I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord;
No one can come to the Father except through me. JN 14:6
JAMES 4:13-17 ©
My Soul's Beloved,
The Epistle of St. James is not quite popular because he is unafraid to speak the unvarnished truth. He names the sins we are prone to and guilty of. Too often we are so full of our own dreams and plans we forget that tomorrow is guaranteed to no one. All we have is the present moment, you desire us to live in it and live it as if it were our last. If we do this, we can hope to be pleasing in Your sight for we can presume nothing. We must receive everything as coming from You, humbly, for You are gracious, compassionate, tender, loving, and kind even when we do not deserve it.
The world knows what is right because the world and all in it was made by You and for You and our spirit is troubled when we do not follow the still small voice which is our conscience. People everywhere are wounded, broken, unhappy, confused, spinning giddily into chaos, destruction, and death because they will not call the passions and pleasures of the flesh by their proper name - sin. The effect of sin is death and the stench of death and decay surrounds and suffocates us.
Everyone who knows what is the right thing to do and doesn’t do it commits a sin.
Abba Father, have pity on a world gone mad for the sake of the sorrowful passion of Your Son, send on us once again Your powerful Holy Spirit and renew the face of the earth.
PSALM 48(49):2-3,6-11 ©
How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Hear this, all you peoples,
give heed, all who dwell in the world,
men both low and high,
rich and poor alike!
How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Why should I fear in evil days
the malice of the foes who surround me,
men who trust in their wealth,
and boast of the vastness of their riches?
the malice of the foes who surround me,
men who trust in their wealth,
and boast of the vastness of their riches?
How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
For no man can buy his own ransom,
or pay a price to God for his life.
The ransom of his soul is beyond him.
He cannot buy life without end,
nor avoid coming to the grave.
or pay a price to God for his life.
The ransom of his soul is beyond him.
He cannot buy life without end,
nor avoid coming to the grave.
How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
He knows that wise men and fools must both perish
and leave their wealth to others.
and leave their wealth to others.
How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
MARK 9:38-40 ©
You must not stop anyone from working miracles in my name
You must not stop anyone from working miracles in my name
John said to Jesus, ‘Master, we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name; and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.’ But Jesus said, ‘You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.’
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