† Quote of the Day "Remember the sufferings of Christ, the storms that were weathered... the crown that came from those sufferings which gave new radiance to the faith... All saints give testimony to the truth that without real effort, no one ever wins the crown." -St. Thomas Becket Today's Meditation "Let us pass on now to the other question—namely, what you can do to strengthen your resolutions and make them succeed? There is no better mean than to put them into practice. But you say that you are still so weak that, although you often make strong resolutions not to fall into the particular imperfection of which you want to cure yourself, no sooner does the occasion present itself than down you go. Shall I tell you why we are still so weak? It is because we will not abstain from food that does not agree with us. It is as if a person who wished to be free from pains in the stomach were to ask a physician what he should do. The doctor replies, 'Do not eat such and such food, because it brings you pain'; and yet the person will not abstain from it. We do the same. For example, we should like to love reproof, and yet we obstinately cling to our own opinions. That is foolishness. You will never be strong enough to bear reproof courageously while you are nourishing yourself with the food of self-esteem. I wish to keep my soul recollected, and yet I will not restrain all sorts of idle thoughts: the two things are incompatible. Ah! How much I wish that I could be steadfast and regular in my religious exercises; at the same time I wish not to find them so trying—in fact, I want to find the work done for me. That cannot be in this life, for we shall always have to labor." —St. Francis de Sales, p. 97
An excerpt from The Art of Loving God Daily Verse "So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is a sin." -James 4:17 | St Thomas Becket St. Thomas Becket (1118-1170), also known as St. Thomas of Canterbury, was the son of a prosperous London merchant. Being a well-educated youth, he was appointed as clerk to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and was later made Archdeacon. In this role he met and became close friends with King Henry II of England. The King promoted Becket to the office of Lord Chancellor, and, when the Archbishop of Canterbury died, made Becket the new Archbishop in 1162, the most powerful ecclesiastical position in all of England. King Henry II supposed that having his close friend in such a position would enable him to enforce his will on the Church. However, in his new role as priest and archbishop, Thomas Becket experienced a religious conversion and transferred his ultimate allegiance to the Church. This led to frequent conflicts over the rights of the Church between the King of England and the Archbishop of Canterbury, resulting in Becket's exile. When Becket returned to England, he was murdered by four knights, the king's lackeys, as he was offering Mass at the Canterbury Cathedral altar on December 29, 1170. St. Thomas Becket's feast day is December 29th. | The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas Reading 1 1 John 2:3-11 Beloved:
The way we may be sure that we know Jesus
is to keep his commandments.
Whoever says, "I know him," but does not keep his commandments
is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoever keeps his word,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
This is the way we may know that we are in union with him:
whoever claims to abide in him ought to walk just as he walked. Beloved, I am writing no new commandment to you
but an old commandment that you had from the beginning.
The old commandment is the word that you have heard.
And yet I do write a new commandment to you,
which holds true in him and among you,
for the darkness is passing away,
and the true light is already shining.
Whoever says he is in the light,
yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness.
Whoever loves his brother remains in the light,
and there is nothing in him to cause a fall.
Whoever hates his brother is in darkness;
he walks in darkness
and does not know where he is going
because the darkness has blinded his eyes. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 5b-6 R. (11a) Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name. R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds. R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
The LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty go before him;
praise and grandeur are in his sanctuary. R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice! Alleluia Luke 2:32 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A light of revelation to the Gentiles
and glory for your people Israel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Luke 2:22-35 When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord,
Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,
and to offer the sacrifice of
a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,
in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
This man was righteous and devout,
awaiting the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he should not see death
before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus
to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: "Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel." The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
"Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be contradicted
(and you yourself a sword will pierce)
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." | Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! | Daily Meditation: Luke 2:22-35 The Holy Spirit was upon him. (Luke 2:25) Jesus isn't exactly a major actor at his presentation in the Temple, is he? We don't see him teaching or healing or doing anything we see later in the Gospels. And yet God is at work here in profound and unexpected ways. Only this time, it's the Holy Spirit who is the divine "mover and shaker." First, Luke tells us that it had been revealed to Simeon "by the Holy Spirit" that he would see the Christ before he died (2:26). We also learn that Simeon "came in the Spirit into the temple" that day (2:27). The Holy Spirit inspires his prophetic words to Mary and Joseph, as well as his beautiful and poignant words of surrender to the Lord (2:28-35). This isn't the first time we see the Spirit at work in the story of Christmas. Something similar took place at the Annunciation, when the Spirit overshadowed Mary (Luke 1:35), and again at the Visitation, when the Spirit caused John the Baptist to leap in Elizabeth's womb, and Elizabeth cried out, "Most blessed are you among women" (Luke 1:41, 42). No wonder people have been moved for centuries upon centuries to contemplate these beautiful scenes as they pray the Rosary! It's astonishing to think that the same Holy Spirit who inspired Simeon, Mary, and Elizabeth dwells in you! He is there, to reveal Christ to you just as he revealed him to Simeon. He's there to move you to words of praise and wonder just as he did for Elizabeth. And he's there to "overshadow" you with the presence and the power of Christ as he did for Mary (Luke 1:35). In other words, he is there to bring to life for you all the truths of salvation. He's there to make them real for you! It's one thing to recall and cherish the stories surrounding the birth of the Lord. Of course, we should do that—they're a vital part of salvation history! But it's another thing to find our own stories in the midst of this vast and glorious history. It's another thing to discover the ways that this history has transformed your life—and can continue to do so. It's true: you are a coheir with Jesus of all the promises of God (Romans 8:17). So ask the Spirit to help you take hold of your heavenly inheritance! "Come, Holy Spirit, and fill my heart just as you did for Simeon!" 1 John 2:3-11
Psalm 96:1-3, 5-6 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Audio of 2 Cents | From today's Holy Gospel: "... When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord,
Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,
and to offer the sacrifice ...." Word of the Lord. | From Roberto Juarez:
"Mary appears here as the believing woman who welcomes both joy and sorrow. He does not fully understand, but he keeps the words in his heart. Their faith is not based on human securities, but on radical trust in God. In this Christmas season, Mary teaches us to live the faith deeply, without remaining superficial.
On the fifth day of the Octave of Christmas, this Gospel invites us to look at Christmas with maturity. It is not only tenderness and emotion; it is also commitment, light that illuminates and truth that challenges. The Child who is born comes to transform life, to bring salvation, but also to provoke a personal response.
Let us ask the Lord, like Simeon, to know how to recognize him when he comes to meet us; that we welcome him as a light for our lives; and that, like Mary, we know how to trust even when faith leads us along paths that we do not fully understand.
May this Christmas not remain a beautiful memory, but may it be the beginning of a life given, illuminated by Christ, light of the nations." end quote.
When we pray the family rosary, on the 4th mystery of the Joyful days, the Presentation, we announce the fruit of the mystery "Obedience".
We heard: "When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord,
Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,
and to offer the sacrifice....".
But they say that the reason was twofold really, for Mother Mary had to be purified too. A quick search says: "The Catholic understanding of the Presentation of Jesus and the Purification of Mary (Feast of Candlemas, Feb 2) centers on the Holy Family's obedience to Jewish Law (Luke 2:22-40), fulfilling rituals for firstborn consecration and maternal purification 40 days after birth, even though Mary, being sinless, didn't need it. It symbolizes Christ as the Light of the World, the return of God to His Temple, Mary's perfect purity and obedience, and the prophecies of Simeon and Anna, foreshadowing Jesus's sacrifice and mission to save all peoples." Obedience is the fruit of the mystery, and can be the fruit of our work. God asks us many things. He demands fruit. Here is a good fruit...that He desires forever...obedience. On earth, He calls us for the fruit of the Holy Spirit. A search reminds us: "In Catholicism, the Fruits of the Spirit are spiritual qualities developed through the Holy Spirit, traditionally listed as twelve: Charity (Love), Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Generosity, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Modesty, Self-Control, and Chastity, stemming from the nine mentioned in Galatians. They are signs of a life lived in Christ, maturing as one cooperates with God's grace through prayer and sacraments, and are distinct from the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
We can give fruit that God desires then. Love, right? Joy? Peace? Kindness? Modesty? Are they really that hard?
It is our will joined with His Holy will. Amen? We can work on it for sure. Generosity, faithfulness, chastity, all of what God wants, we know, it is engraved in our hearts especially in our Baptism into Him. From Today's 1st Holy Scripture:
"The way we may be sure that we know Jesus
is to keep his commandments.
Whoever says, "I know him," but does not keep his commandments
is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoever keeps his word,
the love of God is truly perfected in him." Let's pray:
Lord, you have been revealed in the temple. Help us love Thee, and adore Thee as we ought. In this way, to obey Thee with true love both now and forever! |  Click for Audio | Random Bible Verse 1
Matthew 18:20
"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." . . . . . . . . Word of the Lord! | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
