Padre Pio, also known as Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, was an Italian Capuchin friar who lived from 1887 to 1968. He is renowned for his piety, his stigmata, and his [ … ]
Prayer To Saint Therese Of Lisieux | Love Revealed By Jesus Christ | Little Flower | Simple Faith And Prayer In Jesus
Saint Therese of Lisieux, also known as the ‘Little Flower’, is an inspiration to Christians. Her simple yet profound spirituality, her deep love for God, and her devotion to prayer and sacrifice have made her a beloved saint in the Catholic Church and a source of inspiration for Christians of all denominations [ … ]
Easter Sunday | The Resurrection Of Our Lord Jesus Christ | God The Son Is Risen | Mary Magdalene And Peter | Audio KJV
Easter! Today we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. Jesus has conquered death and sin. This is the proof of our salvation in Jesus Christ. We know that Jesus lived. We have his teachings and the clear evidence of the miracles he worked. We know he died. Now we have the proof of our faith in Jesus. He lives again. He did not know corruption. He raised himself from the dead to be near us always and to sit, as he promised, at the right hand of his Father in heaven. We have passed through darkness and the light of our lives is with us now and always [ … ]
Prayer With Saint Patrick | Life Of Saint Patrick | Love Revealed By Jesus Christ
Saint Patrick’s conversion to Christianity was a turning point in his life. He began to see his captivity as a divine punishment for his previous lack of faith, and he turned to God for comfort and guidance. He also began to have visions and dreams that strengthened his faith and inspired him to pursue a life of service to God [ … ]
Preparations For The Last Supper | Judas’ Treachery Announced
In these Bible verses, Matthew recounts the betrayal by Judas in a slightly different way from yesterday’s reading from the Gospel of John. Firstly, we see Judas go to the chief priests to see what they will give him to betray his Lord. This is calculating treachery, the love of money putting such evil into Judas’ heart as will outweigh all love and all obligation. Through Judas, we see the absolute evil to which greed and the love of money can drive a person [ … ]
Prayers To Saint Joseph | Love Revealed By Jesus Christ
The Gospel of Matthew tells us of the moment when Saint Joseph discovered that Mary, his betrothed, was pregnant. At first, Saint Joseph planned to divorce her quietly, but an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and revealed the truth of Mary’s pregnancy. In response, Saint Joseph showed great faith and obedience, taking Mary into his home and raising Jesus as his own son. Matthew 1:20-21 reads: [ … ]
Love Revealed By Jesus Christ | Saint Raphael The Archangel
Saint Raphael the Archangel is one of the three named angels in the Bible, alongside Gabriel and Michael. Saint Raphael is a significant figure in Judeo-Christian tradition, recognized for his role as a healer and protector. In the Book of Tobit, an ancient Jewish text, Saint Raphael is portrayed as a guide and companion to the protagonist Tobit, helping him overcome various challenges and ultimately bringing about his healing [ … ]
Mary Anoints Jesus At Bethany | Monday Of Holy Week
As we have heard in our Palm Sunday reading, Mary anoints Jesus. In John’s account, she anoints Jesus’ feet and wipes them with her hair. This is a sign of great love and humility, which Jesus will offer to his followers in John’s account of the Last Supper. The ointment she uses is very precious, costing a year’s wages for a labouring man, and the whole house is filled with the beautiful scent [ … ]
Love Revealed By Jesus Christ | Prayer To Saint Uriel The Archangel
The name ‘Uriel’ means ‘God is my light’ or ‘fire of God’ in Hebrew, and Uriel is often depicted holding a flame or a lantern, representing his role as the angel of illumination and divine wisdom. Uriel’s presence is believed to bring clarity and understanding, and his intercession is often sought by those seeking spiritual guidance, wisdom, and discernment [ … ]
Prayer To Saint Michael The Archangel | Love Revealed By Jesus Christ
Saint Michael the Archangel is one of the most well-known angels in the Bible. Saint Michael is mentioned by name five times in the Old and New Testaments. In the Book of Daniel, Saint Michael is described as a ‘great prince’ who protects the people of Israel. In the New Testament, Saint Michael is mentioned in the Book of Revelation, where he leads the battle against the dragon and his angels [ … ]
Palm Sunday | Passion And Crucifixion Of Jesus Christ | From The Gospel Of Saint Mark
Jesus has come to Jerusalem before, but previously he has not wanted to be recognized as the Messiah. Now he accepts the acclaim of the crowd and presents himself triumphantly. He chooses a fine young donkey to carry him, an honest beast of burden, and in so doing he recalls the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, telling us that the Messiah will enter Jerusalem on a donkey [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | The Sanhedrin Plot Christ’s Death | Jesus | Jewish Passover Preparations | Fear Of The Romans | Pharisees | Christian Faith | Audio KJV
Jesus has raised Lazarus from the dead. This is the seventh sign, or miracle, of John’s Gospel. We know more through this sign of our own resurrection. Jesus has power over death. Jesus is life and he gives us life [ … ]
Meditations On The Love Of Jesus Christ | The Book Of Revelation
At its core, the Book of Revelation is a message of hope and encouragement for persecuted Christians, who were living in a time of great uncertainty and suffering. Through a series of visions and prophetic messages, the book reassures believers that God is ultimately in control of history and that evil will ultimately be defeated [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | An Attempt To Stone Jesus | Jewish Law And Blasphemy | God The Son
It is a tragedy that, as we approach Holy Week, the divisions between Jesus and his people the Jews become sharper, and what is more, that the Jews – a generic term in John’s Gospel for those Jewish people who have rejected Jesus Christ – seek to condemn Jesus in the name of God. By invoking the name of God, they are in fact rejecting Him. We see the Jews placing themselves in an impossible position. Nonetheless, Jesus patiently continues to reason with them, asking them to see and to believe [ … ]
Meditations On The Love Of Jesus Christ | Journeys Of Saint Paul | Corinthians & Acts | Christian Faith
Oh my Jesus, as I meditate on the courage and faithfulness of Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey, I am inspired to take risks for your sake. Give me the same boldness to proclaim your truth, even in the face of opposition. Help me to trust in your power and not my own, and to be willing to go wherever you lead me. Amen [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | Before Abraham Was, I Am | Divinity Of Jesus | God The Son
The more we love God, the better we come to know him. Jesus continues to assert his knowledge of the Father, and too his eternal coexistence with the Father from before all time [ … ]
Meditations On The Love Of Jesus Christ | The Last Supper
As I meditate on the love of Jesus Christ, I am reminded of the institution of the Lord’s Supper and the profound love Jesus revealed in doing so. In the midst of his last meal with his disciples, Jesus took bread and wine, gave thanks, and gave them to his disciples, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ (Luke 22:19, KJV)
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | Truth Will Set You Free | Jesus Teaches To The Jewish | Sin And God | Prayer, Faith
We are asked to consider the truth about ourselves and to consider the truth of freedom: what does it really mean for us to be free? [ … ]
A Prayer To Saint Anthony | Love Revealed | Meditations On The Love Of Jesus Christ
Help us to see ourselves as we truly are, Saint Anthony. Grant us the gift of self-awareness, that we may recognize our faults and weaknesses, and turn to God with contrite hearts. May we always remember that without God, we are nothing, and that all good things come from Him [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | The Woman Taken In Adultery | He That Is Without Sin, Let Him First Cast A Stone
Jesus goes to the Mount of Olives on a number of occasions to pray. It is good for us now to witness Jesus praying. When we pray, we pray with Jesus and according to his example [ … ]
Meditations On The Love Of Jesus Christ In The Garden Of Gethsemane
In this moment, Jesus’ prayer is a beautiful example of submission to God’s will. Despite his agony, Jesus chose to surrender his own desires and accept God’s plan for his life. Jesus knew that this was the only way to bring salvation to the world. This act of selflessness is a testament to Jesus’ deep love for humanity [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | Different Opinions About Jesus | Temple Authorities – Scribes, Pharisees | Jesus Christ
There are people now who choose to think of Jesus simply as an extraordinary man, a wise man and a performer of miracles, and not as our saviour the Son of God. There were and are those who think of Jesus as a great prophet, whose mission was to reject Jewish sectarianism, and insurrection, and unite the Jewish people, to enable them to survive the Roman occupation while being true to God, to maintain the Kingdom in their hearts despite the presence of the occupying pagan and Gentile power [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | Jesus In Jerusalem | The Feast Of Tabernacles | Jesus And Temple Judaism | Jesus Is The Christ
John’s teaching of the journeys Jesus makes is more complete than the other Gospels. According to the other Gospels, Jesus travels only once to Jerusalem, when he goes to be crucified. According to John, Jesus travels at least two or three times to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. This gives us the approximation of the duration of Jesus’ public life as being three years [ … ]
Saint Teresa Of Avila | Interior Castle | Seven Mansions | Prayer
Saint Teresa of Avila, also known as Saint Teresa of Jesus, was a Spanish mystic, writer, and reformer who lived in the 16th century. Born in Avila, Spain in 1515, Teresa was the daughter of a wealthy and prominent family. From an early age, she was deeply religious and felt a strong desire to dedicate her life to God [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | Jesus Christ The Son Of God | Bearing Witness | Scripture, Signs And Miracles | Audio KJV | Faith
The Jews – often in the Gospel of John a generic term for those who reject Christ, or those who are so muddled, contentious and sectarian among themselves that they threaten the continuity of themselves in the Law – do not reject Jesus for any good reason. They do so rather because they cling to what precious little they have, within their prison walls, and so they deliberately blind themselves to the universal, and universalizing, truth which Christ brings. Jesus knows this. Nevertheless, through justice, he must give to the Jews this additional opportunity to listen to his teaching and recognize the truth of who he is. We may imagine that Jesus is truly desperate for the people of God to put aside their differences and truly be with God [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | Authority Of The Son of God | God The Father / God The Son As One | Jesus Is God | Audio KJV | The Christ
Jesus explains certain aspects of the truth of his relationship with his Father. He explains that he is consubstantial with the Father. He is not created as we are; he is the Son; he has life in himself. On earth, Jesus is the mirror of the Father. It is through Christ that we may approach God. God the Father and God the Son share one being. The Father and the Son are equal [ … ]
Saint Paul | Early Life, Conversion and Ministry | Who Was Saint Paul? | Journey To Damascus
Saint Paul, whose birth name was Saul, was born in Tarsus in the first century. Saint Paul was a member of the Jewish diaspora, meaning that he grew up outside of Palestine, in a community of Jews living in the Roman Empire. This would be in the Hellenic lands, meaning that these were Greek-speaking areas, as such dating from the conquests of Alexander the Great. Saul’s parents were both devout Jews, and he was raised in a strict religious environment that emphasized obedience to the Jewish law and traditions [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | Jesus Heals A Paralyzed Man | The Angel And Waters Of The Pool | Faith Healing | Sabbath
The Church Fathers teach that the pool by which the sick people wait is a symbol of baptism. It is striking to consider that, for the paralyzed man, there is healing to be found here, and too that the mode of healing at this pool is generally capricious and not available for all. We are made aware through this passage of the Bible that our healing through Jesus is for all [ … ]
Saint Augustine Of Hippo | Confession And Conversion In Christian Life | Love And Do What You Will
Saint Augustine’s conversion was not a sudden or easy process. He struggled with doubts and fears, and it was only after a profound spiritual experience that he finally submitted himself to Christ [ … ]
Saint Francis Of Assisi And The Canticle Of The Sun
Saint Francis’ life took a dramatic turn when he was taken prisoner during the war and fell ill. After his release, Saint Francis had a vision in which he heard a voice telling him to return to Assisi and devote himself to God. Saint Francis obeyed the voice, but struggled to find his place in life after his conversion [ … ]
Parousia | Second Coming Of Jesus Christ | Apocalypse / Revelation
Christian Art | Parousia | Second Coming | Lamb Of God, You Take Away The Sins Of The World Luke 17: 26-37 (Audio Bible KJV, Spoken Word) Early Christian thought [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | The Synagogue In Nazareth | Christ Preaches Isaiah | Jesus And The Prophets | Audio KJV
Christ has come to Nazareth, where he was brought up, and on the Sabbath day has entered the synagogue. He has been given the book of Isaiah to read. The passage he chooses is this (Isaiah 61) [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | Cleansing Of The Temple | Christ The New Temple Of God | Jesus And The Jewish Authorities
The Passover was the most important religious feast for the Jewish people. It was celebrated on the fourteenth day of the month of Nisan, a spring month whose date, according to our solar calendar, varies following the lunar cycle, just as Easter does. It was followed by the festival week of Azymes, an English word (derived from the Greek ἄζυμος) for unleavened bread in Biblical times [ … ]
Parable Of The Prodigal Son | Parables Of Jesus
The parable of the prodigal son is among the most famous of the parables which Jesus teaches us. Indeed the phrase ‘prodigal son’ is familiar to English speakers who might not tend to read the Bible very often if at all. In the parable of the prodigal son, the story Jesus tells is so homely and familiar to our lives, and to our most basic human and family instincts, that even without the deeper meanings as we interpret the parable, it would be powerfully moving to hear as a tale of estrangement and difficulty followed by forgiveness and reconciliation through love [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | The Parable Of Lazarus And The Rich Man | Hell And Judgement | Christian Charity | Audio KJV
Jesus speaks in parables when he has something important to communicate. The meaning of a parable may seem obscure or in need of explanation. Jesus does give interpretations of the parables to his disciples. We are encouraged through the parables to see our world in new and perhaps unexpected ways. The parables encourage us to think more deeply about Jesus’ teaching. They are, above all, a challenge – even an anarchic challenge – to everything we think we know [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | The Mother Of The Sons Of Zebedee | You Will Drink My Cup | Jesus Journeys To Jerusalem
As the disciples accompany Jesus on the way to Jerusalem, so we are asked to unite ourselves to Jesus in his passion and death, so that we may share in his resurrection and accompany Jesus in his glory as Holy Week culminates in Easter [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | Judge Not And You Will Not Be Judged | Christian Faith | Forgiveness | Audio KJV | Jesus
We are called once more by Jesus to seek perfection as our acts of mercy imitate, insofar as we are able, the mercy of God. We are taught again of the inseparability of our relationship with each other in the body of Christ, in the brotherhood of man, and of our relationship with God [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | Transfiguration Of Jesus | Son Of Man | Moses And Elijah | Law And Prophets | Elevated Faith
As they travel on the way to Jerusalem, Jesus throws his disciples into confusion by telling them about the suffering and death he must undergo. The disciples simply do not understand. For centuries, the Jews have awaited the coming of the Messiah, whom they envisaged as a glorious warrior king, not as one who would suffer and die the most ignominious of deaths, on a cross, of all things. A person condemned to die on a cross could not be the Messiah; rather, according to the Old Law, he had to be “cursed by God” (Deuteronomy 21: 22-23). The disciples cannot see the divine plan for our salvation, while the command for all who would be saved to ‘take up his cross and follow me’ must have seemed both strange and terrifying. To reassure his disciples, Jesus allows them to witness his glorious body through the transfiguration [ … ]