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Faith is Essential
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. — Hebrews 11:6 | The Books of the Bible NT (BOOKS) The Books of the Bible NT Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide. Cross References: Matthew 11:26; Hebrews 7:19
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What does Hebrews 11:6, mean?
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
James 1:19-20 NIV (2011)
What really pleases God?
There’s kindness. And then there’s kindness.
Not that there’s anything wrong with doing something nice for someone who can do something nice for you. But if you’ve ever wondered how God looks at our acts of kindness towards each other, Jesus lets us know where our priorities need to be.
“When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.”
“Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
What really pleases God?
Helping someone who needs it. Who cannot pay you back. When you know there’s nothing in it for you. And you help them anyway.
We cannot be reminded enough of the people who desperately need our help, who can offer us nothing in return.
Which is why the Church makes a big deal out of All Souls’ Day. All Souls’ Day is a reminder of the most helpless people of all. The poor souls in Purgatory.
We might bump into a homeless person. Or someone else in need. Just seeing them could move us to help.
But the Holy Souls in Purgatory? We’ve got to go out of our way to even think about them.
So what can we do to help them? That’s the easy part.
During the current pandemic, the Church has extended the graces usually obtained by visiting a cemetery to pray for the dead to spiritually uniting with other faithful to pray for the dead from home.
Today, All Souls’ Day, at 3:00 pm CT, let’s get together on the St. Aloysius Catholic Church Facebook page.
I will be livestreaming from Calvary Cemetery, praying the Office for the Dead – for the dead of our parish and for those who have no one to pray for them. Let’s pray it together.
An announcement with the date, the time – and the text of the Office for the Dead – is on the St. Aloysius Catholic Church Facebook page.
Please join me today in obtaining the grace of God’s mercy for our dear departed.
Prayers for All Souls’ Day
Readings for All Souls’ Day
Good Enough?
To acknowledge God
a word of grace before meals
and evening prayers,
a few thoughts about a church,
imagining God is pleased.
.
D W Eldred
“Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts” —1 Thessalonians 2:4 NLT)
“Focus on Pleasing God, Not People” By Pastor Rick Warren
“God made you to be you. He didn’t make you to be what your parents want you to be. He didn’t make you to be what your spouse, boss, or friends want you to be.
God wants you to be exactly who he created you to be. That means you have to refuse to be defined by others.
Hebrews 11:24 says, “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter” (NIV).
Moses had an identity crisis. He was born a Hebrew slave but raised as Egyptian royalty, the grandson of Pharaoh. When he grew up, he had two choices: He could pretend to be Pharaoh’s grandson for the rest of his life and live with luxury, fame, and power.
Or he could admit who he really was: a Jew. If he did, his family would kick him out to live with slaves the rest of his life. He would be disgraced and humiliated and live a life of pain and drudgery.
Which would you choose?
Most people today are living lies. They’re trying to be people they’re not. But Moses refused to live a lie because he was a man of integrity. Against all kinds of peer pressure, he insisted on being who God made him to be.
Here’s my question for you: Who are you letting determine your identity?
Some of you have parents who died years ago, but you’re still trying to live up to their expectations. Some of you are hanging on to what your ex-husband or ex-wife said to you, and you’re trying to prove that person wrong. Some of you are trying to keep up with what the culture says you should be.
But the Bible says this: “Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts” (1 Thessalonians 2:4 NLT).
Choose to be who God made you to be. Simply say, “I resolve to no longer let other people press me into their mold. I’m going to do what God wants me to do and fulfill the plan he has for my life—not somebody else’s plan for my life.”
Friends, that is real success in life. God wants you to be exactly who he created you to be and nothing more.”
But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/heb.11.6.AMP
