Readings from the Bible

Zacharia 1:11

And they answered the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said "We have patrolled the earth, see, the whole earth is tranquil and at rest!"

[When will this be fulfilled? Angels would be hard pressed to find any genuinely tranquil area in the world right now, due to the sins and failures of humans...]


Psalms 33 (34):1-11

I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. Let my soul glory in the Lord; the lowly will hear me and be glad. Glorify the Lord with me, let us together extol his name.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. When the afflicted man called out, the Lord heard, and from all his distress he saved him. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and delivers them. Taste and see how good the Lord is; happy is the man who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his holy ones, for nought is lacking in those who fear him. The great grow poor and hungry; but hose who seek the Lord want for no good thing.


Psalms: 47 (48): 10

O God, we ponder your kindness within your temple.


1 Machabees 14: 21, 24

The ambassadors that were sent to our people have told us of your glory, and honor, and joy, and we rejoiced at their coming.

And after this Simon sent Numenius to Rome, with a great shield of gold of the weight of a thousand pounds, to confirm the league with them.


Luke 8:25

And he [Jesus] said to them, "Where is your faith?" But they were afraid, and marvelled, saying to one another, "Who, then, is this, that he commands even the winds and the sea, and they obey him?"


1 Corinthians 1:26

For consider your own call, brethren; that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble.


8:3

But if anyone loves God, the same is known by him.


Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 as St. Paul lists those who had seen the Resurrected Christ, with Paul being the last, since he was still the persecutor of the Church, but how grace of God filled him so that he labored more than any of the rest on behalf of God and Jesus Christ. The reason I want you to read that section is it is a wonderful faith strengthening passage, as Paul mentions so matter of factly how Jesus appeared to more than five hundred brethren at once, many of whom were still alive as Paul wrote that letter. The Gospel is historical, not mythical. This passage is very important to help those of weakness of faith to understand that Paul was writing about people who were still alive at the time, who had seen the resurrected Christ among them.