† Quote of the Day "Friendship is the source of the greatest pleasures, and without friends even the most agreeable pursuits become tedious." -St. Thomas Aquinas Today's Meditation "The Eucharist is alive. If a stranger who knew nothing about the Eucharist were to watch the way we receive, would he know this? When you and I approach the Eucharist, does it look like we believe we are about to take into our bodies the living person, Jesus Christ, true God and true man? How many times, Lord, have I forgotten that the Eucharist is alive! As I wait in line to receive you each day, am I thinking about how much you want to unite yourself with me? Am I seeing your hands filled with the graces you want to give me? Am I filled with awe and gratitude that you love me so much as to actually want to come to me in this incredibly intimate way? Or am I distracted, busy with other thoughts, preoccupied with myself and my agendas for the day? How many times, Jesus, have I made you sad, mindlessly receiving you into my body, into my heart, with no love and no recognition of your love? How many times have I treated you as a dead object? The Host that we receive is not a thing! It's not a wafer! It's not bread! It's a person – He's alive!" —Vinny Flynn, p. 8
An excerpt from 7 Secrets of the Eucharist Daily Verse In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because it intercedes for the holy ones according to God's will. -Romans 8:26-27 | 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. | Friday after Epiphany Lectionary: 216 Reading I 1 John 5:5-13 Beloved:
Who indeed is the victor over the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the one who came through water and Blood, Jesus Christ,
not by water alone, but by water and Blood.
The Spirit is the one who testifies,
and the Spirit is truth.
So there are three who testify,
the Spirit, the water, and the Blood,
and the three are of one accord.
If we accept human testimony,
the testimony of God is surely greater.
Now the testimony of God is this,
that he has testified on behalf of his Son.
Whoever believes in the Son of God
has this testimony within himself.
Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar
by not believing the testimony God has given about his Son.
And this is the testimony:
God gave us eternal life,
and this life is in his Son.
Whoever possesses the Son has life;
whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you so that you may know
that you have eternal life,
you who believe in the name of the Son of God. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20 R. (12a) Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; he has blessed your children within you. R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has granted peace in your borders; with the best of wheat he fills you.
He sends forth his command to the earth; swiftly runs his word! R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has proclaimed his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done thus for any other nation; his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia. R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia See Matthew 4:23 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Luke 5:12-16 It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was;
and when he saw Jesus,
he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said,
"Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean."
Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,
"I do will it. Be made clean."
And the leprosy left him immediately.
Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but
"Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing
what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them."
The report about him spread all the more,
and great crowds assembled to listen to him
and to be cured of their ailments,
but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray. | Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! | Daily Meditation: 1 John 5:5-13 Who indeed is the victor over the world? (1 John 5:5) St. John tells us that the key to being "victors" over the temptations and philosophies of the world is our belief that Jesus truly is the Son of God. This belief, John tells us, goes beyond intellectually accepting a doctrine of the Church. It also involves accepting the "testimony" of three core elements of Jesus' life: "the Spirit, the water, and the Blood" (1 John 5:8, 9). The Spirit testified to Jesus from the very start. It was the Spirit who overshadowed Mary at her Annunciation so that she conceived a child who would "be called holy, the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). It was the Spirit who moved John the Baptist, while he was still in the womb, to leap for joy in the presence of the Lord. And now this same Spirit wants to give us a taste of that joy. He wants to lift our hearts to heaven so that we can find the grace to withstand any temptation that comes our way. The water testified to Jesus when John baptized him in the Jordan River. It enveloped him and covered him with all the sins of the world—including our own—so that he could carry them to the cross. This is the water that testified when Jesus changed it into wine at his first miracle. There, in the midst of a joyful wedding, the water revealed Jesus' power to transform even this most basic ingredient of life into a source of cleansing and joy for all to receive. The blood testified to Jesus when it flowed from his hands, feet, and side on the cross. As it spilled out onto the earth, that precious blood bore with it the power of Jesus' love even for those who caused him such agony: "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). Every time we gather for the Eucharist, that blood testifies to the immense forgiveness that Jesus has won for us and for every person created. The Spirit who fills us. The water that refreshes us and brings us joy. And the blood that redeems us. Holding fast to these three witnesses, we can overcome everything! "All praise to you, Jesus, for giving me a share in your victory!" Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20
Luke 5:12-1 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Audio of 2 Cents | From today's Holy Gospel: "... "Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean."
Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,
"I do will it. Be made clean."
And the leprosy left him immediately.
Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but
"Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing
what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them."
The report about him spread all the more, ...." Word of the Lord. | From Bishop Barron: "Friends, our Gospel for today has to do with Jesus's healing of a leper. Leprosy frightened people in ancient times, just as contagious and mysterious diseases frightened people up through modern times. But, more than this, leprosy rendered someone unclean and therefore incapable of engaging in the act of worship. It is not accidental that the person who should do the examining of the patient in ancient Israel should be the priest. The man who knelt before Jesus and begged for a cure was not simply concerned about his medical condition; he was an Israelite in exile from the temple—and hence he was a very apt symbol of the general condition of scattered, exiled, wandering Israel. In curing him, Jesus was, symbolically speaking, gathering the tribes and bringing them back to the worship of the true God. " end quote.
Our Lord healed a person of what could be considered a terminal, a deadly disease.
This disease of Leprosy (Hansen's disease) is a chronic bacterial infection (Mycobacterium leprae) affecting skin, nerves, eyes, and nose, causing skin patches, nerve damage (numbness, weakness, paralysis), and vision loss if untreated. If Left Untreated it can cause progressive nerve damage leading to loss of feeling, muscle weakness, and paralysis.
Eye problems, potentially blindness. Sores on feet, bone absorption, and disfigurement. It is repeated in the bible, especially in the times of our Lord.
There should be a connection as to why.
"If left untreated" we heard, things can go from bad to worse.
And I called it "deadly".
Because, leprosy should remind us of the reason from being banished from the temple, ousted, and marginalized. I am now speaking of spiritual disease. The kind that keeps you from the Holy Temple of God and from becoming a disfigured temple for God. Sin.
Last night during our nightly family Holy Rosary, as I was introducing the mystery of the Holy Eucharist, the 5th Luminous Mystery, I spontaneously said as I looked at the nativity scene in front of us (because it is Christmas time until the Baptism of Our Lord this coming Sunday), I said "may His incarnation into the world in Mary, and birth, now become His incarnation into us in the Holy Eucharist." Because, the root word in spanish "carne" means meat. That He may be flesh with our flesh. That we may become luminous in this mystery from Heaven.
I entice you, to dig into the mysteries of God. Clues abound. Seek and ye shall find.
The leper sought Jesus. Jesus healed and said "go show yourself to a priest" for what?
To give thanks? Eucharist.
To reconcile? Jesus.
We are the Body of Christ! |  Click for Audio | Random Bible Verse 1
Psalm 145:18–19 "The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them."
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God Bless You! Peace | | |
