DID YOU KNOW? "In all the Dioceses of the United States of America, January 22 (or January 23, when January 22 falls on a Sunday) shall be observed as a particular day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life and of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion" (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no. 373). More Information: usccb.org/january-22
† Quote of the Day "We must not wish anything other than what happens from moment to moment, all the while, however, exercising ourselves in goodness. And to refuse to exercise oneself in goodness, and to insist upon simply awaiting what God might send, would be simply to tempt God." — St. Catherine of Genoa Today's Meditation "Love is an excellent thing, a great good indeed, which alone maketh light all that is burdensome and equally bears all that is unequal. For it carries a burden without being burdened and makes all that which is bitter sweet and savory. The love of Jesus is noble and generous; it spurs us on to do great things and excites us to desire always that which is most perfect." —Thomas à Kempis, p. 87
An excerpt from Imitation of Christ Daily Verse "I praise thee, for thou art fearful and wonderful. Wonderful are thy works! Thou knowest me right well; my frame was not hidden from thee, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth. Thy eyes beheld my unformed substance; in thy book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them." — Psalm 139:14-16
Daily Mass Readings | St. Anastasius the Persian (7th c.) was the son of a Persian sorcerer. He became a Zoroastrian soldier in the army of Khosrau II, the Persian monarch who absconded the True Cross of Christ from Jerusalem and took it to Persia in 614. St. Anastasius inquired about the mysterious Cross and the Christian religion and as a result soon converted to the true Faith, left the army, received baptism, and became a monk at a monastery in Jerusalem. He lived there seven years until he was called by God to martyrdom among his people. He went to Caesarea to preach, which was then under Persian rule. He was captured and subject to cruel tortures. He was promised freedom and a high position in the kingdom if he would simply denounce his faith, which he refused. St. Anastasius was strangled and beheaded. His feast day is January 22. | Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children • Readings for the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children Reading 1 Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17 Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High,
met Abraham as he returned from his defeat of the kings
and blessed him.
And Abraham apportioned to him a tenth of everything.
His name first means righteous king,
and he was also "king of Salem," that is, king of peace.
Without father, mother, or ancestry,
without beginning of days or end of life,
thus made to resemble the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. It is even more obvious if another priest is raised up
after the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become so,
not by a law expressed in a commandment concerning physical descent
but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed.
For it is testified: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 110:1, 2, 3, 4 R. (4b) You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The LORD said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand
till I make your enemies your footstool." R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion:
"Rule in the midst of your enemies." R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
"Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor;
before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you." R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent:
"You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek."
R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. Alleluia Matthew 4:23 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mark 3:1-6 Jesus entered the synagogue.
There was a man there who had a withered hand.
They watched Jesus closely
to see if he would cure him on the sabbath
so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand,
"Come up here before us."
Then he said to the Pharisees,
"Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?"
But they remained silent.
Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart,
Jesus said to the man, "Stretch out your hand."
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel
with the Herodians against him to put him to death.
| Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! | Daily Meditation: Mark 3:1-6 Is it lawful . . . to save life rather than to destroy it? (Mark 3:4) Jesus poses a pointed question in today's Gospel. The answer seems obvious: to save, of course, according to God's command, "You shall not kill" (Exodus 20:13). But these particular Pharisees seem more concerned with accusing Jesus than answering his question or helping a suffering man. And when Jesus heals the fellow's withered hand, his opponents respond by plotting to kill him. How ironic! They ignore the miracle and reject both Jesus and God's commands that they revere so deeply. All the while, Jesus stands before them, offering them life. Jesus loved these Pharisees just as much as he loved the man with the withered hand. He wanted to bring life and healing to everyone in the synagogue that sabbath day. That's because God always desires to bring life to his people—to us! To bless us. To heal us. To save us and make us whole. But these leaders missed out. Instead, they sought to put to death the author of life (Mark 3:6). We can struggle with the same attitudes ourselves. By being quick to accuse, we can overlook God's command to love. And every time we do that, we "destroy" that person a little more (Mark 3:4). That's why Jesus told us not to call someone "fool" or to harbor anger against anyone (Matthew 5:22). We need to guard our hearts against these temptations lest we miss out on Jesus' gifts of new life, healing, and salvation. God doesn't want any life destroyed. Instead, he wants everyone to receive gifts of life and salvation. And he invites us to join with him in this work through our prayers of intercession. Throughout the United States today, people are interceding for the protection of unborn children. They are praying that their laws would save and protect all human life, from conception to natural death. But no matter where you live, you can pray that every child, born and unborn, would be safe and loved, welcomed and protected. You can pray for all mothers and fathers. And you can pray that we would bring life and blessing to everyone we meet. "Lord, fill our hearts with awe and wonder at your gift of life. Protect all children and lead them to you." Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17
Psalm 110:1-4 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Hear AI Read it for u | In the Holy Scripture we hear today: "They watched Jesus closely
to see if he would cure him on the sabbath
so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand,
"Come up here before us."
Then he said to the Pharisees,
"Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?"
But they remained silent.
Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart,
Jesus said to the man, "Stretch out your hand."
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel
with the Herodians against him to put him to death...." end Gospel quote, word of the Lord. | From Bishop Barron: "Friends, in today's Gospel, Jesus withstands the opposition of the Pharisees to heal a man with a withered hand.
His healings signify the arrival of the kingdom of God. When Jesus began to preach, his theme was that the kingdom of God is at hand. In his own person an entirely new way of ordering things was on offer. Then—in his love and nonviolence, in his confrontation with the Pharisees and religious establishment, in his healing and teaching—Jesus was demonstrating precisely what the reign of the God of Israel looks like.
This way of life inevitably awakened the opposition of the powers that be. At the climax of his ministry, Jesus faced down the resistance of "the world," to use the typical New Testament term, meaning that whole congeries of cruelty, betrayal, denial, violence, corruption, and hatred by which human affairs are typically ordered.
He permitted all of that darkness to wash over him, to crush him, to snuff him out. But then, on the third day, he rose again from the dead in the power of the Holy Spirit, and thereby outflanked, outmaneuvered, and swallowed up the darkness......" end quote.
From a Spanish Reflection Roberto Juárez:
"Are we able to act courageously, like Jesus, to defend the life and dignity of others, even in the midst of opposition?
Instead of rejoicing over the man's healing, the Pharisees go out and begin plotting with the Herodians to kill Jesus. This rejection shows how spiritual blindness can lead to rejecting even the works of God.
Do we allow pride or rigidity of thought to keep us from recognizing and accepting God's action in our lives?" end quote.
The Holy Scripture says that the Pharisees were watching our Lord closely as He entered the synagogue.
Have you ever felt like that? Someone watching your every move to get on your case? I do, and many times in church! Not just out and about, but most of the time all eyes are scrutinizing. Why is it like that?
I consider myself a public speaker, I am used to speaking on radio, or in front of hundreds at a time. But, let me tell you something, when I get up on a church pulpit, one can feel all eyes scrutinizing everything, it is a very strange feeling, what is it? The presence of God? I have no idea, but I have not been able to take a hold of it, and brush it off lightly, and take it from a guy that sings as a leader for years on microphones, getting all eyes on you is a considerable force to reckon with.
This time, all eyes of the world in church are on our Lord. They have not considered Him the true son of God yet. Many will never do that.
I always tell people, that I am thankful for our current priest from Nigeria. He came into our parish, and for the first many years He was quickly judged and dismissed and even seemingly hated by many, because of his foreign ways, mannerisms, and style. After much hatred and anguish, and many leaving the parish, here a dozen years later, we have realized, we needed the Fr. Joseph we were given.
He was scrutinized and beaten spiritually. And we were better for it. He took the beating, so that we could learn what we needed to learn. Priests are to be Christ on Earth, this is a good reason they are often scrutinized.
But I am warning everyone I meet now after years of seeing Him beat. Many of those doing the beating, are now defeated, they themselves spiritually beat down and even physically beat down. What you do unto others, you do unto yourself.
Our Lord, then, decides to heal others, no matter the cost...the very cost of His own life for doing so. An outward sign of an inward reality, He Himself is this Sacrament.
Our Savior is our Hero then. He-Saves, is His Name. A man was healed before their eyes, and instead of wonder and awe, clear signs of God in the Holy Spirit in our souls, they were hardened in their hearts and in their ways.
Such can still happen today in the Holy Eucharist. Jesus enters the temple, and what happens with the Miracle from Heaven?
Watch what happens when He tries to change your life next time with the test of Love. "Lord, may we learn to be like Saint Joseph, holy, humble, obedient. May we be ready for whatever life throws at us. And may we be found righteous before Thine very eyes in the world!" Let us save lives, rather than destroying them, beginning in our hearts, that lead to the womb, where our lives start knowing and loving God Himself. |  audio | Wow, what an interesting random bible verse today:
Random Bible Verse 1
James 4:11–12 11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers.1 The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? "Word of the Lord!". | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
