Revelation 1:3
Blessed is he who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written therein; for the time is near.
Revelation 14:13
And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord henceforth." "Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!"
Revelation 16:15
("Lo, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is he who is awake, keeping his garments that he may not go naked and be seen exposed!")
Revelation 19:9
And the angel said* to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are true words of God."
Revelation 20:6
Blessed and holy is he who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they shall reign with him a thousand years.
Revelation 22:7
And behold, I am coming soon." Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.
Revelation 22:14
Blessed are they that wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb, that they may have a right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.
Bible Eucharist Fasting Prayer Confession
Monday, January 17, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Matthew West - Safe and Sound
Check out this video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEGDLJinzDE&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Matt Maher - Alive Again
Check out this video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziJQJI2uElI&feature=youtube_gdata_player
The Story Behind Matt Maher's "Hold Us Together"
Check out this video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIEFLQrwPmw&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Matt Maher - Hold us together with lyrics
Check out this video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvnVjLX_hRE&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Random Thoughts Today--Mary's Guardian Angels, Preparation for Mary's Assumption and Coronation, "Opulence in Churches"
Mary's guardian angel or angels must be really something! I never considered them before tonight, but while praying the rosary, I thought about them. They've never received any of our honor but I bet in heaven they are among the most honored there.
Then, consider the excited and anxious time that all the angels and saints had between the time Christ opened up heaven and the time Mary arrived, body & soul, as she was assumed into heaven. Wow, they had to be celebrating big time when she finally got there. Someone could probably write their story about that waiting and preparation time. They were probably getting busy preparing for her coronation and talking about how glorious it will be.
This leads me to another thought. Everyone talks about how glorious heaven must be. God's glory is so magnificent we'd die if we saw Him. Yet, Jesus chose to be so lowly here, which leads many to believe that our Church should be lowly, like the poor manger He was laid to rest in. They look at the Basilicas, Cathedrals, and see only opulence, and they wonder what Jesus must be thinking, as if Jesus thought bad things of it all. I think it is easy to forget that our Churches reflect God's glory, that the resurrected Jesus is physically present, body, blood, soul, and divinity in our Churches. They are heaven on earth.
No one sees anything bad about a glorious Jesus in heaven. No Christian expects to find heaven to be a bunch of barns with mangers full of hay to sleep in, poor and difficult. They all know what glory is. Yes, Jesus chose poverty and simplicity and taught us to live likewise. We should try our best to live poor in spirit.
Remember the woman who poured oil over Jesus' feet? Jesus was honored with very expensive oils and the apostles became upset about the waste of it, pouring it over His feet. They could have sold it and the money could have been used for the poor. Yet Jesus defended the action of the woman, saying it was for the glory of God and that the poor you will always have. His apostles knew Jesus cared so much for the poor and that everything should be done for them that is possible. However, they did not understand yet the goodness in giving God glory.
G.K. Chesterton wrote that we adorn the things that are beautiful. We buy jewels for our wives. We put pretty dresses on our daughters and handsome suits on men. We don't dress up cows because they aren't beautiful to begin with. We add decorative frames to beautiful paintings. We fix up our homes and decorate them and take pride in their appearances only because we have an appreciation for them to begin with. It is programmed into our nature to do these things and no one thinks twice about the acceptability of adding beauty to that which is already beautiful. People have given their money, their time and labors, their talents, etc., to add to the beauty of Churches and other holy objects. These gifts are for the glory of God and are fitting and proper for us to offer. After all, heaven on earth is found in Church, and isn't heaven magnificently glorious? And yet, I'm convinced that even our most splendid Cathedrals are like piles of dirt and sand compared to what really awaits us in heaven.
If the motives to add such splendors are for pride and a desire to "look good" in front of others, then the motives are bad. The end result itself is not bad, but the giver would be committing a sin and his actions would not be respectable.
We must always remember, everything we have is God's anyway. After all, He made everything to begin with. We all will return to ash and have nothing. If it is all just temporary, then why not give glory to God in everything and with everything? In other words, be prepared to use whatever you have in whatever means God is calling you to do, without holding on. That goes not just for money, but time, conversations, skills, whatever; be ready and willing to act on God's invitation or you will go away sad. When you hear God's call in your heart, take action and do it, and be joyful.
Then, consider the excited and anxious time that all the angels and saints had between the time Christ opened up heaven and the time Mary arrived, body & soul, as she was assumed into heaven. Wow, they had to be celebrating big time when she finally got there. Someone could probably write their story about that waiting and preparation time. They were probably getting busy preparing for her coronation and talking about how glorious it will be.
This leads me to another thought. Everyone talks about how glorious heaven must be. God's glory is so magnificent we'd die if we saw Him. Yet, Jesus chose to be so lowly here, which leads many to believe that our Church should be lowly, like the poor manger He was laid to rest in. They look at the Basilicas, Cathedrals, and see only opulence, and they wonder what Jesus must be thinking, as if Jesus thought bad things of it all. I think it is easy to forget that our Churches reflect God's glory, that the resurrected Jesus is physically present, body, blood, soul, and divinity in our Churches. They are heaven on earth.
No one sees anything bad about a glorious Jesus in heaven. No Christian expects to find heaven to be a bunch of barns with mangers full of hay to sleep in, poor and difficult. They all know what glory is. Yes, Jesus chose poverty and simplicity and taught us to live likewise. We should try our best to live poor in spirit.
Remember the woman who poured oil over Jesus' feet? Jesus was honored with very expensive oils and the apostles became upset about the waste of it, pouring it over His feet. They could have sold it and the money could have been used for the poor. Yet Jesus defended the action of the woman, saying it was for the glory of God and that the poor you will always have. His apostles knew Jesus cared so much for the poor and that everything should be done for them that is possible. However, they did not understand yet the goodness in giving God glory.
G.K. Chesterton wrote that we adorn the things that are beautiful. We buy jewels for our wives. We put pretty dresses on our daughters and handsome suits on men. We don't dress up cows because they aren't beautiful to begin with. We add decorative frames to beautiful paintings. We fix up our homes and decorate them and take pride in their appearances only because we have an appreciation for them to begin with. It is programmed into our nature to do these things and no one thinks twice about the acceptability of adding beauty to that which is already beautiful. People have given their money, their time and labors, their talents, etc., to add to the beauty of Churches and other holy objects. These gifts are for the glory of God and are fitting and proper for us to offer. After all, heaven on earth is found in Church, and isn't heaven magnificently glorious? And yet, I'm convinced that even our most splendid Cathedrals are like piles of dirt and sand compared to what really awaits us in heaven.
If the motives to add such splendors are for pride and a desire to "look good" in front of others, then the motives are bad. The end result itself is not bad, but the giver would be committing a sin and his actions would not be respectable.
We must always remember, everything we have is God's anyway. After all, He made everything to begin with. We all will return to ash and have nothing. If it is all just temporary, then why not give glory to God in everything and with everything? In other words, be prepared to use whatever you have in whatever means God is calling you to do, without holding on. That goes not just for money, but time, conversations, skills, whatever; be ready and willing to act on God's invitation or you will go away sad. When you hear God's call in your heart, take action and do it, and be joyful.
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