Cristy Li

Then they will see ‘The Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory — Stand up and raise your heads because your redemption is drawing near.  –Luke 21:27-28B
Image Courtesy: Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word

Grace, mercy and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ,

the Father’s Son, in truth and love!

Truth and Love

I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in the Truth, just as we have been

commanded by the Father but now dear Lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing you a new

commandment but one we have had from the beginning, let us love one another (See: Leviticus

19:18; John 15:12; Romans 12:10; Romans 13:8; 1 Peter 4:8) and this is love, that we walk

according to His Commandments; this is the Commandment just as you have heard it from the

beginning — you must walk in it.

Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess that Jesus Christ has

come in the flesh; any such person is the deceiver and the Antichrist! Be on your guard, so that

you do not lose what we have worked for but may receive a full reward. Everyone who does not

abide in the Teaching of Christ but goes beyond it does not have God; whoever abides in the

Teaching has both the Father and the Son. Do not receive into the house or welcome anyone

who comes to you and does not bring this teaching, for to welcome is to participate in the evil

deeds of such a person.  –2 John 4-11

The Coming of the Kingdom

Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God was coming?

Jesus answered, “The Kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; Nor will

they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in-fact, the Kingdom of God is among you.”

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days

of the Son of Man and you will not see it. They will say to you, ‘Look there!’ or ‘Look here!’ Do

not go, do not set off in pursuit. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side

to the other, so will the Son of Man be in His day. First He must endure much suffering and be

rejected by this generation. Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the

Son of Man. They will be eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage until the Noah

entered the ark and the flood came and destroyed all of them. (Genesis 6-11) Likewise, just as it

was in the days of Lot: They were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building

but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from Heaven and destroyed all of

them. (Genesis 19:1-25) It will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. On that

day, anyone on the housetop who has belongings in the house must not come down to take

them away and likewise anyone in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. (Genesis

19:26) Those who try to make their life secure will lose it but those who lose their life will keep

it. I tel, you, on that night there will be two in bed, one will be taken and the other left. There

will be two women grinding meal together, one will be taken and the other left.” Then they

(disciples) asked Jesus, ‘Where Lord?’ Jesus said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the

vultures will gather.”  –Luke17:20-37

The Widows Offering

Jesus looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; He also saw a poor

widow put in two small copper coins. Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in

more than all of them; For all of them contributed out of their abundance but she out of her

poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

The Destruction of The Temple Foretold

When some were speaking about the Temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and

gifts dedicated to God, Jesus said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when

not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”

Signs and Persecution

They asked Jesus, ‘Teacher, when will this be and what will be the sign that this is about to take

place?’ Jesus said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in My name and say,

‘I am he’ and ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them.

When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place

first but the end will not follow immediately.” Then Jesus said to them, “Nation will rise against

nation and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes and in various places

famines and plagues; there will be dreadful portents (a sign or warning that something

momentous or calamitous is likely to happen) and great signs from heaven.

Before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to

Synagogues and prisons and you will be brought before kings and governors because of My

name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your

defense in advance; For I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be

able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by your parents and brothers,

relatives and friends; they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of My

name but not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.”

The Destruction of Jerusalem Foretold

“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know its desolation has come near.

Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains and those inside the city must leave it and

those out of the country must not enter it; For these days of vengeance as a fulfillment of all

that is written. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those

days! For there will be great distress on the earth and wrath against this people; They will fall

by the edge of the sword and be taken away as captives among all nations; Jerusalem will be

trampled on by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

The Coming of the Son of Man

“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, the stars and on the earth distress among nations

confused by the roaring sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding (a feeling

that something bad will happen) of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the

heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘The Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and

great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads because

your redemption is drawing near.”

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

Then Jesus told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; As soon as they sprout

leaves you can see for yourselves and know the Summer is already near. So also, when you see

these things taking place, you know that the Kingdom of God is near. Truly I tel, you, this

generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away

but My Words will not pass away.”

Exhortation to Watch

“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and

the worries of this life and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will

come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you

may have strength to escape all these things that will take place and to stand before

the Son of Man.”

Every day Jesus was teaching in the Temple and at night He would go out and spend the night

on the Mount of Olives as it was called and all the people would get up early in the morning to

listen to Him in the Temple.  –Luke 21:1-38

• Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God has come near;
  Repent and Believe in The Good News!”  –Mark 1:15

• You may know the Joy of Salvation Today
  through The Good News of Jesus Christ My Savior!

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB

For the wages of sin is death but the Free Gift of God
is Eternal Life in Christ Jesus Our Lord. –Romans 6:23 (NRSVCE)

The Two Ways

Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path that sinner tread

or sit in the seat of scoffers but their delight is in the Law of the Lord and on His Law they

meditate day and night.

They are like trees planted by the streams of water which yield their fruit in its season and their

leaves do not wither. In all they do, they prosper.

The wicked are not so but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous

but the way of the wicked will perish. –Psalm 1:1-6

• You May Know the Joy of Salvation & Eternal Life Today
  Through THE GOOD NEWS of Christ Jesus!

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.
Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others.
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.  –Philippians 2:3-5
Image Courtesy: Beneath My Heart

Imitating Christ’s Humility

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the

Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my JOY complete: Be of the same mind, having the

same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit

but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own

interests but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

who, though He was in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be

exploited but emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. Being

found in human form, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death — even

death on a Cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, so

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in Heaven and on earth and under the earth

and every tongue should confess that Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father!

Philippians 2:1-11

Sin, Death and God’s Gift of Eternal Life

The person who sins shall die. A child shall not suffer for the iniquity of a parent, nor a parent

suffer for the iniquity of a child; the righteousness of the righteous shall be his own and the

wickedness of the wicked shall be his own.

If the wicked turn away from all their sins that they have committed and keep My Statutes and

do what is lawful and right, they shall surely live; they shall not die. None of the transgressions

that they have committed shall be remembered against them; for the righteousness that they

have done they shall live. Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord God and

not rather that they should turn from their ways and live? When the righteous turn away from

their righteousness and commit iniquity and do the same abominable things that the wicked

do, shall they live? None of the righteous deeds that they have done shall be remembered; for

the treachery of which they are guilty and the sin they have committed, they shall die.

Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is unfair.’ Hear now, O House of Israel: Is My way unfair? Is it

not your ways that are unfair? When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and

commit iniquity, they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed they shall die.

Again, when the wicked turn away from wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful

and right they shall save their life because they considered and turned away from all the

transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die. Yet the House

of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is unfair.’ O House of Israel, are My ways unfair? Is it not

your ways that are unfair?

Therefore I will judge you, O House of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the Lord

God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin. Cast

away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against Me and get yourselves a

new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O House of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the

death of anyone says the Lord God. Turn, then and live.  –Ezekiel 18:20-32

Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God has come near;
Repent and Believe in the Good News!”  –Mark 1:15

You may experience the JOY of Salvation Today,
Through THE GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ!

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB

“Prayer is always the beginning of peace in our world because through prayer we touch the Heart of Jesus who is our peace. His way of love opens the path to forgiveness and reconciliation — with God and with others and following His way of love means we are called to be peacemakers. We need to always be working for greater understanding among peoples and greater awareness that we are all Sisters and Brothers in God’s family.”  –Archbishop Jose Gomez

The Greatness and the Goodness of God

Praise of David

I will extol You, my God and King and bless Your name forever and ever!

Every day I will bless You and praise Your name forever and ever!

Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; His greatness is unsearchable!

One generation shall laud Your works to another and shall declare Your mighty acts. On the

glorious splendor of Your majesty and on Your wondrous works, I will mediate. The might of

Your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed and I will declare Your greatness!

They shall celebrate the fame of Your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of Your

righteousness. The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast

love. The Lord is good to all and His compassion is over all that He has made.

All Your works shall give Thanks to You, O Lord and all Your faithful shall bless You! They shall

speak of the glory of Your Kingdom and tell of Your power, to make known to all people Your

mighty deeds and the glorious splendor of Your Kingdom.

Your Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and Your dominion endures throughout all

generations. The Lord is faithful in all His Words and gracious in all His deeds. The Lord

upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to You

and You give them food in due season. You open Your hand, satisfying the desire of every living

thing. The Lord is just in all His ways and kind in all His doings. The Lord is near to all who call

on Him in truth. He fulfills the desire of all who fear Him; He also hears their cry and saves

them. The Lord watches over all who love Him but all the wicked He will destroy. My mouth

will speak the praise of the Lord and all flesh will bless His Holy Name forever and ever! 

–Psalm 145:1-21

Life in the Spirit

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the Law of the

Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the Law of sin and death. For God has done

what the Law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: By sending His Own Son in the likeness of

sinful flesh and to deal with sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of

the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh but those

who live according to the Spirit, set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on

the flesh is death but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind

that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law — indeed it cannot and

those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

You are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who

does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him but if Christ is in you, though the

body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because f righteousness. If the Spirit of Him who

raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will give life to

your mortal bodies also through His Spirit that dwells in you.

So then, Brothers and Sisters, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh — for

if you live according to the flesh you will die but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the

body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not

receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear but you received a spirit of adoption. When we

cry, “Abba, Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of

God and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ — if, in fact, we suffer

with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

Future Glory

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the GLORY

about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the

Children of God, for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of

the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to

decay and will obtain the Freedom of the GLORY of the Children of God. We know that the

whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now and not only the creation but we

ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the

redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For

who hopes for what is seen? We hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought but

that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words and God, who searches the heart,

knows what is the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the Saints according to

the will of God.

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called

according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed

to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn within a large family and those

whom He predestined He also called and those whom He called He also justified and those

whom He justified He glorified.

God’s Love in Christ Jesus

What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not

withhold His own Son but gave Him up for all of us, will He not with Him also give us

everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is

to condemn? It is Christ Jesus who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God,

who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship or

distress, persecution or famine, nakedness or peril or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Psalm 44:22)

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am

convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to

come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to

separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Our Lord!  –Romans 8:1-39

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB

Trusting in the One Who Multiplies  the Loaves and Fish -NC Register