Responding to God's Word
Hour of Love Program #30
My beloved brothers and sisters, we will find happiness only when we fall in love with the Lord. The Bible says, Let hearts rejoice who search for the Lord. Sadness comes from living for ourselves, with a reckless love of comfort, which clouds our vision, while a happy soul comes from living close to God, enabling us to undertake works of service for others. ¡§Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice¡¨.
You need a heart which is in love, not an easy life, to achieve happiness. Happiness is the effect of love, sadness the fruit of egoism, and the absence of love. If you tend to be gloomy, examine your conscience with courage. Where have you placed your heart? How difficult it is to become sad, when we are truly seeking the Lord in our lives, because then nothing can take away our peace and joy. Even suffering and pain will be transformed to joy.
Our joy and good humour, whether in calm seas or rough, constitute a trusted barometer of our union with God. If we follow the greatest commandments, being to Love the Lord with all your heart and mind and soul, and to love our neighbor, we open ourselves to God and forget about ourselves, putting aside our longing for ease and comfort, our vanity and our pride. True happiness does not come from material things or by being admired or by being popular.
It only comes from love, and nothing can fill the heart like the love of God. It is what our hearts were made for. Love is powerful when we forget our own feelings, for the sake of another, seeking only to please God. Then, even the greatest of trials will be made sweet. We shall find strength, our peace and joy in God, and bring it to those who God has placed by our side, those who perhaps are sad and troubled. Then the smiling face of the Lord will shine through our humble lives and our humble works, giving us joy and perfect peace. Oh Lord, ¡§shows us your mercy and grace, and take us to your Holy place, forgive our sins and heal our land, for we long to live in your presence once again.
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Hour of Love Program #31
My beloved brothers and sisters, let's see how the Bible instructs us on our personal ¡§Jihad of the Heart¡¨, which means our personal ¡§struggle of the heart¡¨ to Love one another:
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless, and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: ¡§It is mine to avenge; I will repay,¡¨ says the Lord. On the contrary:
If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.¡¨ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
My beloved brothers and sisters, this is the Word of the Lord. Let us take a moment now and thank God for giving us his Word and for the grace to live a Holy Life and to say to the Lord, ¡§you alone, are my strength and shield, to you alone, may my spirit yield, you alone, are my hearts desire, and I long to worship thee¡¨
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Hour of Love Program #33
My beloved brothers and sisters, let's us surrender all to the Lord this evening and feel joy. . Recently I have been reading and thinking a lot about joy. God is so very great, and if we are faithful to the end, one day we will hear those sweet words: ¡§Enter into the joy of your master.¡¨ But while we are still here on earth, while knowing that there is no lasting happiness apart from God, we can still experience the joy of life itself, of love, of nature, of dedicated work, of purity and self-sacrifice, and many friendships.
Joy is the fruit of love, and the First Commandment, to love the Lord with all your heart and soul, is a call to joy and happiness. Yet joy is not something we can order up. It often seems that human love is the source of more sorrow than joy, however, this is not so for those followers Jesus, who is God's love, because joy springs naturally from love, in spite of all adversity. Love and joy are inseparable.
As we undertake the struggles in life that we all experience, without exception, sometimes we fall far short, and experience the opposite, sadness and loneliness. But then we can recover our joy, even increase it, with true, personal, heart-felt prayer, and a sincere confession, to God, because authentic joy is based on this foundation: that we want to live for God and want to serve others because of God.
If we can only live like this, we will find our inner peace, our joy, and our good humour will attract many souls to the Lord. Joy is our great secret, because we are Children of God, struggling hard to do better, and when we fail, we know we must quickly return to the Lord for healing, and forgiveness. Again, we will experience joy.
It is the greatest treasure for followers of Jesus, because joy is what the world is really searching for in its misguided quest for happiness in the possession of material things. So let us thank the Lord very time we feel joy, and we will feel it often, if praise Him for his greatness!!
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Hour of Love Program #34
How to heal our broken land, this world of ours? We must join together in serving the Lord. While the Lord's beauty can be seen in religious diversity, all humanity must be united by love. This is our unity in diversity.
Jesus reproves the ¡§exclusive mentality¡¨ of his disciples, + when he says about a man casting our demons in his name, ¡§you must not stop him¡¨. ¡§No one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me¡¨. So, our eyes should therefore be opened to wide-ranging dimensions, to the possibilities of the miracles that can be performed in the name of LOVE.
But are we doing so? NO. In the name of religion, hatred is being spread. I challenge us to change this right now. The Lord is not a ¡§bean counter¡¨, crediting those who convert someone to this religion or that. If religions want to compete, then compete where it really counts, by loving your neighbor the most. On the two commandments, love the Lord and love your neighbor, hangeth the whole law and the Prophets, therefore love is fulfillment of the law. Love is the only real religion, the religion of God. Love should be everyone's religion.
So let us seek common ground, looking for what unites us, and together, achieve our salvation. There is a room for all of God's children in heaven. A space for all! And, remember the words of the Lord who taught us, ¡§Do not judge and you will not be judged; forgive and you will be forgiven; have compassion and you will be understood.¡¨ These actions of love must be reflected in our lives.
We must first become genuine good friends will all people around us, seeing their value as a child of God. Remember the Lord's comforting words, ¡§By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
So think of your fellow man, give him a helping hand, put a little love in your heart, and the world will be a better place, for you and me, you just wait and see.
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Hour of Love Program #35
Yes, Lord I believe you are here now, standing in our midst. My beloved brothers and sisters, clearly the message of ¡§the Kingdom of God ¡¨ was central to the teaching of Jesus. It was foundational to everything He said, everything He did, and everything He came to do. Jesus continually spoke about the kingdom of God , and if the foundation of our faith is His Word, and it is, then how important can it be?!
Life in the kingdom, and the foundations of our faith, are inter-related. To understand what it means to live in the kingdom of God is vital in establishing a solid foundation for our faith, especially in times like ours when the ¡§rain and winds¡¨ Jesus forecast are increasing.
Yes, foundations are immensely important. Especially when there's a flood or an earthquake! And Jesus emphasized such significant scenarios, describing the wise and the foolish in contrast. The one built on the rock, heeding Jesus' teaching, while the other built upon the sand, rejecting it. And just as rains and wind tested where those two lived ¡V the wise surviving and the foolish falling ¡V so today, as rains of adverse circumstances, and winds of false teachings blow, with the floods of unrighteousness rising, we must have a solid foundation.
Understanding, knowing, and acting on the central core of Jesus' message, as the King of the heavenly kingdom He proclaimed, will stabilize and solidify more than our faith. It will secure our life and strengthen everything of our experience, our family, our business, and our witness. If the foundation of our faith is solid, we need not fear! Our house will stand on the eternal foundation of the Word of God. As Jesus promised, ¡§Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away¡¨ (Matt: 24:35). His Word is the bedrock of our faith, and our faith is in Him, ¡§the author and the finisher of our faith¡¨ ¡V Jesus Christ Himself, ¡§the same yesterday, today, and forever¡¨.
Hearing, and doing, the Word, is the way the wise man builds on the rock. Then we can all say, we belong to you¡K.Jesus Christ, our eternal love.
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Hour of Love Program #36
Yes, Lord, be magnified in our lives! Psalm 118:8 says, ¡§It is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in man.¡¨
We often first look to our fellow man for help, when we have troubles, and followers of Jesus Christ must do their best to love and help their neighbor in need. But are you anxious or worrying about anything this evening? Well then consider whether you have really placed your trust in the ¡§King of Kings¡¨, Jesus Christ, for your salvation. Then why are you still so troubled?
¡§Cast your cares onto the Lord, and He will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. ¡§Rejoice in the Lord always, I say it again, Rejoice! Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by Prayer and Petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
If we cannot trust God for temporal things, how dare we trust him for spiritual thing. Can we trust him for our soul's redemption, and not rely upon him for a few lesser needs? Is his heart faint? Are his arms weary? If so, seek another God. But if He is infinite, omnipotent, faithful, true, and all-wise, then give up your frantic search for another confidence.
Why do you think you need another foundation, when the one the Lord offers is strong enough to bear all the weight you can ever build upon it. Do not alloy the gold of your faith with the dross of human confidence. Wait only upon God and let your expectations be from Him. Let the sandy foundations of earthly trust be the choice of fools. But like one who foresees the storm, build your house upon the Rock of Ages.
And it is only God's grace, and not our human strength that can move souls towards Jesus, like those closest to us, our families. Let us pray for this grace. How wonderful it would be to be home for Christmas, but if the Lord has chosen to put us in a different place for now, and then do not despair! We will feel the joy of Christmas, with Jesus and His word in our hearts, and with each other to lean on. So I say Rejoice! Yes, Rejoice!
We WILL be home for Christmas, if only in our dreams, because the Bible says, In the last days, God says, I will pour out my spirit on all people, your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. I've got my handkerchief ready now and I suggest you do the same as we listen to this old favorite from the Letterman, and dream together!
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Hour of Love Program #37
My beloved brothers and sisters, to understand Jesus is to understand humility. Jesus is humility personified. In His reincarnate glory, He was equal with God and was the creator of the world. In His incarnation He came down from His glory and was born as a human being. When he grew up, he humbled Himself further and became a servant, going about teaching, healing, and working miracles. He came not to be ministered to but to minister, to be a servant.
Since we have never been to heaven, we cannot possibly understand the magnitude of the change that took place when Christ became man: when the creator took upon himself the likeness of the creature; when He left the glories of heaven and came down to the darkness of earth; when He left the serenity of an environment where the will of God is done and there is no sin and came to earth that is ravaged by rebellion and sin.
Every believer of Jesus Christ who leaves the comfort of home, family and friends to take the Good News to other lands, like humble migrant workers, pays a great price. But it cannot begin to compare with the great price Christ paid by leaving heaven to come to earth to redeem humankind.
There is much talk today about upward mobility. Everyone wants it! Yet Christ demonstrated downward mobility. He came down to earth to serve our needs, even to death on the cross to make atonement for our sins. Jesus set the example for all to follow Him in serving others. There was nothing self-serving about Him. His thoughts and prayers were for the people.
In His letter to the Philippians Church , the apostle Paul appealed to the believers to serve each other in humility by following Christ's example. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteems others better than himself. Let each of us look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Jesus Christ, who, although being in the form of God, made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men.
If you want to be truly great, then the direction you must go is down. You must descend into greatness. At the heart of this paradox: Greatness is not a measure of self-will, but rather self-abandonment. The more you lose, the more you gain!
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Hour of Love Program #38
My beloved brothers and sisters, in Bethlehem they did not want to receive Christ and today, too, many people do not want to receive him. They came to Bethlehem . There was no room for them at the inn. Joseph is strong, and Mary, with her perfect faith, is filled with the joy that only mothers can experience when they prepare for their first child. She and Joseph, lovingly settled down into a humble manger, and it was there, that the greatest event in human history took place, with the utmost of simplicity.
He was born poor, and he teaches us, that happiness is not to be found, in an abundance of earthly goods, encouraging us to be humble, and not to depend on human nature, on selfishness, vanity and pride. Our Lord comes to us that we should bow, not merely at the sight of his power, but at his love, and at the wonder of His humility.
On this first night, the Prophesy is fulfilled. The angel of the Lord appeared, and said to them, ¡§Be not afraid; for behold I bring you tidings of great joy, which will come to all the people, for to you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour who is Christ the Lord. What glorious words the Angel spoke!!
It does not matter that, on that wonderful night, only a handful of people knew the Good News, for the ¡§light of that night¡¨, is destined for every human heart. Today, millions upon millions of people throughout the world know the light, their hearts experiencing great joy. Could there be any Greater News, that man has been accepted by God so as to become his son, in the Son of God, who has become man.
The King of the Universe, whom the shepherds found wrapped in swaddling clothes, was born into poverty and simplicity, the same humility and simplicity that we MUST live, in order to recognize Jesus in our lives. Our Saviour is born. There can be no room for sadness when Life itself has just been born, that life which overcomes all fears of death, and fills us with the joy of the pledge of eternity.
During these days of Christmas let us sing with exultation, because LOVE will be among us, until the end of time. Jesus is love, and the world is no longer a place of darkness, for it is love, that every human heart craves, and those who seek it, know where to find it.
And thank you Mother Mary, our gift from God. Thank you for the blessings you have given us, thank you Mother dear, for your son, our Lord.
Blessed be the ¡§Queen of Love¡¨.
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Hour of Love Program #39
My beloved brothers and sisters, ¡§Seek ye first the kingdom of God ¡¨, and you will receive the real Christmas spirit, the true spirit of Christmas. The real gift of Christmas is Jesus Christ himself, given to all, and, along with one of the most precious gifts God has given us ¡V His Holy Word, the Bible. Wrapped in glory and the sacrifice of His Son, and delivered by the power and ministry of His Spirit, it is a treasured gift --- the gift that keeps on giving, because the Giver, it reveals, is inexhaustible, in His love and grace.
Tragically, though, fewer and fewer people are opening this gift and seeking to understand what it is all about and how to use it. They often feel intimidated by it. It requires some assembly, and its instructions are hard to comprehend sometimes. How does the Bible fit together anyway? What does this ancient book have to say to us who find ourselves, by the grace of God, living in the twenty-first century? Will taking the time and energy to understand its instructions and to fit it all together really help you and me?
Yes! Yes! Without a shred of doubt. Come and listen to His words, the Bible! They resound, the heart, and the preaching, of Jesus Christ, our Lord!
Jesus taught us to pray, ¡§Our Father who art in Heaven, Holy be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. He told us to ¡§seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Jesus said:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and search for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of God
Take seriously the Word of God. Make living the Word, your ¡§way of life¡¨, and all your problems will disappear into faith, hope, and love.
Glory to god in the highest, and on earth peace to all men, on whom His favor rests”.
Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be! Let me walk with my brother in perfect harmony. My brothers and sisters, this is what must become true, if we are ever to experience the real Christmas spirit, in our lifetime! Christmas is peace on earth, and let us not settle for anything less!
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Hour of Love Program #40
My beloved brothers and sisters let us worship the Lord in the spirit and in the truth, and give thanks to Him, for our great inheritance, ¡§our time¡¨. And since it is so short, today is a good day for making resolutions for the year we have just begun, and for asking pardon and for giving thanks. Our remaining time represents the separation between the present, and the time we stand before God, with our hands either empty or full.
Now is the only time we have to amass the treasure that will never perish, by telling God that we love Him and by accomplishing the work he has given us, for soon, night comes, when no one can work.
Let us ask in prayer if God is pleased in the way we have behaved during the past year. Has it been a year of wasted opportunities in our family life, in serving the Lord, which is the highest vocation? Each year that passes is a call to holiness, and a warning that we are much nearer to the time we meet God face to face. So do not grow weary, of well doing, for in due season, we shall reap. Do good, to all men.
Together, with sorrow, and thanksgiving, we resolve to love God, and struggle, to acquire virtues and get rid of our defects, as if this year, were to be the last that God was going to give us.
We wish each other, ¡§Happy New Year¡¨, but what do people really mean? Doubtless, a year free from illness, pain, trouble and worry, that instead, everyone smile on you and flourish, that you make plenty of money, that the tax man doesn't get you, that you get a raise in salary, that prices fall, and that the news is good, every morning. That nothing unpleasant may happen to you.
Some people want the ¡§easy side¡¨ of God's love, which asks little of them and doesn't test their faith. But the Word of God teaches that it is the adversaries we face in life, which prove our faith. And it is our response to the enticements of the enemies of the soul, which reveal the true foundation and integrity of our love for God.
The Word of God teaches that we can joyfully grow in the midst of trials and temptations if we understand the purpose, provision, and potential of trials, refuse to fall prey to temptations, and listen to the Word of God
The modern world has often painted a picture of Christianity, which suggests that coming to Christ will separate one from the trials and tribulations commonly encountered in life in this fallen world. Jesus said that believers WILL indeed suffer trials. Yet he shows that every trial is alive with opportunity to grow strong and tall in faith. For a believer, adversity bears a purpose, including a provision, and possesses a glorious potential.
The New Year will bring us our share of happiness, and trouble, and we don't know how much of each. A good year is one in which, both joys and sorrows, have helped us to love God, a little more.
For the year just beginning, God has prepared all the help we need to make it the BEST year. Let us not waste even a single day, and with the grace that God has stored for us, turn into good, even the greatest misfortunes. Just resolve everyday to begin again, and give yourself to YEHWAH, who we know, is so near, standing always, by our side!
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Hour of Love Program #41
Holy Spirit, thou are welcome in this place, and yes, my beloved brothers and sister, Great is the Lord's Faithfulness, and with faith in the Word, ¡§Song of Solomon¡¨ says,¡¨ We will be glad and rejoice in God. We will not open the gates and begin the New Year on a note of sadness. Rather, we will sing to the sweet strains of the harp of joy and the high sounding cymbals of gladness. ¡§O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise unto the rock of our salvation. We, the called and faithful, and chosen, we will drive away our grief, and set up our banners of confidence in the name of God. Let others lament over their troubles. Instead, we will magnify the Lord with joy.
We will be GLAD and REJOICE ¡V two words with one meaning ¡V double joy, blessing upon blessing. Then we will grow in grace. How? By growing in faith! Believe the promises more firmly than you have done so far. Let faith increase in fullness, constancy, and simplicity. Then you will grow in love.
Ask that your love be seen brightly by others, in every thought, word, and deed. Then you will grow in humility, and as you grow in humility, seek to grow nearer to God in prayer, in your very personal relationship with the Lord. And grow in knowledge of Jesus for to know him is ¡§life eternal¡¨, and happiness here on earth.
And please remember that a life of faith is a life of sacrifice. It will most likely be an arduous and difficult journey, but with the light of Jesus shining the way ahead, we learn the meaning of their lives, and are able to overcoming any discomfort or danger.
In our lives, we often make our own choices, while not looking up towards ¡§The Light¡¨, but rather by lighting our way with our own candle, a feeble light that reduces our field of vision to the limits of our own selfishness. Our whole life is a road toward Jesus, and it matters not, how rough the road gets. It is a road we have to travel by the light of faith, because without it, we are lost. Then what can we do? Well, faith will lead us, whenever necessary, to ask and let ourselves be guided. So if we ever lose the way, always turn to the Good Shepard.
All scripture is God-breathed in righteousness, so that the man of God will be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
So, let us resolve to carry on the path to a Holy Life, and pray to the Lord that we may rejoice, always, for what do we have to fear? Come Holy Spirit, with your sweet healing power, touch us and make us whole, as we recall the wonderfully comforting words spoken by our Lord. ¡§It is I, do not be afraid¡¨
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Hour of Love Program #42
The Glory of the Lord's presence now fills this place. My beloved brothers and sisters, the Lord calls his disciples in the midst of their work, so we can sanctify it, and thereby make him known. He calls people who are tough, adaptable, used to a simple way of life and hard work. Like the fishermen, who became ¡§fishers of men¡¨, who responded to God's call, decided to throw in their lot, completely and without any conditions or reservations at all, placing Jesus at the center of their lives, with his indescribable and growing attraction on their souls.
We must use our work to develop our supernatural virtues with Jesus. What a difference there is between just ¡§peeling potatoes¡¨ and sanctifying yourself when you ¡§peel potatoes¡¨! How? We must focus on Jesus, and how He worked, and ask often, what would he do in my place. The gospel tells us that he did all things well.
This means do our work with a spirit of service towards our neighbor, thinking of the pleasure the beneficiary of our good work will receive. This way, our work unites us with love, and love, is only means for the redemption of mankind. So do not think that your work is of little importance. It is very important, indeed!
When we ask ourselves, what do we have to offer the Lord, we should not have to think twice about the answer, offer the same things as before, but with finishing them off with a loving touch that will lead you to think about him more, and less about yourself.
By having the Lord present in all our work, being with him throughout the day, our work becomes prayer, and develops our virtues. Converted by grace, work that is well finished with our eye on God, becomes prayer.
Let's begin every morning when we get up. Tell the Lord in a few words, that our whole day is for him. Prayer is talking to God, uniting us with Him. Talk to him often because if we get used to talking to him, making an effort to find him, he will be like appropriate background music for everything we do. Our work and spirit will join together, not interrupting each other, just as the beating of our heart does not interrupt us. Work and prayer complement each other, in the same way that voices mingle with instruments to form a harmony. Work not only does not disturb the life of prayer, but becomes a channel for it, and what we ask for in that beautiful prayer becomes a reality.
May the whole of our day, our prayer and our work take their strength from you and always begin with you, O Lord and may all that we have begun through you reach a happy conclusion. With Christ as the center of our lives and at the heart of everything we do, with love, we will turn that background music into real song! And if at times we allow ourselves to become discouraged, we can just turn to the wonderfully comforting words of our Lord. ¡§Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven!
Then, with a serene and joyful attitude towards life, we can do a great deal of good. In spite of difficulties, we will have true happiness, which is a marvelous means of apostolate. We will be a sowers of joy, a communicators of gladness. Joy is one of the most irresistible powers in the world; it brings calm, it soothes away anger, it wins people over, attracting them to God, showing them what the presence of God produces in the soul. This is why the Holy Spirit gives us the advice, ¡§Do not be downcast or look troubled, for the joy of the Lord is your strength¡¨. All we have to do is follow you Lord, wherever you lead, and do what you ask us to do!
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Hour of Love Program #43
A man's heart is made to love God. One day, Jesus got up, and in the morning, a great while before day, left Simon's house, and went out to a lonely place and there he prayed. When they found him, they said, ¡§Everyone is searching for you¡¨.
Everyone is searching for you. Now too in our day, the crowds are hungry for God. You have made us Lord, for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you. The heart is made to seek and love God. And God facilitates this encounter, for he too seeks out each one of us through countless graces and a Fatherly care, filled with consideration and love. Just think, there are so many men and women on earth, and the Lord calls all of us without exception. He calls us to eternal life.
The human race lies grievously ill throughout the world, but Jesus Christ is the physician, sent by our Father in Heaven to cure the sick man. He came down and humbled himself, taking on our human nature, to be close to us, to save us. ¡§Everyone is searching for you¡¨. You Lord, are the one we need. Teach us to make you known through the example we give of a cheerful life, moving hearts by our words and deeds.
We are God's arms in the world. He sends us out to help others find the physician who can restore their health, giving them hope, leading them to salvation and eternal life.
If we did not waste even a single opportunity, there would be a renewal in this world of ours, thirsty for love and for the truth. However, do not worry if present times look bleak, because the ways of grace, are indeed, amazing. Remember, God is counting on us to bring souls to Him, so that he can do His work in them. Let us not let anyone we know face the Lord and say, ¡§There was no body to speak to me about You, or to teach me the way.¡¨
But how can we be good instruments of God if we do not ourselves cherish the live of piety and our personal relationship with Christ in prayer. Can a blind man lead a blind man? They will both fall into a pit. Without uniting ourselves to God in prayer, how can we give Him: The light, which we are to give light, the truth that we must teach, and the life we must lead.
We must imitate Him, with our lives rooted in prayer, talking to Him all the time. Then we learn to understand, to remain cheerful, and to appreciate others God has placed beside us. Talk to Him frequently because He is not far away. He is so very close to us, right beside us. Prayer is always fruitful because through it, we obtain perseverance, deepening our friendship with the Lord, more sincerely, day by day.
We may sometimes have to struggle against discouragement, but prayer will sustain our whole life. From it, we will obtain the strength to face up to difficulties with the assurance we are loved as Children of God. And, what father does not love his children so very much.
We must never give up. Our prayer is the mainstay of our life, and the heart of our vocation. My beloved brothers and sisters, don't you see! It does not matter what you are doing. Just serve the Lord, right in the circumstances He has placed you in, because serving the Lord IS the highest vocation, and it IS available to all God's people. Then with God's grace, we can ask the Lord, what have I ever done to deserve even one of the pleasures I've known, what did I ever do, that was worth loving you, for the kindness you've shown. Yes¡K. Why me, Lord?
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Hour of Love Program #44
Hallelujah, my beloved brothers and sisters, let us bow our knees before the throne of the Lord, as we consider tonight, what is prayer to us? Prayer is having a spiritual conversation, one on one, with the Lord, humbling oneself before our Creator. Humility must be the heart of fruitful prayer because it is the greatest of all virtues, from which all others pour forth. I say, my Lord and my God, I know that you are here, that you see me and hear me. Then I clear my conscience, begging the Lord's pardon for my sins and asking forgiveness from those I may have ever hurt, and for the grace to spend this time of prayer fruitfully. I pray for a clean heart, to sanctify more my thoughts, words, and deeds because I believe the Lord will then be more ready to hear my pleas.
Jesus taught us how to pray. Go into your room, where there is a quiet place, where no one can see you, and pray to your Father in silence, and your Father in Heaven, who sees everything, will hear your prayer and will bless you. Get down on your knees before the Lord and bow your head deeply. Do not pray like the Pharisees in public for the multitudes to hear, because of your pride and desire for human respect. Do everything for God's Glory.
Seek, ask and knock. Then you will find, receive, and open, according to God's will and timing. Seek, ask, and knock for all things because without God we can do nothing, but through God we can do all things. Then with perseverance, optimistically contemplate the fruitfulness of your prayers, as you develop the virtues of faith, patience and humility. Stand firm until the Lord's help comes. Again I say, persevere. Jesus says, ¡§Thou ought to pray and not lose heart.¡¨ Perseverance in prayer comes from a life of faith, of confidence that Jesus is always listening to us. Such faith leads to a complete abandonment into the hands of God.
While we develop faith, hope and love through prayer in our personal relationship with the Lord, offering our petitions, we must at the same time give thanks for all the good in our lives, humbling ourselves before the Lord, who is the provider of everything. We ask when we are in need, but it is when we give that we become aware of the limitless riches that God has placed in our heart. And let's give thanks for our spiritual treasures, given to us by grace, for the opportunities to do good, and the wisdom to see them. And give thanks for our daily bread.
Then, with our lives rooted in loving conversation with the Lord, we will have the right relationship with the people who are part of our lives. ¡§If a man say, I love God, and hate his brother, he is a liar.¡¨ By faith, believers must use our spiritual gifts to give and to show mercy, for the good of the whole community, with honest love circulating through our veins, making us humble and treating others as more important than ourselves.
Paul said in Romans, ¡§Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.¡¨ Then we can share our burdens and blessings while humbly committing to serve each other. Can we serve God? I do not think so. God does not need anything from us but faith and love. It is God who serves us. Everything that we need is provided by God. How can we serve God? ¡§When you did it for even one of these little ones, you did it for me¡¨. If we want to be a good servant of God then remember that God will only accept us as His servant when we serve others, His people, and our fellow human beings. To love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, all thy mind, and all thy soul, and to love thy neighbor. These two are the greatest of all the commandments and the fulfillment of the Law. Keep these two commandments and we will all hear the angels sing, when our turn comes to bow down at the throne of our Lord.
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Hour of Love Program #45
Yes, we believe in you Lord. And my beloved brothers and sisters, we must practice our faith to give shape and value to our lives. Jesus saw a man with a withered hand. It was paralyzed. Facing the hypocrites and healing on the Sabbath, he spoke to the man, ¡§stretch out your hand¡¨. He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. Standing before everyone, he is filled with trust in Jesus. He obeyed. All things are possible to Jesus. Faith enables us also; to reach the impossible even enabling us to get rid of firmly rooted defects in our own character.
How can we live the little details in our ordinary daily lives, putting faith, hope, and charity into practice? Herein lies the essence of the conduct of a man who relies on divine help. We need to practice and live our faith, giving birth to a life of faith, the fruit of our beliefs. Do we live a life of faith? Does it have a truly significant bearing on our behavior and the decisions we make? Does it?
Practicing this wonderful virtue in our daily lives adds up to what is commonly know as ¡§supernatural outlook¡¨, the way we see even ordinary things, leading us to glance at God and seek His will, and not ours, leading us to discover God in people, to recognize Him in what the world calls chance or coincidence; in fact, to see his mark everywhere. This makes a believer to seek what is true and honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, anything worthy of praise ¡V please think about these things.
Faith leads to practicing human virtues, and turning to God for help whenever confronted by trials or setbacks, when faced with pain or sickness, and when offering up some joy, when continuing some work that you are about to abandon through tiredness. To continue with this ¡§supernatural outlook¡¨ when there are no fruits to be seen, from the work you have just starting in your soul. Remember, ¡§the ploughshare that breaks up the earth and opens the ¡§forrow¡¨ sees neither the seed nor the harvest
So when faced with problems and obstacles, perhaps already of long standing, remember that the Lord bids us,¡¨ Stretch out your hand¡¨. Today let us examine how often do we put into practice, the faith that gives shape to all that we do, increase it's value, and give a new meaning to all that is human. Faith will lead us to imitate Jesus, making us well balanced, without complexes, or undue concern about what others think of us, making us honest, just in our judgments and in our conversations. The human virtues make a man manly, and a women womanly, and this is why Jesus, perfect man, lived them fully. His clear-sightedness in action, his impressive loyalty, his unwavering sincerity, in a word, the heroic character of his personality. He gave us the example, so, we must turn your eyes upon Jesus and see!
“If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?¡¨ If we do not have faith, and human resilience when confronted with a difficulty or with heat, cold, or slight illness, on what can the cardinal virtue of fortitude be founded? How can a person who is continually grumbling and complaining acquire the virtue of fortitude and live it? ”
Life is expressed in our actions, and the human virtues we practice make possible the supernatural virtues. Perhaps during the course of our lives we have met so many people, baptized, and with other sacraments received, but they have proved to be disloyal and deceitful, insincere and proud. They are like shooting stars, lighting up the sky for an instant and then falling away to nothing.
But practicing faith hope and charity will enable us to be the living examples of what the Lord expects of us. So let us rejoice, because God wants a world of New Testament men and women who make up the real ¡§ Israel ¡¨. This lies in the heart, by loving thy neighbor, and not the piece of land in the Middle East, called Israel , where Jesus has throughout history, and still is stubbornly and obstinately denied. The Lord wants people who can express the great ideal they have discovered precisely through the ordinariness of their everyday lives. So, my beloved brothers and sisters, I say REJOICE and please join me, as we turn our eyes upon Jesus, look full into His wonderful face, and the things of this earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace!
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Hour of Love Program #47
My beloved brothers and sisters, during this time of penance, we must remember that Jesus is the Lover of our soul and return His love by remembering His words.
Jesus, said, ¡§If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me¡¨. Who ever does not take up his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple, because without it, their can be no redemption and no salvation.
There is no progress in the interior life without self-denial, a spirit of sacrifice. Christ and the daily cross are inseparable. But equally inseparable is the great joy we receive by coming closer to God in our faith. The great paradox is that suffering ought to cause followers of Jesus to be the saddest of people, people who have the worst time of it. The reality is quite different. Suffering only produces sadness when it is coupled with too much selfishness and lack of love of God. Sacrifice always brings with it joy in the midst of pain, the happiness of knowing that we are fulfilling God's will, and making the effort to love him.
The daily cross. Carry it without sorrow because it is Christ himself who comes to our aid, which leaves no room for sadness. Even occasionally when we meet the cross in some great difficulty, in a serious or painful illness, in an economic disaster, in the death of a loved one¡Kdo not forget that being with Jesus means we shall most certainly come upon his cross. When we abandon ourselves into God's hands, He frequently permits us to taste sorrow, loneliness, opposition, slander, defamation and ridicule. This is because he wants to mould us into his own image and likeness. He even tolerates our being called lunatics and our being taken for fools.
However, our Lord will give us the strength we need to carry the cross with elegance and He will fill us with unimaginable graces. God blesses his friends by making them share in his Cross and making them co-redeemers with him.
We normally find the cross of each day in the form of petty annoyances, something unexpected, the difficult character of a person with whom we have to live, plans perhaps that have changed at the last minute, things that seem to fail us when we need them most, plus many discomforts and misunderstandings. We have to accept these daily pinpricks courageously offering them up to God. They can help us if we receive them well, to grow in the spirit of penance that we need so much, and to improve the virtues of patience, of charity, of understanding: that is to say, help us to grow in holiness. Many of us lose our joy at the end of the day because we do not know how to sanctify the tiredness caused by work, or the frustrations that have arisen during the day. When we accept the cross ¡V great or little ¡V it produces peace in the midst of pain and is laden with merits for eternal life.
To carry ones cross is something great. It means facing up to life courageously, without weakness or meanness. It means we turn all our difficulties into moral energy and virtue, it means understanding human sorrow, and finally it means knowing really how to love. If we go through life systematically avoiding sacrifice, we will not find God and we will not find happiness, and we will have taken care to avoid our own sanctity.
As the general tendency of human nature is to avoid most things that demand effort, we must remember that Jesus says, ¡§If any man comes after me, he must deny himself¡¨. But it is not enough merely to have good intentions. We must talk to God continually, offering up all we do to Him, and seek out his love, and this will be of great value in helping us in overcoming laziness, selfishness and pride. It will enable us to live charity better so we can smile although we find it hard, show appreciation for others, have consideration for others in a pleasant manner, serve others in the little things of ordinary life, never losing our temper and retaining our peace with everybody.
And when you think that your cross in life is just too big to carry, then just think that tears from Heaven's eyes, are the anguished drops of our Father crying, Oh why! This must be a cross of love, for God to bruise his only son. Jesus¡K what a sacrifice to reach us, it had to be a cross of love.¡¨
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Hour of Love Program #48
My beloved brothers an sisters, it is necessary to always be aware of God's presence by talking to Him throughout the day, while at the same time, allowing our lives to be ruled by faith, and finding our happiness in doing God's will, whether it brings pleasure or pain, while guarding our souls against pride and selfishness. Then, we can talk to God whenever we like, telling him everything that is happening, always asking for His help, while forgetting our earthly thoughts and standing firm until the Lord's help comes, always walking in the light of faith, and always being guided by love, completely surrendering to God's will. And with His great mercy and compassion, do not be surprised when you see even great sinners receiving God's graces, for then the Lord chooses to show us His goodness even more dramatically.
Surrendering completely to God will allow us to totally eliminate worry and fear, while growing in patience and humility, and to feel the incredible joy of the Lord's presence. We must practice this presence until it takes over our lives, provided that we also love. It does little good to go to church, temple or mosque for our devotions, while neglecting love, for love is the purpose of our devotions.
If we renounce, once and for all, whatever does not lead to God, we can become involved in a continuous conversation with Him, in a simple manner, recognizing His presence within us. Skill or knowledge is not needed, only complete dedication born out of love.
In our continuous conversation, speaking directly, we may ask for His help in moments of uncertainly, asking what pleases Him, offering up our work before we begin, and thanking Him afterwards for the privilege of having done something for His sake, while glorifying Him for his infinite goodness and perfection.
We ought to ask confidently for God's grace in everything we do, trusting the infinite merits of our Lord, rather than our own thoughts, because God will never fail us. God never fails to show us the right way, as long as our goal is to please him and show our love for Him. And remember that our sanctification does not depend as much on changing our activities, as it does on doing them for God rather than for ourselves.
The most effective way to communicate with God is through our ordinary work, done out of pure love of God. And it is a mistake to think that our prayer time is any different, because our actions must untie us with God even in our ordinary work. Then our prayers will consist totally and simply of God's presence all the time, and our soul will rest in God, remaining near Him, giving our lives continual joy.
We must trust in God and surrender completely to Him. He will not deceive us. Never tire of doing even small things for Him because He isn't impressed so much with the dimensions of our work as with the love in which it is done. And we must not become discouraged when we forget to talk to God, but instead try and try again, because in time we will develop a most pleasurable habit, one that we will do, without even thinking
In order to be sure we are doing God's will, we should simply develop an attitude of faith, hope and love. We need not be concerned about anything else. Other things are simply not important, and should only be regarded as a means of getting to the final goal of being entirely lost in the love of God. We should desire to love Him as perfectly as we can, in this life as well as in Eternity, because, while many things are possible for the person who has hope, even more is possible for the person who has faith, and still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues.
So while we are living in this world, full of all sorts of miseries, accidents, and poor dispositions from within, we must remember that the Lord will cleanse us, in order to make us more like Jesus, and as we go through this cleansing process, we will grow closer to God.
Therefore, we should rejoice in our difficulties, bearing them as long as the Lord wills, because only through such trails will our faith become purified, and with the love of Jesus Christ, more precious than silver, more costly than gold, more beautiful than diamonds, because Oh precious Jesus, you are my life, my love for you will never die; nothing I desire compares with you.¡¨
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Hour of Love Program #49
Yes, my beloved brothers and sisters, ¡§This is the air I breathe, Your Holy presence living in me¡¨, this means to continue to practice the presence of the Lord in our lives. One who does so will soon realize the wonderful results and continual help received from the presence of God, and the constant inner joy. Say to the Lord, ¡§My God, I am yours; do what you will with me¡¨, and the Holy Spirit will return you with the contentment and satisfaction of possessing this ever present treasure. Then we realize that God has infinite treasures to give away, and so why should we be satisfied with only brief moments of worship.
Do not be content with so little. Meager devotion will restrain the flow of God's abundant grace. If God finds a soul with a lively faith, He pours His grace into it, in a torrent, which, having found an open channel, gushes out exuberantly. We often stop this torrent by our lack of respect for it. But we mustn't restrain it any longer. Let us go into our hearts, breaking down the dike, right now, making way for grace, and making up for lost time. You and I are getting along in years. We may have little time left!
Once again, let us examine our inner selves. Time is pressing down on us, and each of us must be responsible for himself. Do not be taken by surprise. Instead, continually walk in God's Spirit, being guided even while we sleep, and when the vessel of our soul is being tossed by winds or storms, we should wake the Lord, Who has been resting along with us, and He will swiftly calm the seas.
I believe that all spiritual life consists of practicing God's presence, and that anyone who practices it correctly will soon attain spiritual fulfillment. To accomplish this, it is necessary for the heart to be emptied of everything that would offend God. He wants to possess your heart completely. Before any work can be done on your soul, God must be totally in control.
There is no sweeter manner of living in the world than continuous communion with God; however, the presence of Lord should not be practiced for the sole purpose of gaining consolation for our problems. We must seek it, rather, because God wills it and out of love for Him.
If I were a preacher, I would preach nothing but the love of Jesus Christ and the practice of the presence of God. If I were to be responsible for guiding souls in the right direction, I would urge everyone to be aware of God's constant presence, if for no other reason, than because His presence, in the Person of the Holy Spirit, is a delight to our soul and to our spirit.
It is, however, also necessary. If we only knew how much we need God's grace, we would never lose touch with Him. Believe me. Make a commitment never to deliberately stray from Him, to live the rest of your life in His Holy presence, simply out of love for Him.
And please remember that God won't allow a soul that is searching for Him to be comforted anywhere else other than with Him. God does not ask much of us. But remembering Him, praising Him, asking for His grace, offering Him our troubles and thanking Him for what He has given us. You don't have to pray out loud. He is nearer that you can imagine. You can make your heart a chapel where you can go anytime to talk to God privately. Those conversations can be so loving and gentle and anyone can have them. So why not begin? He may be waiting for us to take the first step. Because our time is short, we should spend the remaining time with Him, rejoicing in spite of our trails, for without Him, even the greatest pleasures will be joyless. Therefore my simple and humble prayer to the Lord this evening is that we invite the Holy Spirit to ¡§Come Holy Spirit, come into our hearts, right now!
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Hour of Love Program #50
Come to me Lord, here is my heart, I can't live on my own, I can't live without you. I want more of you, Lord. MY beloved brothers and sisters, the Spiritual life is a life full of grace, which begins with the fear and respect of a servant, growing through the hope of eternal life, finally to find fullness in pure love. Different people experience this consummate love in varying degrees. Through prayer, we must keep ourselves carefully in God's presence, always near, in the deepest part of our heart, with the power of faith bringing us enormous peace and joy. Then in time, the weight and burdens of our past sins will begin to evaporate, and we will be able to forget and even forgive our own selves.
Simply serve the Lord in humility and faith, out of love, not doing or thinking anything that will offend Him, and that He do whatever he pleases with you. Then you will not become anxious about your purpose in life, because you will only desire God's will. Pure love of Him will keep you going. And, God who is full of goodness and mercy, will not punish you, instead, He will embrace you lovingly and invite you to eat at His table, serving you Himself, giving you the keys to his treasury. Then you will rest serenely, and the trials of life will bring no suffering.
God, Who is infinitely good, will come and deliver you from your present trouble in His perfect time and when you may least expect it. Hope in Him more than ever. Thank Him for the patience He is giving you, even in the midst of your trials, for this is an evident mark of His concern for you. Our trials will cause us to be concerned with our spiritual life, placing our confidence in God, who is always with us, but we must communicate with Him all the time.
And do not ever become discouraged. God in His infinite mercy gives us a little more time, so we can begin over and over again, returning with complete confidence to this kind Father. Abandon everything that is isn't of God, thinking of Him continually, and putting all of our confidence in Him. Soon His abundant grace will engulf us. With it, we can do anything, but without it, we can commit only sin. We cannot avoid the dangers in life without God's continual help, so we should ask Him for it unceasingly. But how can we ask for His help unless we are with Him. To be with Him, we must cultivate the Holy habit of thinking of Him often.
You will tell me that I always say the same thing. What can I say? It is true. I don't know an easier method, nor do I practice any other. We have to know someone before we can truly love them. In order to know God, we must think about Him often. And once we get to know Him, we will think about Him even more often, because where our treasure is, there also is our heart.
God has various ways of drawing us to Him and there will be times, when we cannot find Him. In those times, the sole support of our confidence must be our faith, which must be totally in God. Such faith will not fail. Remember that God never leaves us. His name is Yahweh, which means God who is always present. His name is ¡§Emmanuel¡¨ which means ¡§God with us¡¨. We must always remember, he said,¡¨ Lo, I am with you always¡¨. This is not a promise, it is a fact! Do you believe? YES! I believe as you believe. Because we have experience of His presence in our heart. Therefore, we should be careful never to separate ourselves from His presence. We must dwell with Him always; living with Him now and dieing with Him when our time is at hand.
So let us pray to the Lord tonight because I believe someone will come to show the way, and I believe that someone in the great somewhere hears every word. I believe!
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Hour of Love Program #51
Jesus, risen and exalted one, your name is life honey on my lips. Jesus I love you. Along the old road from Jericho to Jerusalem , the circumstances favored a great reception for Jesus, as it was the custom to greet large groups of pilgrims entering the city with songs and jubilation. Jesus chose to arrive on a simple donkey, as had been prophesied many centuries before, and the path was made way by those laying garments on the ground to form a carpet, and running along side, laying down bits of green foliage along the route and waving olive and palm branches torn off the trees close by. Rejoicing in a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, the multitude sang out, ¡§Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest¡¨.
Jesus also wants to enter triumphantly into our lives today. He would like us to bear witness to him in the simplicity of our work done well, and with our cheerfulness, serenity, and our concern for others.
Our Lord has entered triumphantly into Jerusalem . A few days later, in the same city, he will be nailed to a cross. Jesus wept at first sight of the city, amidst so many shouts of jubilation. The disciples were at a loss, their joy abruptly shattered. Jesus weeps over the impenitence of Jerusalem . Jesus had offered everything, the riches of his grace to every man, because his will is always to save. Look at the same Jerusalem today, and do you not still see Jesus weeping?
In our lives also every means and remedy has been made available, extraordinary graces showered upon our lives. Jesus worked, thought, acted and love with a human heart, like us in all things except sin. In him, God reconciled us to himself and to one another; freeing us from bondage¡KWe can say. ¡§He loved me, and gave himself for me¡¨ Each of us is the object of the Lord's special love.
But given our free will, our Lord must have thought, ¡§I was willing. But men were not.¡¨ How indeed do we respond to the Holy Spirit in our ordinary lives? Each day how often do we say ¡¥yes' to God and ¡¥no' to our selfishness, to our laziness and to everything that amounts to a lack of love, even in only small things.
The welcomed our Lord, singing ¡§Hosanna in the highest¡¨ and five days later shouted ¡§Crucify him¡¨! What accounts for such a sharp turnabout, and such inconsistent behavior? If we are to understand it at all, perhaps we need to look a little into our own hearts.
The triumphal entry into Jerusalem asks for loyalty and perseverance from each one of us, it calls us to deepen in our faithfulness, and for our resolutions to be more than just bright lights that sparkle for a moment and then fade away. There are some striking contrasts in the depths of our hearts, for we are capable of the very greatest things and also the very worst, and so if we wish to possess the divine life and triumph with Christ, we need to be constant and through penance deaden within us anything that separates us from God and prevents us from following Our Lord unto the Cross.
Any one who hides behind his own selfishness, will not experience true love of God nor love of neighbor, but instead will have to immediately open his eyes and let in the glorious light of Our Lord Jesus. Let us receive our Messiah on this Palm Sunday, the prince of peace, taking off the blinders, and having a good look around, giving a helping hand, feeling love in your in heart, and at last, putting your faith into action, truly feeling alive. And then Holy Spirit will descend upon us and we will feel peace in our heats, peace in our lives, and for the first time experience real peace on earth.
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Hour of Love Program #52
Yes, ¡§¡¨Our cry, our prayer is to SING your praise to the end of the earth! To see the Nations worship you! Let us inundate the earth! The Lord has indeed risen, alleluia! Glory and kingship be his for ever and ever. ¡§When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, and Salome brought spices with which to go and anoint the dead body of Jesus. Very early on, the following day, just as the sun is rising, they come to the tomb. And entering it, they are dismayed, for they cannot find the body of our Lord. A youth, clothed in white, says to them: ¡§Do not be afraid. I know you seek Jesus of Nazareth ¡V he is not here, for he has risen! He said, ¡§Jesus has risen: He is not in the tomb¡¨. Life has overcome death. Let there be happiness and rejoicing!
At the crucifixion, the world is in darkness and only the Virgin Mary was a light amidst such darkness. But the Resurrection is the great light for the world: I am the light, Jesus had said; light for the world, for all ages of history, for every society, for each man. So let us pray that the light of Christ, rising in glory, will dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds. And may the light of the Easter candle, symbolizing Christ, flood over the earth, lifting it from darkness.
The glorious Resurrection of our Lord is the key to interpreting his whole life, and the bedrock of our faith. Without this victory over death, our faith is in vain. Furthermore, the guarantee of our future resurrection is secured upon the resurrection of Christ, because although we were dead in sin, God, full of mercy, moved by infinite compassion with which he loved, gave Christ¡Kand He raised us with him. Easter is the celebration of our Redemption, and therefore the celebration of thanksgiving and joy.
Jesus Christ lives. And this crowns us with happiness. He has triumphed over death; he has overcome sorrow, anguish and the power of darkness¡KIn him we find everything. Outside of him our life is empty. The Lord's promise is fulfilled today: I will give you a joy that no one can take away from you. Nobody. Nor can any of the trials and disappointments of life take it away. So be happy in the midst of trials because when one is happy, you become an encouragement to others, and happiness is a form of thanking God for the innumerable gifts He gives us. And if, on any occasion we should have the misfortune of separating ourselves from God's presence, w should remember the prodigal son and return to the Father with a repentant heart. In heaven there will be a great feast on that day and its echo will resound in our soul, with serenity and peace returning instantly.
And we do great good around us with our joy, for this brings others to God, just as the first followers of Jesus became Sowers of peace and joy, the peace and joy that Jesus brought them and us. Many people will find God behind our optimism, in the customary smile, in a cordial attitude, and in the way we serve others in the spirit of genuine humility, looking out for everything that can make life more pleasant for others. This gives the soul a special youthfulness of spirit, as there is no greater youthfulness than the youthfulness of one who knows he is a Son of God and acts accordingly.
And the Resurrection of Our Lord is a powerful call to apostolate: to be a light and to carry the light to others. To do this we must place Christ at the center of our lives, right in our ordinary circumstances, and remind others by our example that God exists.
So rejoice with me today and always, because it is by the grace of God that we believe in Jesus, we believe he is the Son of God. We believe he died and rose again. We believe he paid for us all. And we believe he is here now, standing in our midst, with the power to heal now, and the grace to forgive!
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Hour of Love Program #53
Yes, Lord, in our lives, ¡§Be Glorified¡¨. My beloved brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ lives forever. Jesus came to Mary Magdalene as she wept outside the tomb. Jesus said to her: Mary! Spoken with wonderful inflection, in a way of special friendship, just as he calls us by our name and the tone of his voice is unmistakable.
Jesus voice has not changed. Mary cried out in Aramaic: Rabboni! Which means teacher. And yes, Jesus is the teacher, the only one capable of teaching the true meaning of life, the only one who has the words of eternal life. She ran to the Apostles and said, ¡§I have seen the risen Lord!¡¨ and she was filled with immense joy. And what a difference it makes in our lives, when we realize that Christ is alive and continues to live among us!
And Jesus often calls us by name, in his unmistakable tone of voice. He is very close to each one of us, so we must never let external circumstances, like sorrow or failure, deception, pain or discouragement, prevent us from seeing Him when he calls us. The Psalmist says, ¡§Seek ye my face. My heart says to thee, Thy face, Lord do I seek¡¨ Jesus is now in heaven and in heaven we shall see his face one day! Jesus said: ¡§If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.¡¨ God dwells in our souls in grace and we should seek him there, we should listen to him there, because he does speak to us and we will understand him if we keep our ears attentive and our hearts clean. With our soul in grace Our Lord is closer than our very own heart!
We must set out to meet him, being more aware of his glorious presence in us, speaking with him continually so that His love will grow in us. Christ, the Risen Lord, is our companion and our friend. He is a companion whom we can see because he is really there; filling our whole life and making us yearn to be with him forever. If we really seek him, try to look at him with unclouded vision, we shall understand in a profound way that it is possible now to follow him closely, to live our lives close beside him in such a way that they expand and acquire a brand new meaning.
After doing this for some time a personal relationship will become established between Jesus and ourselves ¡V a loving faith ¡V that can today, after the passing of twenty centuries, be just as authentic and strong as the faith as those who contemplated him risen and glorious. We will notice that, with ever-greater naturalness, we will find ourselves referring to our Lord in everything that forms part of our existence, and see that we really cannot live without him.
And to do this we must begin and begin over again every day, perhaps even at times when we are struggling, feeling like we are only at the beginning our interior life. Nevertheless, if we struggle, we will always grow closer to Jesus. Our Pope struggled until the very end, and is now so secure, with our Lord, held with love in his heart, so close, in the hands of God, who will never let Him go!
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Hour of Love Program #54
Yes, Lord, we believe in you! My beloved brothers and sisters, at all times believe in the Lord, in spite of all our trials and difficulties. Persecution and divine providence, caused the first followers of Jesus to scatter throughout the world, carrying the seeds of faith to other places, which otherwise would have taken much longer to reach, and giving it strength. Search for similarities in your own life situation, if you have been scattered, and even in the midst of your misfortune, place your faith and trust in God. The Lord wills that you make the world a more just and humane place.
The first followers were fervent, firm, coherent in faith, full of goodness, and always friendly and smiling. Certainly these features must have been the basis of that first impulse that led people to the faith.
Jesus said, ¡§If the world hates you, know that it hated me first¡¨, so when the Apostles came up against resistance and opposition from the very first moment, they were not unduly worried, knowing that God arranges all things for the good of those who love him.
Encountering difficulties of all sorts should not surprise us. If God tests us by fire, and we encounter trials of every sort, let us consider ourselves happy indeed. We can draw great good from our difficulties, so be daring. The Lord permits sickness, financial disaster, and failures to purify us like Gold in a furnace, leaving us more refined and valuable.
So by our word and by our example, we must show others that the Lord lives in our lives. The greater the darkness in the world, the greater the need for light! We must go against the current, relying more on prayer, because one of the greatest fruits we can draw from difficulties, whatever they are, is the closeness of the presence of the Lord standing by our side, strengthening us through our prayers and sacrifices, blessing us with fortitude, one of the Cardinal virtues. We stand firm because we know that the Lord will always give the necessary graces at every moment and in all circumstances.
So when we face difficulties, we should nevertheless be serene and cheerful. The Apostles suffered greatly but their suffering caused them joy. And they did not feel sorry for themselves, but felt sorry for the ones who ill-treated them.
When we face the weight of the Cross, don't forget our Lord invites us to go with him, to take up his yoke which is gentle and his burden which is light. At the side of Jesus, everything that can be annoying and difficult becomes loveable. Everything is made bearable thru love¡KWhat can love not do? Those in love do not suffer. They increase their efforts as the difficulties increase because they are doing God's will, which is to love. For the Bible says, to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart. I will announce your justice to the vast assembly!
So let us remember always, Jesus said, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. So please join me when you hear the Lord calling and say, ¡§Lord here I am to answer your call, Lord here I am to serve and love you! Here is my heart, here is my mind, here is my soul, here is my whole self. I am for you and you alone!
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Hour of Love Program #55
Let the Lord ¡§Be Magnified¡¨ in our lives tonight for God will always make a way! Receive your healing and be healed in Jesus Name right now! And Lord, let your glory fall in this place! So be courageous in your faith. Expect that at times people will judge you in a twisted manner because they fail to understand the nature and life style of those who follow Jesus Christ. In such situations we need firmness of character and fortitude in faith. We must live the Gospel as best we can, respecting others, but without fear of upsetting others by showing our faith. We must never give in to what I call ¡§human respect¡¨. Remember Jesus said, ¡§He who denies me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven.¡¨
Human respect is Satan's first temptation. There is a tendency to describe as a fanatic, someone who speaks enthusiastically about noble causes ¡V such as the right to life from conception, freedom in education, peace for our long-suffering brothers and sisters in Palestine , and much closer to us, peace, mercy and justice in our own countries of origin. We should not care. Instead, we must live our lives, with the help of grace, in a way that is replete with profound and firm conviction.
In Baptism we receive the grace which saves, and which gives meaning to our earthly pilgrimage. So be cheerful and communicate happiness. Jesus always did good. ¡§I ask you¡¨ he once said, ¡§Is it right to do good or evil? after which he cured a man with a withered hand. Followers of Jesus must also do good and in a noble way, not making use of other people's ignorance, of their material poverty, or of their emotional loneliness. Our Lord would not approve.
The place where we look for holiness is in our everyday lives, in our relationships with people and in our families. When we come across unjust criticism, with grace, we must be calm and never stop talking about the marvels of God. Don't live an apathetic life; we only have one to live. Speak to all people, for how else can you expect them to listen to you. Show them the true light of a person who works honorably with everyone, with a right intention and without seeking personal interest.
And don't allow yourself to be influenced by what other say, if out of desire to avoid a hard time, or a desire not to be different. In order to get over worrying about what other people will say, we need to have a right intention, being more concerned about God's opinion than anyone else's. Living simply and cheerfully, being ready to communicate the treasure that the grace of the Lord has placed in our hearts, is one thing that we will never regret. To help all those people we love, we must make them happy and joyful, for nothing better prepares a soul for grace than joy. When people love and trust you, they are content, with their hearts open to Christ's love.
If you know how to speak, without wounding, hearts will not close themselves to you. And if you live the Word of God in your life, struggling day by day, by your example, you will attract a plentiful harvest. This in itself will fill your heart with joy¡KSo let's give thanks to the Lord each and every day of our lives, and let's give the Lord a clap offering, ¡§PALAK-PAKAN NATING ANG DIYOS¡¨ as we surrender our hearts to Jesus right now, for Lord, ¡§no one else can touch my heart like you do. I could search for all eternity through, and find there is none like you”
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Hour of Love Program #56
Yes Lord, you have been good to me, and my soul thirsts for you. I desire only you and not worldly success as my satisfaction. For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? My soul thirsts for God. Such words bring to my mind two Great Saints of our time we have been privileged to share some of our time on earth with ¡V Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Pope John Paul 2 nd . By their living example, they lived a life pleasing to God, one of love and service to others. They manifested and were full of the beautiful Holy Spirit. They showed us what counts in life: not money, titles, or possessions, but only the way we love God and others, through humility. The saints were men and women with a great desire to belong to God completely, despite their defects. Do we have such desire to be a saint? Jesus said, ¡§You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect¡¨. This means all the faithful are invited and obligated to pursue holiness and the perfection of their own state of life.
Allow your soul to be consumed by this desire ¡V and desires for loving, for forgetting yourself, for sanctity, for heaven, but without stopping to wonder whether you will live to see them accomplished in this lifetime. Put your desires into practice in your daily tasks, but first, examine your conscience to make sure that you are being completely sincere. You tell me you want to. Very good! But as dearly as a mother loves her child? No? Then, you don't want to be a saint. When we consider some aim to be impossible and not for us, lacking the desire, then all of our hope must rest on God.
On the one hand we must want to be saints, but unless we build our house, on the Holy Spirit of God, we labor in vain. So with humility we must count on God's grace while adding our efforts to acquire and practice virtues. And we must desire to be with Christ on the cross, not rejecting sacrifice in small things and if need be, in big things. Desire for holiness is real when we do everything for God, not delaying for any reason whatever, refusing to be led by our moods and feelings, because the soul truly in love with God never fails through laziness to do all in it's power, and having done all that it could, it is still not satisfied, and it thinks it has done nothing. Humility makes us understand the need to have recourse to God if our desires are to come true.
My soul thirsts for thee Lord. Is this thirst compatible with our experience with all our defects? Well remember, saints are not those who have never sinned, but those who have always got up again. Feeling easily deflated and lying down under adversity is characteristic of souls lacking in the firm virtue of trusting in God's promises.
Ceasing to struggle when there is opposition is a serious mistake, showing lack of courage and strength to bear misfortune. Perhaps we need to rid ourselves of false illusions in wanting to be saints in a day; that would be impossible unless God decided to perform a miracle, which he has no reason to do, since he has given us all the graces that we need by ordinary means.
If desire is lacking nothing can be done, but desire alone is not enough. We must be patient and not try to banish in a day the many habits we have picked up neglecting our spiritual health. God counts on time and is patient with each one of us so do not ever be discouraged. Remember the saints have always considered themselves great sinners. That is why they tried harder to be united to God through prayer and self-sacrifice, relying on divine mercy. Let us patiently hope for our improvement, and instead of being anxious about having dome little in the past let us diligently try to do more in the future.
As the deer longs for flowing streams, so longs my soul for thee, O God. Let us keep our desire for God alive, let us enkindle the flame of faith and hope in the fire of the love of God, enlivening our virtues and burning away our miseries, and we will assuage our thirst for holiness with the water that springs up to eternal life.
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