I Eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, weather by life or by death. Philippians 1:20 NIV
A quote from the Saints:
St. John Vianney
The one who is suffering from a slight illness has no need to go and see a doctor; she can get well alone but if it is a serious illness, if it is a dangerous wound, than a doctor must be called in and after the doctor come the medicines. When we have fallen into some grave sin we must go to the doctor, who is the priest and take the medicine, which is confession.
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 19-21 and John 10:1-21.
Verses for today – Listen here:
Reflection for Today.
Also read the verses, if you like.
Proverbs 19
1 Better the poor living an honest life than the adept at double-talk who is a fool.
2 Where knowledge is wanting, zeal is not good; whoever goes too quickly stumbles.
3 Folly leads conduct astray, yet it is against Yahweh that the heart rages.
4 Wealth multiplies friends, but the one friend the poor has is taken away.
5 The false witness will not go unpunished, no one who utters lies will go free.
6 The nobleman has many to court his favour, to a giver of gifts, everyone is friend.
7 The poor man’s brothers hate him, every one; his friends — how much the more do these desert him! He goes in search of words, but there are none to be had.
8 Whoever acquires sense wins profit from it, whoever treasures understanding finds happiness.
9 The false witness will not go unpunished, whoever utters lies will be destroyed.
10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, still less for a slave to govern princes.
11 Good sense makes for self-control, and for pride in overlooking an offence.
12 Like the roaring of a lion, the anger of a king, but like dew on the grass his favour.
13 A foolish child is a disaster for the father, the bickerings of a wife are like an ever-dripping gutter.
14 From fathers comes inheritance of house and wealth, from Yahweh a wife who is discreet.
15 Idleness lulls to sleep, the feckless soul will go hungry.
16 Keeping the commandment is self-preservation, but whoever despises these ways will die.
17 Whoever is kind to the poor is lending to Yahweh who will repay him the kindness done.
18 While there is hope for him, chastise your child, but do not get so angry as to kill him.
19 The violent lays himself open to a penalty; spare him, and you aggravate his crime.
20 Listen to advice, accept correction, to be the wiser in the time to come.
21 Many are the plans in the human heart, but the purpose of Yahweh — that stands firm.
22 Faithful love is what people look for in a person; they prefer the poor to a liar.
23 The fear of Yahweh leads to life, it brings food and shelter, without fear of evil.
24 Into the dish the idler dips his hand, but bring it back to his mouth he cannot.
25 Strike a cynic, and simpletons will be more wary; reprove the intelligent and he will understand your meaning.
26 He who ill-treats his father and drives out his mother is a child both worthless and depraved.
27 Give up listening to instruction, my child, if you mean to stray from words of knowledge.
28 A perjured witness holds the law in scorn; the mouth of the wicked feasts on evil-doing.
29 Punishments were made for mockers, and beating for the backs of fools.
Proverbs 20
1 Wine is reckless, liquor rowdy; unwise is anyone whom it seduces.
2 Like the roaring of a lion is the fury of a king; whoever provokes him sins against himself.
3 It is praiseworthy to stop short of a law-suit; only a fool flies into a rage.
4 In autumn the idler does not plough, at harvest time he looks — nothing there!
5 The resources of the human heart are like deep waters: an understanding person has only to draw on them.
6 Many describe themselves as people of faithful love, but who can find someone really to be trusted?
7 The upright whose ways are blameless — blessed the children who come after!
8 A king enthroned on the judgement seat with one look scatters all that is evil.
9 Who can say, ‘I have cleansed my heart, I am purified of my sin’?
10 One weight here, another there; here one measure, there another: both alike are abhorrent to Yahweh.
11 A young man’s character appears in what he does, if his behaviour is pure and straight.
12 Ear that hears, eye that sees, Yahweh has made both of these.
13 Do not love sleep or you will know poverty; keep your eyes open and have your fill of food.
14 ‘No good, no good!’ says the buyer, but he goes off congratulating himself.
15 There are gold and jewels of every type, but a priceless ornament is speech informed by knowledge.
16 Take the man’s clothes! He has gone surety for a stranger. Take a pledge from him to the profit of persons unknown!
17 Bread is sweet when it is got by fraud, but later the mouth is full of grit.
18 Plans are matured by consultation; take wise advice when waging war.
19 The bearer of gossip lets out secrets; do not mingle with chatterers.
20 Whoever curses father or mother will have his lamp put out in the deepest darkness.
21 Property quickly come by at first will not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, ‘I shall repay evil’; put your hope in Yahweh and he will keep you safe.
23 One weight here, another there: this is abhorrent to Yahweh, false scales are not good.
24 Yahweh guides the steps of the powerful: but who can comprehend human ways?
25 Anyone is trapped who cries ‘Dedicated!’ and begins to reflect only after the vow.
26 A wise king winnows the wicked and makes the wheel pass over them.
27 The human spirit is the lamp of Yahweh — searching the deepest self.
28 Faithful love and loyalty mount guard over the king, his throne is founded on saving justice.
29 The pride of the young is their strength, the ornament of the old, grey hairs.
30 Wounding strokes are good medicine for evil, blows have an effect on the inmost self.
Proverbs 21
1 Like flowing water is a king’s heart in Yahweh’s hand; he directs it wherever he pleases.
2 All actions are straight in the doer’s own eyes, but it is Yahweh who weighs hearts.
3 To do what is upright and just is more pleasing to Yahweh than sacrifice.
4 Haughty eye, proud heart, lamp of the wicked, nothing but sin.
5 The hardworking is thoughtful, and all is gain; too much haste, and all that comes of it is want.
6 To make a fortune with the help of a lying tongue: such is the idle fantasy of those who look for death.
7 The violence of the wicked proves their ruin, for they refuse to do what is right.
8 The way of the felon is devious, the conduct of the innocent straight.
9 Better the corner of a roof to live on than a house shared with a quarrelsome woman.
10 The soul of the wicked is intent on evil, to such a person no neighbour can ever do right.
11 When a cynic is punished, simpletons grow wiser, but someone of understanding acquires knowledge by instruction.
12 The Upright One watches the house of the wicked; he hurls the wicked to destruction.
13 Whoever refuses to listen to the cry of the weak, will in turn plead and not be heard.
14 Anger is mollified by a covert gift, raging fury by a present under cover of the cloak.
15 Doing what is right fills the upright with joy, but evil-doers with terror.
16 Whoever strays far from the way of prudence will rest in the assembly of shadows.
17 Pleasure-lovers stay poor, no one will grow rich who loves wine and good living.
18 The wicked is a ransom for the upright; and the law-breaker for the honest.
19 Better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and irritable woman.
20 The wise has valuables and oil at home, but a fool soon runs through both.
21 Whoever pursues uprightness and faithful love will find life, uprightness and honour.
22 A sage can scale a garrisoned city and shatter the rampart on which it relied.
23 Watch kept over mouth and tongue keeps the watcher safe from disaster.
24 Insolent, haughty — the name is ‘Cynic’; overweening pride marks such behaviour.
25 The idler’s desires are the death of him, since his hands will do no work.
26 All day long the godless is racked by desire, the upright gives without ever refusing.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is abhorrent, above all if it is offered for bad motives.
28 The false witness will perish, but no one who knows how to listen will ever be silenced.
29 The wicked man’s strength shows on his face, but the honest it is whose steps are firm.
30 No wisdom, no understanding, no advice is worth anything before Yahweh.
31 Fit out the cavalry for the day of battle, but the victory is Yahweh’s.
John 10:1-21
1 ‘In all truth I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a bandit.
2 He who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the flock;
3 the gatekeeper lets him in, the sheep hear his voice, one by one he calls his own sheep and leads them out.
4 When he has brought out all those that are his, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow because they know his voice.
5 They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him because they do not recognise the voice of strangers.’
6 Jesus told them this parable but they failed to understand what he was saying to them.
7 So Jesus spoke to them again: In all truth I tell you, I am the gate of the sheepfold.
8 All who have come before me are thieves and bandits, but the sheep took no notice of them.
9 I am the gate. Anyone who enters through me will be safe: such a one will go in and out and will find pasture.
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.
12 The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and the sheep do not belong to him, abandons the sheep as soon as he sees a wolf coming, and runs away, and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep;
13 he runs away because he is only a hired man and has no concern for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me,
15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep.
16 And there are other sheep I have that are not of this fold, and I must lead these too. They too will listen to my voice, and there will be only one flock, one shepherd.
17 The Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
18 No one takes it from me; I lay it down of my own free will, and as I have power to lay it down, so I have power to take it up again; and this is the command I have received from my Father.
19 These words caused a fresh division among the Jews.
20 Many said, ‘He is possessed, he is raving; why do you listen to him?’
21 Others said, ‘These are not the words of a man possessed by a devil: could a devil open the eyes of the blind?’
Sermons by various teachers regarding the verses above.
Catholic Daily Readings and Reflections
Reading 1, Jeremiah 31:31-34
31 ‘Look, the days are coming, Yahweh declares, when I shall make a new covenant with the House of Israel (and the House of Judah),
32 but not like the covenant I made with their ancestors the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of Egypt, a covenant which they broke, even though I was their Master, Yahweh declares.
33 No, this is the covenant I shall make with the House of Israel when those days have come, Yahweh declares. Within them I shall plant my Law, writing it on their hearts. Then I shall be their God and they will be my people.
34 There will be no further need for everyone to teach neighbour or brother, saying, “Learn to know Yahweh!” No, they will all know me, from the least to the greatest, Yahweh declares, since I shall forgive their guilt and never more call their sin to mind.’
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19
12 Give me back the joy of your salvation, sustain in me a generous spirit.
13 I shall teach the wicked your paths, and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from bloodshed, God, God of my salvation, and my tongue will acclaim your saving justice.
15 Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will speak out your praise.
18 In your graciousness do good to Zion, rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will delight in upright sacrifices,-burnt offerings and whole oblations — and young bulls will be offered on your altar.
Gospel, Matthew 16:13-23
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of man is?’
14 And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’
15 ‘But you,’ he said, ‘who do you say I am?’
16 Then Simon Peter spoke up and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’
17 Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a blessed man! Because it was no human agency that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.
18 So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my community. And the gates of the underworld can never overpower it.
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven: whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’
20 Then he gave the disciples strict orders not to say to anyone that he was the Christ.
21 From then onwards Jesus began to make it clear to his disciples that he was destined to go to Jerusalem and suffer grievously at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death and to be raised up on the third day.
22 Then, taking him aside, Peter started to rebuke him. ‘Heaven preserve you, Lord,’ he said, ‘this must not happen to you.’
23 But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path, because you are thinking not as God thinks but as human beings do.’
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 
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