Category: Bible Reading & Meditation

“They did not listen…they rejected [God’s] statutes…and the warnings which He had given them.” –2 Kings 17:14-15 The Israelites experienced the consequences of rejecting God thousands of years ago, and modern society is following the same path. If the causes are similar, the results may be as well. • Persist in sin, and receive the wages of sin: death (Rm 6:23). • Condemn others, even silently, and be condemned (Mt 7:2). • Fail to give alms, and cause others to suffer (Sir 14:4-9). • Fail to evangelize, and reap a godless society. • Put your trust in contraception and reap...

“Do not fear those who deprive the body of life but cannot destroy the soul.” —Matthew 10:28 The Lord has commanded us 365 times in the Scriptures: “Do not fear” (Mt 10:28, 31, our transl). By this command, the Lord means that we should not fear any human being, human circumstance, or even the devil. We should not fear death, dying, pain, persecution, rejection, loneliness, poverty, old age, having a large family, evangelizing, going to Confession, being a priest, religious, or missionary, tithing and giving alms, downsizing our lifestyles, etc. The Lord commands us so frequently not to fear because...

“How awesome are you, Elijah! Whose glory is equal to yours?” –Sirach 48:4 For about ten days, the Church has been reading to us about Elijah. Today we conclude this series. Before we move on, we need to be sure that we receive the message exemplified by Elijah. Elijah successfully brought down the culture of death led by Ahab and Jezebel. We have a similar mission: to bring down secular humanism’s culture of death in the Western world. Elijah’s success was based on prophecy, listening to God’s whisper (1 Kgs 19:12ff), and discipleship. These three essential dynamics of life in...

“Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Ask for whatever I may do for you, before I am taken from you.’ Elisha answered, ‘May I receive a double portion of your spirit.’ ” —2 Kings 2:9 All Christians have been baptized in the Holy Spirit (see Mk 1:8). We are immersed in the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Blessed Trinity. We are filled with the Spirit and surrounded by the Spirit. We are preoccupied with the Holy Spirit, if we are living our Baptisms fully. It is normal for Christians living their Baptisms to desire full life in the Spirit even...