Esther 8:14 (NIV) ~ the couriers, riding the royal horses, raced out, spurred on by the king’s command. 

Oh, how this verse captures my imagination. It stirs me up with a fire within my bones to make haste with the message of the gospel. These horses were no ordinary horses, but royal ones bred as champions, the finest, and the best you would ever find. These riders were trusted with a message of deliverance, a promise from the King, which brought great rejoicing for whom it was intended. The Darby Translation of the Bible brings this verse alive with these words: “The couriers mounted on coursers and horses of blood went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king’s commandment.”

Horses of a royal bloodline bred for the King’s purposes. Those who rode on them were chosen for their integrity, chosen for their loyalty to the King. They were those who, at a moment’s notice would, with great haste, obey the King’s command.  Here we have those chosen by the King to be couriers of his message, fired on by the King’s command to bring the good news. 

Time is pressing within our land, people need the good news. Quick! Let us mount the King’s horses and be couriers of His message to His people who are longing to have hope and longing to be given good news so they may rejoice, for their King is mighty to save! 

Listen, can you hear? Look! Can you see how with haste come the King’s trusted couriers into every hamlet, every village, every town and every city to declare the good news from the King? Full of zeal and with a smile, so delighted to share with one and all this message, “Today is the day of Salvation, trust in the words of the King and be saved! Believe in His promise and live!” When the people received the good news and believed in the promise from the King, they celebrated with great joy. 

My friend, God speed our calling as we, with great haste, climb upon the King’s horses and ride with a purpose, driven with love, fired up by the King’s commands to bring His message of good news to the people. Let us therefore ride the lengthen and breadth of our land with the urgent message from our King to one and all, declaring in His authority, “Today is the day of Salvation, trust in the words of the King and be saved! Believe in His promise and live!” When you received the good news from the King and believe in his promise, you will celebrate with great joy, for your King is strong to deliver and mighty to save. 

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

  Tonight we had a testimony of a miracle that God did a week ago.  A humble father and pastor came to report what God had done.  He shared how a large cobra, possibly a king cobra, had bitten his son in the leg.  His body was beginning to shut down and there was no way that they could get him to any hospital.  Yet, even if they did, it would be very unlikely that in the rural Philippines that anyone would have anti-venom. 

  The father is a church leader and the only thing he knew to do was pray.  The son’s body was nearly completely paralyzed and in excruciating pain.  He could feel his body shutting down as the venom went closer and closer to his heart.  The father, at a point of desperation for the life of his son, placed his Bible on his son’s heart and began to pray.  Immediately after placing the Bible on his son’s heart, the pain started to subside.  Within one hour, the son’s body was completely back to normal as the anti-venom of the Holy Spirit was working to expel the cobra’s venom.  The leader told us that his son could feel the venom moving away from his heart where the Bible was and slowly being flushed out of his body. 

   The Great Commission as recorded in the Gospel of Mark says, “¹⁷ And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (Mark 16:17-18). Indeed, this father knows Jesus’ words to be true and is living them out.

I’m pretty excited about Sunday Spin at Benetti’s Coffee Experience this weekend, as my father-in-law, Jim Gutwein, has chosen all the music.  Katy’s parents are in town for Thanksgiving, and I asked Jim to share some records before they leave.  (Most of the records are culled from his personal collection, and Jim is proud to gloat that all are original pressings thereof.)  He has decided to play Christmas music Sunday evening, so grab a cup of coffee or hot chocolate and wind down from the hectic holiday weekend, looking forward to the Christmas season.

1. Nat King Cole Trio – “The Christmas Song” (original 45 from 1946, not the version made popular in the the early 1960s)
2. Bing Crosby – excerpt of a radio broadcast from A Christmas Sing with Bing (1956)
3. Joan Baez – side 1 of Noel (1966)
4. The Ramsey Lewis Trio – Sound of Christmas (1961)
5. Tony Bennett – Snowfall: The Tony Bennett Christmas Album (1968)
6. The Miracles – side 2 of The Season for Miracles (1970)
7. The Temptations – side 1 of The Temptations Christmas Card (1970)
8. Various Artists – side 2 of A Christmas Gift for You (1963)
9. Charles Brown – side 1 of Charles Brown Sings Christmas Songs (1960)
10. James Brown – side 2 of James Brown Sings Christmas Songs (1966)

We’ll augment your own research on these record with handout Sunday evening.  See you there from 6:00-9:00.

Father Mike Stewart of St. Matthews, came again to bless the college as guest speaker. Tuesday evening he brought a message of freedom and the creative intervention of God in our lives. Sharing from the Gospel of Mark, Fr Mike read to us the account of the healing, by Jesus, of the deaf man from Decapolis.  To this man, Jesus spoke a word of release from the bondage of deafness and the  re-creation of his ability to hear and speak.  That word, unique to this man brought what he needed most in his life.

Father Mike asked us what word of release Jesus might speak over us if we had been brought to Jesus. Would it be a release from a weakness in our physical body? In our mind, or in our spirit. Each area is a potential prison for us. The enemy of our soul wants nothing more than to keep us bound up. Just as Jesus brought freedom to this man from Decapolis, so he can bring that freedom to us.

What word would you want most to hear from Jesus?

 So, I’ve been married over fourteen years and have had Thanksgiving at my home thirteen times. (That fire I blogged about a while back pre-empted last year.) That translates into thirteen successfully cooked turkeys, right?

 Almost not so this time. Allow me to share…

 1. My husband brought home a twenty-nine pound bird which I wasn’t sure would even fit in my oven. Luckily, it did, but not much else could. (What can I say? Hubby’s a Leo. They’re known for doing things on the grand scale. Good thing his mom had recently given us a counter-top multi-function broiler-oven unit. That thing saved the side-dishes’ day.)

 2. A quick glance at the cooking times suggested roasting this thing close to seven hours. No biggie—until I realize the directions stopped at the twenty-four-pound mark. (Oh, and I’d already scheduled everything around a two-o’clock dinner time after putting the bird in at 6:45 AM. Good thing my mom brought those appetizers.)

 3. Of course this huge critter’s foil pan needed to be supported underneath, so I placed a baking sheet under it—with a plastic market bag under it to keep raw turkey juices off the counter. Found out, oh, about three hours into cooking I’d forgotten to take it out. (By some miracle, nothing smelled so I replaced the baking sheet and tossed the one now coated with melted plastic out. What else could I do at 10:30?)

 4. A while later, I hear way too much sizzling coming from the oven—lots of smoke, too. This bird’s drippings are too much for the roasting pan to contain, so…hubby lifts Tom out, we suction as much as we can with my dollar-store baster, have a good laugh and put that monster back in the oven along with a few sweet potatoes. (I piled them on the side of the bird, against the oven wall.)

5. Fast forward ninety minutes after that: never turned on the oven after mishap #4. (Turn the oven up another 50 degrees and pray no one ends up with salmonella.)

 Somehow, it all came together. My kids, ages thirteen and eleven this month, adore their little cousins, and kept them entertained on the trampoline or with video games until dinner was ready—by 3:30. Not bad, right? My mom and my brother did the Italian drive-each-other-nuts thing that everyone else ignores or makes fun of in the other room.  My very fun sister-in-law made my day by gushing about the ‘flow’ of my downstairs ‘decor;’ the turkey turned out incredibly moist, tender and delicious; my stuffing got its usual raves—recipe at my website (www.joannaaislinn.com/Morerecipes.html)—and did I mention? I forgot to put one of the basket parts into the coffee maker. Did that once before and ended up with steaming brown liquid all over the counter. Not yesterday.

 Now it’s your turn to share! Leave a comment the rest of us can enjoy!

Make my life a prayer.
I can talk the talk
But can I walk the walk.

I can say I believe
But can I act on that?
Do I step in the direction of the prayers that I desire?

Or do I pray and contradict those prayers in my actions.

God, the universe, hears every prayer.
And consequently immediately begins to call all those things to reality. However, we now know that we are surrounded by a truth we can not see. That our mind literally limits our experience to our beliefs. So how can we experience the results of a prayer we don’t believe enough to act on? It’s okay if this describes you. It has desrcibed me for all my life. But it doesn’t have to anymore. I can strengthen my faith and change my thought paterns and experience the results of the things I pray for in my life and the world around me. It is not magic. It is only the rememberance of the truth that surrounds us all. And as we remember we all awaken to that truth.

Song of Solomon 2:8 (NIV) ~ Listen! My lover! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills. 

Here he comes to my aid, no mountain, no hill, no valley, no obstacle, will stand between God coming to me when I call upon His name. Here he comes bounding over the hills coming to my rescue. Whenever I call His name, He is right there by my side. Look my soul, look, my Jesus is coming to me, and the Lover of my soul comes to me. 

Nicolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson wrote the words to this beautiful song, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” It contained these lyrics:

If you need me, call me, no matter where you are, no matter how far,

Just call my name, I’ll be there in a hurry, you don’t have to worry,

Ain’t no mountain high enough, ain’t no valley low enough, ain’t no river wide enough,

To keep me from getting to you.  

Swift like a gazelle, bounding so gracefully, does my Jesus come to me. The Lover of my soul spoke to me saying, “My darling, my beautiful one” (Song of Solomon 2:13). For someone to call you His beautiful one, His darling, the one whom he loves and laid His life upon the altar of sacrifice to save you, shows His pure and amazing love for you.

My friend, when you pray, the Lover of your soul, Jesus Christ, comes to you with the answer to your prayers. 

Christ is the answer to my every need, Christ is the answer, He is my friend indeed;

Problems of life, my spirit, may assail, with Christ My Saviour I shall never fail,

For Christ is the answer to my need.  

Oh, what a beautiful verse to encourage your heart with today, from our text in Song of Solomon 2:8 (NIV), “Listen! My lover! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills.” No sooner are the words of prayer off your lips, then look! Here he comes, my Saviour, My Messiah, the Lover of your soul, Jesus Christ, with the answer to your prayer! 

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

How to forgive, not forget and be paralyzed with the memory of regret?

You may not agree with all of John Wesley’s theology. Indeed, some of his statements are baffling.

But one thing you can’t deny is that he was a seriously hard worker. His commitment to preaching and teaching and leading was phenomenal.
And sometimes he got sick.

Weakness and Fever
Here’s an incident from May 1741 which is encouraging. Wesley claims (and I have no reason to doubt the claim) that he was supernaturally healed mid-sermon!!

Friday 8th May, 1741
‘I found myself much out of order. However, I made shift to preach in the evening: but on Saturday my bodily strength quite failed, so that for several hours I could scarce lift my head.

‘Sunday 10th. I was obliged to lie down most part of the day, being easy only in that posture.

‘Yet in the evening my weakness was suspended while I was calling sinners to repentance.

‘But at our love-feast which followed, beside the pain in my back and head, and the fever which still continued upon me, just as I began to pray, I was seized with such a cough that I could hardly speak.

Believing and Receiving
‘At the same time came strongly into my mind, ‘These signs shall follow them that believe.’ I called on Jesus aloud, to ‘increase my faith’ and to ‘confirm the word of his grace.’

‘While I was speaking, my pain vanished away; the fever left me; my bodily strength returned; and for many weeks I felt neither weakness nor pain. ‘Unto thee, O Lord, do I give thanks.’
(John Wesley Journal, Baker edition, Vol 1, p.310)

© 2009 Lex Loizides

The Student’s Desk Devotion

Psalm 103:1-5

Praise the Lord, O my soul;

all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits—

who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Prayer

Lord, we thank you for your holiness. That you stand above all things, and as such, you have authority over what happens. So we praise you that you forgive our sins. You heal our diseases, and you do not abandon us in our struggles, but you restore us. Lord as we continue to look at Jesus’ miracles, may we learn something more of Jesus. Help us understand how Jesus helps us in our struggles, especially with loneliness, and may we yearn to be in relationship with you.

In his name we pray, amen.

Mark 5:24-34

A large crowd followed [Jesus] and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

“You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’”

But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Jesus: the end of loneliness

Have you ever felt lonely? Have you ever felt like you’ve been pushed to one side? Have you ever felt exclude, or not welcomed?

Perhaps it has been as a result of the way we’ve been treated by family, or friends, or work mates. Perhaps it’s come from the people who care for us. Wherever our loneliness has come from, it is real.

We feel loneliness because we are social creatures. We want to feel and know that we matter to someone. And so often the relationships we crave are just beyond our grasp. And it’s not just because we have a severe disability or a speech impairment that we can’t access a fulfilling relationship. All of us crave more than what another person can give.

We feel loneliness because we are designed for relationships that we either can’t access, or are not fulfilling, or both.

So let me tell you about the ultimate relationship. A relationship that is accessible, and is fulfilling. What relationship would that be? A relationship with a Jesus. In this particular instance we’ve just read, it starts with a woman. Let me tell you about this woman.

This woman is on the outside of outsiders. Mainly because she has a severe medical condition. Because of her medical condition, she is not to come in contact with anyone. In fact she is not to be anywhere near anyone. She is not permitted even to talk to anyone! She can’t go shopping. She can’t worship God with other people. She can’t even see her own family! Would you agree that this is one of the most lonely people ever to have existed?

Yet, she has heard something about Jesus. She has concluded that Jesus can heal her. She’s got it in her mind that if Jesus can heal her, then, she will not be lonely anymore. She wont need to live on the outskirts of town anymore. She’ll be able to live like anyone else. Yet Jesus is about to give her something much better than what she has conceived of. Yet before Jesus takes her there, she is about to go on an extraordinary journey of faith.

Faith begins by recognising who Jesus is. This woman recognized that Jesus possessed a God-like character, and all she needed to do was touch his clothes. And this belief leads her to do extraordinary things.

In the story, we read there was a crowd around Jesus. And remember I said before that because of her medical condition, she wasn’t to be anywhere near anyone? Yet we find this woman in the middle of the crowd. Whoa! How did she get there? Her faith got her there.

But then she does another extraordinary thing. She touched Jesus. Remember I said before because of her medical condition, she was not to come in contact with anyone? Now Jesus was known to be a teacher, a healer, someone doing the work of God. Jesus was the last person she should have been touching. How DARE she deliberately touch Jesus??? She dared to touch Jesus by faith, and she was healed.

Faith is audacious. Faith is daring. Faith goes against convention. Faith is belief put into action. And this is the kind of faith that this woman had.

It is this faith that Jesus builds on to bring this woman to a greater understanding of who he is.

While the basis of the woman’s solution to her loneliness was being healed of her medical condition, Jesus solution was to bring her into a relationship with himself.

Jesus knew power had gone out from him, and he stops and asks the impossible. “Who touched my garments?” Jesus asked this because he wanted this woman to know that what just happened matters. That she matters. That her faith matters. And Jesus does this in the most incredible but simple way. By speaking with her.

Do you realise that this is probably the first time in 12 years that someone spoke with her? It’s an extraordinary moment for this woman. For once this woman was being treated like a person, not like a medical condition. The relationship that she had craved was fulfilled by Jesus. Notice that Jesus called this woman his daughter! To call someone ‘daughter’ is very intimate. And it’s entirely appropriate because she has entered into the ultimate relationship. This is why Jesus says to her “…your faith has healed you.” Being physically healed to resolve her loneliness was not going to work. She needed to enter a personal relationship with Jesus founded on faith. The kind of faith this woman had. And now she had the ultimate relationship – friendship with God.

Loneliness is a problem we all face. Even we who know Jesus will struggle with loneliness from time to time. Maybe allot. It’s not because we are faithless. But because as Christians we still crave relationships with each other we can’t access or are unfulfilling. The difference Jesus makes is he brings an end to our loneliness by drawing us into a relationship, into friendship, with God. This relationship is founded on faith. Faith that recognises Jesus for who he really is. Faith that is radical. Faith that allows us to be daring even in the face of adversity.

The Bible makes it very plain that we matter to Jesus. We matter so much to Jesus that he died for us and paved the way for a new life, and in that new life, loneliness will be a thing of the past. So as Christians, when we feel lonely, our loneliness should not end in despair, because we know we matter to Jesus. We know we matter to God. We know the things that are happening in our lives matter. We also know we have new life with God where loneliness will be no more. So when we feel lonely, what a gift, what a mercy, we have in being able to reflect upon the relationship we have with God. Not only that, but we can also help others who struggle with loneliness. We can say to the person we understand their struggle, and we can tell them about the friendship with God made available to them by Jesus and bring an end to their loneliness.

Loneliness has its end in Jesus. What a mercy that we matter to Jesus!

© The Student’s Desk, 2009

Philippians 2:20 (Amplified Bible) ~ For I have no one like him no one of so kindred a spirit, who will be so genuinely interested in your welfare and devoted to your interests. 

What a beautiful description of two people working together with one purpose for the things of the kingdom of God. The word “kindred” means someone having similar qualities; related by blood. Wow, now that is something to think about; having a kindred spirit, brought together with a different spirit, one of unity with the same interests, related by blood. We are all washed in the same blood, that precious blood of Jesus Christ, having the same goal, with the same vision, with spirit of unity in the Lord. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 3:7 to 9 (NIV), “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labour, for we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. 

Here is something else to consider, the world uses a term to describe a close relationship between two people and they call it “soul mates.”  However, there is something stronger than a soul mate, for the term in itself has limitations, it only scratches the surface of true relationships and it only touches souls. But to have a spiritual relationship with someone and find a wife or husband who shares the same interests, who has the same goals, who wants to glorify God with their relationship is called being of “kindred spirit”; touching way past just the soul, for the soul is but temporary, while the things of the spirit are eternal. To be of a kindred spirit and having a passion to walk hand in hand, step-by-step, in unity before the Lord in serving Him together in the things of the Kingdom, is to have a kindred spirit, related by the blood of Jesus. Being born of the same seed is of far greater worth than to simply be a soul mate.    

My friend, oh, what it would be like to have someone of a kindred spirit to run the race with in Christ Jesus. The Bible says in Psalm 133:1 (KJV), “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” As we dwell together as kindred spirits, wanting to work together for the glory of God, then it is there the Lord commands the blessing. 

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

Today begins the Novena of Grace to St. Francis Xavier.

I don’t remember when I first discovered St. Francis Xavier. I was very young and not yet confirmed. My parents had gotten me a collection of saints books written by the Daughters of St. Paul. I loved every one of them- they were great books. I don’t remember the title of the one about St. Francis Xavier, but I do remember that from the first moment I read his story I was enthralled and inspired. When it came time to choose my Confirmation saint I knew exactly who I wanted. St. Francis Xavier.

At the same time I was having a hard time in my life. I had terrible teeth. I mean awful. On the bottom, each tooth had its own row. On top it was similar, plus those teeth jutted out. My overbite was so huge I could clamp my top and bottom teeth together and still stick out my tongue. I got made fun at school and in my neighborhood at home. My parents tried to get me braces but the cost was just too high.

I was confirmed on the Feast of Christ the King- November 21, 1994. In one of the cards I received at the celebration afterward there was a holy card with a picture of St. Francis Xavier preaching to pagans on the front and the Novena of Grace on the back. How timely! A few days later on November 25 I began the novena. My intention was, of course, for braces. I said the whole novena, promised to name my first born son after him if he answered my prayer, then went on with my life. I knew I would get what I asked for- it said so on the holy card.  “All those who implore my help daily for nine consecutive days, from the 4th to the 12th of March included [or Nov 25 to Dec 3], and worthily receive the Sacraments of Penance and the Holy Eucharist on one of the nine days, will experience my protection and may hope with entire assurance to obtain from God any grace they ask for the good of their souls and the glory of God.” At the time I didn’t understand everything in that sentence. I just knew it said I would get what I asked for.

Three months later my parents came home from their hour of adoration very excited to give me some news. One of our parish priests had joined them and asked if they’d ever thought about getting me braces. They told him their story- that they’d tried but had no way to come up with the money. “Well,” Father answered, “A parishioner who is an orthodontist has come forward and volunteered to give your daughter braces for free.” My parents couldn’t believe it. Braces just falling out of the sky like that!

“Aren’t you shocked?” they asked me. They were slightly annoyed by my lack of surprise. I told them why I wasn’t surprised. I had said the Novena of Grace so of course I was getting free braces. That surprised them even more since I had never told them.

In spite of my lack of surprise, I was SO glad and grateful for what I received. I pray for that orthodontist every day. God bless him! I gave my first son the middle name of Francisco (St. Francis Xavier was Spanish, after all!) in keeping with my promise. I do imagine him laughing a little at my 12 year old romantic notions. Or, who knows, maybe the offer of a namesake really was what moved him to aid my cause!

St. Francis Xavier, pray for us!

November 26 2009 Thursday Thanksgiving Day
Saint of the Day – St. Catherine of Alexandria

About the sources used. The readings on this site are not official for the Mass of Roman Rite of the Catholic Church in the USA, but are from sources free from copyright. They are here to present the comparable readings alongside traditional Catholic commentary as published in the Haydock Bible for your own personal study. Readings vary depending on your local calendar.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/112609.shtml

Sirach 50:22-26
Douay-Rheims Challoner

Then coming down, he lifted up his hands over all the congregation of the children of Israel, to give glory to God with his lips, and to glory in his name: And he repeated his prayer, willing to shew the power of God. And now pray ye to the God of all, who hath done great things in all the earth, who hath increased our days from our mother’s womb, and hath done with us according to his mercy. May he grant us joyfulness of heart, and that there be peace in our days in Israel for ever: That Israel may believe that the mercy of God is with us, to deliver us in his days.

Responsorial Psalm 137:1-5 (Ps 138 NAB)
DR Challoner Text Only

I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart:
for thou hast heard the words of my mouth.
I will sing praise to thee in the sight of the angels:
I will worship towards thy holy temple,
and I will give glory to thy name.
For thy mercy, and for thy truth:
for thou hast magnified thy holy name above all.
In what day soever I shall call upon thee, hear me:
thou shalt multiply strength in my soul.
May all the kings of the earth give glory to thee:
for they have heard all the words of thy mouth.
And let them sing in the ways of the Lord:
for great is the glory of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Haydock New Testament

Grace to you, and peace from God, our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you, for the grace of God, that is given you in Christ Jesus: That in all things you are made rich in him, in all speaking, and in all knowledge: As the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that nothing is wanting to you in any grace, waiting for the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who also will confirm you unto the end without crime, in the day of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful: by whom you are called unto the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Luke 17:11-19
Haydock New Testament

And it came to pass, as he was going to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain town, there met him ten men, that were lepers, who stood afar off: And they lifted up their voice, saying:

Jesus, master, have mercy on us.

And when he saw, he said:

Go, shew yourselves to the priests.

And it came to pass, that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was cleansed, went back, with a loud voice, glorifying God. And he fell on his face before his feet, giving thanks: and this man was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering, said,

Were there not ten made clean? and where are the nine? There is no one found to return and give glory to God, but this stranger.

And he said to him:

Arise, go thy way: for thy faith hath made thee whole.

Haydock Commentary Sirach 50:22-26 (Ecclesiasticus)
Notes Copied From Haydock Commentary Site

• Ver. 23. Prayer. Gr. “adoration, that they might receive a blessing from the Most High.”  H. — Power. In keeping Philopator out of the temple.  God granted his request, (C.  litaneiaV) “and scourged him who was so insolent and bold…throwing him like a reed, unable to move, and speechless on the pavement.”  2 Mac. ii. 26.  After Philopator’s guards had removed him, the high priest congratulated the people, (v. 26.) expressing his abhorrence of their enemies in general, though the only mentions three neighbouring nations which had shewn a particular enmity to the Jews, when a contrary behaviour might have been expected.  v. 28.  H.
• Ver. 24. Now. A the sight of these wonders, the author exhorts the people to be grateful, and full of hope.  C.
• Ver. 26. His, Simon’s, (M.) or God’s days. When he may judge it convenient.  H.

Haydock Commentary 1 Corinthians 1:3-9

• Ver. 4. That is given you in, or by Christ Jesus.[1]  Where we may take notice with S. Chrys. for the understanding of other places, that in, is many times put for by or through.
• Ver. 5. Rich in him in all knowledge. The apostles never addressed any epistle, except to persons who had been previously converted to the faith.  Nor is it reasonable to expect, that infidel and pagan nations, merely by reading the inspired writings, will be able, by the light that is in them, to elicit from the said book the truths of religion.  Would they not be tempted to worship the wily serpent, that succeeded in deceiving Eve? and how will they know that this serpent is the devil?  A.
• Ver. 6. As the testimony of Christ, what Christ testified and taught was confirmed in you, that is, your faith in Christ hath been confirmed by those graces and gifts which you received from the Holy Ghost at your baptism, and when by imposition of hands you were confirmed by me, or some other bishop.  Wi.

Haydock Commentary Luke 17:11-19

• Ver. 14. To the priests. Jesus sends them to the priests, to convince the latter of the reality of the cures which he wrought, and oblige them by that to acknowledge him for their Messias; 2ndly, that the lepers might enjoy the fruit of their cure, by returning to the society of their fellow men, after they had been declared clean, and satisfied all the demands of the law; for there were may ceremonies previous to be gone through.  Calmet. — And lastly, to shew that in the new law, such as are defiled with the leprosy of sin, should apply to the priests.  Hence, says S. Austin, let no one despise God’s ordinance, saying that it is sufficient to confess to God alone.  Lib. de visit. infirm.
• Ver. 19. Thy faith hath made thee whole. Were not the others also made whole?  They were cleansed indeed from their leprosy, but it no where appears that they were justified in their souls like this Samaritan, of whom it said, thy faith hath made thee whole; whereas it was said of the others, that they were made clean, viz. of their leprosy in their body, though not justified in their soul: this the Samaritan alone seems to have obtained.  Maldonatus.

Happy Thanksgiving to the blogosphere! I hope you enjoy the time you spend with your family and friends.

I will be giving thanks for my wonderful family that is always my backbone, my friends that are endless sources of fun and joy and to our health and happiness throughout the year.

My favorite blessing is from Halcyon and it is a modified version of a blessing his Grandpa used to give, he was such a bright star on this little planet:

“Dear universe, thank you for the miracles in every moment. Help me to be aware of all my blessings and be a loving presence in the world.”

What are you thankful for?

Life is what happens to you when you’re making other plans. So sang John Lennon — and that song’s been a soundtrack for me during the past year as my own life has swerved and careened and accelerated to warp speed and slowed to a near halt, as it has sometimes seemed like someone — when I wasn’t looking — flipped a switch to put me on automatic pilot, my destination programmed and out of my control. It’s been a sad, chaotic, disorienting and often disillusioning period of my life.

But it’s also been a time in which I’ve encountered unexpected wonders and wonderful revelations. And many of those wonders and revelations have had something — everything — to do with love and its power to heal, inspire, rejuvenate, to restore one’s faith, to revive, to resurrect, to make life come alive once again, to appear and come to the rescue when you least expect it and all seems lost.

I’ve experienced a miracle. I don’t mean I’ve seen the blessed Virgin bearing messages or had stigmata appear on my hands and feet. No flowers have fallen to the ground when I’ve opened my cloak. I have not, like St. Catherine, risen to the top of the room. I have not heard voices — except the tender, warm, soothing voice of true love and pure affection. How many people can say that? I’ve realized there are so, so many people in this world who never feel true love.

These thoughts are inspired by a piece of writing, a burst of emotion, that’s way, way better than what you just read.  Read the latest installment of SilverLining (complete with great photos of a young deer encountered on the path around a pond). Speaking of miracles. Speaking of giving thanks. Speaking of love. Speaking of life happening to you when you’re making other plans…

Here’s Ella Fitzgerald — from my hometown of Yonkers, N.Y. — singing about hope and happiness…singing about blue skies:

Luke 14:10 (KJV) Friend, go up higher to a better place. 

Go up higher to a better place,

Go up higher to a new place of blessings,

Go up higher to a new place of victory,

Go up higher to a new place of abundance,

Go up higher to a new place of glory,

Go up higher to new realms of faith,

Go up higher to soar to new heights,

Go up higher to be closer to Jesus. 

Listen to the words from the one who calls you his friend, ‘go up higher to a better place.’ His invitation for you is to move on up to a better place. There are realms of great faith, victory, and glory, of power, fire and passion in the Holy Spirit yet to be discovered, listen to His invitation to you today for our text in Luke 14:10 (KJV) Friend, go up higher a better place. 

His desire is to bless you and lift you up to better places than you have ever known before. His desire is for you to soar like the Eagle, with wind of the Holy Spirit beneath your wings lifting you higher, higher, and higher to a better place than where you are just now. 

My friend, oh may we have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to us today from Luke 14:10 (KJV) Friend, go up higher to a better place. 

God bless you my friend, Matthew.