by Faith Central & Steve Welsh
“Here are seven tips about the works of mercy: 1) Mercy is for everyone. … 2) Mercy relieves suffering, and there are different kinds of suffering. … 3) Charity begins at home … 4) Charity can’t end at home … 5) Mercy is not always convenient … 6) Charity is not the same as social work … 7) Mercy is never condescending …”
“By His Resurrection Jesus has fulfilled Ezekiel’s promise in today’s First Reading. He has opened the graves that we may rise, put His Spirit in us that we may live. This is the Spirit that Paul writes of in today’s Epistle. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will give life to we who were once dead in sin. Faith is the key. If we believe as Martha does in today’s Gospel—that Jesus is the resurrection and the life—even if we die, we will live.”
“Jesus told her, ‘I AM the Resurrection and the Life; whoever believes in Me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. … Jesus raised His Eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank You for hearing me. I know that You always hear Me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.’ And when He had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, ‘Untie him and let him go.’ …”
“… I have testimony greater than John’s.
The works that the Father gave Me to accomplish,
these works that I perform testify on My behalf
that the Father has sent Me.
Moreover, the Father who sent Me has testified on My behalf.
But you have never heard His Voice nor seen His Form,
and you do not have His Word remaining in you,
because you do not believe in the One Whom He has sent.
You search the Scriptures,
because you think you have Eternal Life through them;
even they testify on My behalf.
But you do not want to come to Me to have Life.
* * *
if you had believed Moses,
you would have believed Me,
because he wrote about Me.
But if you do not believe his writings,
how will you believe My Words?'”
“… Jesus said to him, ‘Rise, take up your mat, and walk.’ Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked. …”
“… The royal official said to Him,
‘Sir, come down before my child dies.’
Jesus said to him, ‘You may go; your son will live.’
The man believed what Jesus said to him and left.
… this was the second sign Jesus did
when he came to Galilee from Judea.”
“As #Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.
… Jesus answered … We have to do the works of the One who sent Me while it is day.
… While I am in the world, I AM the Light of the World.’
… He spat on the ground
and made clay with the saliva,
and smeared the clay on his eyes,
and said to him,
‘Go wash in the Pool of Siloam’ — which means Sent.
So he went and washed, and came back able to see. …”
“The #angel #Gabriel was sent from #God
to a town of #Galilee called #Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named #Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was #Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
‘Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you. …
Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.’
… Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.’
Then the angel departed from her.”
“#Peter approached #Jesus and asked him,
‘Lord, if my brother sins against me,
how often must I forgive him?
As many as seven times?’
Jesus answered, ‘I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.
That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who decided to settle accounts with his servants. …”
“Jacob was the father of #Joseph, the husband of #Mary.
Of her was born #Jesus who is called the #Christ.
Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
‘Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.’ …”