†Saint Quote
"The patient and humble endurance of the cross—whatever nature it may be—is the highest work we have to do."
— St. Katharine Drexel † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"While St. Teresa was well acquainted with methods of meditation and wished her young nuns to be instructed in them, she emphatically insisted that the primary need for beginners is not to find the ideal method but to do God's will from moment to moment throughout the day—which is probably the last thing the beginner thinks is primary. Her thought is strong and unambiguous: 'The whole aim of any person who is beginning prayer—and don't forget this, because it is very important—should be that he work and prepare himself with determination and every effort to bring his will in conformity with God's will'. She then adds that 'it is the person who lives in more perfect conformity who will receive more from the Lord and be more advanced on this road of prayer.'"
— Fr. Thomas Dubay, p. 112
AN EXCERPT FROM
Fire Within † VERSE OF THE DAY
"So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."
Ephesians 2:19-22 |  click to read more | | ST. WILLIAM OF YORK St. William of York (d. 1154) was born to a powerful family in England, the nephew of the king. He became a priest and then treasurer of York Minster Cathedral at the time when the English crown was contested by two grandchildren of William the Conqueror. When the Archbishop of York died, William was chosen to take his place. Kind-hearted and generous to the poor, he was well-liked by the people; however, he faced political and ecclesiastical opposition from the rival to the English throne. Because he was consecrated without papal approval, William was accused of wrongdoing by those who wanted their preferred prelate in the position; even St. Bernard of Clairvaux opposed him. Although he eventually confirmed William's appointment, the Pope died before the pallium was given, and the new pope took the side of William's detractors. A new archbishop was ordained in his place while William went to live as a monk with his uncle, a bishop, in quiet prayer and penance. The people of York, upset that their favorite had been deposed, took to rioting. Six years later the Archbishop of York died, and another new pope made William the successor. The people were overjoyed at his return—so many came to greet him as he entered the city that a bridge collapsed under their weight; the fact that no one was hurt was considered a miracle. A few months later, after celebrating Mass on Trinity Sunday, William became ill and died. Poisoning was suspected but never confirmed. Miracles took place at his tomb which gave rise to his canonization in 1227. His feast day is June 8th. | Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 360
Reading I 2 Cor 1:18-22 Brothers and sisters:
As God is faithful, our word to you is not "yes" and "no."
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was proclaimed to you by us,
Silvanus and Timothy and me,
was not "yes" and "no," but "yes" has been in him.
For however many are the promises of God, their Yes is in him;
therefore, the Amen from us also goes through him to God for glory.
But the one who gives us security with you in Christ
and who anointed us is God;
he has also put his seal upon us
and given the Spirit in our hearts as a first installment. Responsorial Psalm 119:129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 135 R. (135a) Lord, let your face shine on me.
Wonderful are your decrees; therefore I observe them.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
The revelation of your words sheds light, gives understanding to the simple.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
I gasp with open mouth in my yearning for your commands.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
Turn to me in pity as you turn to those who love your name.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
Steady my footsteps according to your promise, and let no iniquity rule over me.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
Let your countenance shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me. Alleluia Mt 5:16 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Let your light shine before others
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 5:13-16 Jesus said to his disciples:
"You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father." | Daily Meditation: Matthew 5:13-16 Your light must shine before others. (Matthew 5:16) There's nothing particularly interesting or special about a container of salt or a package of lightbulbs in your pantry. But think how indispensable they are! Salt provides flavor to food and can make a bland dish tasty. And it would be hard to function in your home at night without some sort of light! Maybe you feel a little like one of these humble household items—nothing out of the ordinary. But each one of us is invaluable; we each have something unique to offer the world. So in today's Gospel, when Jesus calls us to be the "salt of the earth" and the "light of the world," his command is not just for certain people, like the wealthy, the powerful, or the saintly (Matthew 5:13, 14). It's for everyone, including you! Being like salt and light to other people may sound like a big challenge. But there is a simple place to start: love. Mother Teresa once said, "Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love." When you visit a lonely neighbor, you are being "salt" by relieving the monotony of her day. When you make your son's favorite meal for his birthday, you are bringing "light" into his life. But as Jesus reminds us, we need to do more than just love those who love us back. We need to love our "enemies" and forgive those who have wronged us (Matthew 5:44). It could require making peace with a family member with different political views or forgiving someone who has cheated us out of money. This is the most challenging kind of love, but it's the kind that sets us apart as disciples of Christ—a love so generous that it makes everyone take notice, and we become like a "city on a mountain that cannot be hidden" (Matthew 5:14). You are part of the Church's mission to bring Jesus' love into the world, and you can do it in both everyday and extraordinary ways. It's not always easy, and there's no guarantee it will be appreciated. But that doesn't matter. The love you have to offer is as essential to living as salt and light! "Jesus, help me to put your love into action today." 2 Corinthians 1:18-22
Psalm 119:129-133, 135 | It's time to stop holding secrets in. God is inviting you to draw near to Him with an open and honest heart... Remember, shame is Satan's tool. It's his language. It's not God's.
— Lisa Brenninkmeyer
From her devotional Rest: 31 Days of Peace |  Bro. Adrian Reads reflection Outloud. Click here | my2cents:
St. Paul says:
"But the one who gives us security with you in Christ
and who anointed us is God;
he has also put his seal upon us
and given the Spirit in our hearts as a first installment."
We are sealed in the Sacraments. We are sealed with the Blood of the Perfect Lamb. We have been marked as "HIS". I AM says I AM His. Does that make you feel special? You are. | We pray in the Psalms:
"Lord, let your face shine on me.
The revelation of your words sheds light,
gives understanding to the simple."
Let's keep the light on and in mind because our Lord will speak about light. Light is amazing, and I don't believe we understand fully what it is capable of. | Our Lord speaks:
"You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot."
What does this say to you? In my faith sharing, I like to write my 2 cents bit, just to add flavor, just to make it more real, just to open up a whole world of possiblities, because sometimes you can read something and it is bland, it does nothing for you, and it is like that when our Lord says in Matthew 11:17:
"We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'. The people are unmoved. And my aim is to be salt, and this means being on fire, and being on fire means giving light. | Our Lord continues:
"You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father."
We can think of Rome, of our home for Catholics, a city on a hill basically, yes, but our Lord takes it much deeper, and says that our deeds must be the light and this will glorify our Father in Heaven.
Did you know that there are lies that some denominations preach? They say works are dead, no good, but our Lord asks for deeds. People got to see your faith in action. We are a people of works, and this is Catholic, this is what is meant by liturgy, works of the Word as it is discussed in Why the Liturgy in Vatican documents: "...the profession of faith is followed by the explanation of the sacramental life, in which Christ is present and acts, and continues building his Church. In fact, if the figure of Christ did not stand out in the liturgy, who is its principle and is really present to make it valid, we would not have the Christian liturgy, which depends completely on the Lord and is sustained by his presence. Hence, there is an intrinsic relationship between faith and liturgy; both are intimately united."
Back to our Lord:
" your light must shine before others".
What does He mean "before others". On the face of it, we know it means let others see the light of Christ, right? But I'd like to step into it further. Shine BEFORE others. This should mean that YOU are to be Christ before others are Christ to you.
Get it? Let's make a simple example for the simple: Don't wait for others to open doors for you, you run to the door to open it for them. Let's go deeper. Don't wait for others to come running to you for forgiveness, no, you forgive first, you LOVE first.
This is being perfect. This is doing God's will.
If we do this, we will give flavor to God's life. People will want God. People will hunger for God. And they will once again say "See how they love one another!"
And our Master on the Cross leads the way to Heaven...and all the way it is Love. Let us pray:
Lord, I want to be salt, I want purity, a salt that gives light. How hard it is to find purity in this world, and therefore light...Your light of truth! Let us find this hidden treasure, sell all we have, and be found with lights like the virgins waiting for the groom at night. See how we Love You Lord, help us Love YOU so much more! Love You Father. | from your brother in Christ our Lord,
adrian |  click to hear | Random Bible Verse from online generator: John 1:1–3
1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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