Philippians
Chapter 1

1 Paul and Timothy, slaves ² of Christ Jesus, to all the holy ones in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the overseers and ministers:

2 grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ³

3 I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you,

4 praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you,

5 because of your partnership for the gospel from the first day until now.

6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. ⁵

7 It is right that I should think this way about all of you, because I hold you in my heart, you who are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

8 For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception,

10 to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,

11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

Psalms
Chapter 111

1 Hallelujah. ² I will praise the LORD with all my heart in the assembled congregation of the upright.

2 Great are the works of the LORD, to be treasured for all their delights.

3 Majestic and glorious is your work, your wise design endures forever.

4 You won renown for your wondrous deeds; gracious and merciful is the LORD.

5 You gave food to those who fear you, mindful of your covenant forever.

6 You showed powerful deeds to your people, giving them the lands of the nations.

Luke
Chapter 14

1 On a sabbath he went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully.

2 In front of him there was a man suffering from dropsy. ²

3 Jesus spoke to the scholars of the law and Pharisees in reply, asking, "Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?"

4 But they kept silent; so he took the man and, after he had healed him, dismissed him.

5 Then he said to them, "Who among you, if your son or ox ³ falls into a cistern, would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?"

6 But they were unable to answer his question.

If you are a Bush fan, don't look at this site. If you want one more reason to be against him, here you go. Don't know if it is real or when it was made.
http://anon.salon.speedera.net/anon.salon/media/2004/10/BushUncensored.mov

Remember the TEC is coming up. Nov. 6-8 TEC 227

Lay Directors: Dwight & Barb Seeley
Assistant Lay Director: Colleen O'Brien

Spiritual Director: Fr. Christopher David
Assistant Spiritual Director: Katie Korte

Musician: Jay Tournear

Adult Team:
Paul Korte
Patty Marshall
Tom Phillips
Sharon Phillips
Laura Seeley
Nancy Weede
Helen Zimmerman
Wayne Zimmerman

Resources:
Joe Hancox
Amber Holthaus
Michael Korte
Bryn McDonald
Casey Mutz
Nancy Quinn
Caroline Wiewel

Wheat Team Director: Vernon Korte
Assistants., Jeff & Cindy Steinkamp

Wheat Team Spiritual Director: Russ Rohrer
Asst. S.D.: Cheryl Frericks

Wheaties:
Maddison Ballard
Beth Brink
Karen Gillespie
Melissa Goehl
Maggie Henke
Allison Holbrook
Katie Holtschlag
Travis Jansen
Kristen Kallash
Greg Mast
Michelle Miller
David Nytes
Allison Oakley
Brooke VanCamp
Christine Wright

Homily for Sunday Copyright © 2004 Catholic Doors Ministry http://www.catholicdoors.com/homilies/2004/041031.htm

Jesus said to Zacchaeus, "Hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today." [Lk. 19:5] Imagine Jesus saying to you, "I must stay at your house today." How would you react to such an invitation? Would your home be ready? Would you be personally ready to welcome Jesus in your home? Today, we will review these questions.

Today's First Reading from the Book of Wisdom [Wis. 11:22-12:2] spoke of the mercy of God for all the things that He has created. Keeping in mind the size of the universe, the endless space that stretches out beyond our imagination, what is the earth? To the Lord God, the earth is like a speck that tips the scale or like a morning dew that falls on the ground. [Wis. 11:22] And if the earth is like a speck or a morning dew, how would we measure the size of a human being?

When considering the differences in sizes, does it mean that God loves more what is bigger? Does God love more the universe or the earth than He loves the people? In truth, the Lord God loves all things that exists. He detests none of the things that He has made. For He would not have made anything if He had hated it. [Wis. 11:24]

"God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life." [Jn. 3:16] In His infinite mercy towards all, the Lord God overlooks the sins of the people so that all may repent. [Wis. 11:23] Through the Divine mercy of God, we see the fulfillment of the merciful promise, "For I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more." [Jer. 31:34; Heb. 8:12]

How would anything have endured if God had not willed it? [Wis. 11:25] How would the universe, the earth, or each living creation have persisted the length of its time if God had not willed it? Without the Divine Will of God at work, nothing could have persisted.

How manifold are the works of God. In wisdom, He has made them all. The earth is full of His creatures. Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there, living things both small and great. These all look to God to give them their food in due season; when He gives to them, they gather it up. When He opens His hand, they are filled with good things. When He hides His face, they are dismayed; when He takes away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When He sends forth His Spirit, they are created, and He renews the face of the ground. [Ps. 104:24-6, 28-30]

As the Holy Bible teaches us over and over, God put the breath of life in His creations. "He formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being." [Gen. 2:7; Job. 27:3, 33:4, 34:14; Ps. 104:30]

Not only does God sustain life for the sake of sustaining life. As a caring Father who disciplines those He loves, He corrects little by little those who trespass, reminding and warning them of the things through which they sin, so that they may be freed from wickedness and put their trust in the Lord. [Wis. 12:2]

On this subject, the Letter to the Hebrews states, "Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." [Heb. 12:7-11]

Today's Second Reading from the Second Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians echoes that the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ should be glorified in us and we in Him.

United in prayer, the Christian community prays for us, asking God to make us worthy of His call so that we may fulfill by His power every intention to perform goodness and work of faith [2 Thess. 1:11] The Christian community is united in prayer "so that the Name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in (us), and (we) in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." [2 Thess. 1:12] "May the glory of the Lord endure forever." [Ps. 104:31]

In this particular reading, St. Paul was pointing out that the call from paganism to Christianity was also a call to glory. The growth of the Body of Christ magnified the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. With the eyes of our hearts enlightened, we come to know what is the hope to which Jesus has called us, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance among the saints. [Eph. 1:18] And so we must press on toward the goal for the prize on the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. [Phil. 3:14]

While pressing on, we must "rely on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to His own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began." [2 Tim. 1:8b-9]

Why was Saint Paul emphasizing the glory of Christ, our Lord Jesus? It is because the peace of mind of the Thessalonians had been disturbed, leaving many in a perturbed state. Many had come to believe that the day of the Lord had arrived. [2 Thess. 2:2] Associating with believers who were living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they had received from the disciples of Jesus, they too had become idle. [2 Thess. 3:6] Deceived by false teachers, they had become disturbed in spirit.

As some of our brothers and sisters in Christ are being deceived today, two thousand years ago, some of the Thessalonians believers were also deceived into believing that the day of the Lord had arrived. The advise that was given then is still valid today, "Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction." [2 Thess. 2:3]

It is by walking in sound doctrines, by permitting the Spirit of Christ to guide and teach us in all truth, that the Name of the Lord Jesus is glorified in us and we in Him. For there is no glory when one walks in darkness.

Today's reading from the Gospel of Luke [Lk. 19:1-10] tells us that the Son of Man came to seek out and save the lost. "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents" [Lk. 15:10] because such a conversion can only result from the love and grace of a merciful Lord. Through Jesus' ongoing noble act of saving sinners, the Heavenly Father is continuously glorified.

In the same reading, we heard that when Jesus entered Jericho, He came upon Zacchaeus who was a rich and a chief tax collector. Most likely, Zacchaeus, like other tax collectors, was a dishonest man. Over and above collecting his quota that had to be remitted to the state, he surcharged the poor and pocketed the extra money that he collected.

Jesus' encounter with Zacchaeus was not by chance. The Lord God had called Zacchaeus in a unique way. Zacchaeus had heard that Jesus was coming and out of curiosity, he wanted to see Him. But, with the large crowd that was present and Zacchaeus being a short man, it was rather difficult for him to get a glimpse of Jesus. So what did he do? In his determination to see what Jesus looked like, he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree. Zacchaeus had no trouble climbing because the sycamore tree has a short trunk and wide sideways branches that made it easy to climb.

When Jesus saw Zacchaeus, He invited Himself to his home by saying, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today." [Lk. 19:5] "So Zacchaeus hurried down and was happy to welcome Jesus." [Lk. 19:6] What an expression of joy. Most likely Zacchaeus has heard many great things about Jesus. And for Jesus to come to his home, what an honour!

Those who were present, knowing that Zacchaeus was a dishonest tax collector, they did not agree with Jesus' choice of a place to stay. In their eyes, Zacchaeus, like all tax collectors, was a sinner. And so they whispered among themselves like when people gossip.

What followed was a total human change of heart. By the grace of God, Zacchaeus repented of his sins. He said to Jesus, "Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much." [Lk. 19:8]

Here we perceive that Zacchaeus, after having met Jesus, he experienced a total detachment from his earthly possessions. Regarding restitution, the law of Moses taught, "When a man or a woman wrongs another, breaking faith with the Lord, that person incurs guilt and shall confess the sin that has been committed. The person shall make full restitution for the wrong adding one fifth to it, and giving it to the one who was wronged." [Num. 5:5- 7] While Zacchaeus was only required to add 20% on top of the amount that he had defrauded someone, he committed himself to adding 300% on top of that amount.

Following this personal commitment, Jesus said, "Today salvation has come to this house, because Zacchaeus too is a son of Abraham." [Lk. 19:8] Jesus did not say that salvation had come to Zacchaeus alone, but rather to his household. Why the entire household? It is because the household shared in Zacchaeus' blessing as they had previously suffered in his unjust practices. [Acts 10:2, 11:14, 16:15, 16:31, 18:8]

The conclusion! "The Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost." [Lk. 19:10] Zacchaeus was a sinner. By the grace of God, he repented and welcomed Jesus in his home. Through Christ, he was saved.

Returning to my introduction, how would you respond if Jesus said to you, "I must stay at your house today." How would you react to such an invitation? Would your home be ready? Would you be personally ready to welcome Jesus in your home?

The true issue here is not how we would react if Jesus wanted to come into our homes but rather, how have we reacted when He came into our homes? Indeed, Jesus has visited the homes of each and everyone of us. For Jesus is alive in us! Through the Sacrament of Confirmation, we have received the indwelling Spirit of Christ within us. Through the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, we have received the Divine Presence of the Lord Jesus within us. And "if we love one another, God lives in us, and His love is perfected in us." [1 Jn. 4:13]

When God lives in us, His glory is manifested through the fruit of His grace. He invited Himself into our homes and we have welcomed Him. For those of us who have received God in our homes, let us be thankful to the Lord for coming to us.

For those who have not received the Lord God in their homes or those who no longer have His Sacred Presence in their homes, it is never too late to repent and to welcome the Lord Jesus to return. For the Lord is a God of love, grace and mercy. He does not wish to see that any be lost.

As we continue with the celebration of the Holy Mass, let us pray for those who do not have the indwelling of the Lord God in their homes. Let us ask the Lord to reach out to these souls so that they too may partake in the universal salvation plan of God.

Ephesians
Chapter 2

19 So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God,

20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. ¹

21 Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;

22 in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Psalms
Chapter 19

1 For the leader. A psalm of David.

2 The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky proclaims its builder's craft.

3 One day to the next conveys that message; one night to the next imparts that knowledge.

4 There is no word or sound; no voice is heard;

Luke
Chapter 6

12 In those days he departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer ² to God.

13 When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, ³ whom he also named apostles:

14 Simon, whom he named Peter, ⁴ and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,

15 Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, ⁵

16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, ⁶ who became a traitor.

Found this and thought it speaks pretty clearly. The whole essay gets pretty complicated and talks of history and Marx and others, but the basic idea that we can't force our ideals on others is one one that I strongly agree with.

Arthur Silber on Oct 20, 2003 http://coldfury.com/reason/comments.php?id=1128_0_1_0_C

The attacks of 9/11 were a profound cultural shock, and a genuinely traumatic event for all of us. I remember, as if it were yesterday, sitting virtually motionless in front of my television for almost three days, watching the events unfold -- and watching those replays of the Twin Towers crumbling an endless number of times. I think it is safe to say that for many people, including me, cogent, analytical thought was simply not possible in those first few weeks, and perhaps even for the first few months after 9/11. I believed then, and I still believe today, that everyone responsible for the terrible and evil acts of that day should be brought to justice -- or, preferably in my view, simply killed.

What many people felt in those first awful days was simply: We have to do something. We have to get those bastards. Indeed we do -- and that is a feeling I fully share, and continue to experience. However, many people seem to have become frozen in the intellectual paralysis of those initial weeks and months. ... But at a certain point, much more rigorous analysis is necessary, in order to determine the best and most efficient way to achieve that end -- a way which does not feed the growth of domestic and international corporatism and statism, as I have documented it in earlier parts of this essay.

By its nature, life entails risk, and the possibility of death (and in time, the certainty of death). Utopians of every kind and of every variety have always promised a world without fear, without danger, without threat -- but all they have ever achieved, and all they will ever achieve, is a world without freedom, without choice, and ultimately without personal meaning. Yet many of us, including our political leadership at the moment, have succumbed to the utopian delusion yet again.It is time to set such delusions aside, to confront the world as it is, including the dangers that will not ever be eliminated completely no matter what we do, and to set about restoring freedom here at home, in the United States, before we lose it altogether. And let the restoration of freedom here serve as a beacon to the rest of the world -- so that we may return to the model urged by John Quincy Adams. And please note that, as I have indicated, if monsters come here or demonstrably threaten to come here, then we must certainly destroy them. But that does not necessitate remaking the world in our own image by the projection of military force, an effort which will not and cannot succeed, and which will only destroy us in the process. As Adams said: “Wherever the standard of freedom and Independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will [America’s] heart, her benedictions and her prayers be. But she goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy.”

SUNDAY"S READINGS

[Wis. 11:22-12:2]

FIRST READING

"The whole world before you, O Lord, is like a speck that tips the scales, and like a drop of morning dew that falls on the ground. But you are merciful to all, for you can do all things, and you overlook people's sins, so that they may repent.

Lord, you love all things that exist, and detest none of the things that you have made, for you would not have made anything if you had hated it. How would anything have endured if you had not willed it? Or how would anything not called forth by you have been preserved? You spare all things, for they are yours, O Lord, you who love the living.

For your immortal spirit is in all things. Therefore you correct little by little those who trespass,and you remind and warn them of the things through which they sin, so that they may be freed from wickedness and put their trust in you, O Lord."

[2 Thess. 1:11-2:2]

SECOND READING

"We always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfil by his power every good resolve and work of faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here."

[Lk. 19:1-10]

GOSPEL READING

"Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature.

So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, 'Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.'

So Zacchaeus hurried down and was happy to welcome Jesus. All who saw it began to grumble and said, 'He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.'

Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, 'Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.'

Then Jesus said of him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, because Zacchaeus too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.'

Ephesians
Chapter 6

1 Children, obey your parents (in the Lord), for this is right.

2 "Honor your father and mother." This is the first commandment with a promise,

3 "that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on earth."

4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up with the training and instruction of the Lord.

5 Slaves, be obedient to your human masters with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ,

6 not only when being watched, as currying favor, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,

7 willingly serving the Lord and not human beings,

8 knowing that each will be requited from the Lord for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

9 Masters, act in the same way toward them, and stop bullying, knowing that both they and you have a Master in heaven and that with him there is no partiality.

Psalms
Chapter 145

9 The LORD is good to all, compassionate to every creature.

10 All your works give you thanks, O LORD and your faithful bless you.

11 They speak of the glory of your reign and tell of your great works,

12 Making known to all your power, the glorious splendor of your rule.

13 Your reign is a reign for all ages, your dominion for all generations. The LORD is trustworthy in every word, and faithful in every work.

Luke
Chapter 13

22 He passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.

23 Someone asked him, "Lord, will only a few people be saved?" He answered them,

24 "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.

25 After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, 'Lord, open the door for us.' He will say to you in reply, 'I do not know where you are from.'

26 And you will say, 'We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.'

27 Then he will say to you, 'I do not know where (you) are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!'

28 And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out.

29 And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God.

30 For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."

Copyright © 2001 Catholic Doors Ministry http://www.catholicdoors.com/homilies/

"All who humble themselves will be exalted." [Lk. 18:14] These words echo the Words of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew where it is said, "Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven." [Mt. 18:4] Why is the humble person the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven? It is because "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." [Jas. 4:6; Prov. 3:34] Therefore, "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you." [Jas. 4:10]

Today's First Reading from the Book of Sirach [Sir. 35:15-17, 20- 22] served the purpose of drawing our confidence in the Lord so we may rely upon Him in all our undertakings. The reading began by stating that, "The Lord is the judge, and within him there is no partiality." [Sir. 35:15] On the subject of partiality, the Letter of James says, "Have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?" [Jas. 2:4] "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy." [Jas 3:17]

Continuing with the Book of Sirach, the Lord "will not show partiality to the poor but he will listen to the prayer of one who is wronged. The Lord will not ignore the supplication of the orphan, or the widow when she pours out her complaint. [Sir. 35:16- 7] These words tell us that the ear of the Lord is inclined towards the needy, the poor, the orphans, the widows, those who have been abandoned in the hospitals, the senior lodges and even those who are incarcerated.

The prayers of the faithful are pleasing to the Lord; they are heard before His Heavenly Throne. But the prayers of the humble touch the Lord; they pierce His Sacred Heart until the Most High responds by executing judgment to bring justice to the righteous. "Indeed, the Lord will not delay." [Sir. 35:22]

When speaking of humility, it is important to understand the proper meaning of this word. Genuine humility is the middle ground between being arrogant and having a false humility. The humble Christian is aware of his defects. He is not proud, nor self- assertive. Through spiritual growth in Christ, he has lessened or destroyed the traces of pride that were staining his soul.

The factor that separates genuine humility from false humility is honesty. Let us take as an example what someone says to a teacher. "You do a good job." Now, if the teacher starts boasting about how good she is, this is pride. If the teacher denies being a good teacher when she is one, by undermining the truth, she is practicing a false-humility. If the teacher replied, "Thank you" or "I do my best" without drawing attention to the matter, her honesty reflects true humility.

In today's Second Reading from the Second Letter of Paul to Timothy, [2 Tim. 4:6-8, 16-18] we find examples of Paul's humility. When Paul said, "the time of my departure has come," [2 Tim. 4:6] he was stating a truth. His soon to come death was a departure from this life and a return to Christ. [Phil. 1:23] Through his words, he was not seeking pity, nor boasting of all what he had done in the Most Holy Name of Jesus.

St. Paul said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." [2 Tim. 4:6] Comparing his life to that of a race, [1 Cor. 9:26; 2 Tim. 4:7] Paul was speaking the truth. His life was coming to an end and he had persevered and guarded the deposit of faith. [1 Tim. 6:14, 20]

Saint Paul never bragged that he was a better Christian than the others. He never bragged that he accomplished more than the others. For the work that he performed was not his work but rather the work of God that was manifested through him by the power of the Holy Spirit in the Most Holy Name of Jesus. While Paul did not brag, he did not deny the truth. When Paul spoke of sinners, he rightfully viewed himself as the worst of sinners [1 Tim. 1:15-6] because of the life that he had lived prior to knowing Jesus Christ. When he preached, he glorified the resurrected Christ... not himself.

Today's reading from the Gospel of Luke [Lk. 18:9-14] also spoke of humility. As you all heard in the Parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, the Pharisee judged himself as righteous, viewing others in contempt. That is because in those days, the Pharisees were viewed as being completely "just" before the Law. Therefore, they had great confidence in themselves.

So here we have two persons who are gathered to pray, either at 9:00 A.M. or at 3:00 P.M., these being the hours of prayer. The Pharisee stands before God, all proud of himself, thanking God that he is not like the rest of the people. He bragged about how he fulfills his commitment to God and the Temple by fasting and giving a tenth of his income. In those days, the Pharisees abstained from food and water every Monday and Thursday.

At a distance, the tax collector prayed to God, asking for His mercy because he is a sinner. Ashamed of his life, he would not even look up towards heaven. He only beat his breast, such being symbolic of saying, "Mea Culpa." The words of the tax collector echoed the words that are found in Psalm 51, "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me." [Ps. 51:3]

Who in the eye of God was justified? It was the tax collector! "For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted." [Lk. 14:11, 18:14; Mt. 18:4, 23:12]

The necessity to humble oneself is echoed over and over in the Holy Bible. Here are a two examples. In the First Letter of Peter, we read, "All of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for 'God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time." [1 Pet. 5:5- 7]

In the Letter of Paul to the Colossians, we read, "As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience." [Col. 3:12]

As Christians, we are called to humble ourselves as Jesus humbled Himself. How great was the humility of Jesus! "... Being found in human form, (Jesus) humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death - even death on a cross." [Phil. 2:8] He in Who the fullness of God was pleased to dwell bodily, [Col. 1:19, 2:9] "emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness." [Phil. 2:7] What great love for each and everyone of us the Lord Jesus has manifested through this great act of humility!

Before closing my homily, I would like to provide you with example of areas in life where people lack in humility.

1) First, let us start with the children and teenagers. How many boast of how smart they are in school? Many, because of the boasting of their academic successes, they put down the other children and teens, consequently destroying the self-confidence of those who have lower marks.

2) How about those fishing stories that we hear all the time, the fishermen who caught a fish as big as this (extend hands four feet apart)? They threw the fish back into the water because they only went fishing for the sport.

3) How about all those golfing pros who claim to have made a hole in one so many times? While the real pros rarely make a hole in one, we suddenly have all these golfers boasting of their great accomplishments.

4) Then we have those cooks who boast that they are betters cooks than anyone else. While it cannot be denied that there are some very good cooks, everybody cannot be the best cooks! As you can see, humility can even be practiced in the kitchen.

5) And then there are those who boast that they are holier than others because they implement so many hours of adoration during the month, or they implement an endless list of spiritual devotions on a daily basis, or even they pray so many Rosaries. While these pious devotions are commendable, by boasting of them, one becomes no different than the Pharisee.

These are but a few examples of how we can lack in the virtue of humility in our daily lives. By placing ourselves above all others, in truth, we are calling upon ourselves the Lord's judgment. The end result will be that we will be among the last. It is better to practice daily humility in our lives, praising and encouraging others. Then the Lord God shall exalt us because of our genuine humility.

As we continue with the celebration of the Holy Mass, let us ask the Holy Spirit to teach us true humility so we may always be pleasing to the eyes of God.

Ephesians
Chapter 5

21 Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. ²

22 Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.

23 For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church, he himself the savior of the body.

24 As the church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her

26 to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,

27 that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

28 So (also) husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

29 For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the church,

30 because we are members of his body.

31 "For this reason a man shall leave (his) father and (his) mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."

32 This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.

33 In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself, and the wife should respect her husband.

Psalms
Chapter 128

1 A song of ascents. ² Happy are all who fear the LORD, who walk in the ways of God.

2 What your hands provide you will enjoy; you will be happy and prosper:

3 Like a fruitful vine your wife within your home, Like olive plants your children around your table.

4 Just so will they be blessed who fear the LORD.

5 May the LORD bless you from Zion, all the days of your life That you may share Jerusalem's joy

Luke
Chapter 13

18 Then he said, "What is the kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it?

19 It is like a mustard seed that a person took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and 'the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.'"

20 Again he said, "To what shall I compare the kingdom of God?

21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed (in) with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened."

Ephesians
Chapter 432 (And) be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.

Chapter 5

1 So be imitators of God, ¹ as beloved children,

2 and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.

3 Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is fitting among holy ones,

4 no obscenity or silly or suggestive talk, which is out of place, but instead, thanksgiving.

5 Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person, that is, an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6 Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient. ²

7 So do not be associated with them.

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light,

Psalms
Chapter 1

1 Happy those who do not follow the counsel of the wicked, Nor go the way of sinners, nor sit in company with scoffers.

2 Rather, the law of the LORD is their joy; God's law they study day and night.

3 They are like a tree planted near streams of water, that yields its fruit in season; Its leaves never wither; whatever they do prospers.

4 But not the wicked! They are like chaff driven by the wind.

6 The LORD watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin

Luke
Chapter 13

10 He was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath.

11 And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.

12 When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, "Woman, you are set free of your infirmity."

13 He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.

14 But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, "There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day."

15 The Lord said to him in reply, "Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering?

16 This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day from this bondage?"

17 When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated; and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.

Ephesians
Chapter 4

1 I, then, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,

2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love,

3 striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace:

4 one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call;

5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Psalms
Chapter 24

1 A psalm of David. The earth is the LORD'S and all it holds, the world and those who live there.

2 For God founded it on the seas, established it over the rivers.

3 Who may go up the mountain of the LORD? Who can stand in his holy place?

4 "The clean of hand and pure of heart, who are not devoted to idols, who have not sworn falsely.

5 They will receive blessings from the LORD, and justice from their saving God.

6 Such are the people that love the LORD, that seek the face of the God of Jacob." Selah

Luke
Chapter 12

54 He also said to the crowds, "When you see (a) cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain--and so it does;

55 and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot--and so it is.

56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

57 "Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?

58 If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison.

59 I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny." ¹

Ephesians
Chapter 3

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father,

15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,

16 that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self,

17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love,

18 may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine, by the power at work within us,

21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Psalms
Chapter 33

1 Rejoice, you just, in the LORD; praise from the upright is fitting.

2 Give thanks to the LORD on the harp; on the ten-stringed lyre offer praise.

4 For the LORD'S word is true; all his works are trustworthy.

5 The LORD loves justice and right and fills the earth with goodness.

11 But the plan of the LORD stands forever, wise designs through all generations.

12 Happy the nation whose God is the LORD, the people chosen as his very own.

18 But the LORD'S eyes are upon the reverent, upon those who hope for his gracious help,

19 Delivering them from death, keeping them alive in times of famine.

Luke
Chapter 12

49 "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!

50 There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!

51 Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.

52 From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three;

53 a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

Ephesians
Chapter 3

2 if, as I suppose, you have heard of the stewardship ¹ of God's grace that was given to me for your benefit,

3 (namely, that) the mystery ² was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly earlier.

4 When you read this you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

5 which was not made known to human beings in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit,

6 that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

7 Of this I became a minister by the gift of God's grace that was granted me in accord with the exercise of his power.

8 To me, the very least of all the holy ones, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the inscrutable riches of Christ,

9 and to bring to light [for all] ³ what is the plan of the mystery hidden from ages past in God who created all things,

10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the principalities and authorities ⁴ in the heavens.

11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,

12 in whom we have boldness of speech and confidence of access through faith in him.

Isaiah
Chapter 12

2 God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid. My strength and my courage is the LORD, and he has been my savior.

3 With joy you will draw water at the fountain of salvation,

4 and say on that day: Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name; among the nations make known his deeds, proclaim how exalted is his name.

5 Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement; let this be known throughout all the earth.

6 Shout with exultation, O city of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel!

Luke
Chapter 12

39 Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.

40 You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come."

41 Then Peter said, "Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?"

42 And the Lord replied, "Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute (the) food allowance at the proper time?

43 Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.

44 Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property.

45 But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' ¹ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk,

46 then that servant's master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful.

47 That servant who knew his master's will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely;

48 and the servant who was ignorant of his master's will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.

A dog had followed his owner to school. His owner was a fourth grader at a public elementary school. However, when the bell rang, the dog sidled inside the building and made it all the way to the child's classroom before a teacher noticed and shoo'ed him outside, closing the door behind him. The dog sat down, wimpered and stared at the closed doors. Then God appeared beside the dog, patted his head, and said, "Don't feel bad fella'....they won't let ME in either."

Given by Alex Tappe

Ephesians
Chapter 2

12 were at that time without Christ, alienated from the community of Israel ¹ and strangers to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world.

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ.

14 For he is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh,

15 abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims, that he might create in himself one new person ³ in place of the two, thus establishing peace,

16 and might reconcile both with God, in one body, through the cross, putting that enmity to death by it.

17 He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near,

18 for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

19 So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God,

20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. ⁴

21 Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;

22 in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Psalms
Chapter 85

8 Show us, LORD, your love; grant us your salvation.

9 I will listen for the word of God; surely the LORD will proclaim peace To his people, to the faithful, to those who trust in him.

10 Near indeed is salvation for the loyal; prosperity will fill our land.

11 Love and truth will meet; justice and peace will kiss.

12 Truth will spring from the earth; justice will look down from heaven.

13 The LORD will surely grant abundance; our land will yield its increase.

Luke
Chapter 12

35 "Gird your loins and light your lamps

36 and be like servants who await their master's return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.

37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.

38 And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants.

2 Timothy
Chapter 4

9 Try to join me soon,

10 for Demas, enamored of the present world, deserted me and went to Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia, ² and Titus to Dalmatia.

11 Luke is the only one with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is helpful to me in the ministry.

12 I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus.

13 When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas, the papyrus rolls, and especially the parchments.

14 Alexander ³ the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.

15 You too be on guard against him, for he has strongly resisted our preaching.

16 At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them!

17 But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was rescued from the lion's mouth.

Psalms
Chapter 145

9 The LORD is good to all, compassionate to every creature.

10 All your works give you thanks, O LORD and your faithful bless you.

11 They speak of the glory of your reign and tell of your great works,

12 Making known to all your power, the glorious splendor of your rule.

16 You open wide your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

17 You, LORD, are just in all your ways, faithful in all your works.

Luke
Chapter 10

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy (-two) ² others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit.

2 He said to them, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.

3 Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.

4 Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.

5 Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this household.' ⁴

6 If a peaceful person ⁵ lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.

7 Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another.

8 Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you,

9 cure the sick in it and say to them, 'The kingdom of God is at hand for you.'

If you are old enough to vote and are unsure about either candidate and live in Illinois, you can write in the name of someone you feel would be good for the job. Some states don't allow write ins, but Illinois does. A good friend of mine said he has anounced he is running. I am looking at the ballot for my absentee vote and I think he needs a running mate in order to be a write in.
Roy Lanham
If you get this Roy, send a comment and let people know why they should write you in and who your running mate is.

Ephesians
Chapter 1

11 In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the one who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,

12 so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped ¹ in Christ.

13 In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed ² with the promised holy Spirit,

14 which is the first installment ³ of our inheritance toward redemption as God's possession, to the praise of his glory.

Psalms
Chapter 33

1 Rejoice, you just, in the LORD; praise from the upright is fitting.

2 Give thanks to the LORD on the harp; on the ten-stringed lyre offer praise.

4 For the LORD'S word is true; all his works are trustworthy.

5 The LORD loves justice and right and fills the earth with goodness.

12 Happy the nation whose God is the LORD, the people chosen as his very own.

13 From heaven the LORD looks down and observes the whole human race,

Romans
Chapter 8

22 We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now;

23 and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees?

25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.

26 In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.

27 And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because it intercedes for the holy ones according to God's will.

Luke
Chapter 12

1 Meanwhile, so many people were crowding together that they were trampling one another underfoot. He began to speak, first to his disciples, "Beware of the leaven--that is, the hypocrisy--of the Pharisees.

2 "There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.

3 Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.

4 I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more.

5 I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna; ³ yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.

6 Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? ⁴ Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God.

7 Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.

Ephesians
Chapter 1

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, ²

4 as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love

5 he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will,

6 for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved.

7 In him we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace

8 that he lavished upon us. In all wisdom and insight,

9 he has made known to us the mystery ³ of his will in accord with his favor that he set forth in him

10 as a plan for the fullness of times, to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.

Psalms
Chapter 98

1 A psalm. ² Sing a new song to the LORD, who has done marvelous deeds, Whose right hand and holy arm have won the victory.

2 The LORD has made his victory known; has revealed his triumph for the nations to see,

3 Has remembered faithful love toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

4 Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth; break into song; sing praise.

5 Sing praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song.

6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn shout with joy to the King, the LORD.

Luke
Chapter 11

47 Woe to you! You build the memorials of the prophets whom your ancestors killed.

48 Consequently, you bear witness and give consent to the deeds of your ancestors, for they killed them and you do the building.

49 Therefore, the wisdom of God said, 'I will send to them prophets and apostles; ¹ some of them they will kill and persecute'

50 in order that this generation might be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world,

51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah ² who died between the altar and the temple building. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood!

52 Woe to you, scholars of the law! You have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter."

53 When he left, the scribes and Pharisees began to act with hostility toward him and to interrogate him about many things,

54 for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.

Galatians
Chapter 5

1 For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.

2 It is I, Paul, who am telling you that if you have yourselves circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you.

3 Once again I declare to every man who has himself circumcised that he is bound to observe the entire law. ³

4 You are separated from Christ, you who are trying to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of righteousness.

6 For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. ⁴

Psalms
Chapter 119

41 Let your love come to me, LORD, salvation in accord with your promise.

43 Do not take the word of truth from my mouth, for in your edicts is my hope.

44 I will keep your teachings always, for all time and forever.

45 I will walk freely in an open space because I cherish your precepts.

47 I delight in your commands, which I dearly love.

48 I lift up my hands to your commands; I study your laws, which I love.

Luke
Chapter 11

37 After he had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home. He entered and reclined at table to eat.

38 The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.

39 The Lord said to him, "Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil.

40 You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?

41 But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.

Galatians
Chapter 4

22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the freeborn woman.

23 The son of the slave woman was born naturally, the son of the freeborn through a promise.

24 Now this is an allegory. These women represent two covenants. One was from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar.

25 Hagar represents Sinai, ¹⁵ a mountain in Arabia; it corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery along with her children.

26 But the Jerusalem above is freeborn, and she is our mother.

27 For it is written: "Rejoice, you barren one who bore no children; break forth and shout, you who were not in labor; for more numerous are the children of the deserted one than of her who has a husband." ¹⁶

28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of the promise.

29 But just as then the child of the flesh persecuted the child of the spirit, it is the same now.

30 But what does the scripture say? "Drive out the slave woman and her son! For the son of the slave woman shall not share the inheritance with the son" of the freeborn.

31 Therefore, brothers, we are children not of the slave woman but of the freeborn woman.

Psalms
Chapter 113

1

Hallelujah! ¹ Praise, you servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.

2

Blessed be the name of the LORD both now and forever.

3

From the rising of the sun to its setting let the name of the LORD be praised.

4

High above all nations is the LORD; above the heavens God's glory.

5

Who is like the LORD, our God enthroned on high,

6

looking down on heaven and earth?

7

The LORD raises the needy from the dust, lifts the poor from the ash heap,

Luke
Chapter 11

29 While still more people gathered in the crowd, he said to them, "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.

30

Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.

31

At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here.

32

At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.

Galatians
Chapter 3

7 Realize then that it is those who have faith who are children of Abraham.

8 Scripture, which saw in advance that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, foretold the good news to Abraham, saying, "Through you shall all the nations be blessed."

9 Consequently, those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham who had faith.

10 For all who depend on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not persevere in doing all the things written in the book of the law."

11 And that no one is justified before God by the law is clear, for "the one who is righteous by faith will live."

12 But the law does not depend on faith; rather, "the one who does these things will live by them."

13 Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree,"

14 that the blessing of Abraham might be extended to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Psalms
Chapter 111

1 Hallelujah. ² I will praise the LORD with all my heart in the assembled congregation of the upright.

2 Great are the works of the LORD, to be treasured for all their delights.

3 Majestic and glorious is your work, your wise design endures forever.

4 You won renown for your wondrous deeds; gracious and merciful is the LORD.

5 You gave food to those who fear you, mindful of your covenant forever.

6 You showed powerful deeds to your people, giving them the lands of the nations.

Luke
Chapter 11

15 Some of them said, "By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons."

16 Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.

17 But he knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house.

18 And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons.

19 If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people ¹ drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges.

20 But if it is by the finger of God that (I) drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

21 When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe.

22 But when one stronger ² than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils.

23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

24 "When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, 'I shall return to my home from which I came.'

25 But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order.

26 Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that person is worse than the first."

Galatians
Chapter 3

1 O stupid Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?

2 I want to learn only this from you: did you receive the Spirit from works of the law, or from faith in what you heard? ³

3 Are you so stupid? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? ⁴

4 Did you experience so many things ⁵ in vain?--if indeed it was in vain.

5 Does, then, the one who supplies the Spirit to you and works mighty deeds among you do so from works of the law or from faith in what you heard?

Luke
Chapter 1

69 He has raised up a horn for our salvation within the house of David his servant,

70 even as he promised through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old:

71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,

72 to show mercy to our fathers and to be mindful of his holy covenant

73 and of the oath he swore to Abraham our father, and to grant us that,

74 rescued from the hand of enemies, without fear we might worship him

75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

Luke
Chapter 11

5 And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

6 for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,'

7 and he says in reply from within, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.'

8 I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.

9 "And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

10 For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

11 What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish?

12 Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?

13 If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit ¹ to those who ask him?"