Free Republic

July 4 2020 Saturday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Am 9:11-15 Thus says the LORD: On that day I will raise up the fallen hut of David; I will wall up its breaches, raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old, That they may conquer what is left of Edom and all the nations that shall bear my name, say I, the LORD, who will do this. Yes, days are coming, says the LORD, When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the vintager, him who sows the seed; The...

"Coming to [Christ] as to a living stone" (1 Pet. 2:4). Jesus is the only source of eternal life and the foundation upon which the church is built. Peter's description of Christ as "a living stone" is paradoxical because stones aren't alive. In fact, we sometimes speak of something being "stone dead." Yet Peter's symbolism is profound because it beautifully incorporates three realities about Christ. First, Jesus is the long-awaited Jewish Messiah. The Old Testament referred to the Messiah as a stone, and Peter incorporated those texts into His description of Jesus in 1 Peter 2:6-8: "Behold I lay in...

ABRAHAM COMMISSIONS HIS SERVANT ELIEZER GENESIS 24 (NIV, emphases added) 1 Abraham was now very old, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. 2 He said to the senior servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh. 3 I want you to swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, 4 but will go to my country and my own relatives...

End Times expert Rabbi Mendel Kessin is well-known for connecting world events to their end of days significance. In a recent lecture, he spoke about the “upheavals, eruptions and catastrophes” currently playing out in America. “We’re watching a tremendous amount of instability in the world. I’m sure everyone is wondering, ‘What is happening and why is this happening?’” he noted. His explanation is based, in part, on the Biblical precedent of the story of Noah. Hashem said to Noach, “I have decided to put an end to all flesh, for the earth is filled with lawlessness because of them: I...

July 3 2020 Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle Reading 1 Eph 2:19-22 Brothers and sisters: You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Responsorial Psalm 117:1bc, 2 R. (Mark 16:15) Go out to all...

As fireworks fill the night sky on the Fourth of July, people will surely notice the changes taking place to the full moon, the first of the summer season, as it slowly changes color. Though the lunar change will be subtle, a one-hundred-year-old prophecy warns that this eclipse is in omen that should the nations force Israel to give up land in Israel, a foreign leader will pay with his life. A lunar eclipse takes place when the earth is between the sun and the moon, and the moon passes through the earth’s shadow. The Fourth of July will present...

GENESIS 22 (NIV, emphases added) 1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. 2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4...

When I worked as a day camp counselor, there was one song we never really had to teach the kids: “This Little Light of Mine.” With other camp songs, we’d walk them through the hand motions or have them practice the chorus a few times. But with that song, there was none of that. They knew what to do. Pointer fingers were raised, held out like candles. Heads began to sway. And every camper and counselor would begin to sing, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine…” It’s pretty powerful if you think about the lyrics. “Won’t...

Christianity is the foundation of Western Society. However, many in political and academic arenas deny the historical and current benefits of Christianity. We recently examined the histories of European tribes in the early Middle Ages, from 300 years before to 300 years after conversion to Christianity. Our analysis discovered marked statistical improvements in tribal society measures following conversion to Christianity. Following Christianization, tribal-based populations developed more organized, peaceful, compassionate, and just societies. These early medieval countries, while underdeveloped by today’s standards, laid the groundwork for the constitutional democracies that many enjoy today which provide for economic advancement and judicial fairness...

"Coming to [Christ] as to a living stone" (1 Pet. 2:4). Jesus Christ is the source of every spiritual privilege. Often Christians speak of salvation as "coming to Christ." That's an accurate, biblical description, for Jesus Himself said, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28); "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst" (John 6:35); "If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink" (John 7:37). Those are metaphors for salvation. Coming...

Judaism is the oldest of all the Abrahamic religions. Its founding prophet is Moses, who had been chosen by God to lead the Israelite slaves out of Egypt. Camped under Mount Sinai, Moses gave the Israelite slaves the Torah of their God, and after wandering in the desert for 40 years, they went to live in what is now known as Israel, which they believe is God's gift to them. Jews trace their Abrahamic lineage through his son, Isaac. Islam was founded by Muhammad in the year 622. Muhammad believed that God chose him to be his prophet and to...

July 2 2020 Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1Am 7:10-17 Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam, king of Israel: “Amos has conspired against you here within Israel; the country cannot endure all his words. For this is what Amos says: Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be exiled from its land.”To Amos, Amaziah said: “Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah! There earn your bread by prophesying, but never again prophesy in Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.” Amos answered...

Making access to sacraments more difficultThe U.S. Navy is prohibiting service members from leaving base to go to church. In an information dispatch last week, "indoor religious services" are on a list of off-base places and gatherings that Navy members are prohibited from attending — alongside "parades," "night clubs" and "casinos." But the dispatch goes even further, and says service members, their families, military contractors and others should avoid using "drive-in spiritual services." For Catholics, this would include things like a parking lot Mass or a drive-thru confession line — measures seen around the country in response to the coronavirus...

Remember. July 1 is the feast of Saint Junipero Serra, patron saint of Hispanics Americans and the State of California. Congratulations for all American Hispanics and Californians! Saint junipero Serra founded many California missions which became seeds of great California Cities like San Francisco and San Diego. Attacks on Saint Junipero Serra statues are attacks on California and all US Hispanics!

“Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you.”Satchel Paige GOD INFORMS ABRAHAM GENESIS 18(NIV, emphases added) 1 The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. By JAMES TISSOT”Abraham and the Three Angels” (To view twenty images of the angels, please see this series' prior post #12, Abraham's Three Visitors #1.) 16 When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to...

"Coming to Him as to a living stone . . . you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood. . . . You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession. . . . You are the people of God. . . . You have received mercy" (1 Pet. 2:4-10). You have enormous privileges in Christ. A university student once confessed to a pastor, "I've come to the conclusion that I don't believe in God." "I see," the pastor replied. "Please tell me...

July 1 2020 Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Am 5:14-15, 21-24 Seek good and not evil, that you may live; Then truly will the LORD, the God of hosts, be with you as you claim! Hate evil and love good, and let justice prevail at the gate; Then it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will have pity on the remnant of Joseph.I hate, I spurn your feasts, says the LORD, I take no pleasure in your solemnities; Your cereal offerings I will not accept, nor consider your stall-fed peace offerings....

GOD APPEARS TO ABRAHAM GENESIS 18 (NIV, emphases added) 1 The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby…… by JAMES TISSOT”Abraham and the Three Angels” by GUSTAV DORÉ “Three Angels Appear to Abraham and Inform Him of God’s Intentions” “Abraham’s Celestial Visitors” “Abraham’s Three Visitors” Icon for a large iconostasis, a screen separating the altar sanctuary from the nave in Orthodox churches at Monreale Cathedral? by REMBRANDT VAN RIJN”Abraham Serving the...

The next election is now about four months away, and some commentators are saying things are going to get nasty. Words that come to mind as I read this are devilish, ugly, anarchy, orchestrated chaos, insurrection, planned wickedness, incitement of trouble, weaponized Antifa terrorists, Black Lives Matter, and others. Liberal Democrats (Pelosi, Schumer), Planned Parenthood, gays, etc., are desperate to retake the White House and prevent the loss of another seat on the U.S. Supreme Court. Powerful globalists (Soros, Kissinger, Clinton, etc.) are passionate about world government, and they want to continue the surrender of America to meet the UN...

"In the same way was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? Just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead" (James 2:25-26). True faith willingly makes whatever sacrifices God requires. It's understandable that James would use Abraham as an illustration of living faith—especially to his predominately Jewish readers. Rahab, however, is a different story. She was a Gentile, a prostitute, a liar, and lived in the pagan city of Jericho. How could such a person illustrate true faith? Rahab...