Fear, love and trust in God by living the Ten Commandments

In following the Ten Commandments we show that we fear, love and trust in God.

Exodus 24:12
The Lord said to Moses, �Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them.�

John 14:15
If you love Me, keep My commandments.

John 15:14
You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Mark 3:35
Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.

The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2-17)

1. I am the LORD your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me.
Love God more than anyone or anything else; for anything we love more than God becomes our God instead of Him.

2. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
Do not curse, swear, lie, or deceive by His name, but call upon His name at times of trouble, worship, praise, and give thanks.

3. Remember to keep holy the LORD'S Day.
God rested on the seventh day after His six days of work when He created the heavens and the earth, therefore God instructed His people not to work and rest on the Sabbath day.

4. Honour your father and your mother.
Do not despise or anger our parents, elders and with higher authority, but honour, serve, obey, love and cherish them.

5. You shall not kill.
No to take someone's life, not only by murdering but also when we anger someone and wish that the person will die.

6. You shall not commit adultery.
Avoid all sexual sins and sexual acts outside of marriage.

7. You shall not steal.
Unjustly taking, using or damaging worldly things belonging to someone else.

8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
Never say anything about another person that isn't true, or gossip about others.

9. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife.
Do not envy (desire) the living forms (of flesh and blood) that belongs to another.

10. You shall not covet your neighbour's goods.
Do not envy (desire) the worldly things (goods) that belongs to another.

Revelation 21:8

But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.�

Matthew 19:16-17

Then someone came to him and said, �Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?� And he said to him, �Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.�

Romans 13:9

For the commandments, �You shall not commit adultery,� �You shall not murder,� �You shall not steal,� �You shall not bear false witness,� �You shall not covet,� and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, �You shall love your neighbor as yourself.�

Therefore faithfully keep the Commandments, let us often reflect on them, on the duties they impose upon us, and examine our conscience as to how we observe them, in what points we transgress them, and how we may avoid further transgressions. Let us imitate David, who loved the Commandments, because he loved God; who constantly meditated upon them, in order to be guided and ruled by them. He exclaims: "O how have I loved thy law, O Lord!

Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle ~ 24 August 2015

Saint Bartholomew, is one of the least known of the 12 apostles of Jesus. Bartholomew in the first three gospels is the same as the one referred to as Nathaniel who is portrayed as Philip�s friend in John gospel. Bartholomew was a man �in whom there was no guile,� his mind was open to the truth. He went willingly with Philip to see Christ, and recognized the Savior immediately as the Son of God. After the Resurrection, he is believed to have preached in India and with his fellow apostle Jude Thaddeus preached to Armenia. Bartholomew martyred in Albanopolis in Armenia by popular tradition holds that he was flayed alive and crucified, head downward. Therefore, Bartholomew is portrayed as flayed and holding in his hand his own skin.

Strengthen in us, O Lord, the faith, by which the blessed Apostle Bartholomew clung wholeheartedly to your Son, and grant that through the help of his prayers your Church may become for all the nations the sacrament of salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading 1

Revelation 21:9b-14
The angel spoke to me, saying,
�Come here.
I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.�
He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain
and showed me the holy city Jerusalem
coming down out of heaven from God.
It gleamed with the splendour of God.
Its radiance was like that of a precious stone,
like jasper, clear as crystal.
It had a massive, high wall,
with twelve gates where twelve angels were stationed
and on which names were inscribed,
the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.
There were three gates facing east,
three north, three south, and three west.
The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation,
on which were inscribed the twelve names
of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendour of your Kingdom.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, 

the glorious splendour of your Kingdom.
Making known to men your might
and the glorious splendour of your Kingdom.
Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, 

the glorious splendour of your Kingdom.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, 

the glorious splendour of your Kingdom.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Rabbi, you are the Son of God;
you are the King of Israel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

John 1:45-51
Philip found Nathanael and told him,
�We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law,
and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.�
But Nathanael said to him,
�Can anything good come from Nazareth?�
Philip said to him, �Come and see.�
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
�Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him.�
Nathanael said to him, �How do you know me?�
Jesus answered and said to him,
�Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.�
Nathanael answered him,
�Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.�
Jesus answered and said to him,
�Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this.�
And he said to him, �Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see heaven opened and the angels of God
ascending and descending on the Son of Man.�

Eight Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-10)

The Eight Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-10) also call by some the Eight Beautiful Attitudes. Jesus Christ gave us the eight Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). These Beatitudes provide a way of life that promises salvation, they also provide peace in the midst of our trials and tribulations on this earth.

�Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Those who, however great their wealth, dignity, learning, etc., acknowledge that in God's sight they are poor, and realize that their riches come from God. Jesus said to him, �If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.� (Matthew 19:21)

�Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Mourning for sin is not sadness, for it is not incompatible with spiritual joy. Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. (Luke 6:25)

�Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

The meek are those who bear patiently all the contradictions of life, looking upon them as happening through God's Will or by His permission. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:29)

�Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Becoming more humble and pure, more closely united with God and a desire to be more pleasing to God, to make daily progress in doing His will.

�Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

The merciful are those who practice the works of mercy. Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. (Matthew 25:34-35).

�Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Those who are not in habitual sin are clean of heart, and possess virtue. They will be rewarded with the vision of God in heaven; and even on earth by the great light given them.

�Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

We should also try to reconcile those who are not on good terms with each other.

�Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness� sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Those are blessed who suffer for Christ, religion, or some Christian virtue. They will receive an eternal reward. Those who faithfully observe the entire law of God and defend the cause of His Church, procure His glory and save souls.

When I Call on Jesus

But when I call on Jesus

All things are possible

I can mount on wings like eagles and soar

When I call on Jesus

Mountains are gonna fall

'Cause He'll move heaven

And earth to come rescue me when I call

Lord, give me strength, wisdom, and direction

Heavenly Father,

You know every decision I need to make

and every challenge I face.

Please forgive for the times that I try

to figure this life out on my own.

I need You.

I need Your Holy Spirit

to give me strength, wisdom, and direction.

AMEN.