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Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings. When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.(Psalm 9:11-12)The message of Psalm 9, is the coming of the Lord. He comes to deliver Israel from the enemies who besiege her in the last days. He comes to Judge the world in righteousness. He comes to put an end to the wanton destruction of the enemy. Here we see another of the reasons the Lord comes again, He comes as the judge to to make inquisition for...

The twelve apostles included "Bartholomew [Nathanael]" (Matt. 10:3). God knows your heart and will honor your search for truth. Despite Nathanael's prejudice, Jesus knew he was an honest, sincere, Jewish believer in whom there was no religious hypocrisy or deceit (John 1:47). He truly sought after God and looked forward to the Messiah's coming. Most of the Jewish people of Jesus' day believed that every circumcised descendent of Abraham was a true Jew and a beneficiary of the Abrahamic covenant. But in Romans 2:28–29 Paul explains that salvation is an issue of the heart, not of national origin: "He is...

“But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation” (1 Peter 4:13). We should rejoice in trials and persecutions, not for their own sake, but for the benefits that result. The late D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, in his classic book Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, made the following careful distinction on what it means to rejoice in persecution: “The Christian is, in a sense, one who must feel his heart breaking at the effect of sin in others that makes...

May 19, 2016 Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Jas 5:1-6 Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries.Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten,your gold and silver have corroded,and that corrosion will be a testimony against you;it will devour your flesh like a fire.You have stored up treasure for the last days.Behold, the wages you withheld from the workerswho harvested your fields are crying aloud;and the cries of the harvestershave reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure;you have fattened...

Catholic sisters globally would be better-equipped to carry out their work if they could become deacons, the head of a global network of nuns has said, an important marker in the sharp debate over women deacons that Pope Francis opened last week. “We are already doing so many things that resemble what a deacon would do, although it would help us to do a bit more service if we were ordained deacons,” Sister Carmen Sammut, president of the International Union of Superiors General, or UISG, told RNS. Francis put a spring in the step of women religious on Thursday (May...

The ninth Psalm is eschatological. It is a celebration of the return of King Messiah, whose coming is an intervention, a deliverance of Israel from the amassed nations of the world who have united to destroy her. The psalmist taunts the enemies who have sought Israel’s destruction, O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them.(Psalm 9:6)Either this is rendered as ‘Your destructions are over forever!”, or it means “You are eternally destroyed”. Perhaps it is both, for the Coming of the Messiah shall certainly produce both effects;...

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12). We can be certain of God’s love for us, no matter how unexpected or difficult any trial might be. Reassuring words are vital as we strive to deal in a godly fashion with trials and sufferings in our Christian lives. In today’s verse, Peter opens with a pastoral term (“beloved”) that conveys tenderness, love, and concern for his audience. It reinforces in a single word the concepts of fervent love...

The twelve apostles included "Bartholomew [Nathanael]" (Matt. 10:3). Prejudice can destroy relationships and prevent people from coming to Christ. Prejudice is an uncalled-for generalization based on feelings of superiority. It is an ugly sin that has fueled hatred and conflicts for centuries, dividing entire nations and bringing untold misery. But prejudice is most damning when it blinds people to God's Word. The prophet Jonah was so prejudiced against the Assyrians, he refused to go to Nineveh to preach to them. Even after God convinced him to obey, he wanted to die because the people of Nineveh had repented and God...

The patriarch Jeremiah Al Amchiti was born in Amsheet, Lebanon, where he grew up and received education until God called him for his service in the religious life. In fact, he became a monk, and with the help of his brothers David and Joseph, he lived for a while as a hermit in Amsheet’s hermitages. Those hermitages included vast and high cellars and three churches: Our Lady of the Sea, Saint Zakhia, and Saint John. They are all known as Saint Zakhia’s churches, and are considered today among the most important ancient ruins in Amsheet.In 1199, Jeremiah Al Amchiti was...

The Psalms of the Bible are full of prophecy. A major theme of many of the Psalms is that of the return of the King, Messiah, and his sufferings and glory. The prophecies of the Psalms are eschatological also, describing in great detail the last great conflict of Israel, and of the world conditions at the time of the second coming of Christ. The ninth Psalm is an example of this. I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing...

May 18, 2016 Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Jas 4:13-17 Beloved:Come now, you who say,“Today or tomorrow we shall go into such and such a town,spend a year there doing business, and make a profit”–you have no idea what your life will be like tomorrow.You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears.Instead you should say,“If the Lord wills it, we shall live to do this or that.”But now you are boasting in your arrogance.All such boasting is evil.So for one who knows the right thing to doand does not do...

Protestors had hoped to reverse a decision by the Archdiocese of Boston to close St Frances X Cabrini churchFor more than 11 years, die-hard parishioners of St Frances X Cabrini church maintained a constant vigil there in hopes of reversing a decision by the Archdiocese of Boston to close it as part of a broad restructuring plan. Those hopes ended on Monday, though, when the US Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal by the parishioners’ group. “This is a very sad day for us,” said Jon Rogers, a spokesman for Friends of St Frances Cabrini, a group that also...

“Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world” (1 Peter 5:8-9). All of Satan’s involvement in our sufferings and trials is under God’s control, which means our success against him is also in God’s sovereign hands. During the past twenty-five years, there has been a tremendous upsurge of interest in the occult, Satan worship, and evil supernatural influences. Such unwise fascination has had an impact on the church and...

The twelve apostles included "Philip" (Matt. 10:3). Pessimism will blind you to the sufficiency of God’s resources. It's been said that an optimist sees a glass half full; a pessimist sees it half empty. An optimist sees opportunities; a pessimist sees obstacles. In one sense Philip was an optimist. He recognized Jesus as the Messiah and immediately saw an opportunity to share his discovery with Nathanael. In another sense, Philip was a pessimist because on occasions he failed to see what Christ could accomplish despite the apparent obstacles. On one such occasion Jesus had just finished teaching and healing a...

May 17, 2016 Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Ordinary Time Reading 1 Jas 4:1-10 Beloved:Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from?Is it not from your passions that make war within your members?You covet but do not possess.You kill and envy but you cannot obtain;you fight and wage war.You do not possess because you do not ask.You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly,to spend it on your passions.Adulterers!Do you not know that to be a lover of the world means enmity with God?Therefore, whoever wants to be a lover of...

The twelve apostles included "Philip" (Matt. 10:3). Friendships can provide the most fertile soil for evangelism. Philip was probably a fisherman and acquainted with Peter, Andrew, James, John, Nathanael, and Thomas prior to their all becoming disciples. We first meet him in John 1:43-46, which says, "The next day [after Jesus encountered Peter and Andrew], He purposed to go forth into Galilee, and He found Philip, and Jesus said to him, 'Follow Me.' Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, 'We have found Him of whom Moses in...

“We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). We will be better prepared for what God teaches us through trials if we have a basic understanding of His providence. I believe it is vital that all Christians have an essential awareness of God’s providence if they want to be fully prepared to cope with life’s adversity. Providence is how He orchestrates, through natural means and processes, all things necessary to accomplish His purposes in the world. It is the most...

May 16, 2016 Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Jas 3:13-18 Beloved:Who among you is wise and understanding?Let him show his works by a good life in the humility that comes from wisdom.But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts,do not boast and be false to the truth.Wisdom of this kind does not come down from abovebut is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist,there is disorder and every foul practice.But the wisdom from above is first of all pure,then peaceable, gentle, compliant,full of mercy and good fruits,without inconstancy...

Today, on the Feast of Pentecost, I called Fr. Ingo Dollinger, a German priest and former professor of theology in Brasil, who is now quite elderly and physically weak. He has been a personal friend of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI for many years. Father Dollinger unexpectedly confirmed over the phone the following facts: Not long after the June 2000 publication of the Third Secret of Fatima by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger told Fr. Dollinger during an in-person conversation that there is still a part of the Third Secret that they have not published!...

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). Genuine believers will react thankfully to trials and suffering. Preventive spiritual maintenance is very important. If we are disciplined believers, we’ll practice it and prepare ourselves for any kind of trials and hardships. Then when the unexpected happens, we’ll be able to respond in a godly manner and truly appreciate what the Lord is teaching us. The attitude expressed in today’s verse is basic and is one of the strongest antidotes to fear and lack of preparation...