Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful man,so you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:3 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 Sirach : 23-25 and John – 20:19-31.
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Reflection for Today.
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Sirach 23
O Lord, Father and Master of my life,
do not abandon me to their designs,
and do not let me fall among them!
2 Who will set whips over my thoughts
and the discipline of wisdom over my mind,
so as not to spare me in my errors
and not overlook my[a] sins?
3 Otherwise my mistakes may be multiplied,
and my sins may abound,
and I may fall before my adversaries,
and my enemy may rejoice over me.[b]
4 O Lord, Father and God of my life,
do not give me haughty eyes,
5 and remove desire from me.
6 Let neither gluttony nor lust overcome me,
and do not give me over to shameless passion.
Discipline of the Tongue[c]
7 Listen, my children, to instruction concerning the mouth;
the one who observes it will never be caught.
8 Sinners are overtaken through their lips;
by them the reviler and the arrogant are tripped up.
9 Do not accustom your mouth to oaths
nor habitually utter the name of the Holy One,
10 for as a slave who is constantly under scrutiny
will not lack bruises,
so also the person who always swears and utters the Name
will never be cleansed[d] from sin.
11 The one who swears many oaths is full of iniquity,
and the scourge will not leave his house.
If he swears in error, his sin remains on him,
and if he disregards it, he sins doubly;
if he swears a false oath, he will not be justified,
for his house will be filled with calamities.
Foul Language
12 There is a manner of speaking comparable to death;[e]
may it never be found in the inheritance of Jacob!
Such conduct will be far from the godly,
and they will not wallow in sins.
13 Do not accustom your mouth to lewd ignorance,
for it involves sinful speech.
14 Remember your father and mother
when you sit among the great,
or you may forget yourself in their presence,
and behave like a fool through habit;
then you will wish that you had never been born,
and you will curse the day of your birth.
15 Those who are accustomed to using abusive language
will never become disciplined as long as they live.
Concerning Sexual Sins
16 Two kinds of individuals multiply sins,
and a third incurs wrath.
Hot passion that blazes like a fire
will not be quenched until it burns itself out;
those who commit incest with their near of kin
will never cease until the fire burns them up.
17 To the sexually immoral all bread is sweet;
he will never weary until he dies.
18 The one who sins against his marriage bed
says to himself, “Who can see me?
Darkness surrounds me, the walls hide me,
and no one sees me. Why should I worry?
The Most High will not remember my sins.”
19 His fear is confined to human eyes,
and he does not realize that the eyes of the Lord
are ten thousand times brighter than the sun;
they look upon every aspect of human behavior
and see into hidden corners.
20 Before the universe was created, it was known to him,
and so it is since its completion.
21 This man will be punished in the streets of the city,
and where he least suspects it he will be seized.
22 So it is with a woman who leaves her husband
and presents him with an heir by another man.
23 For, first of all, she has disobeyed the law of the Most High;
second, she has committed an offense against her husband;
and third, through sexual immorality she has committed adultery
and brought forth children by another man.
24 She herself will be brought before the assembly,
and her punishment will extend to her children.
25 Her children will not take root,
and her branches will not bear fruit.
26 She will leave behind an accursed memory,
and her disgrace will never be blotted out.
27 Those who survive her will recognize
that nothing is better than the fear of the Lord
and nothing sweeter than to heed the commandments of the Lord.[f]
Sirach 24
The Praise of Wisdom[a]
24 Wisdom praises herself
and tells of her glory in the midst of her people.
2 In the assembly of the Most High she opens her mouth,
and in the presence of his hosts she tells of her glory:
3 “I came forth from the mouth of the Most High
and covered the earth like a mist.
4 I encamped in the heights,
and my throne was in a pillar of cloud.
5 Alone I compassed the vault of heaven
and traversed the depths of the abyss.
6 Over waves of the sea, over all the earth,
and over every people and nation I have held sway.[b]
7 Among all these I sought a resting place;
in whose inheritance should I abide?
8 “Then the Creator of all things gave me a command,
and my Creator pitched my tent.
He said, ‘Encamp in Jacob,
and in Israel receive your inheritance.’
9 Before the ages, in the beginning, he created me,
and for all the ages I shall not cease to be.
10 In the holy tent I ministered before him,
and so I was established in Zion.
11 Thus in the beloved city he gave me a resting place,
and in Jerusalem was my domain.
12 I took root in an honored people;
in the portion of the Lord is my inheritance.
13 “I grew tall like a cedar in Lebanon
and like a cypress on the heights of Hermon.
14 I grew tall like a palm tree in En-gedi[c]
and like rosebushes in Jericho;
like a fair olive tree in the field
and like a plane tree beside water[d] I grew tall.
15 Like cassia and camel’s thorn I gave forth perfume,
and like choice myrrh I spread my fragrance,
like galbanum, onycha, and stacte,
and like the odor of incense in the tent.
16 Like a terebinth I spread out my branches,
and my branches are glorious and graceful.
17 Like the vine I bud forth delights,
and my blossoms become glorious and abundant fruit.[e]
19 “Come to me, you who desire me,
and eat your fill of my fruits.
20 For the memory of me is sweeter than honey
and the possession of me sweeter than the honeycomb.
21 Those who eat of me will hunger for more,
and those who drink of me will thirst for more.
22 Whoever obeys me will not be put to shame,
and those who work with me will not sin.”
Wisdom and the Law
23 All this is the book of the covenant of the Most High God,
the law that Moses commanded us
as an inheritance for the congregations of Jacob.[f]
25 It becomes full, like the Pishon, with wisdom
and like the Tigris at the time of the spring harvest.
26 It fills up, like the Euphrates, with understanding,
and like the Jordan at harvest time.
27 It pours forth instruction like the Nile,[g]
like the Gihon at the time of vintage.
28 The first man did not know wisdom[h] fully,
nor will the last one fathom her.
29 For her thoughts are more abundant than the sea
and her counsel deeper than the great abyss.
30 I came forth like a canal from a river,
like a water channel into a garden.
31 I said, “I will water my garden
and drench my flower beds.”
And look, my canal became a river
and my river a sea.
32 I will again make instruction shine forth like the dawn,
and I will make it clear from far away.
33 I will again pour out teaching like prophecy
and leave it to all future generations.
34 Observe that I have not labored for myself alone
but for all who seek wisdom.[i]
Sirach 25
Those Who Are Worthy of Praise
25 I take pleasure in three things,
and they are beautiful in the sight of God and of mortals:[a]
agreement among brothers and sisters, friendship among neighbors,
and a wife and a husband who live in harmony.
2 I hate three kinds of people,
and I loathe their manner of life:
a pauper who boasts, a rich person who lies,
and an old adulterer who lacks sense.
3 If you gathered nothing in your youth,
how can you find anything in your old age?
4 How attractive is sound judgment in gray-haired women
and for aged men to possess good counsel!
5 How attractive is wisdom in the aged
and understanding and counsel in the venerable!
6 Rich experience is the crown of the aged,
and their boast is the fear of the Lord.
7 I can think of nine whom I would call happy,
and a tenth my tongue proclaims:
a man who can rejoice in his children,
who lives to see the downfall of his foes.
8 Happy the man who lives with a sensible wife
and who does not plow with ox and ass together,[b]
who does not slip with the tongue
and who has not become enslaved to an inferior.
9 Happy is the one who finds good sense
and the one who speaks to attentive listeners.
10 How great is the one who finds wisdom!
But none is superior to the one who fears the Lord.
11 Fear of the Lord surpasses everything;
to whom can we compare the one who has it?[c]
Some Extreme Forms of Evil
13 Any wound, but not a wound of the heart!
Any wickedness, but not the wickedness of a woman!
14 Any suffering, but not suffering from those who hate!
And any vengeance, but not the vengeance of enemies!
15 There is no venom[d] worse than a snake’s venom[e]
and no anger worse than a woman’s[f] wrath.
The Evil of a Wicked Woman
16 I would rather live with a lion and a dragon
than live with an evil woman.
17 A woman’s wickedness changes her appearance
and darkens her face like that of a bear.
18 Her husband sits[g] among the neighbors,
and he cannot help sighing[h] bitterly.
19 Any iniquity is small compared to a woman’s iniquity;
may a sinner’s lot befall her!
20 A sandy ascent for the feet of the aged—
such is a garrulous wife to a quiet husband.
21 Do not be ensnared by a woman’s beauty,
and do not desire a woman for her possessions.[i]
22 There is wrath and impudence and great disgrace
when a wife supports her husband.
23 Dejected mind, gloomy face,
and wounded heart come from an evil wife.
Drooping hands and weak knees
come from the wife who does not make her husband happy.
24 From a woman sin had its beginning,
and because of her we all die.
25 Allow no outlet to water
and no boldness of speech to an evil wife.
26 If she does not go as you direct,
separate her from yourself.
John 20 : 19-31
19 In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you,’
20 and, after saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord,
21 and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. ‘As the Father sent me, so am I sending you.’
22 After saying this he breathed on them and said: Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.
24 Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 So the other disciples said to him, ‘We have seen the Lord,’ but he answered, ‘Unless I can see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.’
26 Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you,’ he said.
27 Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving any more but believe.’
28 Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’
29 Jesus said to him: You believe because you can see me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.
30 There were many other signs that Jesus worked in the sight of the disciples, but they are not recorded in this book.
31 These are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through his name.
Sermons by various teachers about these verses.
Catholic Daily Readings and Reflections
Reading 1, Revelation 21:9-14
9 One of the seven angels that had the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came to speak to me and said, ‘Come here and I will show you the bride that the Lamb has married.’
10 In the spirit, he carried me to the top of a very high mountain, and showed me Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down out of heaven from God.
11 It had all the glory of God and glittered like some precious jewel of crystal-clear diamond.
12 Its wall was of a great height and had twelve gates; at each of the twelve gates there was an angel, and over the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel;
13 on the east there were three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.
14 The city walls stood on twelve foundation stones, each one of which bore the name of one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18
10 All your creatures shall thank you, Yahweh, and your faithful shall bless you.
11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingship and tell of your might,
12 making known your mighty deeds to the children of Adam, the glory and majesty of your kingship.
13 Your kingship is a kingship for ever, your reign lasts from age to age. Yahweh is trustworthy in all his words, and upright in all his deeds.
17 Upright in all that he does, Yahweh acts only in faithful love.
18 He is close to all who call upon him, all who call on him from the heart.
Gospel, John 1:45-51
45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.’
46 Nathanael said to him, ‘From Nazareth? Can anything good come from that place?’ Philip replied, ‘Come and see.’
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming he said of him, ‘There, truly, is an Israelite in whom there is no deception.’
48 Nathanael asked, ‘How do you know me?’ Jesus replied, ‘Before Philip came to call you, I saw you under the fig tree.’
49 Nathanael answered, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the king of Israel.’
50 Jesus replied, ‘You believe that just because I said: I saw you under the fig tree. You are going to see greater things than that.’
51 And then he added, ‘In all truth I tell you, you will see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending over the Son of man.’
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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