Fire From Heaven

Minute Meditations Mad With Love O fire of love! Was it not enough to gift us with creation in your image and likeness, and to create us anew to grace in your Son's blood, without giving us yourself as food, the whole of divine being, the whole of God? What drove you? Nothing but your charity, mad with love as your are! --St. Catherine of Siena — from Accidental Theologians St. Jerome (345-420) Most of the saints are remembered for some outstanding virtue or devotion which they practiced, but Jerome is frequently remembered for his bad temper! It is true that he had a very bad temper and could use a vitriolic pen, but his love for God and his Son Jesus Christ was extraordinarily intense; anyone who taught error was an enemy of God and truth, and St. Jerome went after him or her with his mighty and sometimes sarcastic pen. He was above all a Scripture scholar, translating most of the Old Testament from the Hebrew. He also wrote commentaries which are a great source of scriptural inspiration for us today. He was an avid student, a thorough scholar, a prodigious letter-writer and a consultant to monk, bishop and pope. St. Augustine (August 28) said of him, "What Jerome is ignorant of, no mortal has ever known." St. Jerome is particularly important for having made a translation of the Bible which came to be called the Vulgate. It is not the most critical edition of the Bible, but its acceptance by the Church was fortunate. As a modern scholar says, "No man before Jerome or among his contemporaries and very few men for many centuries afterwards were so well qualified to do the work." The Council of Trent called for a new and corrected edition of the Vulgate, and declared it the authentic text to be used in the Church. In order to be able to do such work, Jerome prepared himself well. He was a master of Latin, Greek, Hebrew and Chaldaic. He began his studies at his birthplace, Stridon in Dalmatia (in the former Yugoslavia). After his preliminary education he went to Rome, the center of learning at that time, and thence to Trier, Germany, where the scholar was very much in evidence. He spent several years in each place, always trying to find the very best teachers. He once served as private secretary of Pope Damasus (December 11). After these preparatory studies he traveled extensively in Palestine, marking each spot of Christ's life with an outpouring of devotion. Mystic that he was, he spent five years in the desert of Chalcis so that he might give himself up to prayer, penance and study. Finally he settled in Bethlehem, where he lived in the cave believed to have been the birthplace of Christ. On September 30 in the year 420, Jerome died in Bethlehem. The remains of his body now lie buried in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. Comment: Jerome was a strong, outspoken man. He had the virtues and the unpleasant fruits of being a fearless critic and all the usual moral problems of a man. He was, as someone has said, no admirer of moderation whether in virtue or against evil. He was swift to anger, but also swift to feel remorse, even more severe on his own shortcomings than on those of others. A pope is said to have remarked, on seeing a picture of Jerome striking his breast with a stone, "You do well to carry that stone, for without it the Church would never have canonized you" (Butler's Lives of the Saints). Quote: "In the remotest part of a wild and stony desert, burnt up with the heat of the scorching sun so that it frightens even the monks that inhabit it, I seemed to myself to be in the midst of the delights and crowds of Rome. In this exile and prison to which for the fear of hell I had voluntarily condemned myself, I many times imagined myself witnessing the dancing of the Roman maidens as if I had been in the midst of them: In my cold body and in my parched-up flesh, which seemed dead before its death, passion was able to live. Alone with this enemy, I threw myself in spirit at the feet of Jesus, watering them with my tears, and I tamed my flesh by fasting whole weeks. I am not ashamed to disclose my temptations, but I grieve that I am not now what I then was" ("Letter to St. Eustochium"). Patron Saint of: Librarians   Saint of the Day Lives, Lessons and Feast By Leonard Foley, O.F.M.; revised by Pat McCloskey, O.F.M.       Presence The more we call on the Lord the more we can feel his Presence. Day by day he draws us closer to his loving heart. Freedom Everything has the potential to draw forth from me a fuller love and life. Yet my desires are often fixed, caught, on illusions of fulfillment. I ask that God, through my freedom may orchestrate my desires in a vibrant loving melody rich in harmony. Consciousness Knowing that God loves me unconditionally, I look honestly over the last day, its events and my feelings. Do I have something to be grateful for? Then I give thanks. Is there something I am sorry for? Then I ask forgiveness. The Word of God Reading 1 jb 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23 Job opened his mouth and cursed his day. Job spoke out and said: Perish the day on which I was born, the night when they said, "The child is a boy!" Why did I not perish at birth, come forth from the womb and expire? Or why was I not buried away like an untimely birth, like babes that have never seen the light? Wherefore did the knees receive me? or why did I suck at the breasts? For then I should have lain down and been tranquil; had I slept, I should then have been at rest With kings and counselors of the earth who built where now there are ruins Or with princes who had gold and filled their houses with silver. There the wicked cease from troubling, there the weary are at rest. Why is light given to the toilers, and life to the bitter in spirit? They wait for death and it comes not; they search for it rather than for hidden treasures, Rejoice in it exultingly, and are glad when they reach the grave: Those whose path is hidden from them, and whom God has hemmed in! Responsorial Psalm ps 88:2-3, 4-5, 6, 7-8 R. (3) Let my prayer come before you, Lord. O LORD, my God, by day I cry out; at night I clamor in your presence. Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my call for help. R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord. For my soul is surfeited with troubles and my life draws near to the nether world. I am numbered with those who go down into the pit; I am a man without strength. R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord. My couch is among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, Whom you remember no longer and who are cut off from your care. R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord. You have plunged me into the bottom of the pit, into the dark abyss. Upon me your wrath lies heavy, and with all your billows you overwhelm me. R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord. Gospel lk 9:51-56 When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him. On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?" Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they journeyed to another village.     Conversation Sometimes I wonder what I might say if I were to meet you in person Lord.  I think I might say "Thank You Lord" for always being there for me.  I know with certainty there were times when you carried me, Lord. When it was through your strength I got through the dark times in my life.   Conclusion I thank God for these few moments we have spent alone together and for any insights I may have been given concerning the text. Meditation: Luke 9:51-56 View NAB Reading at USCCB.org Subscriber? Login to view archives. Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church He resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem. (Luke 9:51) The young teacher dragged herself into the faculty lounge one day. To no one in particular, she sighed, "I can't get through to my class. I try everything, from fun games to dire warnings, but I can't get these kids to listen to me. Some days they drive me crazy." An older teacher, well regarded and perceived as the staff's strictest disciplinarian, nodded and said, "Don't forget to love them." Jesus never forgot to love us. His love is so radically different from what we conceive love to be that it's impossible to fathom it without the grace of the Holy Spirit. For our sakes, Jesus "resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51), even though he knew that horrible suffering and an agonizing death awaited him there. He knew that he would face rejection from those he had taught and loved and that even his closest friends would abandon him. Still, he went. And he went ready to forgive all of them—and all of us. Too often our approach is like the inexperienced teacher's. We take on some service project, or we do something special for our family with the notion that we will receive thanks, respect, and honor for our dedication. But when things fail to materialize as we had hoped, we feel hurt. Have you ever known the bitter sting of ingratitude or rejection from someone in your family or community? How did you react? Contrast this with the way Jesus reacted to the "unclean" Samaritans in today's Gospel. His disciples, who should have known better by that point, were the only ones to receive a rebuke! God's Son became flesh and died on the cross so that we could learn how to love each other as his Father loves us. We are all called to love the people in our lives with Jesus' love. And we can do that only as we yield to the Holy Spirit's grace. If we open our hearts to the Spirit, who fills the Church with every good gift, we can learn to serve humbly and selflessly. It is not always easy, but we should never forget that Christ is in us. We can do all things through him who strengthens us! "Lord, a harvest of souls is ready. Send me out as a laborer filled with your love and compassion."   Job 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23; Psalm 88:2-8 my2cents:   In today's first Holy Scripture Job said "Those whose path is hidden from them, and who God has hemmed in"...they go and die, seemingly very happy having lived a worldly life.  How many times have you been tempted to say "it's not fair that I suffer for trying to be a good Christian, while the others don't try and are living real happy?".  Watch that temptation, because we prayed the Psalm "Let my prayer come before you, Lord".  What will have my life's prayer been at the moment of death?  Because as I was reading reflections, a voice said to me "either give your life, or it will be taken".  Who do you think said that?  Because it was a voice that was not a voice and many times I've heard it when Life has changed in my life, and more often than not, in front of the Most Blessed Sacrament, the ark of the covenant, the keeping of the Holy of Holies.  In comes Jesus into our lives today by way of the Most Holy Gospel.  He sends messengers of his coming, so that they may welcome Him into their homes on His journey, and what did the people do?  Rejected Him out of sheer fear.  If their lives were not at stake, sure, by all means they would've accepted Him and welcomed Him so that they may take advantage of Him, maybe a few miracles, maybe a greater status quo, but no, they were seized with fear for their lives instead of giving their lives to Jesus.  The Apostles saw this and were mad asking God if they should burn their houses down to rebuke them, and what does God, Jesus, Do?  He rebukes the Apostles instead.  Hmmmmmm.  Think about that for a second of your life.  He was going to die for those that rejected Him, even on His way to the cross.  That there is a mad love, not mad but madly in love.  Would a Father hurt his disobeying child?  Perhaps, but would he disobey them for being seized in fear?  Think about it and think about God's mercy.  Now we are getting to the heart.  So, He rebukes them and they travel to another village, another place that would accept Jesus.  That village is your place now.  Which village is it? The one afraid to accept Him?  Or the one that accepted Him?  How will I respond to His call?  I am currently swamped, I am getting tons of calls on the church festival I'm directing, and at the same time tons of calls about the Cursillo we will embark on as of Thursday, and I'm getting bombarded with work calls.  I hope not to do a disservice to any.  And I'm noticing I am doing alot of calling myself.  I am calling for help.  I'm asking for prayers from you, from a monastery, from people across the world for the Cursillo.  For the festival I'm asking for donations, sponsors, and manual labor, all very intense work...for the Lord.  Many have not responded to my calls.  Some yes, some no.  But it is not me calling.  When Church calls, it is the Lord asking.  That's why I've been immersed and engulfed with God's calling.  The day I don't get calls is the day I will be calling "hey what's up? Why haven't I got a call?".  We need to feel loved and we need to love.  Jesus loves.  He calls us to follow Him.  We are not to be hard on those who can't and won't.  It is the hardest and saddest reality, to let someone die without having known Christ first in their hearts.  I won't let it happen on my watch.  Job's agony was his obedience.  Christ's agony was obedience.  I read a quote today "God loves those who thank Him even in suffering."— St. Arnold Janssen.  God loves those thankful ones, those obedient ones.  Obeying to bring others to Christ.  Obeying to be merciful and charitable.  Obeying to say "you know what God?  You are not taking my life...I am giving it all to you for you to do as you please, because I Love YOU TOO"   CRAZY LOVE adrian

Going4th,

You Will See

Minute Meditations The Spirit of Understanding Just as a father or mother answers a child when it tries to learn something from them, so also the Holy Spirit fosters human knowledge in any of the arts when the person seeks to learn it through inclination, desire, and diligence. --St. Hildegard — fromAccidental Theologians Sts. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael   Angels—messengers from God—appear frequently in Scripture, but only Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are named. Michael appears in Daniel's vision as "the great prince" who defends Israel against its enemies; in the Book of Revelation, he leads God's armies to final victory over the forces of evil. Devotion to Michael is the oldest angelic devotion, rising in the East in the fourth century. The Church in the West began to observe a feast honoring Michael and the angels in the fifth century. Gabriel also makes an appearance in Daniel's visions, announcing Michael's role in God's plan. His best-known appearance is an encounter with a young Jewish girl named Mary, who consents to bear the Messiah. Raphael's activity is confined to the Old Testament story of Tobit. There he appears to guide Tobit's son Tobiah through a series of fantastic adventures which lead to a threefold happy ending: Tobiah's marriage to Sarah, the healing of Tobit's blindness and the restoration of the family fortune. The memorials of Gabriel (March 24) and Raphael (October 24) were added to the Roman calendar in 1921. The 1970 revision of the calendar joined their feasts to Michael's. Comment: Each of these archangels performs a different mission in Scripture: Michael protects; Gabriel announces; Raphael guides. Earlier belief that inexplicable events were due to the actions of spiritual beings has given way to a scientific world-view and a different sense of cause and effect. Yet believers still experience God's protection, communication and guidance in ways which defy description. We cannot dismiss angels too lightly. Quote: "For the honor we pay the angelic creatures in whom you delight dedounds to your own surpassing glory, and by their great dignity and splendor you show how infinitely great you are, to be exalted above all things, through Christ our Lord" (Roman Missal, Preface for this feast). Patron Saint of: Death Germany Grocers Police officers Radiologists   Saint of the Day Lives, Lessons and Feast By Leonard Foley, O.F.M.; revised by Pat McCloskey, O.F.M.     Presence I pause for a moment and think of the love and the grace that God showers on me, creating me in his image and likeness, making me his temple.... Freedom God is not foreign to my freedom. Instead the Spirit breathes life into my most intimate desires, gently nudging me towards all that is good. I ask for the grace to let myself be enfolded by the Spirit. Consciousness Knowing that God loves me unconditionally, I can afford to be honest about how I am.  How has the last day been, and how do I feel now? I share my feelings openly with the Lord. The Word of God Reading 1 dn 7:9-10, 13-14 As I watched: Thrones were set up and the Ancient One took his throne. His clothing was bright as snow, and the hair on his head as white as wool; His throne was flames of fire, with wheels of burning fire. A surging stream of fire flowed out from where he sat; Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him, and myriads upon myriads attended him. The court was convened, and the books were opened. As the visions during the night continued, I saw One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, He received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed. or rv 12:7-12ab War broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have salvation and power come, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed. For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who accuses them before our God day and night. They conquered him by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; love for life did not deter them from death. Therefore, rejoice, you heavens, and you who dwell in them." Responsorial Psalm ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 4-5 R. (1) In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord. I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; I will worship at your holy temple and give thanks to your name. R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord. Because of your kindness and your truth; for you have made great above all things your name and your promise. When I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me. R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord. All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, O LORD when they hear the words of your mouth; And they shall sing of the ways of the LORD "Great is the glory of the LORD R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord. Gospel jn 1:47-51 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him." Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this." And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."     Listen to audio of this reading     Watch a video reflection Conversation Conversation requires talking and listening.  As I talk to Jesus may I also learn to be still and listen.  I picture the gentleness in His eyes and the smile full of love as he gazes on me.  I can be totally honest with Jesus as I tell Him of my worries and my cares.  I will open up my heart to Him as I tell Him of my fears and my doubts.  I will ask Him to help me to place myself fully in His care, to abandon myself to Him, knowing that He always wants what is best for me. Conclusion I thank God for these few moments we have spent alone together and for any insights I may have been given concerning the text. Meditation: Psalm 138:1-5 View NAB Reading at USCCB.org Subscriber? Login to view archives. Raphael, Archangels I praise your name for your fidelity and love. (Psalm 138:2) Have you ever thought about what it's like to praise God with all of his angels? We know that the archangels we celebrate today act as God's messengers to his people, and there are many biblical examples of their work in salvation history. But did you realize that one of the most important roles of the angels of God is to praise him before his throne? What is heavenly worship like? Today's readings give us a glimpse. Imagine God, the "Ancient One," on his throne, surrounded by myriads of heavenly beings, with glory shining all around (Daniel 7:9-10). Imagine the angels of God "ascending and descending on the Son of Man," who has put all his enemies at his feet (John 1:51). The descriptions of angelic worship in the Book of Revelation provide a window for our imagination as well. And let's not forget the heavenly chorus that announced the birth of Jesus with joyful songs of praise and glory! How do we enter into this joyous celebration? While our times of personal prayer lay an essential foundation, they aren't the only opportunity. Any time we lift our hearts to the Lord is a chance to take part in heavenly worship. When we go to Mass, heaven touches earth, and we are lifted up into worship. But our hearts can be raised up to heaven just as easily when we are walking down a busy street as when we are kneeling in church. Opportunities can come as we are cooking dinner or driving to work. There's nothing to stop us from putting on some praise music and dancing around the living room with our children! The angels rejoice when heaven touches earth and when we mortals are lifted up to join them in their chorus of praise! So don't miss out on the many opportunities you will have today. Ask the Holy Spirit to open the heavens for you so that you can sing and dance and praise and worship the Lord. "Holy Spirit, even though my feet are on the ground, help me to lift my mind and heart to heaven so that I can join all the angels in praising and worshipping God!"   Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; John 1:47-51 my2cents: LOL, those that are far from the Church seem to believe very well in devils, the stuff of Satan, but not very well in the Angels of God and the stuff from our Holy Lord Jesus.  I remember studying the book of Revelation with hundreds of men of all sorts of denominations, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, and the topic for that fall season was focus on the book of Revelation.  We split into different groups and we had a more in depth conversations, questions from a workbook.  I believe I was the only Catholic, probably out of the hundreds?  I digress.  When it came to my turn to answer a question on Revelation, I said something that made the room fall silent, awkward maybe, but I will never forget I spoke from the heart my devout Catholic belief, "I believe much of the book of Revelation has alread been revealed".  I didn't go into all the details, but I am prett sure I divulged Our Lady of Guadalupe, on how the book speaks of her, clothed with the sun and the stars and she was about to give birth as the serpent/dragon awaited to devour the child.  Of course Jesus was born and in the world of a a Heavenly Mother, Mary.  Their whole life was spent in hardship, loving and suffering together, until the serpent/dragon/Satan devoured what it could, the killing of our Lord Jesus.  Now the triumph comes.  Jesus came back from the death sentence to put a period at the end...He would have the final say...death is not the end, sin is not the end of me.  In comes the Angels from of Old.  They stand guard and protect the righteous through this valley death.  They rise up and come to earth.  Nowhere is this more evident in the time of the world than in the realms and realities of a Holy Mass.  And what makes it Holy?  Jesus, and I can too.  There, myriads of Angels ascend and descend, Heaven meets earth.  I would not say it if I did not believe that sitting among us and serving as we serve are angels ministering to Christ our King.  Bow.  Kneel. Sing.  Praise.  Lift up your hands.  Lift up your heart!  God is among us, the Word is among us.  I believe there are angels appearing.  I wonder at times of things that have happened to me and people that guided me or helped me were angels now?  Treat one another as angels of God.  Their faces look upon Him constantly.  Our guardian angels meet angels from Heaven.  And of all this angelic talk we still prayed the Psalm today "In the sight of your angels, I will sing your praises Lord".  Sometimes, I am the only one singing His praises.  Is it fitting that I am singing to angels?  I don't want to sing at your funeral only.  I was left alone with the kids this weekend as my wife was on retreat.  On Friday we had praise and worship at our house.  I sang a song that my mother in law really liked and she said "I want you to sing that song at my funeral".  I laughed and joked "Oh Mary, by then I will be too old to sing!" And the night continued with kids dancing and singing to God and my sister in law with closed eyes and hands in the air praising God our Jesus.  I am going to sing you a tune that will move your heart to tears.  I don't want it to be at your funeral.  I want God to open your heart to see angels going up and down to Heaven.  It happens with Jesus.  It happens on the altars, and it happens at church.  When we read Genesis chapter 28, Jacob dreams one night on his journey.  He dreams of stairs and angels going up and down.  From that day forth he would have descendants spread across the world.  Fitting for he came from Abraham.  Later we would hear of Jacob wrestling with an angel, only to have the angel tell him after injuring his hip "you will now be named Israel".  This grappling with God is the story of our faith, with angels.  Where is the challenge so that I can be blessed?  The challenge is the faith.  It is yours daily.  I want you to be strong.  Jacob never let go of the angel in the fight until he got blessed.  I want you to never let go in the fight for the Lord.  I want you to hang out and grapple with angels.  I want you to be struck.  Jesus was struck.  Jacob was struck.  We will be struck but not destroyed.  Jesus has the final word...VICTORY.  Jacob's dream happened at Luz which he named Bethel.  Luz means light in spanish.  Bethel means house of God.  Jesus came from Bethlehem which means house of bread.  So, Jesus is the light, the house of God and the bread of life.  I want you to be struck by these words.  The Eucharist is the bread of life whereupon the angels are ascending and descending at a critical moment in History.  This divinity is to be held on to for our lives.  We will exit life, to what?  A perfect world or a lost world?  My dear brothers and sisters, it is what our lives do for the Lord that determin the exit, because the remnants are left in the world.  Accept the challenge...the love of God.  I have not been so moved as to a few things within the last few weeks.  My heart was moved to hear of people challenging Satan's black Mass, taking the satanists to court and winning the Eucharist back, Jesus.  That touched me because it showed someone loves Jesus.  Then, a people I been praying for got married on Saturday afternoon by the Church, a Holy Sacrament, God was let into their lives, true Love.  My heart was moved the same way, I could only wish blessings from where I was at, and where was I at the moment of their marriage?  Waiting to surprise my wife in prayer service in another city, whereupon the next morning we went to Holy Mass and kneeling in the cry room with my kids, after the consumption of the Holy Eucharist in my body, I opened my eyes for an instant and saw an angel...do you want to know what I saw?  I bet you do.  I saw a family walking towards me after receiving the Eucharist, and my focus was on their little girl, a pretty little girl, I saw her struggling to walk, perhaps had a disability, but my heart was moved just as the Holy Marriage, or the defense of the Eucharist.  What is going on here is the story of the Holy Bible.  Revelations are living out day by day.  Be struck...be blessed.  I want you to never let Go of Gods hand. That little girl was being held by her daddy's hand.  Our struggle will be the same, but we are being held by our daddy's hand in Heaven.  God is so in love with you right now, He gave you life and wants you with Him forever.  That's where we are going, that's our struggle to make sure me and everyone else and their mommas get there... TO JESUS ALL GLORY Praise FOREVER AND EVER adrian 

Going4th,

Do You Say

Minute Meditations A Shining Serenity The sweetness of the Holy Spirit is immeasurable and swift, encircling all creatures in grace. The Holy Spirit is a burning and shining serenity that will never be depleted and which kindles fiery virtues so that, by the Holy Spirit, all darkness is banished. --St. Hildegard — from Accidental Theologians Sts. Cosmas and Damian (d. 303?) Nothing is known of their lives except that they suffered martyrdom in Syria during the persecution of the Emperor Diocletian. A church erected on the site of their burial place was enlarged by the emperor Justinian. Devotion to the two saints spread rapidly in both East and West. A famous basilica was erected in their honor in Constantinople. Their names were placed in the canon of the Mass (Eucharistic Prayer I) , probably in the sixth century. Legend says that they were twin brothers born in Arabia, who became skilled doctors. They were among those who are venerated in the East as the "moneyless ones" because they did not charge a fee for their services. It was impossible that such prominent persons would escape unnoticed in time of persecution: They were arrested and beheaded. Nine centuries later, Francis of Assisi (October 4) rebuilt the dilapidated San Damiano chapel outside Assisi. Comment: For a long time, it seems, we have been very conscious of Jesus' miracles as proofs of his divinity. What we sometimes overlook is Jesus' consuming interest in simply healing people's sickness, whatever other meaning his actions had. The power that "went out from him" was indeed a sign that God was definitively breaking into human history in final fulfillment of his promises; but the love of God was also concrete in a very human heart that was concerned about the suffering of his brothers and sisters. It is a reminder to Christians that salvation is for the whole person, the unique body-spirit unity. Quote: In the Preface for Martyrs I, the Church acknowledges that a martyr's blood shows God "marvelous works, by which in our weakness you perfect your powerand on the feeble bestow power to bear you witness, through Christ our Lord." Patron Saint of: Barbers Pharmacists Physicians Surgeons Saint of the Day Lives, Lessons and Feast By Leonard Foley, O.F.M.; revised by Pat McCloskey, O.F.M.     Presence I pause for a moment and think of the love and the grace that God showers on me, creating me in his image and likeness, making me his temple.... Freedom "I am free." When I look at these words in writing They seem to create in me a feeling of awe. Yes, a wonderful feeling of freedom. Thank You, God. Consciousness Knowing that God loves me unconditionally, I can afford to be honest about how I am.  How has the last day been, and how do I feel now? I share my feelings openly with the Lord. The Word of God Reading 1 eccl 3:1-11 There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every thing under the heavens. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces. A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away. A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak. A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. What advantage has the worker from his toil? I have considered the task that God has appointed for the sons of men to be busied about. He has made everything appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless into their hearts, without man's ever discovering, from beginning to end, the work which God has done. Responsorial Psalm ps 144:1b and 2abc, 3-4 R. (1) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock! Blessed be the LORD, my rock, my mercy and my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer, My shield, in whom I trust. R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock! LORD, what is man, that you notice him; the son of man, that you take thought of him? Man is like a breath; his days, like a passing shadow. R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock! Gospel lk 9:18-22 Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" They said in reply, "John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, 'One of the ancient prophets has arisen.'" Then he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter said in reply, "The Christ of God." He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone. He said, "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised."     Listen to audio of this reading     Watch a video reflection  Conversation I begin to talk to Jesus about the piece of scripture I have just read.What part of it strikes a chord in me?Perhaps the words of a friend - or some story I have heard recently- will slowly rise to the surface in my consciousness.If so, does the story throw light on what the scripture passage may be trying to say to me? Conclusion Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,  world without end.   Meditation: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 View NAB Reading at USCCB.org Subscriber? Login to view archives. Saints Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs What advantage has the worker from his toil? (Ecclesiastes 3:9) If today's reading were some kind of riddle, the answer would probably be "a funeral." This passage from Ecclesiastes focuses on two big challenges of our lives. It reminds us that there will be seasons when we will endure trials and seasons filled with joy. It even addresses the questions we often ponder about what God is trying to accomplish through us. How can our brief time on Earth possibly make a difference? To what effect is all of our toil? A funeral often gives us the opportunity to see how a single life has affected so many. It's the goal of a eulogy to examine the ups and downs of a person's life, reflecting on the good that has come from it all. People often share stories about how the deceased person has touched their lives and how his or her struggles taught them faith and perseverance. The puzzle comes together piece by piece as this person's significance becomes clearer and clearer. Of course, we don't need to have a funeral in order to reflect on our lives or discover the impact that other people have had on us. We can do this any time we want. Using a simple tool like a prayer journal every day can help us become more reflective. And honoring other people? We can make it a point to do this on a regular basis. It can all start right now! Take some time today to think about the differences, both small and large, that just one person has made in your life and in the world around you. Write that person a note or find some other way to tell that person how God has worked through him or her. Then spend some time looking at your own life. Try to recognize the ways that you have made a difference in other people's lives. Know that every positive thing that you do, no matter how small, is part of the way you are fulfilling God's mission for you. "Lord, give me the wisdom and patience to walk with you through all the different seasons in life. Teach me to encourage and honor other people for the ways that they have brought me closer to you."   Psalm 144:1-4; Luke 9:18-22 my2cents:   How many times have people gathered to pray because of you?  Was it when you were sick?  When did you initiate prayer just to give thanks and praise to God?  Do you hold neighborhood prayer meetings?  When I walked out of the funeral vigil earlier this week, I, in a way, thought "thanks be to God for the sister that passed away, for this opportunity to gather and pray, when else would all lost children gather to pray?"  There is a time for everthing, and there IS time for the Lord.  There is a time for everything else, but everything else is second.  I left my wife at an ACTS retreat last night.  She left everything second, left all her family and work to be first with the Lord.  There is a time to retreat, and there is a time to make for the Lord first.  They sang many songs and one was singing "...bless the Lord Oh my soul".  Today we prayed the Psalm "Blessed be the Lord, my Rock".  And today,  in the Holy Gospel, Jesus asked the disciples who did people say He was, and then He asked "who do YOU say that I am?"  Eventually the rock answered to our Rock, Peter answered to Jesus the answer that comes only from the Holy Spirit,  "you are the Christ" as if to say "Jesus, you are everything".  This answer should be our every prayer of every moment of our lives.  It would be this faith that would be put through the nastiest of sledge hammers to try and bust open the rock, to split it up to pieces, but the rock remained until it was fulfilled what had been proclaimed.    I want you right now to proclaim from your heart, not what I say, but what is near and dear to the heart; tell our Lord what needs to be said, out with it!  Hold nothing back, because it will hold us back.  Let the Lord be who He is already...everything; everything that is Holy, everything that is good, everything that makes life worth living, everything that makes us give our lives for...Jesus, our rock, the one we hold onto, just like a light tower built on a rock, so is our faith.  People around you are looking for faith, believe it or not.  Children are looking, adults are looking, elderly are looking.  Herod didn't know how to respond to the question, but we do.  We know how we ought to respond, but do we?  Because be careful who you say Jesus is, because the biggest sin is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, to profane His Holy Name, to be sacrilegious, to bring it down instead of raising up.  And our sins could lean towards that tendency.  So, right now, Jesus is asking from the right hand of the Father "my child, who do you say that I am?".  If I beheld His presence and He asked me, I would probably freeze, or I would jump and exclaim an answer.  What would be the answer?  Now, don't jump to blurt out an answer, don't say what you think should be the right answer from the lips out, no, rather,  jump at the next opportunity God asks you for something.  That is the answer He seeks...the heart.  He don't need my money or family, He owns everything, when we give money or have family it is for our benefit, so no, what He is asking right now is for more, more than we care to give.  That smile to that someone you think don't deserve it.  That money to that person you know will never be able to pay you back.  That shirt off your back for that person that needs it immediately.  That venturing to church when you don't have the strength or will-power to go.  Give and give, because this is what is telling God you truly are blessing His Holy Name.  Bless God.  Give Glory to God.  The sign of the cross does all of this.  And He did it first...   BLESS THE LORD OH MY SOUL! adrian Subscribe to the Going4th mailing list.

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He Kept Trying

Minute Meditations Basic Core Truths There are basic core truths that have stood the test of time: that God is a Trinity; that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human; that the human person is created in the image and likeness of God; that the Holy Spirit empowers us to witness to the divine presence in the world through history; that the Bible is the inspired word of God. — from Accidental Theologians Blesseds Louis Martin and Zelie Guerin (1823-1894) (1831-1877) Born into a military family in Bordeaux, Louis trained to become a watchmaker. His desire to join a religious community went unfulfilled because he didn't know Latin. Moving to Normandy, he met the highly-skilled lacemaker, Zélie, who also had been disappointed in her attempts to enter religious life. They married in 1858, and over the years were blessed with nine children, though two sons and two daughters died in infancy. Louis managed the lacemaking business that Zélie continued at home while raising their children. She died from breast cancer in 1877. Louis then moved the family to Lisieux to be near his brother and sister-in-law, who helped with the education of his five surviving girls. His health began to fail after his 15-year-old daughter entered the Monastery of Mount Carmel at Lisieux in 1888. Louis died in 1894, a few months after being committed to a sanitarium. The home that Louis and Zélie created nurtured the sanctity of all their children, but especially their youngest, who is known to us as St. Therese of the Child Jesus. Louis and Zélie were beatified in 2008. Comment: In life Louis and Zélie knew great joy and excruciating sorrow. They firmly believed that God was with them throughout every challenge that married life, parenting, and their occupations presented. Quote: Therese once wrote, "God gave me a father and a mother more worthy of heaven than of earth."   Saint of the Day Lives, Lessons and Feast By Leonard Foley, O.F.M.; revised by Pat McCloskey, O.F.M.       Presence I pause for a moment and think of the love and the grace that God showers on me, creating me in his image and likeness, making me his temple.... Freedom Lord grant me the grace to have freedom of the spirit. Cleanse my heart and soul so I may live joyously in Your love Consciousness Help me Lord to be more conscious of your presence. Teach me to recognise your presence in others. Fill my heart with gratitude for the times Your love has been shown to me through the care of others. The Word of God Reading 1 eccl 1:2-11 Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! What profit has man from all the labor which he toils at under the sun? One generation passes and another comes, but the world forever stays. The sun rises and the sun goes down; then it presses on to the place where it rises. Blowing now toward the south, then toward the north, the wind turns again and again, resuming its rounds. All rivers go to the sea, yet never does the sea become full. To the place where they go, the rivers keep on going. All speech is labored; there is nothing one can say. The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor is the ear satisfied with hearing. What has been, that will be; what has been done, that will be done. Nothing is new under the sun. Even the thing of which we say, "See, this is new!" has already existed in the ages that preceded us. There is no remembrance of the men of old; nor of those to come will there be any remembrance among those who come after them. Responsorial Psalm ps 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17bc R. (1) In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge. You turn man back to dust, saying, "Return, O children of men." For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday, now that it is past, or as a watch of the night. R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge. You make an end of them in their sleep; the next morning they are like the changing grass, Which at dawn springs up anew, but by evening wilts and fades. R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge. Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge. Fill us at daybreak with your kindness, that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days. Prosper the work of our hands for us! Prosper the work of our hands! R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge. Gospel lk 9:7-9 Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying, "John has been raised from the dead"; others were saying, "Elijah has appeared"; still others, "One of the ancient prophets has arisen." But Herod said, "John I beheaded. Who then is this about whom I hear such things?" And he kept trying to see him.     Listen to audio of this reading     Watch a video reflection    Conversation How has God's Word moved me? Has it left me cold? Has it consoled me or moved me to act in a new way? I imagine Jesus standing or sitting beside me, I turn and  share my feelings with him. Conclusion Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Meditation: Ecclesiastes 1:2-11 View NAB Reading at USCCB.org Subscriber? Login to view archives. 25th Week in Ordinary Time All things are vanity! (Ecclesiastes 1:2) Wait a minute! Aren't the Scriptures supposed to be encouraging and joyful? After reading Qoheleth's complaints, you may be wondering how the Book of Ecclesiastes even ended up included in the Scriptures! But surprising as it may be, this frustrated and annoyed writer could be considered a great hero of faith. Most scholars today believe that Ecclesiastes was written some time in the two to three centuries before Christ. The author wrote under the name "Qoheleth," which means "preacher" in Hebrew, but it's not certain who he was. One thing is certain, however: he didn't mince words when he considered the state of human life! Qoheleth was brutally honest when he described the cycle of life. He didn't sugarcoat the sometimes meaningless labors and injustices that we face. He didn't smile and pretend that everything was fine. He confronted life's inconsistencies, acknowledged them, but continued to believe in God and to trust him to make sense out of things. Now that's a heroic example of faith! Imagine if Qoheleth had had the benefit of knowing Christ! In light of the resurrection, all the twists and turns of life begin to make sense. All of the longing for something more can be fulfilled now that heaven has been opened. Our challenges have meaning and purpose because we know that the universe really is going somewhere! This is where you stand today. You know about Christ! You are a child of the resurrection! Think of how much broader that makes your perspective. You can take a long, hard look at your life and the world around you and still proclaim, "No matter how meaningless things seem, no matter how fleeting or confusing, I know that my Redeemer lives! I know he is with me!" The troubling evidence before you doesn't have to shake your faith; it's just the beginning of eternal life. So don't be afraid of the chaos of life. Go ahead, and ask the tough questions. Just make sure you're asking the right Person. And then open your ears to hear the hope-filled answers he wants to give you. "Father, it can be hard to believe when I think about all the things that don't seem fair in life. But I trust you. I choose to believe that you have it all under control!"   Psalm 90:3-6, 12-14, 17; Luke 9:7-9 my2cents: We read today "nothing is new under the sun".  Priests after many years of experience will know that people suffer from the same sins, and will or should know how to treat them in the confessional if God is the presence in the soul.  Maybe we need a new movement in the world.  I asked a supervisor what he was doing with some workers this morning locked behind closed doors, I asked "was it a gripe session I should know about" and he said "it was a renewal of thought process session".  I said Ok and we moved on.  This conversion is a renewal of thought.  We need it, and more than that, it comes about through the movement I am leading to, a movement of conversion brought about by reconciliation, and encounter with our Lord and His Mercy.  How can we herd everyone including myself into the confessionals, into an encounter with Christ?  How do we get everyone including myself to repent and sin no more?  We prayed the Psalm "In every age O Lord, you have been our refuge".  It is only through His grace we are still around.  We don't deserve to live because of the wretchedness and ingratitude of our past generations, but God says we do, by His grace we deserve to live and to live for Him.  And so the question of Herod is still as if it were just yesterday "who is this about whom I hear such things", I thought I killed him already?  "And he kept trying to see him".  Had Herod repented of his pride?  Someone sent me a text of a daily biblical passage that brought up Proverbs this morning "Before destruction a man's heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor" Prov.8:12.  Saints are honored, the haughty are destroyed.  It is an equalization of the world that makes the balance work.  My haughty heart makes my world come crashing down to humility, only to be honored and raised up by Christ in the end.  Reconciliation my family.  Become one with God.  How hard is it?  And it is nothing new being asked, but new to the one who has not lived it.  That's where it's at...an encounter with the risen Lord, Jesus, our King and Savior, our refuge.  And we all want to see fruits.  We all want to see results.  We all want to see to believe, even Herod "kept trying to see".  But that's not enough.  Faith. We have to believe.  Believe that we are passing through this world.  "Prosper the work of our hands" we prayed today in Psalms.  But what work are we doing?  Are we asking to prosper our personal business, or the Father's business which is the Kingdom of God?  I loved reading today about parents that were honored as saints.  I am a parent.  This means it is possible to be saints in a world that says it is impossible.  Praise be to God, He must mean He wants us for Him above all...   The New Movement Starts adrian Subscribe to the Going4th mailing list.

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