Dread Pirate Flint

Romans
Chapter 10

9 for, if you confess ¹ with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.

11 For the scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame."

12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him.

13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

14 But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach?

15 And how can people preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring (the) good news!" ³

16 But not everyone has heeded the good news; for Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?"

17 Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.

18 But I ask, did they not hear? Certainly they did; for "Their voice has gone forth to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world."

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;

Matthew
Chapter 4

18 As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.

19 He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."

20 At once they left their nets and followed him.

21 He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them,

22 and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.

Sorry bout the delay. Was home and the internet is a bit too slow and I worked a lot at Big K
Back to normal

Isaiah
Chapter 4

2 On that day, The branch of the LORD will be luster and glory, and the fruit of the earth will be honor and splendor for the survivors of Israel.

3 He who remains in Zion and he that is left in Jerusalem Will be called holy: every one marked down for life in Jerusalem.

4 When the Lord washes away the filth of the daughters of Zion, And purges Jerusalem's blood from her midst with a blast of searing judgment,

5 Then will the LORD create, over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her place of assembly, A smoking cloud by day and a light of flaming fire by night.

6 For over all, his glory will be shelter and protection: shade from the parching heat of day, refuge and cover from storm and rain.

Psalms
Chapter 122

1 A song of ascents. Of David. ¹ I rejoiced when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."

2 And now our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem.

3 Jerusalem, built as a city, walled round about.

4 Here the tribes have come, the tribes of the LORD, As it was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.

8 For family and friends I say, "May peace be yours."

9 For the house of the LORD, our God, I pray, "May blessings be yours."

Matthew
Chapter 8

5 When he entered Capernaum, ² a centurion approached him and appealed to him,

6 saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully."

7 He said to him, "I will come and cure him."

8 The centurion said in reply, ³ "Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.

9 For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."

10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel ⁴ have I found such faith.

11 I say to you, ⁵ many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven,

Revelation
Chapter 3

1 "To the angel of the church in Sardis, ² write this: " 'The one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says this: "I know your works, that you have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

2 Be watchful and strengthen what is left, which is going to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.

3 Remember then how you accepted and heard; keep it, and repent. If you are not watchful, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come upon you.

4 However, you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; they will walk with me dressed in white, because they are worthy.

5 "The victor will thus be dressed in white, ³ and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father and of his angels.

6 "Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'

14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea, ⁵ write this: " 'The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the source of God's creation, says this:

15 "I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. ⁶ I wish you were either cold or hot.

16 So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

17 For you say, 'I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,' and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

18 I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire ⁹ so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see.

19 Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent.

20 '"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,(then) I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me. ¹⁰

21 I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne.

22 '"Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'"

Psalms
Chapter 15

1 A psalm of David. LORD, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy mountain?

2 IWhoever walks without blame, doing what is right, speaking truth from the heart;

3 Who does not slander a neighbor, does no harm to another, never defames a friend;

4 Who disdains the wicked, but honors those who fear the LORD; Who keeps an oath despite the cost,

Luke
Chapter 19

1 He came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.

2 Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,

3 was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature.

4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way.

5 When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house."

6 And he came down quickly and received him with joy.

7 When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner."

8 But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over."

9 And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.

10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost."

Revelation
Chapter 1

1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, to show his servants what must happen soon. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,

2 who gives witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ by reporting what he saw.

3 Blessed is the one ² who reads aloud and blessed are those who listen to this prophetic message and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near.

4 John, to the seven churches in Asia: ⁴ grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne,

Chapter 2

1 "To the angel of the church ⁷ in Ephesus, write this: " 'The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks in the midst of the seven gold lampstands says this:

2 "I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate the wicked; you have tested those who call themselves apostles but are not, and discovered that they are impostors. ⁸

3 Moreover, you have endurance and have suffered for my name, and you have not grown weary.

4 Yet I hold this against you: you have lost the love you had at first.

5 Realize how far you have fallen. Repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

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 18

35 Now as he approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging,

36 and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening.

37 They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."

38 He shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, ¹ have pity on me!"

39 The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, "Son of David, have pity on me!"

40 Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him,

41 "What do you want me to do for you?" He replied, "Lord, please let me see."

42 Jesus told him, "Have sight; your faith has saved you."

43 He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.

Philemon

7 For I have experienced much joy and encouragement ¹ from your love, because the hearts of the holy ones have been refreshed by you, brother.

8 Therefore, although I have the full right ² in Christ to order you to do what is proper,

9 I rather urge you out of love, being as I am, Paul, an old man, ³ and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus.

10 I urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment,

11 who was once useless to you but is now useful ⁴ to (both) you and me.

12 I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.

13 I should have liked to retain him for myself, so that he might serve ⁵ me on your behalf in my imprisonment for the gospel,

14 but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that the good you do might not be forced but voluntary.

15 Perhaps this is why he was away from ⁶ you for a while, that you might have him back forever,

16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother, beloved especially to me, but even more so to you, as a man ⁷ and in the Lord.

17 So if you regard me as a partner, welcome him as you would me.

18 And if he has done you any injustice or owes you anything, charge it to me.

19 I, Paul, write this in my own hand: I will pay. May I not tell you that you owe me your very self.

20 Yes, brother, may I profit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

Psalms
Chapter 146

7 secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free;

8 the LORD gives sight to the blind. The LORD raises up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous.

9 The LORD protects the stranger, sustains the orphan and the widow, but thwarts the way of the wicked.

10 The LORD shall reign forever, your God, Zion, through all generations! Hallelujah!

Luke
Chapter 17

20 Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he said in reply, "The coming of the kingdom of God cannot be observed,

21 and no one will announce, 'Look, here it is,' or, 'There it is.' For behold, the kingdom of God is among you."

22 Then he said to his disciples, "The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.

23 There will be those who will say to you, 'Look, there he is,' (or) 'Look, here he is.' Do not go off, do not run in pursuit.

24 For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be (in his day).

25 But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.

Titus
Chapter 3

1 Remind them to be under the control of magistrates and authorities, to be obedient, to be open to every good enterprise.

2 They are to slander no one, to be peaceable, considerate, exercising all graciousness toward everyone.

3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, deluded, slaves to various desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful ourselves and hating one another.

4 But when the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared,

5 not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, he saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the holy Spirit,

6 whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our savior,

7 so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

Psalms
Chapter 23

1 A psalm of David. ² The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.

2 In green pastures you let me graze; to safe waters you lead me;

3 you restore my strength. You guide me along the right path for the sake of your name.

4 Even when I walk through a dark valley, I fear no harm for you are at my side; your rod and staff give me courage.

5 You set a table before me as my enemies watch; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

6 Only goodness and love will pursue me all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.

Luke
Chapter 17

11 As he continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.

12 As he was entering a village, ten lepers met (him). They stood at a distance from him

13 and raised their voice, saying, "Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!"

14 And when he saw them, he said, "Go show yourselves to the priests." ³ As they were going they were cleansed.

15 And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;

16 and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan.

17 Jesus said in reply, "Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine?

18 Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?"

19 Then he said to him, "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you."

HAHAHAHAHA maybe Michelle won't have to move to Canada
Somebody just sent me an email that concludes:
I'm -- semi-seriously -- trying to decide between Canada and France. The America I grew up in appears to be dead. The only reason I can see to stay is the vicious pleasure of saying "I told you so" -- until they pound down my door.There really are people who think that John Ashcroft is just about to write a law declaring sex an act of treason or something. People need to get out more.Happily, there is a move afoot to accomodate my overwrought correspondent:
Of course, the Bushies are already planning their next War of Liberation. 54-40 or fight!

http://geocities.com/Heartland/2964/homily32Sundayc.html

Take Courage(November 7, 2004)
When I was in Guadalajara for the Eucharistic Congress, I had the opportunity to visit the Museum of Mexican Martyrs. It gives the life stories of twenty-five men killed when a hostile Mexican government attempted to neutralize the Catholic Church. Two of the martyrs particularly caught my attention. One was a middle aged priest named Cristóbal Magallanes Jara. The other, Agustín Caloca Cortés, was recently ordained. Government soldiers arrested them and told them they would be put to death within a few days. However, the soldiers informed them that they could escape execution by publicly renouncing their faith. On the morning of their execution the younger priest saw the firing squad preparing the rifles. He began to have second thoughts that perhaps he did want to die so young. The older priest said to him, “Animo. Take courage. Soon we will be together in heaven.”
On May 25, 1927, Fr. Cristobal and Fr. Agustin did die together. They were also canonized together by Pope John Paul in the year 2000. St. Cristóbal Magallanes and St. Agustín Caloca are saints for the new millennium. We need their example of courage and surrender to God’s will. We need to look at our lives in light of eternity. Soon we will be together in heaven.
Some people consider this viewpoint to be defeatist: That instead of trying to make things better here on earth we will spend all our time thinking about heaven. But, you know, ironically, those who think about heaven are often the ones who do the greatest good for their fellow human beings here on earth. In our country, the most effective hospitals, schools, homes for the outcast were built by people like St. Frances Cabrini – a religious sister who lived each day in the hope of eternal life.
During the month of November the Church directs our attention to the four last things: death, judgment, heaven and hell. This meditation helps us to live for God and for the good of others. Today, for example, we see the magnificent witness of the seven brothers who accepted torture and death rather than betray their faith. Jesus tells us that those who have died – such as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – are now alive in God.
These thoughts should inspire us to be good Stewards of the gifts God has entrusted to us. It has been said that the only things we can take with us to the next life are the things we have given away. The great English evangelist, John Wesley, stated it starkly, “When I die if I leave behind me ten pounds...you and all mankind [may] bear witness against me, that I have lived and died a thief and a robber.” Wesley was echoing the words of early Christian writers such as St. John Chrisostom who said that after we have taken care of our needs – which are almost always less than we imagine them to be – everything else belongs to the poor. Wesley not only gave the poor his meager financial resources, but his seeming limitless energy and compassion. When he was in his seventies, Londoners still saw the gaunt man walking with food and bundles of clothes to take to the poor. John Wesley lived for heaven, but did enormous good for his fellow men here on earth.

http://www.rc.net/wcc/readings/nov7.htm

Meditation: Is your life earthbound or heavenbound? The Sadducees had one big problem -- they could not conceive of heaven beyond what they could see with their naked eyes! Aren't we often like them? We don't recognize spiritual realities because we try to make heaven into an earthly image. The Sadducees came to Jesus with a test question to make the resurrection look ridiculous. The Sadducees, unlike the Pharisees, did not believe in immortality, nor in angels or evil spirits. Their religion was literally grounded in an earthly image of heaven. Jesus retorts by dealing with the fact of the resurrection. The scriptures give proof of it. In Exodus 3:6, when God manifests his presence to Moses in the burning bush, the Lord tells him that he is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He shows that the patriarchs who died hundreds of years previously were still alive in God. Jesus defeats their arguments by showing that God is a living God of a living people. God was the friend of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when they lived. That friendship could not cease with death. As Psalm 73:23-24 states: "I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory." The ultimate proof of the resurrection is the Lord Jesus and his victory over death when he rose from the tomb. Before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, he exclaimed: I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:25). Jesus asks us the same question. Do you believe in the resurrection?
The Holy Spirit reveals to us the eternal truths of God's unending love and the life he desires to share with us for all eternity. Paul the Apostle, quoting from the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 64:4; 65:17) states: "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him," God has revealed to us through the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:9-10). The promise of paradise -- heavenly bliss and unending life with an all-loving God -- is beyond human reckoning. We have only begun to taste the first-fruits! Do you live now in the joy and hope of the life of the age to come?
"May the Lord Jesus put his hands on our eyes also, for then we too shall begin to look not at what is seen but at what is not seen. May he open the eyes that are concerned not with the present but with what is yet to come, may he unseal the heart's vision, that we may gaze on God in the Spirit, through the same Lord, Jesus Christ, whose glory and power will endure throughout the unending succession of ages." (Prayer of Origen, c. 185-254)

http://www.catholicdoors.com/homilies/index.htm

"He is God not of the dead, but of the living." [Lk. 20:38; Mt. 22:32] Why is He the God of the living? It is because He is "the living God." [Jn. 11:27; Acts 14:14; Rom. 9:26; 1 Thess. 1:9; 1 Tim. 3:15, 4:10, 6:17; 2 Cor. 3:3, 6:16; Heb. 3:12, 9:12, 10:31, 12:22; Rev. 7:2] He is the living God Who has chosen to make His dwelling within us.

"For we are the temple of the living God; as God said: 'I will live in them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.'" [2 Cor. 6:16; Lev. 26:12; Ezek. 37:27]

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body." [1 Cor. 6:19-20] "If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple." [1 Cor. 3:16-7]

How did we become temples of the Holy Spirit? When we received the Sacrament of Baptism, we were born again of water and Spirit. [Jn. 3:5] At that moment, we received our new creation of the godly seed [1 Jn. 3:9] in fulfillment of the promises of the Heavenly Father that are found in the Old Testament. During our admission in the Body of Christ as new creations, we received as our "first instalment," [Eph. 1:13-4; 2 Cor. 1:22, 5:5] the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit for the purpose of our sanctification.

Therefore, as "living stones, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God's sight, and like living stones, (we are) built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." [1 Pet. 2:4]

The new creation that we have received as our first instalment is in preparation for the final instalment that awaits all those who persist to the end in their living faith. Then, at the final resurrection of the bodies, in a moment, in the twinkle of an eye, at the last trumpet, they will all be changed [1 Cor. 15:52-3] in the image of Christ. [1 Cor. 15:49] Their perishable bodies will put on imperishability, and their mortal bodies will put on immortability. [1 Cor. 15:54]

At that moment, all shall be rewarded according to their works. "Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." [Dan. 12:3] What beautiful imperishable bodies they shall possess for eternity!

During today's First Reading from 2 Maccabees, [2 Mac. 7:1-2, 9-14] we heard of the martyrdom of the mother and her seven sons. We heard that each and everyone of them were willing to die for the Law of Moses because they believed that at the last trumpet, the King of the universe would raise them up to an everlasting life. The just were ready to die rather than sin, trusting in the Lord God to raise them up again with their bodies being fully restored. What an incredible faith these holy martyrs have displayed in the face of death and torture!

When the fourth brother was about to die, he said, "One cannot but choose to die at the hands of mortals and to cherish the hope God gives of being raised again by him. But for you there will be no resurrection to life!" [2 Macc. 7:14] For the wicked, there is no resurrection to eternal life as a child of God. "Shame and everlasting contempt" [Dan. 12:2] awaits the wicked.

Today's Second Reading from the Second Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians [2 Thess. 2:16-3:5] opens our eyes to the fact that the Lord strengthens our hearts in every good work and word. [2 Thess. 2:16-7]

We learn that through prayer, the word and the work of the Lord that is manifested through us rapidly spreads so God may be glorified everywhere. [2 Thess. 3:1]

Also through our prayers for each other, we faithful children of God are rescued from the wicked and evil people. The Lord is faithful, strengthening us and guarding us against the evil one. [2 Thess. 3:2-3] "Do you suppose that it is for nothing that the Scripture says, 'God yearns jealously for the spirit that he has made to dwell in us?'" [Jas. 4:5] To protect us, God placed His Holy Spirit within each and everyone of us so that we may follow His statutes and keep His ordinances and obey them.

"May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant (us) to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together (we) may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" [Rom. 15:5-6]

Today's reading from the Gospel of Luke [Lk. 20:27-38] provides us with a glimpse of our "blessed hope." [Tit. 2:13] First of all, to summarize why Jesus revealed this knowledge.

The Sadducees, non-believers in the resurrection, asked Jesus if seven brothers married the same woman and they all died, "in the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be?" [Lk. 20:33] Now the brothers did not all marry the same woman at the same time! This was done in accordance with the "Levirate Marriage."

"When brothers reside together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband's brother shall go in to her, taking her in marriage, and performing the duty of a husband's brother to her, and the firstborn whom she bears shall succeed to the name of the deceased brother, so that his name may not be blotted out of Israel. But if the man has no desire to marry his brother's widow, then his brother's widow shall go up to the elders at the gate and say, 'My husband's brother refuses to perpetuate his brother's name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband's brother to me.' Then the elders of his town shall summon him and speak to him. If he persists, saying 'I have no desire to marry her,' then his brother's wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, pull his sandal off his foot, spit in his face, and declare, 'This is what is done to the man who does not build up his brother's house.' Throughout Israel his family shall be known as 'the house of him whose sandal was pulled off.'" [Deut. 25:5-10]

Answering the Sadducees, Jesus said, "Those who belong to his age marry and are given to marriage; but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection." [Lk. 20:34-6]

In other words, in the resurrection, when we are transformed at the twinkle of an eye, just like the angels of God, we will receive spiritual bodies that are incorruptible. In this physical world, God has instituted the Sacrament of marriage [Gen 2:24] and procreation [Gen. 3:16] for mankind to multiply and spread all over the earth. But once in Heaven, there will be no more procreation.

On this subject, Saint Paul tells us, "What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, 'The first man, Adam, became a living being'; the last Adam (Jesus) became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven." [1 Cor. 15:42-7]

The man from Heaven does not live by the same rules as the man of dust. The man of Heaven no longer feels hunger or thirst. He no longer gets tired or needs to sleep. He no longer experiences day or night, warmth or cold. He no longer sheds tears for he continuously enjoys the beatific vision of God. Death shall have been conquered through the Sacred Blood of Jesus Christ. With death shall depart suffering and pain.

In eternal life, those who have persevered to the end, they shall all enjoy the fulness of life as it was meant to be enjoyed. They shall be counted among the living, all sharing the same Father, the living God. May His Holy Name be glorified and praised forever!

For "He is God not of the dead, but of the living." [Lk. 20:38]

Philippians
Chapter 3

17 Join with others in being imitators of me, ² brothers, and observe those who thus conduct themselves according to the model you have in us.

18 For many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.

19 Their end is destruction. Their God is their stomach; their glory is in their "shame." Their minds are occupied with earthly things.

20 But our citizenship ³ is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

21 He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself.

Chapter 4

1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.

Psalms
Chapter 122

1 A song of ascents. Of David. ¹ I rejoiced when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."

2 And now our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem.

3 Jerusalem, built as a city, walled round about.

4 Here the tribes have come, the tribes of the LORD, As it was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.

5 Here are the thrones of justice, the thrones of the house of David.

Luke
Chapter 16

1 Then he also said to his disciples, "A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property.

2 He summoned him and said, 'What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.'

3 The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.

4 I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.'

5 He called in his master's debtors one by one. To the first he said, 'How much do you owe my master?'

6 He replied, 'One hundred measures of olive oil.' He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.'

7 Then to another he said, 'And you, how much do you owe?' He replied, 'One hundred kors ³ of wheat.' He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.'

8 And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. ⁵ "For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.

http://www.nwherald.com/MainSection/287253582961598.php

Bush outlines agenda for second term

I am glad he waited till after the election to tell us his agenda. Just so nobody thinks I am too biased, Kerry was just as bad in this respect.

Sunday's Readings

2 Maccabees
Chapter 7

1 It also happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested and tortured with whips and scourges by the king, to force them to eat pork in violation of God's law.

2 One of the brothers, speaking for the others, said: "What do you expect to achieve by questioning us? We are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors."

9 At the point of death he said: "You accursed fiend, you are depriving us of this present life, but the King of the world will raise us up to live again forever. It is for his laws that we are dying."

10 After him the third suffered their cruel sport. He put out his tongue at once when told to do so, and bravely held out his hands,

11 as he spoke these noble words: "It was from Heaven that I received these; for the sake of his laws I disdain them; from him I hope to receive them again."

12 Even the king and his attendants marveled at the young man's courage, because he regarded his sufferings as nothing.

13 After he had died, they tortured and maltreated the fourth brother in the same way.

14 When he was near death, he said, "It is my choice to die at the hands of men with the God-given hope of being restored to life by him; but for you, there will be no resurrection to life."

Psalms
Chapter 17

1 A prayer of David. ¹ Hear, LORD, my plea for justice; pay heed to my cry; Listen to my prayer spoken without guile.

5 My steps have kept to your paths; my feet have not faltered.

6 I call upon you; answer me, O God. Turn your ear to me; hear my prayer.

8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings

15 I am just--let me see your face; when I awake, let me be filled with your presence.

2 Thessalonians
Chapter 2

16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace,

17 encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.

Chapter 3

1 Finally, brothers, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may speed forward and be glorified, as it did among you,

2 and that we may be delivered from perverse and wicked people, for not all have faith.

3 But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.

4 We are confident of you in the Lord that what we instruct you, you (both) are doing and will continue to do.

5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ.

Luke
Chapter 20

27 Some Sadducees, ¹ those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to him,

28 saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us, 'If someone's brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.'

29 Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless.

30 Then the second

31 and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless.

32 Finally the woman also died.

33 Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been married to her."

34 Jesus said to them, "The children of this age marry and remarry;

35 but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of

the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.

36 They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise. ³

37 That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called 'Lord' the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;

38 and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive."

Philippians
Chapter 3

3 For we are the circumcision, ¹ we who worship through the Spirit of God, who boast in Christ Jesus and do not put our confidence in flesh,

4 although I myself have grounds for confidence even in the flesh.If anyone else thinks he can be confident in flesh, all the more can I.

5 Circumcised on the eighth day, ² of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrew parentage, in observance of the law a Pharisee,

6 in zeal I persecuted the church, in righteousness based on the law I was blameless.

7 (But) whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss ³ because of Christ.

8 More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ

Psalms
Chapter 105

2 Sing praise, play music; proclaim all his wondrous deeds!

3 Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!

4 Rely on the mighty LORD; constantly seek his face.

5 Recall the wondrous deeds he has done, his signs and his words of judgment,

6 You descendants of Abraham his servant, offspring of Jacob the chosen one!

7 The LORD is our God who rules the whole earth.

Luke
Chapter 15

1 The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him,

2 but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

3 So to them he addressed this parable.

4 "What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it?

5 And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy

6 and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.'

7 I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

8 "Or what woman having ten coins ² and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it?

9 And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.'

10 In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Its a GO
As of noon Tuesday these are the Candidates and Observers for TEC#227:

Candidates:
Katie Ary
Quentin Cawthon
Felicia Deal
Marissa Fischer
Bob Ford
Cassie Hoots
Jenny Mays
Sarah Murphy
Amy Obert
Tyler Peters
Nicci Platt
Blair Powell
Tiffany Randall
Jacob Scott

Obervers:
Brian Hendrian
Michelle Jones

Philippians
Chapter 2

12 So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. ³

13 For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work.

14 Do everything without grumbling or questioning,

15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, ⁴ among whom you shine like lights in the world,

16 as you hold on to the word of life, so that my boast for the day of Christ may be that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

17 But, even if I am poured out as a libation ⁵ upon the sacrificial service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with all of you.

18 In the same way you also should rejoice and share your joy with me.

Psalms
Chapter 27

1 Of David ¹ The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom do I fear? The LORD is my life's refuge; of whom am I afraid?

4 One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek: To dwell in the LORD'S house all the days of my life, To gaze on the LORD'S beauty, to visit his temple.

13 But I believe I shall enjoy the LORD'S goodness in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD, take courage; be stouthearted, wait for the LORD!

Luke
Chapter 14

25 Great crowds were traveling with him, and he turned and addressed them,

26 "If any one comes to me without hating his father ² and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

28 Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion?

29 Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him

30 and say, 'This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.'

31 Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?

32 But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.

33 In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.

The Book of Wisdom
Chapter 3

1 But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them.

2 They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction

3 and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace.

4 For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality;

5 Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself.

6 As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.

7 In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;

8 They shall judge nations and rule over peoples, and the LORD shall be their King forever.

9 Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love: Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with the elect.

Psalms
Chapter 27

1 Of David ¹ The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom do I fear? The LORD is my life's refuge; of whom am I afraid?

4 One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek: To dwell in the LORD'S house all the days of my life, To gaze on the LORD'S beauty, to visit his temple.

7 I Hear my voice, LORD, when I call; have mercy on me and answer me.

8 "Come," says my heart, "seek God's face"; your face, LORD, do I seek!

9 Do not hide your face from me; do not repel your servant in anger. You are my help; do not cast me off; do not forsake me, God my savior!

13 But I believe I shall enjoy the LORD'S goodness in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD, take courage; be stouthearted, wait for the LORD!

Romans
Chapter 6

3 Or are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

4 We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.

5 For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.

6 We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.

7 For a dead person has been absolved from sin.

8 If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.

9 We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him.

Matthew
Chapter 25

31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne,

32 and all the nations ² will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

33 He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,

36 naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'

37 Then the righteous ³ will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?

38 When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?

39 When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'

40 And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'

41 Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,

43 a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.'

44 Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?'

45 He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.'

46 And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Revelation
Chapter 7

2 Then I saw another angel come up from the East, ¹ holding the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were given power to damage the land and the sea,

3 "Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God."

4 I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked ² from every tribe of the Israelites:

9 After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches ³ in their hands.

10 They cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation comes from ⁴ our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb."

11 All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God,

12 and exclaimed: "Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen."

13 Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, "Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?"

14 I said to him, "My lord, you are the one who knows." He said to me, "These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; ⁵ they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

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

1 John
Chapter 3

1 See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

2 Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed ² we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

3 Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.

MatthewChapter 5

1 When he saw the crowds, ² he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.

2 He began to teach them, saying:

3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, ⁴ for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.

6 Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, ⁷ for they will be satisfied.

7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

10 Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, ⁹ for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me.

12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Got this from my sister
Subject: 2 TOUGH QUESTIONS
Question 1:If you knew a woman who was pregnant, who had8 kids already, three who were deaf, two who wereblind, one mentally retarded, and she had syphilis,would you recommend that she have an abortion?Read the next question before looking at theresponse for this one.
Question 2:It is time to elect a new world leader, andonly your vote counts. Here are the facts about the three candidates.Who gets your vote?
Candidate A.Associates with crooked politicians, andconsults with astrologist. He's hadtwo mistresses. He also chain smokes anddrinks 8 to 10 martinis a day.
Candidate B.He was kicked out of office twice, sleepsuntil noon, used opium in collegeand drinks a quart of whiskey every evening.
Candidate CHe is a decorated war hero. He's a vegetarian,doesn't smoke, drinks an occasional beerand never cheated on his wife.Which of these candidateswould be your choice? Decide first... nopeeking, then scroll down for the response.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Candidate A is Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Candidate B is Winston Churchill.
Candidate C is Adolph Hitler.

And, by the way, on your answer to theabortion question:
If you said YES,you just killed Beethoven.Pretty interesting isn't it? Makes a personthink before judging someone.Wait till you see the end of this note! Keepreading...Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember: Amateurs...built the ark.Professionals...built the TitanicAnd

Finally, can you imagine working for acompany that has a little morethan 500 employees and has the followingstatistics:*
29 have been accused of spousal abuse*
7 have been arrested for fraud*
19 have been accused of writing bad checks*
117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses*
3 have done time for assault*
71 cannot get a credit card due to bad credit*
14 have been arrested on drug-related charges*
8 have been arrested for shoplifting*
21 are currently defendants in lawsuits*
84 have been arrested for drunk driving in the last year...
Can you guess which organization this is?Give up yet?

It's the 535 members of the United StatesCongress. The same groupthat crank out hundreds of new laws each yeardesigned to keep the rest ofus in line.