THE SPIRITUAL WARFARE THAT FOLLOWED.

"The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”  (Matthew 9 : 14 - 15)

Friday 4th March 2022, Friday after Ash Wednesday is the feast of St Casimir (1458 - 1484). Son of King Casimir IV of Poland and Lithuania. Casimir stayed away from the court life. His siblings, the princes and princesses were not interested in religion.  His faith and piety shone out. Casimir had a great devotion to the Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin Mary. St Casimir is the patron saint of Poland.

The short Gospel of today deals with fasting. Fasting, Prayer and Almsgiving are the 3 pillars of Christian spiritual life.
What is your attitude about fasting? Do you fast? How often? What do you fast from?

On the three pillars of the spiritual life, the Church teaches:
CCC 1434: "The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others. Alongside the radical purification brought about by Baptism or martyrdom they cite as means of obtaining forgiveness of sins: efforts at reconciliation with one’s neighbor, tears of repentance, concern for the salvation of one’s neighbor, the intercession of the saints, and the practice of charity “which covers a multitude of sins.”

Fasting is indispensable for a healthy spiritual life. No one should be dispensed from fasting because all fasting is not fasting from food. Some people cannot fast from food for health reasons. But they can abstain from meat and alcohol on Friday and Wednesday. Others abstain from television, texting, movies and gambling. Fasting is a sign that one is serious about his spiritual life.

"One does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4: 4).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com