†Quote of the Day "I know well that the greater and more beautiful the work is, the more terrible will be the storms that rage against it."
–St. Faustina Today's Meditation "Love is a strong force — a great good in every way; it alone can make our burdens light, and alone it bears in equal balance what is pleasing and displeasing. It carries a burden and does not feel it; it makes all that is bitter taste sweet. … Nothing is sweeter than love, nothing higher, nothing stronger, nothing larger, nothing more joyful, nothing fuller, nothing better in heaven or on earth; for love is born of God and can find its rest only in God above all He has created. Such lovers fly high, run swiftly and rejoice. Their souls are free; they give all for all and have all in all. For they rest in One supreme Goodness above all things, from Whom all other good flows and proceeds. They look not only at the gifts, but at the Giver, Who is above all gifts."
—Thomas à Kempis, p. 108 Daily Verse But as it is written: "What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him," this God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God."
–1 Corinthians 2:9-10 | St. Perpetua & St. Felicity St. Perpetua and St. Felicity (d. 203 A.D.) were friends who lived in Carthage, North Africa. They were both catechumens preparing to receive the Church's sacraments: Perpetua was a married noblewoman nursing her first child, and Felicity was a pregnant Christian slave who worked as a household servant. Because Christianity was forbidden, they were seized along with two companions, one of them being their catechist. Perpetua's baptism was hastened after her arrest, and God told her to pray for strength to withstand her coming trials. While in prison she kept a detailed diary of her sufferings and mystical visions, one of the oldest and most treasured of early Christian writings. Her father, a pagan, pleaded with her to deny her faith, even bringing her infant, for whom she was anxious, to the prison in order to persuade her to apostatize. She refused. Felicity also remained steadfast in her faith, giving birth to a daughter while in prison a few days before her execution. Perpetua, Felicity, and their companions were condemned to be torn by wild animals in the arena. Perpetua understood that their contest was not with animals, but with the devil. She walked into the arena and met her fate with a joy and bravery that astonished many onlookers. Perpetua, Felicity, and their companions were mauled and then beheaded on March 7, 203. St. Perpetua and St. Felicity share a feast day on March 7th. | Thursday of the Third Week of Lent • Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saints Perpetua and Felicity, martyrs Reading 1 Jer 7:23-28 Thus says the LORD:
This is what I commanded my people:
Listen to my voice;
then I will be your God and you shall be my people.
Walk in all the ways that I command you,
so that you may prosper. But they obeyed not, nor did they pay heed.
They walked in the hardness of their evil hearts
and turned their backs, not their faces, to me.
From the day that your fathers left the land of Egypt even to this day,
I have sent you untiringly all my servants the prophets.
Yet they have not obeyed me nor paid heed;
they have stiffened their necks and done worse than their fathers.
When you speak all these words to them,
they will not listen to you either;
when you call to them, they will not answer you.
Say to them:
This is the nation that does not listen
to the voice of the LORD, its God,
or take correction.
Faithfulness has disappeared;
the word itself is banished from their speech. Responsorial Psalm PS 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
"Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works."
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Verse Before the Gospel Jl 2:12-13 Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart,
for I am gracious and merciful. Gospel Lk 11:14-23 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute,
and when the demon had gone out,
the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed.
Some of them said, "By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons,
he drives out demons."
Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.
But he knew their thoughts and said to them,
"Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste
and house will fall against house.
And if Satan is divided against himself,
how will his kingdom stand?
For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons.
If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul,
by whom do your own people drive them out?
Therefore they will be your judges.
But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons,
then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.
When a strong man fully armed guards his palace,
his possessions are safe.
But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him,
he takes away the armor on which he relied
and distributes the spoils.
Whoever is not with me is against me,
and whoever does not gather with me scatters."
| Daily Meditation: Luke 11:14-23 Whoever does not gather with me scatters. (Luke 11:23) In today's Gospel, Jesus drives out an evil spirit with great effect: a man previously unable to utter a word suddenly speaks freely. The crowds are amazed, but not everyone is happy. Some accuse Jesus of driving out the demon "by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons" (Luke 11:15). But Jesus proclaims that this exorcism demonstrates that "the Kingdom of God has come upon you" (11:20). This miracle reveals Jesus' mission for unity. When he expelled the demon, Jesus freed the man from his silent isolation and restored his ability to engage with his family and friends. As he said, he came to "gather" the people whom the devil "scatters" and seeks to torment (Luke 11:23). God's kingdom brings power and healing. Even more, it gathers God's people together with their Father in heaven. This wasn't the first time Jesus' ministry resulted in such "gathering." He healed a man with leprosy whose disease had ostracized him from his community (Luke 5:13). He delivered a young man from a demon and reunited him with his family (9:42). So while the kingdom of darkness brings division, pain, and heartbreak, the kingdom of God brings unity, healing, and restored relationships. Jesus longs to unite his people today as well. The evil one seeks to divide families and churches, and he does it by wielding weapons like gossip, envy, half-truths, and lies. But the kingdom of God is at hand! Jesus is always working for unity. And whenever we choose to love, he works through us. Where there is distrust, we can sow honesty. Where there is bitterness, we can sow mercy. Where there is division, we can be a force of forgiveness and understanding. Today you will have opportunities to build God's kingdom of love. Will you chime in to a gossipy office conversation or steer it in a better direction? Will you react angrily when you don't understand a decision, or will you assume the best of intentions? Will you avoid a difficult person, or will you reach out with kindness? It's not easy; unity requires commitment, humility, and even greater measures of God's grace. But take heart: the kingdom of heaven has come upon you! "Lord, help me to love." Jeremiah 7:23-28
Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9 |  click to hear 2cents | Reflections with Brother Adrian:
Audio English | In the Gospel today we heard:
"Some of them said, "By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons,
he drives out demons."
Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.
But he knew their thoughts and said to them,
"Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste
and house will fall against house.
And if Satan is divided against himself,
how will his kingdom stand?" end quote. | You've seen how wild animals hunt among large herds, like lions or other predators, what do they do? What is their innate plan of attack? They usually are on the prowl, no matter the time of day, they spot the weaker victim, and at the most opportune time they attack. And the success of the hunt depends on many things. Was the victim alone for a moment? Is the herd around to help protect it?
Think about you and church. If you are apart from the church, you could be that lonely susceptible future victim for when the devil comes on the prowl. And it is not a question of "if" it will happen, but a question of "when" it will happen.
All evil needs is an opportunity, and often by way of "feelings".
Think about a fit of rage what all can happen? The devil there launches itself in a fit of rage to destroy relationships in a heartbeat. Just lose your temper and let the devil devour all the innocent. Just give into temptations of any kind and see if the evil will ever want to leave you alone!
In today's Gospel, we heard: "Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute, and when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed.
Some of them said, "By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons."
Before going any further, how in the world do "mute" demons work? How can these demons make a person actually mute, unable to speak!
Let's not try to think of someone you know who is physically mute because they are very rare to find. But let's think about how many millions of people are mute in the faith, unable to speak about God! What makes people mute?
In exorcisms, a sure sign a person is possessed is that they cannot utter the name of Jesus or the Blessed Virgin Mother Mary, they cannot pray! Think of how many people we know that do not pray! They may not be possessed but what demons are making them mute in the faith?
I would say that a vast majority do not regularly pray as they ought. All they know how to do is to ask God for something and if they don't get it, they leave God in a fit of rage, a temper tantrum. How evil is that! But it happens more often than not. Humility is not taught enough. Humility towards God our Father.
So how can we be healed from these demons that make us deaf and mute? Come to the flock. Come to church. Come humbly to Our Father. The church is a hospital for sinners. There, the shepherds should know how to heal. The Catholic Church has 2, possibly 3 Holy Sacraments of healing. We have Confession, called reconciliation, and we have anointing of the sick, which is not just for those that are dying and last but not least is what? Well, this third one only works if you go to confession first, it is the Holy Sacrament of Communion, where our venial sins are washed by His blood, and our souls are nourished by the Divine Master Shepherd and brother, the Christ, the only sustenance in the world that can bind us to eternity with Him.
And this is good news.
Remember that quote "United We Stand"? A house divided cannot stand, a kingdom divided cannot stand. The Kingdom of darkness cannot stand because it is divided forever. But for the light of God we can stand, if we unite.
Perhaps this is the greatest achievement we can do as children of God; to unite all of us in His Love. There we are bound forever, and forever is where I want all my family to be, in Heaven, under our King's Wings.
Lord, with You, there is life, and love, all I want forever for us all. |  Click for Audio | Random Bible Verse 1
Luke 6:27–28
Love Your Enemies 27 "But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
