Lying in the New Testament

I know that we have already covered the seventh commandment, but I would like to share with you a story from chapter 5 of the Acts of the Apostles. It seems to be more about lying then about stealing, anyway. The New American Bible footnote reads "the sin of Ananias and Sapphira did not consist in the withholding of part of the money but in their deception of the community. Their deaths are ascribed to a lie to the Holy Spirit, i.e. , They accepted the honor of accorded them by the community for their generosity, but in reality they were not deserving of it."

So, here's the story…

A man named Ananias however, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. He retained for himself, with his wife's knowledge, some of the purchase price, took the remainder, and put it at the feet of the apostles. But Peter said, "Ananias why has Satan filled your heart so that you lied to the Holy Spirit and retained part of the price of the land? And when it was sold was it not still under your control? Why did you contrive this deed? You have lied not to human beings, but to God." When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last, and great fear came upon all who heard of it. The young men came and wrapped him up, carried him out and buried him. After an interval of about three hours, his wife came in, unaware of what had happened. Peter said to her, "tell me, did you sell the land for that amount?" she answered, "yes, for that amount. "Then Peter said to her, "why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen, the footsteps of those who have buried your husband are at the door and they will carry you out."at once, she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men entered they found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

Acts 5:1-11

Why Hollywood Matters

"Why do pagans make the best Christian themed movies?"

"It's Ninevah. Trust me; I live there."

Share this video with a friend if you believe God is ultimate beauty!
Especially share this video with a friend if "man-hands-mary" almost made you cry because it's so ridiculous!

You know, when it comes down to the people making the movie (towards the end) that didn't want to pay for it, relying on the intercession of St. Therese... I think God might be offended by us not offering everything we can possibly offer for him to work with even if that includes money to hire help. Granted, God is good to rely on to make a movie, but he wants to work through YOU!

Beware the Gypsies!

BEWARE THE GYPSIES! THEY WILL PICKPOCKET YOU!

Thou shalt not steal.

Have you stolen anything?

Committed deceit in gaming, reckoning, buying or selling, in wares, prices, weights or measures?

Bought of such as could not sell?

Willfully damaged another man’s goods or negligently spoiled them?

Run into debt carelessly beyond your power of payment?

A number of people in my family are going on a Mediterranean cruise with Carnival Cruise line later this year in August. I believe the vessel departs from Spain and stops at various Italian and French ports. As they begin preparing this trip in honor of my cousin’s graduation and my aunt’s 50^th birthday, they’re under a lot of stress about paying the bill. On top of that, my family is full of control freaks that just can’t help themselves but teach each other how to pack a suitcase (myself included).

One of the things that people generally don’t think about is getting what you have brought with you stolen. The fact of the matter is that it happens, and in areas of high tourism it happens quite often.

Now, almost everyone has broken this commandment, however not almost everyone is a common thief or pickpocket. For the most part, people steal things when they cut corners, cheat each other, or break something inadvertently and have no intention of either fixing or replacing it.

A lot of people, if we are to point this out, would take it with a grain of salt. They’ll say things like… “It don’t matter anyway,” or “It’s too small to make a difference” or “No one’s going to miss it” and they’ll just get rid of something from someone without  permission. I mean after all “what’s the harm in ‘checking’ to see if Suzy and I got the same answers on the quiz?”

The fact of the matter is that there is harm in that. We are hurting God, hurting ourselves by ruining our relationship with Him and the people around us. Now, some of these sins can seem very small, but they are still sins, and we shouldn’t commit them. Though all sins are forgivable, NONE are negligible otherwise they wouldn’t be sins! Our sins also have a snowball effect which lead to ... you guessed it! More SIN! 

There’s a song called “Two Sets of Jones’” by Big Tent Revival. One couple rooted their relationship in possessions, and another in Jesus Christ. If we root our lives in Christ, and live by his Word (including NOT STEALING and the rest of the commandments in the Decalogue) we will find our happiness. It’s not about the things in life, it’s all about charity, “the greatest” of virtues. 1 Corinthians 13:13

IN CONCLUSION, BE TRUE TO YOURSELF, TO OTHERS, AND TO GOD. HOLD ONTO YOUR INTEGRITY AND YOUR HONOR AND BE HONEST WHEN IT COMES TO POSESSIONS. DON’T TAKE OR DESTROY WHATEVER DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU WITHOUT PERMISSION. FIND BROTHERLY LOVE IN YOUR HEART AND TRY NOT TO CHEAT YOUR WAY JUST TO KEEP UP WITH THE JONES’S. AND, BEWARE THE GYPSIES. THEY WILL PICKPOCKET YOU FOR SURE! 

Modesty

Thou Shalt not Commit Adultery
Have you been guilty of: 
lascivious dressing or make-up
lewd company
reading immodest books
unchaste songs, discourses, looks, words, or actions with yourself or others
or
the will full attainment of impure thoughts or desires? 


All of this is difficult to get away from especially in this society which pretty much spoon-feeds you obscene things every where you go. They present to you smut around every corner and ingrain in you that this is okay. Society holds that lust, and unchaste life is healthy and beneficial to you. It paints chastity, one of the greatest virtues, as this horrible thing, which is obviously completely wrong!!! 


Enjoy this video about the necessity of modesty and understand how it can change our society and the world if everyone practiced it! 

It was Dr. Green in the Clinic with the Syringe

Thou shalt not kill. 


Many people say that this is the easiest commandment to follow, because it's already illegal to murder people right? 


On the contrary, in many cases and in many places it is perfectly legal to kill people. 


For example, capital punishment here in the USA as well as honor killings (such as those related to gang violence or Islam). 


In certain countries. Euthanasia, suicide and assisted suicide are perfectly legal. For instance, here in the USA, assisted suicide is legal in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Montana. This wicked act puts a price on life in terms of suffering, and instead of offering relief, offers permanent destruction of life. 


Perhaps the most deceptive of all mercy-killings is abortion. In an attempt to be "merciful" to the mother to whom a baby would be a burden physicians remove the life from the womb. It is deceptive because of the hidden nature of the act. It takes place right under our noses in clinics all across the world. In addition to that, the propaganda paid for by the abortion providers numbs unlearned listeners and readers of their natural detest for this unnatural and immoral act. That propaganda paints abortion as the only option for pregnant women who are surprised by a pregnancy that they did not "intend" to have, even though they themselves participated act of sexual relations with all its fecundity. However, giving birth to a child that depends on you is the correct option! Here in our society we are blessed with many programs to make an adoption process easier for you if the child should be in danger in your hands. 


So, "thou shalt not kill" is a a more difficult commandment than we all thought, because it happens right under our noses. We need to pray, and speak out against these evils so that we may not share in the blame for those horrid acts come judgement day. So that when the Lord asks you what you did to help those who depend on you the most in matters of life or death you can be prepared with an answer, do something today to defend life itself, the most beautiful gift that GOD has given to all of us! 

YOU ARE MORE

Monday's the start of a brand new work week, and despite of whatever you did in your last work week out there in this world which can seem dark and horrible, you mustn't look back on your past sins, but you must confess them and forget them. You  must never return to them. Enjoy this video.

Recognition

"Honor thy father and thy mother, that thou mayest be long-lived upon the land which the Lord thy God will give thee" 

Have you honored your parents, superiors, or masters according to your just duty?
Have you deceived them or disobeyed them?
Have you failed to respect the elderly?


For most of us in life, we always have someone to answer to. Whether it be our parents, teachers, bosses, leaders, bishops, abbots or abbesses must obey those to whom we owe due reverence. We must respect their experience. Their hard earned experience was gained from the number of times they've "been around the block " so to speak. Their experiences can be the key to living a happy life! LEARN WISDOM!


In the instance of parents, motherhood and fatherhood, are very important vocations. To be a mother or father involves every grain of your being.They are called to be mirror images of God's love.  We are called as sons and daughters to respect and love our parents as our natural caregivers and to respect everything that they do for us for the sake of their love for us. 


As Mothers Day and Fathers Day approach, show your parents that you appreciate them! Pray for them to your heavenly Father; saints like St. Gianna, St. Monica, and other parent saints, as well as ask for our heavenly mother, Mary's intercession. 


May God Bless our Parents and Superiors and may the Holy Spirit guide them in all that they do!