†Quote of the Day
"Never give up prayer, and should you find dryness and difficulty, persevere in it for this very reason. God often desires to see what love your soul has, and love is not tried by ease and satisfaction."
–St. John of the Cross †Today's Meditation
"The reason why the soul not only travels securely when in obscurity, but also makes greater progress, is this: In general the soul makes greater progress in the spiritual life when it least thinks so, yea, when it rather imagines that it is losing everything …There is another reason also why the soul has traveled safely in this obscurity; it has suffered: for the way of suffering is safer, and also more profitable, than that of rejoicing and of action. In suffering God gives strength, but in action and in joy the soul does but show its own weakness and imperfections. And in suffering, the soul practices and acquires virtue, and becomes pure, wiser, and more cautious."
—St. John of the Cross, p.149 An Excerpt From
Dark Night of the Soul †Daily Verse
"Hearken to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am He, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save."
–Isaiah 46:3-4 | St. John of the Cross St. John of the Cross (1542–1591) – also known as San Juan de la Cruz – was born to a poor family in Old Castile, Spain. His father married below his rank and was disinherited as a result. After his father's early death, John was raised in poverty by his mother. He studied and served at a local hospital while committing himself to severe penances. Uncertain of his life's direction, he was told in prayer that he should enter religious life in order to bring reform. John joined the ancient Carmelite Order and received permission to observe their original rule of life, quickly earning a reputation for his humility, obedience, and religious fervor. He later met St. Teresa of Avila, a reforming Carmelite abbess who recognized the greatness of John's virtue and requested his assistance to found a monastery of friars under the primitive Carmelite rule, as she had done for her nuns. Together they founded the Discalced Carmelites, a contemplative order of strict religious observance. His reforms began to spread, and as a result John was captured, imprisoned, and physically abused by his fellow friars. His sufferings helped him to write his most famous work, Dark Night of the Soul. After nine months he made a miraculous escape and he went on to found and govern several Carmelite monasteries. St. John of the Cross became an authority on the spiritual life, and his profound writings and poetry are considered among the greatest of all Spanish literature. Because of his invaluable writings he was named a Doctor of the Church and the patron saint of mystics, contemplatives, and Spanish poets. His feast day is December 14th. | Friday of the Second Week of Advent Reading 1 Is 48:17-19 Thus says the LORD, your redeemer,
the Holy One of Israel:
I, the LORD, your God,
teach you what is for your good,
and lead you on the way you should go.
If you would hearken to my commandments,
your prosperity would be like a river,
and your vindication like the waves of the sea;
Your descendants would be like the sand,
and those born of your stock like its grains,
Their name never cut off
or blotted out from my presence. Responsorial Psalm Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6 R. (see John 8:12) Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life. Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord will come; go out to meet him!
He is the prince of peace.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 11:16-19 Jesus said to the crowds:
"To what shall I compare this generation?
It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another,
'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance,
we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.'
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said,
'He is possessed by a demon.'
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said,
'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.'
But wisdom is vindicated by her works."
| Daily Meditation: Matthew 11:16-19 But wisdom is vindicated by her works. (Matthew 11:19) Have you ever heard of "negativity bias"? It's a term that describes the way many of us view the world and the events in our lives. Psychologists have found that we tend to be biased toward a negative rather than a positive outlook. Bad news, for instance, tends to stick with us longer and speak to us more loudly than good news. It's as if we are wearing dark sunglasses that can make even the most beautiful sunny day look gloomy and overcast. In today's Gospel, Jesus calls out the negativity bias of some of his critics. With his parable about children who do nothing but complain, he says that the children of "this generation" are similar (Matthew 11:16). They are trying to dictate how Jesus and John the Baptist should live and what they should look like. Instead of finding joy in the good news both these men were proclaiming, they passed harsh judgment against them because they didn't fit into the traditional molds. These critics couldn't take off the dark glasses of their negativity bias and see that God truly was working through Jesus and John. What was Jesus' answer to such a negative outlook? His "works" (Matthew 11:19). The works that Jesus was performing should have been enough to show them that the kingdom of God was at hand. All his healings and his miracles revealed that God had come to them in love with the promise of forgiveness, restoration, and freedom. A new era was dawning, and those who looked past their negativity bias could see the "wisdom" behind everything Jesus was saying and doing. This is what Advent calls us to do: remove the sunglasses of our negativity and look for the beautiful, positive evidence that Jesus, our Redeemer, has come into this world to save us. Just as light dispels darkness, the wisdom of God's love can lift the clouds of cynicism or pessimism from our eyes. The signs are all around you. They're even within your own heart! Today, ask the Holy Spirit to help you see them, embrace the wisdom and hope they bring, and let them move you to rejoice. "Come, Holy Spirit! Help me see your good works more clearly today." Isaiah 48:17-19
Psalm 1:1-4, 6 |  click to hear 2cents | Reflections with Brother Adrian:
Audio English | From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
"Thus says the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
I, the LORD, your God, teach you what is for your good,
and lead you on the way you should go......."_ end of verse.
. . . I believe it was Blessed Fulton Sheen that said we have to become like children, the closer we come to God. Perhaps this is the reason our Lord said "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." and He goes even further when He said: "I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."
This message is deep.
Now, let me take it to the realms of Heaven, that have made me very fearful. I once was imprinted a vision, I don't even recall when or how, but it was a vision that called for one in Heaven to go higher and higher until one ceases to exist as they went closer and closer into the light. And just recently, I had an imprinted message that revealed what that vision meant from many years ago. The interpretation was that we no longer will exist to ourselves, but truly become one with the Creator, Our Father. And my fear faded, and it was comforting to know that we would exist living fully God's will. I believe that interpretation came after listening to volume 13 of the Book of Heaven recently. | We pray today:
"He is like a tree planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life. Not so the wicked, not so; they are like chaff which the wind drives away. For the LORD watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes. ......" end of psalm. Those who sow in tears will reap rejoicing. Last night I invited a dozen through text message to come with me to praise our Lord in church. I had all the prayers with me, to pray together. Not a single soul joined me. And so I had the captive audience and attention of our Lord all by myself, as I prayed in tears prayers of transformation and thanksgiving. Mostly, they were prayers I've collected from many saints after receiving communion. I received tremendous blessing and consolation. Anyone who would've gone would have received the same. I am planting seeds with my tears. Why was I shedding tears? For many reasons.
1.) Burning anxieties gushing out.
2.) The fact that I was told yes by some and they still did not go to worship with me.
3.) The fact that we do not have a desire to pour ourselves out to God in an instant when asked.
4.) The fact that the place I prayed, I witnessed others praying and now they are dead including my dad.
5.) The prayers made me realize that I need God and that I am a sinner in great need, I am in more need of God.
6.) The feeling of praying like Mary Magdalene outside the tomb, as the tabernacle was closed and the Blessed Sacrament was not exposed.
7.) The fact that, just as Mary Magdalene, our Lord Jesus appears outside the tomb, consoling her, and so too, I was being consoled for all the previous reasons for tears. I was there to console Him, but it was me that needed consoling. It works both ways. | In the Gospel today we heard:
""To what shall I compare this generation?
It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another,
'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance,
we sang a dirge but you did not mourn......" end of Gospel verse. | What will move people to a greater faith? That is the most perplexing question that seems more of a mystery than anything. The very reason I write to you is to help you increase in faith...or better said then, a real love of God our Father.
I sing the best I can, and sometimes I see some in tears after my songs. I sing cheerful songs, and sometimes, the kids come out dancing. Notice though, I said "sometimes" this happens. Most of the time, and for most of the people in Mass, they don't seem to be moved. They seem like frozen statues throughout the Mass. Zombies? Dead to life of God? At least they are there trying to come back to life! And some will. But not all are clean. And there is fire for purification for that. But we don't have to be purged in purgatory or doomed to hell! All you have to do is be a saint! Holy and unblemished! And don't fall for protestant lies that the devil loves which say "you don't have to lift a finger, just SAY you believe and you will prance right into heaven when you die!". But to say one thing and to do one thing is another. Faith without works is dead!
Does God's daily message move you?
And so, why did I commit about an hour of lonesome prayer last night? Because, our Lord LOVES acts of love. And since I can't really pinpoint any real acts of love of God throughout my day or even the week, I make an act of love of God happen, with planning, and sacrifice. My hope though, is that when we move our Blessed Sacrament to the middle of our Temple, then we will have a more full temple, worshiping together. Not because we "HAVE TO" out of obligation, but because we WANT TO come no matter the cost.
What will it cost you to be united with God forever?
Everything. Pray with me:
Lord, less of me, more of You. Always, may our love grow more and more. |  Click To Hear | Random Bible Verse 1
Exodus 15:11 11 "Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
