With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible. Mark 10:27 KJV
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 : 26-29 and John – 21
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Reflection for Today.
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Sirach 26
The Joy of a Good Wife
26 Happy is the husband of a good wife;
the number of his days will be doubled.
2 A courageous wife brings joy to her husband,
and he will complete his years in peace.
3 A good wife is a good portion;
she will be granted as a portion to the man who fears the Lord.
4 Whether rich or poor, his heart is content,
and at all times his face is cheerful.
The Worst of Evils: A Wicked Wife
5 Of three things my heart is frightened,
and of a fourth I am in great fear:[a]
slander in the city, the gathering of a mob,
and false accusation—all these are worse than death.
6 But it is heartache and sorrow when a wife has a rival,
and a tongue-lashing makes it known to all.
7 A bad wife is a chafing yoke;
taking hold of her is like grasping a scorpion.
8 A drunken wife arouses great anger;
she cannot hide her shame.
9 The haughty stare betrays a sexually immoral wife;
her eyelids give her away.
10 Keep strict watch over a headstrong daughter,
or else, when she finds liberty, she will make use of it.
11 Be on guard against her impudent eye,
and do not be surprised if she sins against you.
12 As a thirsty traveler opens his mouth
and drinks from any water near him,
so she will sit in front of every tent peg
and open her quiver to the arrow.
The Blessing of a Good Wife
13 A wife’s charm delights her husband,
and her skill puts flesh on his bones.
14 A silent wife is a gift from the Lord,
and nothing is so precious as her self-discipline.
15 A modest wife adds charm to charm,
and no scales can weigh the value of her self-control.
16 Like the sun rising in the heights of the Lord,
so is the beauty of a good wife in her well-ordered home.
17 Like the shining lamp on the holy lampstand,
so is a beautiful face on a stately figure.
18 Like golden pillars on silver bases,
so are shapely legs upon steadfast feet.
Other ancient authorities add verses 19–27:
19 My child, keep sound the bloom of your youth,
and do not give your strength to strangers.
20 Seek a fertile field within the whole plain,
and sow it with your own seed, trusting in your fine stock.
21 So your offspring will prosper,
and, having confidence in their good descent, will grow great.
22 A prostitute is regarded as spittle
and a married woman as a tower of death to her lovers.
23 A godless wife is given as a portion to a lawless man,
but a pious wife is given to the man who fears the Lord.
24 A shameless woman constantly acts disgracefully,
but a modest daughter will even be embarrassed before her husband.
25 A headstrong wife is regarded as a dog,
but one who has a sense of shame will fear the Lord.
26 A wife honoring her husband will seem wise to all,
but if she dishonors him in her pride she will be known to all as ungodly.
Happy is the husband of a good wife,
for the number of his years will be doubled.
27 A loud-voiced and garrulous wife is like a trumpet sounding the charge,
and every person like this lives in the anarchy of war.
Three Depressing Things
28 At two things my heart is grieved,
and because of a third anger comes over me:
a warrior in want through poverty,
intelligent men who are treated contemptuously,
and a man who turns back from righteousness to sin—
the Lord will prepare him for the sword!
The Temptations of Commerce
29 A merchant can hardly keep from wrongdoing,
nor is a tradesman innocent of sin.
Sirach 27
Many have committed sin for gain,[a]
and those who seek to get rich will avert their eyes.
2 As a stake is driven firmly into a fissure between stones,
so sin is wedged in between selling and buying.
3 If a person is not steadfast in the fear of the Lord,
his house will be quickly overthrown.
Tests in Life
4 When a sieve is shaken, the refuse appears;
so does a person’s waste when he speaks.
5 The kiln tests the potter’s vessels,
and the test of a person is in his conversation.
6 Its fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree;
so does speech[b] the thoughts of the human mind.
7 Do not praise anyone before he speaks,
for this is the way people are tested.
Reward and Retribution
8 If you pursue justice, you will attain it
and wear it like a glorious robe.
9 Birds roost with their own kind,
so honesty comes home to those who practice it.
10 A lion lies in wait for prey;
so does sin for evildoers.
Varieties of Speech
11 The conversation of the godly is always wise,
but the fool changes like the moon.
12 Among stupid people limit your time,
but among thoughtful people linger on.
13 The talk of fools is offensive,
and their laughter is wantonly sinful.
14 Their cursing and swearing make one’s hair stand on end,
and their quarrels make others stop their ears.
15 The strife of the proud leads to bloodshed,
and their abuse is grievous to hear.
Betraying Secrets
16 Whoever betrays secrets destroys confidence
and will never find a congenial friend.
17 Love your friends and keep faith with them,
but if you betray their secrets, do not follow after them.
18 For as a person destroys an enemy,[c]
so you have destroyed the friendship of your neighbor.
19 And as you allow a bird to escape from your hand,
so you have let your neighbor go and will not catch him again.
20 Do not go after him, for he is too far off
and has escaped like a gazelle from a snare.
21 For a wound may be bandaged,
and there is reconciliation after abuse,
but whoever has betrayed secrets is without hope.
Hypocrisy and Retribution
22 Whoever winks the eye plots harm,
and those who know such a one will keep their distance.
23 In your presence their mouths are all sweetness,
and they admire your words,
but later they will twist their speech
and with your own words they will cause a scandal.
24 I have hated many things but them above all;
even the Lord hates them.
25 Those who throw a stone straight up throw it on their own heads,
and a treacherous blow opens up many wounds.
26 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
and whoever sets a snare will be caught in it.
27 If people do evil, it will roll back upon them,
and they will not know where it came from.
28 Mockery and abuse issue from the proud,
but vengeance lies in wait for them like a lion.
29 Those who rejoice in the fall of the godly will be caught in a snare,
and pain will consume them before their death.
Anger and Vengeance
30 Anger and wrath, these also are abominations,
yet a sinner holds on to them.
Sirach 28
The vengeful will face the Lord’s vengeance,
for he keeps a strict account of[a] their sins.
2 Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done,
and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.
3 Does anyone harbor anger against another
and expect healing from the Lord?
4 If people have no mercy toward those like themselves,
can they then seek pardon for their own sins?
5 If mere mortals harbor wrath,
who will make an atoning sacrifice for their sins?
6 Remember the end of your life and set enmity aside;
remember corruption and death and be true to the commandments.
7 Remember the commandments and do not be angry with your neighbor;
remember the covenant of the Most High and overlook faults.
8 Refrain from strife, and your sins will be fewer,
for the hot-tempered kindle strife
9 and the sinner disrupts friendships
and sows discord among those who are at peace.
10 In proportion to the fuel, so will the fire burn,
and in proportion to the obstinacy, so will strife increase;[b]
in proportion to people’s strength will be their anger,
and in proportion to their wealth they will increase their wrath.
11 A hasty quarrel kindles a fire,
and a hasty dispute sheds blood.
The Evil Tongue
12 If you blow on a spark, it will glow;
if you spit on it, it will be put out,
yet both come out of your mouth.
13 Curse the gossips and the double-tongued,
for they destroy the peace of many.
14 Slander[c] has shaken many
and scattered them from nation to nation;
it has destroyed strong cities
and overturned the houses of the great.
15 Slander[d] has driven courageous women from their homes
and deprived them of the fruit of their toil.
16 Those who pay heed to slander[e] will not find rest,
nor will they settle down in peace.
17 The blow of a whip raises a welt,
but a blow of the tongue crushes the bones.
18 Many have fallen by the edge of the sword,
but not as many as have fallen because of the tongue.
19 Happy is the one who is protected from it,
who has not been exposed to its anger,
who has not borne its yoke,
and who has not been bound with its fetters.
20 For its yoke is a yoke of iron,
and its fetters are fetters of bronze;
21 its death is an evil death,
and Hades is preferable to it.
22 It has no power over the godly;
they will not be burned in its flame.
23 Those who forsake the Lord will fall into its power;
it will burn among them and will not be put out.
It will be sent out against them like a lion;
like a leopard it will mangle them.
24a Look! Fence in your property with thorns,
and make a door and a bolt for your mouth.
Lock up your silver and gold,
and make balances and scales for your words.
26 Take care not to err with your tongue[f]
and fall victim to one lying in wait.
Sirach 29
On Lending and Borrowing
29 The merciful lend to their neighbors;
by holding out a helping hand they keep the commandments.
2 Lend to your neighbor in his time of need;
repay your neighbor when a loan falls due.
3 Keep your word and be honest with him,
and on every occasion you will find what you need.
4 Many regard a loan as a windfall
and cause trouble to those who help them.
5 One kisses another’s hands until he gets a loan
and is deferential in speaking of his neighbor’s money,
but at the time for repayment he delays
and pays back with empty promises
and finds fault with the time.
6 If he can pay, his creditor[a] will hardly get back half
and will regard that as a windfall.
If he cannot pay, the borrower[b] has robbed the other of his money,
and he has needlessly made him an enemy;
he will repay him with curses and reproaches
and instead of glory will repay him with dishonor.
7 Many refuse to lend, not because of meanness,
but from fear[c] of being defrauded needlessly.
8 Nevertheless, be patient with someone in humble circumstances,
and do not keep him waiting for your alms.
9 Help the poor for the commandment’s sake,
and in their need do not send them away empty-handed.
10 Lose your silver for the sake of a brother or a friend,
and do not let it rust under a stone and be lost.
11 Lay up your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High,
and it will profit you more than gold.
12 Store up almsgiving in your treasury,
and it will rescue you from every disaster;
13 better than a stout shield and a sturdy spear,
it will fight for you against the enemy.
On Guaranteeing Debts
14 A good person will be surety for his neighbor,
but the one who has lost all sense of shame will fail him.
15 Do not forget the kindness of your guarantor,
for he has given his life for you.
16 A sinner wastes the property of his guarantor,
17 and the ungrateful person abandons his rescuer.
18 Being surety has ruined many who were prosperous
and has tossed them about like waves of the sea;
it has driven the influential into exile,
and they have wandered among foreign nations.
19 The sinner comes to grief through surety;
his pursuit of gain involves him in lawsuits.
20 Assist your neighbor to the best of your ability,
but be careful not to fall yourself.
Home and Hospitality
21 The necessities of life are water, bread, and clothing,
and also a house to assure privacy.
22 Better is the life of the poor under their own crude roof
than sumptuous food in the house of strangers.
23 Be content with little or much,
and you will hear no reproach for being a guest.[d]
24 It is a miserable life to go from house to house;
as a guest you should not open your mouth;
25 you will play the host and provide drink without being thanked,
and besides this you will hear rude words like these:
26 “Come here, stranger, prepare the table;
let me eat what you have there.”
27 “Be off, stranger, for an honored guest is here;
my brother has come for a visit, and I need the house.”
28 It is hard for a sensible person to bear
scolding about lodging[e] and the insults of the moneylender.
John 21
1 Later on, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples. It was by the Sea of Tiberias, and it happened like this:
2 Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and two more of his disciples were together.
3 Simon Peter said, ‘I’m going fishing.’ They replied, ‘We’ll come with you.’ They went out and got into the boat but caught nothing that night.
4 When it was already light, there stood Jesus on the shore, though the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus.
5 Jesus called out, ‘Haven’t you caught anything, friends?’ And when they answered, ‘No,’
6 he said, ‘Throw the net out to starboard and you’ll find something.’ So they threw the net out and could not haul it in because of the quantity of fish.
7 The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord.’ At these words, ‘It is the Lord,’ Simon Peter tied his outer garment round him (for he had nothing on) and jumped into the water.
8 The other disciples came on in the boat, towing the net with the fish; they were only about a hundred yards from land.
9 As soon as they came ashore they saw that there was some bread there and a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it.
10 Jesus said, ‘Bring some of the fish you have just caught.’
11 Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore, full of big fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them; and in spite of there being so many the net was not broken.
12 Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, ‘Who are you?’. They knew quite well it was the Lord.
13 Jesus then stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish.
14 This was the third time that Jesus revealed himself to the disciples after rising from the dead.
15 When they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?’ He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’
16 A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He replied, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Look after my sheep.’
17 Then he said to him a third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt that he asked him a third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.
18 In all truth I tell you, when you were young you put on your own belt and walked where you liked; but when you grow old you will stretch out your hands, and somebody else will put a belt round you and take you where you would rather not go.’
19 In these words he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, ‘Follow me.’
20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them — the one who had leant back close to his chest at the supper and had said to him, ‘Lord, who is it that will betray you?’
21 Seeing him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘What about him, Lord?’
22 Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to stay behind till I come, what does it matter to you? You are to follow me.’
23 The rumour then went out among the brothers that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus had not said to Peter, ‘He will not die,’ but, ‘If I want him to stay behind till I come.’
24 This disciple is the one who vouches for these things and has written them down, and we know that his testimony is true.
25 There was much else that Jesus did; if it were written down in detail, I do not suppose the world itself would hold all the books that would be written.
Sermons by various teachers about these verses.
Catholic Daily Readings and Reflections
1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and Sosthenes, our brother,
2 to the church of God in Corinth, to those who have been consecrated in Christ Jesus and called to be God’s holy people, with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord as well as ours.
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I am continually thanking God about you, for the grace of God which you have been given in Christ Jesus;
5 in him you have been richly endowed in every kind of utterance and knowledge;
6 so firmly has witness to Christ taken root in you.
7 And so you are not lacking in any gift as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed;
8 he will continue to give you strength till the very end, so that you will be irreproachable on the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 You can rely on God, who has called you to be partners with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
2 Day after day I shall bless you, I shall praise your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is Yahweh and worthy of all praise, his greatness beyond all reckoning.
4 Each age will praise your deeds to the next, proclaiming your mighty works.
5 Your renown is the splendour of your glory, I will ponder the story of your wonders.
6 They will speak of your awesome power, and I shall recount your greatness.
7 They will bring out the memory of your great generosity, and joyfully acclaim your saving justice.
Gospel, Matthew 24:42-51
42 ‘So stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming.
43 You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time of the night the burglar would come, he would have stayed awake and would not have allowed anyone to break through the wall of his house.
44 Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
45 ‘Who, then, is the wise and trustworthy servant whom the master placed over his household to give them their food at the proper time?
46 Blessed that servant if his master’s arrival finds him doing exactly that.
47 In truth I tell you, he will put him in charge of everything he owns.
48 But if the servant is dishonest and says to himself, “My master is taking his time,”
49 and sets about beating his fellow-servants and eating and drinking with drunkards,
50 his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know.
51 The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.’
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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