Sunday, August 1, 2010

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Sunday, August 1, 2010:

Jesus said: “My people, you remember when I chastised the blind guides of the Pharisees. They looked for the speck in their brother’s eyes, but they did not see the beam in their own eyes. Do not judge anyone. Leave any judging to Me. The Pharisees spoke the words of the prophets. I told My people to listen to their words, but do not follow their actions. In another way do not focus so much on material things, but seek heavenly things which are more valuable for your soul. You saw the rich man who was concerned about how he could store his harvest. So he built bigger barns and when the harvest was put away, he was content for years to come. But then that night the rich man was being called to his death, and he could not take anything with him. When you spend your time accumulating wealth for yourself, you forget that it is Me whom you should be worshiping. Focus your life on Me and heaven rather than on your earthly things. Use your wealth to help others, and you will be storing treasure in heaven which is more valuable. Those, who follow Me in life and obey My Commandments, will have their reward in the eternity of heaven.”

Jesus said: “My people, I have given you many suggestions for good spiritual reading in the Bible, the Liturgy of the Hours, the Imitation of Christ, and the Pieta prayer book. When you visited the cross where some of the martyrs were killed and tortured, the people quoted one of the martyrs reading from Chapter 12 ‘The Royal Way of the Cross’. Many of the North American priests, who were martyred, are pictured carrying My cross with a crucifix. Even Kateri Tekakwitha carried My cross. Carrying My cross is still an important part of a fervent Christian of today. This means instead of complaining about your trials, you need to see that accepting your trials is a way of perfecting your spiritual life in following My Will in all that you do. Denial of self is not easy, and it means that you are giving up your will to live in My Divine Will. You are still living in the world and you are tempted by the material things that are what the body desires. In order to truly live a holy life, you need to have the desires of the soul overpower the desires of the body. This can only be accomplished through My grace and My sacraments. By prayer and true fasting, you can overcome the desires of the body and you will have My true peace in your soul.”