Tuesday 21st September 2021, 25th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Matthew the Apostle. Jewish. Evangelist. Author of the Gospel according to St Matthew. Died a martyr.

A man named Matthew was called by Jesus to follow Him. The man left everything: job, money, house and property and friends and followed the stranger named Jesus. Matthew was not a saint when Jesus called him. But Jesus did not come to call saints.  Paul describes his calling thus:

"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.  Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 1: 12 - 14).

Matthew could have written the above words.

Jesus delights in sinners because sinners give Him the opportunity to show off His mercy. Why did Jesus institute the Sacred Heart of Jesus Devotion? The Divine Mercy Devotion? Jesus delights in mercy. Mercy may well be the last covenant with mankind.

Matthew accepted the call with generosity and then lived in a manner worthy of the call he received.  He used his old skill as a tax recorder to pen the Gospel that bears his name.

The call of Matthew is a story of mercy. The unfathomable mercy of God.  “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
(Matthew 9: 12 - 13).

Have you received any mercies from Jesus lately? Do you know the ABC of Mercy?
+ A. Ask for mercy.
+ B. Be merciful.
+ C. Completely trust Jesus for mercy.

"Make it your first care to find the kingdom of God. (Matthew 6:33). The kingdom of God is present in all its fullness, though in a hidden manner, in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. He who seeks out My Eucharistic presence is seeking the kingdom of God. He who approaches Me in the Sacrament of My love will find the kingdom and therein all that he desires according to My Spirit. Come first to Me in the Sacrament of My love. Let this become the supernatural instinct of your soul: always to come to Me, always to seek My Eucharistic Face."  (IN SINU JESU, Monday, August 25, 2008).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com

Sunday 19th September 2021, in the 25th Week in Ordinary Time.

We see Jesus in our key Scripture for today performing His core ministry. Jesus feeds people. Jesus heals the sick. He casts out evil spirits. He raises the dead. But what is the core ministry of Jesus? It is teaching people about the Kingdom of God. 40 days after His Resurrection, Jesus continues teaching about the Kingdom of God.

The core message of the catechesis on the Kingdom is simple: Jesus is dead. Jesus is risen. Jesus will come again. This is what Jesus is teaching His core disciples, the Twelve on this occasion.

What do you know about Jesus? Many of us know that Jesus is:
The Good Shepherd.
The Bread of life.
The Son of God.
The Son of Mary.
The Good News.

What we know about Jesus is very important for our relationship with Jesus. Fortunately for most of us, we know the most important facts about Jesus, that is:
Jesus is God.
He suffered. He died. He rose again on the third day.

Most of the facts about Jesus that we need for our salvation are found in the Creed which is intentionally planned to be repeated during Mass every Sunday. Most of us know the Creed by heart. The Creed is the minimum knowledge you need for salvation. Saints go beyond this. St Ignatius Loyola prays to know the Heart of Jesus intimately so he can love Him passionately and and follow Him everywhere. This should be our prayer too.

"You see, I am also directing your prayer to Me by the movements of the Holy Spirit in your soul. Thus will you pray as I would have you pray. Thus will you ask of Me the things that I myself desire to give you. Trust in the Holy Spirit to animate and form your prayer when you come into My Eucharistic presence. Even as you pray to Me, I am instructing you and teaching you the secrets of My merciful love. The desires of My Sacred Heart are immense and I so long to share them, above all, with My priests. I have chosen you to be the intimate friend of My Heart." (IN SINU JESU - - Saturday, March 29, 2008).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com

Friday 17th September 2021, in the 24th Week in Ordinary Time. We have two great saints to celebrate today. One man. The other woman. One Italian. The other German. One a Benedictine. The other a Jesuit. Both are Doctors of the Church.

St Robert Bellarmine: (1542 - 1620). Italian. Bishop, Cardinal, Apologist, Doctor of the Church and Patron Saint of Catechists.

Hildegard of Bingen: (1098 - 1179). German. Benedictine. Virgin and Doctor of the Church. Theologian, scientist, gynecologist, musician, etc.

Our Gospel for today demonstrates what Pope Francis called the feminine genius in Gaudete et Exsultate, (Rejoice and Be Glad). A group of women took upon themselves the responsibility of providing the day to day necessities of Jesus and the Twelve as they perform their ministry. Pope Francis writes:

"Indeed, in times when women tended to be most ignored or overlooked, the Holy Spirit raised up saints whose attractiveness produced new spiritual vigour and important reforms in the Church. We can mention Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Saint Bridget, Saint Catherine of Siena, Saint Teresa of Avila and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. But I think too of all those unknown or forgotten women who, each in her own way, sustained and transformed families and communities by the power of their witness."

"Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children." (Matthew 11: 25).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com