Translate

Monday, June 1, 2020

⛪ . ". .BEHOLD Your Mother.. ."⛪

abner2
 
minutemedis

clickable

amin

Standing for Inclusion

"The Lord has called us from different nations, but we must be united with one heart and one soul." — St. Maria Elizabeth Hesselblad

A Lutheran convert, St. Maria Elizabeth was radical in her efforts to unify all people in Christ, including the revitalization of St. Bridget's Order of the Most Holy Savior in Sweden and protection of at least twelve Jews at her Roman convent during World War II, which earned her Yad Vashem's Righteous Among All Nations award. It's comfortable to be around people who are just like us. A friend of mine once said that she was grateful she and her husband lived in a Catholic neighborhood, because that way, they knew the values (and parents) of their children's friends. My response was probably less than gracious; I noted that while I grew up in a very Catholic neighborhood, I washed a whole lot of cars and baked a whole lot of brownies for my friends in the Luther League and similar organizations for Episcopalians, Baptists, and Methodists, because the Catholic kids looked askance at me for going to public school. But it does happen, that Catholic cocoon (or Lutheran, Episcopalian, Baptist, Methodist, Jewish, or Muslim, for that matter). And if we're supposed to go forth and proclaim the Good News, that's going to involve talking to people who aren't just like us, right in our own backyard.

—from Radical Saints: 21 Women for the 21st Century, by Melanie Rigney

***
mornignoffering

MorningOffering.com

†Saint Quote
JUNE 1, 2020
"When you awake in the night, transport yourself quickly in spirit before the Tabernacle, saying: 'Behold, my God, I come to adore You, to praise, thank, and love you, and to keep you company with all the Angels.'"
— St. John Vianney

† PRAYER DURING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
O clement, O loving, O sweet Mother Mary,
We, your children of every nation,
Turn to you in this pandemic.
Our troubles are numerous; our fears are great.
Grant that we might deposit them at your feet,
Take refuge in your Immaculate Heart,
And obtain peace, healing, rescue,
And timely help in all our needs.
You are our Mother.
Pray for us to your Son.
Amen.
† PRAYER OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
† MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"My Lord, I offer you myself in turn as a sacrifice of thanksgiving. You have died for me, and I in turn make myself over to you. I am not my own. You have bought me; I will by my own act and deed complete the purchase. My wish is to be separated from everything of this world; to cleanse myself simply from sin; to put away from me even what is innocent, if used for its own sake, and not for yours. I put away reputation and honor, and influence, and power, for my praise and strength shall be in you. Enable me to carry out what I profess."
— Bl. John Henry Newman, p. 135
AN EXCERPT FROM
Everyday Meditations

TODAY'S FEAST DAY

MARY, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH
Mary, by virtue of being the mother of Jesus Christ, has always been recognized as the Mother of the Church, which Jesus established during His Passion. Before He expired on the Cross, Jesus gave His final instructions to Mary and John, elevating the nature of their relationship within the Kingdom of God. He said to Mary, "Woman, behold thy son," and to St. John the Beloved (who mystically represents all His disciples), "Behold thy mother." The title "Mother of the Church" was formally bestowed on Our Lady by Pope Paul VI, and she was given a liturgical memorial under this title by Pope Francis. The feast of Mary, Mother of the Church is celebrated on the Monday following Pentecost, highlighting the fact that the Mother of God was praying alongside her spiritual sons, the Twelve Apostles, at the moment when the Holy Spirit descended upon them at Pentecost.

† VERSE OF THE DAY
"Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning, for in you I put my trust. Teach me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Save me, O Lord, from my enemies; I have fled to you for refuge. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Let your good spirit lead me on a level path. For your name's sake, O Lord, preserve my life. In your righteousness bring me out of trouble. In your steadfast love cut off my enemies, and destroy all my adversaries, for I am your servant."
Psalm 143: 8-12

***
SaintofDay1

click to read more

asaint.jpg

ST. JUSTIN MARTYR

St. Justin Martyr (100–165 A.D.) was a pagan philosopher from Samaria. After meeting a Syrian Christian who convinced him that the biblical prophets were more trustworthy in the pursuit of truth than worldly philosophers, St. Justin renounced his paganism and studied Sacred Scripture. The bold witness of the early Christian martyrs led to his own conversion to the Catholic faith. St. Justin then used his philosophical and rhetorical skills to defend Christianity, the "true philosophy," against rival pagan philosophies and political powers which maligned and persecuted the Church. He traveled throughout Asia Minor teaching, arguing, and persuading others to accept baptism and follow Christ, before arriving in Rome where he settled and started his own school. Justin was arrested for his faith in Rome and ordered to make sacrifice to false gods, which he refused. He was martyred by beheading along with several of his students. Justin Martyr is famous for writing the Church's first "Apology," or defense of the Christian faith, showing that Christianity was superior to the pagan religions, and that Christians were model citizens and should not be mistreated. His writings are a prime source of the history of the primitive Church in worship and sacraments, including the Holy Eucharist. He is one of the first great apologists of the Church, and for this he is the patron saint of speakers, apologists, and philosophers. His feast day is June 1st.

***
a1

Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church
Lectionary: 572A
Reading 1

Gn 3:9-15, 20

After Adam had eaten of the tree,

the LORD God called to him and asked him, "Where are you?"
He answered, "I heard you in the garden;

but I was afraid, because I was naked,

so I hid myself."
Then he asked, "Who told you that you were naked?
You have eaten, then,

from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!"
The man replied, "The woman whom you put here with me—

she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it."
The LORD God then asked the woman,

"Why did you do such a thing?"
The woman answered, "The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it."

Then the LORD God said to the serpent:
"Because you have done this, you shall be banned

from all the animals

and from all the wild creatures;
On your belly shall you crawl,

and dirt shall you eat

all the days of your life.
I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and hers;
He will strike at your head,

while you strike at his heel."
The man called his wife Eve,

because she became the mother of all the living.

Or

Acts 1:12-14

After Jesus had been taken up to heaven,

the Apostles returned to Jerusalem

from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem,

a sabbath day's journey away.

When they entered the city

they went to the upper room where they were staying,

Peter and John and James and Andrew,

Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew,

James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot,

and Judas son of James.
All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer,

together with some women,

and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Responsorial Psalm

87:1-2, 3 and 5, 6-7

R. (3) Glorious things are told of you, O city of God.
His foundation upon the holy mountains

the LORD loves:
The gates of Zion,

more than any dwelling of Jacob.
R. Glorious things are told of you, O city of God.
Glorious things are said of you,

O city of God!
And of Zion they shall say:

"One and all were born in her;
And he who has established her

is the Most High LORD."
R. Glorious things are told of you, O city of God.
They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled:

"This man was born there."
And all shall sing, in their festive dance:

"My home is within you."
R. Glorious things are told of you, O city of God.
Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O happy Virgin, you gave birth to the Lord;
O blessed mother of the Church,
you warm our hearts with the Spirit of your Son Jesus Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Jn 19:25-34

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother

and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,

and Mary of Magdala.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved,

he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son."
Then he said to the disciple,

"Behold, your mother."
And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
After this, aware that everything was now finished,

in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled,

Jesus said, "I thirst."
There was a vessel filled with common wine.
So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop

and put it up to his mouth.
When Jesus had taken the wine, he said,

"It is finished."
And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.

Now since it was preparation day,

in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath,

for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one,

the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken

and they be taken down.
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first

and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead,

they did not break his legs,

but one soldier thrust his lance into his side,

and immediately Blood and water flowed out.

***

Today's Meditation: Genesis 3:9-15, 20

The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living. (Genesis 3:20)

Any guesses why the first reading today, on the feast of Mary, Mother of the Church, is the story of the fall of Adam and Eve? It all goes back to the Church's ancient portrayal of Mary as the new Eve. For instance, the second-century bishop St. Irenaeus wrote that the knot of Eve's disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. Yes, Eve became mother of all the living, but by welcoming Jesus into her womb, Mary has become mother to all those born into eternal life through him. And that makes her mother of the entire Church.

As a good mother, Mary supports and guides us—both individually and as a Church—with tenderness and compassion. She is committed to teaching us and helping us grow into kind, faithful people who love the Lord and each other. So she urges us to obey and trust in God. And she doesn't just tell us what to do; she sets the example for us as well. By her actions, she shows us how to "hear the word of God and act on it," and she shows us how to do it in humility and surrender (Luke 8:21).

As any good mother does for her children, Mary also prays for us—constantly. She knows our challenges and our hopes and our fears, and she brings them to her Son and asks him to help us. And just as any good mother would do, she rushes to our side when we fall. She comes to comfort us but also to encourage us to stand up in faith and begin again.

Spend some time today pondering Mary's role as your spiritual mother and as Mother of the Church. This is a good day to try to grow closer to her and to ask her to guide you on your journey of faith. Mary, the new Eve, is ready to hold you close to her heart.

"Father, thank you for making Mary the Mother of the Church. Help me to learn from her example and to receive the blessings of her intercession."

Psalm 87:1-3, 5-7
John 19:25-34

ANF
dailycatholic

clickable

On Easter Sunday, Jesus rose again. And in that rising, Jesus defeated death's power over humanity. Just as all believers die in the death of Christ's body, so can all rise again in the Resurrection of his body. The same brotherhood of mankind that enabled him to atone for the sins of humanity also enabled him to forever change the meaning of death for humanity.
— Dr. Scott Hahn
from Hope to Die

***
2cts

my2cents:
"The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living."
The book of Genesis is a theological book that is full of marvels and wonders.
And the Bible ends with marvels and wonders. Many marvels and wonders have been fulfilled and are still being fulfilled.

And today, we focus on the mother of all the "living". A wo-man. This "of man" thing, is a wonder. Made in God's image we are, and God falls in love forever. A being made from humus, dirt, but a being made from Spirit, His life, and the context word here is hidden, but it has been said...being.

psalms

We prayed today: " O city of God! And of Zion they shall say: "One and all were born in her; And he who has established her is the Most High LORD." Glorious things are told of you, O city of God."
He established "her". And the Mother of God comes into mind. She becomes the embodiment of God's vision for a wo-man. Pure, and capable of carrying Christ, Jesus. And this embodiment is a temple, and a precious one at that. He loves her dearly. Because she loves freely, the way man ought to love God.

2cents2

In the Gospel we read: "When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved,
he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son." Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother."
There is a song by David Kauffman "Behold" that we've sung a few times...if you want a song to reflect on the Magnificat, that message Mother said about God, listen to the song. She talks about exalting God, magnifying Him.
Indeed, that is our epitome, to embody, to encompass that what she was able to conceive. She conceived in her heart before she conceived in the womb. She conceived an image of the Kingdom of God, and she prayed for that to become a reality, and an ArchAngel appeared, straight from the highest realms of Heaven.

Behold!
The world would never be the same.

And she would behold Jesus at birth,
and she would behold Christ at death.
She held the cup of blood in her hands.
Blood from her blood. And He gave her His soul.
Behold YOUR MOTHER my child.

" "It is finished."
And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit." He handed His Spirit to the whole entire world by handing it to God the Father first.

Mommy loves God with all her heart.
And so the Son loves God all the more.
Often a good child will carry your torch further.
And you are a child of God.

You are given the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. You are given at Confirmation. The torch. The Word of God in the Holy Sacraments.
We carry the cup of blood in our souls.

How many sips have you taken?
Therefore we are Him and His.

Lord, that your will be done, is all we ask...let us magnify and glorify your Holy Name forever.

Behold song in spanish, MIRAD click to hear

***
2cents

click to hear

Random bible verse from an online generator:

Ephesians 4 1-3

Unity in the Body of Christ

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

***

If one day you don't receive these, just visit my website Going4th.com, surely you'll find me there. God Bless You! Share the Word. Share this, share what is good

 
Like   Tweet   Pin   +1  
 
Powered by
GoDaddy Email Marketing ®