Jesus answered him,”I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43 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 : 37-39 and Acts 3.
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Verses for today – Listen here: For explanations
Reflection for Today.
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Sirach 37
False Friends
37 Every friend says, “I, too, am a friend,”
but some friends are friends only in name.
2 Does not sorrow draw near to death
when a companion and friend[a] turns into an enemy?
3 O inclination to evil, why were you formed
to cover the land with deceit?
4 Some companions rejoice in the happiness of friends,
but in time of trouble they are against them.
5 Some companions help a friend for their stomachs’ sake,
yet in battle they will carry his shield.
6 Do not forget friends during the battle,[b]
and do not be unmindful of them when you distribute your spoils.[c]
Caution in Taking Advice
7 All counselors praise the counsel they give,
but some give counsel in their own interest.
8 Be wary of counselors
and learn first what is their interest,
for they will take thought for themselves.
They may cast the lot against you
9 and tell you, “Your way is good,”
and then stand aside to see what happens to you.
10 Do not consult the one who regards you with suspicion;
hide your intentions from those who are jealous of you.
11 Do not consult with a woman about her rival
or with a coward about war,
with a merchant about business
or with a buyer about selling,
with a miser about generosity[d]
or with the merciless about kindness,
with an idler about any work
or with a seasonal laborer about finishing the job,
with a lazy slave about a big task—
pay no attention to any advice they give.
12 But associate with a godly person
whom you know to be a keeper of the commandments,
who is like-minded with yourself,
and who will grieve with you if you fail.
13 And heed[e] the counsel of your own heart,
for no one is more faithful to you than it is.
14 For our own mind sometimes keeps us better informed
than seven sentinels sitting high on a watchtower.
15 But above all pray to the Most High
that he may direct your way in truth.
True and False Wisdom
16 Discussion is the beginning of every work,
and counsel precedes every undertaking.
17 The mind is the root of all counsel;[f]
18 it sprouts four branches,[g]
good and evil, life and death,
and it is the tongue that continually rules them.
19 Some people may be clever enough to teach many
and yet be useless to themselves.
20 Skillful speakers may be hated;
they will be destitute of all food,
21 for the Lord has withheld the gift of charm,
since they are lacking in all wisdom.
22 If people are wise to their own advantage,
the fruits of their good sense will be praiseworthy.[h]
23 The wise instruct their own people,
and the fruits of their good sense are trustworthy.
24 The wise will have praise heaped upon them,
and all who see them will call them happy.
25 The days of a person’s life are numbered,
but the days of Israel are without number.
26 Those who are wise among their people will inherit honor,[i]
and their names will live forever.
Concerning Moderation
27 My child, test yourself while you live;
see what is bad for you, and do not give in to it.
28 For not everything is good for everyone,
and no one enjoys everything.
29 Do not be greedy for every delicacy,
and do not eat without restraint,
30 for overeating brings sickness,
and gluttony leads to nausea.
31 Many have died of gluttony,
but those who guard against it prolong their lives.
Sirach 38
Concerning Physicians and Health
38 Honor physicians for their services,
for the Lord created them,
2 for their gift of healing comes from the Most High,
and they are rewarded by the king.
3 The skill of physicians makes them distinguished,
and in the presence of the great they are admired.
4 The Lord created medicines out of the earth,
and the sensible will not despise them.
5 Was not water made sweet with a tree
in order that its[a] power might be known?
6 And he gave skill to human beings
that he[b] might be glorified in his marvelous works.
7 By them the physician[c] heals and takes away pain;
8 the pharmacist makes a mixture from them.
God’s[d] works will never be finished,
and from him health spreads over all the earth.
9 My child, when you are ill, do not delay,
but pray to the Lord, and he will heal you.
10 Give up your faults and direct your hands rightly,
and cleanse your heart from all sin.
11 Offer a sweet-smelling sacrifice and a memorial portion of choice flour,
and pour oil on your offering, as much as you can afford.[e]
12 Then give physicians their place, for the Lord created them;
do not let them leave you, for you need them.
13 There may come a time when recovery lies in the hands of physicians,[f]
14 for they, too, pray to the Lord
that he grant them success in diagnosis[g]
and in healing, for the sake of preserving life.
15 Those who sin against their Maker
will be defiant toward the physician.[h]
On Mourning for the Dead
16 My child, let your tears fall for the dead,
and as one in great pain begin the lament.
Lay out the body according to custom,
and do not neglect the burial.
17 Let your weeping be bitter and your wailing fervent;
make your mourning worthy of the departed,
for one day or two, to avoid criticism;
then be comforted for your grief.
18 For grief may result in death,
and a sorrowful heart saps one’s strength.
19 In calamity, grief continues,
but the life of the poor is a curse to the heart.
20 Do not give your heart to grief;
drive it away and remember your own end.
21 Do not forget, there is no coming back;
you do the dead[i] no good, and you injure yourself.
22 Remember his[j] fate, for yours is like it;
yesterday it was his,[k] and today it is yours.
23 When the dead are at rest, let their remembrance rest, too,
and be comforted for them when their spirits have departed.
Trades and Crafts
24 The wisdom of the scribe depends on the opportunity of leisure;
only the one who has little business can become wise.
25 How can one become wise who handles the plow
and who glories in the shaft of a goad,
who drives oxen and is occupied with their work,
and whose talk is about the offspring of bulls?
26 He sets his heart on plowing furrows,
and he loses sleep over fodder for the heifers.
27 So it is with every artisan and master artisan
who labors by night as well as by day;
those who carve the signets of seals—
each is diligent in making a great variety;
they set their heart on painting a lifelike image,
and they lose sleep in order to finish their work.
28 So it is with the smith sitting by the anvil,
intent on his ironwork;
the breath of the fire melts his flesh,
and he struggles with the heat of the furnace;
the sound of the hammer deafens his ears,[l]
and his eyes are on the pattern of the object.
He sets his heart on finishing his handiwork,
and he loses sleep to complete its decoration.
29 So it is with the potter sitting at his work
and turning the wheel with his feet;
he always lies down anxious about his work,
and his every work is taken into account.
30 He molds the clay with his arm
and makes it pliable with his feet;
he sets his heart to finish the glazing,
and he takes care in firing[m] the kiln.
31 All these rely on their hands,
and all are skillful in their own work.
32 Without them no city can be inhabited,
and wherever they live they will not go hungry.[n]
Yet they are not sought out for the council of the people,[o]
33 nor do they attain eminence in the public assembly.
They do not sit in the judge’s seat,
nor do they understand the decisions of the courts;
they cannot expound discipline or judgment,
and they are not found among the rulers.[p]
34 But they maintain the fabric of the world,
and their concern is for[q] the exercise of their trade.
The Activity of the Scribe
How different the one who devotes himself
to the study of the law of the Most High!
Sirach 39
39 They seek out the wisdom of all the ancients
and are concerned with prophecies;
2 they preserve the sayings of the famous
and penetrate the subtleties of parables;
3 they seek out the hidden meanings of proverbs
and are at home with the obscurities of parables.
4 They serve among the great
and appear before rulers;
they travel in foreign nations
and learn what is good and evil in the human lot.
5 They set their hearts to rise early
to seek the Lord who made them
and to petition the Most High;
they open their mouths in prayer
and ask pardon for their sins.
6 If the great Lord is willing,
they will be filled with the spirit of understanding;
they will pour forth words of wisdom of their own
and give thanks to the Lord in prayer.
7 The Lord[a] will direct their counsel and knowledge
as they meditate on his mysteries.
8 They will show the discipline of their training
and will glory in the law of the Lord’s covenant.
9 Many will praise their understanding;
it will never be blotted out.
Their memory will not disappear,
and their names will live through all generations.
10 Nations will speak of their wisdom,
and the congregation will proclaim their praise.
11 If they live long, they will leave a name greater than a thousand,
and if they go to rest, it is enough for them.
A Hymn of Praise to God
12 I have more on my mind to express;
I am full like the full moon.
13 Listen to me, my faithful children, and blossom
like a rose growing by a stream of water.
14 Send out fragrance like incense
and put forth blossoms like a lily.
Raise your voice[b] and sing a hymn of praise;
bless the Lord for all his works.
15 Ascribe majesty to his name
and give thanks to him with praise,
with songs on your lips and with harps;
this is what you shall say in thanksgiving:
16 “All the works of the Lord are very good,
and whatever he commands will be done at the appointed time.
17 No one can say, ‘What is this?’ or ‘Why is that?’—
for at the appointed time everything will be made known.
At his word the waters stood in a heap
and the reservoirs of water at the word of his mouth.
18 At his command, his purpose is fulfilled,
and none can limit his saving power.
19 The works of all are before him,
and nothing can be hidden from his eyes.
20 From age to age he observes all,
and nothing is too marvelous for him.
21 No one can say, ‘What is this?’ or ‘Why is that?’—
for everything has been created for its own purpose.
22 “His blessing covers the dry land like a river
and drenches it like a flood.
23 The nations will inherit his wrath,
as when he turned a watered land into salt.
24 To the faithful his ways are straight
but full of pitfalls for the lawless.
25 From the beginning good things were created for the good
but for sinners good things and bad.[c]
26 The basic necessities of human life
are water and fire and iron and salt
and wheat flour and milk and honey,
the blood of the grape and oil and clothing.
27 All these are good for the godly,
but for sinners they turn into evils.
28 “There are winds created for vengeance,
and in their anger they can dislodge mountains;[d]
on the day of reckoning they will pour out their strength
and calm the anger of their Maker.
29 Fire and hail and famine and pestilence—
all these have been created for vengeance;
30 the fangs of wild animals and scorpions and vipers
and the sword that punishes the ungodly with destruction.
31 They take delight in doing his bidding,
always ready for his service on earth,
and when their time comes they never disobey his command.”
32 So from the beginning I have been steadfast
and have thought it out and left it in writing:
33 All the works of the Lord are good,
and he will supply every need in its time.
34 No one can say, “This is not as good as that,”
for everything proves good in its appointed time.
35 So now sing praise with all your heart and voice,
and bless the name of the Lord.
Acts 3
Sermons by various teachers about these verses.
Catholic Daily Readings and Reflections
Reading 1, Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29
17 My child, be gentle in carrying out your business, and you will be better loved than a lavish giver.
18 The greater you are, the more humbly you should behave, and then you will find favour with the Lord;
20 for great though the power of the Lord is, he accepts the homage of the humble.
28 For the disease of the proud there is no cure, since an evil growth has taken root there.
29 The heart of the sensible will reflect on parables, an attentive ear is the sage’s dream.
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11
4 Sing to God, play music to his name, build a road for the Rider of the Clouds, rejoice in Yahweh, dance before him.
5 Father of orphans, defender of widows, such is God in his holy dwelling.
6 God gives the lonely a home to live in, leads prisoners out into prosperity, but rebels must live in the bare wastelands.
7 God, when you set out at the head of your people, when you strode over the desert,
10 Your family found a home, which you in your generosity provided for the humble.
11 The Lord gave a command, the good news of a countless army.
Gospel, Luke 14:1, 7-14
1 Now it happened that on a Sabbath day he had gone to share a meal in the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely.
7 He then told the guests a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places of honour. He said this,
8 ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited,
9 and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man.” And then, to your embarrassment, you will have to go and take the lowest place.
10 No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher.” Then, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured.
11 For everyone who raises himself up will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be raised up.’
12 Then he said to his host, ‘When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relations or rich neighbours, in case they invite you back and so repay you.
13 No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;
14 then you will be blessed, for they have no means to repay you and so you will be repaid when the upright rise again.’
Reading 2, Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24
18 What you have come to is nothing known to the senses: not a blazing fire, or gloom or total darkness, or a storm;
19 or trumpet-blast or the sound of a voice speaking which made everyone that heard it beg that no more should be said to them.
22 But what you have come to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem where the millions of angels have gathered for the festival,
23 with the whole Church of first-born sons, enrolled as citizens of heaven. You have come to God himself, the supreme Judge, and to the spirits of the upright who have been made perfect;
24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to purifying blood which pleads more insistently than Abel’s.
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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