Heroes

✝️ Overcoming the Devil | Matthew 4:1–11 In the wilderness, after fasting forty days and nights, Jesus was tested by the devil. Three times He was tempted — with bread, with power, and with glory. Three times He resisted — standing firm on the Word of God. This powerful passage reminds us that when we face trials and temptation, God’s Word gives us the strength to overcome. 🙏 Prayer: Lord, help us to resist temptation. Strengthen us with Your Word. Guide us to trust You always. Amen. 🔔 Subscribe to True Pasture for more: Inspiring Bible stories Catholic saints of the day Uplifting prayers and reflections

✝️ Saint Raphael the Archangel | God’s Healing and Guidance Saint Raphael the Archangel, whose name means “God has healed,” is known as a powerful healer and guide. In the Book of Tobit, Raphael accompanies Tobias on his journey, heals blindness, and brings peace to a troubled family. In this short video, we honor Saint Raphael’s mission of healing, protection, and safe passage. May his example remind us that God cares for us in every trial and leads us with love. 🙏 Prayer to Saint Raphael: Saint Raphael the Archangel, healer of our hearts, guide of travelers, and companion on life’s journey, pray for us and bring us closer to God’s love. Amen. 🔔 Subscribe to True Pasture for more: Catholic saints of the day Inspiring Bible stories Uplifting prayers and reflections

✝️ Saint Gabriel the Archangel | Messenger of God’s Strength Saint Gabriel the Archangel is God’s faithful messenger — his very name means “God is my strength.” Gabriel brought the greatest announcements in salvation history: the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah, and the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary. In this short video, we honor Saint Gabriel’s role as the bringer of hope, courage, and divine truth. May his example inspire us to listen for God’s voice and to share His message with strength and faith. 🙏 Prayer to Saint Gabriel: Saint Gabriel the Archangel, messenger of God’s strength, help us to be open to God’s word, faithful in our calling, and courageous in sharing His love. Amen.

✝️ Saint Michael the Archangel | Defender of Faith and Protector of God’s People Saint Michael the Archangel is known as the great warrior of Heaven — the protector of God’s people and the one who leads the battle against darkness. His name means “Who is like God?” — a powerful reminder of God’s strength and glory. In this short video, we honor Saint Michael’s courage, faith, and protection. May his example inspire us to stand strong in our own battles and trust in God’s power. 🙏 Prayer to Saint Michael: Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. 🔔 Subscribe to True Pasture for more: Inspiring Bible stories Catholic saints of the day Uplifting prayers and messages of faith

Psalm 27:1 reminds us of God’s strength and protection: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” In times of uncertainty, we remember that God is our guide and our peace. 🙏

September 27th is the Feast of Saint Vincent de Paul. Born in France in 1581, Vincent devoted his life as a priest to serving the poor, the sick, and the forgotten. He founded the Congregation of the Mission (the Vincentians) and, together with Saint Louise de Marillac, established the Daughters of Charity. Canonized in 1737, Saint Vincent de Paul is honored as the patron saint of charitable societies, and his legacy continues today in countless organizations that serve the poor around the world. 🙏 Join us in remembering this great saint whose life was dedicated to faith, service, and compassion.

Take a quiet moment to reflect and pray with the traditional ringing of the Angelus bells. This video combines gentle music, narration, and the timeless call to prayer. The Angelus is a devotion honoring the Incarnation of Christ, traditionally recited morning, noon, and evening. As the bells ring, join in prayer and allow the peace of God to enter your heart. 🙏 Perfect for personal prayer, group devotion, or simply a moment of calm in your day.

This backview demonstration of the Kenko Kempo Kata from the Vitok system, founded by Grandmaster Erich B. Ries, is designed to help students follow the movements more clearly. In the same way, as followers of Christ we are called to look at life from different perspectives, learning patience, humility, and endurance. As the Bible says in Hebrews 12:11, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” May this video inspire you to strengthen both body and spirit, walking in faith and discipline.

A 5-year-old fell into a well, and a young woman’s actions led to the youngster’s rescue. The girl heard a cry for help and sprang into action, not wasting any time. Watch the short but powerful clip about a young lady coming to the rescue of a child who had fallen into a well.

Children are supposed to be outside, playing and enjoying the great outdoors. Childhood is the time when youngsters should be able to live carefree and simply have fun. They should be outside exploring and learning. That’s what being a child and childhood are all about, right?

However, our world is a dark and dangerous place where even children can be easily injured or worse. Sadly, it seems that children have to be on alert, aware of the dangers that lurk around nearly every corner. A clip posted on YouTube shows how a little one was outside playing when disaster struck, but luckily, a hero was nearby.

The clip explains that a 5-year-old boy was playing outside, running around in the yard, when he fell into a well. The well, the video states, was massive, 30 feet deep. Soon after the child fell into the well, the boy’s mother began screaming and crying out for help, and an 11-year-old girl heard them. That’s when she wasted no time, acting quickly and retrieving a ladder.

The 5-year-old was able to grab hold of the ladder and climb out. Miraculously, the video states that the boy only suffered a few minor cuts and scratches.

That was a situation that could have easily been much worse. The 11-year-old girl is a true hero, racing to the scene to help the child and his mother.

In life, we will encounter situations and circumstances that might seem unbearable and as if there is no hope. Thankfully, our Lord and Savior can take those situations and bring about something beautiful.

Philippians 2:3 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.”

A handful of brave neighbors rushed into a burning house to rescue a pair of dogs. The heroic gentlemen risked their lives when they entered the engulfed residence to find and rescue the animals. Watch the short but jaw-dropping video to learn about and see their heroic deed.

Emergencies do happen in life. Unfortunately, they are impossible to plan for or predict. But I guess that’s why they are emergencies, always catching people off guard and usually at the worst possible moment. The best we can do and hope for is to be prepared and know what to do in the event of a crisis.

However, one can practice, plan and prepare for emergencies of all kinds, shapes and forms. While it’s good to be ready and equipped with the knowledge of what to do, where and when if a disaster were to strike, we can never be sure how we’d react until we’re put in that situation. We’d all like to believe we’d act heroically and not freeze up when quick, decisive action is needed. Acting heroically, quickly and decisively is precisely what a group of men did when they spotted a neighbor’s house on fire.

In the video posted on YouTube, the men are captured attempting to bust their neighbor’s front door in because they fear that they are still in the burning house. While trying to barge into the residence, the men are informed that a dog is inside the engulfed structure. Once they get the door busted down, they all dart into the house, and soon after entering, they remerge with the canines.

Those heroes got those canines and themselves out of the house just in time. One of the men, who assisted with the courageous rescue said that about 30 seconds to a minute later, the rest of the house was essentially gone, burnt up in the fire.

Psalm 82:3 “Give ear to the cause of the poor and the children without fathers; let those who are troubled and in need have their rights.”

Corrie Ten Boom shares about how her sister, Betsie, died in the concentration camp during ww2, but she was able to see her new body as a gift from God.

Two officers teamed up to help rescue a coyote that had gotten caught in a tree. The kind and caring law enforcement officers worked together to free the animal from its odd and likely painful position. Watch the short but sweet clip to see how the officers were able to work together to free the wild animal from the tree.

Animals, like human beings, are part of God’s creation. They were placed on Earth by Him and are important in His eyes. They have to be, why else would He have put them here? So, because of their importance to God and their inherent value to the Creator of the universe, animals should be treated with kindness, gentleness and respect.

Of course, that means humans should look out for and care for those cute, furry, four-legged creatures. As every pet owner knows, animals can get into some odd, inexplicable predicaments. Who hasn’t come home from a long day at work only to find their dog or cat in a spot or having made a mess they had no business being in or creating? Despite their unfortunate behavior, we still show them kindness and gentleness because of how much they mean to us.

In a clip posted on YouTube, two police officers helped an animal that had somehow become stuck in a tree. The coyote’s right front paw is securely stuck in the tree, which has started to split down the middle. Perhaps the coyote was trying to climb the tree when it slid down the tree and then got stuck? I’m not sure how that would have happened.

Regardless of how the coyote got into its present position, the animal obviously knew it was in trouble and badly needed help. It did not try to bite or scratch the officers working to free it. Eventually, after much effort, the officers free the wild animal.

Genesis 1:21 “And God created great whales, and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”

Brave, quick-thinking men jumped in and saved a woman during a dangerous and scary situation. The two gentlemen stepped up in a big way and protected a woman during a frightening ordeal. Watch the short but awe-inspiring clip to hear about the terrifying circumstance that caused two men to act decisively and heroically.

Life is, for the most part, an unexpected experience, full of situations and circumstances, many of which we could have never foreseen coming—some good and others not so good. There will be joy, but sadly, there will also be tears as we go through life. Also, we often have no control over what happens to us, but we must learn how to improvise and roll with those unexpected situations.

Everyone wants to believe they know what to do and how to act in an emergency. We’d all like to think we’d act without hesitation, maneuvering in a way that keeps others from harm. But the only way to ever be sure is to be thrust into such a situation. A clip posted on YouTube shows that two men found themselves in a frightening ordeal, and they rose to the occasion.

In the video, a laundromat employee is threatened by a man waving a bat, who is also clearly shouting at her. One man, a customer nearby, notices what is happening and how he’s threatening the woman and jumps into action. He bear hugs, wrapping his arms around the would-be assailant, and wrestles him to the ground with the help of another man who runs onto the scene to offer his assistance. Those two heroes kept that woman and everyone else in the laundromat safe until police arrived on the scene, nearly 10 minutes later.

One of the two men said he had no intention of being a hero, but the situation called for someone to step up and act and he answered the call.

“I didn’t come in here to be a hero, I came in here to wash clothes,” he said. “But I think you need to interact where you see a need, and it’s everybody’s job to do that in the community.”

Those are powerful words that we could all apply to our lives and many different situations.

Galatians 6:2 “Take on yourselves one another’s troubles, and so keep the law of Christ.”

A dog helped to save its canine friend during a medical emergency. The animal sensed something was terribly wrong with its buddy and, amazingly, responded in a way you must see to believe. Watch the short but jaw-dropping clip to see what one animal did when its buddy had a seizure.

Animals are, without a doubt, some of the best creatures on the planet. Who could or would want to argue otherwise? I guess someone could take the other side of that topic, but they would be incredibly wrong. Animals are cute, cuddly and are some of the best friends you’ll ever hope to make.

Dogs especially occupy a special place in most people’s hearts. They are loyal to a fault, love unconditionally and are thrilled to see you when you walk through that door. They aren’t referred to as man’s best friend for nothing. But in addition to being great companions and furry, four-legged family members, dogs are incredibly smart beings. A clip posted on YouTube shows that one dog, a Boxer named Reggie, knew exactly what to do when its buddy, Yogi, a French bulldog, had a seizure.

Footage shows Reggie and Yogi in the living room doing what appears to be playing, possibly even wrestling, but that is not the case at all. Yogi, who has Epilepsy, has just undergone a seizure, is not moving and appears to be completely lifeless. Watching from the outside, it seems to be a tragic scene. However, Reggie instinctively knew what to do and began frantically rolling Yogi back and forth across the floor in a desperate attempt to get the dog moving once again.

“If it wasn’t for Reggie, you know, moving him all around and being here, I would have come home to, you know, him not being alive,” Sarah McCardle said.

Genesis 1:21 “And God created great whales, and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”

A Walgreens worker stepped in and saved a woman from being the victim of a costly scam. The young man went above and beyond his job responsibilities to keep a customer from handling over a ton of money. Watch the short but heartwarming clip to see and hear what the young man did to help an elderly customer.

The world is often a mean, cruel and cold place. Nearly everywhere we look, we see evidence of that being the case – any television news broadcast and social media, for instance. Part of living in such a fallen and troubled environment means some people are out there determined to take advantage of others. They will use any vile means necessary to trick and swindle people out of good, hard-earned money.

A clip posted on YouTube tells of a woman who was about to become another scam victim. She was prepared to hand over hundreds of dollars to individuals as part of a scam. That was until one attentive and caring Walgreens employee, Cody, stepped in and took decisive action.
The young man mentioned that he recognized the woman as a regular customer. However, her behavior during this trip to the store was anything but regular.

“She was buying some gift cards for $500, which I thought was weird because I’d never seen her buy gift cards,” Cody said.

Cody also noticed a phone number from California continually calling the elderly woman. The woman admitted the individual calling was the person for whom she was purchasing the gift card.  Cody instantly understood that the elderly woman was being scammed, saving her from forking over hundreds of dollars.

Another woman in the store at the time, who saw Cody help the elderly woman avoid becoming the victim of a scam, was deeply moved by his actions.

“He could have just said, ‘This isn’t my problem,’ rang them up and sent her on her way,” she said. “And the fact that he recognized the scam and said, ‘I’m not, we’re not going to be a part of this. We’re stopping this right here,’ was just so wonderful to see.”

Cody added that he always thinks of his grandmother and would want someone to do the same for her if she were in a similar position.

Philippians 2:4 “Not looking everyone to his private good but keeping in mind the things of others.”

An officer arrived just in time to rescue a choking 2-year-old. The officer was in the right place at the right time and saved the young man’s life. Watch the short but powerful clip to see and hear about the officer’s lifesaving move.

Today, heroes are few and far between. Despite what some people may believe, those on television, in the movies, in the Oval Office or in Congress are not heroes. Even though they may say and claim otherwise, those individuals are, for the most part, motivated by selfish ambition.

Selfish ambition, money or fame are not motivating factors for heroes. They do not think of themselves or their well-being when they act. Instead, they are concerned about others. Heroes will and do act with little to no concern for their safety and well-being, often putting their lives on the line for strangers. A clip posted on YouTube captured the actions of an officer who happened to be at the right place at just the right time.

An officer was pulling into a gas station to fill up his vehicle when he spotted a commotion. Several people had gathered, crowding around for some reason. It turned out that a young man, a 2-year-old, was choking on a piece of a hot dog that had gotten lodged in his throat. No one could get it out, and that’s when the officer stepped up and acted. He worked frantically, pounding on the young’s back, hoping to free the piece of meat from the child’s throat.

Eventually, the officer performed the Heimlich maneuver, which was successful. The hot dog was removed, and the child was able to start breathing once again.

While the officer should be rightfully recognized for his lifesaving, heroic act, he put the spotlight back on the child, calling the young man “brave.”

“He was brave, to be honest with you,” the officer said. “That was probably one of the bravest kids that I’ve encountered.”

2 Timothy 2:15 “Let it be your care to get the approval of God, as a workman who has no cause for shame, giving the true word in the right way.”

A reporter on live TV dropped everything to help during an emergency. The young man was on air when he unexpectedly disappeared to rush over and assist someone in need. Watch the short clip to see the moment and to learn what happened that caused the reporter to rush to the scene.

Everyone is familiar with local television news broadcasts. Decades ago, they were the best and, besides a newspaper, one of the only sources of information. In those years, people would huddle around the television just as the broadcast was starting, not wanting to miss a second of the news and information being dispensed by the anchors.

Now, the internet exists, where information is available in real time, and waiting for a television news broadcast is unnecessary. They will just tell you information that’s been on the internet for three or four hours, anyway, right? Regardless, there are still people, for some reason, who watch local and national television news broadcasts. Well, those watching a Chicago station’s broadcast didn’t get just information easily found on the internet, but witnessed something completely unexpected.

In a clip posted on YouTube, a reporter is live on air giving his report when he runs off camera in the middle of it, making for an awkward situation. He can be heard saying, “Oh shoot,” before he sets down his microphone and disappears.

So, what happened? Well, it turns out the reporter was concerned about someone who was involved in a horrific accident and ran over to check on them.

Later in the broadcast, the reporter returns and explains that a runner and a cyclist collided, sending the cyclist over their bike and onto the ground. The cyclist hit the ground so hard that their helmet broke. The cyclist was said to be up and moving around following the incident.

While his unexpected exit may have made for an awkward few moments, the reporter’s concern and assistance during that emergency are admirable, and something we could use more of in this world.

Philippians 2:4 “Not looking everyone to his private good, but keeping in mind the things of others.”

A man put his life on the line to save a family from a high-rise apartment fire. He risked everything, including his safety, to help a handful of people who were in danger, trapped in a burning apartment. Watch this short but powerful clip to see how this man put his life on the line to save a family from a burning apartment.

What does it take, what must someone do to be considered a hero? In society today, being a hero typically means putting a rubber ball through an orange metal cylinder with only a handful of seconds left on the game clock. Many people, for some inexplicable reason, also consider a person running for public office, while promising to do this or that heroic. Some even believe actors and actresses, people who recite lines written by someone else, to be heroes.

Obviously, society's working definition of a hero and heroism is entirely wrong and distorted. Heroes put others before themselves, risking their safety and even putting their lives in peril. And that is precisely what one man did when he helped an entire family escape a burning building, heroically saving their lives.

In a video posted on social media, a man was captured climbing out of his apartment building and carefully tiptoeing on the ledge while making his way to an apartment with heavy smoke continuously billowing out of it. 

The unnamed hero, once he reaches that burning apartment, reaches for, secures and then moves the children from the smoke-filled apartment to his apartment. He does this for each of the family's children, but he doesn't stop with the children. He continues to risk his life as he rescues the mother and every other remaining family member inside the burning apartment.

At one point during his lifesaving, heroic actions, the camera pans down, giving viewers a quick look at just how much danger this man put himself in to rescue that entire family. One false move and the man would have surely fallen to his death.

Philippians 2:4 "Not looking everyone to his private good, but keeping in mind the things of others."

A brave dog defended its owner and foiled a frightening assault. The loyal pup leapt into action, scaring off criminals attempting to wrestle a woman’s purse away from her. Watch the short but powerful clip to see the moment when the dog bounded onto the scene and scared the masked criminals away.

Sadly, crime will always be present. That is a simple but horrible and straightforward fact. As long as humans remain on Earth, individuals will be scheming and looking to perpetrate evil upon one another. Crime is yet another sign and symptom of the sin that exists in our lost and fallen world.

Politicians can pass any law they want when attempting to reduce and eliminate crime, but they will always fail. Those pieces of legislation will always be in vain. Add as many police officers to the force as you want, but that won’t make crime disappear. It’s here to stay, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have ways to protect ourselves. A clip posted on YouTube shows how one woman had a sweet, four-legged friend come to her rescue.

In the video, a woman in San Antonio, Texas, approaches her house when she is accosted by two young men dressed in black from head to toe. It immediately becomes clear what the two criminals are after: her purse. The woman states that she had just made a trip to the bank and believes the red SUV, from which the criminals popped out, followed her home.

The woman is eventually knocked to the ground as their tug-of-war over the purse continues. But soon after that, Rambo, the family’s pit bull, sprang into action, coming to the woman’s defense and scaring off the assailants.

“Rambo, he’s a pit bull,” Noemi Moreno said. “He saved me. Thank God for him.”

What a good boy!

Genesis 1:21 “And God created great whales, and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”

A fictional account of a wrestler by the name of Josiah Samson Santos. He managed to hit the big time only to be betrayed by the one he loved. This caused him to drink heavily and lose hope, but God had a plan for his life. Take some time to check out this short but important video patterned after the life of Samson in the Bible. Also, I created this as a tribute to my son Joshua, who once was a professional wrestler but is now retired and blessed with a good job. Finally, Thanks to my son Mark for giving me the plot for the story. Enjoy and be blessed.