One Walk

Dear Lord God, Eyes of Faith, Power of Prayer is what I seek today, in today’s readings we are reminded how our enemies mock us with taunts of ‘where is your God now?’ in times of turmoil and tribulation; we are also reminded how easily we misinterpret Your divine works if we lose sight of Your heavenly presence and let our thoughts be consumed by the things under the sun. For we must practice Your presence to strengthen and sharpen our Eyes of Faith, and we must turn to You in all things with prayer and supplication knowing that You are the Source of Source and that in and through You all things are made whole through love, knowledge and understanding. So it is with Eyes of Faith and through the power of prayer that I ask for Your guidance, strength and perseverance for as Source of Source all things are within Your power as You will; I call upon You to use me to open the eyes of the blind, and to rebuke my enemies, to heal the pain and illness that surrounds us, and that through my (our) love for You, You grant us understanding that we my be purified and strengthened by and through these times. O Lord I lift up believer and non-believe for we are all afflicted by doubt and fear, doubts that can only be present if we are disconnected from You our Source, fear that comes when we take our eyes off of You, reach down from Your heavenly throne this day and pick us up, holding us firmly in Your arms, help us to see Your divine presence and works in all that we look at. These things I ask in Jesus’ name, Amen.

The greater and more persistent your confidence in God, the more abundantly you will receive what you ask.

— St. Albert the Great

Acts 14:5-18

5 When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to molest them and to stone them, 6 they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycao’nia, and to the surrounding country; 7 and there they preached the gospel. 8 Now at Lystra there was a man sitting, who could not use his feet; he was a cripple from birth, who had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul speaking; and Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, 10 said in a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet." And he sprang up and walked. 11 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycao’nian, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!" 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, because he was the chief speaker, they called Hermes. 13 And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the people. 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out among the multitude, crying, 15 "Men, why are you doing this? We also are men, of like nature with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways; 17 yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness." 18 With these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.

Bible Study: [8-18] In an effort to convince his hearers that the divine power works through his word, Paul cures the cripple. However, the pagan tradition of the occasional appearance of gods among human beings leads the people astray in interpreting the miracle. The incident reveals the cultural difficulties with which the church had to cope. Note the similarity of the miracle worked here by Paul to the one performed by Peter in Acts 3:2-10.

Psalm 115:1-4, 15-16

1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to thy name give glory, for the sake of thy steadfast love and thy faithfulness! 2 Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" 3 Our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he pleases. 4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. 15 May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth! 16 The heavens are the LORD’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the sons of men.

Bible Study: [Psalm 115] A response to the enemy taunt, "Where is your God?" This hymn to the glory of Israel’s God (Psalm 115:1-3) ridicules the lifeless idols of the nations (Psalm 115:4-8), expresses in a litany the trust of the various classes of the people in God (Psalm 115:9-11), invokes God’s blessing on them as they invoke the divine name (Psalm 115:12-15), and concludes as it began with praise of God. Psalm 135:15-18 similarly mocks the Gentile gods and has a similar litany and hymn (Psalm 135:19-21).

John 14:21-26

21 He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?" 23 Jesus answered him, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. 25 "These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Bible Study: [22] Judas, not the Iscariot: probably not the brother of Jesus in Mark 6:3 // Matthew 13:55 or the apostle named Jude in Luke 6:16 but Thomas (see the note on John 11:16), although other readings have "Judas the Cananean."

/      raangulo

    Get Skype it’s free.

Check out my blog at http://raagroup.blogspot.com/ where daily readings and more are posted daily.

1 Peter 4:12-16 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

Psalm 12:6 And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.

These things I ask in Your name Jesus, Amen

The divinely revealed realities, which are contained and presented in the text of Sacred Scripture, have been written down under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

— Dei Verbum

Acts 14:21-27

21 When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Ico’nium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. 23 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they believed. 24 Then they passed through Pisid’ia, and came to Pamphyl’ia. 25 And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attali’a; 26 and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled. 27 And when they arrived, they gathered the church together and declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.

Bible Study: [15-17] This is the first speech of Paul to Gentiles recorded by Luke in Acts (cf Acts 17:22-31). Rather than showing how Christianity is the logical outgrowth of Judaism, as he does in speeches before Jews, Luke says that God excuses past Gentile ignorance and then presents a natural theology arguing for the recognition of God’s existence and presence through his activity in natural phenomena. [23] They appointed presbyters: the communities are given their own religious leaders by the traveling missionaries. The structure in these churches is patterned on the model of the Jerusalem community (Acts 11:30; 15:2, 5, 22; 21:18).

Psalm 145:8-13

8 The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 The LORD is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made. 10 All thy works shall give thanks to thee, O LORD, and all thy saints shall bless thee! 11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and tell of thy power, 12 to make known to the sons of men thy mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of thy kingdom. 13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endures throughout all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds.

Bible Study: Of David [Psalm 145] A hymn in acrostic form; every verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Acrostic poems usually do not develop ideas but consist rather of loosely connected statements. The singer invites all to praise God (Psalm 145:1-3, 21). The “works of God” make God present and invite human praise (Psalm 145:4-7); they climax in a confession (Psalm 145:8-9). God’s mighty acts show forth divine kingship (Psalm 145:10-20), a major theme in the literature of early Judaism and in Christianity.

Revelation 21:1-5

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; 3 and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; 4 he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Bible Study: [21:1-22:5] A description of God’s eternal kingdom in heaven under the symbols of a new heaven and a new earth; cf Isaiah 65:17-25; 66:22; Matthew 19:28. [1] Sea . . . no more: because as home of the dragon it was doomed to disappear; cf Job 7:12. [2] New Jerusalem . . . bride: symbol of the church (Gal 4:26); see the note on Rev 19:7. [3] People: other ancient manuscripts read a plural, “peoples.” Rev 21:3-4: Language taken from Ezekiel 37:27; Isaiah 25:8; 35:10; cf Rev 7:17. [5] The one . . . on the throne: God himself; cf Rev 4:1-11.

John 13:31-33, 34-35

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of man glorified, and in him God is glorified; 32 if God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, `Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Bible Study: [13:1-19:42] The Book of Glory. There is a major break here; the word “sign” is used again only in John 20:30. In this phase of Jesus’ return to the Father, the discourses (John 13-17) precede the traditional narrative of the passion (John 18-20) to interpret them for the Christian reader. This is the only extended example of esoteric teaching of disciples in John. [13:31-17:26] Two farewell discourses and a prayer. These seem to be Johannine compositions, including sayings of Jesus at the Last Supper and on other occasions, modeled on similar farewell discourses in Greek literature and the Old Testament (of Moses, Joshua, David). [31-38] Introduction: departure and return. Terms of coming and going predominate. These verses form an introduction to the last discourse of Jesus, which extends through John 14-17. In it John has collected Jesus’ words to his own (John 13:1). There are indications that several speeches have been fused together, e.g., in John 14:31 and John 17:1. [34] I give you a new commandment: this puts Jesus on a par with Yahweh. The commandment itself is not new; cf Lev 19:18 and the note there.

/ raangulo

Get Skype it’s free.

Check out my blog at http://raagroup.blogspot.com/ where daily readings and more are posted daily.

In giving us His Son, His only Word (for He possesses no other), He spoke everything to us at once in This sole Word – and He has no more to say. . . because what He spoke before to the prophets in parts, He has now spoken all at once by giving us the All Who is His Son. Any person questioning God or desiring some vision or revelation would be guilty not only of foolish behavior but also of offending Him, by not fixing his eyes entirely upon Christ and by living with the desire for some other novelty.

— St. John of the Cross

1 Corinthians 15:1-8

1 Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, 2 by which you are saved, if you hold it fast — unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

Psalm 19:2-5

2 Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; 4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, 5 which comes forth like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.

John 14:6-14

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, `Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves. 12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; 14 if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.

/ raangulo

Get Skype it’s free.

Check out my blog at http://raagroup.blogspot.com/ where daily readings and more are posted daily.

The human nature of God’s Son, not by itself but by its union with the Word, knew and showed forth in itself everything that pertains to God.

— St. Maximus the Confessor

Acts 12:24-25 — 13:1-5

24 But the word of God grew and multiplied. 25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, bringing with them John whose other name was Mark.

1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyre’ne, Man’a-en a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. 4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleu’cia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Sal’amis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them.

Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6, 8

2 that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving power among all nations. 3 Let the peoples praise thee, O God; let all the peoples praise thee! 5 Let the peoples praise thee, O God; let all the peoples praise thee! 6 The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.

John 12:44-50

44 And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And he who sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 47 If any one hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings has a judge; the word that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on my own authority; the Father who sent me has himself given me commandment what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has bidden me.”

/ raangulo

Get Skype it’s free.

Check out my blog at http://raagroup.blogspot.com/ where daily readings and more are posted daily.

Litany of St. Joseph

Stand fast, therefore, in this conduct and follow the example of the Lord, ‘firm and unchangeable in faith, lovers of the brotherhood, loving each other, united in truth,’ helping each other with the mildness of the Lord, despising no man.

— St. Polycarp (Letter to Philippians)

Genesis 1:26-31 — 2:1-3 or

Colossians 3:14-15, 17, 23-24

14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 23 Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are serving the Lord Christ.

Psalm 90:2-4, 12-14, 16

2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting thou art God. 3 Thou turnest man back to the dust, and sayest, “Turn back, O children of men!” 4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. 12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. 13 Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on thy servants! 14 Satisfy us in the morning with thy steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 16 Let thy work be manifest to thy servants, and thy glorious power to their children.

Matthew 13:54-58

54 and coming to his own country he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

/ raangulo

Get Skype it’s free.

Check out my blog at http://raagroup.blogspot.com/ where daily readings and more are posted daily.