Category: Bible Reading & Meditation

“You have heard the commandment, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ What I say to you is: anyone who looks lustfully at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his thoughts.” —Matthew 5:27-28 In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus commands us to have the highest standard in resisting sexual temptations. We are to be pure and free, even if we have to gouge out our eyes or cut off our hands (Mt 5:29-30). The Lord does not intend for us to literally maim ourselves, but we must do whatever it takes to avoid the occasions of sin and...

“But whenever he turns to the Lord, the veil will be removed.” —2 Corinthians 3:16 At the age of twenty-one, I was blessed to take part in a Life in the Spirit seminar. During the fifth week, the team members laid hands on me to be baptized in the Holy Spirit (see Acts 8:17; 19:5-6). I had been reading the Bible every day for some time. The next day, I picked up my Bible for my daily Bible study. When I began reading the Scripture, the Word of God came alive in a new way. It was as though I...

“It is not that we are entitled of ourselves to take credit for anything. Our sole credit is from God.” —2 Corinthians 3:5 God does something for us and we thank Him for doing it. He does it a second time and we thank Him for helping us. He does it a third time and we say: “Look what I did.” We shift quickly from giving God the credit to taking the credit for ourselves. Our perspective is wrong. We ask God to help us, as if we’re in charge. Actually we should ask God for the privilege of helping...

“He encouraged them all to remain firm in their commitment to the Lord, since he himself was a good man filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.” —Acts 11:23-24 Joseph’s name was changed to Barnabas because he was such an encouragement to the Church through his words and finances (Acts 4:36-37). The name “Barnabas” means “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36). For a Jew, the name “Joseph” referred to the Joseph of the book of Genesis. He had great dreams, was sold into slavery by his brothers, and was eventually responsible for the survival of Egypt and the rest of the...

“One and all were born in her; And he who has established her is the Most High Lord.” —Psalm 87:5 Do you feel frustrated when not getting the support you need? In life, our human frailties often prevent us from serving one another as we should. But don’t despair! “We believe that the Holy Mother of God, the new Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven to exercise her maternal role on behalf of the members of Christ” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 975). As Mary “stood near the cross of Jesus,” mother and Son shared the ultimate moment...