Cristy Li

Then Jesus took a little child and put it among them (His Disciples) and taking it in His arms He said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in My name welcomes Me and whoever welcomes Me welcomes not Me but the One who sent Me.” –Mark 9:36-37 (NRSVCE)
Image Courtesy: Society of the Sacred Heart 

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

They (Jesus and His Disciples) went on from there and passed through Galilee, He didn’t want anyone to know it for He was teaching His Disciples saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands and they will kill Him and three days after being killed, He will rise again.” They did not understand what He was saying and were afraid to ask Him.

Who Is the Greatest?

Then they came to Capernaum (17.5 miles from Galilee) and when He was in the house Jesus asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” They were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. Jesus sat down, called the twelve (Disciples) and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then Jesus took a little child and put it among them and taking it in His arms He said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in My name welcomes Me and whoever welcomes Me welcomes not Me but the One who sent Me.” –Mark 9:30-37

• You May Know the Joy of Salvation and Eternal Life Today
  Through The Good News of Christ Jesus!

The Lord is My Light and My Salvation! –Psalm 27:1A (NRSVCE)  Image Courtesy: EWTN

Triumphant Song of Confidence

The Lord is my Light and My Salvation, whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?

The Lord is My Light and My Salvation! (Psalm 27:1A)

When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh — my adversaries and foes they shall stumble and fall.

Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be

confident. One thing I asked of the Lord, that I will seek after, to live in the House of the Lord all the days

of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His Temple.

The Lord is My Light and My Salvation! (Psalm 27:1A)

For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent;

He will set me high on a rock. Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me and I will offer

in His tent sacrifices and shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord. Hear O Lord, when I cry

aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! ‘Come’ my heart says, ‘Seek His Face!” Your face, Lord do I

seek. Do not hide Your face from me. Do not turn Your servant away in anger, You who have been my

help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me. O God, My Salvation! If my father and mother forsake me,

the Lord will take me up. Teach me Your way O Lord and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.

Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me and they are

breathing out violence.

The Lord is My Light and My Salvation! (Psalm 27:1A)

I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; Be strong

and let your heart take courage; Wait for the Lord! –Psalm 27:1-14

The Lord is My Light and My Salvation! (Psalm 27:1A) -Image Courtesy: EWTN

• You May Know the Joy of Salvation and Eternal Life Today
  Through The Good News of Christ Jesus!

If today you hear His voice,
harden not your hearts. Cf. Psalm 95:7-8 (NRSVCE)

Living By Faith

So we do not lose heart – Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being

renewed day-by-day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory

beyond all measure because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; For what can be

seen is temporary (See: Psalm 102:11; Psalm 144:4; James 4:14) but what cannot be seen is eternal.

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not

made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our

heavenly dwelling — if indeed, when we have taken it off we will not be found naked. For while we are still

in this tent, we groan under our burden because we wish not to be unclothed but to be further clothed, so

that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who

has given us the (Holy) Spirit as a guarantee.

So we are always confident; Even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away

from the Lord — For we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we do have confidence and we would rather be

away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim

to please Him.

For all of us must appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ,
so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others but we ourselves are well known to

God and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences. We are not commending ourselves to

you again but giving you an opportunity to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who

boast in outward appearance and not in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; If we are

in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ urges us on because we are convinced that One

(Christ Jesus) has died for all; Therefore all have died and He died for all so that those who live might

live no longer for themselves but for Him who died and was raised for them.

From now on therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view even though we once knew Christ

from a human point of view, we know Him no longer that way.

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: Everything old has passed away, see, everything has

become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and has given us the

Ministry of Reconciliation that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their

trespasses against them and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.

So we are Ambassadors for Christ, since God is making His appeal through us; We entreat you on behalf

of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we

might become the righteousness of God.

As we work together with Him, we urge you also not to accept the Grace of God in vain. For He says,

“At an acceptable time I have listened to you
and on a day of Salvation I have helped you.” (See: Cf. Isaiah 49:8)

See, now is the acceptable time; See, now is the day of Salvation!

–2 Corinthians 4:16-18; 5:1-21; 6:1-2

• You May Know the Joy and Happiness of Salvation Today
  Through The Good News of Christ Jesus!

Be reconciled to God — He made Him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. –2 Corinthians 5:20B-21 (NRSVCE) Image Courtesy: Fr. John Lewis

For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God
is eternal life in Christ Jesus Our Lord. –Romans 6:23

We are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making His appeal through us; We entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

As we work together with Him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain.

For He says,

“At an acceptable time I have listened to you and on a day of Salvation I have helped you.”

See, now is the acceptable time;

See, now is the day of Salvation! –2 Corinthians 5:20-21–6:1-2

• You May Know the Joy of Salvation, Peace in Your Lives and Eternal Life Today
  Through The Good News of Christ Jesus!

Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord! –Psalm 33:12A (NRSVCE)

The Greatness and Goodness of God

May Your mercy Lord, be upon us;
As we put our hope in You!  Psalm 33:22 (NABRE)

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous.

Praise befits the upright.

Praise the Lord with the lyre; Make melody to Him with the harp of ten strings. Sing to Him a

new song; Play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

For the Word of the Lord is upright and all His work is done in faithfulness.

He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.

May Your mercy Lord be upon us;
As we put our hope in You!  Psalm 33:22 (NABRE)

By the Word of the Lord the heavens were made and all their host by the breath of His mouth.

He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle; He put the deeps in storehouses.

Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

For He spoke and it came to be; He commanded and it stood firm.

The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He frustrates the plans of the peoples.

The Counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations.

Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen as His heritage.

The Lord looks down from Heaven; He sees all humankind. From where He sits enthroned He

watches all the inhabitants of the earth — He who fashions the hearts of them all

and observes all their deeds.

A king is not saved by his great army; A warrior is not delivered by his great strength.

The war horse is a vain hope for victory and by its great might it cannot save.

May Your mercy Lord be upon us;
As we put our hope in You!  Psalm 33:22 (NABRE)

Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,

on those who hope in His steadfast love,

to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine.

May Your mercy Lord be upon us;
As we put our hope in You!  Psalm 33:22 (NABRE)

Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and shield.

Our heart is glad in Him because we trust in His Holy Name!

Let Your steadfast love O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in You! –Psalm 33:1-22

Thanksgiving and Encouragement

I am grateful to God — whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did; For God

did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather a spirit of power and of love

and of self-discipline.

Do not be ashamed then of the testimony about Our Lord — join with me in suffering for the

Gospel, relying on the power of God who saved us and called us with a Holy calling, not

according to our works but according to His own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us

in Christ Jesus before the ages began but it has now been revealed through the appearing of

Our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through

the Gospel. –2 Timothy 1:3A; 7-10

• You May Know the Joy of Salvation, Peace in Your Lives and Eternal Life
  Through The Good News of Christ Jesus!

Do not store up for yourself treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal but store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth or rust consume and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your heart is, there your heart will be also.
–Matthew 6:19-21 (NRSVCE) -Image Courtesy: Franciscan Friars

Right Attitude Toward Riches

Wakefulness over wealth wastes away one’s flesh
and anxiety about it drives away sleep.

Wakeful anxiety prevents slumber and a sever illness carries off sleep.

The rich person toils to make a meager living and if he ever rests he becomes needy.

One who loves gold will not be justified, one who pursues money will be led astray by it.

Many have come to ruin because of gold and their destruction has met them face-to-face.

It is a stumbling block to those who are avid for it and every fool will be taken captive by it.

Blessed is the rich person who is found blameless and who does not go after gold. Who is he,

that we may praise him? For he has done wonders among his people. Who has been tested by it

and been found perfect? Let it be for him a ground of boasting. Who has had the power to

transgress and did not transgress, to do evil and did not do it? His prosperity will be

established and the assembly will proclaim his acts of charity. –Sirach 31:1-11

Fear The Lord

The spirit of those who fear the Lord will live,
for their hope is in Him who saves them. (See also: Romans 6:23)

Those who fear the Lord will not be timid or play the coward, for He is their hope.

Happy is the soul that fears the Lord! To whom does he look? Who is his support?

The eyes of the Lord are on those who love Him, a mighty shield and strong support, a shelter

from scorching wind and a shade from noonday sun, a guard against stumbling

and a help against falling.

He (The Lord) lifts up the soul and makes the eyes sparkle;
He (The Lord) gives health, life and blessing. –Sirach 34:14-20

• You May Know the Joy of Salvation and Eternal Life Today
  Through The Good News of Christ Jesus

Returning a kindness is like a grain offering;
Giving to the poor is like a thanksgiving offering. –Sirach 35:2

Keeping the Law is worth many offerings; It is a fellowship offering in itself. Returning a kindness is like a grain offering; Giving to the poor is like a thanksgiving offering.

Keeping away from sin will please the Lord and make atonement for sin but don’t come to the Temple without an offering; the Law requires that you bring one. When someone righteous offers a sacrifice and the fat drips down on the alter, a pleasant smell rises to the Most High. The Lord will accept the offerings made by a righteous person and will not forget them. Praise the Lord by making generous offerings to Him; Don’t be stingy with the first of your crops. Be cheerful with every gift you make and when you pay your tithes, do it gladly. Give to the Most High as He has given to you, just as generously as you can. The Lord always repays and will do it many times over but don’t try to bribe Him or rely on offerings that you have obtained dishonestly. He will not accept them.

The Lord will give each of us what our thoughts and actions deserve. Because of the Lord’s mercy, His people will be happy when He has judged their case. –Sirach 35:1-12; 19

The Rich Man

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man run up and knelt before Him and asked Him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’

Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the Commandments: You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.”

The man said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’

Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go sell what you own and give the money to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come follow me.”

When he (the rich man) heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving for he had many possessions.

Then Jesus looked around and said to His Disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!”

The Disciples were perplexed by these words but Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”

They (Disciples) were greatly astounded and said to one another, ‘Then who can be saved?’

Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible but not for God; For God all things are possible.”

Peter began to say to Him, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed You.’

Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for My sake and for the sake of ‘The Good News’ who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age — houses, brothers, sisters, mothers and children and fields with persecutions — and in the age to come eternal life but many who are first will be last and the last will be first.” –Mark 10:17-31

• You May Know the Joy of Salvation and Eternal Life Today
  Through The Good News of Christ Jesus!

When we give to the poor, the Lord considers it as precious as a valuable ring.
Human kindness is as precious to Him as life itself. –Sirach 17:22

Alms For The Poor

As water extinguishes a blazing fire, so alms-giving atones for sin.

Those who repay favors give thought to the future; When they fall they will find support.

Duties Toward the Poor and the Oppressed

Do not cheat the poor of their living and do not keep needy eyes waiting. Do not grieve the

hungry or anger one in need. Do not add to the troubles of the desperate or delay giving to the

needy. Do not reject a suppliant in distress or turn your face away from the poor. Do not avert

your eyes from the needy and give no one reason to curse you; For if in bitterness of soul some

should curse you, their Creator will hear their prayer. Endear yourself to the congregation,

bow your head low to the Great. Give hearing to the ppr and return their greeting politely.

Rescue to oppressed from the oppressor; do not be hesitant in giving a verdict. Be a father to

orphans and be like a husband to their mother; You will then be like a son of the Most High and

He will love you more than does your mother. –Sirach 3:30-31; 4:1-10

Jesus Warns Against Hypocrisy & Covetousness

“Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered and nothing secret that will not become

known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light and what you

have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed from the housetops.

I tell you My Friends (Jesus’ Disciples) do not fear those who kill the body and after can do

nothing more but I will warn you whom to fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed has

authority to cast into Hell! Yes I tell you, fear Him!

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight but

even the hairs of your head are all counted.

Do not be afraid; You are more value than many sparrows.

I tell you, everyone who acknowledges Me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge

before the Angels of God but whoever denies Me before others will be denied before the Angels

of God.

Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven but whoever blasphemes

against the Holy Spirit will, not be forgiven.

When they bring you before the Synagogues, the rulers and the authorities do not worry about

how you are to defend yourselves or what to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very

hour what you ought to say.”

The Parable of the Rich Fool

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance

with me.’ Jesus said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you? — Take

care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the

abundance of possessions.”

Then Jesus told the crowd a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly and he

thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ Then the rich man

said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones and there I will store all my

grain and my goods and I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many

years; relax, eat, drink and be merry.’

However, God said to him (the rich man), “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded

of you and the things you have prepared, whose will they be? So it is with those who store up

treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”

Do Not Worry

Jesus said to His Disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat

or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food and the body more than

clothing. Consider the ravens: They neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouses nor

barn and yet God feeds them. Of how how more value are you than birds!

Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do

so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest?

Consider the lilies, how they grow: They neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all

his glory was not clothed like one of these. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive

today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you

— you of little faith!

Do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink and do not keep

worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things and Your Father

knows that you need them. Instead strive for His Kingdom and these things will be given to you

as well.

Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is Your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. Sell

your possessions and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing

treasure in Heaven where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure

is, there your heart will be also.” –Luke 12:1-34