#psalm 118:8

[walkswithmyfather]

Really interesting. 😲

#psalm 118:8 #bible #christian blog #god #belief in god #faith in god #jesus #belief in jesus #faith in jesus #bible study #bible truths #bible quotes #encouragement #keep the faith #make him known

[granonine]

Saturday Soliloquy: Snow Again :)

According to a local report, we got somewhere between 4-8 inches of snow overnight and early this morning. It’s really pretty outside. And there are patches of blue sky already. I’m looking north out my livingroom window, and there’s a big patch of blue. A few minutes ago, I was in the kitchen. Looking south and southeast, there was a huge patch of clear blue sky with smaller blue areas all…

View On WordPress

#4-8 inches overnight #clumps of snow falling from trees #Psalm 118:24 #Saturday Soliloquy #sky is clearing now #Snow Again #wind picking up

[grandsouldream]

Readings for 20 September

20/09/2022

#Looking around at those seated in the circle #Jesus said: 'Here are my mother and my brothers' #Book of Proverbs 21 #Book of Proverbs #Psalms 119(118) #Psalms #Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 8 #Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke #Isaac of Stella (?-c.1171) #(Mk 3:34) #God #Lord #Jesus #Holy Spirit #love #hope #heaven #life #peace

[faith-avenue]

Your heart is deceitful ,your emotions fluctuate, your understanding does not see the overall, big picture. GOD knows all. Trust Him. Psalms 118:8.

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

3rd April >> Mass Readings (USA)

Easter Wednesday 

(Liturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II))

First Reading

Acts of the Apostles 3:1–10

What I do have I give you: in the name of the Lord Jesus, rise and walk.

Peter and John were going up to the temple area for the three o’clock hour of prayer. And a man crippled from birth was carried and 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 said, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.” Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong. He leaped up, stood, and walked around, and went into the temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the one who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with amazement and astonishment at what had happened to him.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 105:1–2, 3–4, 6–7, 8–9

R/ Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord. or R/ Alleluia.

Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the nations his deeds. Sing to him, sing his praise, proclaim all his wondrous deeds.

R/ Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord. or R/ Alleluia.

Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD! Look to the LORD in his strength; seek to serve him constantly.

R/ Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord. or R/ Alleluia.

You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! He, the LORD, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail.

R/ Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord. or R/ Alleluia.

He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generations— Which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac.

R/ Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord. or R/ Alleluia.

Sequence

Victimae Paschali Laudes

Christians, to the Paschal Victim Offer your thankful praises! A Lamb the sheep redeems; Christ, who only is sinless, Reconciles sinners to the Father. Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous: The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal. Speak, Mary, declaring What you saw, wayfaring. “The tomb of Christ, who is living, The glory of Jesus’ resurrection; bright angels attesting, The shroud and napkin resting. Yes, Christ my hope is arisen; to Galilee he goes before you.” Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining. Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning! Amen. Alleluia.

Gospel Acclamation

Psalm 118:24

Alleluia, alleluia. This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Luke 24:13–35

They recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread.

That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?” And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his Body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the Eleven and those with them who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[lionofthegoldsun]

[Maintaining A Clear Conscience]

Believers in Christ must strive to maintain a clear conscience: we must remove any pollution or defilement in our minds, hearts, and souls. That includes being cautious of what we say (Matthew 15:11), what we hear—practically anything NEGATIVE our soul absorbs, which can pollute it. And whatever we absorb can cause us to behave in a not so pleasing way to God (Romans 12:1).

This can happen without us being aware. For instance, if you run to the internet to answer your questions and to solve your problems, instead of God’s truth, you’re not going to have peace because the world is full of lies and ruled by spirits of darkness (Ephesians 6:12).

“We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.”

-1 John 5:19

These are deceiving spirits who want to take our focus off God and drag us down. They want us to feel as if there is no hope. It’s all a distraction.

The devil will use our emotions to toy with us. Therefore, trusting other sources, our hearts, and people instead of God and His word will only birth fear, paranoia, and anxiety, which are not fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Not only that, the human heart is deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9). And as Proverbs 28:26 says: “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will escape.”

As Believers, this will only make us stumble and our faith wobble. That is why we need to root ourselves in God and in His word.

“They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

-Jeremiah 17:8

<Extra Verses>

“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.”

Psalm 118:8-9

“Don’t put your trust in mere humans. They are as frail as breath. What good are they?”

-Isaiah 2:22

“Fools believe every word they hear, but wise people think carefully about everything.”

-Proverbs 14:15

<Bonus Verses>

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

-Philippians 4:8-9

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

-Philippians 4:6-7

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

-2 Corinthians 10:5

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

-Isaiah 55:8-9

“Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”

-Romans 12:2

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”

-Isaiah 26:3

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

-Colossians 3:2

#christian #bible verse #christianity #bibleverse #jesus christ #jesus loves you #faith in god #faith in jesus #follower of jesus christ #god

[officialyourdailyinspiration]

Trust in God under Adversity

1 The psalm of David, when he fled from the face of Absalom, his son. Lord, why be they multiplied that trouble me? many men rise against me. (The song of David, when he fled from his son Absalom. Lord, why be there so many who trouble me? why be there so many who rise up against me?)

2 Many men say of my soul, None health there is to him in his God. (Many say of me, There is no help for him from his God.)

3 But thou, Lord, art mine up-taker; my glory, and enhancing mine head. (But thou, Lord, art my defender; my glory, and the one who lifteth up my head.)

4 With my voice I cried to the Lord; and he heard me from his holy hill. (I cried to the Lord with my voice; and he answered me from his holy hill.)

5 I slept, and rested, and I rose up; for the Lord received me (for the Lord had protected me).

6 I shall not dread thousands of people (en)compassing me; (I shall not fear even thousands of people surrounding me;)

7 Lord, arise thou; my God, make me safe. For thou hast smitten all men being adversaries to me without cause; thou hast all-broken the teeth of sinners. (Lord, rise thou up; my God, save me. Thou hast struck down all who be my adversaries; thou hast broken all the teeth of the sinners.)

8 Health is of the Lord; and thy blessing is on thy people. (Victory is from the Lord/Salvation, or deliverance, is from the Lord; and thy blessing is upon thy people.) — Psalm 3 | Wycliffe Bible (WYC) The Wycliffe Bible is in the public domain. Cross References: Leviticus 26:6; 2 Samuel 15:12-13; 2 Samuel 15:14; Job 16:10; Job 29:17; Psalm 2:6; Psalm 4:1-2; Psalm 6:8; Psalm 22:7-8; Psalm 23:4; Psalm 28:8; Psalm 118:10; Psalm 139:18; Revelation 7:10

#God #thanks #answered prayer #affliction #Psalm 3 #Book of Psalms #Old Testament #WYC #Wycliffe Bible

[pugzman3]

Psalms chapter 118

1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.

2 Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

3 Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

4 Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

5 I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place.

6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

7 The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.

8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.

10 All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD will I destroy them.

11 They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.

12 They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.

13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the LORD helped me.

14 The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.

15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.

16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.

17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.

18 The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:

20 This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.

21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

23 This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.

26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.

27 God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.

28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.

29 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

[sagehuntsargs]

log

@boozois‘ arg: #boozois

everything is in chronological order (i.e. order i discovered it)! if i’m missing anything or you’d like to come chat to me about this wonderful ARG please do!!!

solved puzzles 

ask ciphers: hosea 6:3 (x)

binary cornfield code: borzoi description (x)

corn video (tm) analysis: psalm 139:8, proverbs 6:16-6:19, psalm 59, hebrew description (x)

personalised ciphertext: matthew 10:8, psalm 118:5, matthew 8:12 (x)

chapter one: maxine text (x)

maxine video: genesis 3 (x)

jeremiah denton video: torture morse code (x)

what the dog doing?: Isaiah 45:7 (x)

300 follower post secrets: Matthew 7:7 (x)

youtube header: 1 thessalonians 4:16-4:17, psalm 34:15 (updated version 1) (updated version 2)

quick link to the chapters

chapter one -> derived from maxine

chapter two -> derived from the youtube headers (version 2)

chapter three -> derived from the corn video (tm) analysis

#arg #tumblr #welcomehome #welcome home #boozois #boozois arg #does it have a name??? #captain's log

[walkswithmyfather]

“The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” —John 12:12‭-‬19 (NIV)

“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.” —Zechariah 9:9‭-‬12 (NIV)

“Easter Explained: An 8-Day Guide to Celebrating Holy Week Devotional. Day 1 - Palm Sunday” By Spoken Gospel:

“For the last 1,600 years, Christians around the world remember the last days of Jesus' life during Holy Week. Today is Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday remembers the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey like a rival king to challenge Caesar and his Roman empire.

Like every other empire, Rome controlled its people with the threat of death. But Jesus came to disarm all kings of their favorite weapon by dying and then rising from his grave. Jesus has just performed his seventh and final miracle in John's Gospel. He raised his friend Lazarus from the dead (John 11:43-44). It's final proof that Jesus' Kingship will disarm death and grant life. All of Jesus' miracles hint toward this in some way. Turning water into wine, healing a sick boy, raising a paralytic from his bed, and feeding over 5,000 people with a boy's lunch are all small-scale resurrections. And the people of Israel had an inkling of what all this meant. To them, Jesus was their long-awaited Messiah, the promised King of Israel who would come to heal their bodies, feed their bellies, and take down Rome's deadly rule. And in a very important sense, they were right (John 6:15).

When Jesus saddles a donkey (the traditional beast of kings) and rides into Jerusalem, the people understand it as the coronation ceremony of their death-defeating Messiah. Waving palm branches, a crowd gathers around Jesus and sings from Psalm 118: 'Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!'

John tells us this is all done to fulfill a prophecy given by Zechariah (Zechariah 9:9-10). Jesus intentionally rides in on a donkey to inflame their hopes that he is the King they have been waiting for. He is the King that can defeat death. He will be victorious over all rival claims to his throne and he will save his people (John 12:15-16). That's what 'hosanna' means''save us.' It's the cry of those who long for the King prophesied by Zechariah.

But unlike other kings, Jesus hasn't come to kill, but to die. Like a seed must be buried before it can become a tree, Jesus must be buried before his Kingdom comes. He must master death by first dying. Anyone who wants to join his Kingdom must be willing to accept his death (John 12:24-26). The whole reason Jesus came to earth wasn't to conquer empires by killing them, but to die under their influence (John 12:27). Jesus rides into Jerusalem like a King, but like a King who knows the only way to defeat death is to die.

That's why these events and teachings don't please everyone, especially the Jewish religious establishment. Many within this religious elite did not believe that Israel's true King could suffer and die. In their minds, a Messiah should fight and win. They can't imagine a king that doesn't wield death. And they don't understand that their greatest threat isn't Rome, but death itself. Unwilling to accept a King who embraces death and suffering, they're forced to oppose and reject him.

Palm Sunday is good news because Jesus announces that he has come to dethrone and disarm the empires of this world through his death. We can either embrace the rival Kingship of Jesus or we can align ourselves with the powers that be. We can accept Jesus' coming death as the way to new life or fight to keep our lives as we know them. We can either pledge allegiance to Jesus' Kingdom or join the religious establishment and reject him.

So I pray that on this Palm Sunday you will accept Jesus as the King who died and was raised to show that death and the empires that wield it are defeated.”

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: “The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things! The Lord’s right hand is lifted high; the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!” The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” —Psalm 118:1‭, ‬15‭-‬16‭, ‬22‭-‬23‭, ‬27‭-‬29 (NIV)

Watch the video of “Easter Explained” here. ]

#john 12:12‭-‬13 #bible #christian blog #god #belief in god #faith in god #jesus #belief in jesus #faith in jesus #palm sunday #bible verses #bible truths #bible scriptures #bible quotes #bible study #christian life #christian faith #christian living #christian inspirational quotes #christianity #christian quotes #christian encouragement #keep the faith #make him known #spoken gospel #john 12:12‭-‬19 #zechariah 9:9‭-‬12 #easter #psalm 18:1-29

[grandsouldream]

Readings for 1 July

1/07/2022

#I did not come to call the righteous but sinners #Book of Amos 8 #Book of Amos #Psalms 119(118) #Psalms #Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 9 #Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew #Saint Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938) #God #Lord #Jesus #Holy Spirit #love #hope #heaven #life #peace

[aressida]

Psalm 118:8. 2 Timothy 2:15. Romans 12:2. Ephesians 5:17.

#aressida

[horizontribune]

It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man. Psalm 118:8

View On WordPress

#answers # Bible # Christ # Emotions # Faith # families # Fellowship # God # Heart

[shammah8]

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

📅 SAT.  21ST OCTOBER 2023

YOU CAN CAST OUT DEMONS FROM ANYWHERE

📖━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give (Matthew 10:8).

Pastor Chris Says

━━━━━━━━━━

There're those who say, "You can cast demons out of individuals but you can't cast them out of a city". But that's not true. In Mark 5, we find a very interesting story of Jesus demonstrating His authority in casting out devils. He came across a demoniac who lived among tombs, and had a legion of demons.

When the man saw Jesus from afar, the demon, speaking through him, said, "...What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not" (Mark 5:7). The Bible says the demon "...besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country" (Mark 5:10).

Even the demons knew Jesus could send them out of the country and they immediately began to plead with Him. Whether "the country" means countryside, a region or a territory, it makes no difference. They understood that Jesus could send them out of the place; they knew it then, and they still know it today! We've been given that same authority to put them to flight.

Jesus said, "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues" (Mark 16:17 NKJV). Jesus gave us authority to cast out demons; He didn't limit it to any place. We can cast out devils from anywhere. Hallelujah!

Take control of your city, state, and country! Cut off the influence of Satan in your country. Run him out of your country. Oftentimes, when there's chaos, anarchy and turmoil in a place, many don't realise that it's the devil that's behind such negative activities. But you've been vested with all power and authority in heaven and in earth to subdue, dominate and take charge of your world, using the Name of Jesus. Hallelujah!

         🙏 P R A Y E R

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

The devil is a fully defeated foe, and I've been vested with all power and authority in heaven and in earth to subdue, dominate and take charge of my world. I therefore demand, in the Name of Jesus Christ, that the demons that influence and cause violence, shortage and opposition to the Gospel cease and desist from their operations in my nation. Amen.

      📖 FURTHER STUDY:

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Psalm 118:10-12 NIV; All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.

11. They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.

12. They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them down.

Philippians 2:9-11; Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

10. that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11. and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Luke 10:19; Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

24th February >> Mass Readings (Except USA)

Saturday, First Week of Lent 

(Liturgical Colour: Violet: B (2))

First Reading Deuteronomy 26:16-19 You will be a people consecrated to the Lord.

Moses said to the people: ‘The Lord your God today commands you to observe these laws and customs; you must keep and observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.

‘You have today made this declaration about the Lord: that he will be your God, but only if you follow his ways, keep his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and listen to his voice. And the Lord has today made this declaration about you: that you will be his very own people as he promised you, but only if you keep all his commandments; then for praise and renown and honour he will set you high above all the nations he has made, and you will be a people consecrated to the Lord, as he promised.’

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 118(119):1-2,4-5,7-8

R/ They are happy who follow God’s law!

They are happy whose life is blameless, who follow God’s law! They are happy who do his will, seeking him with all their hearts.

R/ They are happy who follow God’s law!

You have laid down your precepts to be obeyed with care. May my footsteps be firm to obey your statutes.

R/ They are happy who follow God’s law!

I will thank you with an upright heart as I learn your decrees. I will obey your statutes; do not forsake me.

R/ They are happy who follow God’s law!

Gospel Acclamation cf. Luke 8:15

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus! Blessed are those who, with a noble and generous heart, take the word of God to themselves and yield a harvest through their perseverance. Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Or: 2 Corinthians 6:2

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus! Now is the favourable time: this is the day of salvation. Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Gospel Matthew 5:43-48 Pray for those who persecute you.

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[orthodoxydaily]

Saints&Reading: Tuesday, December 5, 2013

november 22_december 5

THE HOLY DISCIPLE PHILEMON AND HIS SPOUSE APPHIA (109)

The Holy Apostles of the Seventy Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and Onesimus

The Holy Apostles of the Seventy Philemon and his wife Apphia lived in the city of Colossa in Phrygia. After they were baptized by the holy Apostle Paul, they converted their house into a house of prayer, where all those who believed in Christ gathered and attended services. They devoted themselves to serving the sick and downcast.

Saint Philemon became bishop of the city of Gaza, and he preached the Word of God throughout Phrygia. The holy Apostle Paul continued to be his guide, and addressed to him his Epistle filled with love, and in which he sends blessings “to Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow laborer, and to our beloved Apphia, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in thy house” (Phil 1:1-3).

Saint Onesimus (February 15), also mentioned in the Epistle, was Saint Philemon’s former slave.

Saints Philemon and Apphia, and also Saint Archippus (who also lived at Colossa), all received the crown of martyrdom during the persecution of Nero (54-68). During a pagan festival an enraged crowd rushed into the Christian church when services were going on. All fled in terror, and only Saints Philemon, Archippus and Apphia remained. They seized them and led them off to the city prefect. The crowd beat and stabbed Saint Archippus with knives, and he died on the way to the court. Saints Philemon and Apphia were stoned to death by order of the prefect.

The memory of the holy Apostles Archippus, Philemon, and Apphia is celebrated also on February 19.

SAINT KALLISTOS II PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE (Mt ATHOS_1397)

Saint Kallistos (Kállistos) lived a life of asceticism at the Magul Skete on Mount Athos (opposite Philotheou Monastery), abiding there for twenty-eight years. He was a disciple of Saint Gregory of Sinai (August 8), whose Life he wrote.

He became closely acquainted with Saint Ignatius Xanthopoulos, who was born in Constantinople. They have been described as two bodies united with one soul, in a spiritual sense, for both were godly-minded and attained great heights of noetic prayer. According to Saint Symeon of Thessaloniki (September 15), Kállistos and Ignatius Xanthopoulos beheld the Uncreated Light, just as the Apostles had on Mount Tabor, and their faces seemed to “shine like the sun.” Together they wrote the "Directions to Hesychasts in One Hundred Chapters," a treatise in 100 sections on the ascetical practices of the Hesychast monks. This was incorporated into the Philokalia of the Wakeful Fathers by Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite, and it had a profound influence on Orthodox spirituality.

In 1397 Saint Kállistos was elevated to the patriarchal throne, but for only three months during the reign of Manuel Paleologos (1391-1425). He agreed to travel to Serbia in order to bring peace to that church, stopping along the way at Mount Athos. There Saint Maximos Kavsokalyvites (January 13) predicted: "This Elder shall not see his flock again, for the funeral dirge, "Blessed are the blameless in the way" (Psalm 118/119:1) is sounding behind him.

When he reached Serbia, Saint Kállistos exchanged this temporal life for everlasting life.

PHILEMON 1:1-25

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, 2 to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, 5 hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 7 For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother. 8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, 9 yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you-being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ- 10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me. 12 I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, 13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. 14 But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary. 15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave-a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17 If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. 18 But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. 19 I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay-not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides. 20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord. 21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22 But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you. 23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers. 25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

LUKE 17:20-25

20 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you. 22 Then He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23 And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!' Do not go after them or follow them. 24 For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day. 25 But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

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