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Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Come after me...

Beacon of Christ This Christmas, bring that little bit of Jesus you carry in your heart wherever he directs you. Find out what's needed, and find a w

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Beacon of Christ

This Christmas, bring that little bit of Jesus you carry in your heart wherever he directs you. Find out what's needed, and find a way to help.

-from A Mary Christmas

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†"We know certainly that our God calls us to a holy life. We know that he gives us every grace, every abundant grace; and though we are so weak of ourselves, this grace is able to carry us through every obstacle and difficulty."
— St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

✞MEDITATION OF THE DAY✞

"The custody of the senses is the bedrock of purity, as discipline is of peace and one's cell is of devotion. When anger takes hold of a person's thinking, wisdom then departs even from one who is prudent. Whoever speaks in wrath is like a barking dog; but whoever responds with gentleness breaks through the other's wrath and offers him roses rather than thorns. Blessed is the tongue of the prudent man, for it heals the wounds of one in anger. Whoever struggles against his vices at the very outset, when their motions are first felt, will have greater success in overcoming them than if he delayed until they became rooted."
— Thomas À Kempis, p .30
AN EXCERPT FROM
Bountiful Goodness

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Saint Andrew

Saint of the Day for November 30
(d. 60?)

Saint Andrew's Story

Andrew was St. Peter's brother, and was called with him. "As [Jesus] was walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is now called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, 'Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.' At once they left their nets and followed him" (Matthew 4:18-20).

John the Evangelist presents Andrew as a disciple of John the Baptist. When Jesus walked by one day, John said, "Behold, the Lamb of God." Andrew and another disciple followed Jesus. "Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, 'What are you looking for?' They said to him, 'Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are you staying?' He said to them, 'Come, and you will see.' So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day" (John 1:38-39a).

Little else is said about Andrew in the Gospels. Before the multiplication of the loaves, it was Andrew who spoke up about the boy who had the barley loaves and fishes. When the Gentiles went to see Jesus, they came to Philip, but Philip then had recourse to Andrew.

Legend has it that Andrew preached the Good News in what is now modern Greece and Turkey and was crucified at Patras.

Reflection

As in the case of all the apostles except Peter and John, the Gospels give us little about the holiness of Andrew. He was an apostle. That is enough. He was called personally by Jesus to proclaim the Good News, to heal with Jesus' power and to share his life and death. Holiness today is no different. It is a gift that includes a call to be concerned about the Kingdom, an outgoing attitude that wants nothing more than to share the riches of Christ with all people.

Saint Andrew is the Patron Saint of:

Fishermen
Greece
Russia
Scotland

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Sacred Space
Daily Prayer - 2016-11-30

Presence

I pause for a moment, aware that God is here.
I think of how everything around me,
the air I breathe, my whole body,
is tingling with the the presence of God.

Freedom

Lord grant me the grace
to have freedom of the spirit.
Cleanse my heart and soul
so I may live joyously in your love.

Consciousness

How am I really feeling? Lighthearted? Heavy-hearted?
I may be very much at peace, happy to be here.
Equally, I may be frustrated, worried or angry.
I acknowledge how I really am. It is the real me that the Lord loves.

The Word of God

Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle
readings audio

Reading 1 Rom 10:9-18

Brothers and sisters:
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
For one believes with the heart and so is justified,
and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
The Scripture says,
No one who believes in him will be put to shame.
There is no distinction between Jew and Greek;
the same Lord is Lord of all,
enriching all who call upon him.
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed?
And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
And how can they hear without someone to preach?
And how can people preach unless they are sent?
As it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!
But not everyone has heeded the good news;
for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?
Thus faith comes from what is heard,
and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.
But I ask, did they not hear?
Certainly they did; for

Their voice has gone forth to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
R. (10) The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. (John 6:63) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.

R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.

R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.

R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.

R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Alleluia Mt 4:19
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come after me, says the Lord,
and I will make you fishers of men.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 4:18-22

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father
and followed him.


Some thoughts on today's scripture

Today's scripture tells us the story of how a call from the Lord changed the direction of the lives of the first disciples, who leave everything and follow him.
Can you recall events or occasions when you changed direction? For example, falling in love, being guided by a teacher or friend, a hurt or loss, great or small? These calls come to us throughout our lives and they can have a great effect on us. How we respond is what makes up our lives. We are the product of our decisions and we have a friend in the Lord who wishes to guide us.
It is a gift for each of us to follow the Lord in our own calling.

Conversation

I begin to talk to Jesus about the piece of scripture I have just read.
What part of it strikes a chord in me? Perhaps the words of a friend - or some story I have heard recently - will slowly rise to the surface in my consciousness. If so, does the story throw light on what the scripture passage may be trying to say to me?

Conclusion

I thank God for these few moments we have spent alone together and for any insights I may have been given concerning the text.

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Catholic Meditations
Meditation: Matthew 4:18-22

Saint Andrew, Apostle (Feast)

They left their boat and their father and followed him. (Matthew 4:22)

Face-to-face communication is becoming less common, isn't it? We can spend a whole day e-mailing, texting, and talking on the phone. Social networks like Facebook and Twitter keep us in touch without ever touching. Some of us work from the comfort (and isolation) of home and rarely have the chance to interact. Even online shopping can keep us away from merchants who may be just around the corner.

All of this technology certainly does make life more convenient. But what if Andrew and Simon Peter had met Jesus only online instead of face-to-face? Do you think they would have been as deeply affected as they are in today's Gospel reading?

Actually, this is not the first time they've seen him. John the Baptist had introduced Andrew to Jesus earlier, and Andrew spent the entire day with him. Andrew in turn introduced Simon to him—the one whom Jesus renamed Cephas, or Peter (John 1:35-42). Both brothers' lives were changed because they spent time with Jesus.

As we celebrate St. Andrew today, let's remember that this kind of direct encounter is at the heart of evangelization. In an Advent speech three years ago, Pope Francis said, "The most important thing that can happen to a person is to encounter Jesus, who loves us, who has saved us, who gave his life for us." We can't simply hope that the people around us will absorb enough information about Christ to become his disciples. We need to introduce them to Jesus, just as Andrew introduced Peter to him.

Bringing someone to Christ doesn't have to be hard. Of course we can pray for people and tell them about God's love. But sometimes we make more progress with simple expressions of love that are reflections of the Lord. Listening can be just as effective as prayer. A warm embrace can speak more powerfully than a lecture on sin. An invitation to lunch can have a greater impact than a logical presentation of the truths of the gospel.

Kindness, generosity, compassion—these are the keys that unlock the treasures of the gospel!

"Lord, send me to someone who needs to encounter you today."

Romans 10:9-18
Psalm 19:8-11

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Today's 1st Holy Scripture said to us: "For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved." The footnotes at USCCB say about confessing (testifying) the following: "To confess Jesus as Lord was frequently quite hazardous in the first century (cf. Mt 10:18; 1 Thes 2:2; 1 Pt 2:18–21; 3:14). For a Jew it could mean disruption of normal familial and other social relationships, including great economic sacrifice. In the face of penalties imposed by the secular world, Christians are assured that no one who believes in Jesus will be put to shame (Rom 10:11)." Confessing means causing a revolution in this sense then. Whereas we would rather be subtle, and unobtrusive, this Scripture means quite the opposite. Nothing about Jesus was inconspicuous, He did not hide, if He remained hidden, it was the Holy Spirit that allowed Him to slip through those who desired to throw Him off the cliff, out of their lives. You can not hide the light and it shouldn't be hidden under your bed like all the other things you don't want people to see. "And so, the fish dies at the mouth" says the spanish adage. The truth is a powerful 2 edged sword, because it can attract or detract like a magnet when flipped. And so the Lord makes the call today....

We prayed today "The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or: R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life." and "The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; The ordinances of the LORD are true, all of them just."
Just means holy. We heard today "For one believes with the heart and so is justified". It is one thing to say you believe, and quite another to actually live out the believing, being a believer. So let us go forth with what a true believer looks like when called....

In comes the Lord of our Lives making the call and we heard: ""Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." Jesus our Lord says to us "Come After ME". And this means as an attractant "Come after Me by following Me, not putting yourself before Me". And so they leave EVERYTHING, their work and their family.
Or the inverse can be heard, as a threat to the devil "Come after Me", and so it is a taunt, a detractant, putting all sorts of fronts and obstacles and excuses not to follow Him.

It is a two edged sword, black or white, there is not grey matter on the edge. And the funny thing is, there is nothing in it for you when you surrender to God, perhaps, MAYBE salvation only. But there is the world in it for those who see your attraction to God, and this means an introduction of salvation to the entire world, Jesus through me, and Jesus through you. In my soul, my desire is salvation. I am working on a website explaining why my vehicle is wrapped in a message of salvation...for souls, for unborn, for those who don't care....to care. For those of us who don't give....to give.
This Christmas, Give:
Give God a chance like never before.
Give forgiveness like never before.
Give love like never before.
Give to one who will never give to you in return.
Give extra-ordinarily, out of the ordinary.
Because this is a true confession...a true witness.
This means leaving it all, and living all in Him

HOLY EUCHARIST 09

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Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Kings desired to see

Model of Joy At every Mass we assert that we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There is not a better time to re

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Model of Joy

At every Mass we assert that we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There is not a better time to reflect in joyful waiting than the quiet season of Advent, which comes before the celebration of Christmas. And there is no greater model of joy for us than Our Blessed Mother, Mary.

-from A Mary Christmas

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†"Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the most tender of friends with souls who seek to please Him. His goodness knows how to proportion itself to the smallest of His creatures as to the greatest of them. Be not afraid then in your solitary conversations, to tell Him of your miseries, fears, worries, of those who are dear to you, of your projects, and of your hopes. Do so with confidence and with an open heart."
— St. Damien of Molokai

✞MEDITATION OF THE DAY✞

"The fullness of wisdom is fear of the Lord, she is present with the faithful in the womb (Sirach 1:14). Fear of the Lord does not mean to be afraid of God. It means to stand in awe and wonder before the greatness of the Lord. When we recognize that God is God and we are creatures, we develop a healthy sense of humility. We acknowledge our need for wisdom and grace, which are both gifts of the Holy Spirit."
— Rev. Jude Winkler, p. 9
AN EXCERPT FROM

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Saint Clement

Saint of the Day for November 29
(d. 101)

Saint Clement's Story

Clement of Rome was the third successor of Saint Peter, reigning as pope during the last decade of the first century. He's known as one of the Church's five "Apostolic Fathers," those who provided a direct link between the Apostles and later generations of Church Fathers.

His First Epistle to the Corinthians was preserved and widely read in the early Church. This letter from the bishop of Rome to the Church in Corinth concerns a split that alienated a large number of the laity from the clergy. Deploring the unauthorized and unjustifiable division in the Corinthian community, Clement urged charity to heal the rift.
Reflection

Today many in the Church experience polarization regarding worship, how we speak of God, and other issues. We'd do well to take to heart the exhortation from Clement's Epistle: "Charity unites us to God. It knows no schism, does not rebel, does all things in concord. In charity all the elect of God have been made perfect."

Rome's Basilica of St. Clement, one of the city's earliest parish churches, is probably built on the site of Clement's home. History tells us that Pope Clement was martyred in either the year 99 or 101.
The Liturgical Feast of Saint Clement is November 23.
Saint Clement is the Patron Saint of:

Marble Workers

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Sacred Space
Daily Prayer - 2016-11-29

Presence

As I begin this prayer, God is present,
breathing life into me and into everything around me.
For a few moments, I remain silent,
and become aware of God's loving presence.

Freedom

Lord grant me the grace
to have freedom of the spirit.
Cleanse my heart and soul
so I may live joyously in Your love.

Consciousness

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

The Word of God

Tuesday of the First Week in Advent
readings audio

Reading 1 Is 11:1-10

On that day,
A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:
a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
A Spirit of counsel and of strength,
a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,
and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.
Not by appearance shall he judge,
nor by hearsay shall he decide,
But he shall judge the poor with justice,
and decide aright for the land's afflicted.
He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
Justice shall be the band around his waist,
and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.

Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
The calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest;
the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra's den,
and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair.
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD,
as water covers the sea.

On that day,
The root of Jesse,
set up as a signal for the nations,
The Gentiles shall seek out,
for his dwelling shall be glorious.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17
R. (see 7) Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.

R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.

R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
He shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.

R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.

R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Behold, our Lord shall come with power;
he will enlighten the eyes of his servants.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 10:21-24

Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
"I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."

Turning to the disciples in private he said,
"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."


Some thoughts on today's scripture

This lovely prayer of Jesus tells us something of the relationship he treasured with his father through the Holy Spirit. It is his prayer of thanksgiving for the successful mission of his disciples whom he had sent out to preach. Jesus then tells them that they are indeed blessed to have accepted the good news and to be building their lives on their relationship with God.
A child-like mind of openness and trust is the fertile ground for receiving God's word.
Let us pray that, like the disciples, we have the eyes to see and the ears to hear.

Conversation

Jesus you speak to me through the words of the gospels.
May I respond to your call today.
Teach me to recognise your hand at work in my daily living.

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.

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Catholic Meditations
Meditation: Isaiah 11:1-10

A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. (Isaiah 11:1)

Picture a tree stump. It's graying, dry, maybe even crumbling away. It seems impossible that a shoot—or any sign of life—could sprout from something so barren. But if you think about it, this kind of image lies at the heart of many of our favorite biblical stories.

For instance, you might think of the act of creation as the original sprouting stump. Out of a formless, shapeless chasm sprang an entire universe! Though they were elderly, Abraham and Sarah produced a bud that would eventually bloom into a whole nation. Mary wasn't exactly lifeless, but new life came from her in an unexpected way. And then there's Jesus. Think of how his life and ministry were cut down on the cross, only to shoot up from the grave three days later!

This image of life miraculously springing up from old stumps is deeply embedded in our faith. It has also taken root in you.

Take a few seconds to wander through the garden of your heart. Do you see any stumps poking out? We all have them. Maybe it's a wounded relationship with a family member or lingering guilt over a sin you have already confessed. It could be anxiety over the future or a nagging feeling in the back of your mind that tells you God is displeased with you. Whatever it is, know that God can bring new life out of any situation, even something that seems as dead as an old tree stump. He can help you become more loving, more patient, and more compassionate.

Don't let these stumps intimidate you. Any time you stumble upon one, or stumble over one, pray, "Father, I believe that you can bring new life here." Statements of faith like this can go a long way in helping you experience God's touch. They can remind you that the Lord is good and patient and loving. They can help you to keep moving forward with the Lord and not get stuck in worry or guilt.

There is so much more to your life than stumps! God has planted a forest full of seeds in you. Take a look around, and see how many of them are bearing wonderful fruit.

"Here I am, Lord. Let every part of me teem with your life and joy."

Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17
Luke 10:21-24

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my2cents:
We heard in the first Holy Scripture from Isaiah: "A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom." Hundreds of years B.C. Before Christ, it was prophesied what the Lord would do and be and say. Fast forward hundreds of years after (A.D.) we read in the book of Revelation: ""I, Jesus, sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the root and offspring of David,* the bright morning star." From that what was built up and cut down, our Lord proves He will never be taken down into an in infinity. Try as you may, He can not be ignored forever, because an eternal damnation is a loss of knowledge of God. This means volumes, because our Lord will speak on His revelation in today's Gospel.

But first we pray
* "Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever."
* Justice shall flower in his days,and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
He shall rescue the poor when he cries out, and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
May his name be blessed forever; as long as the sun his name shall remain.

In comes the Lord of whom we just heard about: "No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him." Back to the revelation. Earlier, I said that eternal damnation was the darkness of having no knowledge of God, and the worst part about it, is choosing to remain ignorant, choosing darkness, choosing to be in the shade, than in the sun. Today's 5 minutos brought up a quote by Louis of Granada who said "Look how you have a better God than you thought". Because the more you explore Him, the greater He becomes. And He is revealed through Jesus. No one comes to the Father except through the Son. He who has seen the Son has seen the Father. That is, through Jesus we are revealed the God of an immense universe that we can not fathom with our feeble minds and hearts...but our souls can. But only in eternity can our souls begin to realize the grandeur of our Lord. This is why they say in Heaven, things are always new. I've noticed people that are suffering from depression, they always want to go buy something, to get something new. It's almost like a consumerism phenomenon. People buy stuff to get a short spurt of joy, kind of like people suffering from lust. I will tell you, all of that is nothing, temporary, a millisecond, lasts no longer than a whim. Trade your sorrows for joy when you trade our sins for Jesus and His mercy.

When our Lord entered the earth, our world, the world changed. Time began. Mercy began. Love like never before began. And He entered 9 months before His birth...already, hidden, the Lord is among us. He is among us in the Most Blessed Sacrament, the womb of the Holy Tabernacle, and when the doors open up from that womb of the tomb for Mass, He is served to the world, this hungry, and thirsty world to devour. He loves us so much. That is why this time of year is special...it is a time of giving and that is the secret to joy in Christ. I was telling loved ones, that my nightly visits to the elderly homeless couple was an eye opener. Because I went to give them, offer them anything they wanted, and they wanted nothing, no hotel, no night stays at my house, not even a portable heater I offered. But I took the heater anyway, but oddly, they seemed to take what they wanted from me...my time, and affection, mercy, and compassion, and prayers as they asked me to hold their hands and pray with them. They must've wanted to see Jesus. So I spent every evening speaking with them. Just like the blind man in the nursing home I visit, he really holds me in the room with endless chatter, as if to say "please don't leave me". In this world, people are hungry for affection. Just like my kids, they yell at the top of their lungs and act up, desiring attention. So do grown ups and teens. Men must give affection to their children, and women must be persistent in their faith as well, basking in the attention God gives when you come to Him. And little by little, with every visit to Him...He reveals Himself.

I AM here

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