Daily Feast All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween, is the vigil of All Saints (All Hallows) Day, which is a major feast on the liturgical calendar and a Holy Day of Obligation. Halloween (October 31st) is connected with All Saints Day (November 1st) and All Souls Day (November 2nd). These three days are the "Days of the Dead," a triduum also known as Allhallowtide or Hallowmas, reminding the faithful of the reality of heaven and hell; the communion of saints; and our obligation to pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. † Quote of the Day "Christ Himself is our mouth through which we speak to the Father, our eye through which we see the Father, our right hand through which we offer to the Father. Without His intercession neither we nor all the saints have anything with God." — St. Ambrose Today's Meditation "Let the sinner know that he will be tortured throughout all eternity, in those senses which he made use of to sin. I am writing this at the command of God, so that no soul may find an excuse by saying there is no hell, or that nobody has ever been there, and so no one can say what it is like. I, Sister Faustina, by the order of God, have visited the abysses of hell so that I might tell souls about it and testify to its existence." —St. Faustina Kowalska (741) An excerpt from Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska - Divine Mercy in My Soul Daily Verse "Bless those who persecute [you], bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly; do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil; be concerned for what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, on your part, live at peace with all." — Romans 12:14-18 - | Saint of the Day St. Wolfgang (934-994 A.D.), also known as the Great Almoner, was a Benedictine monk, reformer, and Bishop of Regensburg, Bavaria. He was born into the noble class and had an excellent education. As bishop he worked to reform the monasteries and convents in his diocese. He is remembered for his teaching abilities, his oratory skills, and his charity towards the poor. He was also integral in the missionary efforts to evangelize the Magyars in what is today modern Hungary. Towards the end of his life he withdrew to a solitary spot to build a church and hermitage at what is now called St. Wolfgang's Lake in Austria. Before settling he prayed and threw his axe into the wilderness, and built his cell on the spot where it landed. A town grew around the saint's hermitage which still exists today. According to legend, St. Wolfgang tricked the devil into helping him build the church, promising him the first soul that came through the church doors. The devil agreed, and after the construction was completed, a wolf was the first to cross its threshold, thus tricking the devil. St. Wolfgang's life was foundational to Bavarian and Austrian civilization. Many miracles occurred at his tomb, especially those related to stomach ailments. St. Wolfgang is the patron saint of carpenters, stroke victims, and the paralyzed. His feast day is October 31st. | Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 EPH 6:10-20 Brothers and sisters:
Draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power.
Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm
against the tactics of the Devil.
For our struggle is not with flesh and blood
but with the principalities, with the powers,
with the world rulers of this present darkness,
with the evil spirits in the heavens.
Therefore, put on the armor of God,
that you may be able to resist on the evil day
and, having done everything, to hold your ground.
So stand fast with your loins girded in truth,
clothed with righteousness as a breastplate,
and your feet shod in readiness for the Gospel of peace.
In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield,
to quench all the flaming arrows of the Evil One.
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God.
With all prayer and supplication,
pray at every opportunity in the Spirit.
To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication
for all the holy ones and also for me,
that speech may be given me to open my mouth,
to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel
for which I am an ambassador in chains,
so that I may have the courage to speak as I must. Responsorial Psalm 144:1B, 2, 9-10 R. (1b) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
My mercy and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust,
who subdues my people under me.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
O God, I will sing a new song to you;
with a ten-stringed lyre I will chant your praise,
You who give victory to kings,
and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock! Alleluia See LK 19:38; 2:14 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord.
Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel LK 13:31-35 Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said,
"Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you."
He replied, "Go and tell that fox,
'Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow,
and on the third day I accomplish my purpose.
Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day,
for it is impossible that a prophet should die
outside of Jerusalem.'
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,
how many times I yearned to gather your children together
as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,
but you were unwilling!
Behold, your house will be abandoned.
But I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say,
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." | Daily Meditation: Ephesians 6:10-20 Our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities. (Ephesians 6:12) Everyone struggles. Sometimes the struggle is light, and sometimes it's heavy. We can struggle to get dinner on the table after a tiring day, and we can struggle with a sharp personality clash with a loved one. But St. Paul tells us that every struggle has a spiritual element to it: we are engaged in a battle against our ancient enemy, the devil. So Paul invites us to see the struggles of life with spiritual eyes, not just from a human point of view. We shouldn't take this spiritual battle lightly, for our "opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for [someone] to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Whenever we try to grow in holiness, we are battling more than our own weakness and sin. We are also struggling against the evil one, who tries to ensnare us with his lies and temptations. So we need to pay attention to his schemes. Or as Paul says, we need to remain "watchful with all perseverance" (Ephesians 6:18). But even as we keep watch, we can be filled with peace. We can draw "strength from the Lord and from his mighty power" as we take up "the armor of God" (Ephesians 6:10, 11, 13). How can we be so confident? Because Jesus has already conquered sin, death, and darkness. Because we received a share of his victory when we were baptized into his death and resurrection. So we triumph over the evil one by surrendering to God's strength, not by fighting with our own. In our struggles, we can face the forces of darkness with open hands rather than clenched fists, trusting that the Lord will fight for us. So be alert! When you face temptation or notice the lies of the evil one, don't confront them on your own. Instead, take a breath and call on the name of Jesus. Say it out loud! Welcome his presence, arm yourself with the victory he has won for you, and trust in his strength. This is the path to peace and victory. This is the way you can overcome every "struggle" (Ephesians 6:12). "Lord Jesus, victor over darkness, come to my aid today!" Psalm 144:1-2, 9-10
Luke 13:31-35 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Click to hear Audio | In the Holy Scripture we hear today:
"Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said,
"Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you."
He replied, "Go and tell that fox,
'Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow,
and on the third day I accomplish my purpose....
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,
how many times I yearned to gather your children together
as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,
but you were unwilling!
Behold, your house will be abandoned.
But I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say,
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."....." end quote. | From Bishop Barron:
"Friends, in today's Gospel, Jesus compares himself to a mother hen who longs to gather her chicks under her wing. As the theologian N.T. Wright points out, this is much more than a sentimental image. It refers to the gesture of a hen when fire is sweeping through the barn. In order to protect her chicks, she will sacrifice herself, gathering them under her wing and using her own body as a shield.
On the cross, Jesus used, as it were, his own sacrificed body as a shield, taking the full force of the world's hatred and violence. He entered into close quarters with sin (because that's where we sinners are found) and allowed the heat and fury of sin to overwhelm him, even as he protected us.
With this metaphor in mind, we can see, with special clarity, why the first Christians associated the crucified Jesus with the suffering servant of Isaiah. By enduring the pain of the cross, Jesus did indeed bear our sins; by his stripes we were indeed healed...." end quote Bishop Barron.
From a Spanish reflection:
"In today's Gospel, Jesus shows unwavering determination in the face of the Pharisees' warnings about Herod. He is not intimidated because he is clear about his purpose: to fulfill his mission of love and salvation, even if it means facing rejection and suffering. This passage reminds us that, like Jesus in Jerusalem, we are called to move forward despite obstacles and fears". end quote from Lay Fraternity of Santo Domingo de Valencia
Where the Pharisees trying to do our Lord a favor by telling him to run for His life? Maybe. Or, it could've been temptations from the dark side.
Temptations like today, when a troubled marriage hears from a supposed friend "hey you don't have to take that from your spouse, run away now". And a divorce begins.
Or anybody can say "you don't have to take that from them". And a hatred begins, a division.
But our Lord doesn't run away. But He runs to the very will of God. If He came to show us anything was to trust in God with your life, and your love.
Is there anything more noble? Is there anything more graceful? Than to lay down your life. People come at me all the time, and even laugh at me like last night my brothers joked "and they took the keys away from you at the church" LOL. We were all cracking up. Really, I am a nobody, and this is good news. That others may be more. That the keys are in the Father's hands. That I am a mere servant. That I am to be a good and faithful servant. Not necessarily successful, but fully faithful.
One more thing before we end this. Our Lord has made an impression of His will likened to a mother hen.
Once there was a forest fire, and the fire men walked through the smoking trees the next day. One heard baby chirps, and couldn't find the baby birds, but finally they found them under a burned body of a bird, their mamma had kept them safe from the fire with her body. She was burnt to a crisp. They rescued the birds and they lived.
Our Father, like my dad, before He passed left an impression in my being, before going he would always tell us, "I want faith and unity". That's all he cared about until the end.
And it is going to cost everything from me and you.
These days of the Triduum, 3 days, of all hallows eve are to remind us of those who have lived and gone before us. Both saints and sinners, and that we are to live our essence of a saint within. They say only saints are in Heaven. I am inviting you to Heaven, where faith and unity in holy obedience reign supreme. |  audio | Today's Random Bible Verse:
Random Bible Verse 1
James 4:8 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
