†Quote of the Day My Morning Offering
O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the salvation of souls, the reparation of sins, the reunion of all Christians, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father this month. Amen. Quote of the Day "As the pilot of a vessel is tried in the storm; as the wrestler is tried in the ring, the soldier in the battle, and the hero in adversity: so is the Christian tried in temptation."
–St. Basil the Great Today's Meditation "The most powerful thing we can do on this earth with our time is to spend it in Eucharistic adoration. Nothing can do more to change the world, to bring about peace, to convert hearts, to make reparation for the many evils committed. Spending time in prayer may seem, on the outside, to be a passive thing; however, it is anything but! Our world is in desperate need of hope, of renewal, of a 'turning back' to the things of God. By visiting Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, we take up the best weapon for the battles of our age and contribute to the healing of our culture. Cultivating a Eucharistic life of adoration also bears tremendous fruit in our own hearts and lives. We cannot spend time in the rays of His Eucharistic Presence without receiving His grace, His love, His mercy, His peace. As we gaze upon Him Face to face, we are transformed little by little into a closer reflection of His divine image."
—Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, p. 37-38 An Excerpt From
Manual for Eucharistic Adoration Daily Verse "But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. We are confident of you in the Lord that what we instruct you, you [both] are doing and will continue to do. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ."
–2 Thessalonians 3:3-5 | St. Adrian of Canterbury St. Adrian of Canterbury (d. 710 A.D.), also known as St. Hadrian, was a native of North Africa who was sent to England to accompany his friend, Theodore of Tarsus, who was appointed to the prestigious archbishopric of Canterbury. St. Adrian was originally offered and turned down the ecclesiastical position, and instead was made abbot of St. Augustine's Abbey at Canterbury (originally called the Monastery of St. Peter). The monastic school grew and thrived under his leadership, and became an important center of learning where many future scholars, bishops, and abbots were educated in Latin, Greek, scripture, theology, Roman law, arithmetic, and other subjects. St. Adrian himself was well known for being a great teacher of religion, math, science, and literature. He also served as the Holy Father's assistant and adviser. During the lives of Adrian and Theodore, education and learning flourished in England. After his death, his tomb became famous for miracles. His feast day is January 9th. | Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 307
Reading I 1 Sm 3:1-10, 19-20 During the time young Samuel was minister to the LORD under Eli,
a revelation of the LORD was uncommon and vision infrequent.
One day Eli was asleep in his usual place.
His eyes had lately grown so weak that he could not see.
The lamp of God was not yet extinguished,
and Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORD
where the ark of God was.
The LORD called to Samuel, who answered, "Here I am." Samuel ran to Eli and said, "Here I am. You called me."
"I did not call you," Eli said. "Go back to sleep."
So he went back to sleep.
Again the LORD called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli.
"Here I am," he said. "You called me."
But Eli answered, "I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep."
At that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD,
because the LORD had not revealed anything to him as yet.
The LORD called Samuel again, for the third time.
Getting up and going to Eli, he said, "Here I am.
You called me."
Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth.
So Eli said to Samuel, "Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply,
'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'"
When Samuel went to sleep in his place,
the LORD came and revealed his presence,
calling out as before, "Samuel, Samuel!"
Samuel answered, "Speak, for your servant is listening." Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him,
not permitting any word of his to be without effect.
Thus all Israel from Dan to Beersheba
came to know that Samuel was an accredited prophet of the LORD. Responsorial Psalm 40:2 and 5, 7-8a, 8b-9, 10 R. (8a and 9a) Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
I have waited, waited for the LORD, and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
Blessed the man who makes the LORD his trust; who turns not to idolatry or to those who stray after falsehood.
R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I, "Behold I come."
R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
"In the written scroll it is prescribed for me.
To do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!"
R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. Alleluia Jn 10:27 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord.
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mk 1:29-39 On leaving the synagogue
Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.
Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.
They immediately told him about her.
He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.
Then the fever left her and she waited on them. When it was evening, after sunset,
they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.
The whole town was gathered at the door.
He cured many who were sick with various diseases,
and he drove out many demons,
not permitting them to speak because they knew him. Rising very early before dawn,
he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with him pursued him
and on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you."
He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come."
So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons
throughout the whole of Galilee. | Daily Meditation: Mark 1:29-39 They immediately told him about her. (Mark 1:30) What's the first thing you do when the going gets tough? Perhaps you sit down and try to think things through: What's going on? What can I do about it? Or maybe you mobilize friends or just roll up your sleeves and tackle the problem. After you've exhausted every option, you might find yourself saying, "All I can do now is pray," as if that's the last resort. But for Simon, Andrew, James, and John, approaching Jesus was their first response, not their last resort. The moment they learned that Simon's mother-in-law was ill, they told Jesus. He, in turn, wasted no time in healing her. Sometimes that's what happens. Jesus acts dramatically in response to our prayers. Peace washes away paralyzing fear. Estranged siblings reconcile. Someone awakens from a coma as the priest anoints her. Other times, Jesus' response isn't so dramatic. That's when you need to keep on praying, even as you're waiting and trusting in him. He can give you insight and guidance for the intention you've brought before him. Maybe he will show you how to provide practical help in the situation. Or make a connection between people who can support one another—something you'd never have come up with on your own. Jesus will always answer you, one way or the other. That's what makes prayer the best "first response"—not only for serious situations that seem out of your control, but also for the more everyday concerns that arise in your life. Is a loved one ill? Go to Jesus right away and ask him for healing. Was your teenager in a fender bender? Take a minute before you call the insurance company to tell Jesus, and ask him for peace for everyone involved. Did you just hear that a friend lost their spouse? Bring that person to Jesus in prayer, and trust that he will show you how to offer them comfort. Praying may seem to be the least we can do. But it's also the most we can do. And there's no limit to what God can do! Each need that arises gives us a chance to practice going to the Lord first. So let's resolve to involve him sooner rather than later and to seek his help every step of the way. "Jesus, I know you care about me and my loved ones. Help me turn to you first." 1 Samuel 3:1-10, 19-20
Psalm 40:2, 5, 7-10 |  click to hear 2cents | Reflections with Brother Adrian:
Audio English | In the Gospel today we heard:
"He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come."
So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons
throughout the whole of Galilee......." end of Gospel verse.
. . . | From Bishop Barron today:
"Friends, in today's Gospel, Jesus heals many of the townspeople of Capernaum. His healing of physical ailments points to his spiritual healing—to his being the doctor of the soul.
The Gospels are filled with accounts of Jesus' healing encounters with those whose spiritual energies are unable to flow. Much of Jesus' ministry consisted in teaching people how to see (the kingdom of God), how to hear (the voice of the Spirit), how to walk (overcoming the paralysis of the heart), and how to be free of themselves so as to discover God.
Jesus was referred to in the early Church as the Savior (salvator in Latin). The term speaks of the one who brings healing—indeed, our word salve is closely related to salvus, meaning health. When the soul is healthy, it is in a living relationship with God. When the soul is sick, the entire person becomes ill, because all flows from and depends upon the dynamic encounter with the source of being and life who is God.
We heal the soul by bringing to bear the salvator, the healer, the one who in his person reconciled us with God and opened the soul to the divine power." end quote Bishop Barron.
I don't know about you, but I love healing. I love medicine and how it heals. I love how natural remedies heal. But most of all? I'm beginning to love the healing that God offers that is much more than all of that...and this is spiritual healing. We need healing from things that cause us much pain and overburden, weight, grief, remorse and so forth. Wouldn't you truly like to feel free? If you truly felt full of grace and free, even physical ailments wouldn't weigh that much. Why? Because you'd be so united with God's sacrificial love. And most physical ailments are caused by spiritual maladies! If we only believed! That is how people were being healed, they just believed! It is funny how in clinical trials they test new medicine with a fake pill and often people get healed with it. It is about the faith. That's why there are reported miracles at all sorts of Catholic sites, like Chimayo's dirt in New Mexico, or the waters of certain places where saints found the water or even in Healing Masses and services, it's all about faith.
But what if I go there and I don't get healed? Is my faith not big enough? Not great enough? Does it mean you have no faith? LOL
I don't have an answer as to why most don't get healed, but I can tell you a secret! Work on that.
Work on your faith. It is greater to believe and have not seen.
Amen?
We are called though, to preach, and to drive out demons. The best way is in Church and the Holy Sacraments and to our family and friends. The more...the better. Faith is alive and a gift. Nurture it. This has reached you for a reason. Pray with me:
Lord, I do believe! I want healing! I love healing! Help me heal and heal others! Help me heal by healing others! Help us love Thee more and more. |  Click To Hear | Random Bible Verse 1
James 1:19–20 19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
