The Apostle's Blog

  God knows our tendencies as individuals; some of us love to spend money, have a hard time holding onto money, and are challenged to save. Others hoard what they have, keep it for themselves, and never share. Neither of these bless the Lord nor the ones around us. God calls us to have a healthy relationship with our finances, but it is only through following Jesus and obeying His Word that this is possible.  No one is immune to the negative hold that money can have on our hearts in plenty or in want. However, God has taught me throughout my life to pray about my spending and to listen to the still, small voices that lead me in my financial decisions. God desires us to live a life of generosity, putting God before money. We cannot serve both God and money. ( Matthew 6:24 )  What does this look like practically? First of all, God calls us to give. He calls us to take 10% of our income and give it to our church to help further the kingdom of God. This can be a challenge for...

  News reports have noted that the world has an overabundance of used clothing. In many ways, that is a good thing. Even the poorest of the poor can have access to clothing! But does that make Jesus’ statement irrelevant in the 21st century? No. The clothing that people may have is not always suitable. A warm jacket in subzero weather is a necessity! There is also another sense in which people who sleep in a cardboard box in the dead of winter are in need of “clothing.” Extreme poverty still exists. There are countless people in the world with insufficient resources to pay for housing, buy food, and access medical care—not to mention paying for education and other costs to maintain a livelihood. What should our response be in the face of poverty? The world is blessed with many organizations that strive to meet urgent needs and to uproot the causes of poverty. Issues are complex, and solutions are difficult to find. Though we may feel, and maybe often be, powerless to create effecti...

  Prayer to Abide with God Dear Lord, as I come before you this morning, my spirit is filled with thanks that you have given me a life and filled it with meaning. Knowing that you have a purpose for me is such a gift as I cannot express; even when the world or my own thoughts fill me with feelings of worthlessness, I can turn to you and know, fully certain, that you are in charge and have filled my existence with meaning and purpose I cannot fully understand.  Lord Christ, you promised that if we love you and obey your teaching, you and the Father will make your home with us; I declare my love for you; and there is nothing I want more than to have you live with me, present in my life. Help me to follow your teaching in every way; for you have given us grace, that by your death and resurrection, we may be perfect before you. Accept my love and be with me, today and always, I pray; not by my merit, but by your grace, oh Christ, oh one true God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen....

  People have noted that Christianity has long had a privileged position in the “Western world,” at least since the time of the Roman emperor Constantine, who converted to Christianity. After the Edict of Milan in A.D. 313 and other developments, many of the laws in the Western world became rooted in biblical teaching. As a result, many people have been heavily influenced by the Bible on how to live their lives. This does not mean that all of these people, or even the majority, have been Christians. But Christians in the West have often been free of persecution, and yet that has not been the case in other parts of the world. Nor was this what Jesus prepared his followers to expect. He taught them to expect persecution. Today Christianity is fading in the West, and so is Christian influence on the laws and policies of Western nations. As time goes on, it may become harder for Christians to live day by day without being persecuted. But there is no reason to fear or lose hope. The Lor...

 To St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, UK 🇬🇧  London -  Finding calm in prayer with the Holy Spirit is essential to dig deep and receive the strength needed to overcome trials. Receiving prayer from loved ones is important in that.  That’s why Elijah ran away and hid in the cave. It wasn’t so much the situation that scared him - he just really, really wanted to know God was with him. And the Lord showed he was with Elijah not in the powerful wind or earthquake but in the gentle whisper. If you face a challenge today (I’ve written this devotional with one eye closed because of the blood in it!), prioritize spending time with Jesus and simply listen through the storm and the earthquake for the powerful tones of his gentle whisper. Nothing is impossible with God, and he loves you. 

  Almighty and everliving God, who by your holy Apostles have taught us to make prayers, and supplications, and to give thanks for all men; Give me first a Spirit of fellowship with all those who pray with me, who I cannot see; and let each of us know that we pray in the unity of Spirit, although we are all separated from one another in body;   We all, and each of us, humbly beseech you most mercifully to accept our alms and oblations, and to receive these our prayers, which we offer unto your Divine Majesty; beseeching you to inspire continually the Universal Church with the spirit of truth, unity, and concord: And grant that all those who confess your holy Name may agree in the truth of your holy Word, and live in unity and godly love. We ask you also, so to direct and dispose the hearts of all Christian Rulers, that they may truly and impartially administer justice, to the punishment of wickedness and vice, and to the maintenance of your true religion, and virtue. Give grac...

(Virgin Mary and baby Jesus)   Jesus was giving his   twelve disciples   the authority to do the work he called them to do. Yet he didn’t sugarcoat the intensity of what they would face. He laid it all out before them, then reminded them of their worth in the eyes of God. “So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” ( Matthew 10:31 )  Like the disciples, moms are called to important work. Yes, it will be hard. Many days, we will be afraid to make the wrong decision and agonize over every little thing. But we will press on, anyway. Even when we feel like we’re failing, we can choose courage instead of fear. Jesus’ reminder about our Father’s care provides a much-needed pep talk for times when mom guilt makes us question our abilities to raise our children well. This Mother’s Day, let me encourage you to find freedom from mom guilt. Jesus awaits with love, understanding, and grace. Let’s take our mistakes to Jesus and trust in the Holy Spirit to continu...

  No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be   devoted   to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both   God   and Money. (Mat 6:24) Jesus made it clear we can't have it both ways. If we are going to have God in the center of our lives, nothing or no one can share that unique position with him. Jesus Our First Love Similar to the  devotion to Jesus Christ  mentioned there is having Jesus as our  first love.  In fact, if you are walking in a right manner with God, you must have the Lord Jesus as your  first love  now . If not, this is a very serious offense before the Lord himself, as he mentioned: Yet I hold this against you: You have  forsaken your first love . Remember the height from which you have fallen!  Repent  and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. (Rev 2:5) The ones a...

  The source of our hope is not just in Jesus' prior work on the Cross and in the empty tomb as he  "who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel"  ( 2 Timothy 1:10 ). Our hope isn't dependent upon our own will-power and commitment to hang on to hope — although, at times, we need these virtues. No, God made sure the burning fire of vibrant hope would never run out of fuel in our hearts. He did this by filling us with his Holy Spirit and pouring his love into our hearts. That same Spirit Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will also raise us up and give us life when Jesus returns.

  When we have faith in Jesus, we will draw near to Him because we believe that He exists. It is very easy to underappreciate our Bibles. When we consider that there are still many people across the world who do not have the Scriptures translated into their language, we are reminded that we have been entrusted with a gift. However, it can often not feel like a gift. Sometimes we can believe that reading the Bible is a checklist to “be good” or just part of a daily habit.  Reading the Bible is much more than a to-do list or a self-help book. It is coming to the living and active Word of God to be transformed. ( Hebrews 4:12 ) It is a weapon of  spiritual warfare . ( Ephesians 6:17 ) It is breathed by the Lord. ( 2 Timothy 3:16 ) When we make an intentional decision to read the Bible, we are saying yes to the King of King's invitation to speak life into our everyday day, to refine the areas of our lives that are sinful, and to grow as disciples of Jesus by hearing His direc...

  O my God, I am conscious of my mission in the Holy Church. It is my constant endeavor to plead for mercy for the world. I unite myself closely with Jesus and stand before Him as an atoning sacrifice on behalf of the world. God will refuse me nothing when I entreat Him with the voice of His Son. My sacrifice is nothing in itself, but when I join it to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, it becomes all-powerful and has the power to appease divine wrath. God loves us in His Son; the painful Passion of the Son of God constantly turns aside the wrath of God

  My Jesus, penetrate me through and through so that I might be able to reflect You in my whole life. Divinize me so that my deeds may have supernatural value. Grant that I may have love, compassion and mercy for every soul without exception. O my Jesus, each of Your saints reflects one of Your virtues; I desire to reflect Your compassionate heart, full of mercy; I want to glorify it. Let Your mercy, O Jesus, be impressed upon my heart and soul like a seal, and this will be my badge in this and the future life  

O Christ, let my greatest delight be to see You loved and Your praise and glory proclaimed, especially the honor of Your mercy. O Christ, let me glorify Your goodness and mercy to the last moment of my life, with every drop of my blood and every beat of my heart. Would that I be transformed into a hymn of adoration of You. When I find myself on my deathbed, may the last beat of my heart be a loving hymn glorifying Your unfathomable mercy. Amen.