Wednesday 27th October 2021 in the 30th Week in Ordinary Time.

The Spirit prays in us.  This is the great promise and gift of Prayer. Are you aware of this promise? Do you ask the Holy Spirit to help you to pray well?
The Spirit of God knows the mind of God. He knows the plan of God for our life. The Spirit knows the providences of God laid out for our entire life.

The best thing we can do is to befriend the Holy Spirit. Writing of the Holy Spirit St Basil, the great Father of the Church writes:

"From the Spirit comes foreknowledge of the future, understanding of the mysteries of faith, insight into the hidden meaning of Scripture, and other special gifts. Through the Spirit we become citizens of heaven, we enter into eternal happiness, and abide in God. Through the Spirit we acquire a likeness to God; indeed, we attain what is beyond our most sublime aspirations – we become God." (St Basil).

To learn more about the Holy Spirit click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-abc-of-holy-spirit.html?m=1

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com

Monday 25th October 2021, in the 30th Week in Ordinary Time.

A woman who was shackled by an illness that crippled her for 18 years was set free by Jesus in an instant. The lesson is clear. What Jesus did for the woman, He can do for you. It is sad to note that some people think that the age of miracle is past. Not at all. Do not hide your unbelief by such unwarranted assertion.

In Romans 1 last week we saw that Abraham and David learned how God justified them. God did not declare Abraham and David righteous because of their hard work. He declared them justified because of their faith. In order words, because they trusted God.

In the first Reading from Romans 8, Paul declared:
"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, “Abba, Father!”

In the Gospel, Jesus called the crippled woman, "This daughter of Abraham."
"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God."

Why must you be shackled by illness, debt, poverty, joblessness if these conditions are not the express will of God for the daughter of Abraham or the son of God?

Our God is the Father of orphans and the defender of widows and He dwells in His holy place.
God gives a home to the forsaken;
He leads forth prisoners to prosperity." (Cf Psalm 68).
Your blessings are ordained by God. Stretch out your hands and receive them.

"The Blood of my Son brings purity and healing and new life wherever it flows. Implore the power of the precious Blood over yourself and over all priests. Whenever you are asked to intercede for souls, invoke the power of the precious Blood over them, and present them to the Father covered with the Blood of the Lamb." (Mary, IN SINU JESU pg 37).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com

(Romans 8: 18.... 25).

Tuesday 26th October 2021, in the 30th Week in Ordinary Time.

Our key Scripture  highlights the opportunity of suffering. Only Christianity has an answer to the problem of suffering. The Catholic Church has the most complete and inspired teaching on the question of suffering.

St Paul who wrote the Letter to the Romans suffered a lot in the course of his ministry and at the end of his life was beheaded by Emperor Nero.   Jesus Himself predicted the sufferings of St Paul. "For I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.” (Acts 9:15-16)

Suffering may be a mystery to man but not to God. Suffering is in God's grand design for the salvation of mankind.

Everyone must suffer one thing or the other before leaves this earth.
Kings suffer; common man suffers. Popes and priests suffer. Doctors and nurses suffer.

All sufferings come from disease, ignorance and poverty. Ultimately, Sin is the cause of human suffering.

"Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1: 2 - 4).

The Church teaches that all suffering can be salvific as shown above by the Letter of St James to the Universal Church. If you invest in understanding the teaching of the Church on sufferings, you will be happy and enjoy peace and contentment in life.

"You cannot see from where you are in this life now the power and value of sufferings united to My own. Anything given to Me, anything placed in My priestly hands, I lift up and offer to the Father, covered with My precious Blood. It is this that makes your sufferings, even the smallest ones, precious to Me, and precious in the sight of My Father." (IN SINU JESU, Saturday, October 25, 2008).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com

Sunday 24th October 2021 in the 30th Week in Ordinary Time.

We have the beautiful story of Bartimeus for our reflection.

“Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” (Mark 10: 47).

This is the desperate cry of a blind man called Bartimaeus.  First lesson in today's Gospel:
#1.  Man's extremity is God's opportunity.  Man's security is Satan's opportunity.

Jesus encourages Bartimaeus to step forward to his presence. Jesus asks him:
“What do you want me to do for you?”  (Mark 10: 51).

#2.  Bartimaeus did not beat about the bush after he was told:
"Jesus is calling you." (Mark 10: 49). 

Bartimeus had waited for this opportunity since the day he heard the story of Jesus and His miracles from his family. He rehearsed what to do when the opportunity presents itself:
“Master, I want to see.”  (Mark 10: 51).

The ever merciful Jesus never redeems in halves. With Him is always full redemption:
“Go your way; your faith has saved you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way."  (Mark 10: 52).

The enduring lesson is the faith and persistence of Bartimaeus.

Hand over your extremities to Jesus and see what happens.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com