†Quote of the Day
"We must always remember that God does everything well, although we may not see the reason of what He does."
–St. Philip Neri †Today's Meditation
"We could surely say that the Eucharist bears a special relationship to wisdom because wisdom is the highest gift that flows from the virtue of charity. In the Eucharist we also set our minds on the highest thing, Christ Himself, Wisdom Incarnate, and are joined with Him in the most intimate of ways. Indeed, after receiving Communion in the Traditional Latin Mass, the priest prays that the body and blood of our Lord that he has received will "adhaerat visceribus meis," "cleave to my innermost parts."
—Kevin Vost, PSY.D., p.112-113 Daily Verse "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"
–Psalm 139:23-24 | Holy Innocents The Holy Innocents (1st c.) are the children mentioned in the account of Jesus' birth in Matthew's Gospel (2:16-18). When the Magi came to Jerusalem to find and adore the Baby Jesus, the newborn King of the Jews, King Herod requested that they inform him of the Child's location under the pretense of offering Him adoration, too. After paying the Child homage and offering Him their gifts, the Wise Men were warned in a dream not to betray Jesus' location, and departed for their home country by another route. Meanwhile the Holy Family was warned by an Angel to flee into Egypt. King Herod fell into a jealous rage over the Magi's failure to report back to him. He ordered all the baby boys aged two years and under to be killed, according to the appearance of the Bethlehem Star to the Three Wise Men, in an attempt to kill the Baby Jesus. These baby boys died not only for Christ, but in his stead. The Church venerates them as martyrs. It it is uncertain how many children were killed, whether a small number, or in the thousands. The Latin Church instituted the feast of the Holy Innocents in the fifth century. The Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome is believed to possess the bodies of several of the Holy Innocents. Their feast day is commemorated on December 28th. | Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs Reading 1 1 Jn 1:5—2:2 Beloved:
This is the message that we have heard from Jesus Christ
and proclaim to you:
God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.
If we say, "We have fellowship with him,"
while we continue to walk in darkness,
we lie and do not act in truth.
But if we walk in the light as he is in the light,
then we have fellowship with one another,
and the Blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.
If we say, "We are without sin,"
we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just
and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.
If we say, "We have not sinned," we make him a liar,
and his word is not in us. My children, I am writing this to you
so that you may not commit sin.
But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous one.
He is expiation for our sins,
and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world. Responsorial Psalm Ps 124:2-3, 4-5, 7cd-8 R. (7) Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Had not the LORD been with us—
When men rose up against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive,
When their fury was inflamed against us.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Then would the waters have overwhelmed us;
The torrent would have swept over us;
over us then would have swept the raging waters.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Broken was the snare,
and we were freed.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare. Alleluia See R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
the white robed army of martyrs praise you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 2:13-18 When the magi had departed, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
"Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,
and stay there until I tell you.
Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him."
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night
and departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled,
Out of Egypt I called my son. When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi,
he became furious.
He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity
two years old and under,
in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.
Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet: A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.
| Daily Meditation: 1 John 1:5–2:2 He is expiation for our sins. (1 John 2:2) Today's feast of the Holy Innocents pulls us up short. How could someone do such a horrific thing as to massacre all those innocent young boys? An atrocity of this magnitude exposes, in sharp relief, the sin of the one man, Herod, who initiated it. But sadly, this is not the only time that the innocent have suffered unjustly. Even now, we see tragedy all around us. We hear about it on the news every day. Abortion, gun violence, the trafficking and abuse of children, poverty, and more—it seems as if "those [sins] of the whole world" are never going to go away (1 John 2:2). That's where St. John's words from today's first reading can help us. John reminds us that Jesus is "expiation for our sins" (1 John 2:2). By his sacrifice on the cross, Jesus has done more than just atone for our sins. He has released us from the very power of sin itself. That applies to our own personal sins but also to the sins of the whole world. John doesn't want us to forget that Jesus can forgive and restore it all, even the heaviest, most heartbreaking, terrible things that we do to one another. None of it is a match for the redemption Jesus has won for us. This amazing truth can fill us with hope. So of course, we weep and mourn, as Rachel did for her children (Matthew 2:18), every time we see the damage that sin inflicts on our world. But in the midst of our lamentation, our hearts can be lifted up by a sure and certain hope—the hope that Jesus, who took on flesh and came into our darkened world to redeem it, is there with us. He is holding out his hands to all of us: receiving victims into his embrace, reaching out to comfort the ones left behind, and even inviting those responsible to come and receive his mercy. As we suffer with those who suffer, we can know that Jesus, who has forgiven and healed our sins and those of the whole world, is standing with us. "Jesus, Redeemer, even in the face of tragedy, I place my hope in you!" Psalm 124:2-5, 7-8
Matthew 2:13-18 |  click to hear 2cents | Reflections with Brother Adrian:
Audio English | From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
"God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.
If we say, "We have fellowship with him,"
while we continue to walk in darkness,
we lie and do not act in truth........." end of verse.
It is sin that causes destruction and death in the world. Just take a dabble in some sin, curse someone, lust someone, gossip about someone, and see how far it goes. If you let it go far enough, it can kill someone, if not physically, then spiritually, and spiritual death is worse. We cannot call ourselves Christ followers while we continue to love and dabble into sin. Where is our heart? Is it not true? Is there duplicity in our hearts and so our lives? | We pray today:
"Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare. Then would the waters have overwhelmed us; The torrent would have swept over us; over us then would have swept the raging waters. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare......." end of psalm.
This Psalm brings us good news and hope though, for us sinners. We can be saved, if we want to be saved. I know I do, and I want everyone to desire salvation and to be grateful now for salvation, all things Eucharist. | In the Gospel today we heard:
"Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you.
Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him."
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod......" end of Gospel verse.
. . . From Sister Alicia Torres manager editor of Eucharistic Revival newsletters said today: "Wouldn't you agree that, in our times, there are many "Herods" seeking to destroy Jesus? Herod is personified by the innumerable attacks against Christianity, especially affronts to the way of life Jesus has given to us, the devaluing of the practice of our faith, and the distortion of the very understanding of the nature of the human person.
While this is a source of true sorrow, there is a reason we remember the Holy Innocents during the Octave of Christmas. They, in their infant poverty, were the very first martyrs—their young lives destroyed because of their association with Jesus. The Church is asking us to remember the ultimate cost of being Christian: everything. And, even so, she offers us hope that suffering is not the end of the story.
Jesus came to restore our lost innocence, to invite us to share with him his life of holiness: a life of peace and joy that the world simply cannot give. Every time you and I say "Amen" a moment before we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we are saying yes to all this: the suffering and the glory, trusting that the glory, indeed, is far greater than any suffering!" | From Bishop Barron:
"Herod's massacre of the innocents mimics, of course, Pharaoh's murder of the male children of the Hebrews at the time of Moses' birth. Once more we are made to see that, in the fallen world, the least powerful can be ruthlessly eliminated in order to satisfy the needs and assuage the fears of the most powerful.
Of course, the same Herod who casually ordered the murder of the children of Bethlehem had previously commanded the execution of two of his own sons. This awful story functions as a vivid picture of what compromised family life looks like.
The abuse of young people can and should be analyzed psychologically and sociologically, but biblical people know that, in the final analysis, it is a manifestation of the dysfunction born of sin....".
Oh how terrible these killers are! Those Herods and Hitlers!
Wait just a moment. How did these people get to be such ruthless killers? The people allow it to be. We allow it to be! We let sin in.
We live in culture of sin and death. We should be a people of life and salvation.
We allow little sinful things to exist until they become huge horrible dragons ready to devour the innocent child...in the womb.
All we have to do is nothing! All we have to do is be neutral! And all of the evil in the world can do whatever it pleases.
The Holy Family flees for its life. The Hebrew word "kadosh," an adjective meaning holy. The word itself means to be set apart. I had someone tell me they are going to celebrate New Year's in Las Vegas. I looked up the shows going on in January in Vegas, and now I see why they call it "sin city". I was talking to a vendor yesterday in my office who has season tickets to the Cowboys games and that's a 5 hour drive away if you don't stop. Crowds pack the stadiums on Sundays.
A thought hit me today.
Tell me where all the people are heading, so I can go the other way.
I asked some people if they've seen "The Chosen" and they look at me baffled, never heard of it. I have to explain its a season show about Jesus and the disciples, even out on theatres sometimes.
The Chosen has an intro clip showing a green fishing swimming against all the other fish.
That is what holiness can symbolize, that we go against the current.
It is indeed the path less chosen.
It is indeed a narrow path chock full of thorns like my mom used to say. It is not the wide and easy road that many go to out of weakness. Holiness is strength in God.
The Holy Family shows us the way, Joseph and Mary, and bring Jesus to the world. Salvation. Pray with me:
Holy Family, pray for us. |  Click To Hear | Random Bible Verse 1
Romans 5:1 [Romans 5]
Peace with God Through Faith 5
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we1 have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
