"The Kingdom Of Heaven Is Advancing Forcefully."

 "I tell you this: no one greater than John the Baptist has arisen from among the sons of women; and yet, the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.  From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is something to be conquered; and violent men seize it.

Up to the time of John, there was only prophesy: all the prophets and the law.  And if you believe ME, John is indeed that Elijah, whose coming was predicted.  Let anyone with ears listen!" - Matthew 11:11-15

(No one greater than John the Baptist has arise.  This verse refers to a prophet or to a political leader.

The verse 12: This sentence could also be translated: "The kingdom of heaven is advancing forcefully."  The kingdom of GOD is the moving force that makes history progress, taking advantage of both gentle and violent changes in human life.  The believers are called to participate actively in this constant transformation.  Death and resurrection are at work among us and all over the world.)

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GOD Is A FATHER Full Of Mercy

 "Praise YAHWEH, my soul;  all my being, praise HIS holy name!

Praise YAHWEH, my soul, and do not forget all HIS kindness; HE forgives  all your sins and heals all your sickness; HE redeems your life from destruction and crowns you with love and compassion;...

YAHWEH is gracious and merciful, abounding in love  and slow to anger; HE will not always scold nor will HE be angry forever.  HE does not treat us according to our sins, nor does HE punish us as we deserve."

- Psalm 103:1-2.3-4.8-10

(The Christian lives joyfully in the paradox that our GOD is higher than the heavens, and yet, is close to us in love and mercy.  Our gratitude for HIS mercy merges naturally into a hymn of praise, for HIS greatness.  When we think how great HE is, it is not to think how far away HE is, but how much HE loves us to come down to us.

GOD is a FATHER full of mercy.  Is it necessary to quote a text from the New Testament?  A good one is that of the prodigal son [Luke 15:11-32] or the prayer of JESUS on the cross [Luke 23:34 or Romans 8:31-34].  They show us the depth of GOD's love, mercy and forgiveness.  Let us praise the LORD, together with everything created: in moments of joy, as well as in hours of sadness, both when we have strength or when we live in fragility.)

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Humanity Has Found The Way To Liberation And Salvation

 "Sing to YAHWEH a new song, for HE has done wonders; HIS right hand, HIS holy arm, has won victory for HIM.

YAHWEH has shown HIS salvation, revealing HIS justice to the nations.

HE has not forgotten HIS love, nor HIS faithfulness to Israel.  The farthest ends of the earth all have seen GOD's saving power.

All you, lands, make a joyful noise to YAHWEH, break into song and sing praise,..."

- Psalm 98:1-4

(Our LORD founded the kingdom of GOD on earth; and yet we pray: 'YOUR kingdom come.'  The work of our redemption has been accomplished, but we still pray for this salvation, to be perfected throughout the world: GOD has come; but we look for HIS final coming, to take possession of HIS kingdom.

Sing to the LORD a new song.  Humanity has found the way to liberation and salvation.  It is in the coming of CHRIST, GOD-made-man and in HIS resurrection.

For the LORD came down to earth, showed us HIS love and also by HIS death and resurrection, the path to eternal salvation.)

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Which Is Easier To Say: 'Your Sins Are Forgiven' Or 'Get Up And Walk'?

 "One day, JESUS was teaching, and many Pharisees and teachers of the law had come from every part of Galilee and Judea, and even from Jerusalem.  They were sitting there, while the power of the LORD was at work to heal the sick.  Then some men brought a paralyzed man who lay on his mat.  They tried to enter the house to place him before JESUS, but they couldn't find a way through the crowd.  So they went up on the roof, and, removing the tiles, they lowered him on his mat into the middle of the crowd, in front of JESUS.

When JESUS saw their faith, HE said to the man, 'MY friend, your sins are forgiven.'  At once the teachers of the law and the Pharisees began to wonder, 'This man insults GOD!  Who can forgive sins, but GOD alone?'

But JESUS knew their thoughts and asked them, 'Why are you reacting like this?  Which is easier to say: 'Your sins are forgiven' or 'Get up and walk'?  Now you shall know, that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.'  And JESUS said to the paralyzed man, 'Get up, take your mat and go home.'  At once, the man stood before them.  He took up the mat he had been lying on, and went home praising GOD.

Amazement seized the people and they praised GOD.  They were filled with a holy fear, and said, 'What wonderful things we have seen today!'" - Luke 5:17-26 

(When JESUS forgave the paralytic, the simple people did not realize how scandalous HIS words were.  They did not have enough religious formation to realize immediately that only GOD could give absolution.  It was the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who were scandalized.  Their indignation is justified because neither they, nor the others, nor the disciples, yet understand that JESUS is the true Son of GOD.  JESUS silences them: If I restore health in the same way GOD does, should not I also forgive in the way GOD does?

JESUS disconcerts those who ask who HE is.  Better still, HE shows that only HE can save the whole person, body and soul.

Happy this man who was assured of his pardon through the glance and the words of JESUS!  GOD is HE who lives and loves and we need to meet HIM so that forgiveness can be authentic--HIS eyes meeting our eyes.  Because of this, GOD had to become human--JESUS forgives sins because HE is a Son of Man [John 5:27] and from HIM we receive the pardon both of GOD and of people within the Christian community.)

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"I Have Baptized You With Water, But HE Will Baptize You In The Holy Spirit."

 "This is the beginning of the Good News of JESUS CHRIST, the Son of GOD.  It is written in the book of Isaiah, the prophet, 'I AM sending MY messenger ahead of you, to prepare YOUR way.  Let the people hear the voice calling in the desert: Prepare the way of the LORD, level HIS paths.'

So John began to baptize in the desert; he preached a baptism of repentance, for the forgiveness of sins.  All Judea and all the people from the city of Jerusalem went out to John to confess their sins, and to be baptized by him in the river Jordan.

John was clothed in camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist.  His food was locusts and honey.  He preached to the people, saying, 'After me comes one who is more powerful than I am; I have baptized you with water, but HE will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.'" - Mark 1:1-8 

(In verses 1 to 13, Mark gives us in three short presentations three important insights about JESUS' salvation.

John the Baptist announces the coming of the One sent by GOD: this JESUS about whom the Gospel will speak to us has been announced, prepared by all the great witnesses of the Old Testament.  In HIM and by HIM GOD's salvation will be accomplished.) 

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The Coming Prosperity

 "O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem, you will weep no more.  When you cry, HE will listen; when HE hears, HE will answer.

When the LORD has given you the bread of anguish and the water of distress, HE, your teacher will hide no longer.  Your own eyes will see HIM, and your ear will listen to  HIS words behind you: 'This is the way, walk in it.'

HE will then give rain for the seed you sow and make the harvest abundant from the crops you grow.  On that day your cattle will graze in wide pastures.  Your beasts of burden will eat silage tossed to them with pitchfork and shovel.

For on the day of the great slaughter, when fortresses fall, streams of water will flow on every mountain and lofty hill.

The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun seven times greater, like the light of seven days, when YAHWEH binds up the wounds of HIS people and heals the bruises inflicted by HIS blows." - Isaiah 30:19-21.23-26 

(GOD loves us and teaches us.  This poem speaks of all the marvels to be discovered when meeting GOD through tears.)

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The People Honors ME With Words

 "The LORD then said, 'This people say they are loyal to ME; they honor ME with lip-service, while their hearts stay afar.  The worship they offer ME is useless, these are no more than traditions and human rules.

Because of this I will surprise them once more; the wisdom of the wise will be useless and the understanding of their prudent men will be at a loss.'" - Isaiah 29:13-14 

(If we cease to be seekers of GOD, if we have not orientated our life to allow GOD to enter, our religion quickly becomes a collection of beliefs and practices similar to what all social groups have, which became like elements of a school program.  JESUS will recall it in Mark 7:6.)

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Wise And Foolish Builders

 "Not everyone who says to ME, 'LORD!  LORD!' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of MY heavenly FATHER.

'Therefore, anyone who hears these words of MINE, and acts according to them, is like a wise man, who built his house on rock.  The rain poured down, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house.  But it did not collapse, because it was built on rock.  But anyone who hears these words of MINE, and does not act accordingly, is like a fool who built his house on sand.  The rain poured, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house; it collapsed, and what a terrible collapse that was!'" - Matthew 7:21.24-2 

(Anyone who hears these words of MINE.  JESUS means those who listen to HIS words and are converted: they believe themselves already saved.  If they do not use their initial enthusiasm to build their lives on solid foundations, such as scriptural meditation, generosity, resistance to evil inclinations, sharing in the Christian community--then everything will tumble down later.)

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Thanksgiving

 "On this mountain YAHWEH Sabaoth will prepare for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, meat full of marrow, fine wine strained.

On this mountain HE will destroy the pall cast over all peoples, this very shroud spread over all nations, and death will be no more.  The LORD YAHWEH will wipe away the tears from all cheeks and eyes; HE will take away the humiliation of HIS people all over the world:

for YAHWEH has spoken.

On that day you will say: This is our GOD.  We have waited for HIM to save us, let us be glad and rejoice in HIS salvation.  For on this mountain the hand of YAHWEH rests." - Isaiah 25:6-10 

(A thanksgiving to YAHWEH who has done away with the presence of the oppressor.  HIS citadel, installed, it would seem, in Jerusalem itself had been completely destroyed.  The text recalls that this victory is only one stage: the great hope is "the banquet of the elect" after the judgment when GOD will destroy death.  John will use these images in Revelation 7:17 and 21:4.)

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JESUS Gives Thanks To The FATHER

 "At that time, JESUS was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and said, 'I praise YOU, FATHER, LORD of heaven and earth, for YOU have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and made them known to little ones.  Yes, FATHER, such has been YOUR gracious will.  I have been given all things by MY FATHER, so that no one knows the Son except the FATHER, and no one knows the FATHER except the Son, and he to whom the Son chooses to reveal HIM.'

Then JESUS turned to HIS disciples and said to them privately, 'Fortunate are you to see what you see, for I tell you, that many prophets and kings would have liked to see what you see, but did not see it; and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.'" - Luke 10:21-24 

(To evangelize does not mean to try to sell the Gospel but rather to prove its power to heal people from their demons.  We need not become activists in order to accomplish that.  We must admit that we have no power in these things and we must give thanks to GOD who enabled us to see, to hear and to communicate HIS salvation.

Fortunate are you to see...  Stop being envious of famous people, kings and prophets of the past.  You who are alive now, and who are neither kings and prophets, have been given the better part.)

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