Cristy Li

Blessed are You Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth. You have Revealed to Little Ones the Mysteries of the Kingdom -Image Courtesy: Jesus Loves TLM

Then children were brought to Jesus that He may lay His hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them (the crowds) but Jesus said: “Let the children come to me and do not prevent them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:13-14

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For Where Two or Three are Gathered Together in My Name, There Am I in the Midst of Them. Matthew 18:20  Image Courtesy: Sister Athens

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Then Peter approached Jesus asking him, ‘Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?’

Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that time the servant fell down, did his homage and said, ‘Be patient with me and I will pay you back in full.’ Moved with compassion the master of the servant let him go and forgave him the loan. When the servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount — He seized him and started to choke him demanding, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, I will pay you back’ but he refused. Instead, he had him put into prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what happened, they were deeply disturbed and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant. I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant as I had pity on you?’ Then in anger, his master handed him over to the tortures until he should pay back the whole debt. So will My heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.” Matthew 18:21-35

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Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12  Image Courtesy: Archbishop Jose Gomez

The Blessings of the Just

Blessed the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commands. His descendants shall be mighty in the land, a generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches shall be in his house, his righteousness shall endure forever.

Light shines through the darkness for the upright, gracious, compassionate and righteous.

It is good for the man gracious in lending, who conducts his affairs with justice. For he shall never be shaken, the righteous shall be remembered forever. He shall not fear an ill report, his heart steadfast, trusting the Lord. His heart is tranquil without fear, till at last he looks down on his foes.

Lavishly he gives to the poor, his righteousness shall endure forever, his horn (symbol of vitality) shall be exalted in honor. Psalm 112:1-9

I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. John 12:24-26

Jesus said, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Matthew 18:6  Image Courtesy: Jesus First Loved Us

The Greatest in the Kingdom

The disciples approached Jesus and said, ‘Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’

Jesus called a child over, placed it in their midst and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven and whoever receives one child such as this in My name receives me.”

Temptation to Sin

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.

Woe to the world because of the things that cause sin. Such things must come but woe to the one through whom they come.

If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into eternal fire and if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into fiery (Hell) Gehenna.”

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that the angels in heaven always look upon the face of My heavenly Father.

What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go search of the stray? If he finds it, Amen I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.” Matthew 18:1-14

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God Has Called You through the Gospel So You may Obtain the Glory of Our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thessalonians 2:14  Image: Archbishop Jose Gomez

All Creation Summoned to Praise God

Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the heights.

Praise Him, all you His angels, give praise, all you His hosts.

Praise Him sun and moon, praise Him all shining stars.

Praise Him highest heavens, you waters above the heavens.

Let them all praise the Lord’s name, for He commanded and they were created — assigned them their station forever, set an order that will never change.

Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all the deeps of the sea.

Lightning and hail, snow and thick clouds, storm wind that fulfills His command; Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars — Animals wild and tame, creatures that crawl and birds that fly;

Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all who govern the earth; Young Men and Women too, old and young alike.

Let them all praise the Lord’s name, for His name alone is exalted, His majesty above earth and heaven.

He has lifted high the horn of His people; To the praise of all his faithful, the Israelites, the people near to Him. Psalm 148:1-14

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Stay Awake – For you do not know on which day your Lord will come…You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come. Matthew 24:42, 44  Image Courtesy: Fr. John Lewis

Do not be afraid…for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor mouth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

Vigilant and Faithful Servants

“Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their masters return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table and proceed to wait on them and should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants. Be sure of this: If the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Then Peter said, ‘Lord, is this parable meant for us or everyone?’

The Lord replied, “Who then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute (the) food allowance at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property but if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming’ and begins to beat the menservants and maidservants, to eat, drink and get drunk, then the servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely and the servant who was ignorant of his masters will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.

Jesus: A Cause of Division

I have come to set the earth on fire and how I wish it were already blazing. There is a baptism with which I must be baptized and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished.

Do you think I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you but rather division. Fro, now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three – a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law.”

Signs of the Times

Jesus said to the crowds, When you see (a) cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain–so it does; when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot–so it is.

You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, why do you not know how to interpret the present time? Luke 12:32-56

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