Category: Prayers

“The heavens and the earth will pass away but My words will not pass.” –Mark 13:31 The end of the world is certain. The Lord proclaims: “The heavens and the earth will pass away but My words will not pass” (Mk 13:31). The end of the world is unpredictable. “As to the exact day or hour, no one knows it, neither the angels in heaven nor even the Son, but only the Father” (Mk 13:32). The end of the world “shall be a time unsurpassed in distress since nations began until that time” (Dn 12:1). “During that period after trials...

“Listen to what the corrupt judge has to say.” –Luke 18:6 Jesus doesn’t tell us to pay attention to what the widow says. He tells us to pay attention to what the corrupt judge says (Lk 18:6). One message of this parable is that persistent evil can be worn down by persistent good. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (see 1 Jn 4:4). It may seem to us that there are strongholds of the evil one that cannot be defeated. Evil in our culture may seem to be as giant as Goliath...

“Whoever tries to preserve his life will lose it; whoever loses it will keep it.” –Luke 17:33 On the last day many people will be totally “out of it,” meaning reality, because they are now totally “in it,” meaning the world. To be worldly is to be out of touch with reality. The worldly act as if this earthly life is all there is. That’s a devastating omission. When Jesus comes, planet earth burns (2 Pt 3:7), and Judgment Day is here. The worldly will be buying a pack of cigarettes or looking at their handheld electronic devices. They will...

“A time will come when you will long to see one day of the Son of Man but will not see it.” –Luke 17:22 Today we’re able to spend the day with Jesus without too many obstacles. Today we can read God’s Word and receive Communion. We can spend time with other Christians and freely tell the Good News of Jesus to whomever He sends us. We can work “while it is day. The night comes on when no one can work” (Jn 9:4). Let’s appreciate today and “make the most of the present opportunity” (Eph 5:16). For there will...

“He threw himself on his face at the feet of Jesus and spoke His praises. This man was a Samaritan.” –Luke 17:16 Earlier in His public ministry, Jesus healed a leper instantly by touching him (Lk 5:12-14). Then he told the healed leper to go show himself to the priest. The leper failed to do that. In today’s Gospel, instead of immediately healing the ten lepers, Jesus tells them to show themselves to the priests first. He does not immediately heal them. “On their way there they were cured” (Lk 17:14). The priest, by declaring the lepers clean, integrated the...