Tagged: message of the day

True Holiness

“My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.” Isaiah 55:8 Too many people it seems inconceivable that a life of fullness and great joy can be likened to holiness. Yet true holiness is the most dynamic, creative and meaningful lifestyle in the world. To be holy implies that you live in a right relationship with God. It causes you to enjoy life to the full and also gives you a greater understanding of people. The secret of a balances, joyful, rewarding life is to live in such a way that it is easy...

THE CONCEPTION OF HIS INCARNATION

“You shall conceive and bear a Son and give Him the name Jesus.” –Luke 1:31 Mass Readings: December 8 First: Genesis 3:9-15,20; Resp: Psalm 98:1-4; Second: Ephesians 1:3-6,11-12; Gospel: Luke 1:26-38 About five billion people today do not believe that Jesus is God; they see Him as only a man. This heresy, Arianism, has been common for centuries. The fact that the virgin Mary conceived Jesus without sexual relations intimates that Jesus was not just a man but God, “Son of the Most High” (Lk 1:32), “Son of God” (Lk 1:35). Other people do not believe Jesus is a man....

O, COME, O, COME – TO THE CROSS

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you. Take My yoke upon your shoulders.” –Matthew 11:28-29 Mass Readings: December 7 First: Isaiah 40:25-31; Resp: Psalm 103:1-4,8,10; Gospel: Matthew 11:28-30 In eighteen days, we will be singing “O come, all ye faithful.” When we come to Jesus with all our weariness and burdens, He will give us rest by first unburdening us and then re-burdening us with His yoke, the cross. When we realize that Jesus is about to put the weight of the cross on our lives, we are afraid and...

THE POWER OF ONE

“Here comes with power the Lord God…like a shepherd.” –Isaiah 40:10, 11 Mass Readings: December 6 First: Isaiah 40:1-11; Resp: Psalm 96:1-3,10-13; Gospel: Matthew 18:12-14 The Lord God comes with power and rules with His strong arm (Is 40:10). The Lord God also comes like a humble, gentle shepherd, and His strong arm gently gathers us, His lambs, with tender care (Is 40:11). How does this seeming paradox work? God’s purpose in coming to earth and exercising His power is to gather all people together as one and keep us united as His body (see Jn 11:52; 17:21; 10:16; Eph...

WANTED: STRETCHER-BEARERS AND ROOFERS

“They were trying to bring him in and lay him before Jesus; but they found no way of getting him through because of the crowd, so they went up on the roof.” –Luke 5:18-19 Mass Readings: December 5 First: Isaiah 35:1-10; Resp: Psalm 85:9-14; Gospel: Luke 5:17-26 Many people, even Christians, have been so brainwashed, manipulated, and overwhelmed by the consumeristic hype of Christmas that they can’t see the Christ of Christmas because of the crowd of obstructions. Nevertheless, some of these people have not been so enslaved that they are helpless. These people, like Zacchaeus, can climb a tree,...