Cristy Li

Keep watch over yourselves and over the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to Shepherd the Church of God that He has obtained with the blood of His own Son. I know that after I have gone savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. –Acts 20:28-29
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• All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. –2 Timothy 3:16-17
  

Sanctify them in Truth;
Your Word is Truth; –John 17:17

St. Paul’s Address to the Elders of The Church

I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry

that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the Good News of God’s grace — I did not

shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.

Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you

overseers, to Shepherd the Church of God, that He obtained with the blood of His own Son. I

know that after I have gone, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Some

even from your own group will come distorting the truth in order to entice the Disciples to

follow them. Therefore be alert — I did not cease night or day to warn everyone with tears and

now I command you to God and to the message of His grace, a message that is able to build you

up and to give you the clothing. You know for yourselves that I worked with my own hands to

support myself and my companions. In all this I have given you an example that by such work

we must support the weak, remembering the Words of the Lord Jesus, for He himself said, “It

is more blessed to give than to receive.” (See: Matthew 6:1-34; Luke 14:12-14)

When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with them all and prayed. –Acts 20:24; 27-36

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Jesus: “I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through Me.” –John 14:6
Image Courtesy: Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word

• All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. –2 Timothy 3:16-17

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say Rejoice!

Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.

Do not worry about anything but in everything by prayer

and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God

and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts

and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just,

whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable,

if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise,

think about these things.

Keep on doing the things you have learned, received,

heard and seen in me and the God of peace will be with you. –Philippians 4:4-9

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings for the Memorial of St. Philip Neri, Visit: -USCCB

If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above,
where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. –Colossians 3:1
Image Courtesy: St. Benedict Center

Blessed are You, O Lord;
Teach me Your statutes. (Psalm 119:12)

How can young people keep their way pure?
By guarding it according to Your Word. 

Blessed are You, O Lord;
Teach me Your statutes. (Psalm 119:12)

With my whole heart I seek You;
Do not let me stray from Your Commandments.

I treasure Your Word in my heart,
so that I may not sin against You.

Blessed are You, O Lord;
Teach me Your statutes.

With my lips I declare all the Ordinances of Your mouth.
I delight in the way of Your decrees as much as in all riches. 

I will meditate on Your precepts
and fix my eyes on Your ways.

I will delight in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your Word. –Psalm 119:9-16

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Today’s Holy Scripture Readings for Memorial of St. Bede The Venerable, Priest & Doctor of the Church

I bow down toward Your Holy Temple and give Thanks to Your name
for Your steadfast love and Your Faithfulness. –Psalm 138:2A  Image Courtesy: Catholic San Francisco

Thanksgiving and Praise of David

Though I walk in the midst of trouble,

You preserve me against the wrath of my enemies;

You stretch out Your hand and Your right hand delivers me. (Psalm 138:7)

I give You Thanks, O Lord with my whole heart, before the gods (princes)
I sing Your praise. (Psalm 138:1)  Image Courtesy: Catholic San Francisco

I bow down toward Your Holy Temple

and give Thanks to Your name for Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness;

For You have exalted Your name and Your Word above everything.

On the day I called, You answered me, You increased my strength of soul.

All of the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord,

for they have heard the Words of Your mouth.

They shall sing of the ways of the Lord,

for great is the Glory of the Lord!

For though the Lord is high, He regards the lowly

but the haughty He perceives far away.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve me
against the wrath of my enemies. (Psalm 138:7A)  Image Courtesy: Catholic San Francisco

You stretch out Your hand and Your right hand delivers me. 

The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me;
Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever!
Do not forsake the work of Your hands. –Psalm 138:1-8

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It is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will,
than to suffer for doing evil. –1 Peter 3:17
Image Courtesy: EWTN

Suffering For Doing Right

All of you, have unity in spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart and a humble

mind. Do not repay evil-for-evil or abuse-for-abuse but on the contrary, repay with a blessing.

It is for this that you were called — that you might inherit a blessing.

For — Those who desire life

and desire to see good days,

let them keep their tongues from evil

and their lips from speaking deceit;

Let them turn away from evil and do good;

Let them seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous

and His ears are open to their prayer

but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.

Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? Even if you do suffer for doing what

is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they (their) fear and do not be intimidated but in

your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who

demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; Yet do it with gentleness and

reverence (respect) — Keep your conscience clear so that when you are maligned, those who

abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for

doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil. For Christ also

suffered (and died) for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring

you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit, in which also He went

and made a proclamation (ministered) to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not

obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a

few, that is, eight persons were saved through water and baptism, which this prefigured, now

saves you (See: Mark 16:16;  Acts 2:38) — not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an

appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone

into Heaven and is at the right hand of God, with Angels, authorities and powers made subject

to Him. –1 Peter 3:8-22

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Blessed are you, Holy Virgin Mary, deserving of all praise;
From you rose the Sun of Justice, Christ Our God!  Image Courtesy: Ascension Press

• “…What must I do to be saved? — Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved,
  you and your household.” –Acts 16:30-31
  
• Jesus: “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.
  No one comes to the Father except through Me.” –John 14:6
• All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. –2 Timothy 3:16-17
  

The True Vine

Jesus to His Disciples: “I am the True Vine and My Father is the Vinegrower. He removes every

branch in Me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit He prunes to make it bear more

fruit. You have already been cleansed by the Word that I have spoken to you. Abide in Me as I

abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither

can you unless you abide in Me. I am the Vine, you are the braches. Those who abide in Me and

I in them bear much fruit because apart from Me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide

in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; Such branches are gathered, thrown into the

fire and burned. If you abide in Me and My Words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish and

it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become My

disciples. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; Abide in My love. If you keep My

Commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s Commandments and

abide in His love. I have said these things to you so that My joy may be in you and that your joy

may be complete.

This is My Commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

You are My friends if you do what I commanded you. I do not call you servants any longer

because the servant does not know what the master is doing but I have called you friends

because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from My Father. You did not

choose Me but I chose you and I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last so that

the Father will give you whatever you ask Him in My name. I am giving you these commands so

that you may love one another.”

The World’s Hatred

Jesus: “If the world hates you be aware that it hated Me before it hated you. If you belonged tp

the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world but I

have chosen you out of the world — therefore the world hates you. Remember the Word that I

said to you, ‘Servants are not greater than their master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will

persecute you; If they kept My Word, they will keep yours also but they will do all these things

to you on account of My name because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come

and spoken to them, they would not have sin but now they have no excuse for their sin.

Whoever hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one

else did, they would not have sin but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father. It

was to fulfill the Word that is written in their Law,

‘They hated Me without a cause.’ (See: Psalm 69:4)

When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth who

comes from the Father, He will testify on My behalf. You also are to testify because you have

been with Me from the beginning.” –John 15:1-27

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The Lord records as He registers the peoples, “This one was born there.” –Psalm 87:6 (NRSVCE)
Image Courtesy: I Love Jesus & Mary 

Universal Call To Worship

Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Extol Him, all you peoples!
For great is His steadfast love toward us
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 117:1-2)

The Joy of Living in Zion

On the Holy mountain stands the city He founded;
the Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all of the dwellings of Jacob.
Glorious things are spoken of you,
O City of God.

Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Extol Him, all you peoples!
For great is His steadfast love toward us
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 117:1-2)

Among those who know Me I mention Rahab and Babylon;
Philista too and Tyre, with Ethiopia (Cush)
“This one was born there they say”
and of Zion it shall be said,
“This one and that one were born in it,”
for the Most High Himself will establish it.

Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Extol Him, all you peoples!
For great is His steadfast love toward us
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 117:1-2)

The Lord records, as He registers the peoples,
“This one was born there.”

Singers and dancers alike say,
“All my springs (innards are concerned) are in you.” –Psalm 87:1-7

Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Extol Him, all you peoples!
For great is His steadfast love toward us
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 117:1-2)

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Jesus: “I am the Good Shepherd.
I know My own and My own know Me.” –John 10:14 (NRSVCE)

The Divine Shepherd
Psalm of David

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul.

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1)

He leads me in right paths for His name sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

I fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and your staff

they comfort me.

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1)

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil,

my cup overflows.

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1)

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life

and I shall dwell in the House of the Lord

my whole life long. –Psalm 23:1-6

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