Cristy Li

Jesus died for all, that those who live
should no longer live for themselves
but for Him who died for them
and was raised again! –2 Corinthians 5:15

Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ Jesus

Therefore just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin and in this way death came to all people because all sinned (See: Romans 6:23) To be sure, sin was in the world before the Law was given but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no Law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the ti me of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a Command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come but the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the (Free) Gift that came by the grace of the One Man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Nor can the Gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation but the Gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and the Gift of Righteousness reign in life through the One Man, Jesus Christ!

Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as though disobedience of the one man (Adam) the many were made sinners, so also the obedience (See: Philippians 2:8-11) of the One Man (Jesus) the man will be made righteous.

The Law was brought in so that the trespass might increase but where sin increased, grace increased all the more so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring Eternal Life through Jesus Christ, Our Lord!

Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ Jesus!

What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin, how can we live in it any longer?

Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death. We therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ Jesus was raised from the dead through the Glory of the Father, we too live a new life.

For if we have been united with Him in death like His, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

Now if we died with Christ Jesus, we believe that we also live with Him. For we know that since Christ Jesus was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him. The death He died, He died to sin once for all but the life He lives, He lives to God.

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus! Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life and offer every part of yourself to Him as an instrument to righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master because you are not under The Law but under grace.

Slaves to Righteousness

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under The Law (of Moses) but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey — whether you are slaves to sin (evil and Satan) which leads to (eternal) death or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? Thanks be to God that though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to Holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! Now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves (obedient) to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness and the result is eternal life! For the wages of sin is (eternal) death but the Free Gift of God is eternal life (in Heaven) in Christ Jesus, Our Lord! –Romans 5:12-20; Romans 6:1-23

You May Know the Joy of Salvation and Eternal Life
in Heaven Today, Though The Good News
of Christ Jesus!

Related: For Today’s Most Holy Scripture Readings on Holy Saturday, Visit: -USCCB

Christ Jesus 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!
–Philippians 2:8-9  Image Courtesy: Fr. John Lewis

Jesus the Great High Priest

We have a Great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

In the days of the flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears, to the One who was able to save Him from death and He was heard because of His reverent submission. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered and having been made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him. –Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9

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

I will sing of the Lord’s Great Love Forever!
With my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known
through all generations.
I will declare that Your love stands firm forever, that You have established Your faithfulness in Heaven itself. –Psalm 89:1-2

The Year of the Lord’s Favor

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to bind the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners.
–Isaiah 61:1

Jesus Preaches at Nazareth

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit and news about Him spread through the whole countryside. Jesus was teaching in their Synagogues and everyone praised Him.

Jesus went to Nazareth, where He had been brought up and on the Sabbath day, He went into the Synagogue as was His custom. Jesus stood up to read and the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. Unrolling it, He found the place where it is written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me
because He has anointed Me
to proclaim Good News to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the Year of the Lord’s favor.”
(See: Isaiah 61:1-2)

The Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the Synagogue were fastened on Him. He began by saying to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” –Luke 4:14-21

Related: For Today’s Most Holy Scripture Readings on Holy Thursday, Visit: -USCCB

Hail to You, our King, obedient to the Father;
You were led to Your crucifixion
like a gentle lamb to the slaughter.

I pray to You, Lord, in the time of Your favor,
in Your great love — answer me with
Your sure salvation! –Cf. Psalm 69:13

A Psalm of David — Prayer in the Time of Troubles

Save me, O God, for the waters
have come up to my neck.
I sink in the miry depths,
where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters;
the floods engulf me.
I am worn out calling for help;
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail, looking for my God.
Those who hate me without reason
outnumber the hairs of my head;
Many are my enemies without cause,
those who seek to destroy me.
I am forced to restore what I did not steal.
You God know my folly;
my guilt is not hidden from You.
Lord, the Lord Almighty,
may those who hope in You
not be disgraced because of me.
God of Israel,
may those who seek You
not be put to shame because of me.
For I endure the scorn for Your sake
and shame covers my face.
I am a foreigner to my own family,
a stranger to my own mother’s children:
For zeal for Your House consumes me
and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.
When I weep and fast, I must endure scorn;
when I put on sackcloth, people make sport of me.
Those who sit at the gate mock me
and I am the song of the drunkards.
I pray to You, Lord,
in the time of Your favor;
In Your great love, O God,
answer me with Your sure salvation.
Rescue me from the mire,
do not let me sink;
deliver me from those who hate me,
from the deep waters.
Do not let the floodgates engulf me
or the depths swallow me up
or the pit close its mouth over me.
Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of Your love;
In Your great mercy turn to me.
Do not hide Your face from Your servant;
answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.
Come near and rescue me;
deliver me because of my foes.
You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed;
all my enemies before You.
Scorn has broken my heart
and has my heart
and has left me helpless;
I looked for sympathy but there was none,
for comforters but I found none.
They put gall (something bitter) in my food
and gave me vinegar for my thirst.
May the table set before them become a snare;
may it become retribution and a trap.
May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see
and their backs be bent forever.
Pour out Your wrath on them;
let Your fierce anger overtake them.
May their place be deserted;
let there be no one to dwell in their tents.
For they persecute those You wound
and talk about the pain of those You hurt.
Charge them with crime upon crime;
do not let them share in Your salvation.
May they be blotted out of the Book of Life
and not listed with the righteous.
As for me, afflicted with pain,
may Your salvation, God, protect me!
I will praise God’s name in song
and glorify Him with thanksgiving!
This will please the Lord more than an ox,
more than a bull with its horns and hooves.
The poor will see and be glad — you who seek God,
may your hearts live!
The Lord hears the needy
and does not despise His captive people.
Let heaven and earth praise Him,
the seas and all that move in them
for God will save Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah.
Then people will settle there and possess it;
the children of His servants will inherit it
and those who love His name will dwell there.  –Psalm 69:1-36

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

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

Hail to You, Our King!
You alone are compassionate with our faults.
Image Courtesy: Fr. John Louis

The Servant, Light to the Nations

Here is My Servant, whom I uphold (See also: Matthew 12:18; 17:5)

My Chosen, in whom My soul delights.

I have put My Spirit upon Him,

He will bring forth justice to the nations.

He will not cry or lift up His voice

or make it heard in the street;

a bruised reed He will not break

and a dimly  burning wick He will not quench,

He will faithfully bring forth justice.

He will not grow faint or be crushed

until He has established justice in the earth

and the coastlands wait for His teaching.

Thus says God, the Lord,

who created the heavens and stretched them out,

who spread out the earth and what comes from it,

who gives breath to the people upon it

and spirit to those who walk in it.

I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness,

I have taken you by the hand and kept you.

I have given you as a covenant to the people,

a light to the nations,  (See also: Luke 2:32; Acts 13:47)

to open the eyes that are blind  (See also: Luke 4:18)

to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon

from the prison those who sit in darkness.

I am the Lord, that is My name;

My glory I give to no other,

nor My praise to idols.

See, the former things have come to pass

and the new things I now declare;

before they spring forth,

I tell you of them.  –Isaiah 42:1-9

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?

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.

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 with 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 of 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 witness have risen against me

and they are breathing out violence.

I believe that I shall see the Goodness of the Lord

in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord;

Be strong and He will give your your heart courage  (See: Tehillim 27:14)

Wait for the Lord!  –Psalm 27:1-14

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

Related: For Today’s Most Holy Scripture Readings on Monday of Holy Week, Visit: -USCCB