29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
The sacrifices you make to follow the Lord may seem quite great at times, even causing you to question yourself. Be assured that the Lord has promised that you will not be disappointed. His blessings will flow into your life both now and in the world to come.
Guardian Angel,
watch over those whose names you can read in my heart.
Guard over them with every care
and make their way easy and their labors fruitful.
Dry their tears if they weep;
sanctify their joys;
raise their courage if they weaken;
restore their hope if they lose heart,
their health if they be ill,
repentance if they fail.
All Souls’ Day, November 2, Pray for the Dead#AllSoulsDay
2 Maccabees 12:44-45
44 For had he not expected the fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead,
45 whereas if he had in view the splendid recompense reserved for those who make a pious end, the thought was holy and devout. Hence, he had this expiatory sacrifice offered for the dead, so that they might be released from their sin.
“On this day is observed the commemoration of the faithful departed, in which our common and pious Mother the Church, immediately after having endeavored to celebrate by worthy praise all her children who already rejoice in heaven, strives to aid by her powerful intercession with Christ, her Lord and Spouse, all those who still groan in purgatory, so that they may join as soon as possible the inhabitants of the heavenly city.”
Everything you want to know in life is in the Bible. As having my Christian roots in Catholicism, I did not know the Sign of the Cross was referenced in the Bible. Yes, I still bow my head when the name of Jesus is said. I never take Holy Communion in my hand. I am old school. But I never learned the Bible in nine years of Catholic School. Not until I went to a Baptist women Bible Study did I understand what the Bible means. Wow, I am just learning after 6 decades of life.
Pray continually, Paul urged the Thessalonians. The early church fathers took this one step further: continually make the sign of the cross.
“In all our travels and movements, in all our coming in and going out, in putting on our shoes, at the bath, at the table, in lighting our candles, in lying down, in sitting down, whatever employment occupies us, we mark our foreheads with the sign of the cross,” wrote Tertullian at the turn of the third century, A.D. In the fourth century, St. John Chrysostom (apparently anticipating an American Express slogan) wrote, “never leave home without making the sign of the cross.”
Andreopoulos and Ghezzi find in the sign of the cross a symbol of baptism, protection, profession of faith, defiance of the Devil, invocation of God’s power, solidarity with the church, and a rebuke of self-indulgence—to name a few.
The origins of the sign are unknown; as Andreopoulos points out: “our information is sparse because this ancient practice emerged naturally, as something that made sense to most Christians.” The earliest descriptions, such as Tertullian’s, indicate that the cross was made with one finger—probably the thumb—on the forehead in the shape of a Hebrew T or a Greek X, letters that stood for names of God and Christ. Presumably, early Christians were taking their cues from passages in Genesis 4:15, Ezekiel 9:4, and Revelation 14:1 and 22:4 that describe a mark on the forehead as a sign of God’s claim on a person.
“The spiritual weight of the sign has always been the same,” Andreopoulos writes. “In texts from Tertullian and Origen to Kosmas and Aitolos, it is a blessing, a prayer, a proclamation of the Christian identity, a living mystery, and an acceptance of the role that God has given us.”
“Whether I sign myself silently or with the invocation [of ‘in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit’],” writes Ghezzi, “it helps me to look beyond the mundane things I have to do every day … and focus on God and on the greater part of reality, the part that is spiritual and invisible.”
9/11 Never Forget, September 11, 2001, World Trade Center.
On March 22, 2016, my son and I had decided to go to World Trade Center to visit finally.
It was a cold winter day I layered up with 4 sweaters as we were taking the train from Hamilton, park the car, to Penn Center, then subways to the Memorial. We had drove from our home right up the 295 North. We had decided to go National September 11 Memorial & Museum that day weeks before as we were celebrating my son Jordan’s 28th Birthday. But when I awoke, there was a horrific tragedy, Brussels Airport Bombed by ISIS.
Maybe you do not realized why you decide to do the things you do in everyday life. I knew that day we were supposed to go to that sacred place then. I had waited almost 15 years. It was time. My son found a flag in one of the names. He was Patrice Braut, the only Belgium citizen to die at the World Trade Center. My son looked it up on his cell phone instantly. I tried to do that to names around the pools but was overcome with grief. We arrived up there a couple of hours before sunset. I will never forget.
Please, Never Forget 9/11, September 11, 2001, The Day Islamic Terrorism Invaded Our Country, The United States of America Forever!
Sorry my photos are in no order. I will one day place them in order. I waited until September 11, 2016 to do my post. I am overcome with too much displaced emotion. I have so many beautiful photos an videos but I cannot upload them at this time. Bear with me. I am just an woman that worked and lived in a few countries. One was on a Cruise ships that ported for two season on the West Side Highway in Berth 48- Berth 50, New York City to Bermuda seasons 1986, and 1987. Those Cast and Crew members are the only ones that can relate to my memories.
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.[a] 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done,[b] on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread,[c] 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.[d]
Sidewalks Chalk 