Category: Bible Study

PREPARING FOR THE AWESOME

“Behold our God, to Whom we looked to save us! This is the Lord for Whom we looked.” –Isaiah 25:9 Christmas is Christ’s coming in the next few weeks in a new, powerful, and much needed way. Christmas is not just a remembrance; it is a present reality. Therefore, Christmas will soon be either one of the best things that has ever happened to us or a sadly missed opportunity. When Christ comes this Christmastime, He will provide for us richly. Jesus will “destroy the veil” which keeps us in the dark, free us from the web “woven over all...

ARE YOU SAVED?

“The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the command of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eye.” ––Psalm 19:9 A few years ago, I attended a cordial meeting with Christians of various faith traditions. One non-Catholic participant excitedly posed a question to the group: “Brothers and sisters, do we not all agree with Romans 10:9, ‘For if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved’ ?” He assumed we would all agree a verbal confession guarantees our salvation. Rather than...

CHOOSE THE LIGHT

“Let us walk in the light of the Lord!” –Isaiah 2:5 In the northern hemisphere, the days are growing ever darker as we approach the shortest and darkest day of the year, the winter solstice on December 21. In the world, we are a people that walks in ever-increasing darkness (see Is 9:1). In the spiritual world, though, we have the light of the Lord (Is 2:5). We prepare during this time of Advent for the coming at Christmas of the Christ-Child. In the world, there is indeed darkness and gloom (Is 9:1), resulting from a world of sin and...

PREGNANT AGAIN

“In those days, in that time, I will raise up for David a just Shoot.” –Jeremiah 33:15 Happy New Year! Today we celebrate the first day of the new Church year and of Advent. Today, in a spiritual sense, we conceive new life and prepare to give birth to that life in the Christmas season. Advent is similar to pregnancy, in that we carry, protect, and nurture Christ’s new life within us (see Rm 6:4). We must take care not to do anything which might hurt the baby. Therefore, the Church warns us: “Be on guard lest your spirits become...

NO PASSING ZONE

“The heavens and the earth will pass away, but My words will not pass.” –Luke 21:33 Only two days remain before this liturgical year comes to an end; upon what will you focus your attention? Will it be pre-Christmas sales? Will it be sports? Compared to eternity, only a short time remains in our life; until we die or until Jesus comes again, upon what will you focus your attention? Will it be making money? (see 1 Tm 6:9-10) Will it be power, pleasure, food, clothes? (Mt 6:24-34) The things of this world, upon which we focus so much attention,...