If You Had Obeyed MY Law!

Hello! and happy TGIF to all of us, GUYS.  Our "daily bread" this Friday:

THE GOOD NEWS (09 December 2016)

"Thus says YAHWEH, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I, YAHWEH, your GOD, teach you what is best for you; I lead you in the way that you must go.

Had you paid attention to MY commandments, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

Your descendants would have been like the sand, and those born of your stock like its grains, their names never cut off nor blotted out from MY presence." - Isaiah 48:17-19 

JESUS CHRIST, The Redeemer

(The prophet looks at Israel's past, reminding us of what we read about the lost Paradise.  If they had obeyed, GOD's desire to lavish HIS blessings upon them would have been fulfilled, as well as GOD's promises to Abraham.

But GOD will intervene again as the Redeemer of HIS people.)

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No One Greater Than John The Baptist Has Come Forward

Hi! and happy good Thursday to all of us, GUYS.  Our "food for the soul" today:

THE GOOD NEWS (08 December 2016)

"I tell you this: no one greater than John the Baptist has come forward 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 the unyielding 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 this Elijah, whose coming was predicted.  Let anyone with ears listen!" - Matthew 11:11-15 

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

The kingdom of heaven is something to be conquered and the unyielding seize it.  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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The Great GOD

Hello! and happy good mid-week to all of us, GUYS.  Our "daily bread" this Wednesday:

THE GOOD NEWS (07 December 2016)

"To whom, then, will you liken ME

or make ME equal? says the Holy One.

Lift up your eyes and see:

who has created all this?

HE has ordered them as a starry host

and called them each by name.

So mighty is HIS power,

so great HIS strength,

that not one of them is missing.

How can you say, O Jacob,

how can you complain, O Israel,

that your destiny is hidden from ME,

that your rights are ignored by YAHWEH?

Have you not known, have you not heard

that YAHWEH is an everlasting GOD,

the Creator of the ends of the earth?

HE does not grow tired or weary,

HIS knowledge is without limit.

HE gives strength to the enfeebled,

HE gives vigor to the wearied.

Youth may grow tired and faint,

young men will stumble and fall,

but those who hope in YAHWEH

will renew their strength.

They will soar as with eagle's wings;

they will run and not grow weary;

they will walk and never tire."

- Isaiah 40:25-31

The Everlasting GOD

(Here the prophet begins by evoking the extent and the mystery of creation: the universe we perceive on a starry night.  He goes on to say that this GOD-Creator is active in events and gives life to the one who believes.)

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GOD Has Put All Things Under The Feet Of CHRIST

Hi! and happy good Tuesday to all of us, GUYS.  Our "food for the soul" today:

THE GOOD NEWS (06 December 2016)

"HE revealed HIS almighty power in CHRIST when HE raised HIM from the dead and had HIM sit at HIS right hand in heaven, far above all rule, power, authority, dominion, or any other supernatural force that could be named, not only in this world but in the world to come as well.

Thus has GOD put all things under the feet of CHRIST and set HIM above all things, as head of the Church which is HIS body, the fullness of HIM who fills all in all." - Ephesians 1:20-23

"JESUS Is Seated At The Right Hand Of GOD."

(Far above all power.  In Paul's days, neither Jews nor Christians doubted that the world was governed by supernatural powers, "angels."  They called them: Rulers, Powers, Authorities, Dominion, and Paul was saying to them: all these Powers are inferior to CHRIST.  In our days we express ourselves differently.  Nevertheless, we see the universe subject to the laws of nature, to the forces of matter and of life.  It is also subject to obscure forces: collective prejudices, vice and fanaticism.  These ruled the world, preventing the emergence of humanity, until the coming of CHRIST: see Galatians 3:23.

GOD has put all things under the feet of CHRIST.  This means the same as the words of our creed: "JESUS is seated at the right hand of GOD."  It means that in rising, CHRIST, the GOD-Human became the First in the universe.  All things under HIS feet except humankind.

Paul adds: "HE made HIM head of the Church."  CHRIST acts differently in two areas: in the world, where HE is the invisible center in charge; in the Church, of which HE is the head, where HE can show the riches of HIS Spirit.)

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The Way Of Holiness

Hello! and happy good first day of the week to all of us, GUYS.  Our "daily bread" this Monday:

THE GOOD NEWS (05 December 2016)

"There will be a highway

which will be called The Way of Holiness;

no one unclean will pass over it

nor any wicked fool stray there.

No lion will be found there

nor any beast of prey.

Only the redeemed will walk there.

For the ransomed of YAHWEH will return:

with everlasting joy upon their heads,

they will come to Zion singing,

gladness and joy marching with them,

while sorrow and sighing flee away."

- Isaiah 35:8-10

(Announcement of the return of the exiles and of the Messiah's coming.)

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Knowledge And Discernment

Hi! and happy holy and family day to all of us, GUYS.  Our first-thing-first this Sunday:

THE GOOD NEWS (04 December 2016)

"And when I pray for you, I pray with joy.  I cannot forget all you shared with me in the service of  the Gospel, from the first day until now.  Since GOD began such a good work in you, I am certain that HE will complete it in the day of CHRIST JESUS.

This is my hope for you, for I carry you all in my heart: whether I am in prison or defending and confirming the Gospel, you are with me and share the same graces.

GOD knows that I love you dearly with the love of CHRIST JESUS, and in my prayers I ask that your love may lead you each day to a deeper knowledge and clearer discernment, that you may have good criteria for everything.  So you may be pure of heart and come blameless to the day of CHRIST, filled with the fruit of holiness that comes through CHRIST JESUS, for the glory and praise of GOD. - Philippians 1:4-11 

"Revision Of Life"

(GOD began such a good work in you, I am certain that HE will complete it in the day of CHRIST JESUS.  The end for which they long is always the manifestation [2 Thessalonians 1:7], or the visit, or the Day of the LORD JESUS [1Corinthia)ns 1:8].  No work is done without the expectation of the day when there will be all that one dreamed about.  There is no Christian life where someone is content with looking forward to his retirement or feels fulfilled because he has a country house or because the family is growing up without a problem.  Let us stop saying these first Christians still had the "illusion" of an early return of CHRIST.  They wanted to meet HIM personally and be transfigured by HIM.  That is an illusion only for those who enclose themselves in oases of peace within a world in crisis.

Knowledge and discernment... A good heart and generosity are not everything in Christian life.  We are not saved, we do not reach our true stature, we are not remade as GOD would like us to be, unless clarity has guided generosity.  It is the same for world salvation.  GOD calls us to discover new ways.  We need to reflect, to be attentive, what we could call "revision of life," in order to discover what is positive and negative in our daily life, work relationships, social duties, leisure.  This reflection, however, is not sufficient: among GOD's gifts, there is spiritual knowledge that gives us a fresh vision of the order of values and of the will of GOD.) 

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"You Will See The Uncleanliness Of Your Idols."

Hello! and happy good weekend to all of us, GUYS.  Our "daily bread" this Saturday:

THE GOOD NEWS (03 December 2016)

"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.'

You will see the uncleanliness of your idols and images overlaid with silver and gold.  You will throw them out like a menstrual cloth.  'Away with you then!' you will say to them.

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 30:19-26 

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

You will see the uncleanliness of your idols.  People have become aware that they were serving false gods.  Idolatry does not only mean keeping carved gods, but more trusting people, serving institutions and envying the things that these images represent.) 

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"As You Have Believed, So Let It Be."

Hi! and happy TGIF to all of us, GUYS.  Our "daily bread" this Friday:

THE GOOD NEWS (02 December 2016)

"As JESUS moved on from there, two blind men followed HIM, shouting, 'Son of David, help us!'  When HE was about to enter the house, the blind men caught up with HIM, and JESUS said to them, 'Do you believe that I AM able to do what you want?'  They answered, 'Yes, sir!'

Then JESUS touched their eyes and said, 'As you have believed, so let it be.'  And their eyes were opened.  Then JESUS gave them a stern warning, 'Be careful and let no one know about this.'  But as soon as they went away, they spread the news about HIM through the whole area." - Matthew 9:27-31

 

(Two blind men followed HIM shouting.  In what manner, if they were blind?  Stumbling and being carried by others perhaps.  When you sin, shout to the LORD and keep on looking for CHRIST.)

"TO BELIEVE IS TO SEE." - Milo R. Arbo

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Parable Of The Farmer

Hi! and happy good Thursday to all of us, GUYS.  Our "food for the soul" today:

THE GOOD NEWS (01 December 2016)

"Listen to my words, pay attention and understand what I say.

Does the plowman do nothing but plow, loosen the earth, pulverize the clods with a harrow?

After leveling the soil, does he not begin to sow caraway and scatter cumin, wheat and barley and put spelt as the border?  For his GOD instructs him on what to do, HE gives him guidance and discretion, too.

For caraway is not threshed nor cumin crushed, but caraway is beaten with a stick and cumin with a rod.

Is the wheat milled on the threshing floor?  Is it threshed without end?  They put in movement chariot and horses but do not grind it.

All comes from YAHWEH SABAOTH whose advice is excellent, whose wisdom is wonderful." - Isaiah 28:23-29 

(Several oracles pronounced during the crisis of 701. 

It is difficult for us to understand this parable of the farmer unless we remember that all ancient peoples considered that GOD, or the gods, taught them the secrets of agriculture.  Isaiah says: see how YAHWEH has taught the secrets of the earth, to plant at the right time so that the harvest will follow in due time.  Know then that YAHWEH 's word is the sure means of sowing in history and guiding politics in such a way that there may be fruit to harvest at a given time.) 

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Second Miracle Of The Loaves

Hello! and happy good mid-week to all of us, GUYS.  Our "daily bread" this Wednesday:

THE GOOD NEWS (30 November 2016)

"From there JESUS went to the shore of Lake Galilee, and then went up into the hills where HE sat down.  Great crowds came to HIM, bringing the dumb, the blind, the lame, the crippled, and many with other infirmities.  The people carried them to the feet of JESUS, and HE healed them.  All were astonished when they saw the dumb speaking, the lame walking, the crippled healed and the blind able to see; so they glorified the GOD of Israel.

JESUS called HIS disciples and said to them, 'I AM filled with compassion for these people; they have already followed ME for three days and now have nothing to eat.  I do not want to send them away fasting, or they may faint on the way.'  HIS disciples said to HIM, 'And where shall we find enough bread in this wilderness to feed such a crowd?'  JESUS said to them, 'How many loaves do you have?'  They answered, 'Seven, and a few small fish.'

So JESUS ordered the people to sit on the ground.  Then HE took the seven loaves and the small fish and gave thanks to GOD.  HE broke them and gave them to HIS disciples, who distributed them to the people.

They all ate and were satisfied, and the leftover broken pieces filled seven wicker baskets. - Matthew 15:29-37

The Multiplication Of The Loaves And Fish

(On two occasions JESUS multiplied bread.  It is one of HIS miracles that most impresses us.

The word "miracle" is often devalued.  The Bible uses different words to denote what clearly appears as an act of GOD: sign, wonder, work of power.  Miracle in its full meaning is all that at the same time: a sign by which GOD makes us discover HIS will or the invisible order of the world, a wonder that disconcerts our limited vision, a work which GOD alone is capable of doing.

The multiplication of loaves is the kind of miracle which most shocks our contemporaries and their absolute faith in the "laws of nature" that GOD HIMSELF would not have the power to surpass, or which HE could not ignore without contradicting HIMSELF.  Many do not openly deny the testimony of the apostles, but they avoid taking any stand and say for example: "The miracle is still more beautiful if we imagine that JESUS merely invited the people to share their individual snacks, so that finally there was enough for everyone: a miracle of solidarity!"

Here the Gospel is not praising solidarity: it wishes rather to celebrate the absolute freedom of GOD and of CHRIST: nature itself must be silent, because here the dead are raised to life.  For a Christian, creation is not a huge machine that GOD has passed on to people as HE abdicated; it is a reflection of GOD where the laws - shadows of the wisdom, the order and the justice that are in GOD - never exclude HIS freedom.

Throughout all Christian history the LORD has multiplied and continues to multiply bread, items of food and even canned food for those who have given everything or risked all for HIM: many are able to witness to this.)

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