true religion

True religion can be summed up in the wise, unadorned words of Micah: "And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8) The book of James adds on to this with the only passage in which the word 'religion' actually occurs: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27)

True religion happens when the gospel takes root in a person’s heart. When that happens, desires change. Instead of trying to find satisfaction in gods who do not answer and things of this world, believers find contentment, joy, and peace in relationship with God—and his promise of eternal life. This is the essence of what is often called the greatest commandment: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37) 

And love for God leads to love for others. The second greatest commandment is simply to "love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:39) This love works itself out in our lives in a number of ways, not the least of which is in caring for the poor and pursuing what the Bible calls holiness—harkening back to the directive to be unpolluted by this world. 

Love for God leads to tangible action. People who love the one true God will begin to see themselves as less important and will put the needs of others ahead of their own. They will freely sacrifice time, talent, energy, and money to care for those around them who need help, whether spiritually or materially. And they do it not because they feel a need to earn God’s approval or pay him back for what he has done in their lives, but simply because they want to; they feel compelled by their love for the Lord. 

This is the essence of true religion. 

The pursuit of true religion—a life lived out of thankfulness for what God has done for us in sending Jesus Christ to live perfectly, to die for our sins, and to rise from death to give us the promise of eternal life—brings glory and praise to God. A life lived in relationship with God is what we are called to pursue if we put our faith in Jesus Christ.

A Deeper Look at What the Bible Says about Religion 

The Cry of the Poor by John Michael Talbot - YouTube

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more good news

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. 
Romans 8: 14-17 

image by Kahunapule Michael Johnson

1 John 3:1a | See how great a love the Father has given to u… | Flickr

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life in the 4th quarter

Loving Lord we thank You for the thrill of life and all the mercies that You give to each of us day by day, but Lord as we advance in years our bodies begin to lose their strength - our fingers lose their dexterity and our knees begin to tremble. And Lord the time comes all too fast, when we are not able to care for ourselves as we would like to, but have to rely on help from other people to do the basic things of life – like eating and drinking – bathing and generally caring for our homes and ourselves.

Loving Lord – we bring before You all the elderly and infirm... not only those who we know, but all who are facing this stage of their life. Draw those who have never placed their trust in You into a saving relationship with Jesus, and give those who are of the household of faith Your peace that passes understanding in their heart - as they fulfil Your purpose for their lives, in whatever condition or situation they find themselves.

Give grace to those who find it difficult to come to terms with other people caring for them, knowing that Your grace is sufficient - and as they grow older I pray that in Your love and mercy You will draw each one into closer fellowship with Yourself, in Jesus name I pray, Amen 

https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Prayers-for-the-Elderly 

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push back

a popular song in the new millennium is the 2003 song "it's a jungle out there". it became the theme song for the popular TV series "Monk". 

often it it seems that we live in a jungle--rude people, annoying people, dishonest people, dangerous people (most of the time, the real jungle seems mild in comparison to the "human" jungle!). it makes you want to "push back".

what does Jesus say about "pushing back"?

“But to you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit [is] that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as [also] your Father is merciful." 

Luke 6: 27-36 

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Come, Holy Spirit

"Come, Holy Spirit, come!
And from your celestial home
Shed a ray of light divine!
Come, Father of the poor!
Come, source of all our store!
Come, within our bosoms shine.
You, of comforters the best;
You, the soul's most welcome guest;
Sweet refreshment here below;
In our labor, rest most sweet;
Grateful coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.
O most blessed Light divine,
Shine within these hearts of yours,
And our inmost being fill!
Where you are not, we have naught,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
Nothing free from taint of ill.
Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour your dew;
Wash the stains of guilt away:
Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray.
On the faithful, who adore
And confess you, evermore
In your sevenfold gift descend;
Give them virtue's sure reward;
Give them your salvation, Lord;
Give them joys that never end. Amen.
Alleluia." 

May 20, 2018 - Pentecost Sunday - Mass during the Day

"Brothers and sisters, live by the Spirit
and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh.
For the flesh has desires against the Spirit,
and the Spirit against the flesh;
these are opposed to each other,
so that you may not do what you want.
But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Now the works of the flesh are obvious:
immorality, impurity, lust, idolatry,
sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy,
outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness,
dissensions, factions, occasions of envy,
drinking bouts, orgies, and the like.
I warn you, as I warned you before,
that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, generosity,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Against such there is no law.
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh
with its passions and desires.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit." 

Galatians 5: 16-25

How to Be Good in a World Gone Bad: Living a Life of Christian Virtue: James S. Spiegel: 9780825436956: Amazon.com: Books 

Come Holy Spirit - YouTube

fear death? faith is the answer

"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life." John 12: 24-25 

Unless a Grain of Wheat By Bernadette Farrell - YouTube 

image by Darren Calhoun

wheat - John 12:23-28 | Except a Single Grain of Wheat fall … | Flickr

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God gives me everything that I have

overcomplicating the simple

most of us would agree that the universe is complex. brilliant men and women have spent their lives studying the universe, but there is still much that baffles the scientific world about how the universe works. 
Top 10 Unsolved Mysteries of Science | IFLScience 

the same can be said of religion. theologians write scholarly books, using language that most people can't understand, to describe God and how God works.

Albert Einstein, recognized as one of the most brilliant scientists and mathematicians in history, spent his life studying the mysteries of the universe. He developed theories and spent many years developing complex mathematical formulae to prove them. Most of that work ended up in the wastebasket.

The theory that Einstein is most recognized for combines two of the most fundamental elements of the universe, mass and energy, into one. Einstein's simple mathematical formula proves his theory: E=mc² (Energy=mass times the speed of light squared). 
NOVA | Einstein's Big Idea | Library Resource Kit: E = mc2 Explained | PBS 

I've purchased books in the recent past with simple titles, such as "Providence" and "Nothing Greater, Nothing Better", in an attempt to know more about God. I wasn't able to finish them. Even though I consider my vocabulary good, I realized early on that I needed a PhD in vocabulary to understand them. 

won't it be wonderful one day, after this life on earth is over, when we learn that, with an all-knowing God, everything is simple? 

image by European Southern Observatory (ESO)

File:Screenshot from IMAX® 3D movie Hidden Universe showing the Carina Nebula.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

"The Pharisees and Sadducees came and, to test him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He said to them in reply, '[In the evening you say, ‘Tomorrow will be fair, for the sky is red’; and, in the morning, ‘Today will be stormy, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to judge the appearance of the sky, but you cannot judge the signs of the times.] An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah.' Then he left them and went away." Matthew 16 1-4

image by Billy Hathorn

File:Religious sign in Shamrock, TX IMG 6137.JPG - Wikimedia Commons

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divine praises

Blessed be God. 

Blessed be God's Holy Name. 

Blessed be God, Creator. 

Blessed be God's sovereign power.

Blessed be God's infinite love. 

Blessed be God's mercy.

Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man. 

Blessed be the Name of Jesus. 

Blessed be Jesus' Most Sacred Heart. 

Blessed be Jesus' Most Precious Blood. 

Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. 

Blessed be Jesus' obedience to God our Father.

Blessed be Jesus' incarnation.

Blessed be Jesus' public ministry.

Blessed be Jesus' redemption for our sins.

Blessed be Jesus' glorious resurrection.

Blessed be Jesus' glorious ascension.

Blessed be Jesus' Word.

Blessed be Jesus' holy church.

Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. 

Blessed be the Holy Spirit's grace.

Blessed be the Holy Spirit's counsel.

Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most Holy. 

Blessed be her Holy and Immaculate Conception. 

Blessed be her Glorious Assumption. 

Blessed be the Name of Mary, Virgin and Mother. 

Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse. 

Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints.

Holy God we praise thy name - YouTube

human words that are used to describe God, e.g. supreme, awesome, mighty, perfect, king, etc. are all inadequate because humans use these words to refer to other things too. God should be a word that is reserved for only God--a word that is analogous to no other word. blessed be God's holy name.

has the ban on prayer in public schools in the USA finally reached congress?

REPORT: Chaplain for House of Representatives Forced to Resign 

SCOTUS 101: Prayer in Public Schools | HistoryNet

Patrick J. Conroy - Wikipedia

God help us.

faith healing

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, [for] the old order has passed away." Revelation 21:4 

6 Bible Verses for Healing of Mind, Body and Spirit | Guideposts 

patience

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You too must be patient. Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not complain, brothers, about one another, that you may not be judged. Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates. Take as an example of hardship and patience, brothers, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Indeed we call blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of the perseverance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, because “the Lord is compassionate and merciful.” 

But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath, but let your “Yes” mean “Yes” and your “No” mean “No,” that you may not incur condemnation. 

James 5: 7-12 

The Virtue of Patience | Christian Bible Studies 


Patience People - John Foley, S.J. - YouTube

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amazing grace

 Insights on Romans: NIV - Charles R. Swindoll - Google Books 

"...all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus..." Romans 3: 23-24 

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8 


Amazing Grace - Best Version By Far! - YouTube

image by Patrick Slaven

rom 3 23 field 1680x1050 | A desktop background made from Ro… | Flickr

faith

in a dark world, where evil seems to prevail, faith in God is the answer. 

in John 3 11-21 Jesus says:

"Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God." 

Jesus God came into a dark world where, even as a baby, He was sought to kill. eventually those who sought to kill Jesus succeeded. He was relentlessly pursued, betrayed, tortured and died on a cross like a criminal. it appeared that evil had prevailed. but, evil didn't prevail. Jesus rose from the dead. He crushed evil. 

if only we have faith. 

hell

"The pope continued, according to Scalfari, saying (emphasis ours), 'The disappearance of sinful souls exists.'

The statements spurred Catholics and other believers to grab their virtual pitchforks to express their fury, which the Vatican has since tried to cool." 
Pope To World: Hell Does Exist : The Two-Way : NPR 

not this Catholic.

I have often wondered how a loving Creator could allow His (since God is Spirit, and spirit has no gender, you may substitute "Her" for "His", if you wish) creature to be tortured for all eternity for his, or her, sins. 

I am a sinner. I deserve hell for the sins that I have committed. 

who is the last person to condemn another person for their sins? their mother. even though as an adult their child may commit horrible crime(s), their mother still loves them. a mother may hate the horrible crime(s) that her child committed, but a mother still loves her child. is a mother's love a reflection of God's love for His children?

to me "disappearance" seems to make some sense. we are all sinners. we all deserve hell. it is only through the love and mercy of God that any person will enjoy eternal happiness. those who God deems unworthy of eternal happiness because of their sins, their lack of contrition for their sins or their failure to acknowledge God as God, would cease to exist. they would justly be denied eternal happiness with God in heaven (just punishment for their sins and lack of contrition). but, Creator God, because of His great love for His creatures, would not allow them to be tortured for all eternity in hell.

Jesus

He is God.

He is the beginning.

He has no end.

He loves.

He became man.

He taught.

He redeemed us from our sins.

He rose from the dead.

He ascended into heaven.

Jesus, God, Savior,

we love You.

File:El Greco - Christ as Saviour - WGA10550.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

the Perfect solution

God is eternal.
God is infinite.
with God there is no beginning or end.
God is almighty.
God is all powerful.
God is all knowing.
God is love.
there is nothing greater, nothing better, than God.

God always knew that His creation, man, would betray him.
God knew that man would sin and sin again and again.
God knew the Perfect solution to mankind's sinfulness from the beginning: Father God, Son Jesus God, the Redeemer, and Holy Spirit God, the Advocate.
God knew the Perfect solution to His Creation mankind's sinfulness from the beginning.

image by AnonMoos (earlier version of SVG file Sumudu Fernando)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shield-Trinity-Scutum-Fidei-English.svg

I confess to almighty God

I confess to almighty God

and to you, my brothers and sisters,

that I have greatly sinned,

in my thoughts and in my words,

in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,

through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault;

therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,

all the Angels and Saints,

and you, my brothers and sisters,

to pray for me to the Lord our God.

Amen

image by Gallen35

File:Christianity-Jesus Christ Died for your Sin.jpg - Wikimedia Commons 

faith, hope & love

faith is believing that there is nothing greater, nothing better, than God.

hope is believing that no matter what happens that everything will be alright.

love is helping others on their journey.

facing death with faith

Soldier of Christ - Army Major Jeff Struecker Tells His Inspiring Story of Survival - YouTube 

File:Jeff Struecker.jpg - Wikimedia Commons 

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