“You have neglected justice, mercy and faith"

Matthew 23:23-26

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and rapacity. You blind Pharisee! first cleanse the inside of the cup and of the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

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An kahuyugan nan epokrito, kon sa Habungan pa, pagpaka-aron’ingnon, magpamao-mao  sanan artistahon.

Amo ini an tawag ni Jesus sa mga Pharisee sanan scribe nan Ija panahon.

Metikuloso karajaw sila hangtud na an ila mga tithe na para unta mahipadayag nila an ila pasalamat kan God, arang karajaw ka eksakto an pagka-sukod sa mga timbang.

Bisan an pinaka-gamay na detalye, kutihan pa gajud nila na an mahitabo, hingkalim’tan rakan nila an importansiya nan pagtabang sa mga nanginahanglan sanan mga mahinay.

Waya na ma’y gani ila pagpakabana sa pagtabang hilabina sa mga pobre sanan mga nanginahanglan nan ila tabang.

An tinood na meaning nan pagsunod sa mga sugo ni God an pagpadayag nan gugma – gugma kan God sanan sa ato isig’katawo.

Gusto ba nato na mabag’o kita pinaagi sa gugma ni God dato?

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"Lord Jesus, fill me with your love and mercy that I may always think, speak, and treat others with fairness, kindness, patience, and goodness."

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"You shut the kingdom of heaven"

Matthew 23:13-22

"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, `If any one swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? And you say, `If any one swears by the altar, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.' You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; and he who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it; and he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.

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Juhot si Jesus sa pamaagi nan mga scribe sanan Pharisee nan pagtudlo nila mahitungod kan God.

Imbis na tudluan an mga tawo, aja man hinoon sila hatagi nila nan mga mabug’at na buluhaton na aja na hinoon hikalim’ti an tumong nan pagtudlo: an magmahal kan God sanan magmahal sa isig’katawo.

Amo ‘sab seguro kita, hingkalim’tan na ‘sab seguro nato an tumong nan ato mga kinabuhi dinhi sa kalibutan – an magmahal kan God sanan an magmahal sa ato isig’katawo.

Ugsa na marajaw seguro na dili gajud nato hikalim’tan an pangaliya kan God adlaw-adlaw na “moabot an Imo gingharian sanan an Imo pagboot dinhi sa lupa sanan sa langit.”

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"Lord Jesus, your word is life for me. May I never shut the door to your heavenly kingdom through my stubborn pride or disbelief. Help me to listen to your voice and to conform my life more fully to your word."

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"Everything is ready, come"

Matthew 22:1-14

And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a marriage feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast; but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, `Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have made ready my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves are killed, and everything is ready; come to the marriage feast.' But they made light of it and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, `The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as many as you find.' And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. "But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment; and he said to him, `Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, `Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen."

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Imbitado kita tanan ni God na makasuyod sa Ija gingharian pinaagi sa sambingay dinhi kuman mahitungod sa kombete.

Waya’y Ija tagpili na tag-imbitar kay lagi marajaw man Sija sanan mangginhatagon.

Pero an imbitasyon ni God dato nanginahanglan ‘sab nan positibo na tugon na kinahanglan nan ato pagsunod sa Ija mga regulasyon.

Sa imbitasyon ni God, usahay mahamok pa an ato mga pasumangil para lamang kita makalikay na dili kita maka-responde sa Ija tawag.

May mga tawo ‘sab na moresponde man gani kan God, dili pa kon andam na mosuyod sa Ija presensiya kay duro pa an mga tulubagon sa kinabuhi.

Sa ato kabahin, andam ba kita na moresponde sa tawag ni God?

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"Lord Jesus, may I always know the joy of living in your presence and grow in the hope of seeing you face to face in your everlasting kingdom."

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"Do you begrudge my generosity?"

Matthew 20:1-16

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place; and to them he said, `You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing; and he said to them, `Why do you stand here idle all day?' They said to him, `Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, `You go into the vineyard too.' And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, `Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.' And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder, saying, `These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' But he replied to one of them, `Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to this last as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?' So the last will be first, and the first last."

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Abiyerto pirme an ganghaan nan gingharian ni God para sa tanan gusto mosuyod dinhi – mapadaan man na naningkamot para maka-sunod Dija o mapabag’o man para makamat’ngon nan panginahanglan na makasuyod sa gingharian.

An premyo sa mga naningkamot parehas ra para sa tanan pero an pinaka-importante dinhi na an motibo klaro para kan God.

Jaon man tuho’y naningkamot para lamang sa isa ka hakog na motibo na makab’ot an premyo, pero, sa tan-aw nako, kinahanglan na an ato kasing-kasing puno nan gugma sanan kalipay kay tagkahatagan kita nan oportunidad na makapanilbihan sa ato isig’katawo.

Ugsa na an ato paningkamot kinahanglan himoon nato na may paghigugma sanan kalipay para sa kahimayaan ni God didto Heaven.

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"Lord Jesus, may I serve you and my neighbor with a glad and generous heart, not looking for how much I can get but rather looking for how much I can give."

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"Jesus was transfigured before them"

Mark 9:2-10

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves; and he was transfigured before them, and his garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses; and they were talking to Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah." For he did not know what to say, for they were exceedingly afraid. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, "This is my beloved Son; listen to him." And suddenly looking around they no longer saw any one with them but Jesus only. And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of man should have risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.

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Andam ba kita na hikit’an o kasaksihan an kahimayaan ni God?

Segurado ako na naghinam-hinam ‘sab si God na ipakita Nija an Ija kahimayaan dato.

Taghimaya ni Father God si Jesus, an Ija pinayangga na anak, kay insunod man Nija an kabubut’on nan Ija Father sa Heaven.

Ugsa na tag-deklarar ni God na “Ini an ako pinayangga na anak, pamatii Nijo Sija.”

Kon gusto nato na maghuya sa kahimayaan ni God sa Heaven pag-abot nan higajon, kinahanglan sun’don gajud nato an Ija sugo na mamati sa Ija pinayangga na Anak.

Ipangamujo nato kan Lord na tabangan kita Nija, sa tanag nan Holy Spirit, na makasunod sa sugo ni God na mamati kan Jesus.

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“Lord Jesus, keep me always alert and awake to you, to your word, your action, and your daily presence in my life. Let me see your glory.”

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"Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus"

Matthew 14:1-12

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus; and he said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist, he has been raised from the dead; that is why these powers are at work in him." For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison, for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; because John said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and pleased Herod, so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter." And the king was sorry; but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given; he sent and had John beheaded in the prison, and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came and took the body and buried it; and they went and told Jesus.

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Natagna na John the Baptist an ministry ni Jesus, an kamatajon sanan pagkabanhaw, sanan an ato pagka-salbar sa ato mga kasay’anan.

An pagduha-duha ni Herod na pat’jon si John parehas ra ‘sab nan pagduha-duha nan mga Jewish na pat’jon si Jesus.

Pero sa kapulihay, ingka-pinggutan pa gihapon si John nan uyo sanan nahilangsang gihapon si Jesus sa krus.

Nahitabo ini kay desidido man gajud si John na mahipa-abot nija an mga pulong sanan mga sugo ni God hilabina kan Herod.

Sa kan Jesus ‘sab, Ija man tinguha na mahipa-abot sa mga tawo an kagustuhan nan Ija Father didto Heaven – an pagpadayag nan waya’y katapusan na pagmahal Nija sa Ija mga anak.

Ugsa kuman, marajaw unta na paningkamutan nato na mahipa-abot isab nato an Ebanghelyo pinaagi nan pagpadayag nan ini sa simple sanan madali hisab’tan na mga panultihon segun sa ato ‘sab pagtuo.

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"Heavenly Father, form in me the likeness of your Son Jesus that I may imitate him in word and deed. Help me to live the gospel faithfully and give me the strength and courage I need to not shrink back in the face of hardship and temptation."

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"The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous"

Matthew 13:47-53

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth. "Have you understood all this?" They said to him, "Yes." And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old." And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there.

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Isa an baling sa mga pamaagi nan pagpangisda sa danaw sa Habungan, parehas ra ‘sab nan pamaagi nan adton panahon pa ni Jesus didto sa Ija lugar.

Tanan klase nan isda an makuha sa baling ugsa na pag-abot sa baybay nan suso nan baling, pilion nan mga mangingisda an marajaw sanan ilain an mga dili kapus’lan – an iban ilabog nila sa halajo.

Amo ‘sab si God pinaagi sa Simbahan, waya’y pili ‘sab an mosuod kan God, marajaw man kon dili, Ija dawaton tanan.

Pero pag-abot nan panahon, Ija na pilion kon sin’o an Ija husgahan nan marajaw na kinabuhing dajon sanan kon sin’o an Ija ibalhog sa perdisyon.

Kon an kinabuhi nato dinhi sa kalibutan nahi-ujon sa kagustuhan ni God permi, segurado kita na an Ija husga dato pasingod sa kinabuhi na tunhay.

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"Lord Jesus, increase my hunger for your kingdom and fill my heart with eager longing for you that I may one day gaze upon your face in everlasting bliss."

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"The heavenly treasure and the pearl of great price"

Matthew 13:44-46

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

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Sin’o ma’y dili mobaligja nan tanan nija kabtangan para ibaylo o i-palit nan pinaka-gusto nija na mapanag’ija an pinaka-bilil’hon na butang?

Amo ‘sab ini an buot ipasabot dinhi ni Jesus na kinahanglan preparado kita na i-surrender nato an tanan, makab’ot lamang nato an pinaka-bahandi – Sija mismo.

Pero an dayan pasingod kan Jesus, nanginahang’lan ‘sab nan sakripisyo para mag-bag’o kita kay an panawagan dato pagka-Kristiyano, kinahanglan man nan pag-bag’o.

Ugsa ipangaliya nato kan God na hatagan kita Nija nan grasya na mahi-offer nato an ato kaugalingon na wayay kondisyon nadto Dija.

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"Lord Jesus, reveal to me the true riches of your kingdom. Help me to set my heart on you alone as the treasure beyond compare with any other. Free my heart of any inordinate desires or attachment to other things that I may freely give to you all that I have in joy and gratitude for all that you have given to me. May I always find joy and delight in your presence."

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