Matthew 20:1-16 And Jesus continues with the lesson of the first being the last with this parable. A landowner is the comparison this time. The Kingdom of God is like a landowner seeking employees in the early morning. He hires them for a denarius for the day. This was the typical amount for a day's wages for a laborer so this wouldn't have been unusual. The unusual bit would come later. But then Jesus adds to the story that this owner then returns to the market another 4 times to hire workers for the same amount he paid workers for all day. And at the end of the day this landowner lines up those he hired and begins paying them by starting with the latest hired and chosing to pay all workers a full day's wage. Now Jesus did this as part of a lesson, explaining that those who worked and bore the heat of the day would complain. But the truth is a denarius was a fair wage for the period of a full day. And the owner was well within his rights to pay what he wished. The idea was that what was given was the same reward whether one came early or one came late. The big picture is Jesus is making it clear that the reward of eternal life goes to even those who show up late. In context, Jesus is saying that the Kingdom is going to be open to the groups the nation of Israel considered beneath them and as a result would be jealous of those who are brought into the kingdom even if they were not brought in from the beginning as Israel was. Even today, non messianic Jews are extremely jealous in defending their position before God as His original people and cannot grasp that from 70 AD to current times there's been no temple at which to offer sacrifice. No real Aaronic priesthood either. The thought of anyone entering into God's kingdom apart from the nation of Israel is repugnant to them, let alone the idea someone would be entering before them. And some of the apostles really continued to struggle with this concept of Gentiles being welcomed into God's Kingdom. Especially Peter, who was part of the problem that became known as the first great heresy of the church. It took the Apostle Paul to correct him. So the Catholic notion of an infallible Peter is entirely fictional. It took 2 consecutive visions from God to get Peter off his butt to go speak with Cornelius. Even then, Peter hesitated to share the gospel with a Gentile. And even after this, Peter shares in the heresy and even Barnabas is carried away. Jesus is using the national pride of Israel against them. He knows their jealousy regarding others who joined the Kingdom. The first century Jews were zealous for their nation while at the same time having what they considered good reasons to despise other nations. The faithful Jews who did receive Jesus heard Him when He taught that ALL nations would be blessed with the gift of being able to turn to Him and believe. They heard him. And this was one of the great failures of Peter and some of the other believers. On the day of judgment, the faithful witnesses will be standing behind the believers of today for their reward. Not because we earned it, but because God has mercy. Jesus is the prophet foretold by Moses. Deuteronomy 18:15-19 [15] “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen; to him you shall listen. [16] This is in accordance with everything that you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Do not let me hear the voice of the Lord my God again, and do not let me see this great fire anymore, or I will die!’ [17] And the Lord said to me, ‘They have spoken well. [18] I will raise up for them a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them everything that I command him. [19] And it shall come about that whoever does not listen to My words which he speaks in My name, I Myself will require it of him. Moses knew the Messiah would be rejected and God says if any Israelite does not listen to Him, God would require their punishment and they will be utterly cut off from the people of God. Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we are the new Israel. We are the saints, we are the last who became first. We are not better than the Jews, we are not worse off. We are saved by grace through faith. We should with our very last breath be sharing the gospel with everyone. [1] “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. [2] When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. [3] And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace; [4] and to those he said, ‘You go into the vineyard also, and whatever is right, I will give you.’ And so they went. [5] Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing. [6] And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he *said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’ [7] They *said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He *said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ [8] “Now when evening came, the owner of the vineyard *said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, starting with the last group to the first.’ [9] When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius. [10] And so when those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. [11] When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, [12] saying, ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day’s work and the scorching heat.’ [13] But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? [14] Take what is yours and go; but I want to give to this last person the same as to you. [15] Is it not lawful for me to do what I want with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’ [16] So the last shall be first, and the first, last.”

The Story Behind the Hymns. THE STORY BEHIND "ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING" “All Creatures of Our God and King” traces its roots to one of the most beautiful expressions of praise in Christian history: the Canticle of the Sun, written by St. Francis of Assisi around 1224. St. Francis composed the canticle near the end of his life, during a period of physical suffering. Rather than allowing his circumstances to silence his faith, he looked at creation and saw it as a reflection of God’s glory. The sun, moon, wind, water, fire and earth became, in his poetic prayer, fellow worshippers joining humanity in praising their Creator. Centuries later, the English clergyman William Henry Draper brought this ancient prayer into the world of congregational hymn singing. Draper translated and adapted portions of St. Francis’ canticle into English, creating the hymn now known as “All Creatures of Our God and King.” Draper prepared the hymn for a children’s Whitsuntide celebration in Leeds, England. His version was subsequently published in the early 20th century and became widely used in churches, particularly in Britain and other English-speaking Christian communities. The familiar melody adds another layer of history. The tune, commonly known as “Lasst uns erfreuen,” originated in Germany and appeared in a Catholic hymnal in 1623. Centuries later, it was arranged and popularised in the English-speaking church, notably through the work of composer Ralph Vaughan Williams and the English Hymnal. The hymn’s message is simple yet profound: all creation belongs to God and is called to praise Him. Its repeated invitation to “O praise Him” turns the song into a celebration of worship that reaches beyond humanity to the entire created world. From a prayer written by a 13th-century saint to an English adaptation sung in churches centuries later, “All Creatures of Our God and King” has endured because of its timeless reminder that creation itself points toward the greatness, goodness and glory of its Creator.

Daily Bible Lesson. THE USA IN BIBLE PROPHECY! Rev 13:11 At the height of the papacy's power, its "iron teeth" fell upon Protestant Reformers. WHO PROTESTED THE CATHOLIC CHURCHES UNBIBLICAL TEACHINGS.... Many of those who were not martyred, however, found a means of escape to the New World. Revelation prophesied this exodus in the symbol of a faithful woman, who represents God's true church. This woman, "persecuted" (12:13) by the dragon through papal Rome, fled "into the wilderness" during "a time and times and half a time" (v.14), the same 1,260 years of papal supremacy. Thus, the prey escaped the predator, and the most notable republic in the world was born. In 1776, the United States declared its independence. It established its own rule of law, the Constitution (1787) and the Bill of Rights (1791). By 1798, simultaneous with the head wound to the Roman Church, the nations of Europe recognized the United States as an independent world power, one built on TWO UNIQUE PRINCIPLES REPRESENTED BY the earth beast's two-lamb-like horns: (Rev. 13:11) ... REPUBLICANISM, a government without a king, and PROTESTANTISM, a church without a pope. ( The two lamb like horns in verse 13:11 represented the 2 principles America was founded on..) 1) We were a republican Nation ~ we had a constitution had, had had.... and 2) we were blessed by God for being a Protestant nation) The United States became the standard bearer of freedom of conscience and embodiment of the separation of church and state--all that the Roman Catholic Church was not. THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST!!! But the Bible makes a surprising prediction: AMERICA WILL FALL AWAY FROM ITS FOUNDING PRINCIPLES and advocate for the sea beast, (Papacy) the very power the Founding Fathers resisted. Revelation 13:12-15 has a few key take aways: A. The United States forms "an image to the beast" (Rome) This is not a statue; rather, "an image"is a "representation" or "RESEMBLANCE." Hence, an "image of the beast"(v.15) will be a religiopolitical power that look, speaks, and AND ACTS LIKE THE PAPACY!!! B. The image of the beast will use a combination of deception (v.14) and coercion (v.15) to achieve universal worship of the papacy (vv.12,15). C. The ultimate power behind the transformation of the United States is the dragon, Satan, who extends his "authority" (v.12) from the sea beast to the earth beast (v.4). According to the Bible, the United States will one day LOOK, SPEAK, AND ACT LIKE THE PAPACY. FACT: During the 1,260 years, the little horn "[persecuted] the saints of the Most High" (Daniel 7:25). During this period of papal supremacy, dubbed the Dark Ages, the Catholic Church labeled as heretics those who followed the Word of God over its own doctrines and, sources state, it condemned more than 50 million people to death.

Daily Bible Lesson. THE USA IN BIBLE PROPHECY! Rev 13:11 At the height of the papacy's power, its "iron teeth" fell upon Protestant Reformers. WHO PROTESTED THE CATHOLIC CHURCHES UNBIBLICAL TEACHINGS.... Many of those who were not martyred, however, found a means of escape to the New World. Revelation prophesied this exodus in the symbol of a faithful woman, who represents God's true church. This woman, "persecuted" (12:13) by the dragon through papal Rome, fled "into the wilderness" during "a time and times and half a time" (v.14), the same 1,260 years of papal supremacy. Thus, the prey escaped the predator, and the most notable republic in the world was born. In 1776, the United States declared its independence. It established its own rule of law, the Constitution (1787) and the Bill of Rights (1791). By 1798, simultaneous with the head wound to the Roman Church, the nations of Europe recognized the United States as an independent world power, one built on TWO UNIQUE PRINCIPLES REPRESENTED BY the earth beast's two-lamb-like horns: (Rev. 13:11) ... REPUBLICANISM, a government without a king, and PROTESTANTISM, a church without a pope. ( The two lamb like horns in verse 13:11 represented the 2 principles America was founded on..) 1) We were a republican Nation ~ we had a constitution had, had had.... and 2) we were blessed by God for being a Protestant nation) The United States became the standard bearer of freedom of conscience and embodiment of the separation of church and state--all that the Roman Catholic Church was not. THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST!!! But the Bible makes a surprising prediction: AMERICA WILL FALL AWAY FROM ITS FOUNDING PRINCIPLES and advocate for the sea beast, (Papacy) the very power the Founding Fathers resisted. Revelation 13:12-15 has a few key take aways: A. The United States forms "an image to the beast" (Rome) This is not a statue; rather, "an image"is a "representation" or "RESEMBLANCE." Hence, an "image of the beast"(v.15) will be a religiopolitical power that look, speaks, and AND ACTS LIKE THE PAPACY!!! B. The image of the beast will use a combination of deception (v.14) and coercion (v.15) to achieve universal worship of the papacy (vv.12,15). C. The ultimate power behind the transformation of the United States is the dragon, Satan, who extends his "authority" (v.12) from the sea beast to the earth beast (v.4). According to the Bible, the United States will one day LOOK, SPEAK, AND ACT LIKE THE PAPACY. FACT: During the 1,260 years, the little horn "[persecuted] the saints of the Most High" (Daniel 7:25). During this period of papal supremacy, dubbed the Dark Ages, the Catholic Church labeled as heretics those who followed the Word of God over its own doctrines and, sources state, it condemned more than 50 million people to death.

#australia #catholic

prayer request needed Hello I'd just like to make a request for your prayers,Christopher Saunders a catholic bishop in western Australia has just been convicted of grooming minors in the Catholic church with potentially up to 67 victims. He has been convicted of 13 of them including penetrating an under aged boy.

St. Stephen of Hungary St. Stephen was from a very noble family and was born in the year 997 to father Prince Geza and mother Sarolt of Hungary. He married Giselle, the daughter of Duke Henry-Ii of Bavaria. He took very sincere efforts to spread Christianity and extended patronage to Church leaders. St. Stephen was anointed as king of Hungary by Pope Sylvester-II on the Christmas day in the year 1001, with the consent of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto-III. St. Stephen dedicated his crown to Holy Mary, during the coronation. His only son Emeric died after being wounded in a hunting expedition in the year 1031. Therefore St. Stephen was having no son left to rule his Kingdom. So in his death bed he raised the Holy Crown by his right hand and prayed to the Holy Mary to take the Hungarians as Her subjects and to become the Queen of Hungarians. He died on August 15, 1038, on the commemoration day of the Assumption of Mary. St. Stephen's right hand is kept as a relic and is called as the "Holy Right" by Hungarians. His right hand remains uncorrupted due to the reason that with this hand he raised the Holy Crown towards heaven and prayed to the Virgin Mary. The right hand is now in the Basilica of King Saint Stephen in Budapest. He is venerated as the patron saint of masons, stone cutters and brick layers. He was canonized by Pope Gregory-VII on August 20, 1083. #crown #king #mason #stone #stonecutter #brick #bricklayers #faith #Catholic #loveformary #catholic #faith #respectmothermary #budapest #holyhand #righthand #hand #right #uncorrupt #king #

“I am a Catholic, and I wholeheartedly accept death for God. Had I a thousand lives, I would offer all of these to Him.” ~ St. Lorenzo Ruiz, Filipino, martyred by *tsurushi*. *Tsurushi* (Japanese for “hole hanging”) involved cutting open a victim’s forehead, hanging him upside down, then lowering him headfirst into a pit filled with excrement until he either died or agreed to apostatize. The bleeding from the forehead ensured he didn’t die quickly from rising cranial blood pressure but as slowly & painfully as possible. He wasn’t suffocated or drowned in the excrement, just suspended in the fumes right above it. Death could take up to 13 days, as in the case of St. Magdalene of Nagasaki.

Assumption of Mary Tradition: - After Jesus' ascension, Mary lived with the Apostles until her death. Following her passing, she was buried by the Apostles. Tradition holds that the Apostle St. Thomas, who arrived after her death, was eager to see her one last time. Upon opening her tomb, the Apostles discovered it empty, leading to the belief that God had assumed Mary into heaven, body and soul, without her body decaying. Significance: - Mary as a Pathway: Mary, as the Mother of Jesus, is considered a pathway to heaven. Just as Jesus entered the world through Mary, believers view her as a guide and intercessor on their journey to eternal life. Feast and Celebration: - The Feast of the Assumption, celebrated on August 15th, honors Mary's assumption into heaven. This feast reflects on her role in salvation history and seeks her intercession. Spiritual Symbolism: - Ladder to Heaven: Mary is often depicted as a "ladder" through which believers ascend to heaven, symbolizing her role in bringing Jesus into the world and her ongoing guidance for the faithful. This belief underscores Mary's unique place in Christian devotion, highlighting her role in the divine plan of salvation and her continued spiritual presence as a mother to all Christians. #catholic #faith #mother #mary #Christian #belief #spiritual #freedom #Indianconstitution #democracy #freedomofreligionpractice #worldpeace #devotion #assumptionofmary #feast #tradition

St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe was born on January 8, 1894 in Poland, to father Julius Kolbe and mother Maria Dabrowska. He joined the Franciscans in 1907 and ordained as a priest in 1918. He founded a movement devoted to Our Lady and spread this movement through a magazine named "The Knight of the Immaculate". He was arrested by Nazis on February 17, 1941 and sent to the concentration camp at Auschwitz. He was singing hymns to the Virgin Mary in the concentration camp without any fear. He was tortured in the Nazi concentration camp without giving any food, water and other facilities for more than two weeks. When another person was due to be killed on a particular day, that man started crying" my wife, my children". Then Maximilian volunteered to take the place of that man to die, to save that poor man. He was killed by giving carbolic acid injection. He died on August 14, 1941. A cure from intestinal tuberculosis to one Angela Testoni in July, 1948 and also a cure from calcification on the arteries/sclerosis were attributed to the intervention of St. Maximilian. He was beatified in 1971 by Pope Paul-VI and canonized by Pope John Paul-II on October 10, 1982. He was declared as a martyr and is venerated as a patron saint of drug addicts and political prisoners. #catholic #saint #St. #drug #addiction #politicalprison #political #prision #drugfree #addictionfree #savepoor #injection #virginmary #Mary #intervention #interventionfordisease #disease #illness #cure #politicalharrasament #prisioerofconscience #dissident #undertrialprisoners #prisionalwithoutanycharge