I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. Philippians 3:10 NIV
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 Wisdom of Solomon 4:20 8:18 and John 15:1-17.
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Verses for today – Listen here: For explanations
Reflection for Today.
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Also read the verses, if you like.
Wisdom of Solomon 4:20
20 When the count of their sins has been drawn up, in terror they will come, and their crimes, confronting them, will accuse them.
Wisdom of Solomon 5
1 Then the upright will stand up boldly to face those who had oppressed him and had thought so little of his sufferings.
2 And, seeing him, they will be seized with terrible fear, amazed that he should have been so unexpectedly saved.
3 Stricken with remorse, they will say to one another with groans and labouring breath,
4 ‘This is the one whom we used to mock, making him the butt of our insults, fools that we were! His life we regarded as madness, his ending as without honour.
5 How has he come to be counted as one of the children of God and to have his lot among the holy ones?
6 Clearly we have strayed from the way of truth; the light of justice has not shone for us, the sun has not risen for us.
7 We have left no path of lawlessness or ruin unexplored, we have crossed deserts where there was no track, but the way of the Lord is one we have never known.
8 What good has arrogance been to us? What has been the purpose of our riches and boastfulness?
9 All those things have passed like a shadow, passed like a fleeting rumour.
10 Like a ship that cuts through heaving waves — leaving no trace to show where it has passed, no wake from its keel in the waves.
11 Or like a bird flying through the air — leaving no proof of its passing; it whips the light air with the stroke of its pinions, tears it apart in its whirring rush, drives its way onward with sweeping wing, and afterwards no sign is seen of its passage.
12 Or like an arrow shot at a mark, the pierced air closing so quickly on itself, there is no knowing which way the arrow has passed.
13 So with us: scarcely born, we disappear; of virtue not a trace have we to show, we have spent ourselves in our own wickedness!’
14 For the hope of the godless is like chaff carried on the wind, like fine spray driven by the storm; it disperses like smoke before the wind, goes away like the memory of a one-day guest.
15 But the upright live for ever, their recompense is with the Lord, and the Most High takes care of them.
16 So they will receive the glorious crown and the diadem of beauty from the Lord’s hand; for he will shelter them with his right hand and with his arm he will shield them.
17 For armour he will take his jealous love, he will arm creation to punish his enemies;
18 he will put on justice as a breastplate, and for helmet wear his forthright judgement;
19 he will take up invincible holiness for shield,
20 of his pitiless wrath he will forge a sword, and the universe will march with him to fight the reckless.
21 Bolts truly aimed, the shafts of lightning will leap, and from the clouds, as from a full-drawn bow, fly to their mark;
22 and the catapult will hurl hailstones charged with fury. The waters of the sea will rage against them, the rivers engulf them without pity,
23 a mighty gale will rise against them and winnow them like a hurricane. Thus wickedness will lay the whole earth waste and evil-doing bring down the thrones of the mighty.
Wisdom of Solomon 6
1 Listen then, kings, and understand; rulers of remotest lands, take warning;
2 hear this, you who govern great populations, taking pride in your hosts of subject nations!
3 For sovereignty is given to you by the Lord and power by the Most High, who will himself probe your acts and scrutinise your intentions.
4 If therefore, as servants of his kingdom, you have not ruled justly nor observed the law, nor followed the will of God,
5 he will fall on you swiftly and terribly. On the highly placed a ruthless judgement falls;
6 the lowly are pardoned, out of pity, but the mighty will be mightily tormented.
7 For the Lord of all does not cower before anyone, he does not stand in awe of greatness, since he himself has made small and great and provides for all alike;
8 but a searching trial awaits those who wield power.
9 So, monarchs, my words are meant for you, so that you may learn wisdom and not fall into error;
10 for those who in holiness observe holy things will be adjudged holy, and, accepting instruction from them, will find their defence in them.
11 Set your heart, therefore, on what I have to say, listen with a will, and you will be instructed.
12 Wisdom is brilliant, she never fades. By those who love her, she is readily seen, by those who seek her, she is readily found.
13 She anticipates those who desire her by making herself known first.
14 Whoever gets up early to seek her will have no trouble but will find her sitting at the door.
15 Meditating on her is understanding in its perfect form, and anyone keeping awake for her will soon be free from care.
16 For she herself searches everywhere for those who are worthy of her, benevolently appearing to them on their ways, anticipating their every thought.
17 For Wisdom begins with the sincere desire for instruction, care for instruction means loving her,
18 loving her means keeping her laws, attention to her laws guarantees incorruptibility,
19 and incorruptibility brings us near to God;
20 the desire for Wisdom thus leads to sovereignty.
21 If then thrones and sceptres delight you, monarchs of the nations, honour Wisdom, so that you may reign for ever.
22 What Wisdom is and how she was born, I shall now explain; I shall hide no mysteries from you, but shall follow her steps from the outset of her origin, setting out what we know of her in full light, without departing from the truth.
23 Blighting envy is no companion for me, for envy has nothing in common with Wisdom.
24 In the greatest number of the wise lies the world’s salvation, in a sagacious king the stability of a people.
25 Learn, therefore, from my words; the gain will be yours.
Wisdom of Solomon 7
1 I too am mortal like everyone else, a descendant of the first man formed from the earth. I was modelled in flesh inside a mother’s womb,
2 where, for ten months, in blood I acquired substance — the result of virile seed and pleasure, sleep’s companion.
3 I too, when I was born, drew in the common air, I fell on the same ground that bears us all, and crying was the first sound I made, like everyone else.
4 I was nurtured in swaddling clothes, with every care.
5 No king has known any other beginning of existence;
6 for there is only one way into life, and one way out of it.
7 And so I prayed, and understanding was given me; I entreated, and the spirit of Wisdom came to me.
8 I esteemed her more than sceptres and thrones; compared with her, I held riches as nothing.
9 I reckoned no precious stone to be her equal, for compared with her, all gold is a pinch of sand, and beside her, silver ranks as mud.
10 I loved her more than health or beauty, preferred her to the light, since her radiance never sleeps.
11 In her company all good things came to me, and at her hands incalculable wealth.
12 All these delighted me, since Wisdom brings them, though I did not then realise that she was their mother.
13 What I learned diligently, I shall pass on liberally, I shall not conceal how rich she is.
14 For she is to human beings an inexhaustible treasure, and those who acquire this win God’s friendship, commended to him by the gifts of instruction.
15 May God grant me to speak as he would wish and conceive thoughts worthy of the gifts I have received, since he is both guide to Wisdom and director of sages;
16 for we are in his hand, yes, ourselves and our sayings, and all intellectual and all practical knowledge.
17 He it was who gave me sure knowledge of what exists, to understand the structure of the world and the action of the elements,
18 the beginning, end and middle of the times, the alternation of the solstices and the succession of the seasons,
19 the cycles of the year and the position of the stars,
20 the natures of animals and the instincts of wild beasts, the powers of spirits and human mental processes, the varieties of plants and the medical properties of roots.
21 And now I understand everything, hidden or visible, for Wisdom, the designer of all things, has instructed me.
22 For within her is a spirit intelligent, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, mobile, incisive, unsullied, lucid, invulnerable, benevolent, shrewd,
23 irresistible, beneficent, friendly to human beings, steadfast, dependable, unperturbed, almighty, all-surveying, penetrating all intelligent, pure and most subtle spirits.
24 For Wisdom is quicker to move than any motion; she is so pure, she pervades and permeates all things.
25 She is a breath of the power of God, pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; so nothing impure can find its way into her.
26 For she is a reflection of the eternal light, untarnished mirror of God’s active power, and image of his goodness.
27 Although she is alone, she can do everything; herself unchanging, she renews the world, and, generation after generation, passing into holy souls, she makes them into God’s friends and prophets;
28 for God loves only those who dwell with Wisdom.
29 She is indeed more splendid than the sun, she outshines all the constellations; compared with light, she takes first place,
30 for light must yield to night, but against Wisdom evil cannot prevail.
Wisdom of Solomon 8:18
1 Strongly she reaches from one end of the world to the other and she governs the whole world for its good.
2 Wisdom I loved and searched for from my youth; I resolved to have her as my bride, I fell in love with her beauty.
3 She enhances her noble birth by sharing God’s life, for the Master of All has always loved her.
4 Indeed, she shares the secrets of God’s knowledge, and she chooses what he will do.
5 If in this life wealth is a desirable possession, what is more wealthy than Wisdom whose work is everywhere?
6 Or if it be the intellect that is at work, who, more than she, designs whatever exists?
7 Or if it be uprightness you love, why, virtues are the fruit of her labours, since it is she who teaches temperance and prudence, justice and fortitude; nothing in life is more useful for human beings.
8 Or if you are eager for wide experience, she knows the past, she forecasts the future; she knows how to turn maxims, and solve riddles; she has foreknowledge of signs and wonders, and of the unfolding of the ages and the times.
9 I therefore determined to take her to share my life, knowing that she would be my counsellor in prosperity and comfort me in cares and sorrow.
10 ‘Thanks to her, I shall be admired by the masses and honoured, though young, by the elders.
11 I shall be reckoned shrewd as a judge, and the great will be amazed at me.
12 They will wait on my silences, and pay attention when I speak; if I speak at some length, they will lay their hand on their lips.
13 By means of her, immortality will be mine, I shall leave an everlasting memory to my successors.
14 I shall govern peoples, and nations will be subject to me;
15 at the sound of my name fearsome despots will be afraid; I shall show myself kind to the people and valiant in battle.
16 ‘When I go home I shall take my ease with her, for nothing is bitter in her company, when life is shared with her there is no pain, nothing but pleasure and joy.’
17 Having meditated on all this, and having come to the conclusion that immortality resides in kinship with Wisdom,
18 noble contentment in her friendship, inexhaustible riches in her activities, understanding in cultivating her society, and renown in conversing with her, I went all ways, seeking how to get her.
John 15:1-17
1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
2 Every branch in me that bears no fruit he cuts away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes to make it bear even more.
3 You are clean already, by means of the word that I have spoken to you.
4 Remain in me, as I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself, unless it remains part of the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me.
5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you can do nothing.
6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a branch — and withers; these branches are collected and thrown on the fire and are burnt.
7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for whatever you please and you will get it.
8 It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit and be my disciples.
9 I have loved you just as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.
10 If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
11 I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete.
12 This is my commandment: love one another, as I have loved you.
13 No one can have greater love than to lay down his life for his friends.
14 You are my friends, if you do what I command you.
15 I shall no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know the master’s business; I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father.
16 You did not choose me, no, I chose you; and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last; so that the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name.
17 My command to you is to love one another.
Sermons by various teachers about these verses.
Catholic Daily Readings and Reflections
Reading 1, Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10
4 The chief men then said to the king, ‘You must have this man put to death: he is unquestionably disheartening the remaining soldiers in the city, and all the people too, by talking like this. This man is seeking not the welfare of the people but their ruin.’
5 King Zedekiah answered, ‘He is in your hands as you know, for the king is powerless to oppose you.’
6 So they took Jeremiah and put him into the storage-well of the king’s son Malchiah in the Court of the Guard, letting him down with ropes. There was no water in the storage-well, only mud, and into the mud Jeremiah sank.
8 Ebed-Melech came out from the palace and spoke to the king.
9 ‘My lord king,’ he said, ‘these men have done a wicked thing by treating the prophet Jeremiah like this: they have thrown him into the storage-well. He will starve to death there, since there is no more food in the city.’
10 At this the king gave Ebed-Melech the Cushite the following order: ‘Take thirty men with you from here and pull the prophet Jeremiah out of the storage-well before he dies.’
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 40:2, 3, 4, 18
2 He pulled me up from the seething chasm, from the mud of the mire. He set my feet on rock, and made my footsteps firm.
3 He put a fresh song in my mouth, praise of our God. Many will be awestruck at the sight, and will put their trust in Yahweh.
4 How blessed are those who put their trust in Yahweh, who have not sided with rebels and those who have gone astray in falsehood.
Gospel, Luke 12:49-53
49 ‘I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already!
50 There is a baptism I must still receive, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!
51 ‘Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.
52 For from now on, a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three;
53 father opposed to son, son to father, mother to daughter, daughter to mother, mother-in-law to daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law to mother-in-law.’
Reading 2, Hebrews 12:1-4
1 With so many witnesses in a great cloud all around us, we too, then, should throw off everything that weighs us down and the sin that clings so closely, and with perseverance keep running in the race which lies ahead of us.
2 Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection: for the sake of the joy which lay ahead of him, he endured the cross, disregarding the shame of it, and has taken his seat at the right of God’s throne.
3 Think of the way he persevered against such opposition from sinners and then you will not lose heart and come to grief.
4 In the fight against sin, you have not yet had to keep fighting to the point of bloodshed.
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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