₦airaland Forum

yes


Are you blessed?

wonderful creation of God

must we laugh to show we r happy?

Insti

at

ropci

Yes taste, touch and follow God.

Faith without Work _{is dead}

Amen to the Glory of God the Father.

sorry for what?

Joy comes from knowing God, and God is the source of my joy.

Layoma

whats bad?

GOSPEL:                      Matthew 6:1-6. 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples: 'Be careful not to parade your good deeds before men to attract their notice; by doing this you will lose all reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you; this is what the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win men's admiration. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing; your almsgiving must be secret, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.

'And when you pray, do not imitate the hypocrites: they love to say their prayers standing up in the synagogues and at the street corners for people to see them; I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you pray, go to your private room and, when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in that secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.
'When you fast do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do: they pull long faces to let men know they are fasting. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,8 so that no one will know you are fasting except your Father who sees all that is done in secret; and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.

MEDITATION OF THE DAY
In the eyes of God, the reasons behind our fasting, praying, or acts of charity are more important than the actions themselves.  If we perform religious acts for the eyes of other people, their praise will be our only reward.  If done for spiritual motives (love, mercy, compassion), God will repay us richly in this life to come.  Despite the clarity of the Lord's message in Matthew, it is very difficult for us to obey it because of our fallen nature.  We are always wanting to glorify ourselves rather than God.  Jesus' basic message is that we should have pure intentions when we perform good deeds.  These acts of self-sacrifice are meant to bring us closer to God, to take the focus off ourselves and put it on God.  They are to be done with a humble heart in imitation of Christ who gave of himself unto death.  How is this humanly possible?  Let us look to Christ for the answer.  Jesus is the perfect example of how to act with a pure heart for the glory of God.  He was the only righteous one (Rom. 3 : 10-18, 23-24), and only in Christ can we be justified (Galatians 2 : 16 ).  He knew the holiness of God and all he did was for the glory of his Father.  It is Christ who enables us to glorify God rather than ourselves.  From him we can learn of the holiness of God and the darkness of sin and be brought to the point where our acts are for his glory, not our own. "Holy Spirit, bring me to an understanding of the holiness of God and teach me how worthy he is to receive all glory adn praise.  Grant me the wisdom to give of myself with love, kindness and compassion and let all that I do be done for his glory, not for my own."

CATHOLIC SPEAKS TODAY
Life is a gift from the Creator, to be spent  in the service of one's brothers and sisters who, in the plan of salvation, can always draw benefit from it,  It is to be accepted, respected and promoted with every means available, and defended from every threat.  POPE JOHN PAUL II 1920-2005.

ebos:
Hey guys!

How is everything? Oby, I can’t understand what’s preventing me from praying my Rosary. Though, I try to make it as simple as possible to recite it, but not one bit simpler. Could it be the reason why Satan was able to build a Super-Soldier? [/b]

The truth is that I don’t enjoy missing my Rosary. However, if I’m going to continue to take my devotion time chasing shadows, I would be remiss to ignore the booby traps of Satan – that’s apply to each and everyone of us. Hope, we need more grace? I need o.

Oh, Lady, you too were once under this very attack? We thank God you came out alive. It only takes the grace of God to survive the attack. How's life with u?


Viee and Lindiwe - where are you guys? Spare and simplify your time for us here because the ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. So, let the necessary speak here right away.

Carlosein [/b]and [b]Pamperme what has gone wrong that you don’t talk to each other for now? Lawyer, wetin dey happen?

How is she now?
Remember a prayerless christain is a powerless christain, this is where the enemy can penetrate us easily.  We have to try, the race is not easy but by the Grace of God is easy.  The flesh is our problem, but the Spirit is ever willing.  We have to suffer the flesh to lift up our spiritual life.  Prayer is the only weapon of the Christain, except you want the enemy to use you for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

bite

whats an amplifier?

Pamperme:
MASS READING AND GOSPEL FOR TODAY

FIRST READING: 1Kings 21: 17-29

After the death of Naboth the word of Yahweh came to Elijah the Tishbite, 'Up! Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, in Samaria. You will find him in Naboth's vineyard; he has gone down to take possession of it. You are to say this to him, "Yahweh says this: You have committed murder; now you usurp as well. For this - and Yahweh says this - in the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, the dogs will lick your blood too."' Ahab said to Elijah, 'So you have found me out, O my enemy!' Elijah answered, 'I have found you out. For your double dealing, and since you have done what is displeasing to Yahweh, I will now bring disaster down on you; I will sweep away your descendants, and wipe out every male belonging to the family of Ahab, fettered or free in Israel. I will treat your House as I treated the House of Jeroboam son of Nebat and of Baasha son of Ahijah, for provoking my anger and leading Israel into sin. (Against Jezebel too Yahweh spoke these words: The dogs will eat Jezebel in the Field of Jezreel.) Those of Ahab's family who die in the city, the dogs will eat; and those who die in the open country, the birds of the air will eat.'

And indeed there never was anyone like Ahab for double dealing and for doing what is displeasing to Yahweh, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the most abominable way, adhering to idols, just as the Amorites used to do whom Yahweh had dispossessed for the sons of Israel.

When Ahab heard these words, he tore his garments and put sackcloth next his skin and fasted; he slept in the sackcloth; he walked with slow steps. Then the word of Yahweh came to Elijah the Tishbite, 'Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Since he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; I will bring the disaster down on his House in the days of his son.'

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 50
Response: Have mercy on us, Lord, for we have sinned.

1. Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
In your compassion blot out my offence.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
and cleanse me from sin. Response

2. My offences truly I know them;
my sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned;
what is evil in your sight I have done. Response

3. From my sins turn away your face
and blot out all my guilt:
a rescue me, God, my helper,
and my tongue shall ring out your goodness. Response

GOSPEL: Matthew 5: 43-48

Jesus said to his disciples: 'You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.'

MEDITATION OF THE DAY
Love your enemies

Christ calls us to a new way of living.  As Christains we have a call to holiness that has echoed through the centuries.  We must be holy (1 peter 1:16) and perfect (James1 : 4).  We are called to be "perfect as [our] heavenly Father is perfect" (Mattew5 : 48).  God is our Father, our Creator, and we are called by him to love everyone equally.  And so, Jesus taught, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Mattew 5 : 44).  This is not an impossible calling, but it does mean that we must begin to think in a radically new way.  We are constantly exhorted with worldly advice like, "Don't get mad, get even," or "He who laughs last, laughs best." Day after day, we are subjected to the rudeness and self-centeredness of countless people.  At school, at work, even in the grocery we can be hurt by unkind words or lack of consideration.  We find ourselves instinctively avoiding, disliking or even hating all those people we are called to love.  In order to love, our minds must be renewed (Col. 3: 10).  They can be renewed only by spending time with Christ in prayer and reading the scriptures.  We are on a journey of faith, and we must associate with Christ on that journey.  Pope John Paul II emphasized this in a talk he gave in the Netherlands in May 1985:  "The human conscience that is worthy of the name is a journey towards truth.  The Lord's mysterious demand which echoes naturally in the human conscience is specified in the word of God, preserved by the living tradition of the Church.  Men and women who are willing to listen to me, I dare to plead wtih you: Associate with Jesus still more! It is he who is the teacher of adult consciences.  In his three years of public ministry he seized every opportunity to enlighten the consciences of his listeners, especially the twelve Apostles."  Christ wants to enlighten our consciences.  He wants his words to echo in them today as we continue our journey of faith.  Pray for the grace to recognize situations in which you must "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Mattew 5 : 44)

CATHOLICS SPEAK TODAY
There are two kinds of happiness for mortal men: There is that which is carnal and imperfect, and hangs on circumstances, and the health of the body and suchlike things; and there is that which is spiritually perfect, which hangs on nothing else than the doing of the will of God Almighty.  ROBERT HUGH BENSON 1871-1914

jydeboy:
Pamperme, I ended my last relationship because her parents insisted I leave the Catholic church. I gave them bullshit. I was baptized there and I would get my anointing of the sick there. I would surely have my funeral mass there too. I would obtain all the 7 sacraments. Let nobody try to deceive us again. GLORY TO JESUS, HONOUR TO MARY still. They can't stop the shine. I still love you.

Carlos u dey dir?

Pamperme:
READING AND GOSPEL FOR TODAY

FIRST READING: 1Kings 21: 1-16

Naboth of Jezreel had a vineyard close by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria, and Ahab said to Naboth, 'Give me your vineyard to be my vegetable garden, since it adjoins my house; I will give you a better vineyard for it or, if you prefer, I will give you its worth in money'. But Naboth answered Ahab, 'Yahweh forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors!

Ahab went home gloomy and out of temper at the words of Naboth of Jezreel, 'I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers'. He lay down on his bed and turned his face away and refused to eat. His wife Jezebel came to him. 'Why are you so dispirited' she said 'that you will not eat?' He said, 'I have been speaking to Naboth of Jezreel; I said: Give me your vineyard either for money or, if you prefer, for another vineyard in exchange. But he said, "I will not give you my vineyard".' Then his wife Jezebel said, 'You make a fine king of Israel, and no mistake! Get up and eat; cheer up, and you will feel better; I will get you the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel myself.

So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, sending them to the elders and nobles who lived where Naboth lived. In the letters she wrote, 'Proclaim a fast, and put Naboth in the forefront of the people. Confront him with a couple of scoundrels who will accuse him like this, "You have cursed God and the king" Then take him outside and stone him to death.'

The men of Naboth's town, the elders and nobles who lived in his town, did what Jezebel ordered, what was written in the letters she had sent them. They proclaimed a fast and put Naboth in the forefront of the people. Then the two scoundrels came and stood in front of him and made their accusation, 'Naboth has cursed God and the king'. They led him outside the town and stoned him to death. They then sent word to Jezebel, 'Naboth has been stoned to death'. When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, 'Get up! Take possession of the vineyard which Naboth of Jezreel would not give you for money, for Naboth is no longer alive, he is dead.' When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel and take possession of it.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 5
Response: Give heed to my groaning, O Lord.

I. To my words give ear, O Lord,
give heed to my groaning.
Attend to the sound of my cries,
my King and my God. Response

2. You are no God who loves evil;
no sinner is your guest.
The boastful shall not stand their ground
before your face. Response

3. You hate all who do evil:
you destroy all who lie.
The deceitful and bloodthirsty man
the Lord detests Response

GOSPEL: Matthew 5: 38-42

Jesus said to his disciples: 'You have learnt how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away.

MEDITATION OF THE DAY
Eye for eye and tooth for tooth

How often we yearn to "get even" when we feel we've been wronged or treated unjustly. We appoint ourselves judges, forgetting that God himself is the only judge (Psalm 50:6). We often seek to retaliate. Aware of it or not, we try to justify our hunger for vengeance with the words quoted by Jesus: "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" (Matt. 5:38; Exo.21:24). We fail to remember that this injunction was not meant to encourage or condone revenge but to limit the extent to which human vindictiveness might go. God said that we should not seek revenge or bear grudges against our neighbours. Instead, "You shall love your neighbour as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18). Jesus referred to this scripture when he cited the greatest commandment (Matt. 22:39-40). Paul and James also taught that love of one's neighbour is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:9-10; James 2:. Jesus' words from the Gospel of Mattew are a clear call to God's people to forgive one another, to "turn the other check" (Matt.5:39). While we have often heard his teaching on forgiveness, we frequently do not obey it. In our minds and emotions, we do not see that it applies to us. We need to look into our memories for any lingering resentments or vindictiveness. Perhaps there is a long held grudge against a person in authority we feel has treated us unfairly; perhaps a resentment toward a co-worker or employee who has been uncooperative in the past. In our homes, do we sometimes act out of bitterness, refusing to help because someone else "never does"? Jesus told us to love and forgive one another. He came to fulfill the law (Matt. 5:17), offering his life as the perfect example of how we are to live. As God's people, we are counseled; "Do not return evil for evil or reviling for reviling; but on the contrary bless, for to this you have been called, that you may obtain a blessing" (1 Peter 3:9). Christ says love is the greatest commandment, love of neighbour as of our very selves. Look at Christ's example. On our own strength, we cannot live out Christ's teaching on love, but with the power of Jesus in us, we can.


CATHOLICS SPEAK TODAY
God's ways are straight, however winding and crooked they may appear to human eyes. Is not God infinite wisdom and power whom nothing holds back? BLESSED COLUMBA MARMION.

Lindiwe:
oh dear! i'm cool as usual

i didn't see your post on time, been away from my desk all afternoon!

hope you're doing good!
have a funfilled weekend!

Sure i had a blessed weekend, it was  and i know yours was wonderful too

~Lady~:
My ggodness, the extent to which men go to make others suffer does not amaze me as I too have gone through that. But I can tell you ebos, Our God is almighty and all powerful, continue to call on his name and your mum will be delivered. I will pray for your mum, all the angels of the Lord will be at the doorsteps of those who plan evil against us. Mumsy will testify and praise the Lord.


Pam and Carl are fighting? I have been gone a while

Hello people, how are you? I know I haven't been contributing as mush here, I do apologise. I am busy with classes and work and when I come here, i spend most of my time showing those who do not believe in Christ and who want to label the Bible as false that they truly have no idea what is in the Bible. I hope you guys visit that thread (Gospel of Barnabas) and see what's going on.

I love you all.

May the Peace of Christ be with you all now and forever. Amen.

Hello Lady, goin to all those thread makes me sick.

Uzzyan:
I am really happy about the success of this thread!!
Oby,Lawyer,Carlosein,Viee whats gwan?

Uzzyan is that really you? how naw? e don tey o, how studies and life generally.

hello italo and jydeboy, you are all welcome. Glory to Jesus and honour to Mary!

bin

Flower


Sal

continent of the world

what exactly do you want to know?

go

hello Lindiwe how r u

lawyer:
Great to be finally back after a very long absence. Missed u all and hope to be more regular soon.

Gatta split and see u soon!

at last  
Lawyer na u?

Saint of the Day

St. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231)


The gospel call to leave everything and follow Christ was the rule of Anthony’s life. Over and over again God called him to something new in his plan. Every time Anthony responded with renewed zeal and self-sacrificing to serve his Lord Jesus more completely.His journey as the servant of God began as a very young man when he decided to join the Augustinians, giving up a future of wealth and power to be a servant of God. Later, when the bodies of the first Franciscan martyrs went through the Portuguese city where he was stationed, he was again filled with an intense longing to be one of those closest to Jesus himself: those who die for the Good News.

So Anthony entered the Franciscan Order and set out to preach to the Moors. But an illness prevented him from achieving that goal. He went to Italy and was stationed in a small hermitage where he spent most of his time praying, reading the Scriptures and doing menial tasks.

The call of God came again at an ordination where no one was prepared to speak. The humble and obedient Anthony hesitantly accepted the task. The years of searching for Jesus in prayer, of reading sacred Scripture and of serving him in poverty, chastity and obedience had prepared Anthony to allow the Spirit to use his talents. Anthony’s sermon was astounding to those who expected an unprepared speech and knew not the Spirit’s power to give people words.

Recognized as a great man of prayer and a great Scripture and theology scholar, Anthony became the first friar to teach theology to the other friars. Soon he was called from that post to preach to the heretics, to use his profound knowledge of Scripture and theology to convert and reassure those who had been misled.

Quote

In his Sermons, Anthony says: "The saints are like the stars. In his providence Christ conceals them in a hidden place that they may not shine before others when they might wish to do so. Yet they are always ready to exchange the quiet of contemplation for the works of mercy as soon as they perceive in their heart the invitation of Christ."