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Proverb 30 (NKJV) The Wisdom of Agur 01 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. 00 This man declared to Ithiel--to Ithiel and Ucal: 02 Surely I am more stupid than any man, 00 And do not have the understanding of a man. 03 I neither learned wisdom 00 Nor have knowledge of the Holy One. 04 Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? 00 Who has gathered the wind in His fists? 00 Who has bound the waters in a garment? 00 Who has established all the ends of the earth? 00 What is His...

June 30, 2014Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time    Reading 1 Am 2:6-10, 13-16 Thus says the LORD:For three crimes of Israel, and for four,I will not revoke my word;Because they sell the just man for silver,and the poor man for a pair of sandals.They trample the heads of the weakinto the dust of the earth,and force the lowly out of the way.Son and father go to the same prostitute,profaning my holy name.Upon garments taken in pledgethey recline beside any altar;And the wine of those who have been finedthey drink in the house of their god. Yet...

The Strictest Discipline " If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell —Matthew 5:30 " Jesus did not say that everyone must cut off his right hand, but that “if your right hand causes you to sin” in your walk with Him, then it is better to “cut it off.” There are many things that are perfectly legitimate, but if you are going to concentrate on God you...

Have you ever given it much thought about the phrase, “Lift Christ up with Praise?” Quite often you will hear a pastor use this phrase as he instructs you to give glory to God though His Son. But have you ever really consider what the significance of the phrase? Give me a moment of your time and allow me to introduce you to something very few Christians have actually ever considered when hearing this phrase, “Lift Christ up with Praise.” Most people know the verse, John 3:16, many have even memorized it. For me, that was the first verse...

Proverb 29 (NKJV) Happy Is He Who Keeps the Law 01 He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, 00 Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. 02 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; 00 But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. 03 Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice, 00 But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth. 04 The king establishes the land by justice, 00 But he who receives bribes overthrows it. 05 A man who flatters his neighbor 00 Spreads a net for his feet. 06 By transgression...

Held by the Grip of God " I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me —Philippians 3:12 " Never choose to be a worker for God, but once God has placed His call on you, woe be to you if you “turn aside to the right hand or to the left” (Deuteronomy 5:32). We are not here to work for God because we have chosen to do so, but because God has “laid hold of” us. And once He has done so, we never have this thought,...

June 29, 2014Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles, Mass during the Day    Reading 1 Acts 12:1-11 In those days, King Herod laid hands upon some members of the Church to harm them.He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword,and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jewshe proceeded to arrest Peter also.–It was the feast of Unleavened Bread.–He had him taken into custody and put in prisonunder the guard of four squads of four soldiers each.He intended to bring him before the people after Passover.Peter thus was being kept in prison,but prayer...

June 29, 2014Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles, Vigil Mass    Reading 1 Acts 3:1-10 Peter and John were going up to the temple areafor the three o’clock hour of prayer. And a man crippled from birth was carriedand placed at the gate of the temple called “the Beautiful Gate”every day to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple.When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple,he asked for alms.But Peter looked intently at him, as did John,and said, “Look at us.”He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them.Peter...

NEW YORK — Every week day, several traditional Catholics in New York City gather for a 6pm traditional Latin Mass at the Church of the Holy Innocents, a Gothic-Revival structure in Manhattan’s Garment District. On Sundays, a 10:30am sung high Mass in the extraordinary form, which features a talented schola, attracts more than 200 worshippers. The traditional parish community also attends a Sunday Rosary and 2:30pm vespers service that consistently draws more people than the 12:30pm English-language Mass. “The Masses there are packed. They have sung Latin Masses at all major feast days and processions. What other church does that?”...

Proverb 28 (NKJV) The Righteous Are Bold as a Lion 01 The wicked flee when no one pursues, 00But the righteous are bold as a lion. 02 Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes; 00But by a man of understanding and knowledge 00Right will be prolonged. 03 A poor man who oppresses the poor 00Is like a driving rain which leaves no food. 04 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, 00But such as keep the law contend with them. 05 Evil men do not understand justice, 00But those who seek the LORD understand...

June 28, 2014Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary    Reading 1 Lam 2:2, 10-14, 18-19 The Lord has consumed without pityall the dwellings of Jacob;He has torn down in his angerthe fortresses of daughter Judah;He has brought to the ground in dishonorher king and her princes. On the ground in silence sitthe old men of daughter Zion;They strew dust on their headsand gird themselves with sackcloth;The maidens of Jerusalembow their heads to the ground. Worn out from weeping are my eyes,within me all is in ferment;My gall is poured out on the groundbecause of the...

As the Rev. Justin Wylie took the pulpit at the Church of the Holy Innocents in Manhattan last month, anger and anxiety emanated from the pews. The church is the only one in New York City to offer a daily traditional Latin Mass, but an archdiocesan panel had recommended that it be closed. Father Wylie, a visiting priest, urged parishioners to be obedient but also to speak up, as traditionalist Catholics, for a place in the church, saying they should not be “turned out like squatters.”

Great Peace Today's Scripture “Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.” (Psalm 119:165, NIV) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria God not only wants to give you peace, He wants to give you great peace! When you love His law, nothing can make you stumble, and you will have great peace! Great peace gives you joy when it doesn’t make sense for you to be happy. It’s peace that passes understanding. Great peace keeps you stable and strong no matter what may come against you. When you focus your attention on God’s...

The Overshadowing of God’s Personal Deliverance " . . . I am with you to deliver you,’ says the Lord —Jeremiah 1:8 " God promised Jeremiah that He would deliver him personally— “. . . your life shall be as a prize to you . . .” (Jeremiah 39:18). That is all God promises His children. Wherever God sends us, He will guard our lives. Our personal property and possessions are to be a matter of indifference to us, and our hold on these things should be very loose. If this is not the case, we will have panic,...

FULL TITLE: The Holy Father, say those close to him, is wearing himself out. He should slow down, beginning with at least three weeks off at Castel Gandolfo 'Most popes have quite rightly taken August off. Pope Francis? He is off to Korea (Photo: CNS) Last week the Telegraph reported that, according to the Vatican press office, Pope Francis would not be walking in the traditional Corpus Christi procession through the streets of Rome, from St John Lateran (where he would be celebrating the Mass on the steps) to Santa Maria Maggiore, a distance of nearly a mile. He would...

Morning and Evening Charles H. Spurgeon June 27, 2014 Morning Reading Only ye shall not go very far away. —Exodus 8:28 This is a crafty word from the lip of the arch-tyrant Pharaoh. If the poor bondaged Israelites must needs go out of Egypt, then he bargains with them that it shall not be very far away; not too far for them to escape the terror of his arms, and the observation of his spies. After the same fashion, the world loves not the non-conformity of nonconformity, or the dissidence of dissent, it would have us be more charitable and...

>On June 8, 2014 — Pentecost Sunday — the Vatican hosted an “interfaith event” that included prayers by Christian priests, a Jewish rabbi, and a Muslim imam. The occasion was well-publicized in advance by the Holy See as a “pause in politics” that would promote peace between the Israel and the Palestinians. During his visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority the previous month, Pope Francis had invited Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to attend the event. Both leaders accepted the invitation, and sat with the Pope while prayers were said and chanted in the...

Proverb 27 (NKJV) My Son, Be Wise 01 Do not boast about tomorrow, 00 For you do not know what a day may bring forth. 02 Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; 00 A stranger, and not your own lips. 03 A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, 00 But a fool's wrath is heavier than both of them. 04 Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, 00 But who is able to stand before jealousy? 05 Open rebuke is better 00 Than love carefully concealed. 06 Faithful are the wounds of a friend,...

June 27, 2014Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus    Reading 1 Dt 7:6-11 Moses said to the people:"You are a people sacred to the LORD, your God;he has chosen you from all the nations on the face of the earthto be a people peculiarly his own.It was not because you are the largest of all nationsthat the LORD set his heart on you and chose you,for you are really the smallest of all nations.It was because the LORD loved youand because of his fidelity to the oath he had sworn your fathers,that he brought you out with his...

Father Frederico Lombardi, the Vatican's official spokesman, revealed in an official statement regarding the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate on Wednesday that a house is being sought in Rome for members of the religious order studying at the Vatican's Pontifical colleges and universities. The news that community living quarters are desired for members of the order are a clear indication that relations between the Congregation and the FFI are warming significantly. Father Lombardi revealed that the seminarians of the order were received in private audience at the St. Martha Residence to meet with the Holy Father, Pope Francis, along with...