†Quote of the Day
"We know certainly that our God calls us to a holy life. We know that he gives us every grace, every abundant grace; and though we are so weak of ourselves, this grace is able to carry us through every obstacle and difficulty." St. Elizabeth Ann Seton †Today's Meditation
"So, if God has not resolved to cast His work back into nothingness forever, if this earth, sanctified by the footsteps of Christ, is destined, once radiant and renewed, to remain forever, then man must rise again in a future life to reconquer its scepter and kingship. Hence, once more, it follows that death means not ruin but restoration. If God has decreed that our earthly abode shall one day be dissolved, it is not for the purpose of despoiling us of it, but to render it subtle, immortal, serene. His aim may be compared to that of an architect, says St. John Chrysostom, who has the inhabitants leave his house for a short period, in order to have him return with greater glory to that same house, now rebuilt in greater splendor."
— Fr. Charles Arminjon, p. 84 †Daily Verse
"And passing along by the Sea of Galilee, [Jesus] saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men." And immediately they left their nets and followed him." Mark 1:16-18 | St. Andrew St. Andrew (1st c.) was the first of the twelve Apostles to follow Jesus, after being a disciple of St. John the Baptist, the Precursor of Christ. St. Andrew was a fisherman by trade and the younger brother of St. Peter. Andrew recognized Jesus as the prophesied Messiah and left his fishing trade behind to follow Jesus, convincing his brother Simon Peter to do the same. After Jesus' ascension into heaven, Andrew preached the Gospel throughout the world as commanded by Christ. He ministered and preached in Asia Minor before finally being martyred by crucifixion in the city of Patras in Achaea, Greece. He was tied to an X-shaped cross by request, not deeming himself worthy to die on the same kind of cross as his Savior. Andrew suffered for two days before dying, while continuing to preach Christ from his cross. St. Andrew's feast day is November 30th. | Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle Reading 1 Rom 10:9-18 Brothers and sisters:
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
For one believes with the heart and so is justified,
and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
The Scripture says,
No one who believes in him will be put to shame.
There is no distinction between Jew and Greek;
the same Lord is Lord of all,
enriching all who call upon him.
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed?
And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
And how can they hear without someone to preach?
And how can people preach unless they are sent?
As it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!
But not everyone has heeded the good news;
for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?
Thus faith comes from what is heard,
and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.
But I ask, did they not hear?
Certainly they did; for Their voice has gone forth to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world. Responsorial Psalm PS 19:8, 9, 10, 11 R. (10) The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. (John 6:63) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life. Alleluia Mt 4:19 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come after me, says the Lord,
and I will make you fishers of men.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 4:18-22 As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father
and followed him.
| Daily Meditation: Romans 10:9-18 Their voice has gone forth to all the earth. (Romans 10:18) In our first reading, St. Paul says that the proclamation of the gospel has the power to bring salvation. But that can happen only as evangelists travel throughout the earth carrying the good news (Romans 10:13-15). So when Jesus called Simon Peter and his brother Andrew—whose feast we celebrate today—to "Come after me," he also promised them, "I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). Tradition tells us that this apostle covered a vast amount of territory on his missionary journeys. Andrew preached as far west as Greece, as far north as the Baltic Sea, as far east as western China, and as far south as central Africa! He spent the last years of his life in present-day Romania and then returned to Greece, where he was martyred at age eighty. Andrew definitely became a "fisher of men." His "voice has gone forth" to much of the known world (Romans 10:18), and countless people have turned to Jesus as a result. Through Andrew's proclamation of the Lord—and through all the other apostles' travels as well—the whole ancient world heard the good news. But not just because of their own efforts: it was the Spirit working through them that provided the groundwork for the spread of Christianity around the world. That same Spirit is at work today in ways that Andrew and the other apostles probably could never have imagined. Television, radio, and the internet can broadcast the good news to "the ends of the world" (Romans 10:18). Bibles and devotional books proclaim Christ in far-flung lands. And missionaries travel by airplane or boat across the globe with the message of salvation. The gospel needs your voice, too. Whether you're sending an email or text to a distant friend or relative or getting together with a neighbor, you are called to share the good news, just as Andrew was. Because how can anyone believe if the message is not proclaimed to them (Romans 10:14)? "Jesus, I want to join your apostles as a messenger of your kingdom today!" Psalm 19:8-11
Matthew 4:18-22 |  click to hear 2cents | Reflections with Brother Adrian:
Audio English | From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
"Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.
But I ask, did they not hear?
Certainly they did; for Their voice has gone forth to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world....."_ end of verse.
. . . Do you believe what you hear? Should you believe everything you hear? When it comes to the word of the Lord the answer is yes, yes you should believe everything you hear. When it comes to the news or rumors or gossip or even many of our feelings, we should be careful with our heart and not let in what does not belong, that which pulls us from the true love of God and neighbor. Because faith comes from what we hear. What we believe is what we let in our hearts, like gatekeepers. What or who are you allowing to come in and take control? Should it not be the very Creator our Lord? The voice of the Lord travels fast. The message though, sinks slow. Wouldn't it be amazing if we immediately believed like St. Andrew, or his brother St. Peter? How did they come to believe so quickly, like our Blessed Mother Mary? Want to know the truth? They were ready for the moment He came.
Let's get ready. | We pray today:
"The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; The ordinances of the LORD are true, all of them just.
The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just......." end of psalm. | In the Gospel today we heard our Lord:
"He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him........." end of Gospel verse. | From Bishop Barron today:
"Friends, in today's Gospel, Jesus calls his first disciples. What is it about this scene that is so peaceful and right? Somehow it gets at the very heart of Jesus' life and work, revealing what he is about. He comes into the world as the second person of the Blessed Trinity, a representative from the community that is God—and thus his basic purpose is to draw the world into community around him.
Jesus says to Simon and Andrew, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." This tells us something about how God acts. He is direct and in-your-face; he does the choosing. "Come after me," Jesus says. He is not offering a doctrine, a theology, or a set of beliefs. He is offering himself. It's as if he's saying, "Walk in my path; walk in imitation of me."
Finally, Jesus explains, "I will make you fishers of men." This is one of the best one-liners in Scripture. Notice the first part of the phrase: "I will make you . . ." This is counter to the culture's prevailing view that we're self-made, that we invent and define our own reality. Jesus puts this lie to bed. We learn from him that it's God who acts, and if we give ourselves to his creative power, he will make us into something far better than we ever could. . . . ." end quote Bishop Barron.
"At once they left their nets and followed him."
Who does this? Who leaves everything immediately, work, family, and goes after the one they expected to be the Messiah?
Only the faithful. Those with their lights on. Those ready. Our Lord is coming. Turn on your lights! Advent Starts Sunday. Advent basically means "the coming". We dress the church in the purple liturgical colors symbolizing the great await, the great coming of the King. When our Lord comes, will you be ready like St. Andrew?
How can we get ready and be ready? Be faithful to His Word. Be living His Word. Be ready at any moment for Him to speak to you. And let Him speak through you. How have I encountered the Lord myself, so I can help you?
Does He speak in scripture? He mostly teaches in Scripture, but yes, He speaks.
Does He speak through nature? God knows everything, every bird, every living thing, so yes, He can show you signs that reveal Himself to you.
Does He speak through people, those around you? Yes, often in subtle hints, or in soft voices, and sometimes in the strongest of voices that you just don't want to hear! Yes, ears and hearts must be always open to Him to enter.
How else does He speak? There is a definite way that He speaks that is unexplainable. I can only define it in terms of knowing and being. Our souls know without a doubt. It is more than telepathy or such communications. It is a "being to being" bond that communicates. It is natural. It is another being. It is everything we spoke of even in nature, connected in God almighty. So when God is speaking, open up! Maybe you will be honored when He says "Come, follow me", and be honored all the way to that dreaded Mount Calvary where one gives themselves totally for the love of God. Pray with me:
Saint Andrew, give us that zeal to live faithfully in full expectation for the coming of our Lord, and when He comes, give us the joy to spread the good news and bring others to the feet of our Lord, for greater Glory of God our Father in Heaven. |  Click To Hear | Wow! Amazing! Random Bible Verse 1
Psalm 24:7–8
7 Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
