† Quote of the Day "The family, founded upon marriage freely contracted, one and indissoluble, must be regarded as the natural, primary cell of human society. The interests of the family, therefore, must be taken very specially into consideration in social and economic affairs, as well as in the spheres of faith and morals. For all of these have to do with strengthening the family and assisting it in the fulfillment of its mission." — John XXIII, Pacem in Terris -1963 Today's Meditation "Just as a family needs to eat its meals together in order to get along and be nourished, so also do we need the Eucharist in order to be nourished with Christ's Body and Blood and to attain eternal life (John 6:53-54). The Mass is also a celebration with the extended family of the Church. Some celebrations of the Mass are extra special, such as the important feasts of Christmas and Easter...These very important communal celebrations are analogous to those large family celebrations and reunions that bring many relatives together for a special occasion. Just as family reunions are never as intimate as small family dinners, neither are the large sacramental celebrations as intimate as the daily parish Mass. Yet these different kinds of Eucharistic celebrations complement one another, just as an intimate candlelight dinner complements the wedding feast." – Fr. Mitch Pacwa, SJ, p.94-95
An excerpt from How to Listen When God Is Speaking Daily Verse "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who abides in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust." — Psalm 91:1-2 | Pope St. John Xxiii Pope St. John XXIII (1881–1963) was the third of thirteen children born to a poor sharecropping family living in Lombardy, Italy. Desiring to serve God with his life, he entered seminary at the age of 12, and, after serving a short stint in the Italian Army, was ordained a priest in 1904. He taught apologetics and church history before being called to service as a military chaplain during the first World War. He later served in Rome on various diplomatic assignments, rising in ecclesiastical rank as bishop and then cardinal-patriarch of Venice. An obscure pick for the Supreme Pontiff, he was unexpectedly elected the 261st Pope at the age of 76. He took the name John which had not been used in over 500 years. The papacy of this presumed "caretaker pope" was expected to be an uneventful one, however, to the surprise of all, shortly into his reign he called the Second Vatican Council. He presided over its first session but did not live to see its completion. He reigned as pope for less than five years before dying of stomach cancer. As Holy Father he had a special concern for the equal dignity of humanity, the unity of all Christians, and world peace. He broke with many of the formalities of the papacy and was affectionately called the "Good Pope", in Italian, "il Papa buono." He was canonized by Pope Francis together with Pope John Paul II in 2014. His feast day is October 11th. | Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 GAL 3:7-14 Brothers and sisters:
Realize that it is those who have faith
who are children of Abraham.
Scripture, which saw in advance that God
would justify the Gentiles by faith,
foretold the good news to Abraham, saying,
Through you shall all the nations be blessed.
Consequently, those who have faith are blessed
along with Abraham who had faith.
For all who depend on works of the law are under a curse;
for it is written, Cursed be everyone
who does not persevere in doing all the things
written in the book of the law.
And that no one is justified before God by the law is clear,
for the one who is righteous by faith will live.
But the law does not depend on faith;
rather, the one who does these things will live by them.
Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us,
for it is written, Cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree,
that the blessing of Abraham might be extended
to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus,
so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Responsorial Psalm PS 111:1B-2, 3-4, 5-6 R. (5) The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
Majesty and glory are his work,
and his justice endures forever.
He has won renown for his wondrous deeds;
gracious and merciful is the LORD.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
He has given food to those who fear him;
he will forever be mindful of his covenant.
He has made known to his people the power of his works,
giving them the inheritance of the nations.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever. Alleluia JN 12:31B-32
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The prince of this world will now be cast out,
and when I am lifted up from the earth
I will draw all to myself, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel LK 11:15-26 When Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd 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.
"When an unclean spirit goes out of someone,
it roams through arid regions searching for rest
but, finding none, it says,
'I shall return to my home from which I came.'
But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order.
Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits
more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there,
and the last condition of that man is worse than the first." | Daily Meditation: Luke 11:15-26 Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. (Luke 11:17) Jesus used simple logic when responding to the people in the crowd who wondered whether his authority to drive out demons came from "Beelzebul, the prince of demons" (Luke 11:15). He points out that no kingdom can last—not even Satan's—when one faction is fighting with another (11:17)! Ironically, though, Satan's kingdom is not divided. Instead, he and his legion of demons are united for one purpose: dividing the rest of us! This is one of the prime tactics of the evil one, and unfortunately, it works all too well. All we have to do is look around and see the scattered debris of broken families, churches, communities, and even nations. But we don't have to sit back passively. Because Jesus lives in us, we share in his authority over the evil one. So one thing we can do wherever we see division is to pray. This kind of prayer doesn't have to be dramatic or drawn out. We simply need to recognize that Satan and his demons are at work in a situation, and then pray in the name of Jesus to send them away. Nor should we stop praying! As Jesus tells us, the demons are eager to return (Luke 11:26). But the name of Jesus is powerful—much more powerful than any demon is. As we persist in praying in Jesus' name, we invite him to come and prevent the evil one from getting a foothold in a situation. We also ask him to protect us from the poison of Satan's lies. What are some of those lies? That the other person in a conflict is our enemy, not Satan himself. That we are completely in the right and the other side is completely in the wrong. That forgiveness, reconciliation, and unity are impossible goals that we shouldn't even expect to happen. Jesus told the crowd, "If it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you" (Luke 11:20). Jesus has already ushered in God's kingdom, and you are a member of it. So don't stand by idly and let Satan sow division. Be on the alert for his activity and his lies—and pray to combat them! "Jesus, help me to be an agent for unity wherever I go." Galatians 3:7-14
Psalm 111:1-6 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Click to hear Audio | In the Holy Scripture we hear today:
"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.
"When an unclean spirit goes out of someone,
it roams through arid regions searching for rest
but, finding none, it says,
'I shall return to my home from which I came.'
But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order.
Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits
more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there,
and the last condition of that man is worse than the first...." end quote. | The crucifixion of our Lord seemed to the foolish, the end of all hope. But the message of the cross is our first aid, the sign of hope, the red cross on its way to help the victims of attacks. This is the original red cross. This is the aid of God Himself to a fallen world that needs help.
We still live in a free world. And one can become a slave to one of two things, God or the dark side. The dark side takes you as slave by very little permissions, and even faster through greater permissions. That is why we can't follow the ways of the world, superstition, witchery, tarot cards, astrology, and especially the little known one of temptations by "feelings". Those things will get us into trouble eventually, and the problem is that it affects the greater whole. And this is why evil is disruptive. You're little issues, those things you can't get out of you, your temptations you live with, you know what they are. It could be anxiety, depression, thoughts of hurting yourself or others by word or deed, all of these are permissions of the dark side that live within us.
Our Lord though, He has crucified Himself, so that we may follow Him to do the same. Crucify yourself. That is why Lent is good, and let's all do the advent "lent" too, crucify ourselves to what keeps us from a love relationship with God and those around us in our lives.
Confessions.
When we confess, it is the surest way to deliver ourselves from evil.
But, watch out! Once we confess, you have to live a life of grace that you have asked to receive in confession! That's what we go to receive in the Sacraments, grace. And we have to want the grace, and want to live the grace, that ultimate beautiful union with God that you know you have once you experience it.
Or else. If we don't seek more of God to fill our empty heart, other things will fill it, with things mostly of disgrace. Those bad spirits you wanted out, they'll come back, and many times, they will bring back many more dark friends. It is strange how spirits work in the world. This is why we have to live a life in the Holy Spirit. In all we do, in all our conversations and thoughts. Invite Him in, invite the Holy Spirit in all day, and when He does come, Jesus our Savior comes, the red cross arrives, to fill our hearts perfectly, and you will have peace, with God.
The world promises peace if you enslave to it, but it is a false and temporal peace of dictators that puts man over God.
"Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord" is a verse from the Bible, Jeremiah 17:5.
We are a people of the red cross. We are taught to live these words no matter how much it costs: "Jesus, I Trust In You".
And by that name alone, demons flee, and some will not want to return again, they hate that name so much.
When bad spirits enter, they want us to split, to divorce from the pack of the family of God, why? So the spirits can get away with anything, in the dark. This my beloved, this is where it takes sheer will power for you to overcome these temptations and lifestyles.
That we might sacrifice ourselves for God, and one another. Slaves to God. God is love. Therefore, we are slaves to love. |  audio | Wow Jeremiah!
Random Bible Verse 1
Jeremiah 23:23–24 23 "Am I a God at hand, declares the LORD, and not a God far away? 24 Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
