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Friday, September 29, 2017

Do You Believe .....

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The Mercy of God Is Our Greatest Blessing

And now here they were together again at La Verna, their sacred mountain, preparing for the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel, and Leo was praying the Mass of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, his feet planted firmly on the rocky ground. He raised his heart to Leo's voice in the Introit's perfect articulation: "Nos autem gloriari opportet in cruce Domini Nostri Jesu Christi: in quo est salus, vita et resurrectio nostra: per quem salvati et liberati sumus. We however should glory in the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ in whom is our salvation, life and resurrection through which we are saved and made free." The wind began to whistle and whine through the pine trees as Brother Leo intoned, "Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison." The wind began to whistle and whine through the pine trees as Brother Leo intoned, "Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison." That cry, like that of the pines, for mercy. Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner. And sinner he had been and was, but lately he seemed to remember more the blessings of Jesus.

—from Murray Bodo, OFM, author of the book Francis and Jesus

***

✞ "Keep to the ancient way and custom of the Church, established and confirmed by so many Saints under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. And live a new life. Pray, and get others to pray, that God not abandon His Church, but reform it as He pleases, and as He sees best for us, and more to His honour and glory."
— St. Angela Merici

✞ MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"Once, while I was wondering why Our Lord so dearly loves the virtue of humility, the thought suddenly struck me, without previous reflection, that it is because God is the supreme Truth and humility is the truth, for it is the most true that we have nothing good of ourselves but only misery and nothingness: whoever ignores this, lives a life of falsehood. they that realize this fact most deeply are the most pleasing to God, the supreme Truth, for they walk in the truth."
— St. Teresa of Avila, p. 175-6
AN EXCERPT FROM
Interior Castle

✞ VERSE OF THE DAY
"Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Hebrews 4:14-16

***
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Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael

Angels—messengers from God—appear frequently in Scripture, but only Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are named.

Michael appears in Daniel's vision as "the great prince" who defends Israel against its enemies; in the Book of Revelation, he leads God's armies to final victory over the forces of evil. Devotion to Michael is the oldest angelic devotion, rising in the East in the fourth century. The Church in the West began to observe a feast honoring Michael and the angels in the fifth century.

Gabriel also makes an appearance in Daniel's visions, announcing Michael's role in God's plan. His best-known appearance is an encounter with a young Jewish girl named Mary, who consents to bear the Messiah.

Raphael's activity is confined to the Old Testament story of Tobit. There he appears to guide Tobit's son Tobiah through a series of fantastic adventures which lead to a threefold happy ending: Tobiah's marriage to Sarah, the healing of Tobit's blindness, and the restoration of the family fortune.

The memorials of Gabriel and Raphael were added to the Roman calendar in 1921. The 1970 revision of the calendar joined their individual feasts to Michael's.

Reflection

Each of the archangels performs a different mission in Scripture: Michael protects; Gabriel announces; Raphael guides. Earlier belief that inexplicable events were due to the actions of spiritual beings has given way to a scientific world-view and a different sense of cause and effect. Yet believers still experience God's protection, communication, and guidance in ways which defy description. We cannot dismiss angels too lightly.

Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are the Patron Saints of:

Death
Germany
Grocers
Police Officers
Radiologists

Saint Gabriel is the Patron Saint of:

Broadcasters

Saint Raphael is the Patron Saint of:

The Blind

a1
***

Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels

Reading 1 Dn 7:9-10, 13-14

As I watched:

Thrones were set up
and the Ancient One took his throne.
His clothing was bright as snow,
and the hair on his head as white as wool;
His throne was flames of fire,
with wheels of burning fire.
A surging stream of fire
flowed out from where he sat;
Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,
and myriads upon myriads attended him.

The court was convened, and the books were opened.
As the visions during the night continued, I saw

One like a son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
He received dominion, glory, and kingship;
nations and peoples of every language serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.

or Rv 12:7-12ab
War broke out in heaven;
Michael and his angels battled against the dragon.
The dragon and its angels fought back,
but they did not prevail
and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.
The huge dragon, the ancient serpent,
who is called the Devil and Satan,
who deceived the whole world,
was thrown down to earth,
and its angels were thrown down with it.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
"Now have salvation and power come,
and the Kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Anointed.
For the accuser of our brothers is cast out,
who accuses them before our God day and night.
They conquered him by the Blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
love for life did not deter them from death.
Therefore, rejoice, you heavens,
and you who dwell in them."

Responsorial Psalm Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 4-5
R. (1) In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
Because of your kindness and your truth;
for you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, O LORD
when they hear the words of your mouth;
And they shall sing of the ways of the LORD
"Great is the glory of the LORD
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

Alleluia Ps 103:21
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Bless the LORD, all you angels,
you ministers, who do his will.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Jn 1:47-51

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
"Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him."
Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?"
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."
Nathanael answered him,
"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this."
And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see heaven opened
and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."


***

Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael

Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael's Story

Angels—messengers from God—appear frequently in Scripture, but only Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are named.

Michael appears in Daniel's vision as "the great prince" who defends Israel against its enemies; in the Book of Revelation, he leads God's armies to final victory over the forces of evil. Devotion to Michael is the oldest angelic devotion, rising in the East in the fourth century. The Church in the West began to observe a feast honoring Michael and the angels in the fifth century.

Gabriel also makes an appearance in Daniel's visions, announcing Michael's role in God's plan. His best-known appearance is an encounter with a young Jewish girl named Mary, who consents to bear the Messiah.

Raphael's activity is confined to the Old Testament story of Tobit. There he appears to guide Tobit's son Tobiah through a series of fantastic adventures which lead to a threefold happy ending: Tobiah's marriage to Sarah, the healing of Tobit's blindness, and the restoration of the family fortune.

The memorials of Gabriel and Raphael were added to the Roman calendar in 1921. The 1970 revision of the calendar joined their individual feasts to Michael's.

Reflection

Each of the archangels performs a different mission in Scripture: Michael protects; Gabriel announces; Raphael guides. Earlier belief that inexplicable events were due to the actions of spiritual beings has given way to a scientific world-view and a different sense of cause and effect. Yet believers still experience God's protection, communication, and guidance in ways which defy description. We cannot dismiss angels too lightly.

Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are the Patron Saints of:

Death
Germany
Grocers
Police Officers
Radiologists

Saint Gabriel is the Patron Saint of:

Broadcasters

Saint Raphael is the Patron Saint of:

The Blind

***

my2cents:

"War broke out in heaven;...the dragon...but they did not prevail" and then at the end of the first Holy Scripture it said "Therefore, rejoice, you heavens,
and you who dwell in them."

"In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord. I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple and give thanks to your name." At Holy Mass we give thanks...with our lives.

In the Holy Gospel we heard ""Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him." This ain't no two sided fellow. What you see is what you get. There is no deception, there is no false faith. Jesus says this for us to realize what He sees. He tells "Nathan", ""Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree." From there on out Nathan is astonished with our Lord. He can't believe He saw him under that tree...perhaps where he had been praying, and praying to be called to serve God in a special way, just like the Blessed Virgin Mary had been caught praying.
Let me tell you some things I've picked up on faith... they say that your angel looks on the face of God always. And they say that your angel looks away from you when you get into sin. A departure, disconnect happens. I say this because today we celebrate Archangels, messengers of God always, to deliver a frightful message, terrible in awesomeness. Michael delvers the final blow to evil. Rafael the delivering message that goes through a journey and helps see the way. Gabriel delivers the baby (News) to our Mother Mary which changes the course of the entire world we live in. You see? How important is it to be facing God and away from sin?
Very.
Because of no duplicity, Jesus says to "Nathan", "...you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." They are going to God and they are coming from God. They are in the service of our God. They are the living being...of God. I pray very often with Archangels Rafael and Michael, and saints, and Mary. I pray for service. And I hope I do service for God. This is a communal affair. And we are connected in the Holy Eucharist. If I receive God in the temple into my temple, I am expected to be intimately united in this communal affair. A community. Ok, Ok, let me tell you why I am saying this and perhaps it will help clarify. Just like the other day I wrote about the good samaritan and how I was called to live it out, I didn't want to tell the world my good deeds, but our Father asked me to, because I invoke His Holy Spirit before writing to you. And here comes another I didn't want to but feel pulled into it:
Years ago, before getting up in the morning, I was having a vision, it was of our Lord, His face, His countenance, as if out in the Universe, and I could see that every thread and fiber of His countenance was alive, as if every cell was flowing as lights coursing up and down through his face and hair and skin. He was made up of millions and billions of lights. Now that I am typing to you, I am recalling another vision during Divine Mercy prayers in front of the Blessed Sacrament, whereupon I saw people around me as lights, some where lights, some where not. Some where brighter than others. Putting the two together I can see that the billions of lights could possibly angels and or souls.

What does this say to you? To me, it was the most beautiful sight in the entire world, and out of this world. It was as if a city of gold, lights, of Life.

When you mess with someone, you are messing with Christ in this communal affair.
Don't mess around with Him.
We don't want to mess up and be cast from Heaven.....

***

adrian

 
 
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Thursday, September 28, 2017

Who Then Is This

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Embracing the Negative

Saint Francis and Saint Clare made what most would call negative or disadvantage shimmer and shine by their delight in what the rest of us ordinarily oppose, deny, and fear: things like being small, poor, disparaged, being outside the system of power and status, weakness in any form, or what Francis generally referred to as minoritas.

This is a different world than most of us choose to live in. We all seem invariably to want to join in the "majority" and the admired. Francis and Clare instead make a preemptive strike at both life and death, offering a voluntary assent to Full Reality in all its tragic wonder. They make a loving bow to the very things that defeat, scare, and embitter most of the rest of us. You might call it "dying before you die," which is always the secret of the saints, and the heart of any authentic spiritual initiation.

—from Richard Rohr, author of the book Eager to Love: The Alternative Way of Francis of Assisi

***

✞ "Let us make up for lost time. Let us give to God the time that remains to us."
— St. Alphonsus Liguori

✞ MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"What are we to say of the charity and compassion of the Blessed Virgin, who for nine months bore, and still carries in her heart, the only Son of God, the uncreated charity which knows no bounds? If, as often as we approach a fire, we are affected by its heat, have we not reason to believe that whoever approaches the heart of the Mother of Mercies, ever burning with her most ardent charity, must be profoundly affected in proportion to the frequency of his petitions, the humility and confidence in his heart?"
— Dom Lorenzo Scupoli, p.151
AN EXCERPT FROM
Spiritual Combat

✞ VERSE OF THE DAY
"I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
Ephesians 4:1-3

***
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ST. WENCESLAUS

St. Wenceslaus (907–935 A.D.) was the son of the Duke of Bohemia. His grandfather was converted to Christianity by the missionaries Sts. Cyril and Methodius. His mother, Dragomir, was the daughter of a pagan tribal chief who was baptized at her marriage. After the death of his father, Wenceslaus received a Christian upbringing from his grandmother, St. Ludmila, while his mother reverted to her pagan ways. Dragomir reigned as regent, had St. Ludmila killed, and worked to oppose the spread of Christianity in Bohemia. When St. Wenceslaus was 18 he took control of the government and exiled his mother. St. Wenceslaus was described as a pious, humble, and intelligent ruler who worked to established Christianity in the land that would become part of the Holy Roman Empire. He was known for his vow of virginity, his many virtues, and his life of prayer and good works. After a political dispute arose, his mother and his younger brother, called Boleslaus the Cruel, plotted his murder along with a group of disaffected nobles. Boleslaus invited his brother to celebrate the feast of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, and arranged to have him assassinated on his way to Mass. St. Wenceslaus muttered words of forgiveness as he died, and his body was buried at the murder site. His brother succeeded him as Duke of Bohemia. Three years later Boleslaus repented of his crime, and had his brother's remains transferred to the Church of St. Vitus in Prague. Wenceslaus was considered a saint by the people at the time of his death. His feast day is September 28th.

a1
***

Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Stop and Breathe at least 3 times slow....proceed:

Presence

Lord, help me to be fully alive to your Holy presence.
Enfold me in your love.
Let my heart become one with yours.

Freedom

I ask for the grace to believe
in what I could be and do
if I only allowed God, my loving Creator,
to continue to create me, guide me and shape me.

Consciousness

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

Reading 1 Hg 1:1-8

On the first day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius,
The word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai
to the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel,
and to the high priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak:

Thus says the LORD of hosts:
This people says:
"The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD."
(Then this word of the LORD came through Haggai, the prophet:)
Is it time for you to dwell in your own paneled houses,
while this house lies in ruins?

Now thus says the LORD of hosts:
Consider your ways!
You have sown much, but have brought in little;
you have eaten, but have not been satisfied;
You have drunk, but have not been exhilarated;
have clothed yourselves, but not been warmed;
And whoever earned wages
earned them for a bag with holes in it.

Thus says the LORD of hosts:
Consider your ways!
Go up into the hill country;
bring timber, and build the house
That I may take pleasure in it
and receive my glory, says the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b
R. (see 4a) The Lord takes delight in his people.
Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.

Alleluia Jn 14:6
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 9:7-9

Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening,
and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying,
"John has been raised from the dead";
others were saying, "Elijah has appeared";
still others, "One of the ancient prophets has arisen."
But Herod said, "John I beheaded.
Who then is this about whom I hear such things?"
And he kept trying to see him.


+

Some thoughts on today's scripture

This time it is King Herod who is intrigued by Jesus, and asks himself whether he is actually John the Baptist raised from the dead. We too can find it difficult to accept the novelty of Jesus, and sometimes may end up reducing him to an imitation of someone we know or have heard about. I pray to be always open to the newness and mystery of Jesus, letting him enable me to know him.
Herod tried to see Jesus, and he managed to do so only during his trial. There he showed he was not really interested in having a personal encounter with Jesus, but rather in meeting a celebrity. Jesus once thanked the Father for showing the little ones who he really was, and hiding it from the wise and the proud. I pray to be small enough to desire a personal encounter with Jesus.

Conversation

How has God's Word moved me?
Has it left me cold?
Has it consoled me or moved me to act in a new way?
I imagine Jesus standing or sitting beside me,
I turn 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.

***

Meditation: Psalm 149:1-6, 9
Saint Wenceslaus, Martyr (Optional Memorial)

The Lord takes delight in his people. (Psalm Response)

"Lord, I am overwhelmed by these words. I know that you made me. I can even accept that you love me because you love everything you made. But to hear that you take delight in me? That's more than I ever expected! It's such a personal claim: you look into my eyes—into my very heart—and you delight in what you see. You look past my sins. You look beyond my fears and anxieties. You see the goodness that you have placed in me. You see my desire to do the right thing. You see the love in my heart, even when I cannot see it. And all of this brings you great joy.

"Lord, your words dispel the dark cloud that hangs over me. For so many years, I have tried to be pleasing to you. For so long, I have worried that I am not good enough or holy enough or humble enough to win your approval. But here, now, with these words before me, I see that I was worrying about nothing. I see now that your love is not based on my performance or anything that I have done. It's based on you and your heart of mercy and tenderness.

"Lord, thank you that you delight in me in the way that an earthly father delights in his child. All you have to do is look at me, and your heart melts. You hear me call for help, and you rush to my side to give me your comfort and your grace. You teach me as a father teaches his child—sometimes with words and other times with actions. Because you delight in me, you never focus only on my shortcomings. You know how my life needs to change, but you never lose sight of how much I have already changed, how much I already reflect your goodness and kindness.

"Lord, I see that you delight in me, and that makes me want to love you in return. It makes me want to live a life worthy of your love. It makes me want to become a witness to other people of how good and pleasant it is to live under your mercy.

"Lord, I delight in you!"

Haggai 1:1-8
Luke 9:7-9

***

my2cents:

"Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways!" See how we provide for ourselves...but for the Lord?

We pray today "The Lord takes delight in his people. Sing to the LORD a new song of praise in the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king." His people are His children and whomever He desires to be His child. Perhaps even...the despised.

In the Holy Gospel today, people were saying Saint John the Baptist had resurrected, or it was Elijah, and so forth...and the Gospel ends with the open ended line ""John I beheaded. Who then is this about whom I hear such things?" And he kept trying to see him."
In Luke 23:8, we hear "Herod was very glad to see Jesus; he had been wanting to see him for a long time, for he had heard about him and had been hoping to see him perform some sign.
He questioned him at length, but he gave him no answer.
The chief priests and scribes, meanwhile, stood by accusing him harshly."
It is the story of today. We want God to perform for us signs. We want to see the god that we want, to suit our needs to to fill our fancy. Isn't it?

We don't want a suffering God.
We don't want a quiet God.
We don't want a peaceful God.
We don't want a God that won't do what we say.
In the end....we don't want Him at all then...if this is the case.
This was the case of Herod, a king in his own world, in his own little world. Un-open. Not willing to open up to even God Himself.
What happens then? The world is a little darker, in your own nook. You put your hand over the sun, but the light still shines. You build a dark hut, but it gets hot in the sun.

Instead, we should enjoy the sun, the Son of God, the truth of true light.
In the Gospel, it ends with Herod who "kept trying to see Him". What are you trying to see? Nothing? Are you just curious? Not seeking with the heart. I see it. Many approach the Lord as if testing Him. Many see if He touches them, instead of us touching Him....like the tassel on His cloak.
I say this because of faith.
Because of faithless prayers.
I say this because I want you to be genuine.
And genuinely HIS !

***

adrian

 
 
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