One Walk

11152008

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The Words of Jesus of Nazareth

The Kingdom of Heaven

Prayer is not achieved by repetition. It is not by reiterating “Lord, Lord,” that you will enter the kingdom of heaven, but by doing the will of my Father who is in heaven.

If after midnight, you approached the door to one of the city’s prominent houses long after the owner had gone to bed, and began to knock loudly, and shout: “Open the door, I want to come in,” how do you think you would be received?

Most likely, the owner of the house would shout back, “Go away! I don’t know who you are, or why you are disturbing me at this hour!”

What if you protested in reply, “But we have eaten at the same tables, and often I have heard you teach in the temple!”

To this the owner might reply, “Hear my words; I tell you I do not know you. Leave me in peace!”

Even so, on the day of judgment, many will come with a similar complaint, saying, “Lord, Lord, haven’t we prophesied in your name, and in your name cast out devils, and in your name accomplished many wonderful works?”

The Lord himself will reply, “Depart. I do not know you, who have lived your entire lives in darkness.”

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Abba, Father, Lord God, thankful and humble I seek, look and listen for Your will, and pray that You will through Jesus in the Spirit make it known to me according to Your time and in Your way, and that You would use this process to purify and strengthen me if only for one day of service to You as You will. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

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Love the poor tenderly, regarding them as your masters and yourselves as their servants.

— St. John of God

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3 John 5-8
Psalm 112:1-6
Luke 18:1-8

1  And he told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.  2  He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man;  3  and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, `Vindicate me against my adversary.’  4  For a while he refused; but afterward he said to himself, `Though I neither fear God nor regard man,  5  yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming.’"  6  And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says.  7  And will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 

8  I tell you, he will vindicate them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?" 

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Audio books I am listening to and other books or readings I am reading:

The Words of Jesus of Nazareth by Lee Cantelon

Ask and It Is Given, Volume 1: The Law of Attraction Unabridged By Esther Hicks and Jerry Hicks Narrated by Jerry Hicks – Ask and It Is Given, by Esther and Jerry Hicks, which presents the teachings of the nonphysical entity Abraham, will help you learn how to manifest your desires so that you’re living the joyous and fulfilling life you deserve. As you listen, you’ll come to understand how the Universal laws that govern your time/space reality influence your relationships, health issues, finances, career concerns, and more. It’s your birthright to live a life filled with everything that is good, and this audio program will show you how to make it so in every way!

The Pontiff in Winter: Triumph and Conflict in the Reign of John Paul II By John Cornwell Narrated by John Lee – Pope John Paul II is one of the most famous and influential political figures of the world. Now, best-selling author and journalist John Cornwell has written an accessible and provocative portrait of this highly charged figure, focusing primarily on the last five years and the major world events, and scandals within the Church that have impacted the papacy. The result is a thoughtful assessment of John Paul II’s legacy to the Church. In an age when many people see the Catholic Church as an institution in crisis, Cornwell raises the level of debate by posing difficult questions; chief among them is the effectiveness of a system that grants lifetime power to an individual vulnerable to the vicissitudes of aging and illness.

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The Words of Jesus of Nazareth

A Place for You

I go to prepare a place for you.

Know this: if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and take you to be there with me; so that where I am, there you may be also. Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I must go away, but I will come again to you. If you truly loved me you would rejoice, because I return to the Father.

Do not marvel when I say: for little while, you will not see me; but not long after that, you will see me again. You will weep and be sad , but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful , but your sorrow will be turned to joy.

A woman, when she is in childbirth, knows pain and agony; but as soon as the child is delivered she forgets her suffering, rejoicing that her child is born into the world. For a moment you may experience sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will be able to take your joy from you.

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Abba, Father, Lord God, thankful, humble, I seek understanding of myself through Jesus, and knowledge of Your will for me under the sun in Him via the Spirit that lives in me. Guide me! Help me! Show me! In my humility I find peace and disappointment; peace as I know I am nothing without You and in You I am, disappointment in my weakness, yet is it this weakness that brings me back to You, and in You I am. Let me just be who I am in You! In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

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O Truth, you are present to those who seek your help, and at one and the same time you answer all, though they seek your counsel on different matters. You respond clearly. but not everyone hears clearly. All ask what they wish, but do not always hear the answer they wish. Your best servant is he who is intent not so much on hearing his petition answered, as rather on willing whatever he hears from you.

— St. Augustine

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Revelation 14:1-5
Psalm 24:1-6

3  Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?  4  He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false, and does not swear deceitfully. 
Luke 21:1-4

1  He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury;  2  and he saw a poor widow put in two copper coins.  3  And he said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them;  4  for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all the living that she had."

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Audio books I am listening to and other books or readings I am reading:

The Words of Jesus of Nazareth by Lee Cantelon

Ask and It Is Given, Volume 1: The Law of Attraction Unabridged By Esther Hicks and Jerry Hicks Narrated by Jerry Hicks – Ask and It Is Given, by Esther and Jerry Hicks, which presents the teachings of the nonphysical entity Abraham, will help you learn how to manifest your desires so that you’re living the joyous and fulfilling life you deserve. As you listen, you’ll come to understand how the Universal laws that govern your time/space reality influence your relationships, health issues, finances, career concerns, and more. It’s your birthright to live a life filled with everything that is good, and this audio program will show you how to make it so in every way!

The Pontiff in Winter: Triumph and Conflict in the Reign of John Paul II By John Cornwell Narrated by John Lee – Pope John Paul II is one of the most famous and influential political figures of the world. Now, best-selling author and journalist John Cornwell has written an accessible and provocative portrait of this highly charged figure, focusing primarily on the last five years and the major world events, and scandals within the Church that have impacted the papacy. The result is a thoughtful assessment of John Paul II’s legacy to the Church. In an age when many people see the Catholic Church as an institution in crisis, Cornwell raises the level of debate by posing difficult questions; chief among them is the effectiveness of a system that grants lifetime power to an individual vulnerable to the vicissitudes of aging and illness.

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11202008

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The Words of Jesus of Nazareth

Following the Resurrection

I know from where I have come, and where I will go. You cannot tell from where I have come, or where I am going. You are from the earth. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world.

‘Cast Of Characters’ Book Excerpt

Mark 16:4-7

4  And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; — it was very large.  5  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed.  6  And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him.  7  But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you." 

"He is not here, He is risen,"

"But go, tell His disciples and Peter that He is going before you to Galilee."

Now tell me if that’s not a hidden treasure.

If I might paraphrase the words, "Don’t stay here, go tell the disciples," a pause, then a smile, "and especially tell Peter, that He is going before you to Galilee."

What a line. It’s as if all of heaven had watched Peter fall – and it’s as if all of heaven wanted to help him back up again. "Be sure and tell Peter that he’s not left out. Tell him that one failure doesn’t make a flop."

Whew!

No wonder they call it the gospel of the second chance.

Not many second chances exist in the world today. Just ask the kid who didn’t make the little league team or the fellow who got the pink slip or the mother of three who got dumped for the "pretty little thing."

Not many second chances. Nowadays it’s more like , "It’s now or never." "Around here we don’t tolerate incompetence." "Gotta get tough to get along." "Not much room at the top." "Three strikes and you’re out." "It’s a dog eat dog world!"

Jesus had a simple answer to our masochistic mania. "It’s a dog eat dog world?" He would say. "Then don’t live with the dogs." That makes sense, doesn’t it? Why let a bunch of failures tell you how much of a failure you are?

Sure you can have a second chance.

Just ask Peter. One minute he felt lower than a snake’s belly and the next minute he was the high hog at the trough. Even the angels wanted this distraught netcaster to know that it wasn’t over. The message came loud and clear from the celestial Throne Room through the divine courier. "Be sure and tell Peter that he gets to bat again."

Those who know these types of things say that the Gospel of Mark is really the transcribed notes and dictated thoughts of Peter. It this is true, then it was Peter himself who included these two words! And if these really are his words, I can’t help but imagine that the old fisherman had to brush away a tear and swallow a lump when he got to this point in the story.

It’s not every day that you get a second chance. Peter must have known that. The next time he saw Jesus, he got so excited that he barely got his britches on before he jumped into the sea of Galilee. It was also enough, so they say, to cause this backwoods Galilean to carry the gospel of the second chance all the way to Rome where they killed him. If you’ve ever wondered what would cause a man to be willing to be crucified upside down, maybe you now know.

It’s not every day that you find someone who will give you a second chance – much less someone who will give you a second chance every day.

But in Jesus Peter found both.

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Abba, Father, Lord God, thankful for all the second chances, I am humbled. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

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True devotion hinders no one, but rather it perfects everything, and whenever it is out of keeping with any person’s legitimate vocation, it must be spurious.

— St. Francis de Sales

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Revelation 5:1-10
Psalm 149:1-6, 9
Luke 19:41-44

41  And when he drew near and saw the city he wept over it,  42  saying, "Would that even today you knew the things that make for peace! But now they are hid from your eyes.  43  For the days shall come upon you, when your enemies will cast up a bank about you and surround you, and hem you in on every side,  44  and dash you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another in you; because you did not know the time of your visitation." 

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Audio books I am listening to and other books or readings I am reading:

The Words of Jesus of Nazareth by Lee Cantelon

Ask and It Is Given, Volume 1: The Law of Attraction Unabridged By Esther Hicks and Jerry Hicks Narrated by Jerry Hicks – Ask and It Is Given, by Esther and Jerry Hicks, which presents the teachings of the nonphysical entity Abraham, will help you learn how to manifest your desires so that you’re living the joyous and fulfilling life you deserve. As you listen, you’ll come to understand how the Universal laws that govern your time/space reality influence your relationships, health issues, finances, career concerns, and more. It’s your birthright to live a life filled with everything that is good, and this audio program will show you how to make it so in every way!

The Pontiff in Winter: Triumph and Conflict in the Reign of John Paul II By John Cornwell Narrated by John Lee – Pope John Paul II is one of the most famous and influential political figures of the world. Now, best-selling author and journalist John Cornwell has written an accessible and provocative portrait of this highly charged figure, focusing primarily on the last five years and the major world events, and scandals within the Church that have impacted the papacy. The result is a thoughtful assessment of John Paul II’s legacy to the Church. In an age when many people see the Catholic Church as an institution in crisis, Cornwell raises the level of debate by posing difficult questions; chief among them is the effectiveness of a system that grants lifetime power to an individual vulnerable to the vicissitudes of aging and illness.

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11202008

V

The Words of Jesus of Nazareth

Following the Resurrection

I know from where I have come, and where I will go. You cannot tell from where I have come, or where I am going. You are from the earth. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world.

‘Cast Of Characters’ Book Excerpt

Mark 16:4-7

4  And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; — it was very large.  5  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed.  6  And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him.  7  But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you." 

"He is not here, He is risen,"

"But go, tell His disciples and Peter that He is going before you to Galilee."

Now tell me if that’s not a hidden treasure.

If I might paraphrase the words, "Don’t stay here, go tell the disciples," a pause, then a smile, "and especially tell Peter, that He is going before you to Galilee."

What a line. It’s as if all of heaven had watched Peter fall – and it’s as if all of heaven wanted to help him back up again. "Be sure and tell Peter that he’s not left out. Tell him that one failure doesn’t make a flop."

Whew!

No wonder they call it the gospel of the second chance.

Not many second chances exist in the world today. Just ask the kid who didn’t make the little league team or the fellow who got the pink slip or the mother of three who got dumped for the "pretty little thing."

Not many second chances. Nowadays it’s more like , "It’s now or never." "Around here we don’t tolerate incompetence." "Gotta get tough to get along." "Not much room at the top." "Three strikes and you’re out." "It’s a dog eat dog world!"

Jesus had a simple answer to our masochistic mania. "It’s a dog eat dog world?" He would say. "Then don’t live with the dogs." That makes sense, doesn’t it? Why let a bunch of failures tell you how much of a failure you are?

Sure you can have a second chance.

Just ask Peter. One minute he felt lower than a snake’s belly and the next minute he was the high hog at the trough. Even the angels wanted this distraught netcaster to know that it wasn’t over. The message came loud and clear from the celestial Throne Room through the divine courier. "Be sure and tell Peter that he gets to bat again."

Those who know these types of things say that the Gospel of Mark is really the transcribed notes and dictated thoughts of Peter. It this is true, then it was Peter himself who included these two words! And if these really are his words, I can’t help but imagine that the old fisherman had to brush away a tear and swallow a lump when he got to this point in the story.

It’s not every day that you get a second chance. Peter must have known that. The next time he saw Jesus, he got so excited that he barely got his britches on before he jumped into the sea of Galilee. It was also enough, so they say, to cause this backwoods Galilean to carry the gospel of the second chance all the way to Rome where they killed him. If you’ve ever wondered what would cause a man to be willing to be crucified upside down, maybe you now know.

It’s not every day that you find someone who will give you a second chance – much less someone who will give you a second chance every day.

But in Jesus Peter found both.

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Abba, Father, Lord God, thankful for all the second chances, I am humbled. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

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True devotion hinders no one, but rather it perfects everything, and whenever it is out of keeping with any person’s legitimate vocation, it must be spurious.

— St. Francis de Sales

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Revelation 5:1-10
Psalm 149:1-6, 9
Luke 19:41-44

41  And when he drew near and saw the city he wept over it,  42  saying, "Would that even today you knew the things that make for peace! But now they are hid from your eyes.  43  For the days shall come upon you, when your enemies will cast up a bank about you and surround you, and hem you in on every side,  44  and dash you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another in you; because you did not know the time of your visitation." 

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Audio books I am listening to and other books or readings I am reading:

The Words of Jesus of Nazareth by Lee Cantelon

Ask and It Is Given, Volume 1: The Law of Attraction Unabridged By Esther Hicks and Jerry Hicks Narrated by Jerry Hicks – Ask and It Is Given, by Esther and Jerry Hicks, which presents the teachings of the nonphysical entity Abraham, will help you learn how to manifest your desires so that you’re living the joyous and fulfilling life you deserve. As you listen, you’ll come to understand how the Universal laws that govern your time/space reality influence your relationships, health issues, finances, career concerns, and more. It’s your birthright to live a life filled with everything that is good, and this audio program will show you how to make it so in every way!

The Pontiff in Winter: Triumph and Conflict in the Reign of John Paul II By John Cornwell Narrated by John Lee – Pope John Paul II is one of the most famous and influential political figures of the world. Now, best-selling author and journalist John Cornwell has written an accessible and provocative portrait of this highly charged figure, focusing primarily on the last five years and the major world events, and scandals within the Church that have impacted the papacy. The result is a thoughtful assessment of John Paul II’s legacy to the Church. In an age when many people see the Catholic Church as an institution in crisis, Cornwell raises the level of debate by posing difficult questions; chief among them is the effectiveness of a system that grants lifetime power to an individual vulnerable to the vicissitudes of aging and illness.

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The Words of Jesus of Nazareth

The Good Shepherd

Fear not, little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

This earth is plagued by corruption, by death and destruction. I have come to undo this curse, that you might discover the true meaning of life and be blessed.

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Abba, Father, Lord God, humble, thankful, I still seek, thirst and hunger for understand and control of myself; but is that possible? I read and listen to every Word of my Lord Jesus expecting the next to have the key, the secret; but is the key to just keep seeking, keep thirsting and keep hungering for Jesus, more and more of Him until I am gone all that remains is His image. Is that the secret, will I even know if and when it happens? Help me stay thirsty and hungry, help me keep seeking Lord Jesus! In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

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True charity consists in doing good to those who do us evil, and in thus winning them over.

— St. Alphonsus Liguori

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Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17
Psalm 23:1-3, 5-6

1  The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want;  2  he makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters;  3  he restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  5  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.  6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28

20  But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.  21  For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.  22  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 
Matthew 25:31-46

31  "When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.  32  Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,  33  and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left.  34  Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;  35  for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,  36  I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’  37  Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink?  38  And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee?  39  And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?’  40  And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’  41  Then he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels;  42  for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,  43  I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’  44  Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?’  45  Then he will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’  46  And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." 

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Audio books I am listening to and other books or readings I am reading:

The Words of Jesus of Nazareth by Lee Cantelon

Ask and It Is Given, Volume 1: The Law of Attraction Unabridged By Esther Hicks and Jerry Hicks Narrated by Jerry Hicks – Ask and It Is Given, by Esther and Jerry Hicks, which presents the teachings of the nonphysical entity Abraham, will help you learn how to manifest your desires so that you’re living the joyous and fulfilling life you deserve. As you listen, you’ll come to understand how the Universal laws that govern your time/space reality influence your relationships, health issues, finances, career concerns, and more. It’s your birthright to live a life filled with everything that is good, and this audio program will show you how to make it so in every way!

The Pontiff in Winter: Triumph and Conflict in the Reign of John Paul II By John Cornwell Narrated by John Lee – Pope John Paul II is one of the most famous and influential political figures of the world. Now, best-selling author and journalist John Cornwell has written an accessible and provocative portrait of this highly charged figure, focusing primarily on the last five years and the major world events, and scandals within the Church that have impacted the papacy. The result is a thoughtful assessment of John Paul II’s legacy to the Church. In an age when many people see the Catholic Church as an institution in crisis, Cornwell raises the level of debate by posing difficult questions; chief among them is the effectiveness of a system that grants lifetime power to an individual vulnerable to the vicissitudes of aging and illness.

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11222008

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The Words of Jesus of Nazareth

 Following the Resurrection

Oh fools, so slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Should not Christ have suffered all of these things and then enter into his glory? Be faithless no longer, but believe.

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Abba, Father, Lord God, aware, thankful, humble, You are my rock, I ask that You trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle under the sun; You are my rock and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield. In and through Jesus I wake to You and come back to You each day to measure and weight myself against the image of my Lord Jesus. Ready to be convicted where I fall short and humbled knowing it is only by Your grace that I walk, and Your mercy that I find the way to keep going, keep seeking. Help me to return home to You at night and to wake with You each morning. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.

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The everlasting God has in His wisdom, foreseen from eternity the cross that He now presents to you as a gift from His inmost heart. This cross He now sends you, He has considered with His all-knowing eyes, understood with His Divine mind, tested with His wise justice, warmed with His loving arms and weighed with His own hands, to see that it be not one inch too large and not one ounce too heavy for you. He has blessed it with His holy Name, anointed it with His grace, perfumed it with His consolation, taken one last glance at you and your courage, and then sent it to you from heaven, a special greeting from God to you, an alms of the all-merciful love of God. Our business is to love what would have done. He wills our vocation as it is. Let us love that and not trifle away our time hankering after other people’s vocations.

— St. Francis de Sales

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Revelation 11:4-12
Psalm 144:1-2, 9-10

1  Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; 2  my rock and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues the peoples under him. 
Luke 20:27-40

27  There came to him some Sadducees, those who say that there is no resurrection,

28  and they asked him a question, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the wife and raise up children for his brother.  29  Now there were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and died without children;  30  and the second  31  and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. 32  afterward the woman also died.  33  In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife."  34  And Jesus said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage;  35  but those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage,  36  for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.  37  But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.  38  Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living; for all live to him."  39  And some of the scribes answered, "Teacher, you have spoken well."  40  For they no longer dared to ask him any question.

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Audio books I am listening to and other books or readings I am reading:

The Words of Jesus of Nazareth by Lee Cantelon

Ask and It Is Given, Volume 1: The Law of Attraction Unabridged By Esther Hicks and Jerry Hicks Narrated by Jerry Hicks – Ask and It Is Given, by Esther and Jerry Hicks, which presents the teachings of the nonphysical entity Abraham, will help you learn how to manifest your desires so that you’re living the joyous and fulfilling life you deserve. As you listen, you’ll come to understand how the Universal laws that govern your time/space reality influence your relationships, health issues, finances, career concerns, and more. It’s your birthright to live a life filled with everything that is good, and this audio program will show you how to make it so in every way!

The Pontiff in Winter: Triumph and Conflict in the Reign of John Paul II By John Cornwell Narrated by John Lee – Pope John Paul II is one of the most famous and influential political figures of the world. Now, best-selling author and journalist John Cornwell has written an accessible and provocative portrait of this highly charged figure, focusing primarily on the last five years and the major world events, and scandals within the Church that have impacted the papacy. The result is a thoughtful assessment of John Paul II’s legacy to the Church. In an age when many people see the Catholic Church as an institution in crisis, Cornwell raises the level of debate by posing difficult questions; chief among them is the effectiveness of a system that grants lifetime power to an individual vulnerable to the vicissitudes of aging and illness.

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11212008

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The Words of Jesus of Nazareth

Patience, Mercy, and Forgiveness

When little is forgiven, little love is returned.

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Abba, Father, Lord God, aware, thankful, humbled, I ask Your continued blessings for me and mine; that You would make Yourself visible, helping those that do not see, see; those that cannot accept, accept; those that will not forget, forget; those that feel no love, love. By faith, with hope, in love I ask in Jesus name, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

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The everlasting God has in His wisdom, foreseen from eternity the cross that He now presents to you as a gift from His inmost heart. This cross He now sends you, He has considered with His all-knowing eyes, understood with His Divine mind, tested with His wise justice, warmed with His loving arms and weighed with His own hands, to see that it be not one inch too large and not one ounce too heavy for you. He has blessed it with His holy Name, anointed it with His grace, perfumed it with His consolation, taken one last glance at you and your courage, and then sent it to you from heaven, a special greeting from God to you, an alms of the all-merciful love of God. Our business is to love what would have done. He wills our vocation as it is. Let us love that and not trifle away our time hankering after other people’s vocations.

— St. Francis de Sales

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Revelation 11:4-12
Psalm 144:1-2, 9-10
Luke 20:27-40

27  There came to him some Sadducees, those who say that there is no resurrection,  28  and they asked him a question, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the wife and raise up children for his brother.  29  Now there were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and died without children;  30  and the second  31  and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died.  32  Afterward the woman also died.  33  In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife." 34  And Jesus said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage;  35  but those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage,  36  for they cannot die any more, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37  But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.  38  Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living; for all live to him."  39  And some of the scribes answered, "Teacher, you have spoken well."  40  For they no longer dared to ask him any question. 

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Audio books I am listening to and other books or readings I am reading:

The Words of Jesus of Nazareth by Lee Cantelon

Ask and It Is Given, Volume 1: The Law of Attraction Unabridged By Esther Hicks and Jerry Hicks Narrated by Jerry Hicks – Ask and It Is Given, by Esther and Jerry Hicks, which presents the teachings of the nonphysical entity Abraham, will help you learn how to manifest your desires so that you’re living the joyous and fulfilling life you deserve. As you listen, you’ll come to understand how the Universal laws that govern your time/space reality influence your relationships, health issues, finances, career concerns, and more. It’s your birthright to live a life filled with everything that is good, and this audio program will show you how to make it so in every way!

The Pontiff in Winter: Triumph and Conflict in the Reign of John Paul II By John Cornwell Narrated by John Lee – Pope John Paul II is one of the most famous and influential political figures of the world. Now, best-selling author and journalist John Cornwell has written an accessible and provocative portrait of this highly charged figure, focusing primarily on the last five years and the major world events, and scandals within the Church that have impacted the papacy. The result is a thoughtful assessment of John Paul II’s legacy to the Church. In an age when many people see the Catholic Church as an institution in crisis, Cornwell raises the level of debate by posing difficult questions; chief among them is the effectiveness of a system that grants lifetime power to an individual vulnerable to the vicissitudes of aging and illness.

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