"Do not fear: I am with you; do not be anxious: I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand." isaiah 41 10

Keep silence before me, O coastlands;
let the nations renew their strength.
Let them draw near and speak;
let us come together for judgment.

Who has stirred up from the East the champion of justice,
and summoned him to be his attendant?
To him he delivers nations
and subdues kings;

With his sword he reduces them to dust,
with his bow, to driven straw.
He pursues them, passing on without loss,
by a path his feet scarcely touch.

Who has performed these deeds?
Who has called forth the generations from the beginning?
I, the LORD, am the first,
and at the last I am he.

The coastlands see, and fear;
the ends of the earth tremble:
they approach, they come on.

Each one helps his neighbor,
one says to the other, “Courage!”

The woodworker encourages the goldsmith,
the one who beats with the hammer, him who strikes on the anvil,
Saying of the soldering, “It is good!”
then fastening it with nails so it will not totter.

But you, Israel, my servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
offspring of Abraham my friend—

You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth
and summoned from its far-off places,
To whom I have said, You are my servant;
I chose you, I have not rejected you—

Do not fear: I am with you; 
do not be anxious: I am your God. 
I will strengthen you, I will help you, 
I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

Yes, all shall be put to shame and disgrace
who vent their anger against you;
Those shall be as nothing and perish
who offer resistance.

You shall seek but not find
those who strive against you;
They shall be as nothing at all
who do battle with you.

For I am the LORD, your God,
who grasp your right hand;
It is I who say to you, Do not fear,
I will help you.

Do not fear, you worm Jacob,
you maggot Israel;
I will help you—oracle of the LORD;
the Holy One of Israel is your redeemer.

I will make of you a threshing sledge,
sharp, new, full of teeth,
To thresh the mountains and crush them,
to make the hills like chaff.

When you winnow them, the wind shall carry them off,
the storm shall scatter them.
But you shall rejoice in the LORD;
in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory.

The afflicted and the needy seek water in vain,
their tongues are parched with thirst.
I, the LORD, will answer them;
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

I will open up rivers on the bare heights,
and fountains in the broad valleys;
I will turn the wilderness into a marshland,
and the dry ground into springs of water.

In the wilderness I will plant the cedar,
acacia, myrtle, and olive;
In the wasteland I will set the cypress,
together with the plane tree and the pine,

That all may see and know,
observe and understand,
That the hand of the LORD has done this,
the Holy One of Israel has created it.

Present your case, says the LORD;
bring forward your arguments, says the King of Jacob.

Let them draw near and foretell to us
what it is that shall happen!
What are the things of long ago?
Tell us, that we may reflect on them
and know their outcome;
Or declare to us the things to come,

tell what is to be in the future,
that we may know that you are gods!
Do something, good or evil,
that will put us in awe and in fear.

Why, you are nothing
and your work is nought;
to choose you is an abomination!

I have stirred up one from the north, and he comes;
from the east I summon him by name;
He shall trample the rulers down like mud,
like a potter treading clay.

Who announced this from the beginning, that we might know;
beforehand, that we might say, “True”?
Not one of you foretold it, not one spoke;
not one heard you say,

“The first news for Zion: here they come,”
or, “I will give Jerusalem a herald of good news.”
When I look, there is not one,
not one of them to give counsel,
to make an answer when I question them.

Ah, all of them are nothing,
their works are nought,
their idols, empty wind!

isaiah 41

Verse 10

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God:

I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

This verse has inspired many well-known hymns, among them:

• How Firm a Foundation
• The Right Hand of God
• Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
• Just a Closer Walk with Thee

Isaiah 41 - Wikipedia 

Just a Closer walk with Thee with Lyrics - Visual Worship ! - YouTube

image by Billie

Isaiah 41:10 | I don't often play Bible Bingo, but tonight t… | Flickr

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faith and fear

What does the Bible say about faith vs. fear? 

image by Tyler Neyens

Do not Fear Scripture | One of the most common commands in t… | Flickr

where are we on the line between faith and fear?
near the bottom, where fear dominates our lives? if so, then we need to strengthen our faith.
or near the top, where our faith is strong? this is where we want to be.
or do we slide up and down the line, faith-filled at some times and full of fear at others? the choice is ours--choose faith.

No Jesus--no peace.

Know Jesus--know peace.

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when I die

when I die I will be judged.

there will be only truth.

no lies. no deception.
nothing but the truth.

not like "truth" on earth.

not like human "truth".

not like the "truth" of "know-it-all"s.

not like the "truth" of those who presume to speak for God.

I am guilty.

I know the truth.

I know that I am a sinner.

I know my sins,

what I have done,

and what I have failed to do.

they are of my own free will.

I am guilty.

I prostrate myself before God.

a guilty sinner.

I know what I deserve.

only through His blood,

the spotless lamb of God,

will I be saved from the just punishment that I deserve.

only because of His incomprehensible love.

image from Internet Archive Book Images

Image from page 258 of "The Bible panorama, or The Holy Sc… | Flickr 

Flickr: The Commons 

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Holy God we praise thy name

there's a church not far from us: 
Columbia Furnace United Methodist Church 
19 Union Church Road  
Edinburg, Virginia 

as we drove by on an errand, we heard: 

St. Francis Xavier Parish | Carillon Bells - Advent, Christmas & General | CD Baby Music Store (#18, Holy God we praise thy name) 

Thank you, Columbia Furnace United Methodist Church. 

image by NatalieMaynor

Columbia Furnace | Columbia Furnace Union Church, Shenandoah… | Flickr

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anoint

"As for you, the anointing that you received from him remains in you, so that you do not need anyone to teach you. But his anointing teaches you about everything and is true and not false; just as it taught you, remain in him." 
1 john 2:27 

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merciful God

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1   EX 32:7-11, 13-14 

The LORD said to Moses,
"Go down at once to your people,
whom you brought out of the land of Egypt,
for they have become depraved.
They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them,
making for themselves a molten calf and worshiping it,
sacrificing to it and crying out,
'This is your God, O Israel,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt!'
"I see how stiff-necked this people is, " continued the LORD to Moses.
Let me alone, then,
that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them.
Then I will make of you a great nation."

But Moses implored the LORD, his God, saying,
"Why, O LORD, should your wrath blaze up against your own people,
whom you brought out of the land of Egypt
with such great power and with so strong a hand?
Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,
and how you swore to them by your own self, saying,
'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky;
and all this land that I promised,
I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.'"
So the LORD relented in the punishment
he had threatened to inflict on his people.


Responsorial Psalm     PS 51:3-4, 12-13, 17, 19 

R. (Lk 15:18) I will rise and go to my father.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. I will rise and go to my father.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. I will rise and go to my father.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. I will rise and go to my father.

Reading 21    TM 1:12-17

Beloved:
I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord,
because he considered me trustworthy
in appointing me to the ministry.
I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and arrogant,
but I have been mercifully treated
because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief.
Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant,
along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance:
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
Of these I am the foremost.
But for that reason I was mercifully treated,
so that in me, as the foremost,
Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example
for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life.
To the king of ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only God,
honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Alleluia      2 COR 5:19

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ
and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel      LK 15:1-32

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So to them he addressed this parable.
“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them
would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert
and go after the lost one until he finds it?
And when he does find it,
he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
and, upon his arrival home,
he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
I tell you, in just the same way
there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous people
who have no need of repentance.

“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one
would not light a lamp and sweep the house,
searching carefully until she finds it?
And when she does find it,
she calls together her friends and neighbors
and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’
In just the same way, I tell you,
there will be rejoicing among the angels of God
over one sinner who repents.”

Then he said,
“A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,
‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’
So the father divided the property between them.
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings
and set off to a distant country
where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
When he had freely spent everything,
a severe famine struck that country,
and he found himself in dire need.
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought,
‘How many of my father’s hired workers
have more than enough food to eat,
but here am I, dying from hunger.
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I no longer deserve to be called your son;
treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’
So he got up and went back to his father.
While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him,
and was filled with compassion.
He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
His son said to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son.’
But his father ordered his servants,
‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it.
Then let us celebrate with a feast,
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;
he was lost, and has been found.’
Then the celebration began.
Now the older son had been out in the field
and, on his way back, as he neared the house,
he heard the sound of music and dancing.
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
The servant said to him,
‘Your brother has returned
and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.’
He became angry,
and when he refused to enter the house,
his father came out and pleaded with him.
He said to his father in reply,
‘Look, all these years I served you
and not once did I disobey your orders;
yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns,
who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,
for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’
He said to him,
‘My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours.
But now we must celebrate and rejoice,
because your brother was dead and has come to life again;
he was lost and has been found.’” 

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/091519.cfm

image by Tito & Eva Marie Balangue

56: Daily Inspirational Bible Verse | Psalm 51:1 (KJV) -----… | Flickr

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best Christmas ever

think back to your youth--WAY back--before preschool. as a baby, you're just beginning to realize that there's more out there than mommy, daddy, hungry, wet, etc.

now imagine back to your first Christmas (or maybe your second--if you were born a couple months or less before Christmas). imagine your excitement--pretty Christmas decorations, lights, sounds, toys, singing, laughing, loving, joy, etc.  WOW! we must have been REALLY excited! 

now imagine forward to the first time that you experience heaven. imagine your excitement with the wonder and majesty of God, God's creation, the universe, God's sovereignty, majesty, love, etc. you'll realize for the first time that, just like when you were a baby, there's SO much more! you'll realize that even the most brilliant person who ever lived experiences the same--there's SO much more! it'll be overwhelming.

seeing the first Christmas in "real time"--the best Christmas ever.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Geertgen_tot_Sint_Jans,_The_Nativity_at_Night,_c_1490.jpg

Geertgen tot Sint Jans [Public domain]

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Who can know God’s counsel, 
or who can conceive what the LORD intends? 
For the deliberations of mortals are timid, 
and unsure are our plans. 
For the corruptible body burdens the soul and 
the earthen shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns.
And scarce do we guess the things on earth,
and what is within our grasp we find with difficulty;
but when things are in heaven, who can search them out?
Or who ever knew your counsel, except you had given wisdom
and sent your holy spirit from on high?
And thus were the paths of those on earth made straight.
WIS 9:13-18B

Responsorial Psalm

R. (1) In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
You turn man back to dust,
saying, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are as yesterday, now that it is past,
or as a watch of the night.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
You make an end of them in their sleep;
the next morning they are like the changing grass,
Which at dawn springs up anew,
but by evening wilts and fades.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
And may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

PS 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 AND 17

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/090819.cfm



For the Beauty of the Earth (Michelle Swift, Hymn with Lyrics, Contemporary) - YouTube

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humility

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/090119.cfm 

image by Ron Mader

Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of … | Flickr

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The Lord is Marching out in Splendor - Divine Hymns - Lyrics Video - YouTube

the Lord is marching out in splendour
In awesome majesty He rides
For truth, humility and justice
His mighty army fills the skies

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without the cross there is no salvation

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Mary, model of devotion and obedience to God

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_William_Waterhouse_-_The_Annunciation.JPG

John William Waterhouse [Public domain]

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This file comes from Wellcome Images, a website operated by Wellcome Trust, a global charitable foundation based in the United Kingdom.

File:The Birth of Baby Jesus.jpg - Wikipedia

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1924 and 1977 without a copyright notice.

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Circle of Giovanni Bellini [Public domain]

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James Tissot [Public domain]

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