He remembers his covenant forever, the word he commended, for a thousand generations.
1 Chronicles 16:15 NIV The Word for Today.
A quote from the Saints:
St. Peter Chrysologus
If you want to party with the devil you can’t celebrate with Christ.
A Christian’s goal should be to create the Kingdom of God here on earth, as it is in Heaven. Not only, to get to Heaven.
To finish the Bible in one year, Read Proverbs 1-4 and John 7 : 37-52.
Verses for today – Listen here:
Reflection for Today.
Also read the verses, if you like.
Proverbs 1
1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2 for learning what wisdom and discipline are, for understanding words of deep meaning,
3 for acquiring a disciplined insight, uprightness, justice and fair dealing;
4 for teaching sound judgement to the simple, and knowledge and reflection to the young;
5 Let the wise listen and learn yet more, and a person of discernment will acquire the art of guidance.
6 for perceiving the meaning of proverbs and obscure sayings, the sayings of the sages and their riddles.
7 The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; fools spurn wisdom and discipline.
8 Listen, my child, to your father’s instruction, do not reject your mother’s teaching:
9 they will be a crown of grace for your head, a circlet for your neck.
10 My child, if sinners try to seduce you, do not go with them.
11 If they say, ‘Come with us: let us lie in ambush to shed blood; if we plan an ambush for the innocent without provocation,
12 we can swallow them alive, like Sheol, and whole, like those who sink into oblivion.
13 We shall find treasures of every sort, we shall fill our houses with plunder;
14 throw in your lot with us: one purse between us all.’
15 My child, do not follow them in their way, keep your steps out of their path
16 for their feet hasten to evil, they are quick to shed blood;
17 for the net is spread in vain if any winged creature can see it.
18 It is for their own blood such people lie in wait, their ambush is against their own selves!
19 Such are the paths of all who seek dishonest gain: which robs of their lives all who take it for their own.
20 Wisdom calls aloud in the streets, she raises her voice in the public squares;
21 she calls out at the street corners, she delivers her message at the city gates.
22 ‘You simple people, how much longer will you cling to your simple ways? How much longer will mockers revel in their mocking and fools go on hating knowledge?
23 Pay attention to my warning. To you I will pour out my heart and tell you what I have to say.
24 Since I have called and you have refused me, since I have beckoned and no one has taken notice,
25 since you have ignored all my advice and rejected all my warnings,
26 I, for my part, shall laugh at your distress, I shall jeer when terror befalls you,
27 when terror befalls you, like a storm, when your distress arrives, like a whirlwind, when ordeal and anguish bear down on you.
28 Then they will call me, but I shall not answer, they will look eagerly for me and will not find me.
29 They have hated knowledge, they have not chosen the fear of Yahweh,
30 they have taken no notice of my advice, they have spurned all my warnings:
31 so they will have to eat the fruits of their own ways of life, and choke themselves with their own scheming.
32 For the errors of the simple lead to their death, the complacency of fools works their own ruin;
33 but whoever listens to me may live secure, will have quiet, fearing no mischance.’
Proverbs 2
1 My child, if you take my words to heart, if you set store by my commandments,
2 tuning your ear to wisdom, tuning your heart to understanding,
3 yes, if your plea is for clear perception, if you cry out for understanding,
4 if you look for it as though for silver, search for it as though for buried treasure,
5 then you will understand what the fear of Yahweh is, and discover the knowledge of God.
6 For Yahweh himself is giver of wisdom, from his mouth issue knowledge and understanding.
7 He reserves his advice for the honest, a shield to those whose ways are sound;
8 he stands guard over the paths of equity, he keeps watch over the way of those faithful to him.
9 Then you will understand uprightness, equity and fair dealing, the paths that lead to happiness.
10 When wisdom comes into your heart and knowledge fills your soul with delight,
11 then prudence will be there to watch over you, and understanding will be your guardian
12 to keep you from the way that is evil, from those whose speech is deceitful,
13 from those who leave the paths of honesty to walk the roads of darkness:
14 those who find their joy in doing wrong, and their delight in deceitfulness,
15 whose tracks are twisted, and the paths that they tread crooked.
16 To keep you, too, from the woman who belongs to another, from the stranger, with her wheedling words;
17 she has left the partner of her younger days, she has forgotten the covenant of her God;
18 her house is tilting towards Death, down to the Shades go her paths.
19 Of those who go to her not one returns, they never regain the paths of life.
20 Thus you will tread the way of good people, persisting in the paths of the upright.
21 For the land will be for the honest to live in, the innocent will have it for their home;
22 while the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the faithless rooted out of it.
Proverbs 3
1 My child, do not forget my teaching, let your heart keep my principles,
2 since they will increase your length of days, your years of life and your well-being.
3 Let faithful love and constancy never leave you: tie them round your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Thus you will find favour and success in the sight of God and of people.
5 Trust wholeheartedly in Yahweh, put no faith in your own perception;
6 acknowledge him in every course you take, and he will see that your paths are smooth.
7 Do not congratulate yourself on your own wisdom, fear Yahweh and turn your back on evil:
8 health-giving, this, to your body, relief to your bones.
9 Honour Yahweh with what goods you have and with the first-fruits of all your produce;
10 then your barns will be filled with corn, your vats overflowing with new wine.
11 My child, do not scorn correction from Yahweh, do not resent his reproof;
12 for Yahweh reproves those he loves, as a father the child whom he loves.
13 Blessed are those who have discovered wisdom, those who have acquired understanding!
14 Gaining her is more rewarding than silver, her yield is more valuable than gold.
15 She is beyond the price of pearls, nothing you could covet is her equal.
16 In her right hand is length of days; in her left hand, riches and honour.
17 Her ways are filled with delight, her paths all lead to contentment.
18 She is a tree of life for those who hold her fast, those who cling to her live happy lives.
19 In wisdom, Yahweh laid the earth’s foundations, in understanding he spread out the heavens.
20 Through his knowledge the depths were cleft open, and the clouds distil the dew.
21 My child, hold to sound advice and prudence, never let them out of sight;
22 they will give life to your soul and beauty to your neck.
23 You will go on your way in safety, your feet will not stumble.
24 When you go to bed, you will not be afraid; once in bed, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Have no fear either of sudden terror or of attack mounted by wicked men,
26 since Yahweh will be your guarantor, he will keep your steps from the snare.
27 Refuse no kindness to those who have a right to it, if it is in your power to perform it.
28 Do not say to your neighbour, ‘Go away! Come another time! I will give it you tomorrow,’ if you can do it now.
29 Do not plot harm against your neighbour who is living unsuspecting beside you.
30 Do not pick a groundless quarrel with anyone who has done you no harm.
31 Do not envy the man of violence, never model your conduct on his;
32 for the wilful wrong-doer is abhorrent to Yahweh, who confides only in the honest.
33 Yahweh’s curse lies on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the upright.
34 He mocks those who mock, but accords his favour to the humble.
35 Glory is the portion of the wise, all that fools inherit is contempt.
Proverbs 4
1 Listen, my children, to a father’s instruction; pay attention, and learn what understanding is.
2 What I am offering you is sound doctrine: do not forsake my teaching.
3 I too was once a child with a father, in my mother’s eyes a tender child, unique.
4 This was what he used to teach me, ‘Let your heart treasure what I have to say, keep my principles and you will live;
5 acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, never forget her, never deviate from my words.
6 Do not desert her, she will keep you safe; love her, she will watch over you.
7 The first principle of wisdom is: acquire wisdom; at the cost of all you have, acquire understanding!
8 Hold her close, and she will make you great; embrace her, and she will be your pride;
9 she will provide a graceful garland for your head, bestow a crown of honour on you.’
10 Listen, my child, take my words to heart, and the years of your life will be multiplied.
11 I have educated you in the ways of wisdom, I have guided you along the path of honesty.
12 When you walk, your going will be unhindered, if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold fast to discipline, never let her go, keep your eyes on her, she is your life.
14 Do not follow the path of the wicked, do not walk the way that the evil go.
15 Avoid it, do not take it, turn your back on it, pass it by.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they have first done wrong, they miss their sleep if they have not made someone stumble;
17 for the bread of wickedness is what they eat, and the wine of violence is what they drink.
18 The path of the upright is like the light of dawn, its brightness growing to the fullness of day;
19 the way of the wicked is as dark as night, they cannot tell the obstacles they stumble over.
20 My child, pay attention to what I am telling you, listen carefully to my words;
21 do not let them out of your sight, keep them deep in your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them and health to all humanity.
23 More than all else, keep watch over your heart, since here are the wellsprings of life.
24 Turn your back on the mouth that misleads, keep your distance from lips that deceive.
25 Let your eyes be fixed ahead, your gaze be straight before you.
26 Let the path you tread be level and all your ways be firm.
27 Turn neither to right nor to left, keep your foot clear of evil.
John 7 : 37-52
37 On the last day, the great day of the festival, Jesus stood and cried out: ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me!
38 Let anyone who believes in me come and drink! As scripture says, “From his heart shall flow streams of living water.” ‘
39 He was speaking of the Spirit which those who believed in him were to receive; for there was no Spirit as yet because Jesus had not yet been glorified.
40 Some of the crowd who had been listening said, ‘He is indeed the prophet,’
41 and some said, ‘He is the Christ,’ but others said, ‘Would the Christ come from Galilee?
42 Does not scripture say that the Christ must be descended from David and come from Bethlehem, the village where David was?’
43 So the people could not agree about him.
44 Some wanted to arrest him, but no one actually laid a hand on him.
45 The guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees who said to them, ‘Why haven’t you brought him?’
46 The guards replied, ‘No one has ever spoken like this man.’
47 ‘So,’ the Pharisees answered, ‘you, too, have been led astray?
48 Have any of the authorities come to believe in him? Any of the Pharisees?
49 This rabble knows nothing about the Law — they are damned.’
50 One of them, Nicodemus — the same man who had come to Jesus earlier — said to them,
51 ‘But surely our Law does not allow us to pass judgement on anyone without first giving him a hearing and discovering what he is doing?’
52 To this they answered, ‘Are you a Galilean too? Go into the matter, and see for yourself: prophets do not arise in Galilee.’
Sermons by various teachers regarding the verses above.
Catholic Daily Readings and Reflections
Reading 1, Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24
11 The priests and prophets then said to the chief men and all the people, ‘This man deserves to die, since he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.’
12 Jeremiah, however, replied to all the chief men and all the people as follows, ‘Yahweh himself sent me to prophesy against this Temple and this city all the things you have heard.
13 So now amend your behaviour and actions, listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, and Yahweh will relent about the disaster that he has decreed for you.
14 For myself, I am, as you see, in your hands. Do whatever you please or think right with me.
15 But be sure of this, that if you put me to death, you will be bringing innocent blood on yourselves, on this city and on its inhabitants, since Yahweh has truly sent me to you to say all this for you to hear.’
16 The chief men and all the people then said to the priests and prophets, ‘This man does not deserve to die: he has spoken to us in the name of Yahweh our God.’
24 But Jeremiah had a protector in Ahikam son of Shaphan, so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 69:15-16, 30-31, 33-34
15 Let not the waves wash over me, nor the deep swallow me up, nor the pit close its mouth on me.
16 Answer me, Yahweh, for your faithful love is generous; in your tenderness turn towards me;
30 I will praise God’s name in song, I will extol him by thanksgiving,
31 for this will please Yahweh more than an ox, than a bullock horned and hoofed.
33 For God listens to the poor, he has never scorned his captive people.
34 Let heaven and earth and seas, and all that stirs in them, acclaim him!
Gospel, Matthew 14:1-12
1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the reputation of Jesus
2 and said to his court, ‘This is John the Baptist himself; he has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.’
3 Now it was Herod who had arrested John, chained him up and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.
4 For John had told him, ‘It is against the Law for you to have her.’
5 He had wanted to kill him but was afraid of the people, who regarded John as a prophet.
6 Then, during the celebrations for Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and so delighted Herod
7 that he promised on oath to give her anything she asked.
8 Prompted by her mother she said, ‘Give me John the Baptist’s head, here, on a dish.’
9 The king was distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he ordered it to be given her,
10 and sent and had John beheaded in the prison.
11 The head was brought in on a dish and given to the girl, who took it to her mother.
12 John’s disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went off to tell Jesus.
Audio Drama: Old Testament New Testament Each book is read in its entirety. You can listen to the bible, one book at a time in contemporary English.
Dr. Myles Munroe
I am including a video by Dr. Myles Munroe, I’ve listened to him back in the nineties, and rediscovered him recently. Now his perspective seems to be a good way to also look at scripture. In Pursuit of Purpose – Book Highlights
Sermons Rosary Prayers Catholic Answers
Did Mary have other children? No, Listen here
Called to Communion
Pray the Rosary
Rosary Mysteries
The following 4 videos are the 4 Mysteries that we pray on certain days of the week. I like these videos, because I can pray it alone, with only the images, or go along with the sound. The images help me to focus on the particular mystery that I am contemplating as I say the Hail Mary on each bead.
Joyful Mysteries
Luminous Mysteries
Sorrowful Mysteries
Glorious Mysteries
Prayers of the Rosary
Links to “How to pray the rosary” Popular Catholic Prayers
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord;
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried,
He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
(this prayer is optional and may be said after all Glory Be to the Fathers…..)
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of hell.
Lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are in most need of thy mercy.
Console the souls in Purgatory, particularly those most abandoned. Amen
Hail Mary,
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
The Hail, Holy Queen
Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
That we maybe made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Closing Prayer
O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation.
Grant, we beseech Thee, that while meditating on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
that we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
(The Fatima Prayer:)
Most Holy Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – I adore thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference’s whereby He is offended. And through the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners.
Prayer to St. Michael
Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do you, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
Thurzo Gizella Bible Study 
Leave a comment