Humbly submit your will to God (thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Beloved:
The grace of God has appeared, saving all
and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires
and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age,
as we await the blessed hope,
the appearance of the glory of our great God
and savior Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness
and to cleanse for himself a people as his own,
eager to do what is good.
When the kindness and generous love
of God our savior appeared,
not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,
He saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life. Tim 2:11-14, 3:4-7
Timothy teaches us the power of God’s grace and love are more powerful than anything in the world. The grace of God saved us through Jesus and trains us. Denzel Washington had a line in a movie that said, “There is no such thing as tough only trained”. God’s grace trains us to “reject godless ways and worldly desires and live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age”. If we train ourselves in God’s ways with His grace, we create and sustain good habits/virtue. This is the answer to fighting sin/Satan in your life and growing in holiness fulfilling your baptismal promises on a daily basis. This is timeless advice. We must train ourselves with God’s grace, but first we must bring ourselves to God’s grace in the Sacraments, prayer, Adoration, and “eager to do what is good”. Second, Timothy reminds us that we have done nothing to earn God’s grace. He gives it to us out of mercy by sending His Son into the world to save us and gives us grace through the ordination of men in the Church (from the first bishops/Apostles to our bishops today to our priests). Grace is a free gift and is necessary to attain eternal life. God deserves our gratitude, praise, worship, and adoration for this great gift and we have a free will to choose it or deny it. Jesus has prepared a host for us everyday. Priests spend time in confessionals everyday. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is going on every hour of everyday throughout the world. We must train ourselves to receive this great gift God has made for us. The Devil will do whatever it takes in his power to stop us. God’s grace cannot be stopped by the Devil, the Devil is powerless against it. Are you ready to fight?
The people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,
“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
After all the people had been baptized
and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying,
heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him
in bodily form like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven,
“You are my beloved Son;
with you I am well pleased.” Lk 3:15-16, 21-22
At baptism, we are freed of Original Sin and all sin which makes us very holy. We become other Christs. We don’t sign ourselves with our cross, but with Christ’s cross. At baptism, Christ claims us, we are no longer ours. We are adopted sons and daughters of God. Most of us were baptized at infancy. We had no idea what responsibility was required of us. Renewing your baptismal promises/vows may be one of the most revolutionary things you can do to remind you of your responsibility of a child of God and remind us how much God loves us.
And so I ask you:
V. Do you renounce sin, so as to live in the freedom of the children of God?
R. I do.
V. Do you renounce the lure of evil, so that sin may have no mastery over you?
R. I do.
V. Do you renounce Satan, the author and prince of sin?
R. I do.
V. Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth?
R. I do.
V. Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered death and was buried, rose again from the dead and is seated at the right hand of the Father?
R. I do.
V. Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?
R. I do.
V. And may almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us new birth by water and the Holy Spirit and bestowed on us forgiveness of our sins, keep us by his grace, in Christ Jesus our Lord, for eternal life.
R. Amen.
Renounce Satan and live for God. He loves us so much He gave us His only Son out of mercy, not by anything we did. This battle begins in our minds, the Holy Spirit lives in us to guide us, and our heart desires heaven. Put on the armor of God and fight, your destiny in eternal life depends on it.
Today’s challenge: Renew you baptismal promises, praise God everyday for this great gift of grace, fight Satan by training yourself in God’s grace, then you will be tough.
Be a servant, become a saint!
#Christian YOLO
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