†Saint Quote
"The harm that comes to souls from the lack of reading holy books makes me shudder . . . What power spiritual reading has to lead to a change of course, and to make even worldly people enter into the way of perfection."
— St. Padre Pio † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"Whenever we receive Communion, we enter into communion with the Holy Trinity. Did anybody ever tell you that? With each reception of Holy Communion, we experience, already here on earth, the same divine activity that we will one day experience in all its fullness in heaven—the divine activity of love eternally taking place within the Trinity . . . God wants to live his triune life in us. We are called to be dwelling places for the Holy Trinity and to enter into a personal relationship with each of the persons in God."
— Vinney Flynn, p. 27-8 †VERSE OF THE DAY
I have also created the ravager to destroy; no weapon that is fashioned against you shall prosper, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, says the Lord."
Isaiah 54:17 |  click to read more | | ST. MONICA St. Monica (322-387 A.D.) was raised in a Christian home in Tagaste, North Africa. Early in life she struggled with alcoholism, sneaking draughts of wine from the family cellar, before being caught and overcoming the habit. She was later given in marriage to an ill-tempered and adulterous pagan Roman official. She suffered greatly on account of her husband, and that of her unkind mother-in-law with whom she lived, and she fervently prayed for their conversion over the course of many years. Her patience and kindness became a source of encouragement to other unhappy housewives with whom she came in contact. Monica gave birth to three children, and she was grieved that her husband would not allow them to be baptized. Her eldest son, Augustine, was a wayward child and caused her the most pain, and she prayed fervently for decades for him to become a Christian. Through her persistence in prayer and good example, her husband was converted shortly before his death. When Augustine became entrenched in heretical sects and moved to Milan, St. Monica followed him. Monica befriended the Bishop of Milan, St. Ambrose, who consoled her by saying, "The child of those tears shall never perish." Augustine was eventually brought into the Church by St. Ambrose. Everything we know of St. Monica's heroic virtue is from the writings of her son, who became the great St. Augustine of Hippo, one of the most influential saints in Church history. St. Monica is patron of housewives, difficult marriages, alcoholism, mothers, widows, abuse victims, victims of adultery, and disappointing children. Her feast day is August 27th. | Memorial of Saint Monica Readings for the Memorial of Saint Monica Reading I 1 Thes 4:1-8 Brothers and sisters,
we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that,
as you received from us
how you should conduct yourselves to please God–
and as you are conducting yourselves–
you do so even more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. This is the will of God, your holiness:
that you refrain from immorality,
that each of you know how to acquire a wife for himself
in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion
as do the Gentiles who do not know God;
not to take advantage of or exploit a brother or sister in this matter,
for the Lord is an avenger in all these things,
as we told you before and solemnly affirmed.
For God did not call us to impurity but to holiness.
Therefore, whoever disregards this,
disregards not a human being but God,
who also gives his Holy Spirit to you. Responsorial Psalm 97:1 and 2b, 5-6, 10, 11-12 R. (12a) Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
Justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the LORD of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD loves those who hate evil;
he guards the lives of his faithful ones;
from the hand of the wicked he delivers them.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
Light dawns for the just;
and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the LORD, you just,
and give thanks to his holy name.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just! Alleluia Lk 21:36 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Be vigilant at all times and pray,
that you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 25:1-13 Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins
who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,
brought no oil with them,
but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.
Since the bridegroom was long delayed,
they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight, there was a cry,
'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'
Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.
The foolish ones said to the wise,
'Give us some of your oil,
for our lamps are going out.'
But the wise ones replied,
'No, for there may not be enough for us and you.
Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.'
While they went off to buy it,
the bridegroom came
and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him.
Then the door was locked.
Afterwards the other virgins came and said,
'Lord, Lord, open the door for us!'
But he said in reply,
'Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.'
Therefore, stay awake,
for you know neither the day nor the hour." | Daily Meditation: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 . . . do so even more. (1 Thessalonians 4:1) All of us need more—time, energy, money, you name it. And so it can be hard to hear the direction "As you are doing, do more." Yes, there is a limit to what you can do, but there is no limit to what God can do! He is boundless—limitless, inexhaustible, infinite—and so are the resources he is willing to share with you. St. Paul was sure of this, and so his charge to do more is given confidently and joyfully. Praying, meditating on Scripture, receiving the sacraments, serving other people, resisting sin and temptation, (and repenting when you fall) all please God. You please God. The things you do, however, have a higher purpose than to earn God's pleasure. They are meant to create a pure and holy place in you for the Holy Spirit to dwell. You are created to be that dwelling place. And although Paul is speaking to the Thessalonians specifically about purity in marriage, his words can apply to all our relationships and every area of our lives (4:9-12). In order to be pure, there's a certain separation that has to occur: separation from immorality, lust, and exploitation of other people. With God's help, we can detach ourselves from those things and more. You may need to disengage from sexual immorality, but it just as well might be a tendency to be judgmental, resentful, or lazy. Or maybe there is one area you know you could grow in, such as patience or temperance. Ask the Lord for his help in that specific area. To be what you were born to be—God within you and God revealed in you—it's important to act intentionally and deliberately. You could write down the one area you'd like to grow in at the top of today's meditation. Or you could examine your conscience at bedtime each night and repent for times when you didn't achieve the detachment you need in that one area. Remind yourself often that God is eager to share his infinite, limitless grace with you so that you may indeed do better. And take heart: God will help you. You will do St. Paul's "even more." "Holy Spirit, I want to be your dwelling place. Help me to become more and more pleasing to you." Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 10-12
Matthew 25:1-13 |  Listen to 2cents | From Bishop Barron:
"Friends, our Gospel today is the parable that compares the kingdom of heaven "with ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom." This is an image borrowed from the customs of the time. The bridesmaids would wait for the groom and, upon his appearance, accompany him. Well, this is the Christian community, waiting for Christ the groom to arrive. Did Jesus tell this parable because he knew that his Church would be in for a long period of waiting? We are wise in our waiting if we pray on a regular basis; if we educate ourselves in the faith; if we participate in the sacraments, especially the Eucharist; if we perform the corporal and spiritual works of mercy; if we become people of love. We are foolish in our waiting if we neglect these things. And here is one of the hardest truths of this parable: the divine life, so cultivated, cannot simply be shared with another at the last minute. The wise virgins are not being difficult and self-absorbed when they tell their friends that they can't help them. A saint can't simply infuse his life into another; it just doesn't work that way." | From the last part of a spanish reflection today:
"
And so it was: I was crying for Agustín. The son, in turn, laughed at his mother's tears ... But Jesus Christ does not laugh at our tears: "Do not cry" (Lk 7,13), he had told the widow of Naim ... Even with everything, Monica did not spare any effort: when Augustine decided to go to Rome, away from his mother, she also traveled there so as not to leave her son abandoned. This being the case, it turned out that Monica - and later Augustine - met the now famous bishop of Milan, Saint Ambrose. Captivated by Ambrose's catechesis and by the writings of Saint Paul, Augustine changed his life and — finally — was baptized. It was the year 387. Santa Monica had fulfilled her mission in this life !: «Son, since I see you converted into a servant of Jesus, what do I do in this world?». When they were preparing to return to Carthage, while they waited in the port of Ostia, she became seriously ill… Saint Augustine transcribed his last words: "All I ask of you is that you remember me before the altar of the Lord (…). Thus left this world that pious and blessed soul." | How high do we lift one finger to convert one soul?
How far would we go? Would we become a nagging nuisance like Monica? Would we dare to care like that?
In our modern days, we are taught to "respect" others' beliefs. But that is not how I was turned on fire to the Lord.
I have had many nagging nannies. They quit nagging when they saw I was converted.
I now have become a nagging nanny.
We have not yet shed blood and we give up. This is what St. Paul exhorts.
I encourage you now to become the nuissance and the persistence of holy fervor and zeal for God our Father.
Monica chased her son to the ends of the earth, and she won him over with much fasting, prayer, and reaching out....as if it was the most important thing in the world...salvation...and it is. Let's pray:
Lord, infuse in us that holy fervor, to go to the ends of the earth, until our end, to reach inside a soul, and there find Your loving hand touching their heart...and saving their life.
Help us with the most important task of our lives....loving truly as You desire! amen | from your brother in Christ,
Adrian |  click to hear | Random bible verse generator: Philippians 1:29
[Philippians 1] 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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