† Quote of the Day "Even when God's will does not correspond to your own desires, it is always beneficial for you." — St. Arnold Janssen Today's Meditation "I believe we shall never learn to know ourselves except by endeavoring to know God, for, beholding His greatness we are struck by our own baseness, His purity shows our foulness, and by meditating on His humility we find how very far we are from being humble. Two advantages are gained by this practice. First, it is clear that white looks far whiter when placed near something black, and on the contrary, black never looks so dark as when seen beside something white. Secondly, our understanding and will become more noble and capable of good in every way when we turn from ourselves to God: it is very injurious never to raise our minds above the mire of our own faults." —St. Teresa of Avila, p. 17
An excerpt from Interior Castle Daily Verse "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 | St. Roch Rocco St. Roch, also known as St. Rocco (d. 1327), was born in Montpellier, France, the pious son of the city's governor. He was born with a red cross on his chest, a sign that the Virgin Mary answered his mother's prayer to heal her barrenness. His parents died when he was twenty, after which he gave his wealth to the poor and handed the government of the city over to his uncle. Free from earthly cares, he set off as a pilgrim for Italy. When he came upon a town badly struck by the plague, he sojourned there to help the sick. He cured many people by making the Sign of the Cross over them. These miracles occurred at every plague-infested area that he passed through on his way to Rome. When he reached Piacenza he himself contracted the disease in his leg, and awaited death in a remote forest hut. Providentially, a count's hunting dog found and befriended him, brought him food, and licked his wounds. A spring arose nearby, providing fresh water. The count, who followed his dog one day, discovered the saint and aided him in his recovery. Slowly St. Roch's health was restored, after which he returned to his native Montpellier. He refused to disclose his identity to the townspeople so that he could remain poor and unknown. This secrecy aroused suspicion that he might be a spy, and he was cast into prison by his own uncle, who did not recognize him. St. Roch died in prison five years later. His identity was then discovered by the red cross birthmark on his chest. At his funeral, many miracles attested to his sanctity, and a church was erected for his veneration. St. Roch is the patron saint of dogs, surgeons, invalids, bachelors, and against plague and pestilence. His feast day is August 16th. | Daily Readings Friday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 417 Reading 1 Ez 16:1-15, 60, 63 The word of the LORD came to me:
Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations.
Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem:
By origin and birth you are of the land of Canaan;
your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.
As for your birth, the day you were born your navel cord was not cut;
you were neither washed with water nor anointed,
nor were you rubbed with salt, nor swathed in swaddling clothes.
No one looked on you with pity or compassion
to do any of these things for you.
Rather, you were thrown out on the ground as something loathsome,
the day you were born. Then I passed by and saw you weltering in your blood.
I said to you: Live in your blood and grow like a plant in the field.
You grew and developed, you came to the age of puberty;
your breasts were formed, your hair had grown,
but you were still stark naked.
Again I passed by you and saw that you were now old enough for love.
So I spread the corner of my cloak over you to cover your nakedness;
I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you;
you became mine, says the Lord GOD.
Then I bathed you with water, washed away your blood,
and anointed you with oil.
I clothed you with an embroidered gown,
put sandals of fine leather on your feet;
I gave you a fine linen sash and silk robes to wear.
I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms,
a necklace about your neck, a ring in your nose,
pendants in your ears, and a glorious diadem upon your head.
Thus you were adorned with gold and silver;
your garments were of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth.
Fine flour, honey, and oil were your food.
You were exceedingly beautiful, with the dignity of a queen.
You were renowned among the nations for your beauty, perfect as it was,
because of my splendor which I had bestowed on you,
says the Lord GOD. But you were captivated by your own beauty,
you used your renown to make yourself a harlot,
and you lavished your harlotry on every passer-by,
whose own you became. Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl,
and I will set up an everlasting covenant with you,
that you may remember and be covered with confusion,
and that you may be utterly silenced for shame
when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD.
Or:
Ez 16:59-63 Thus says the LORD:
I will deal with you according to what you have done,
you who despised your oath, breaking a covenant.
Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl,
and I will set up an everlasting covenant with you.
Then you shall remember your conduct and be ashamed
when I take your sisters, those older and younger than you,
and give them to you as daughters,
even though I am not bound by my covenant with you.
For I will re-establish my covenant with you,
that you may know that I am the LORD,
that you may remember and be covered with confusion,
and that you may be utterly silenced for shame
when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD. Responsorial Psalm Isaiah 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6 R. (1c) You have turned from your anger.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. You have turned from your anger.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. You have turned from your anger.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. You have turned from your anger. Alleluia See 1 Thes 2:13 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Receive the word of God, not as the word of men,
but, as it truly is, the word of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel
Mt 19:3-12
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Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying,
"Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?"
He said in reply, "Have you not read that from the beginning
the Creator made them male and female and said,
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?
So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate."
They said to him, "Then why did Moses command
that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?"
He said to them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts
Moses allowed you to divorce your wives,
but from the beginning it was not so.
I say to you, whoever divorces his wife
(unless the marriage is unlawful)
and marries another commits adultery."
His disciples said to him,
"If that is the case of a man with his wife,
it is better not to marry."
He answered, "Not all can accept this word,
but only those to whom that is granted.
Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so;
some, because they were made so by others;
some, because they have renounced marriage
for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever can accept this ought to accept it." | Daily Meditation: Matthew 19:3-12
From the beginning . . . (Matthew 19:8) Question: What's the difference between a good lawyer and a great lawyer? Answer: A good lawyer knows the law. A great lawyer knows the judge. In a way, this joke illustrates the difference between Jesus and the Pharisees who question him in today's reading. These Pharisees come to Jesus with a legal question: "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" (Matthew 19:3). But Jesus, who knows the Judge—his heavenly Father—inside and out, answers from a completely different angle: "From the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female'" (19:4). Jesus' questioners wanted to know the limits of the Law—how far a person could go before he broke the rules governing a marriage contract. Jesus, on the other hand, brought them back to the very "beginning," before laws were even necessary. Before sin entered the world, there was only the way of love. This way was all about the mutual self-giving at the heart of marriage, not penalties and judgments or rules and regulations. There was only the desire between a man and a woman to share their whole selves with each other: spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Like the Pharisees in today's reading, we live in a world focused on laws and how far we can stretch their limits: How fast is too fast on the highway? How creatively can you bend the tax code? Is it okay if it's just a venial sin? But Jesus is calling us to ask other, deeper questions: What is the most loving way I can relate to this person? Will these words I'm about to say reflect the humility of the Lord? How is this situation inviting me to take up my cross and serve as Jesus served? If we can focus on these questions, chances are we'll end up upholding the law much better than if we focus only on legalities. From the beginning. From the heart of God. From the wood of the cross. Make these your starting points and your end goals. Not only will your decisions become more pleasing to God; they will also win more people over to love the Lord and to give him their hearts. "Jesus, teach me how to make love my aim in all that I do." Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60, 63
(Psalm) Isaiah 12:2-6 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: | In the Holy Scripture we hear today:
"I say to you, whoever divorces his wife
(unless the marriage is unlawful)
and marries another commits adultery."
His disciples said to him,
"If that is the case of a man with his wife,
it is better not to marry."
He answered, "Not all can accept this word,
but only those to whom that is granted.
Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so;
some, because they were made so by others;
some, because they have renounced marriage
for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever can accept this ought to accept it......" end quote. | From Bishop Barron:
"Friends, in today's Gospel, Jesus teaches about the sanctity and permanence of marriage. Now we begin to see why the love of a husband and wife is a sacrament of God's love. The Father and the Son—while remaining distinct—give themselves utterly to each other, and this mutual giving is the Holy Spirit. So when two people come together in love and form one flesh, they mimic the love between the Father and the Son. And when their love gives rise to a child, this mimics sacramentally the spiration of the Holy Spirit. Father, mother, and children are evocative of the divine Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And this is why Jesus speaks so forcefully about marriage, and why his Church, at its best, has echoed him up and down the centuries. It is because marriage is such a sacred sign that the Church has sought so assiduously to protect it. I know that the Church gets a bad rap for surrounding marriage and sexuality with so many rules. I realize that libertarians through the ages have fought against the supposed uptight moralism of the Church. But human beings always surround precious things with laws, restrictions, and prohibitions." end quote Bishop Barron.
Whoever gets a divorce commits adultery. There are a few and rare exclusions. But what the world teaches is opposite. The world teaches infidelity. The world teaches that you should be able to marry as often as you want and with whoever you want, even animals, or houses, or yourself they say nowadays.
But our Lord does not teach that. Our Lord teaches fidelity. Fight for love. Sacrifice for love. And let love be creative. Let love between the two create a new child if they are able to by all natural means.
But our Lord takes it a step further. He then starts talking about a eunuch in some biblical translations, and those that are made into eunuchs and those that voluntarily become a eunuch for the Kingdom of God. What does mean? It means like the animals that get "fixed" and they can no longer avail themselves to the sexual act to produce offspring. But this means much more. Now we are diving into realms of excellency and purity for the Kingdom of God. When you can say no to the pleasures of the world and yes to the sacrifice for God's Kingdom, you are well on your way to giving yourself entirely to Him.
But what about people like me that are married? I'm still called to a chaste lifestyle and a pure life stile. We are all called to the same.
The Essene sect, the most pure Jews did this, they'd only meet the wife to produce a child and the rest of the time was about purification for the coming of the Messiah, the coming of our Lord Jesus.
And the same is true today. Our Lord promised to come again, the second coming. Are you ready? Do you have the pure oil burning in your lamps? Are you making preparations for that day?
Why wait? We can prepare Him room now. A place to feast and to live. A home. Your Heart. For the love of God, love God, and love God through the word He has offered. Priests must show this way to the Kingdom. But we are all baptized in the Holy Trinity, as Priest, Prophet, and King.
Lord, help us, to be faithful to each other, and thus, to You my Lord and My God! |  audio | WOW! AMEN.
Random Bible Verse 1
1 Peter 3:18 [1 Peter 3] 18 For Christ also suffered1 once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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