†Saint Quote
JULY 13, 2021
"When you pray, you only have to ask for two things: You should ask for the light to see the will of God, and you have to ask for the courage to be able to do the will of God."
— Venerable Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz †MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"My great God, you know all that is in the universe, because you yourself have made it. It is the very work of your hands. You are omniscient, because you are omnicreative. You know each part, however minute, as perfectly as you know the whole. You know mind as perfectly as you know matter. You know the thoughts and purposes of every soul as perfectly as if there were no other soul in the whole of your creation. You know me through and through; all my present, past, and future are before you as one whole. You see all those delicate and evanescent motions of my thought which altogether escape myself. You can trace every act, whether deed or thought, to its origin and can follow it into its whole growth and consequences. You know how it will be with me at the end; you have before you that hour when I shall come to you to be judged. How awful is the prospect of finding myself in the presence of my judge! Yet, O Lord, I would not that you should not know me. It is my greatest stay to know that you read my heart. Oh, give me more of that openhearted sincerity which I have desired. Keep me ever from being afraid of your eye, from the inward consciousness that I am not honestly trying to please you. Teach me to love you more, and then I shall be at peace, without any fear of you at all."
— Bl. John Henry Newman, p.150
AN EXCERPT FROM
Everyday Meditations †VERSE OF THE DAY
"It is he whom we proclaim, admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. For this I labor and struggle, in accord with the exercise of his power working within me."
Colossians 1:28-29 |  click to read more | | ST. HENRY II Saint Henry II (972-1024 A.D.) was born to the Duke of Bavaria and the Princess of Burgundy. He was a pious child and was given the education of a priest. However, his destiny changed when he succeeded his father as the Duke of Bavaria and took a holy woman as his wife. Upon the sudden death of his cousin he also became the King of Germany. Then, in 1014 A.D. he was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in St. Peter's Basilica by Pope Benedict VIII. St. Henry was determined to rule the empire with justice for the greater glory of God. He was known for his virtue and great faith; when entering any town, he would first pray in a church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He also invoked the saints to help him in battle against pagan armies. He did much good for his subjects and for the Church, and was graced with many mystical experiences. He and his wife, St. Cunegundes, observed perfect chastity during their marriage and therefore remained childless. Henry tried to enter a monastery after the death of his wife, however, his application was refused because it was thought he would continue to do much good if he remained in the world. St. Henry is the patron of dukes, kings, childless people, the handicapped, and people rejected by religious orders. His feast day is July 13th. | Tuesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 390
Reading I Ex 2:1-15a A certain man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman,
who conceived and bore a son.
Seeing that he was a goodly child, she hid him for three months.
When she could hide him no longer, she took a papyrus basket,
daubed it with bitumen and pitch,
and putting the child in it,
placed it among the reeds on the river bank.
His sister stationed herself at a distance
to find out what would happen to him. Pharaoh's daughter came down to the river to bathe,
while her maids walked along the river bank.
Noticing the basket among the reeds, she sent her handmaid to fetch it.
On opening it, she looked, and lo, there was a baby boy, crying!
She was moved with pity for him and said,
"It is one of the Hebrews' children."
Then his sister asked Pharaoh's daughter,
"Shall I go and call one of the Hebrew women
to nurse the child for you?"
"Yes, do so," she answered.
So the maiden went and called the child's own mother.
Pharaoh's daughter said to her,
"Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will repay you."
The woman therefore took the child and nursed it.
When the child grew, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter,
who adopted him as her son and called him Moses;
for she said, "I drew him out of the water." On one occasion, after Moses had grown up,
when he visited his kinsmen and witnessed their forced labor,
he saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his own kinsmen.
Looking about and seeing no one,
he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
The next day he went out again, and now two Hebrews were fighting!
So he asked the culprit,
"Why are you striking your fellow Hebrew?"
But the culprit replied,
"Who has appointed you ruler and judge over us?
Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?"
Then Moses became afraid and thought,
"The affair must certainly be known." Pharaoh, too, heard of the affair and sought to put Moses to death.
But Moses fled from him and stayed in the land of Midian. Responsorial Psalm 69:3, 14, 30-31, 33-34 R. (see 33) Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
I am sunk in the abysmal swamp where there is no foothold;
I have reached the watery depths; the flood overwhelms me.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
But I pray to you, O LORD, for the time of your favor, O God!
In your great kindness answer me with your constant help.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
But I am afflicted and in pain; let your saving help, O God, protect me;
I will praise the name of God in song, and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
"See, you lowly ones, and be glad; you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor, and his own who are in bonds he spurns not."
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live. Alleluia Ps 95:8 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 11:20-24 Jesus began to reproach the towns
where most of his mighty deeds had been done,
since they had not repented.
"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst
had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable
for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.
And as for you, Capernaum: Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld. For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom,
it would have remained until this day.
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable
for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you." | Daily Meditation: Exodus 2:1-15 Moses fled . . . and stayed in the land of Midian. (Exodus 2:15) Every superhero has an origin story. Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider and became Spiderman. Steve Rogers was injected with a secret serum and morphed into Captain America. And Moses? Well, he was a killer and fugitive from justice when God called him to lead his people out of slavery. That's not exactly an auspicious start for one of the Bible's greatest heroes, is it? We might even wonder why this part of Moses' story was included in the Bible. Wouldn't it have been better to gloss over the bad stuff and focus only on the good things he did? Not in the least. In fact, the Bible is quite clear-eyed about Moses' weaknesses as well as his strengths. We read how he faced down Pharaoh and led the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt, but we also read about how many excuses he used to try to get out of his calling (Exodus 3:11–4:17). We read how he received the Ten Commandments from God, but we also read how he flew into a rage when he saw the people committing idolatry (32:15-28). It's not just Moses either. With the exception of the Virgin Mary and, of course, Jesus, virtually every hero or heroine in the Bible is shown to be a combination of strengths and weaknesses, of sin and righteousness. And that's exactly the way it should be. Why? Because the Bible is the story of how God called ordinary people—sinners just like us—to fulfill his plan of salvation. It's the story of God pouring out his grace on everyday people to help them accomplish great things in his name. For the next month, we're going to be reading about Moses and his heroic exploits. As you read, be sure to remember where he came from and some of the ways he fell short of his calling. Remember that Moses was just like you—an imperfect person who cooperated with God's grace—and that means you can become just like him—a servant who helps build the kingdom here on earth. "Lord, teach me to welcome your grace so that I can do great things for you just as Moses did." Psalm 69:3, 14, 30-31, 33-34
Matthew 11:20-24 |  Listen to 2cents | my2cents:
"So (Moses) he asked the culprit,
"Why are you striking your fellow Hebrew?" But the culprit replied,
"Who has appointed you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?"
Then Moses became afraid and thought,
"The affair must certainly be known."
Pharaoh, too, heard of the affair and sought to put Moses to death.
But Moses fled from him and stayed in the land of Midian." Moses was exposed. What's it like to be exposed? I had a guy come ask me for something, and I laid out all the nasty things he'd ever done, to his family, to his loved ones, lying, cheating, stealing (never paying back), and I said "after knowing all this about you, how can I trust you with what you are asking me!?" Deep down, I saw a man who was trying. Trying to not fall or tear apart anymore, a man on the brink of losing more than he could bargain for. I was like Joseph, I had the power to condemn, or to give from the bounty of mercy. And I sent him off and away! LOL. With mercy, having got what he asked for...but not first after having been exposed do you receive mercy. Expose yourself to God in Holy Confession, tell Him everything, just everything He already knows, and quite possibly the whole world, for it is us that are the last to admit...our problem. Lord do we need You! | We pray today:
""See, you lowly ones, and be glad; you who seek God, may your hearts revive! For the LORD hears the poor, and his own who are in bonds he spurns not." Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live."
What if life problems were solved as easy as...turning to our Lord?
Well, they are. We turn to Him for grace to endure everything, and we should pray for good things, like virtue, and purity, and holiness that comes naturally from these gifts of God our Father. There is my friend, humility in silence, for the truth will be exposed always. You need not say much if anything at all, if you truly trust in God our Father. We follow our Lord and His Way. | In the Holy Gospel we hear:
"Jesus began to reproach the towns
where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented."
God reproaches towns. What is a reproach? Is it good? A reproach is said to be "an expression of rebuke or disapproval".
Our Lord rebukes what is evil.
To not repent, is evil.
Our world has faced a pandemic, as if a plague.
Has anyone repented of their evil ways?
Our world could face a demographic collapse, is anyone aware of this extreme poverty?
Our world seeks self destruction, with inner hatred? What is on the line?
What in the world would cause one to have fear of the Lord? Any thing?
It doesn't take much for a holy person to fear the Lord. A holy fear is to fear to offend our Loved one. How can we build this fear? By hitting people on the heads with bibles? By accusing each other? By causing divisions and factions? None of that works, does it? I've been dealing with some young men, and I see how they work, and their attitude at work. In their own eyes, they are perfect, or pretty good. But in my eyes as a boss or manager, I see how terrible they are.
They are late. They do what they want, they are irritable, they don't listen, and nothing seems to stick, not any one of the bits of advice I've been giving them seems to stick. It is an icky, a sort of disgusting feeling to deal with someone who refuses to listen, but they still want gravy, still want to have a job. It's a mentality out there saying we deserve something for nothing.
Back to our Lord, and a reproach.
What is your attitude when a miracle happens?
It should be, my friend, one of gratitude forever, for one miracle has altered the course of the world, a divine intervention has taken place in your favor. At what cost? | "Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld."
And so one wonders why God had such a terrible reproach to the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida.
These places probably saw the miracles of demons being exposed and exorcised, and possibly many healings of paralyzed people and dying people, and some being raised from the dead.
Yet, they chose to live on as if nothing...important...had occurred. As if God had not walked among them. As if life is what you make it. As if what He says is not important. As if to say...what you say is more important.
Can we begin to see the connection to today's world? Is it so different?
I myself have given witness to a miracle. Has my world been moved? Have there been many conversions around me?
Have you seen God's work at hand?
Have you heard of what He has done?
Has this moved you in ways to be more faithful, and to have fear of God?
I am grateful my friend.
I am grateful to see faces in church.
I am grateful to see God in the Eucharist.
I am fearful, that I am not doing His will.
I am fearful, that I may be sinning in my ways.
I am fearful, that the world will never see Him.
I am therefore, going to use my grateful message to change the world. And in doing so, I relay my faith to you today as so should you, every day, to any soul you encounter.
This is what came of my meditation with our Lord today:
I was relaying to our Lord that I am not seeing any fruitfulness to my labors, that it is as if I toil in vain, spinning my wheels, not making a difference in the world.
Then our Lord opened up a memory of a retreat I led in the desert with some men. We traveled to the sand hills and were in a spiritual exercise that asked us to see how God is speaking to us in nature. I walked around a large hill of sand, and saw some weeds, and one flower spoke to me as it was in full bloom, a yellow daisy opening itself to the Sun, the light. And the message said "nobody in the world will ever see me, but I am resplendent, I am basking in the beauty of the sun, I am here for whenever someone like you comes by, if they happen to come by, ready to be seen giving glory to God." And I walked back down the hill of calvary, and left my dead self there, and I left alive, from the desert, to my place in the world. And I remain in full bloom until the Lord passes by, and I'm ready to be seen and loved by His look, with oil in my lamp, trimmed and lit up by the very grace force of the heavens...I am Yours and Yours I wish to be! Let's pray:
Lord, I may be small potatoes, but this spud's for You.
You're all I got, and You're all I need.
Help us show each other the true love from Heaven, the sacrificial way to You're feet. amen. | from your brother in Christ our Lord,
adrian |  click to hear | Random Bible Verse from online generator: Proverbs 19:11
11 Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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