The Gospel according to Matthew Chapter 6

MATTHEW 

CHAPTER 

6

1."Beware of practicing your piety before others to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your father in heaven.

(Matthew chapter 6 verse 1)

Oh father this is something that  I am always aware of. At times people may consider me as being a pious person however, although I do my best with Your help to be a good person I am still a sinner and prone to sin. Try as I might to be a person who always does good deeds I always end up messing up and at times hurt others as a consequence.

As a rule of thumb I ask myself, if the action that I am doing has the aim of helping others, or if it has the intention of boosting my self image, or the way others may view me. On reflecting I remember a situation when You made me aware that what I was doing had ended up being a negative act, even though it was of a spiritual nature. I used to read scripture during mass. One day a youth approached me and told me that he liked the way I read and that he was attending mass because of me. I explained to him that he was attending mass for the wrong reasons and it was right to attend because of me. 

When I was reading scripture the following week You intervened by creating a situation that made my reading be read so bad that even a toddler would have had a better pronunciation. When I started reading something strange happened. I could not understand or recognise the words of the scripture before me. It was as if it was a foreign language. In order to save my face I started inventing words that I thought matched that of the scripture before me and tried to make a good job of it. I was not reading for You my God or for the benefit of those attending mass. I was doing it for myself and I was making a mess of it. From that day on wards I learnt my lesson and even stopped reading during mass. I learnt that what I do I do for the love of God to seek the reward from God and not the praise and gratitude of mankind.

2. "So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 3. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4. so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

(Matthew chapter 6 verses 2 to 4)


Oh Father you are so humble. You want us to be like You in the sense of doing our good acts in secret and not to obtain the praise and popularity of others. When giving donations of money to others who may be asking it of us, we are not to think whether the person is really in need or if he is faking with the intention of bleeding us of our money to go and buy drugs. We are to give freely because we have been given freely from God our father. We are to give of what we have as in the following example that may bring a smile on our face:-

Donation of water


5. "And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 6. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

(Matthew chapter 6 verses 5 to 6)


 Oh God how nice it is of You to give us guidelines on how to offer our prayers to You. Thanks for giving us these precious guidelines. It is very helpful to find a quiet place or go to Church before the Holy Sacrament or even meditate on the Word of God in a quiet environment where you and I can be alone in the presence of Jesus enclosed within our selves and discuss with Him all that has made us happy and thank Him for it, and also that which is still on our minds and is troubling us.


At this moment in time oh Father I am concerned about this terrorist group that is causing much harm everywhere it goes and is threatening to come to Malta. However I know that my life and that of my family is in Your hands and in the worst scenario the worst thing that can happen to us is to be beheaded or shot because we are Christians and believe in You. Indeed for me it would be the greatest end that I could have that of dying because of my faith for what I believe. However if the rest of my family is not ready to appear before You please spare them this terrible experience.


7. "When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9. "Pray then in this way:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11. Give us this day our daily bread. 12. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. 13. And do not bring us to the time of trial but rescue us form the evil one. 14. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15. but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

(Matthew chapter 6 verses 7 to 15)

Jesus explains to us that we are to discard our prayer books and open our hearts personally to Him and offer Him prayers containing our prayers instead of those of somebody else. God is craving for relationship with us. In order to be of help to us, He gave us this particular prayer which contains all we need to live and believe.


The first verse confirms that You oh God are our father. Therefore no other physical father such as parents can ever replace you in our lives. You are our one and only father. This verse is followed by another verse which gives You praise oh God. Halowed be thy name. There is no other name that is worthy of power love and praise in the world. Instead of cursing your name we are to give You praise and worship. This is followed by the fact that Your Kingdom will come. When You came into the World Your Kingdom came in the presence of Jesus and it is still here in the presence of Your Holy Spirit. However Your Kingdom will be reinstated or authorised at the time of Your second coming on earth which is known as the time of Judgement, however Your kingdom comes into our heart at any time especially, during times of prayer, praise and worship to You.


Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Even though oh God we do not always understand why certain things or events are taking place on earth, we are to rest assured that You are in control and even if I make a mess of a given situation at times without having a bad intention Your will in that situation will still unfold on a personal level and even on a global level.


Give us this day our daily bread. Our aim is not that of having long term riches and plans to gain more and more riches. We are to to be happy with what God gives us every single day, for every day is a gift, and that is why we call it the present.


Forgive us our debts oh God, however, I still find it a challenge to forgive those who have hurt me. In my mind oh God I try and convince myself that I am also a sinner and that as much as others have hurt me, I have also hurt those others. I am also aware that as human beings we are prone to hurt others and be hurt by them, however to sincerely forgive is a goal that I need Your help to accomplish. Throughout my my life both past and present as You know, there were and are people who have deeply hurt me. The level of my self-esteem had become so low that I had a negative perception of myself. However today I realise that when I am viewing myself negatively I am subjecting to disgrace even Your presence that dwells in me.


I thank You God for your love and healing care that restores my soul. I pray that you continue to heal me and strengthen me in my areas of weakness. I pray today and always that You deliver me from my moments of weakness and forsake me from placing both my body and my soul in harm.


 In a spirit of prayer I invite you reader of this blog to join me in the praying of the Lord's prayer by clicking on the following link-


The Lord's prayer


16. "And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 17. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you."


(Matthew chapter 6 verses 16 to 17)


As is found many times oh God You do not like it when we do things or acts, simply in order to impress others and not to give praise and worship to You. As You said when we try to impress others we receive the merit from others, therefore I if at any point I have tried to impress others, I am also not worthy to receive the mercy of God. I pray oh God that You help me remain in a state of humility and help me never to consider myself above others. Help me please to always be available to others and consider their needs even before that of my own.


18. So that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

(Matthew chapter 6 verse 18)


Jesus is insisting that we do we do in secret. Nobody needs to know if we are being of help to an elderly person who needs our support, or maybe a person who is going through a bad patch in ones life. When helping others we are helping You oh God. Therefore what we do we do in secret and not make it a public scene so that others may praise us for our efforts.


19. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal. 20. but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also.

(Matthew chapter 6 verses 19 to 21)


Oh God many material goods or even people and even our careers can become our treasures. We easily end up investing more on earthly achievements than on our spiritual lives. The funny thing is that we say we invest in the future and talk about long term goals, however in reality we invest in things and investments that pass instead of investing in things that remain forever such as our life in heaven. A career has a beginning and an ending. We can achieve the peak in our career, however a simple or fatal accident can easily bring our career to an end. If what we aim for is not according to God's will and plan, it will never be a success or will end up leading us to follow the pathway to our destruction as is the case of many who have even reached stardom and ended up committing suicide because God was not in their choice of career.


22. "The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is healthy your whole body will be full of light; 23. but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

(Matthew chapter 6 verses 22 to 23)


All the images that we see by means of our eyes are sent to the brain. The images are stored in different parts of our memory located in our brain. Different parts of the image such as colour and related connotations such as love, fear and anger, or arousal are also stored in different parts of the brain. On the other hand oh God You gave us a computer in our head that forgets nothing. However the eyes are the keyboard of this magnificent computer. If we focus on positive images, our brain will have in it positive images that sends positive feelings, thoughts and behaviour to the rest of the body thus giving it a positive attitude to both the body mind and spirit. However if our eyes are contaminated by negative images such as porn, beheading, crime and other negative situations our brain is going to be contaminated by such images. In time if exposed to such a negative perception such as is viewed on line or on Television we might start considering this reality and or virtual reality as being real and justified. Playing simulated war or fighting games that destroy another opponent may convince us that fighting is justified over seeking a solution to peace.


The following scene from the film 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' is a typical example of how our perceptions can become contaminated, sinful and aggressive. One of the children who found the golden tickets hidden in the Wonka Bars was a child who as in Matthew chapter 6 verses 22 to 23 had his eye contaminated. The violent war games that he played left feelings of aggression in him so much that when he was in a beautiful valley where everything was made of chocolate, the child started destroying all the beautiful chocolate fruit and grass where he was standing. His father who was nearby was amazed by his sons behaviour. Like you oh Jesus the father tried to make the child aware that what his son was doing was wrong, however the child was so brainwashed that what he was doing was right that he kept on destroying his environment. I invite you to click on the following link and move to the scene that starts from 3.00 to 3.13 on the time bar of this video clip where the son considers violence as means of enjoyment..

When our eyes become contaminated    


24. "No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other: You cannot serve God and wealth."

(Matthew chapter 6 verse 24)


Jesus is asking us today to make the great big decision that of either following Him and His ways and even the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church that has been given the mandate or permission to practise and uphold the ways of God, or else to choose to adopt ways of the world that may appear to be good but in substance are humanistic and not always according to the ways of God. Typical conflicting issues are those of divorce and abortion, avarice and selfishness that blocks all love and sentiment towards others.


25. "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26. Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

(Matthew chapter 6 verses 25 to 26)


Oh God thanks for thinking about all our needs. Thanks for being our source of salvation, our source of care and love and our safety valve in moments of danger. Thanks for caring so much for me and the human race. You assure me that if you care so much about the birds of the air, how much more will you care for us. By means of verses 25 to 26 you make me aware of the need to have healthy priorities in my life in order to be able to discern what is of you and is therefore of a priority to what is of the world which may not always be of a priority. In the mentioned example you gave me a typical example when you asked us about which was the most important life or food and clothing. On reflecting other questions come to mind, such as what is the most important giving birth to a baby or choosing to abort it in order to pursue a career? Aborting a child that is the result of rape or giving it a chance to be born and learn how to love. What is best being rich mighty and powerful at the risk of a huge downfall that may bring the career and life in danger or leading a simple life that depends on an honest living and God's divine providence.


27. And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?

(Matthew chapter 6 verse 27)



On reflecting this verse is meant typically for me, who according to my sinful nature when acting according to the flesh am a born worrier instead of a born warrior. Worry used to be my first name, however God is helping me handle this barrier however I am still a building site that is under construction. Today I have a different response. Instead of automatically letting my stress response fight or flight get the better of me as before, I am trying to stop and pray on the situation and accepting any event in my life as being according to the will of God. Your Word oh God is a perfect manual. In situations when I feel that I was treated unfairly I remember that You source of all justice and goodness was cheated, lied against and even crucified on my behalf. Therefore if my Master was treated in this way, how can  I His servant expect to be treated any better?


28. And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, 29. yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 30. But if God so clothes the grass of the field which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you-you of little faith?

(Matthew chapter 6 verses 28 to 30)


Oh God You love us so much that you care for us from a wide perspective, and therefore we need not worry. I totally agree with You oh Jesus that stress or worry is related to sin or lack of faith which breeds in us strong feelings of insecurity. Therefore the next time we find ourselves anxious or worrying we stop and ask ourselves about the source of our worry. Is it the source of fear and if yes of what? At times we are afraid and worried about things that have not yet happened or have a high chance of not happening at all. Therefore the best thing is to place our trust in God and cross the bridges when we come to them.


31. Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?" or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?"32. For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things, and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

(Matthew chapter 6 verses 31 to 33)


Oh how generous You are oh God. You ask of us to place our focus particularly on 1% of our lives with the  promise that You will help us in the provision of the remaining percentage. However although you made this promise this does not mean that we are to retire from our employment and spend our days praying on the work of God. A healthy balance is to be found. When God sees that we have our focus on Him our life changes and we are then open to receive His divine providence which is in both graces and at times even material goods according to the given situation. Jesus may not come personally with a blank check but may stimulate somebody to place an advert for a job vacancy to you and me are able to apply for as eligible candidates.

 34. "So do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today.

(Matthew chapter 6 verse 34)

When we worry we increase our stress and even have a negative impact on those around around us. Worry can only breed further worry, therefore in order to free ourselves from this vicious circle we are to place our trust in God and live the day. In his sermon on the mount Jesus instructs us not to be burdened with demands that do not actually concern the given moment or time. This does not mean that we are to be lax in our duties, but on the other hand if we place our faith and trust in Him we will not end up biting more than we can chew. One thing we can keep in mind is that if everything fails in life God is our safety net and He is able to provide us with all we need. He has already given us a social system that caters for our needs from the cradle to the grave, on the other hand if we die at least we know that we have a Father in heaven who is ready to welcome us as His sons and daughters, therefore on reflecting we have really nothing to worry about.

In order to remain on this positive note in light of verse 34 which brings us to the end of chapter 6 of the book of Gospel of Matthew I invite you to click on the following link and reflect and maybe even join Bob Marley in his song in a spirit of prayer that like Jesus invites us not to worry.

Song Don't Worry be happy

The Gospel according to Matthew Chapter 5

 MATTHEW

 CHAPTER

 5

1. When  Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

(Matthew chapter 5 verses 1 and 2)

Before addressing the waiting crowds Jesus went alone to pray on the mountain. When he felt empowered by the Holy Spirit of God his disciples came to him and He began teaching the people. What a nice thing it is to pray to You oh God before deciding to embark on a project that may bring changes in our lives or even in that of others. If You oh God felt the need to pray, how much more do we need to pray for Your guidance.

Before continuing our prayer on Matthew chapter 5 we are also going to pray to the Holy Spirit of God so that He will illuminate us so that we get the message of His Word.

Oh God inflame my mind so that I can receive the message that is in Your Holy Word. Give me a brain that is open to receive from You and also to share with others. Please give the insights, feelings and motivation so that I can apply in my life all the teachings that You are going to pass on to me. I pray that You empty me of my concerns and fill me up with Your Divine Holy Spirit so that I can be a channel of Your love.

Amen

In order to become familiar with the teachings of Jesus on the mountain and maybe even consider us as being among the crowd please click on the following link.

Sermon on the Mountain

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

(Matthew Chapter 5)


Blessed are the poor in spirit for they are empty of themselves and are full in You Oh Father. Today I realise more than ever that, if I am full with myself, meaning that I am envious, proud and full of aims and personal agenda to be ahead of others, I have no space for You in my heart and self. However this does not mean that I am not to love my self or hate my sinful self, but that the focus of my life is to be on You and not based on my self and on my aspirations and personal ambitions. My main aim in life is to live according to Your ways and be an example for both my family and others in my inner and outer circles, so that through my way of life based on Your Word and on the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church (Others may follow their own churches no problem) we can all reach our ultimate end that is the salvation of our souls by the grace of God and one day we may be all reunited together in the presence of God.


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

(Matthew chapter 5 verse 4)


For all those who used to think oh God that those who experience negative events are cursed or under a bad omen, they are in for a surprise. Nothing is beyond the control of you my father. As much as humans such as psychologists, bereavement therapists or social workers try to give us comfort and understanding it is only God who can give us the necessary support. A very efficient way is to go in the Holy Presence of God in the Eucharist or at our prayer corner and pour out our troubles to You my God. God gives us comfort that the world cannot ever dream of offering to our troubled souls He is our comforter and our healer.


In this respect I would like to share the following reflection that was given to me to publish by Patricia Bailey a long time ago. Patricia Bailey is a follower of this blog

                                                   May you know that God loves you. 

                                                   May you know that you are saved by Jesus.

                                                   May you know that He cares for you, always.

                                                   May you sleep deeply and peacefully.

                                                   May you wake with gratitude.

                                                   May you know you are worthy

                                                   May you glow with happiness.

                                                   May God bless you, day after day,

                                                   in the name above all names, in Jesus Name.

                                                                            Amen!

5. Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth.

(Matthew chapter 5 verse 5)


Blessed are those who are not full of themselves with pride and vain glory. Blessed are those who do not consider themselves better than others. When we are humble we are ready to receive and also to give. When we are proud we can neither receive because we are to proud to accept that we are in need and too selfish to share with others.


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

(Matthew chapter 5 verse 6)


Oh father may we all experience hunger for You and your 'Word'. You are not speaking of a hunger that can be satisfied with the food and drinks of the world. Whoever eats of this food will experience hunger through lack of food once they have consumed their food, however those who experience You will have a larger craving not because they would desire more and more of You. May we always experience more of this craving and receive the fulfillment that only You can give.


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

(Matthew chapter 5 verse 7)


Love breeds love oh God, and hatred breeds never ending hatred, however if we show mercy to those who have harmed us or who have been unfair or even hurt us this would be more considered worthy in God's eyes. Moreover Jesus showed just this up to the very last breath of his life. He kept on forgiving us and is still offering us forgiveness by means of the sacrament of reconciliation. 


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

(Matthew chapter 5 verse 8)


Indeed blessed are the pure in heart, a heart that is focused on You and free from the desires and contamination of this sinful world that is becoming corrupted with each passing day. Even our food is no longer pure but contaminated by chemicals and preservatives and additives. Gradually we are losing the sense and meaning of the word pure because many things that existed in their natural state as You created are being modified and have become totally artificial.


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

(Matthew chapter 5 verse 9)

It is considered a fact that children are similar in particular traits to their parents therefore we are similar to God who is also our parent. You oh God are the only peacemaker that the world cannot do without. The devil master of discord and confusion does all to create disharmony and sin in the world and even within our brains thus causing us to sin against You and others by stimulating our drives, needs and even emotions in heated situations in order to get us into trouble and sin against You. Therefore blessed are those who try to focus on the positive even in a situation that appears to be totally negative and attempts to solve the issue and thus creates order again.


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

(Matthew chapter 5 verse 10)

Blessed are those who were beheaded during our times because they were Christians, blessed are they when they had to decide to either renounce their belief or flee their homeland. Blessed are we when we lose our jobs because of our belief in You oh God. Blessed are we when we forgive others who attempted to kill us, destroy our marriages even abuse our children.


11. "Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

(Matthew chapter 5 verse 11)


Oh God when making such a declaration You may have already been picturing Your passion and those who would give false witness against You. Oh father make us more like You especially in such situations. In verses 12 You teach us what our attitude is to be during such moments.


12. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

(Matthew chapter 5 verse 12)


Oh God unlike the world You want us to adopt an attitude of thanks giving to You and still be happy even during trials and tribulations. For even if we are unjustly denied of what is due to us, You will generously compensate us with something better and bring out the good even from what appears to be a tragic situation. You are able to turn the situation into our favour if our attitude is like yours. You love us so much and You like it when Your children thank You for the never ending means of support that You give to Your children.


13. "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

(Matthew chapter 5 verse 13)


We are those that have faith in You oh God, however if we do not set an example of our faith in You oh Father we would be worthy to face the disgrace of humiliation. This does not mean that if we feel that we are not giving testimony of our faith we place ourselves on the floor and tell somebody to walk all over us. In this respect this means that if we who consider ourselves as believers stop giving witness of our faith we would be no better than those who wilfully do not believe in God.


14. "You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

(Matthew chapter 5 verses 14 to 16)


We have received the light of faith, therefore our light must shine and not be hidden and blocked from letting forth its light. As Christians we must charge our batteries by means of the sacraments and shed our light others by means of the way we live and the faith that we practise.


17. "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.

(Matthew chapter 5 verse 17)

Although Your message was that of the truth, from that very moment the evil one was already sowing the seeds of doubt and unbelief in the hearts of the people who were present. As much oh God as we welcome innovations in technology and scientific research as humans we have a fear of the unknown. In our spiritual journey this is also the case. We wish to follow You, however we might be afraid of the changes that we have to make in our lives in order to follow You. The question that comes to mind is whether we will be able to make the necessary adjustments in our ways, norms, beliefs and values that govern our lives like a personal constitution.


God is promising a way of life that upgrades our present way of life to one that that is compatible with the ways of God.


18. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.

(Matthew chapter 5 verse 18) 


God assured his audience that up to the moment of his passion and after that,  meaning the time when He would rise again and send us His Holy Spirit none of their laws would be changed. Oh God sometimes You speak in a way that I do not understand. I am sure that when You said, 'all is accomplished' many people did not understand the meaning of what you were referring to, however even though at times we lack understanding we still are to place our faith and trust fully in You.


19. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.


(Matthew chapter 5 verses 19 to 20)


Jesus assures the listeners and even us He did not intend to destroy our values that are according to His Will, however on the other hand we are to remain in obedience to His commandments and not do actions that are contrary to the teachings of Jesus and the Roman Catholic Church, for anybody who wilfully violates the will of God and teaches others to do the same is guilty for his own recklessness and even for leading others on the wrong path. Therefore people who teach the Word of God and even myself have the responsibility of not only writing things that are according to the will of God but even the responsibility of even living according to the will of God.

I pray to You oh God that You give me the strength and faith to live according to Your ways and not live the life of a hypocrite who writes and says one thing and lives a way of life that is contrary to that same belief as did the scribes and Pharisees at the time of Jesus.


21. "You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, 'You shall not murder'; and 'Whoever murders shall be liable to judgement.' 22. But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgement; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, 'You fool,' you will be liable to the hell of fire.

(Matthew chapter 5 verses 21 to 22)


What was said during the ancient times is still valid for our times. If one commits murder one is subject to judgement. When referring to murder we are referring to the death of the body. However when we hurt each others emotions by using harsh words we are also committing murder. This is the destruction of ones self esteem and of ones positive image of oneself. In the long run such negative feedback can have long term consequences on the part of the victim who if the person believes such feedback may end up hating and even hurting oneself and may even be the cause of suicide, During this long speech or sermon Jesus refers to the old traditions and customs and gives an update instead of abolishing the old ways that God had given to Moses and his descendants. God dose not make us abolish our ways and beliefs, but enlightens us with means that help us improve our relationship with Him and others.


23. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24. leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.

(Matthew chapter 5 verses 23 and 24)


According to Jesus what really matters is our relationships with others above anything else. He considers as being more important to reconcile with those who have wronged us than to go to a prayer meeting and give praise to Him while being in a state of anger with somebody. When in a state of anger we block out the presence of God from our lives and as, soon as God is out the Devil moves in and causes great harm and injury between those concerned.


25. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny

(Matthew chapter 5 verses 25 to 26)


Oh God You love us so much that You keep on giving us lessons in order to live a life that is in harmony with Your will and that is according to the well being of social order. When we become angry we create a state of disorder both within us and even beyond us, and this may have a negative impact both within ourselves and even on those making part of our inner and outer circles. Personally our emotions are stimulated so we may become angry and aggressive, Therefore wen in such a state it is best to calm down by referring to God in a spirit of prayer, realise that if someone has wronged us, at some time in our lives we have also hurt and wronged other people and that the pattern never ends, however God has given us the power to make that difference and become peace makers instead of trouble makers.


27. "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery,' 28. But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

(Matthew chapter 5 verses 27 and 28)


When we look at someone and fix our eyes on its beauty we form an image of beauty and love in our mind nevertheless if the source of beauty is not ours, however if the image becomes a need and a want so much that we have an intimate relationship with another person's wife or husband that is really against the will of God. So the best thing is to either avoid looking or at least make the look a one time affair and  not stare or wink at the woman or man as an invitation.


29. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell

(Matthew chapter 5 verse 29)


By no means does God want us to pluck out our eyes or cause physical bodily harm to our selves. The underlined message is to do our best to avoid all situations that may be of temptation and cause us to commit one sin after another. The reference made by Jesus to the eye can be applied to other members of the body such as the tongue which is also a very dangerous weapon if given the occasion to be used in a negative way.


Oh God forgive me, for as a human I have let my tongue and other senses take the better side of me and have also been a source of injury to others. Although I meditate on Your Word each day I am still not spared from the temptation of committing such sins with my tongue and other members of my body.


30. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.

(Matthew chapter 5 verse 30)


If I come across many one handed people I would be sure that they are Christians or maybe people who have followed this blog. Excuse my joke oh God, but I feel sure that You do not wish us to cut off our hands but to make sure that we use our hands to do positive actions instead of negative ones.


31. " It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him giver her a certificate of divorce.' 32. But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. 

(Matthew chapter 5 verse 31 to 32)


With reference to the issue of divorce and the only grounds of divorce please click on the following link

Grounds for divorce

God and divorce


33. "Again, you you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, 'You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord,' 34. But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35. or by earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

(Matthew chapter 5 verses 33 to 35)


In His sermon on the mount Jesus gives us another important update concerning the taking of oaths. The law especially in courts compels us to say the truth under oath and we are to obey such legal instruction. Jesus also respected the authority of His time. In His sermon Jesus was aware of the antagonism that existed between the Romans's and the people of His time. However He still demanded that oaths may not be taken by Jerusalem in order not to show disrespect to the authorities even though they may have been corrupt and unjust. Moreover Jesus was referring to oaths taken on ones children, self, Job and even family as is done by some. When taking oaths we are commanding God to justify us in situations that may be a times corrupt or unjust or only as a means to sustain our arguments which may have nothing to do with God all. Therefore in order to show our respect to God, ourselves and to others it is best not to take such oaths at all.


36. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37. Let your word be 'Yes, Yes' or 'No, No,; anything more than this comes from the evil one.

(Matthew chapter 5 verses 36 to 37)

Jesus strictly demands that at all times under every circumstance we are to stick to the truth. However although saying will set us free, it is not easy to accomplish because significant others or delicate situations may hinder us from being completely honest with ourselves and even with others. When constantly compelled or adopt the bad habit of saying lies or as some call them white lies we may end up living a lie even with ourselves.

In relation to the issue of saying the truth I would like to share with you the following video clip about saying the truth. Please click on the following link:

Always say the truth


38. "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,' 39. But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; 40. and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41. and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42. Give everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.

(Matthew chapter 5 verses 38 to 42)


According to the will of God as found also in the book of genesis, a negative action is not to be followed by another negative action. Following this vicious circle, the negativity will keep on spreading. In His sermon on the mount Jesus challenged or updated this old belief by introducing the issue of forgiveness. On reflecting on this verse oh father I commented 'so much ado and fuss on self-defense' because in truth You do not want us to retaliate in self-defence but as you did when physically assaulted, You turned the other cheek. Thank You my father for setting me such a good example to follow. I pray that if I ever end up in such a situation I will not refer to my instincts but keep your teaching in mind and humbly turn the other cheek.


In this respect I would like to share with you the following song by my favourite Country singer Kenny Rogers. The song is called 'Coward of the County'


Song Coward of the County


I have also included an illustrated version showing the action behind the words that helps us to grasp the message behind the song.

Illustrated version of the coward of the county


43. "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy,' 44. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45. so that you may be children of your Father in heaven;for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.

(Matthew chapter 5 verses 43 to 45)


In his sermon Jesus challenges for the second time the old issue of hitting back at our enemies. What is so hard about Your Word oh Father is that at times it goes against human logic and the instincts of our corrupt nature, which dictates that we love only those who love us. This is one of the greatest challenges of all times that compels us to go against our thinking and even our instincts. This requires of us to adopt a new updated attitude to life that is based on Your Word instead of on our sinful and carnal nature.


46. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47. And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48. Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

(Matthew chapter 5 verses 46 to 48)


When I was a student at the university of Malta one of my lecturers had a sticker having the following message; 'If you want to drive your enemies nuts love them'


We drive our enemies crazy because it is illogical to love a person who is totally against us, however as already mentioned Jesus is giving us this command to go against our own nature and love those whom we find it difficult to mingle with. This is one of the greatest challenges to humanity because as humans our sinful nature tends to create barriers against those who hurt us. It is only with the grace of God that a human ever succeeds in forgiving or loving a person who has hurt us or is making life difficult for us.


Oh Father I confess in Your presence that even though I love You and meditate on Your word every day, there are still people whom I still cannot forgive. Such people have either hurt me in the past or are still hurting me even at the present time of my life. I also admit oh father that as a human being I am still far from being perfect, and as a consequence there are people whom I have hurt in my life, both in my inner circles at home and in my extended family and even in my outer circles at work and other environments. I pray for your forgiveness oh Father for I am a great sinner. Although I do my best to control my self meaning my tongue in what I say and my brain in what I think, I am still facing difficulties and am still hurting others in the process. I pray for your forgiveness oh God and I pray that You help me in overcoming my sinful self by making me more aware of myself and more sensitive to others and their thoughts and feelings.

I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer, that was generously donated to us by Mary Geveetha who although is a very busy person still found time to send me this prayer via email. I thank her my wife Shirley who is meditating on the gospel of St Mark, and Mr. Devain Ajit Pawar for they are my right and left hand in the continuation of this blog. In Your name oh Father please send your blessings and care and please help them in all their needs. I also wish to pray for a person who is also following this blog so that You oh father can intervene in the relationship issue that he and his loved one are facing so that they will be reunited if it is according to Your Will.

Heavenly Father,

In our profession of faith, we pray to be wise people who have our lamps of faith lit and be awake with sound knowledge of Your word and settled resolution in all trials and tribulations.


Create in us a steadfast spirit O Father, so that we shine in goodness,  in our love for You and our brethren. May we never grow remiss and slackened in our spiritual growth and development. As we keep ready oil for our lamps, may we keep pursuing repentance and a righteous living and be ever ready to meet You at Your judgement seat. As many are called but few chosen, we pray to be the chosen to receive the crown of inheritance of Your Kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Bless us Father with the Holy Spirit that we may be become prudent and diligent servants of Jesus Christ our Lord. May we realise that nothing we inherit upon earth is our own except sin, which is the outcome of our desires of flesh and wants of the worldly pleasures. Let us not envy sinners, or covet any of their perishing possessions in the ways of the world but desire the great inheritance of heaven.


We pray to understand and succumb to the fact that it is the real Christian's liberty and privilege to be employed as His servant, in promoting His glory, and the good of His people.  We pray that we no longer selfishly live for ourselves but in love of Christ who died for us and serve in His great commission towards the well being of His people. May our selfless giving to the poor and needy, the care for the sick and lonely, and the acceptance of the abandoned and those set aside by society be our prime concern in love and service. May the love of Christ flow through our hearts in perfect peace as we radiate His love in our love for our brethren who are in need.

Father, we await in faith and hope the great coming of our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ. We rejoice in our hearts knowing that He will come again in reign as King of Glory and mediator and the ultimate judge of the living and dead. We pray that we make ourselves aware that there is a judgement to come, in which every man shall be sentenced to a state of everlasting happiness, or misery.


The wicked and godly who now dwell together will be parted on the day of judgement. Jesus Christ is the great judge who will shortly distinguish between those that are His, and those that are not. All other distinctions will be done away with, but the great one between saints and sinners, holy and unholy, will remain for ever. We earnestly pray that we will be a people who will share in the great Grace of Lord Jesus Christ.

We pray this prayer in the blessed name of Jesus, Amen

(Prayer by Mary Geveetha)

The Gospel according to Matthew Chapter 4

MATTHEW 

CHAPTER

 4

Due to an internal error I was under the impression that all the published posts were being shared to all in my circles and contacts, however according to the feedback that I received the chapters following Exodus chapter 33 and Matthew chapter 1 to 3 were not received by all. In order In order not to keep on filling your inbox with chapters please click on the following link that is there for your perusal and view the missing chapters. Thanks and God bless 

From Exodus 33 onwards

Matthew Chapter 1 following

1. Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

(Matthew chapter 4 verse 1)

Once that we receive God's baptism and we become part of the family of God we become open to the temptations of the Devil, who will start or continue to hate us as much as he hates Jesus and those who desire and wilfully try to walk in His ways. Therefore especially if, we are still toddlers and full of Spirit or still in our 'honeymoon' period with Jesus, we are to be aware that in this of our relationship with God we are still weak and prone to be tempted by the Devil and his evil spirits. Therefore as a means of self-defence in order to keep our firewall activated we are to remain firm in our daily prayers and meditation on the Word of God, so that our focus will remain planted on Him and not on the ways of the Devil who makes bad use of the ways of the world, both on line and offline. All that God has overlaid with gold to be used with a good intent such as the Internet among others, the Devil corrupts it by using it or turning it into a bad and sinful way in order to tempt us to fall into one sin after another such as in the visiting of pornographic sites or sites that are atheist in both content and visual content. Therefore let us keep our firewalls activated and our virus scanners updated and active so that with the grace of God we can withstand the temptations of the evil one.

2. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. 3. The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread."

(Matthew chapter 4 verses 2 to 3)

On having reached the state of exhaustion of our situations the evil one moves in to strike us with his dagger, the weapon of depression and desperation. The aim of the Devil is to destroy our faith and hope in God as in the following link, so that we may place our trust in him and give him praise and worship. In order to view a typical manifestation of his evil power please click on the following link;-

Temptations of Jesus in the wilderness

4. But he answered, "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'

(Matthew chapter 4 verse 4)

On being tempted by the Devil, Jesus did not use, psychology, philosophy or rhetoric to counteract the temptations of the Devil. On the contrary Jesus quoted scripture based on His relationship with God His father. It is a fact that God the' Master Creator' is our sole benefactor. All existence and resources has its roots in Him and even owes to You my God its very existence. Your Word is strong and nutritious  enough to replenish my soul. You are able to fill in the black holes of my life, satisfy my urges, needs and desires. You are my fulfilment. Indeed there is none like You my God.

In a spirit of praise and worship I invite you to join me in listening to this prayer and maybe even lift your hearts in praise by singing along with our source

Song "There is none like You".   

5. Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6. saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down: for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone."

(Matthew chapter 4 verses 5 to 6)


As in the case of Jesus and the Devil, the evil one first gives us all we need to reach the pinnacle of our needs or careers that he turns to evil doing, and then comes 'pay day' when he demands that we give our souls to him to be damned in hell forever. The Devil is able to make bad use of good means such as the misinterpretation of good means such as scripture which as in the given scenario is being quoted in order to achieve a negative means.

7. Jesus said to him,  to him "Again it is written, 'Do not put the LORD your God to the test.'"

(Matthew chapter 4 verse 7)


Oh how many times Oh Father have I put You to the test, You, the one and only reason for my existence. During moments of lack of faith I have truly done so my God. When I have placed a condition on my prayers I have tested You oh God. "If you find me a good job, I will fast for a year' which is an exaggerated but typical example of our conditions, which is a shame when considering that You oh God are always aware of our wants and needs.


8. Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; 9.and he said to him. "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me."

(Matthew chapter 4 verses 8 to 9)


The devil showed You all that is of the world, with all its fake splendour. All that was Yours in the beginning that was created on a perfect model is now gradually becoming artificial and insufficient to meet the needs of the world. All that is appearing as splendour is deceptive and not as magnificent at is appears. Life is becoming so deceptive in the sense that both people and systems cannot be trusted and considered as being totally reliable. The devil offered You power, which in itself is ironic. The King of Kings has all the power that one can ever dream of, however You decided to take on Yourself the form of a human in order to redeem us. This is what I call true love.


10. Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan for it is written, 'Worship the Lord your God and serve only him."

(Matthew chapter 4 verse 10)


 Jesus shows Satan who really has power and authority. Jesus commands the devil to go away from him. Moreover Jesus claims that all praise and worship is to be focused on Him and not on people or things of the world. This means that no person has the authority to claim domination over another and exercise absolute, domination over that person as is the case where a person claims domination over another thus reducing that person to the point of human indignity. This can be the case in any scenario both at work and at home. A wife or a husband or even children can end up in an abusive situation where in order to comply with the needs and authority of the abuser one would have to accept conditions that are both inhumane and that go against both the will of God and even human values. This can also be the case in world powers where citizens are subjected to conditions that cannot be claimed as being human and are therefore a violation of human rights.


11. Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

(Matthew chapter 4 verse 11)


As in the case of Jesus after, a period of tribulation or even periods of tribulation God does not abandon us but sends His angels or even humans to help, support and even console us so that our spiritual, social and psychological welfare will not be harmed placed in a critical situation that conditions our faith in Him. As much as God loves His Son, God also loves us so we are to rest assured that even if we live at the end of the world God still has access to us and has compassion and love for us in our situation.


12. Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested he withdrew to Galilee.

(Matthew chapter 4 verse 12)


Now that John had been arrested, the people were like flocks without a leader. One great spark had been removed, therefore it was time for Jesus to move in and begin His ministry. Now that He had been baptised in the Holy Spirit He was officially ready to undertake this mission that would lead to our salvation. God still works in the same way even today. When a pope or bishop, dies or retires as was the previous case even in Malta, the Roman Catholic Church in a spirit of prayer elects a new pope or bishop in order to fill in the vacant role. God does not want us to remain without leaders because this is unhealthy for our spiritual and holistic development.


13. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14. so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 15. "Land of Zebulun, Land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles-16. the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned."

(Matthew chapter 4 verses 13 to 16)


Jesus does not waste time, His mission was to begin where the need really is. However in order to reach this goal, you oh Son of God needed to venture from the land of your security into a land of sin that was dominated by the darkness of evil. As humans we also need to take the risk and make the leap of faith into the unknown in order to help fulfil the will of God even if this means going against our own will.


17. From that time Jesus began to proclaim, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."

(Matthew chapter 4 verse 17)


The kingdom of God is You oh God! You have come so near to us, You are closer to us more than our own skin and blood but we do not experience You because we have become alienated by the ways of the world. Our lives has become dominated by our hobbies, festivities, parties, relationships both on line and offline that at times become unhealthy and also we have laid down our boundaries and let Satan enter our lives. The world is alienating us from You by means of technological advances that are causing us to meddle in issues such as genetics that is placing humanity in the centre of control and putting You aside. Forgive us oh God because we know not what we are doing and the negative implications of our actions. We are wearing a blindfold and are calling the darkness light and light darkness.


18. As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea-for they were fishermen.

(Matthew chapter 4 verse 18)


During our times Jesus is still making home visits and even work place visits. Oh Jesus You are craving to have fellowship with us by calling us to follow Your ways and make it our way of life. Every day God is calling however, in order to listen to Your call oh God we need to be available. However nonetheless You are still able to intervene even though we may shut the doors of our life to You.


19. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people."

(Matthew chapter 4 verse 19)


Today Jesus is asking us to follow in His steps. To follow in His steps means to adopt a new life style based on His teachings and those given by Him by means of the Church. In order to follow Jesus we will need to go against the sinful ways of the world which appear to be logical and give pleasure and place our focus on God alone. This does not mean that our lives become mediocre or depressive, or that we become social outcasts. Following Jesus means that we are to switch on the filter that is able to discriminate what is of God from what is not. Moreover from then on we will be strong enough by means of the Holy Spirit of God that dwells in us to encourage others to follow in the ways of God.


 20. Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

(Matthew chapter 4 verse 20)


Our response to the calling of God is to be immediate that means without doubt or procrastination. Our faith is to be strong enough to compel us to respond to the call of God. In a spirit of praise and worship to God let us pray for us all because in some way or another we all have decided to follow God with a strong and serious commitment. On the other hand we can pray for our pope, priests monks, nuns, ministers and even spiritual leaders, for they have all renounced the ways of the world in order to follow You my God.


21. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets and he called them.

(Matthew chapter 4 verse 21)


Zebedee and his family set a perfect example for us all. Some time or other our relationships tend to become stressed. We start stepping on each others toes and some of us may end up hurt or even seriously hurt in the process. However You love us so much that even after the negative elements of an argument have been expressed You kindly bring out the good from that same bad or negativity. I would like to thank You oh father that although my family was passing through a hard time, now the situation is much better so much that You have inspired my wife Shirley to start praying on the Gospel of St Mark Chapter 1, This means that we are reunited in a spirit of praise and worship to You Oh God.  I pray that You bless us with a spirit of unity. I wish to raise my prayers oh Father and intercede for a particular couple who wish to reunite so that You will strengthen the bond between themselves, among each other and also with You, because there can exist no unity in marriage if You are not present.


22. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

(Matthew chapter 4 verse 22)


In order to imagine such as situation please click on the following link:-

The calling of the apostles


Although Zebedee ended up short of staff and may have had to employ new fishermen I imagine that later on he was proud to have his sons follow in the ways of Jesus. Lets all give thanks to God for those parents who are given the gift of generosity to let their sons and daughters leave their homes in order to dedicate their lives in the service of God. In this spirit of thanks giving please join me in the following prayer for vocations

Prayer for vocations


God calls us in different ways, but He calls. When I was looking for the prayer for vocations God gave me the following vocation stories that I would like to share with you;-

Vocation Stories 

Conversion from an atheist to a Christian


23. Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

(Mathew chapter 4 verse 23)


The good news of Jesus brings healing to the soul and even to the body. As based on my personal experience oh God my father I used to suffer from a chronic condition called 'Irritable Bowel Syndrome' which causes very painful cramps in the intestines. I went to many doctors with the hope of finding a cure for this syndrome however the offered solutions were of almost no help whatsoever. In fact apart from one doctor who told me not to eat wheat products or drink products containing lactose the other doctors were of no help at all.


At long last I consulted the one and only healer that is You my God. You inspired me to start praying and meditating on Your word and even inspired me to pray for the healing of my body soul and spirit during the consecration of the simple offerings of bread and wine. The more I placed my faith and trust in You and Your Holy Word, the more the process of my healing started to unfold. Today I can consider myself as being totally healed. I am still living in the same stress related variables, however the consequences are of no harm to my body soul and spirit.


24. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought to him all the sick, those who were afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he cured them.

(Matthew chapter 4 verse 24)

The fame of Jesus spread far and wide because of the acts of healing that He was performing. The people placed Jesus in the spotlight. However on reflecting oh God You are humble and never had the aim of becoming a popular public figure in mind. You were aware and are still aware that those people who were making you popular would one day, utter the call 'Crucify Him we ant Barabbas', however You still did not deny them Your healing grace and power.


Although You know what we are made of You do not condemn us. You are kind loving and merciful even though we are unfaithful to you. You are our healer. In a spirit of praise and worship let us give praise and sing with the following song Jesus you are the LORD my healer.

I am the God that heals You


25. And great crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

(Matthew chapter 4 verse 25)


Many people from different places followed Jesus and His Word. From many different places in the world many people are following this blog. I thank You God for all the people who are currently following this blog which is based on Your Word. I thank You also for those people who do not comment on this blog, they are still part of this great family of the body of Jesus Christ. In order to have an idea about how many people and from which countries this blog is being viewed place refer to the following exhibit that is copied from the statistics of this blog. I thank You God for each and every person who has visited this blog. May we all benefit from the fruit of the Holy Spirit. May Your word not return to You oh God before it has left its beneficial graces and inspiration and most of all bringing faith to all who receive it.

Entry	Pageviews
Malta	330
United States	296
United Arab Emirates	5
Malaysia	3
Taiwan	3
Brazil	1
Germany	1
United Kingdom	1
Ireland	1
India

 

I would like to end this chapter with a prayer that has been donated to us by Mary Geveetha a regular follower and contributor of this blog to whom I am very greatfull

Almighty Father,

It is evident that even Your beloved Son, was not free from Satan, his temptations and his, evil pursuit and constant attempts, to turn Your Son against You. However once baptised and thus, filled with Your Divine Holy Spirit our Lord Jesus Christ strongly but gently, rebuked Satan, and never allowed or accepted, the offers of great privileges, power and fame to come before honouring You as Father and God.

We pray to live according to Your Word. As it is s written that we shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of You our God. We call upon You Lord Jesus to guard us through the Holy Spirit. We know the evil one is so subtle, spiteful and daring. Help us we pray, not to be off our guard as he watches our every step. Help us watch, out for he is able to tempt even  people who are holy such as yourself let alone wretched sinners such as us. Satan is able to tempt people of all classes and stature with the negative drives of pride, presumption and vain glory.


Oh God my father, may we always stand strong armed with Your full armour of the Your Holy Spirit. May we be protected from sweet deceit and the lure of all worldly advancement, adding pleasure that is not of You our God.

Grant us Lord the gift of the Holy Spirit may You dwell in our body, mind and soul so much that we may be alert, quick and firm in resisting Satan's temptation. May we never seek the glory of the world by sneaking away from our call for a righteous living and duty and forfeit Your protection.

We pray to lead a life holy and pleasing in Your sight, where You Lord Jesus are always welcome in our hearts and home, as we walk in Your light and guidance. May Your word always be a lamp unto our feet, guiding us forever in the path of truth and light conquering sin and temptation and bringing us repentance and reconciliation both with ourselves, You and others.

May we always remember that You Lord call on the humble, gentle and the lowly for Your handiwork and to be 'fishers of men'. May we understand and pray to be ready in Your calling, full of faith and diligence, with the simplicity of heart, by just saying yes to your call and let nothing hinder our move to follow Your will and take up our cross.

As we offer our lives to You, chose us Lord to become Your witnesses. May Your grace and healing powers work through each of us, as You come in aid to all those who call upon You in their sickness and sin. 

We earnestly pray to become Your light to one who's lost and in sin, to bring Your healing powers  to the sick and Your power of deliverance to one tormented by evil captivation.

We pray in the blessed name of Jesus, Amen!

The Gospel According to Matthew Chapter 3

MATTHEW

 CHAPTER

 3

1. In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea; proclaiming, 2. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."

(Matthew chapter 3 verses 1 to 2)


From since the time of Jesus oh father You were making aware of the need to change our lives by turning back to You oh God in a spirit of repentance. Although this call has been proclaimed a long time ago it is still relevant for us today. God is telling us to change our ways, for we do not know when our last second on this earth will be. Our salvation may be nearer than we ever thought it to be, therefore it is very important of us to confess our sins regularly so that if God happens to call us away from this world to join Him in a better and more beautiful one in his presence we will be ready.


 3. This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'"

(Matthew chapter 3 verse 3)


If there was ever a person who was ever spoken of this was Jesus Christ. Even before You were born oh God as a human You already had a star, and people had already placed their belief in You and Your existence even people like the wise men who did not have faith in You only faith based on astronomical evidence,


4. Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

(Matthew chapter 3 verse 4)


God speaks in simplicity and in truth. Therefore in order to transmit His message He uses such people such as John the Baptist, who in order to follow the will of God chose to lead to follow a simple life based on natural resources that took him in the solitude of the desert where he could make a direct experience of God and was therefore not exposed to the luxuries of life of the people of his time.This is a lesson for us all. Our focus is to be on God and not only on the luxuries of the world. It is wise and good to make use of the resources and opportunities that God, puts in our way, however it is far more important to place God in the centre, the hub on which our lives rotate.


 5. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, 6. and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

(Matthew chapter 3 verses 5 to 6)


The people of Jerusalem all knew that John had something special. Something that they did not yet have but wished to have. This was the presence of Jesus. Many people attend to prayer meetings with the aim of making an experience of God, others go to see healing take place. All have different reasons for going. John offered a new baptism with water but only Jesus could forgive us entirely of our sins. By means of his form of baptism, John was paving the way for the coming of Jesus.


7. But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8. Bear fruit worthy of repentance. 9. Do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

(Matthew chapter 3 verses 7 to 9)


On reflecting on verses 7 to 9 oh God we become of the fact that we cannot take for granted the fact that our salvation is secured because we are Christians. Every day of our life oh father I am to seek growth in our relationship, that type of growth that only You can make possible.


10. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

(Matthew chapter 3 verse 10)

For those of us who think that they can afford to delay the changes in their live leading to their salvation, they are to think again and re consider that the hour of their salvation may be closer than they actually imagine. Tonight may be our last night on earth. Moreover tomorrow morning or tonight we may actually be appearing before God in order to face our judgement which cannot be avoided or delayed whatever the outcome of God's final decision.


In order to view our friend John the baptist in our context please click on the following link


John the Baptist


11. "I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me: I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

(Matthew chapter 3 verses 11 to 12)


John the Baptist draws a distinction between the baptism that he was giving the people to the one that Jesus would later on give by means of his passion and the sending of the Holy Spirit. In order to gain a better understanding of the difference between the baptism offered by John the Baptist to that offered by Jesus please click on the following links:-


Difference by John Baptist Baptism and that of Jesus

Difference between baptism of John to that of Jesus


13. Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" 15. But Jesus answered him," Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented.

(Matthew chapter 3 verses 13 to 15)


On reflecting one would ask why in the world would John the Baptist deny Jesus the opportunity to be baptised by him. The reason is that Jesus was without sin and therefore did not need to be baptised by John. However before beginning His ministry in this world Jesus wanted to be baptised. He wanted to begin His ministry with a worldly baptism which would serve as an introduction to His God given ministry that would lead to the baptism by his blood on the cross, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit after He had risen from His death.


At times maybe even without our knowing we may also be of a hindrance to each others spiritual life. Instead of paving the way to others salvation we may well be a stumbling block by means of our sinful life, bad behaviour and or even being of a scandal to others. Therefore we are to be very careful in what we do and say, so that God's will may continue to unfold both for us and for others.


16. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17. And a voice from heaven said. "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."

(Matthew chapter 3 verses 16 to 17)


God showed us that He was pleased joyful and happy with His Son who became human for our salvation, however as humans there are some of us, who are not pleased at all. Among us there are those for whom You are of a discomfort oh God because Your Word shakes the foundations of their crooked beliefs and values and they are teaching others to follow their crooked philosophy. People who have no place for You in their lives feel threaten by You because the truth causes them discomfort, while those of us who have accepted Your Word as being the truth, regardless of what other books and findings may say Your presence makes them feel pleased, happy and satisfied. May we always share these positive thoughts and feelings about You my God.



 In order to picture the circumstances befalling the baptism of Jesus please click on following link:-


The baptism of Jesus


On reflecting the time of Jesus' baptism was a very important time in His life as a human. It was the introductory phase of his mission on earth. The time of our baptism is also very important for us because it marks our entry into the Roman Catholic Church as active members.


I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:

Oh Holy Father I would like to thank You for accepting me as an active member of Your Sacred body. I thank You for giving me this opportunity to live my Christian life to the fullest by giving testimony by both word and deed of your mercy, loving kindness and mercy. 

Thank You God my father.