Category: Memory Verse

“For then will I remove from your midst the proud braggarts, and you shall no longer exalt yourself on My holy mountain.” –Zephaniah 3:11 The Lord calls us to repent of pride, self-exaltation, and arrogance, and become “a people humble and lowly” (Zep 3:12). Pride can disqualify us from Christmas. Through humility, however, we can fit into the manger scene at Bethlehem with the lowly handmaid Mary, the poor Joseph, and the simple shepherds. In our society, arrogance has almost reached new heights, if that were possible. Some people are so prideful they deny the truth of God’s Word, as...

“For then will I remove from your midst the proud braggarts, and you shall no longer exalt yourself on My holy mountain.” –Zephaniah 3:11 The Lord calls us to repent of pride, self-exaltation, and arrogance, and become “a people humble and lowly” (Zep 3:12). Pride can disqualify us from Christmas. Through humility, however, we can fit into the manger scene at Bethlehem with the lowly handmaid Mary, the poor Joseph, and the simple shepherds. In our society, arrogance has almost reached new heights, if that were possible. Some people are so prideful they deny the truth of God’s Word, as...

“We do not know.” –Matthew 21:27 Balaam called himself the man who “knows what the Most High knows” (Nm 24:4, 16). He was so highly regarded for his ability as a fortune-teller that nations sent large delegations of dignitaries with large amounts of money to obtain his services (Nm 22:6-7, 15). Yet this man who “sees what the Almighty sees” (Nm 24:16) couldn’t even get the picture when his donkey began to talk to him! (Nm 22:28ff) He had to admit that he “did not know that” God opposed His greedy plot against Israel (Nm 22:34). The Jewish religious leaders...

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me.” –Isaiah 61:1 The Holy Spirit wants to bring Good News to the poor, heal the broken-hearted, and set captives free (Is 61:1). Only the Holy Spirit can renew the face of the earth (Ps 104:30). However, we stifle, quench (1 Thes 5:19), sadden, and grieve the Spirit (Eph 4:30). Then the poor stay depressed and oppressed; the broken-hearted are shattered; the captives are chained with even more chains; and the face of the earth becomes more defaced. One of the greatest tragedies in life is...

“Many nations shall join themselves to the Lord on that day.” –Zechariah 2:15 Pope St. Paul VI called Mary the “star of evangelization.” Immediately after conceiving, Mary took Jesus, the baby in her womb, to Elizabeth (Lk 1:39-41). Elizabeth “was filled with the Holy Spirit” (Lk 1:41) and John rejoiced in the Lord. Throughout history, Mary has done whatever her Son has told her (see Jn 2:5) and made disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19). Probably her most fruitful evangelization took place from 1531 to 1538 at the hill of Tepeyac, near what is now called Mexico City. During those...