†Saint Quote
"The deeds you do may be the only sermon some people will hear today."
— St. Francis of Assisi †MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"Avoid worrying, then, about anything else for your children except whatever may contribute to bringing them up virtuously. For the rest, having entrusted them to God, try to see what His will for them is, to help them along the path in life He has chosen for them. Never be afraid of relying too much on Him, but rather seek always to increase your trust more and more, for this is the most pleasing homage you can pay Him and it will be the measure of the graces you will receive. Little or much will be given you according as you have expected little or much."
— St. Claude De La Columbiere, p.46
AN EXCERPT FROM
Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence † VERSE OF THE DAY
"For I have learned, in whatever situation I find myself, to be self-sufficient. I know indeed how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need. I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me."
Philippians 4:11b-13 |  click to read more | | STS. MARTHA, MARY AND LAZARUS St. Martha (1st c.) was a pious Jewish woman from Bethany near Jerusalem. She was a close friend of Jesus during his earthly ministry, as was her brother, St. Lazarus, and her sister, St. Mary of Bethany (St. Mary Magdalene - separate feast day on July 22nd). The Gospels tell us that "Jesus loved Martha, and her sister Mary and Lazarus." Martha would serve the Lord faithfully when he was a guest in her home, once busying herself so much with her work that she neglected to spend time enjoying his presence, for which she earned a gentle rebuke from Our Lord. Martha had great faith in Christ, especially evidenced in her belief that he could raise her brother Lazarus from the dead. In the Gospels we read that St. Martha testified that Jesus was the Son of God even before his Passion and Resurrection. According to tradition, after the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, St. Martha gathered a group of women together to live, pray, and do penance in common, one of the early Christian houses of consecrated women. St. Martha is the patron of servers, maids, butlers, servants, single laywomen, homemakers, housewives, and cooks. Together, these siblings share a feast day on July 29th. | Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus Lectionary: 404/607
Reading I Ex 40:16-21, 34-38 Moses did exactly as the LORD had commanded him.
On the first day of the first month of the second year
the Dwelling was erected.
It was Moses who erected the Dwelling.
He placed its pedestals, set up its boards, put in its bars,
and set up its columns.
He spread the tent over the Dwelling
and put the covering on top of the tent,
as the LORD had commanded him.
He took the commandments and put them in the ark;
he placed poles alongside the ark and set the propitiatory upon it.
He brought the ark into the Dwelling and hung the curtain veil,
thus screening off the ark of the commandments,
as the LORD had commanded him. Then the cloud covered the meeting tent,
and the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling.
Moses could not enter the meeting tent,
because the cloud settled down upon it
and the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling.
Whenever the cloud rose from the Dwelling,
the children of Israel would set out on their journey.
But if the cloud did not lift, they would not go forward;
only when it lifted did they go forward.
In the daytime the cloud of the LORD was seen over the Dwelling;
whereas at night, fire was seen in the cloud
by the whole house of Israel
in all the stages of their journey. Responsorial Psalm 84:3, 4, 5-6a and 8a, 11 R. (2) How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest in which she puts her young–
Your altars, O LORD of hosts, my king and my God!
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
Blessed they who dwell in your house! continually they praise you.
Blessed the men whose strength you are!
They go from strength to strength.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
I had rather one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere;
I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God! Alleluia Jn 8:12 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 11:19-27 Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary
to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died].
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him;
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus,
"Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you."
Jesus said to her,
"Your brother will rise."
Martha said to him,
"I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day."
Jesus told her,
"I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?"
She said to him, "Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world." OR: Lk 10:38-42 Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
"Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me."
The Lord said to her in reply,
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her." | Daily Meditation: John 11:19-27 I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God. (John 11:27) Have you ever heard of the phrase "no holds barred"? Taken from the world of professional wrestling, it means that there are no kinds of holds or other techniques that are banned from a match. Of course, now we use it to refer to something free from any restrictions or social conventions that may hamper it. We might call St. Martha, who is the patron saint of cooks and housekeepers, the patron saint of a no-holds-barred friendship with Christ as well. Martha is best remembered for the way she complained to Jesus that her sister, Mary, wasn't helping her with the housework (Luke 10:38-42). She was confident that their friendship was close enough for her to break social conventions and call out her sister right in front of her guests. And Jesus responded with an equal amount of friendship and openness. Today's Gospel gives us another view of Martha's "no-holds-barred" relationship with Jesus. Grieving the death of her brother, Lazarus, she runs to Jesus as a friend but also as a devout believer. In a moment of complete honesty, she gently upbraids him for not coming in time. But she also shares her unquestioning faith when she proclaims him as "the Christ, the Son of God" (John 11:27). This statement is one of the most complete professions of faith we have in the Bible. In both cases, Martha didn't mince her words. She felt free to speak directly from her heart, giving voice both to her sadness and to her faith. What better way to honor St. Martha than to emulate her open, honest friendship with Christ? And what better way to grow closer to the Lord than to be completely transparent with him about our trials and complaints as well as our faith? It's not a sign of disrespect to tell him exactly what we're thinking. On the contrary, we honor Jesus when we let him see what's in our hearts. It's our way of opening ourselves to him and inviting him to live in us as our Lord and Savior. "Lord, help me to be bold and transparent in my love for you!" Exodus 40:16-21, 34-38
Psalm 84:3-6, 8, 11 |  Listen to 2cents | my2cents:
We heard in today's first Holy Scripture:
"Whenever the cloud rose from the Dwelling,
the children of Israel would set out on their journey."
And so it happened when our Lord rose from the dead, and rose in the Ascension, and after He rose up, everyone was commanded to go on the journey that He set forth, the life, and the Way of Jesus. | " How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
I had rather one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked."
When you think of a heavenly dwelling, what comes to mind? In mine, the sensation of serenity, tranquility, of peace, of true joy comes. This is the abode in which the faithful reside. Let us go there. | In today's Holy Gospel we hear:
"Martha said to Jesus,
"Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you."
And so we have the true disposition of a faithful soul running to the abode of our Lord, running to Our Father's arms. As the faith of the centurion proves "Lord, only say the Word, and it shall be done". | And the conversation continues:
"Jesus said to her,
"Your brother will rise."
Martha said to him,
"I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day."
Jesus told her,
"I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die." And so the definition of life comes into question. What do you believe life is? Now we are talking ideals? Now we are talking philosophy? LOL NO! Life is what God makes it to be, a true being, because He imparted life...from LIFE!
How can you even begin to contain life in a box...or in this case, a tomb!
How can you narrow it down to one word? It can be defined then, as a mystery and a gift, a mysteriously wonderful gift, for each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made. Fearful, meaning Holy, and wonderful, meaning capable to amaze. That is you. You my child are designed for holiness, and designed to amaze.
Jesus Amazes always, and people amaze Jesus for the good and for the bad!
The conversation continues:
"Do you believe this?"
She said to him, "Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world." my child, do YOU believe this?
Do you believe I can raise your loved one from the dead?
Do you believe I have power that can join you to peace?
Do you believe I can give life to the lifeless?
Do you believe I can make something out of nothing? Yes Lord, we believe, but we also doubt, and it cancels the faith!
I make something into nothing. I do everything contrary.
I believe there is peace, but I don't believe it is attainable. Forgive my disbelief!
Before we end things today, let me divulge a secret if my Lord will forgive me for it. Yesterday, I was not feeling well at all, I believed a fever was coming on, my body ached, I did not have much energy, I even felt nauseous at one point. I tried to lay my head on my desk to rest many times throughout the day. I found enough spunk, to say a small prayer to feel better. But that was it. Evening came, and my wife reminded me of daily Mass, I was so out of it, that I had lost track of time. We went to Mass, with our 8 kids, daily Mass that is. At one point I thought, I bet some people think how lovely it is to see a large family at daily Mass, if they only knew that it is not easy, nothing is easy...at first. How do you get all ready and load up, and hold it together through Mass? Maybe that's the beauty...the sacrifice.
Back to poor me, LOL. I was weak, but was able to sing with my guitar. Tired, but able to stand. Faith is strength. Faith is a desire. Therefore, Faith is to be treasured. And so, as I was about to receive our Lord in the Eucharist, I said to our Lord, "if you wish, you can help me get over this physical malady". And I went back to my spot to kneel and give thanks and prayed for grace. I stood up to sing, and I began to have hot spells, instead of feeling cold. A burning energy surged and I knew that I was purged. Is a miracle to be hidden, albeit, a small one? On the outside, it may seem like nothing to one who is not suffering. On the inside, it brings one ever closer to God, because I believe in one thing my friend...gratitude. Gratitude changes everything in my life. I am grateful, therefore I persevere. I am grateful, therefore, I am loyal. And to receive bread from Heaven is gratefulness. In the most charming charities, people give, expecting you to receive saying thank you. God is giving, and is expecting life changing gratitude. Only then, will we be humbled, as we partake of peace, and true joy. Let us pray:
Lord, thank You. I see how Lazarus arose, on command, to go on the journey to be a faithful witness. I pray that all of us now can go forth, to be Your living light in the dark. Amen. | from your brother in Christ,
Adrian |  click to hear | Random Bible Verse from online generator: WOW Isaiah 32:17 And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust1 forever. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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