Showing posts with label scripture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scripture. Show all posts

Saturday, February 02, 2013

Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

Stained glass image courtesy of www.StainedGlassInc.com
 
When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord  (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”),  and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.  It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.  Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,  and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.  Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.  Luke 2:22-40

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem 3D

Church of the Nativity - Photo Jerusalem.com


The following news release is from Jerusalem.com:

The birthplace of Jesus Christ

Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, so why not visit this holy site online for free?

See, hear and feel the birthplace of Jesus Christ in a stunning 3D educational tour of Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

The Church of the Nativity is built over the cave which is traditionally believed to be the Manger in which the Virgin Mother Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ on that fateful night over 2000 years ago.
 
Explore and learn about the birth of Christ, the visit of the 3 Kings who came bearing gifts, the star of the Magi and more. Read about different scared items in the Nativity Church, take a guided tour through the Church of the Nativity and listen to explanations about the Church of the Nativity and the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem.
 
We hope you enjoy our Nativity Church 3D tour and wish you and peace and health. In the words of the angel who appeared at the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem:

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!"   (Luke 2:14)

"And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes in a Manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."   (Luke 2:7)

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Pray for Christian Unity and Healing of Divisions

Prince of Peace - Photo by Loci B. Lenar

By Loci B. Lenar

Through prayerful discernment, Our Lord Jesus is calling everyone to pray for Christian unity and healing between religious denominations by reconciling differences. This goal will be accomplished with the power of prayer and through the Holy Spirit.

"Thus the word of the Lord came to me: Son of man, listen to the house of Israel saying, 'The vision he sees is a long way off; he prophesies of the distant future!' Say to them therefore: Thus says the Lord God; None of my words shall be delayed any longer; whatever I speak is final, and it shall be done, says the Lord God."  Ezekiel 12:26-28

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Miracles of Faith: Fr. Richard Tartaglia Validates Sign of Cross Appearing in Mine Hill, NJ





Miracles of Faith: Sign of Cross Appears in Mine Hill, NJ - YouTube

With respect to miracles, Jesus said, "Unless you people see signs and wonders you will never believe." John 4:48

By Loci B. Lenar

Since 2005 a cross with an outline of a shield has appeared annually on my property in Mine Hill, New Jersey.

Similar phenomena with cross of lights have appeared elsewhere and are noted in the video.

I contacted my spiritual advisor and parish priest, Fr. Richard Tartaglia on Holy Thursday, April 5, 2012, regarding the cross appearing on the backyard fence.

Fr. Richard Tartaglia Validates Cross of Light
Appearing in Mine Hill, New Jersey

In order to provide an assessment of the matter, Fr. Tartaglia came to my residence and examined the cross of light and photographed the image on Good Friday, April 6, 2012.

I left for work at 7:00 AM, so I didn't see or speak to Fr. Richard until Tuesday, April 17th after dropping off two large stacks of prayer requests for Thursday's prayer service held at St. Mary's Catholic Church on April 19th.  With prudence Fr. Tartaglia validated the image as a visible sign.

This image first appeared in 2005 while my family was encountering some adversity. I must emphasize that with prayer the issues were resolved.

Through prayerful discernment, the image of the cross is a reminder from Our Lord Jesus of his spiritual presence in my family. The image appeared while praying for God's assistance as well as for help from St. Michael the Archangel. This sign is also meant to encourage others to return to their faith and to pray for God's help and mercy during times of need. Please do share this video with others.

To read my testimony on the matter, please visit the following links: Signs of Angels  and A Miracle Cross  

During the Thursday prayer service held on April 19th, Fr. Tartaglia discussed these signs as related to scripture in his Homily at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Myers Avenue, Denville, New Jersey, USA.

For more information and news updates, please visit the following link: http://www.christian-miracles.com

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Saturday, April 07, 2012

Wishing all Visitors a Blessed and Happy Easter!

The Resurrection of Jesus - Photo by Loci B. Lenar


The Resurrection of Jesus

And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”  Matthew 28:2-7

The stained glass window of the Resurrection of Jesus can be seen inside Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, Verona, New Jersey.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

The Power of Prayer

Photo by Loci B. Lenar

Prayer is the Key to God's Blessing and Grace

Jesus said, "I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive your trespasses."
-Mark 11:23-25

The beautiful stained glass window detail of Jesus can be seen inside the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Catholic church is located on High Street in Hackettstown, NJ, USA.

Read more: Devotional Prayers

Read more: Prayer is the Key to God's Blessings and Gifts

Read more: www.christian-miracles.com

Monday, March 19, 2012

Feast Day of St. Joseph

St. Joseph - Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

St. Joseph - Saint and Angels - Catholic Online

The following excerpt regarding the history St. Joseph is found on Catholic Online:

Feastday: March 19

Patron of the Universal Church

Everything we know about the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus comes from Scripture and that has seemed too little for those who made up legends about him.

We know he was a carpenter, a working man, for the skeptical Nazarenes ask about Jesus, "Is this not the carpenter's son?" (Matthew 13:55). He wasn't rich for when he took Jesus to the Temple to be circumcised and Mary to be purified he offered the sacrifice of two turtledoves or a pair of pigeons, allowed only for those who could not afford a lamb (Luke 2:24).

Despite his humble work and means, Joseph came from a royal lineage. Luke and Matthew disagree some about the details of Joseph's genealogy but they both mark his descent from David, the greatest king of Israel (Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38). Indeed the angel who first tells Joseph about Jesus greets him as "son of David," a royal title used also for Jesus.

We know Joseph was a compassionate, caring man. When he discovered Mary was pregnant after they had been betrothed, he knew the child was not his but was as yet unaware that she was carrying the Son of God. He planned to divorce Mary according to the law but he was concerned for her suffering and safety. He knew that women accused to adultery could be stoned to death, so he decided to divorce her quietly and not expose her to shame or cruelty (Matthew 1:19-25).

We know Joseph was man of faith, obedient to whatever God asked of him without knowing the outcome. When the angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him the truth about the child Mary was carrying, Joseph immediately and without question or concern for gossip, took Mary as his wife. When the angel came again to tell him that his family was in danger, he immediately left everything he owned, all his family and friends, and fled to a strange country with his young wife and the baby. He waited in Egypt without question until the angel told him it was safe to go back (Matthew 2:13-23).

We know Joseph loved Jesus. His one concern was for the safety of this child entrusted to him. Not only did he leave his home to protect Jesus, but upon his return settled in the obscure town of Nazareth out of fear for his life. When Jesus stayed in the Temple we are told Joseph (along with Mary) searched with great anxiety for three days for him (Luke 2:48). We also know that Joseph treated Jesus as his own son for over and over the people of Nazareth say of Jesus, "Is this not the son of Joseph?" (Luke 4:22)

We know Joseph respected God. He followed God's commands in handling the situation with Mary and going to Jerusalem to have Jesus circumcised and Mary purified after Jesus' birth. We are told that he took his family to Jerusalem every year for Passover, something that could not have been easy for a working man.

Since Joseph does not appear in Jesus' public life, at his death, or resurrection, many historians believe Joseph probably had died before Jesus entered public ministry.

Joseph is the patron of the dying because, assuming he died before Jesus' public life, he died with Jesus and Mary close to him, the way we all would like to leave this earth.

Joseph is also patron of the universal Church, fathers, carpenters, and social justice.
We celebrate two feast days for Joseph: March 19 for Joseph the Husband of Mary and May 1 for Joseph the Worker.

There is much we wish we could know about Joseph -- where and when he was born, how he spent his days, when and how he died. But Scripture has left us with the most important knowledge: who he was -- "a righteous man" (Matthew 1:18).

In His Footsteps:
Joseph was foster father to Jesus. There are many children separated from families and parents who need foster parents. Please consider contacting your local Catholic Charities or Division of Family Services about becoming a foster parent.

Prayer:
Saint Joseph, patron of the universal Church, watch over the Church as carefully as you watched over Jesus, help protect it and guide it as you did with your adopted son. Amen

Read more: History of St. Joseph

Devotional Prayers: Prayers to St. Joseph

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Love is a Key to God's Blessings


Jesus said, "This is My commandment,
that you love one another as I have loved you."
John 15:12
Photo by Loci B. Lenar
 

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

This beautiful scripture is written by St. Paul (Paul the Apostle):

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Happy Easter: Jesus is Risen!

 Resurrection of Jesus
Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

The Resurrection of Jesus

Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave.

And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it.

And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.

The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified."

"He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying."

"Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you."

And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples.   (Matthew 28:1-8)

***
The stained glass window of the Resurrection of Jesus can be seen inside the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Catholic church is located on High Street in Hackettstown, NJ, USA.

Photograph Copyright 2011 Loci B. Lenar
Christian-Miracles.com

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Cross Appears During Lent as a Sign of God's Love

Cross Appears During Lent
 Examining the cross, Brooke said, "It looks like Jesus"
All photographs by Loci B. Lenar


By Loci B. Lenar

As a Christian and practicing Catholic, God has called me to share my spiritual journey with others by being a witness to my faith through signs and wonders which are arising from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In John 3:21, it says: "...whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

Since 2005 a cross with an outline of a shield has appeared annually on my property in Mine Hill, New Jersey. Once again on March 27, 2011, rays of light from the sun are shining on the fence and creating an image of a cross. This image has been showing up every morning since last week. The image appears at the top of the fence and slowly descends until it touches the ground. It then changes into a circle and disappears. The cross can be seen for about 30 minutes.



Interesting Note: The sun is on the outside of the fence, while the cross appears on the inside. However, the sun is high above in the sky and God is shining his light upon humanity including our home and property. With that in mind, it's not impossible for God to send rays of light in all directions of the world, including inside our yard and on the fence.   Furthermore, there are no objects in our house windows which might cause a reflection.

I believe that God has opened the windows of heaven and is pouring out the Holy Spirit on our world.  Joel 2:28 says, "...I will pour out my Spirit on all people..."   
 

In Psalm 84:11, it says, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.”

Interestingly, this is the Lenten season, a time of spiritual renewal and conversion for Catholics and many Christians as we prepare for Easter.

Jesus said in John 12:46, "I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness."

My wife, Teresa, had invited her cousin Diane Kayal to come visit with her husband and children on Saturday, March 26th. Diane's daughter, Brooke, stayed overnight with my family. Then on Sunday morning, the cross appeared on our backyard fence at around 9:00 AM. Brooke went outside to examine the image. I photographed her standing next to the cross and Brooke said in awe, "It looks like Jesus."

Prior to Sunday, I went on March 24th to visit my spiritual advisor, Fr. Richard Tartaglia to speak with him about spiritual matters including the cross that began to appear once more on our property. I also gave Fr. Tartaglia an open invitation to visit my home to see the cross appear for himself.

On Monday, March 28th, I dropped off some photographs in the rectory office at St. Mary's Parish, which is located in Denville, NJ, for Fr. Tartaglia to examine and to keep for church archives.  Fr. Tartaglia is my spiritual advisor for over fifteen years.

I believe this cross is a sign for the world. God is forgiving and sending a message of love for people to return to the sacraments of the church and to reconcile through confession.

Our Lord is calling everyone to make a sincere effort to attend weekly church services or Holy Mass.  In doing so, it helps to receive Our Lord's blessings and divine favor.  

He is calling each person to pray for world peace and divine protection so that violence can be mitigated.  

Jesus is calling everybody to open their heart to receive the Holy Spirit in order to have peace in their lives and families and throughout the world. 

I believe the Lord's plan is to move forward with an era of peace as foretold by Our Lady of Fatima in her 1917 apparitions in Fatima, Portugal, and to fulfill Revelation 20:1-3 with a thousand-year reign of God's peace.  To read Our Lady's message, please visit the following link: The Fatima Message

I believe that if enough people pray, the course of history will change through God's divine intervention.

"For nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:37

May Our Lady intercede on behalf of humanity for God's mercy to enfold our world with peace and love.

May Our Heavenly Father bless you and answer all your prayers through his Divine Son, Jesus Christ.

Copyright 2011 Loci B. Lenar
Christian-Miracles.com

Saturday, February 05, 2011

Jesus the Light of the World

Jesus the Light of the World
Photo by Loci B. Lenar

By Loci B. Lenar

While traveling through the town of Madison on October 9, 2010, I had an opportunity to stop at and photograph a bronze statue of Jesus which is located in front of St. Vincent Martyr Parish. Interestingly, on top of the statue, the sunlight is creating a noteworthy reflection on the Sacred Heart of Jesus.


Bronze Statue of Jesus
Photo by Loci B. Lenar


In John 8:12, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Jesus also said in Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

St. Vincent Martyr Church
Photo by Loci B. Lenar

If you're driving through Morris County, the Catholic Church is located on 26 Green Village Road, Madison, New Jersey.

Mass Schedule

Saturday: 5:00 p.m.

Sunday: 7:15, 9:00, 10:30 a.m., 12:00 Noon, 5:00 p.m. in Spanish

(July & August: 7:15, 9:15, 11:15 a.m.)

Monday through Saturday: 8:30 a.m. and 12:10 p.m. (No 12:10 mass during July and August)

Holy Days of Obligation: 6:30, 8:30 a.m., 12:10, 7:00 p.m. (No 12:10 p.m. mass in August)

Directions to St. Vincent Martyr Church 


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Sunday, January 09, 2011

Ted Williams: Homeless to NBA Announcer in Days


Ted Williams displays the sign he used to beg for money
along a highway in Columbus, Ohio.

Ted Williams: From Panhandler to NBA Announcer in Days - U.S. - Catholic Online

The photograph and following excerpt is from Catholic Online:

By James Penrice

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - "I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.. Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:35-36, 40)

We've witnessed a beautiful manifestation of this Gospel passage this week, as much of the United States and the world has responded with love and affection to one of "the least."

Just days ago 53-year old Ted Williams stood alone along an I-71 exit ramp in Columbus, Ohio, a homeless panhandler with a lengthy criminal record-including at least one felony conviction and prison time for theft. Addictions to alcohol, marijuana and cocaine helped evaporate interest in his career as a radio announcer, and he ended up living on the streets. While going through detox Williams ate food that should have gone to his grandchildren. His life had reached just about the lowest point possible.

"There was in him no stately bearing to make us look at him, nor appearance that would attract us to him. He was spurned and avoided by men, a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity, one of those from whom men hide their faces, spurned, and we held him in no esteem." (Isaiah 53:2a-3)

A reporter from The Columbus Dispatch spotted Williams holding a cardboard sign reading: "I have a God given gift of voice. I'm an ex-radio announcer who has fallen on hard times. Please! Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you and God bless. Happy holidays." The Dispatch created a video report on Williams, in which his "God given gift of voice" was given the opportunity to be heard.

Twenty-four hours later, this homeless panhandler became the most sought-after voice talent in the world.

Just days after begging for change along an Ohio highway, Williams was at the announcer's microphone for NBC's "Today" in Manhattan, after having received countless job offers-including an announcer's position with the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers that includes a house, work with NFL films, and several national commercial opportunities. He has been embraced by the nation and the world, as the Dispatch video has become an internet sensation.

Through it all Williams has been touched with a spirit of gratitude.

"I'm just so thankful God has blessed me so deeply," he told the Associated Press. "I'm getting a second chance. Amazing."

Read More: Ted Williams


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Tuesday, December 28, 2010

The Infancy Narrative

The Genealogy of Jesus
Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

The Infancy Narrative - Flickr Photo Sharing!

Scripture - Matthew 1:1-17

The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah

This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:

Abraham was the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,
Perez the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab,
Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,
Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,
Obed the father of Jesse,
and Jesse the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,
Solomon the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asa,
Asa the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram,
Jehoram the father of Uzziah,
Uzziah the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,
Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amon,
Amon the father of Josiah,
and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

After the exile to Babylon:
Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abihud,
Abihud the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok,
Zadok the father of Akim,
Akim the father of Elihud,
Elihud the father of Eleazar,
Eleazar the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.

Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.

The Holy Rosary and bible were combined and photographed together on 1/10/2009.

A cropped version of the photograph was originally posted on Flickr.com on 1/10/2009. To view photo, please visit the following link: The Genealogy of Jesus

Photograph Copyright 2009 Loci B. Lenar
Christian-Miracles.com


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Friday, December 24, 2010

May the Miracle of Christmas be a Blessing of Love and Peace to All!

The Birth of Jesus - Church Window
Photo by Loci B. Lenar

Wish you a Merry Christmas!

The Birth of Jesus - Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Luke 2:1-20 - The Birth of Jesus

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

***

The stained glass window detail of the birth of Jesus can be seen inside Our Lady of the Lake Church. The Catholic church is located in Sparta, NJ, USA.

Photograph by Loci B. Lenar
Christian-Miracles.com

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Wednesday, December 01, 2010

How to Request God's Help and Blessings through Prayer


Stained Glass Window of Jesus - Photo by Loci B. Lenar

Prayer is the Key to God's Blessings and Gifts - Christian-Miracles.com

By Loci B. Lenar

In order for prayer to be effective, it's very important to pray from the heart and to pray daily. It's also equally important to ask God to forgive you of all sins. Reconcile with God; ask him to cleanse your heart and soul by washing away all the sins through the precious blood of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Forgiving others is also necessary in order to remove barriers that may impede our prayers from being answered. Ask our Lord to heal the emotional wounds caused by others which might still linger in your heart and memory. Forgiveness is important - free yourself of anger and bitterness by releasing it to God's care. Our Lord will heal the emotional scars and set you free to move forward.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, you will experience God's peace as a consolation.

Trust God and wait for his timing to answer your prayers.

Attending weekly worship services at church or Holy Mass will open the windows of heaven for God to pour out His graces and blessings. Consider receiving communion or the Holy Eucharist. When we take a leap of faith, God will embrace us with His merciful love and also bless us with His divine gifts.

Please consider using daily devotional prayers to obtain God's help.  Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will also intervene by intercessory prayers made through the Blessed Mother and Holy Saints.

For a selection of prayers, please visit the following link: Devotional Prayers

If you or someone else has a health issue, the bible speaks of God working through physicians. Although God can heal us with a miracle, he indeed works through modern medicine as well.

The following scripture is noted from Sirach 38:1-15:

Honor physicians for their services, for the Lord created them; for their gift of healing comes from the Most High, and they are rewarded by the king. The skill of physicians makes them distinguished, and in the presence of the great they are admired. The Lord created medicines out of the earth, and the sensible will not despise them. Was not water made sweet with a tree in order that its power might be known? And he gave skill to human beings that he might be glorified in his marvelous works. By them the physician heals and takes away pain; the pharmacist makes a mixture from them. God's works will never be finished; and from him health spreads over all the earth. My child, when you are ill, do not delay, but pray to the Lord, and he will heal you. Give up your faults and direct your hands rightly, and cleanse your heart from all sin. Offer a sweet-smelling sacrifice, and a memorial portion of choice flour, and pour oil on your offering, as much as you can afford. Then give the physician his place, for the Lord created him; do not let him leave you, for you need him. There may come a time when recovery lies in the hands of physicians, for they too pray to the Lord that he grant them success in diagnosis and in healing, for the sake of preserving life. He who sins against his Maker, will be defiant toward the physician.

If you're struggling with finances, put your faith and trust into God's hand.

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19.

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Whatever difficulty you may be encountering, let God take it over. Let him take control in order to help resolve the problem.

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. (Psalm 55:22)

Be patient when praying and wait for God to answer because His timing can be different from ours. Let him prepare and make a way!

Regarding prayer, Jesus said in Matthew 18:19-20, "Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

You may submit your prayer requests to Christian-Miracles.com by visiting the following link: Pray for Me

May God the Father answer your prayers through his divine son, Jesus Christ and by the intercession of the Blessed Mother and Holy Saints.

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Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Ian McCormack and The Lazarus Phenomenon



Ian McCormack and The Lazarus Phenomenon - Amazing Stories | CBN.com

The video and story is from CBN.com:

In 1982, Ian McCormack of the film The Lazarus Phenomenon was an adventurous 26-year-old. He was diving for lobster on the island of Mauritius (in the southwest Indian Ocean) one evening and was stung by five box jellyfish – one of the most venomous creatures in the world. Its poison can kill a person in four minutes. When an ambulance came, his body was completely paralyzed, and necrosis had started to set into his bone marrow.

On the way to the hospital, McCormack began to see his life flash before him. He knew he was near death. He was an atheist and didn’t know whether or not there was an afterlife. As he lay dying, he saw a vision of his mother, who was the only Christian in his family, praying for him. She encouraged McCormack to cry out to God from his heart and God would hear him and forgive him. He didn’t know what to pray, so he cried out that if God was real, God would help him pray. Instantly, God showed McCormack the Lord’s Prayer.

DEATH AND THE VERY DARK PLACE

The ambulance reached the hospital and they brought McCormack inside. The doctors tried to save his life by injecting anti-toxins and dextrose into his body, but it didn’t help. Within a few minutes, hisbody lay lifeless for about 15 minutes.

During this time, McCormack was in a very dark place, and he didn’t know where he was. As he reached out, he found he wasn’t touching anything. When he tried to touch his face, his hand would go right through it. McCormack began to sense that it wasn’t just a physical darkness, but a spiritual darkness. He had a cold eerie feeling that there was something or someone else there, and it or he was looking at McCormack.


INTO THE LIGHT

Then, a luminous beam of light radiated through the darkness and started to lift him upward. He found himself being translated up into it. McCormack then entered an opening and found himself inside a long narrow tunnel. At the far end of the tunnel he could see the source of the light. Then he watched as a wave of the light broke off the source and moved up the tunnel towards him. This light passed through McCormack, and he could feel a wave of warmth and comfort flood his soul.

Coming out of the end of this tunnel, he found himself standing in the presence of awesome light and power. He wondered if this was just an energy source in the universe or if perhaps there could be someone standing in the midst of this light. A voice immediately responded to his thought and asked him, "Ian, do you wish to return?" McCormack responded, "I don't know where I am, but if I am out of my physical body, I wish to return."

The voice then said, "If you wish to return, you must see in a new light." " Words appeared in front of him, "God is light and in Him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5)." McCormack had never read a Bible before in his life so he didn't know these words came straight out of it.

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Monday, May 03, 2010

Signs and Wonders: Incorruptible Catholic Saints



From YouTube: History of over 250 Incorruptible Catholic Saints

The following information regarding the incorrupt bodies of saints can be read on CatholicApologetics.com:

The incorrupt bodies of these saints are simply a living witness or proof to the truth of the Catholic religion as the one true faith from God, who has confirmed the testimony of the Church in the great miracles he has worked through it's saints.

The Council of Trent:

"The bodies of holy martyrs and others now living with Christ, bodies which were His members and temples of the Holy Spirit, which one day are to be raised up by Him and made glorious in everlasting life, are to be venerated by the faithful; God gives men many benefits through them."

The Bodies of the saints for us are like great and holy relics, which move us to honor the saints who God has chosen to honor by preserving them incorrupt.

In scripture we read that the use of the bones of Elisha brought a dead man to life: "So Elisha died, and they buried him. Now bands of Moabites used to invade the land in the spring of the year. And as a man was being buried, lo, a marauding band was seen and the man was cast into the grave of Elisha; and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood on his feet." (2 Kgs. 13:20-21).

A woman was cured of a hemorrhage by touching the hem of Christ's cloak (Matt. 9:20-22). The sick were healed when Peter's shadow passed over them (Acts 5:15-16). "And God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them" (Acts 19:11-12).

The Power of the relics to work miracles doesn't come from the object itself but from God, who confirms the faith of the person who is healed by means of them as to testify to the holiness of His saints.

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Thursday, April 15, 2010

The Genealogy of Jesus

Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

The Genealogy of Jesus

Scripture - Matthew 1:1-17

A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham:

Abraham was the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,
Perez the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab,
Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,
Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,
Obed the father of Jesse,
and Jesse the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife,
Solomon the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asa,
Asa the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram,
Jehoram the father of Uzziah,
Uzziah the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,
Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amon,
Amon the father of Josiah,
and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.
After the exile to Babylon:
Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud,
Abiud the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok,
Zadok the father of Akim,
Akim the father of Eliud,
Eliud the father of Eleazar,
Eleazar the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary,
of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

The beautiful minature stained glass window can be seen inside of Saint Jude's Church, located on 40 Maxim Drive in Hopatcong, NJ, USA.

Photograph Copyright 2010 Loci B. Lenar
Christian-Miracles.com

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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Jesus Astonishes the Scholars

Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

While traveling through Essex County today, I stopped at the Holy Name of Jesus. The Catholic Church is in East Orange, New Jersey.  The beautiful church is located on the corner of Dodd Street and Midland Avenue.

Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

Unfortunately, the church doors were closed.  However, the exterior architecture caught my attention with its beauty.  I took some photos above the front entranceway to highlight the exquisite artistic design of the church.

Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

Scripture - Luke 2:41-47

The Boy Jesus at the Temple

His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it; but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.

Photographs Copyright 2010 Loci B. Lenar

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Sunday, February 28, 2010

The Transfiguration of Jesus

Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

The Transfiguration

Matthew 17:1-9 

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"

When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified.  But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid." 8When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."


The Coming of Elijah 

Matthew 17:10-13

The disciples asked him, "Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?"

Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

***

The stained glass window can be seen inside of St. Peter the Apostle Church, Parsippany, NJ, USA.  

To view my photographs, please visit the following link: Stained Glass Window Gallery - a photoset by Loci Lenar on Flickriver

Photograph Copyright 2010 Loci B. Lenar

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