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Monday, August 31, 2015

In Your Hearing

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"We will be the happiest people in the world if we belong to God, if we place ourselves at his disposal, if we let him use us as he pleases. To be this happy, we must belong to Jesus fully without reservation. He alone is worthy of our love and our total surrender. Once we really belong to him then he is free to use us, to do with us whatever he pleases."
— Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, p. 25


Thirsting for God


Sts. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus
 

The actions of these two influential Jewish leaders give insight into the charismatic power of Jesus and his teachings—and the risks that could be involved in following him.

Joseph was a respected, wealthy civic leader who had become a disciple of Jesus. Following the death of Jesus, Joseph obtained Jesus' body from Pilate, wrapped it in fine linen and buried it. For these reasons Joseph is considered the patron saint of funeral directors and pallbearers. More important is the courage Joseph showed in asking Pilate for Jesus' body. Jesus was a condemned criminal who had been publicly executed. According to some legends, Joseph was punished and imprisoned for such a bold act.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee and, like Joseph, an important first-century Jew. We know from John's Gospel that Nicodemus went to Jesus at night—secretly—to better understand his teachings about the kingdom. Later, Nicodemus spoke up for Jesus at the time of his arrest and assisted in Jesus' burial. We know little else about Nicodemus.

Patron Saint of:

Undertakers

 

Daily Prayer - 2015-08-31

Presence

What is present to me is what has a hold on my becoming.
I reflect on the Presence of God always there in love,
amidst the many things that have a hold on me.
I pause and pray that I may let God
affect my becoming in this precise moment.

Freedom

God is not foreign to my freedom.
Instead the Spirit breathes life into my most intimate desires,
gently nudging me towards all that is good.
I ask for the grace to let myself be enfolded by the Spirit.

Consciousness

Knowing that God loves me unconditionally,
I look honestly over the last day, its events and my feelings.
Do I have something to be grateful for? Then I give thanks.
Is there something I am sorry for? Then I ask forgiveness.

The Word of God

 

Reading 1 1 Thes 4:13-18

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,
about those who have fallen asleep,
so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose,
so too will God, through Jesus,
bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
Indeed, we tell you this, on the word of the Lord,
that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord,
will surely not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself, with a word of command,
with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God,
will come down from heaven,
and the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive, who are left,
will be caught up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air.
Thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Therefore, console one another with these words.

Responsorial Psalm PS 96:1 and 3, 4-5, 11-12, 13

R. (13b) The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
For great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
awesome is he, beyond all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are things of nought,
but the LORD made the heavens.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.

Alleluia See Lk 4:18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me;
he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 4:16-30

Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.


Rolling up the scroll,
he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
"Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
They also asked, "Is this not the son of Joseph?"
He said to them, "Surely you will quote me this proverb,
'Physician, cure yourself,' and say, 'Do here in your native place
the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.'"
And he said,
"Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.
Indeed, I tell you,
there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah
when the sky was closed for three and a half years
and a severe famine spread over the entire land.
It was to none of these that Elijah was sent,
but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.
Again, there were many lepers in Israel
during the time of Elisha the prophet;
yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."
When the people in the synagogue heard this,
they were all filled with fury.
They rose up, drove him out of the town,
and led him to the brow of the hill
on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong.
But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

 

Some thoughts on today's scripture

  • Jesus, as he preached about inclusion, found himself excluded. His listeners were appalled at his message. Is there anyone in my community whom I fail to accept?
  • Familiarity with Jesus left his listeners unimpressed. The Word of God made flesh was reading the word of God to them, and it fell upon deaf ears. Today, let me consciously look for the extraordinary among the ordinary.
 

Conversation

Sometimes I wonder what I might say if I were to meet you in person Lord.
I think I might say "Thank You Lord" for always being there for me.
I know with certainty there were times when you carried me, Lord.
When it was through your strength I got through the dark times in my life.

Conclusion

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
world without end.


Catholic Meditations

Meditation: Luke 4:16-30

View NAB Reading at USCCB.org

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22nd Week in Ordinary Time

Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing. (Luke 4:21)

Do you ever wish that life was like a vending machine? It would be so easy if we could just put in the correct amount of work and prayers, push the right button, and watch everything come out exactly as we have planned.

But sometimes even vending machines get jammed, and we end up with something we don't want. Or nothing at all.

Then what? Some people get so angry that they shake or kick the misbehaving machine. Unfortunately, this rarely works, and they are left even more frustrated. They still end up with whatever they got.

Perhaps this is how the people in the synagogue at Nazareth felt when Jesus announced to them that he was the long-awaited Messiah.

Many of the Jews in Jesus' time were very careful about pushing the right buttons in the hopes that God would fulfill their dreams. They prayed unceasingly for a powerful Messiah who would overthrow the Romans and bring about an era of peace and prosperity for the nation of Israel. So you can imagine their initial excitement when Jesus announced that he was the Messiah. And you can also imagine how angry they became when they discovered that this "Messiah" was just a carpenter's son who preached a message of mercy, love, and compassion. They were so upset that they tried to kill him!

The Nazarenes couldn't see that in Jesus they got more than what they had ordered, not less. Jesus wasn't going to continue the cycle of vengeance and violence that was part of every kingdom, including theirs. He had come to put an end to that cycle and to save everyone by showing them the love of a servant, not an overlord.

Today, take time to consider how you react when life doesn't hand you what you have ordered. Do you kick the "vending machine" only to end up hurting yourself? Remember that God doesn't always appear or heal us or save us in the way that we expect. But his plans are always best. No matter what the end results are, he will make them perfect if we trust him. And best of all, we always end up with more than what we have asked for!

"Lord, you are the fulfillment of all my needs and desires. May I never reject your good gifts!"

 

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Psalm 96:1, 3-5, 11-13


 


my2cents:
It's almost as if today's 1st Holy Scriptures are saying "don't be like the rest who have no hope".  We have a hope and it is our Lord.  This is a rare occurance for me, yesterday or the night before, I was thinking of my own mortality.  Thinking of death.  Scary thought for many, and the hardest part is to think "that's it" no more of you, no more of anything or anybody.  Such a thought drives in droves people to Christ.  This is the God of the resurrection.  This is the only God that has risen and promised your resurrection.  That's why we pray it in Holy Mass in the creed "I believe in the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come".  In most other religions, death is it, or you may reincarnate, or the spirit wonders off, but for us...life is just beginning.  The 5 minutos ended today with "a note with humor":
  "Pilot to ground control, Pilot to control tower, I am 600 kilometers from land...at 200 meters over water...I am running out of fuel...instructions please.  Control Tower to pilot..control tower here to pilot...repeat with me: 'Our Father, who art in Heaven..." This is our control tower giving instructions to so many pilots in danger.  I invite you to repeat with me: Life is eternal.  The love of God never runs out.  Death is only a horizon and there is life beyond the horizon.  Yes, Lord, you are my final and new and blessed beginning."
The Psalms pray on, "For great is the LORD and highly to be praised; awesome is he, beyond all gods. For all the gods of the nations are things of nought, but the LORD made the heavens." and "The Lord comes to judge the earth".  You know, I pretty much divulge all my secrets of the faith, pretty much most here, and so it should not come as any surprise my conversations with the Lord.  Most often and most clearly are the ones before the Most Blessed Sacrament.  One time last week, as I knelt and spoke with the Lord, I would bring up an issue and He would reply to the heart as if to reply at each petition "I Am above that", as if to say "I got it under control".  Good news from the control tower huh?  I shake like a leaf in fear and I reach out to Him and He sends a message of control, and the shakiness goes away, because He knows how to control me and my fears.  This God here is amazing like that.
Today, our Lord amazes all those in the synagogue.  He picks up the scroll, reads the place where He will fulfill scriptures that day "...He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free".  I will make you see.  I will make you free.  I will give you true liberty.  I said it in a previous email, that our country is losing its freedom, the more free we are trying to be from morality.  If you really want to be free, be Holy.  There have been saints in history that are so free that they float off the ground, they are even free from gravity!  Man that'd be awesome.  Yet, the scriptures say, "we will be caught up in the clouds with the Lord".  I guess its the soul wanting to be free, and this means holy.  Life is waiting, real life is waiting for you and for me.  Jesus is waiting.  I began to write a new song this weekend, and it said as if the Lord speaking "how can you want to be with me forever, if right now you don't have time for Me ?"  Isn't that the strangest thing, that we want something for nothing?  And for a video for the song, if I ever write the song, I thought of asking this old man from the nursing home, Manuel Salazar, if he would be an actor, to play the part of the father, and then I would walk in to see him for a few seconds or a minute, give him money, say hello, then leave.  Because this would be an actual depiciton of our daily lives.  We give a few seconds of prayer, a few minutes in church, maybe give a few bucks, and then leave to live our own lives.  Is that true love?   The song would continue "I gave you my heart, you tore it apart, and threw it away".  Daily, God is giving you His heart...His love, His Son, the daily bread.  What do you do with it?  Bad question, because  "it" is Jesus.  So what do you do with Him daily?  What if this was your last day on earth?  Who would you spend the most time with today?  If the answer is anyone else than God...then I could tell you where eternity could possibly be spent.  It's kind of harsh, but truth hurts.  Yes or no.  Answer the Lord, when He asks YOU,

"My Child, do you love Me?"

adrian
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Going4th,

Friday, August 28, 2015

There Was A Cry

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Minute Meditations

Obedience to Jesus
Lord, please fill my heart and soul with the confidence that you will always provide what I need, when I need it, and let me be obedient to you.
— from Blessed Are You


St. Augustine of Hippo
http://ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/A/staugustine.asp
more on St. Augustine...
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02084a.htm

Patron Saint of:

Brewers
Theologians

 

Daily Prayer - 2015-08-28

Presence

I pause for a moment
and reflect on God's life-giving presence
in every part of my body, in everything around me,
in the whole of my life.

Freedom

Everything has the potential to draw forth from me a fuller love and life.
Yet my desires are often fixed, caught, on illusions of fulfillment.
I ask that God, through my freedom may orchestrate my desires
in a vibrant loving melody rich in harmony.

Consciousness

I ask how I am within myself today?
Am I particularly tired, stressed, or off-form?
If any of these characteristics apply,
can I try to let go of the concerns that disturb me?

The Word of God

 

Memorial of Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Reading 1 1 Thes 4:1-8

Brothers and sisters,
we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that,
as you received from us
how you should conduct yourselves to please God--
and as you are conducting yourselves--
you do so even more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

This is the will of God, your holiness:
that you refrain from immorality,
that each of you know how to acquire a wife for himself
in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion
as do the Gentiles who do not know God;
not to take advantage of or exploit a brother or sister in this matter,
for the Lord is an avenger in all these things,
as we told you before and solemnly affirmed.
For God did not call us to impurity but to holiness.
Therefore, whoever disregards this,
disregards not a human being but God,
who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.

Responsorial Psalm PS 97:1 and 2b, 5-6, 10, 11-12

R. (12a) Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
Justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the LORD of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD loves those who hate evil;
he guards the lives of his faithful ones;
from the hand of the wicked he delivers them.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
Light dawns for the just;
and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the LORD, you just,
and give thanks to his holy name.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!

Alleluia Lk 21:36

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Be vigilant at all times and pray,
that you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 25:1-13

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins
who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,
brought no oil with them,
but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.
Since the bridegroom was long delayed,
they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight, there was a cry,
'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'
Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.
The foolish ones said to the wise,
'Give us some of your oil,
for our lamps are going out.'
But the wise ones replied,
'No, for there may not be enough for us and you.
Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.'
While they went off to buy it,
the bridegroom came
and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him.
Then the door was locked.
Afterwards the other virgins came and said,
'Lord, Lord, open the door for us!'
But he said in reply,
'Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.'
Therefore, stay awake,
for you know neither the day nor the hour."

- - -

Some thoughts on today's scripture

 
  • As Christians we wait in readiness, we wait in hope and we wait together. I may be alone at my computer, but I am conscious of the thousands of my sisters and brothers who are logged on to Sacred Space with me at this very moment.
  • Our entire life is leading to one point, the arrival of the Bridegroom. When he comes, may I hear him say -- as in the Song of Songs - "Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one, and come!"
 

Conversation

Sometimes I wonder what I might say if I were to meet you in person Lord.
I think I might say "Thank You Lord" for always being there for me.
I know with certainty there were times when you carried me, Lord.
When it was through your strength I got through the dark times in my life.

Conclusion

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
world without end.


 

Catholic Meditations

Meditation: Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 10-12

View NAB Reading at USCCB.org

Subscriber? Login to view archives.

Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Memorial)

Light dawns for the just; and gladness, for the upright of heart. (Psalm 97:11)

The psalms are full of promises of reward for the just and punishment for the wicked. The Lord "secures justice for the oppressed" (Psalm 146:7), but he will take away the strength of the wicked (Psalm 37). But why is it that we sometimes see suffering come to the most saintly people we know, while some of those who ignore God's ways seem to prosper? Most disturbing, why is it that the whole history of the Church shows faithful Christians being brutally persecuted, tortured, and killed. Why doesn't the Lord "secure justice" for them?

Many centuries ago, St. Augustine used today's Psalm to help explain this conundrum. The light that dawns for everyone—the sun—shows us only physical reality. But in the eyes of the just, there is a different light: Jesus, the eternal Son. For those who place their faith in him, an inner light shines on the sufferings of this world and reveals a deeper reality: God is King of all creation, and he offers eternal life to his people.

Whether it is at the hands of the Roman Empire, the Soviet Union, or the so-called Islamic State, Christians persecuted for their faith have found their faith to be a source of deep comfort and strength. Augustine goes so far as to talk of the persecuted faithful "preaching Christ amid their torments" and finding "joy in the iron-chair," a cruel instrument of torture. And the good news is that the power of God that brings profound freedom to the imprisoned and happiness to the oppressed is still alive and active today!

Of course, tragedy and injustice continue, as we witness in painful stories like that of the twenty-one Egyptian Christians who were martyred this past February. But we should never lose sight of our hope in the Lord. As well as continuing to pray for peace, we need to pray for everyone undergoing persecution right now. As we do, let's also lift up the times when we suffer misunderstanding or prejudice for our faith. May Christ's light dawn on his people everywhere, revealing all of these situations as opportunities for his victory to be manifested in our lives!

"Father, show mercy to your people, whether by sparing their suffering or by strengthening them to endure it in the light of faith."

 

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
Matthew 25:1-13

 

 


 


my2cents:
For those of us wondering "what is God's will for us today?", we read in today's 1st Holy Scripture "This is the will of God, your holiness: that you refrain from immorality...".  Immorality has been taking place for as long as man can remember.  And since the Lord our God has come into the picture, He has been asking that we refrain from immorality, that was the apple in the garden, that what He said "don't" and we did.  We bit the apple of death...brought about by immorality.  Can anyone heal us from everlasting death?  Of course, only one...Jesus.  Someone can make straight the crooked paths we've taken in our lives.  Someone can heal the wrongdoings, and it is our Lord of the Heavens.  Is it so hard to be obedient?  Is it so hard to Love God? "For God did not call us to impurity but to holiness. Therefore, whoever disregards this, disregards not a human being but God, who also gives his Holy Spirit to you."  Therefore...be ready, Jesus has come, is here, and is coming.
The Psalms pray "The LORD loves those who hate evil; he guards the lives of his faithful ones; from the hand of the wicked he delivers them." and "Rejoice in the Lord, you Just".  So could we say we live in a world of hatred?  For we are to hate evil, and evil hates us back.  I read yesterday "A coalition of 130 LGBT aligned groups (including the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, NARAL, and others) just launched their first major salvo in their plan to destroy religious freedom since the tragic Supreme Court decision on marriage in June. "  The launch of attack is on its way, and they will try say if you are a Christian, you are a hater.  Funny how it carries a grain of truth, because we are supposed to hate evil.  Yet, for a generation we were lax, cool with evil, and now it is biting us back.  This is what happens.  Like a parent who does not discipline their child and the child grows up hating its parents and even killing them.  You should hate evil if you are striving for holiness.  Why?  Because evil kills...not just one another...but your soul.
In the Holy Gospel today, our Lord comes with the story of the bridegroom and the 10 virgins.  Half of them were ready, and half were not.  It's much like in Mathew 24:41 "Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. 42*Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. "  Half will be ready?  Which half of your two will be ready?  The flesh, the hedonism, the easy way, or the other half that has to fight to live the harder way that gives light?  Because the lamps had to give light to be recognized by the groom.  Those with their lights out...remained in darkness.  And they were asking at the last minute for oil which means "give me your soul because mine is not ready".  YIKES.  Only one person has give their life like this...Jesus, the oil.  With no oil, we have no light.  No Jesus, No Heaven.  Know Jesus, Know Heaven.  As I heard mother Angelica say this morning on EWTN satelite radio "were the virgins stingy with their oil?  No, they had no time".  Just like we have no time now, so it will be later, no time for you.  No time to get into Heaven.  No time to be with our Lord, because we were asleep, cool with evil, playing with the devil, hypnotized by the world.  Let's take into account our days, our limited time.  What can we do in a world of hatred?  We can hate the right things.  Hate what is killing us and taking away our oil.  But sincerely hate it.  Stop fooling around with the devil and trying to be cool and "peaceful" making deals.  For we are either with the Lord or we are not.  Jesus is coming in your lifetime...in the end...will you be ready shining the light or not for the King of Light, the Son Himself will shine bright as we pray in every Holy Mass these parts of the Nicene Creed "....light from light, true God from true God, consubstantial with the Father, begotten not made, We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen."

 adrian
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Going4th,

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Stay Awake!

Untitled document

Minute Meditations

Be Humble

Trust always and a great deal in divine providence; never, never must you let yourselves be discouraged, despite contrary winds. I say it again: trust in God and Mary Immaculate; be faithful and forge ahead!
-Paulina do Coração Agonizante de Jesus
— from Blessed Are You


St. Monica
(322?-387)


The circumstances of St. Monica's life could have made her a nagging wife, a bitter daughter-in-law and a despairing parent, yet she did not give way to any of these temptations. Although she was a Christian, her parents gave her in marriage to a pagan, Patricius, who lived in her hometown of Tagaste in North Africa. Patricius had some redeeming features, but he had a violent temper and was licentious. Monica also had to bear with a cantankerous mother-in-law who lived in her home. Patricius criticized his wife because of her charity and piety, but always respected her. Monica's prayers and example finally won her husband and mother-in-law to Christianity. Her husband died in 371, one year after his baptism.

Monica had at least three children who survived infancy. The oldest, Augustine (August 28) , is the most famous. At the time of his father's death, Augustine was 17 and a rhetoric student in Carthage. Monica was distressed to learn that her son had accepted the Manichean heresy (all flesh is evil)  and was living an immoral life. For a while, she refused to let him eat or sleep in her house. Then one night she had a vision that assured her Augustine would return to the faith. From that time on, she stayed close to her son, praying and fasting for him. In fact, she often stayed much closer than Augustine wanted.

When he was 29, Augustine decided to go to Rome to teach rhetoric. Monica was determined to go along. One night he told his mother that he was going to the dock to say goodbye to a friend. Instead, he set sail for Rome. Monica was heartbroken when she learned of Augustine's trick, but she still followed him. She arrived in Rome only to find that he had left for Milan. Although travel was difficult, Monica pursued him to Milan.

In Milan, Augustine came under the influence of the bishop, St. Ambrose, who also became Monica's spiritual director. She accepted his advice in everything and had the humility to give up some practices that had become second nature to her (see Quote, below). Monica became a leader of the devout women in Milan as she had been in Tagaste.

She continued her prayers for Augustine during his years of instruction. At Easter, 387, St. Ambrose baptized Augustine and several of his friends. Soon after, his party left for Africa. Although no one else was aware of it, Monica knew her life was near the end. She told Augustine, "Son, nothing in this world now affords me delight. I do not know what there is now left for me to do or why I am still here, all my hopes in this world being now fulfilled." She became ill shortly after and suffered severely for nine days before her death.

Almost all we know about St. Monica is in the writings of St. Augustine, especially his Confessions.



Comment:

Today, with Internet searches, e-mail shopping, text messages, tweets and instant credit, we have little patience for things that take time. Likewise, we want instant answers to our prayers. Monica is a model of patience. Her long years of prayer, coupled with a strong, well-disciplined character, finally led to the conversion of her hot-tempered husband, her cantankerous mother-in-law and her brilliant but wayward son, Augustine.

Quote:

When Monica moved from North Africa to Milan, she found religious practices new to her and also that some of her former customs, such as a Saturday fast, were not common there. She asked St. Ambrose which customs she should follow. His classic reply was: "When I am here, I do not fast on Saturday, but I fast when I am in Rome; do the same and always follow the custom and discipline of the Church as it is observed in the particular locality in which you find yourself."

Patron Saint of:

Alcoholics
Married women
Mothers

 

Daily Prayer - 2015-08-27

Presence

My soul longs for your presence, Lord.
When I turn my thoughts to You,
I find peace and contentment.

Freedom

God is not foreign to my freedom.
Instead the Spirit breathes life into my most intimate desires,
gently nudging me towards all that is good.
I ask for the grace to let myself be enfolded by the Spirit.

Consciousness

Where do I sense hope, encouragement, and growth areas in my life?
By looking back over the last few months, I may be able to see which activities and occasions have produced rich fruit.
If I do notice such areas, I will determine to give those areas both time and space in the future.

The Word of God

 

Memorial of Saint Monica

Reading 1 1 Thes 3:7-13

We have been reassured about you, brothers and sisters,
in our every distress and affliction, through your faith.
For we now live, if you stand firm in the Lord.

What thanksgiving, then, can we render to God for you,
for all the joy we feel on your account before our God?
Night and day we pray beyond measure to see you in person
and to remedy the deficiencies of your faith.
Now may God himself, our Father, and our Lord Jesus
direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase
and abound in love for one another and for all,
just as we have for you,
so as to strengthen your hearts,
to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father
at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen.

Responsorial Psalm PS 90:3-5a, 12-13, 14 and 17

R. (14) Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
You turn man back to dust,
saying, "Return, O children of men."
For a thousand years in your sight
are as yesterday, now that it is past,
or as a watch of the night.
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
And may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!

Alleluia Mt 24:42a, 44

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stay awake!
For you do not know when the Son of Man will come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 24:42-51

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
Be sure of this: if the master of the house
had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake
and not let his house be broken into.
So too, you also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.

"Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant,
whom the master has put in charge of his household
to distribute to them their food at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so.
Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property.
But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is long delayed,'
and begins to beat his fellow servants,
and eat and drink with drunkards,
the servant's master will come on an unexpected day
and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely
and assign him a place with the hypocrites,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."

- - -

 

Some thoughts on today's scripture

  • Throughout the gospels Jesus speaks about being 'awake' and paying attention. Jesus' call to build a world of justice and peace cannot be delayed. The time is now.
  • Am I so preoccupied with the busyness of life and my own particular cares and concerns that I sometimes forget to watch and pray?

Conversation

What is stirring in me as I pray?
Am I consoled, troubled, left cold?
I imagine Jesus himself standing or sitting at my side and share my feelings with him.

Conclusion

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
world without end.


Catholic Meditations

Meditation: Matthew 24:42-51

View NAB Reading at USCCB.org

Saint Monica (Memorial)

You do not know on which day your Lord will come. (Matthew 24:42)

No wonder Jesus warns us to stay awake! The end could come at any time, and he wants all of us to be ready to greet him when he does come back. This is not just some vague warning. It's a practical approach to life that we all should adopt.

So stay awake! Remember who you are: a child of God, close to his heart. You are loved, precious, and unique, and he delights in you. You are not just the subject of a distant God. You are his own child, and he cares about you. He rejoices when you do, and he wants to comfort you when you've been hurt. Spend some time, daily, alone with the One who is always on your side. "Father, awaken in me the truth that I am your child so that I can live in your love today."

Stay awake! God has plans for your life, plans for your good, plans to give you a future full of hope

(Jeremiah 29:11). He wants to involve you deeply in his life, even when it looks like the same old job, the same old school routine, or the same old schedule of housework. Ask him! He loves to share his intentions with you. "Father, what are your plans for me today? How do you want to draw me to your side today? How do you want me to build your kingdom today?"

Stay awake! Satan would like nothing better than to catch you asleep. Be wary of his lies, especially when he tries to tell you that you are worthless, unloved, or all alone. Be alert, for the devil wants to bind you with cords of anger, bitterness, and grudges. Don't fall for it! Forgive. Ask forgiveness. Strife, anxiety, and fear are his territory. Run to your Father when you find yourself there. "Father, open my eyes and ears to perceive and flee the works of the devil."

Stay awake! God has poured out his love in your heart, a love that can flow out to others. When challenges come, don't panic. Ask the Father to help you see what he sees, and to love as he does.

"Father, fill my heart with more of your love. Help me to move in your peace and patience today, alert to what you want to do."

 

1 Thessalonians 3:7-13
Psalm 90:3-5, 12-14, 17

 


my2cents:
Today's 1st Holy Scripture said "For we now live, if you stand firm in the Lord."  You remember I said I'm alive now because I have been saved?  This is what it means to be alive...to be with the Lord.  So you could put the intro after the phrase and say "If you stand firm in the Lord, we now live".  Last night we had co-worker bible study that I felt the Lord ask me to start.  There is a core group of guys, some come and go.  We laughed yesterday; one guy that used to come is now apparently even afraid of us asking him to come again to class.  One guy made me a bet as we went to bring food for the reunion, "I bet by the time we get back, that guy we invited would have shut down his job, shut the doors and leave, I'll bet you one jalapeno".  I said "Ok I'll bet he's still there".  We get there, and the doors were shut.  We caught a glimpse of him and he scrammed as soon as he saw us.  I've heard he's even made a bid deal because I said "we're taking the bible study to his house again".  We laughed because it's funny.  Funny how some are afraid...to come to Jesus.  What is He doing to you?  What has He not done for you?  Aren't you alive?  Are you living a lie?  Alive...or A lie ?  Yes..or no, what is really going on here? 
The Psalms pray on "You turn man back to dust, saying, "Return, O children of men."  and the responsorial Psalm is "Fill us with your love O Lord, and we will sing for joy"!  What a peculiar line too "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart."  My dad, the boss here at work, said "I don't know how much longer I have, I wish I knew if it were a few days or a few years".  I said "we don't know, it could be tomorrow or 20 years".  Wouldn't we all like to know?  Some saints are given the gift of knowing the day they will go.  One of my god-sons told me a couple years ago about his uncle that had cancer and a few days before he died, he said Jesus had visited him and told him when he would go...and it happened.  I asked, "was he a church going guy?".  He said no, but apparently he had met the Lord during his bout with cancer.  Is that what it will take for you to take into consideration the days you have on earth?  Maybe this is the testimony of the man now, learn to take into consideration the time we have with the Lord on earth.  How much time are you spending with Him?  When I got home from a CCD meeting last night I asked the kids at home "what was the best part of your day?"  They said different things, and then they asked "what about you dad?"  and I said "I just got back from visiting the Blessed Sacrament, that was the best part of my day".  I walked from the meeting in the parish hall to the church at night thinking "have I visited Him today?  Apparently not since I can not remember!"  Because you will never forget a visit, an encounter with His Blessed Presence.
Jesus comes to us today with two important words "Stay AWAKE!".  What makes you sleepy?  The humdrum of everyday life makes you sleepy, hypnotized.  You forget to be with the Lord.  What else makes you sleepy?  I say drugs make you sleepy, some drugs make you in a sense, unconscious.  They take your mind to a certain degree that you can not really be with the Lord in all your senses and if that won't come...then the Spirit won't enter to one who does not call.  What else makes you sleep?  Sin.  Sin detracts and takes you away from being alive and awake, makes you stay a-lie instead of alive.  Start coming back.   "Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so."  Doing what?  Being faithful and prudent.  What is faithful?  Last night at the meeting, our priest, Father Joseph made some final comments and I saw someone write a comment to another "I've heard that before".  And my heart found itself at a juxtaposition, kind of in a conundrum.  Ok, so, what does that mean?  It could mean a couple things, A.) you are making a sly remark against my father, B.) you are stating merely a fact of nothing changing.  or C.) All of the above.  LOL.  Answer A, affects me though, because we should never make sly remarks about our father in the parish even if they are those in sin.  This generation has lost veneration, that is great respect or reverence to priests.  The world has made themselves the judge of stereotypes instead of the children of God.  In a nutshell, the world has lost humility.  Did you notice today's email at the top started with Be Humble?  Perhaps being faithful means being humble.  Sure you can be faithful and serve forever, but what about humility, and compassion which equal love....a true love of God?  And what all does this bring about?  Obedience to the truest sense.  Watch what is going to be said in Sunday's readings, the Gospel more specifically.  God doesn't care so much as what goes into man as to what goes out.  I care what goes into my mouth though...because Jesus comes into my body and soul through my mouth.   I'm asking you like the man that ran away from us last night...do you want Jesus in your life? Will you too shut your door?  Because we read in Sunday's readings that are coming, that people like to hear good things, but are deceived by not listening.  You have read this far all of this, now take it to heart, because what comes from the heart matters, darkness or light.  This week I've heard of a stabbing, a shooting, and another man threatening to drive his truck into a store, and the common denominator?  The heart was darkened, hurt perhaps, but mostly anger was coming out, spitting fury and hatred.  A young man asked me this morning "are they going to make me confess since I'm going to be a godparent (sponsor) for a baptism?" and I said "I don't know where you are going to do this, but if I were you I would take the first opportunity to confess, to be ready for the Lord" and this means too...to wake up.  Be clean.  Be ready.  Be faithful, be ready.  Be humble, be ready...
 
adrian
 

  

Going4th,

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

You Bear Witness

Untitled document
Minute Meditations
Meek and Humble

It's human to feel challenged by the sort of meekness God desires, but with his help, we can be courageous enough to be obedient and faithful enough to believe in our inheritance to come in the next world.
— from Blessed Are You

St. Joseph Calasanz
(1556-1648)
Listen to Audio

From Aragon, where he was born in 1556, to Rome, where he died 92 years later, fortune alternately smiled and frowned on the work of Joseph Calasanz. A priest with university training in canon law and theology, respected for his wisdom and administrative expertise, he put aside his career because he was deeply concerned with the need for education of poor children.

When he was unable to get other institutes to undertake this apostolate at Rome, he and several companions personally provided a free school for deprived children. So overwhelming was the response that there was a constant need for larger facilities to house their effort. Soon Pope Clement VIII gave support to the school, and this aid continued under Pope Paul V. Other schools were opened; other men were attracted to the work and in 1621 the community (for so the teachers lived) was recognized as a religious community, the Clerks Regular of Religious Schools (Piarists or Scolopi). Not long after, Joseph was appointed superior for life.

A combination of various prejudices and political ambition and maneuvering caused the institute much turmoil. Some did not favor educating the poor, for education would leave the poor dissatisfied with their lowly tasks for society! Others were shocked that some of the Piarists were sent for instruction to Galileo (a friend of Joseph) as superior, thus dividing the members into opposite camps. Repeatedly investigated by papal commissions, Joseph was demoted; when the struggle within the institute persisted, the Piarists were suppressed. Only after Joseph's death were they formally recognized as a religious community.

Comment:

No one knew better than Joseph the need for the work he was doing; no one knew better than he how baseless were the charges brought against him. Yet if he were to work within the Church, he realized that he must submit to its authority, that he must accept a setback if he was unable to convince authorized investigators. While the prejudice, the scheming, and the ignorance of men often keep the truth from emerging for a long period of time, Joseph was convinced, even under suppression, that his institute would again be recognized and authorized. With this trust he joined exceptional patience and a genuine spirit of forgiveness.

Quote:

Even in the days after his own demotion, Joseph protected his persecutors against his enraged partisans; and when the community was suppressed, he stated with Job, to whom he was often compared: "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; /blessed be the name of the Lord!" (Job 1:21b).


Daily Prayer - 2015-08-26

Presence

I remind myself that, as I sit here now,
God is gazing on me with love and holding me in being.
I pause for a moment and think of this.

Freedom

"Leave me here freely all alone
In cell where never sunlight shone
should no one ever speak to me
This golden silence makes me free."
Part of a poem written by a prisoner at Dachau concentration camp

Consciousness

At this moment Lord I turn my thoughts to you.
I will leave aside my chores and preoccuptions.
I will take rest and refreshment in your presence Lord.

The Word of God

 

Reading 1 1 Thes 2:9-13

You recall, brothers and sisters, our toil and drudgery.
Working night and day in order not to burden any of you,
we proclaimed to you the Gospel of God.
You are witnesses, and so is God,
how devoutly and justly and blamelessly
we behaved toward you believers.
As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his children,
exhorting and encouraging you and insisting
that you walk in a manner worthy of the God
who calls you into his Kingdom and glory.

And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly,
that, in receiving the word of God from hearing us,
you received it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God,
which is now at work in you who believe.

Responsorial Psalm PS 139:7-8, 9-10, 11-12ab

R. (1) You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.
R. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast.
R. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
If I say, "Surely the darkness shall hide me,
and night shall be my light"--
For you darkness itself is not dark,
and night shines as the day.
R. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.

Alleluia 1 Jn 2:5

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever keeps the word of Christ,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 23:27-32

Jesus said,
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside,
but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth.
Even so, on the outside you appear righteous,
but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You build the tombs of the prophets
and adorn the memorials of the righteous,
and you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our ancestors,
we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets' blood.'
Thus you bear witness against yourselves
that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets;
now fill up what your ancestors measured out!"

Some thoughts on today's scripture

 
  • Are my words and actions, like those of the Pharisees, driven by a preoccupation with truth and orthodoxy; or by justice, mercy and love?
  • How often do I close my eyes to those in need? How can I be of service to those less fortunate than myself?
 

Conversation

What feelings are rising in me as I pray and reflect on God's Word?
I imagine Jesus himself sitting or standing near me and open my heart to him.

Conclusion

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
world without end.


 

Catholic Meditations

Meditation: Matthew 23:27-32

View NAB Reading at USCCB.org

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21st Week in Ordinary Time

You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth. (Matthew 23:27)

What would you think if someone called you a "whitewashed tomb"? If you had lived during Jesus' times, you would have been terribly insulted. In his era, tombs were usually carved into a rocky hillside and protected from marauders by a heavy stone door. Oftentimes these tombs were hidden in the landscape, which could be inconvenient because Judaic tradition believed that any contact with a tomb—especially the bones or bodies inside a tomb—would render someone "unclean." The purification process after such contact could take up to seven days.

So to help prevent accidental contact with a tomb, every year around the beginning of March, graves were whitewashed, or marked with lime powder, which would give them a beautiful whitish glow. And so the tombs would become more conspicuous, keeping people from accidently rendering themselves unclean.

As we see, Jesus is being extremely graphic in his words with the scribes and Pharisees—both graphic and pointed. Such an insult must have had a shocking effect on his audience. Even today, the term "whitewash" is used to indicate when someone is deliberately covering up his or her mistakes.

Jesus doesn't want us to be whitewashed tombs either. He doesn't want us to project a fake glowing façade that hides any interior mess. He doesn't want us to try to cover up our mistakes and pretend we are someone we aren't. No, Jesus wants us to be real, inside and out. He wants us to find the courage to open up the unclean parts of our lives and ask for his help.

Here is one way to lower your guard and let Jesus in. The next time you receive the Living Bread at Mass, tell Jesus about one area of your life that needs some attention. Imagine him entering that part of your heart and scrubbing it clean. As you keep praying, see if you can sense his presence. What is he saying to you? How is he helping you? Finally, listen as he tells you how beautiful and valuable you are. You are not a whitewashed tomb; you are his beloved child!

"Dear Lord, open my heart, and clean it out with your unconditional love."

 

1 Thessalonians 2:9-13
Psalm 139:7-12

 


 

my2cents:
What is the greatest feeling in the world?  Not physically, but maybe emotionally, but not so much emotion as to in the mind and spirit.  Think about it.  Have you ever been locked up and alone?  Either physically or in your own mind and spirit?  Who was with you through it all when you were alone?  How can a saint write some of the most beautiful writings in a dark cell in a dungeon?  How can there be so much light where there is no physical light?  I read a reflection before writing and it said that to God there is no darkness to keep Him from seeing everything.  And so what we have then, is His word, and our heart, and the connection is the focus.  St. Paul says today "for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly, that, in receiving the word of God from hearing us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is now at work in you who believe."  For this reason there is an offering of thanksgiving all day every day...the Holy Mass.  When you receive the Word of God, you realize it is not of this world and it forms you, makes you who you are as you live.
The Psalms pray on "You have searched me and you know me, Lord." and "Where can I go from your spirit?".  Do you remember yesteray I said He is everywhere?  Then how can we be afraid?  How can we sin?  What is sin again?  In a nutshell, being without God...and the atrocity is how it affects your soul and those around you.  Even if you live alone, it has tremendous effects.  And if you don't live alone, tremendous is the slightest effort.  But why would you make it slight when in the world there is a great need of light, a true love of God?  The only reason atheists convert is because not only Has the Lord reached them...He reaches them through you and me.  And the world lives as Christians, but more like atheists.  They say they believe but live another life.
For this reason our Lord comes into our lives today "on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing."  I bet some or all of us have thought "if I only lived in another time in life".  Yet, this is the type of people Jesus was talking to.  You can't say that because you are living the now.  Take full advantage of the now.  Because in Heaven it is the forever now.  Not the forever past, nor future.  You may live in the forever past in hell, because the Lord said in the end today "you are the children of those who murdered the prophets; now fill up what your ancestors measured out!".  When I read that line in a spanish reflection someone texted me today, it read/sounded more like in translation "now finish what your ancestors started".  In English it sounds more like "now reap what you sow".  It's tied up and binding, for His word is living and active, and can cut to the heart.  Jesus was harsh on two faced people.  Am I two faced?  Am I making big puppy eyes to Him in prayer and to my friends and family making mean faces?  LOL.  Think about it.  Aren't we like that?  Yesterday, I prayed out of town at a Blessed Sacrament, and specifically for those in my life in need of prayer, one asked for prayer because he is hitting rock bottom and wants to sober up, and another does not ask for prayer but needs to sober up.  I prayed for both.  Only one talked to me in the afternoon, and it was kind of a raunchy text, complaining about how crappy the job was when we fixed his front door at his house.  I had at this moment, realized something was going on.  1st, it was strange he was texting me, he never does.  2nd, he was saying thanks, however true that was.  The one that had reached earlier asking for prayer, never met me at church like I had asked.  Now you tell me who the ungrateful dead are.  I say that because as I took a shower this morning, I'm already thinking about God.  And the words hit me "ungrateful dead".  Whitewashed tombs now make sense.  Because we live among ungrateful people, and the horrible part is they can't help it, they reallly REALLY need our help!  So do I believe the raunchy texter family member was ungrateful?  No.  I believe the other was ungrateful.  I believe the Lord touched the raunchy one for he was somehow twistedly reaching out.  It's much to explain, but I know we are short on time.  This morning, I led in prayer our safety meeting, and I emphasized "thank you Lord for the work".  Because if we are truly grateful, we will take care, take care of ourselves and the company and the customer and those around us.  Suddenly, this whole notion is making sense in terms of holiness.  So, have you thought about it, what is the greatest feeling in the world?  To me, looking back at moments of temptations of attempted suicide because of a broken heart, moments of being locked up because of a broken heart, moments of being on the verge of losing everything....being grateful that the Lord was there, and now on the others side enjoying His Prescense, giving thanks for mercy and trying to be merciful and thankful by being there for others.  Because God changed me by saving me.  If you need a savior, be ready for change because your life will not be the same.  I try to give thanks in the most ultimate way there is...Holy Mass, an offering of my life for His and with His.  Walking on clouds gives no justice, but I can be justice and righteousness, a grace of God that gives light like no other.  I invite you then to partake of the greatest feeling there is...being alive in the SPIRIT of GOD!!!!
PRAISE TO YOU OH LORD JESUS CHRIST!
VIVA CRISTO REY! VIVAA!!!
adrian
 

 
 
 


 

Going4th,