Pull Him Out

Minute Meditations Against the Grain Keep your gaze always on our most beloved Jesus, asking him in the depths of his heart what he desires for you, and never deny him anything even if it means going strongly against the grain for you. --Blessed Maria Sagrario of St. Aloysius Gonzaga — from Sisterhood of Saints St. Wolfgang of Regensburg (c. 924-994) Wolfgang was born in Swabia, Germany, and was educated at a school located at the abbey of Reichenau. There he encountered Henry, a young noble who went on to become Archbishop of Trier. Meanwhile, Wolfgang remained in close contact with the archbishop, teaching in his cathedral school and supporting his efforts to reform the clergy. At the death of the archbishop, Wolfgang chose to become a Benedictine monk and moved to an abbey in Einsiedeln, now part of Switzerland. Ordained a priest, he was appointed director of the monastery school there. Later he was sent to Hungary as a missionary, though his zeal and good will yielded limited results. Emperor Otto II appointed him Bishop of Regensburg near Munich. He immediately initiated reform of the clergy and of religious life, preaching with vigor and effectiveness and always demonstrating special concern for the poor. He wore the habit of a monk and lived an austere life. The draw to monastic life never left him, including the desire for a life of solitude. At one point he left his diocese so that he could devote himself to prayer, but his responsibilities as bishop called him back. In 994 Wolfgang became ill while on a journey; he died in Puppingen near Linz, Austria. He was canonized in 1052. His feast day is celebrated widely in much of central Europe.  Comment: Wolfgang could be depicted as a man with rolled-up sleeves. He even tried retiring to solitary prayer, but taking his responsibilities seriously led him back into the service of his diocese. Doing what had to be done was his path to holiness—and ours.   Saint of the Day Lives, Lessons and Feast By Leonard Foley, O.F.M.; revised by Pat McCloskey, O.F.M.     Presence At any time of the day or night we can call on Jesus. He is always waiting, listening for our call. What a wonderful blessing. No phone needed, no e-mails, just a whisper. Freedom Lord, you granted me the great gift of freedom. In these times, O Lord, grant that I may be free From any form of racism or intolerance. Remind me, Lord, that we are all equal in Your Loving eyes. 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 phil 1:1-11 Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the holy ones in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you, praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you, because of your partnership for the Gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right that I should think this way about all of you, because I hold you in my heart, you who are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel. For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God. Responsorial Psalm ps 111:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 R. (2) How great are the works of the Lord! or: R. Alleluia. I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart in the company and assembly of the just. Great are the works of the LORD, exquisite in all their delights. R. How great are the works of the Lord! or: R. Alleluia. Majesty and glory are his work, and his justice endures forever. He has won renown for his wondrous deeds; gracious and merciful is the LORD. R. How great are the works of the Lord! or: R. Alleluia. He has given food to those who fear him; he will forever be mindful of his covenant. He has made known to his people the power of his works, giving them the inheritance of the nations. R. How great are the works of the Lord! or: R. Alleluia. Gospel lk 14:1-6 On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully. In front of him there was a man suffering from dropsy. Jesus spoke to the scholars of the law and Pharisees in reply, asking, "Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?" But they kept silent; so he took the man and, after he had healed him, dismissed him. Then he said to them "Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern, would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?" But they were unable to answer his question.     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: Philippians 1:1-11 View NAB Reading at USCCB.org Subscriber? Login to view archives. 30th Week in Ordinary Time This is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more. (Philippians 1:9) Have you smiled today? Research shows that something as simple as smiling can help improve marriages and reduce stress. It's amazing that something we usually don't think about can have such a big impact, but it does. Judging from his Letter to the Philippians, Paul probably wished that the believers in this cosmopolitan city would have smiled more! Throughout this friendly but pointed letter, Paul tackles the issue of unity from many different angles. While we aren't certain, it's likely that Paul saw the beginnings of division in the church there—"sparks" amongst the Philippians that had the potential to burst into flame. Perhaps he was thinking of Euodia and Syntyche, two leading women in the community who were at odds with each other (Philippians 4:2). So rather than face another fractious community like the Corinthians, he sought to put out the sparks as soon as he could. We don't know for sure how things worked out for the Philippians, but we can still apply Paul's wise words to our own lives. First, identify any sparks of disunity in your relationships. Perhaps you have let small resentments linger in your heart or you have let small divisions simmer at home. Maybe you could be a little kinder to the person sitting next to you at work or to your children and spouse in the morning. Once you know where those sparks are, there are a number of ways to put them out. A quick, one-sentence e-mail to a family member or friend; being the first one to make the coffee in the morning; being patient with the driver ahead of you in traffic; smiling at a co-worker or the cashier at the grocery store you see every day—all of these small things can go a long way. As Mother Teresa once said, "Every time you smile at someone, it is an act of love." And we know that love can cover a multitude of sins! You don't have to invest in big, grand gestures. You just need to try, and trust that God will bear the "fruit of righteousness" through whatever you do (Philippians 1:11). "Lord, guide the little things I do each day so that I can help build up the people around me. May these small things bear the fruit of righteousness."   Psalm 111:1-6; Luke 14:1-6    my2cents:  LOL, I noticed the cleaning person once again put this american flag I have in my office in front of this crucifix I have in my office.  I just moved it so I could see my crucifix with the Benedict medal.  Why is this important?  Because we have to do physical things that impress on the spiritual things.  That's why we have Holy Sacraments.  That's why Saint Paul says today to do what is Holy.  That's why the Psalms today pray "How great are the works of the Lord", and then Jesus our King comes in to do a great work, not just the healing of a man, but the opening of hearts to what is truly important, God comes first, not country.  God comes first, not your local laws.  God comes first, not your family.  God comes first in Church, not what the people want, but what God wants.  God comes first when temptation arises, not what you really want.  Let's take some words from more saints today, since tomorrow, on All Hallows (Holies) Saints day is all about saints:  "Remember how the crown was attained by those whose sufferings gave new radiance to their faith. The whole company of saints bears witness to the unfailing truth that without real effort no one wins the crown." -St. Thomas Becket.  Take it from a saint that was murdered in his own church.  Now a quote from another Saint, this time St. Philip Neri, "Never say, 'What great things the saints do,' but, 'What great things God does in His saints.'  Take this from a man that devoted his heart to God, and dealt with the youth.  Philip understood that it wasn't enough to tell young people not to do something -- you had to give them something to do in its place. So at Carnival time, when the worst excesses were encouraged, Philip organized a pilgrimage to the Seven Churches with a picnic accompanied by instrumental music for the mid-day break. After walking twelve miles in one day everyone was too tired to be tempted!  Last night, I set up a booth at a local community gathering called a "safe spot" for trick or treaters, in an indoor arena.  I setup our banner with our company logo and the words below that say "In God We Trust" and below that an FYI about All Saints Day coming November 1st.  We gave candy, my wife handed out candy with scriptures wrapping it.  I dressed as a robot, transformer, kids loved it as I tried to walk on stilts.  The droves of hundreds and hundreds had to have read that sign I put up, they were in line to read it.  The message was there.  It will ALWAYS be there with the saints like me!  LOL.  "Oh, did Adrian just call himself a saint!?  OMG!"  Truth is, we're all saints, we just don't act it or want it.  Let me give a quick example.  When we were unloading stuff after the event last night, my brother in law who is in RCIA said that he was telling his co-worker he needs to come closer to God.  I told him "you know what Pablo (Paul), it is God working through you in that young 19 yr. old's life asking him personally to come closer to Him".  In the end, it is always the allowance, or degree we let God do His thing through us.  Scare the bogus bogies away, scare evil away with Holiness, that beautiful unity with God, and how?  Just let yourself.  Yesterday we went to a funeral for my wife's niece who died in her 40's with MS.  I took my guitar, something led me to it.  I knew the deceased dad would sing with his church band but I took it anyway.  Turns out nobody was singing at the burial site, and that's when I came in, with the permission of the pastor there.  I sang "I can only imagine".  Afterwards the family thanked me, even though I thought I done a not so good job singing.  One young man asked me if I was a preacher.  I thought "this is weird, all I did was sing one song", I hand't preached like the other 2 pastors before me, I just let God do his Thing.  What is His Thing?  His WILL.  ANd His Will is for you to be HIS SAINT   YES LORD YES LORD YESS  YESS LORD adrian Subscribe

Going4th,

Until The Time Comes

Minute Meditations Gentile Guidance People mess up, and it's especially hard to watch as our children and other young people go down paths we know are likely to lead to heartbreak. Providing gentle guidance when it's needed, and love even when that guidance isn't followed, helps them to start fresh. — from Sisterhood of Saints St. Alphonsus Rodriguez (c. 1533-1617) Tragedy and challenge beset today's saint early in life, but Alphonsus Rodriguez found happiness and contentment through simple service and prayer.   Born in Spain in 1533, Alphonsus inherited the family textile business at 23. Within the space of three years, his wife, daughter and mother died; meanwhile, business was poor. Alphonsus stepped back and reassessed his life. He sold the business and, with his young son, moved into his sisters' home. There he learned the discipline of prayer and meditation. Years later, at the death of his son, Alphonsus, almost 40 by then, sought to join the Jesuits. He was not helped by his poor education. He applied twice before being admitted. For 45 years he served as doorkeeper at the Jesuits' college in Majorca. When not at his post, he was almost always at prayer, though he often encountered difficulties and temptations.   His holiness and prayerfulness attracted many to him, including St. Peter Claver, then a Jesuit seminarian. Alphonsus's life as doorkeeper may have been humdrum, but he caught the attention of poet and fellow-Jesuit Gerard Manley Hopkins, who made him the subject of one of his poems. Alphonsus died in 1617. He is the patron saint of Majorca. Saint of the Day Lives, Lessons and Feast By Leonard Foley, O.F.M.; revised by Pat McCloskey, O.F.M.     Presence "Be still and know that I am God" Lord, may your spirit guide me to seek Your Loving presence more and more. For it is there I find rest and refreshment from this busy world. Freedom If God were trying to tell me something, would I know? If God were reassuring me or challenging me, would I notice? I ask for the grace to be free of my own preoccupations and open to what God may be saying to me. Consciousness In God's loving presence I unwind the past day, starting from now and looking back, moment by moment. I gather in all the goodness and light, in gratitude. I attend to the shadows and what they say to me, seeking healing, courage, forgiveness. The Word of God   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 ps 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! 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."     Listen to audio of this reading     Watch a video reflection Conversation Begin to talk to Jesus about the piece of scripture you have just read. What part of it strikes a chord in you? Perhaps the words of a friend - or some story you have heard recently - will slowly rise to the surface of your consciousness. If so, does the story throw light on what the scripture passage may be trying to say to you? 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: Ephesians 6:10-20 View NAB Reading at USCCB.org Subscriber? Login to view archives. 30th Week in Ordinary Time Our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with ... the evil spirits in the heavens. (Ephesians 6:12) "Life would be so much easier if my spouse would stop being so irritating. And that annoying co-worker! If she would just shape up, I wouldn't get so mad. While we're at it, I wish my neighbor would stop showing off his new car. You know, I would be so much happier if I had one too." How often we blame our issues on someone else! But St. Paul reminds us not to lose sight of the real battle. It's not with the other person but with the devil himself, who wants to separate us from each other and from Jesus. When you have resentful thoughts about your spouse or envious thoughts about your neighbor, who do you think planted them? It's not your co-worker's fault; it's a temptation from the devil! He's the one whispering the divisive words to you. Pope Francis has spoken repeatedly about how the devil works to cut us off like this. In a homily last April, he asked, "What does Satan do to distance us from the path of Jesus? First, his temptation begins gradually but grows and is always growing. Second, it grows and infects another person; it spreads to another and seeks to be part of the community. And in the end, in order to calm the soul, it justifies itself. It grows, it spreads, and it justifies itself." What an insidious strategy! It's easy to feel justified in our complaints, in sharing them with other people, and in presenting a case for why we're right. But we don't have to go along with the temptation. Pope Francis continued, "Our Christian life is a struggle. That's because the Prince of this world, Satan, doesn't want our holiness. We mustn't be naïve, right?" Don't be naïve. Remember that you aren't fighting against flesh and blood—your annoying co-worker, your boundary-pushing teenager, or your bragging neighbor. So don't take it out on them. Rather, engage your real enemy the best way you can—by staying close to Jesus, King of kings, who has conquered the devil. "Jesus, help me see the true battle lines—and to trust in your victory!"  my2cents: What do the words say to us?  What does the WORD say to us? Because the Word is Jesus.  So what does Jesus say to us today?  St. Paul tells us through the Word (the Holy Spirit, our Lord) to put on the armor of God.  These soldiers are specially equiped.  Not with machine guns or body armor, not material, but spiritual.  Putting on like a shield of faith against flaming arrows.  Putting on your chestplate of righteousness.  Gird your self, protect yourself, so that you may continue the Lord's work.  Because when you least expect, a cheap shot will be thrown at you, and you fall for it.  The Psalm prayed "Blessed be the Lord My Rock!".  And so the Rock speaks...Jesus, (isn't He everything?).  They ask Jesus to go away, and He says "NO way", you tell that sly fox to go away!".  Foxes are opportunists.  Watch those trying to take advantage.  And I'm not talking about people.  DOH!  Yup.  Surprise!  Stick to the battle and the people, because the devil is trying to work among us to split us up.  When the Synod on the Family took place, and a major news channel found out it would NOT be in favor of gay marriage, they were reaching out to the LGBT community that were Catholic to raise their voice of concern.  Same thing happened in Colorado, when the voting is coming up for abortions they are looking for so called "catholic" pro-choice people to be the voice of all Catholics that are supposed to be pro-life.  That fox is out there, watch for that fox the devil.  Forget the scary masks of Halloween, the scariest mask is the one the devil wears, of a person you would least suspect, wolf in sheep clothing.  Let this, all of this though, do for you what it has done for me.  Be on guard.  For our battle is not against flesh, but principalities of the devil.  Isn't it true that we really don't hate one another?  It's pretty rare, has to be a satanic possession.  So what is separating many people? That fox.  Today, Jesus commanded the fox to go away, we are doing what we are told by God.  We will die when you threaten to take life it is impossible because it has already been given.  When you kill those babies in the womb, they were already alive, you already lost the battle mr. fox.  That soul was already created, and that soul innocent, could very well be an angel of God if He so desires in Heaven.  So how can there be evil in the "heavens" as we read?  On Heaven as it is on earth" we pray in the Lord's prayer.  Those realms are among us.  I'll tell you how I write to you, I reach out to God in the Heavens.  I let His light transfuse my soul before writing to you.  God comes.  Nothing I say is of me, but Him.  If I speak of me in the first person, it should be taken as the first person of Jesus, the first person in our lives.  The person that conceived you and me.  The person of Christ that is in every living soul.  THAT is why our war is not with each other, but with evil lurking and bouncing from soul to soul that is weak and susceptible.  Be Holy and Happy, and not worry about what you are trying to worrry about.  "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; be not frightened, neither be dismayed; for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." -Joshua 1:9 "Don't spend your energies on things that generate worry, anxiety and anguish. Only one thing is necessary: Lift up your spirit, and love God." — Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina   adrian Subscribe

Going4th,

Some Are First

Minute Meditations Two Hearts Tell everybody that God grants us graces through the Immaculate Heart of Mary; that people are to ask for them; and that the Heart of Jesus wants the Immaculate Heart of Mary to be venerated at his side. --Blessed Jacinta Marto — fromSisterhood of Saints St. Narcissus of Jerusalem (d. 215) Life in second- and third-century Jerusalem couldn't have been easy, but St. Narcissus managed to live well beyond 100. Some even speculate he lived to 160. Details of his life are sketchy, but there are many reports of his miracles. The miracle for which he is most remembered was turning water into oil for use in the church lamps on Holy Saturday when the deacons had forgotten to provide any. We do know that Narcissus became bishop of Jerusalem in the late second century. He was known for his holiness, but there are hints that many people found him harsh and rigid in his efforts to impose church discipline. One of his many detractors accused Narcissus of a serious crime at one point. Though the charges against him did not hold up, he used the occasion to retire from his role as bishop and live in solitude. His disappearance was so sudden and convincing that many people assumed he had actually died. Several successors were appointed during his years in isolation. Finally, Narcissus reappeared in Jerusalem and was persuaded to resume his duties. By then, he had reached an advanced age, so a younger bishop was brought in to assist him until his death.   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 Lord, you granted me the great gift of freedom. In these times, O Lord, grant that I may be free From any form of racism or intolerance. Remind me, Lord, that we are all equal in your Loving eyes. Consciousness At this moment Lord I turn my thoughts to You.  I will leave aside my chores and preoccupations.  I will take rest and refreshment in your presence Lord. The Word of God   Reading 1 eph 6:1-9 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother. This is the first commandment with a promise, that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on earth. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up with the training and instruction of the Lord. Slaves, be obedient to your human masters with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ, not only when being watched, as currying favor, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, willingly serving the Lord and not men, knowing that each will be requited from the Lord for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. Masters, act in the same way towards them, and stop bullying, knowing that both they and you have a Master in heaven and that with him there is no partiality. Responsorial Psalm ps 145:10-11, 12-13ab, 13cd-14 R. (13c) The Lord is faithful in all his words. Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD, and let your faithful ones bless you. Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom and speak of your might. R. The Lord is faithful in all his words. Making known to men your might and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom. Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages, and your dominion endures through all generations. R. The Lord is faithful in all his words. The LORD is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works. The LORD lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. R. The Lord is faithful in all his words. Gospel lk 13:22-30 Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, "Lord, will only a few people be saved?" He answered them, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, 'Lord, open the door for us.' He will say to you in reply, 'I do not know where you are from.' And you will say, 'We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.' Then he will say to you, 'I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!' And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the Kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."     Listen to audio of this reading     Watch a video reflection Conversation Do I notice myself reacting as I pray with the Word of God? Do I feel challenged, comforted, angry? Imagining Jesus sitting or standing by me, I speak out my feelings, as one trusted friend to another. 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: Ephesians 6:1-9 View NAB Reading at USCCB.org Subscriber? Login to view archives. 30th Week in Ordinary Time Slaves, be obedient to your human masters. (Ephesians 6:5) That's an uncomfortable thought! Is Paul really accepting the status quo of institutionalized slavery? That's certainly how it looks, and it's possible that he didn't see slavery as a burning social issue of his day. It was so common that he may not have given it much thought. But whether he knew it or not, Paul's teaching laid the groundwork for a worldwide abolitionist movement. You can see this new teaching later in today's reading, where Paul tells slave owners, "Stop bullying, knowing that ... you have a Master in heaven and that with him there is no partiality" (Ephesians 6:9). Now that is revolutionary! Where most people in Paul's time considered their slaves as nothing more than property, Paul is saying that everyone deserves to be treated with respect and justice. Just as a slave should show respect for his or her master, so too should the master treat his or her slaves as fellow human beings, not as commodities. Paul develops this point further in his Letter to Philemon. Onesimus, one of Philemon's slaves, ran away and arrived at Paul's doorstep looking for help. While Paul did send Onesimus back to Philemon, he also pleaded that Philemon treat Onesimus as a "brother" and as "beloved" (Philemon 16). So while Paul didn't try to overturn the institution of slavery, he did undermine one of its central principles. It is a tragic fact that slavery, or human trafficking, still exists today. Every year, nearly 800,000 men, women, and children throughout the world are bought and sold into forced labor. From migrant farm workers in North America to sex workers in Africa, from "domestic help" in Europe to involuntary organ donors in Asia, people are being traded like common goods, stripped of all rights and dignity. It's true that few of us face this horrible situation directly. But we can still make a difference. We can pray for an end to human trafficking. We can donate to organizations that support victims of slavery. And perhaps most important, we can dedicate ourselves to treating everyone we meet with respect, honor, and dignity. "Lord, free all those held in slavery. Help me to see ways I can build a culture of love and respect."   Psalm 145:10-14; Luke 13:22-30 my2cents: The 5minutos says today (I will attempt to translate):   "Inasmuch as the family life as the social life, the important is to learn to think of others, not just in your own interests.  In this point there are social transformations being produced that we should discern.  Many youth say that they can not morgage their lives to be dependent on their parents, that they have their right to make their own lives.  Some women say that it is now alright to sell their autonomy of taking care of their husband and children, that it is their time of feminine emancipation.  Some (perhaps many) men say that the education of their children is thing for the mother, that they do enough by bringing money home.  There is nothing more dangerous than a half truth.  Who will not believe in the need that we have to be autonomous?  Who will not criticize the social situation in which the woman is the "slave" of the rest of the family?  In these questions let us be sharp.  The Word of God does not propose a recipe for every particular case, but a criteria that resists all the all the psychological fads and all the social changes: "He is more happy (meanshile, more free, more autonomous) who finds himself when he seeks the happiness of others, and not his own".  Can this criteria be manipulated to the service of petty interests? Of course!  But it is a critera that is worth its weight in gold.  To take it on, we'd have to judge the complex family and social life that was given us to live."     Obey your parents, just so that you may live.  I am recalling the scripture from Deuteronomy 30:19 "I call heaven and earth today to witness against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God, obeying his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will mean life for you, a long life for you to live on the land which the LORD swore to your ancestors...."  From thousands of years ago, God has been saying it.  LISTEN.  OBEY.  And guess what?  You'll live!  Don't believe?  Then you don't trust.  Nowadays the truth is being twisted to death.  Laws want you to choose death, not choose life.  Death to family.  Death to babies.  Death to pro-creation.  Death to a marriage that creates.  "Oh you Christians want us to live in slavery, the bible believes in slavery!"  LIES. And what's worse, they believe the hype and lies, and stand on street corners telling everyone lies.  And Jesus will bring it up to your attention when you die..."do you remember those lies you preached on street corners?"  Because He will ask you gently to depart for, not just what you said, but believed and lived and proclaimed by your life and the life style you chose to live.  That's what will be brought up to your attention.  LISTEN.  OBEY.  GIVE.  Because in the end, Jesus is asking us to give, to surrender to His will, and His will is good, and holy.  Ultimately it means putting others first, and ultimately, it means putting God first.  Ultimately, Jesus is reiterating His commandment.  Utlimately, the last shall be first no matter how much we fight it.  God wins.  God always wins, He is King, and try to put yourself in His place and guess what?  We can't.  Those are mighty big shoes to fit, create the world and die for the world.  Love the world and give to the world more than it deserves.  So many of us get caught on "Wha'ts In It For Me", the WIIFM channel of the world. Guess what, it's not about me, it's about HIM.  The message is going to wear you out until it becomes you, because God wins, holiness wins.  You think the world is winning? You think we are in bad shape? Stop looking in the mirror that Satan is holding up.  Start looking through the clear windows of the soul through a life of grace!  A sad saint is a sad sort of saints and God is calling all saints and angels to serve Love.  Slavery nowadays exists through what we are slaves to, not ownership, because God said enough of the abuse.  Nowadays, abuse is rampant, abuses against the teachings of the church.  For this we need a counter-reaction team.  I'm calling you out.  The counter reaction to a frown, your loving smile.  The counter reaction to seeing nobody helping...you come in.  The counter reaction to a troubled family or ministry, you come in and heal with Jesus.  Why and How? Because Christ And I Are An Overwhelming Majority.  This is simply from Philipians 4:13.  You were made to be free and strong.  Only through Jesus are we strong and free and very VERY Happy, a joy that nothing and nobody can take away.  You are being called out  my child.   It's on you.  You, believe it or not, are a mover and shaker.  I see a mother, I see a monarch.  I see a father, I see a patriarch.  And all this under the Paternity of Our Father.  All of this with our Mother in Heaven.  Jesus didn't just come to live and die to be that Father that loves beyond death to break through everything to bring us to Him as a true savior and hero...no, He came for even more, for the overall scheme of life to be accomplished, beyond what we will comprehend, to love and love and love more than forever, and at the end of His life on earth, He gave the mother of all mothers to you and me...His own Mommy.  As He cried to the HEavens "DADDY, DADDY Why did you leave me", His mommy was right there which He had already given to the world.  You tell me about a good God.  This God came to suffer our pains of abandonment.  No other God has or ever will do this.  And He busted through it so that you would NEVER EVER EVER go through it alone.  Because He left the mommy, and more...He left His Precious blood, and more than that, He LIVES IN THE HOLY SPIRIT that is telling me to tell you this right now...HE's AMAZINGGGGGG!   GLORY TO YOU LORD JESUS CHRIST MY KING AND SAVIOR! adrian Subscribe

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Spent The Night

Minute Meditations Love is a Treasure I am poor and when I have nothing to give to the poor, I give them my soul, my heart, and my love, since love is worth much more than money offerings. --Blessed Piety of the Cross — fromSisterhood of Saints Sts. Simon and Jude     Jude is so named by Luke and Acts. Matthew and Mark call him Thaddeus. He is not mentioned elsewhere in the Gospels, except, of course, where all the apostles are mentioned. Scholars hold that he is not the author of the Letter of Jude. Actually, Jude had the same name as Judas Iscariot. Evidently because of the disgrace of that name, it was shortened to "Jude" in English. Simon is mentioned on all four lists of the apostles. On two of them he is called "the Zealot." The Zealots were a Jewish sect that represented an extreme of Jewish nationalism. For them, the messianic promise of the Old Testament meant that the Jews were to be a free and independent nation. God alone was their king, and any payment of taxes to the Romans—the very domination of the Romans—was a blasphemy against God. No doubt some of the Zealots were the spiritual heirs of the Maccabees, carrying on their ideals of religion and independence. But many were the counterparts of modern terrorists. They raided and killed, attacking both foreigners and "collaborating" Jews. They were chiefly responsible for the rebellion against Rome which ended in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Comment: As in the case of all the apostles except for Peter, James and John, we are faced with men who are really unknown, and we are struck by the fact that their holiness is simply taken to be a gift of Christ. He chose some unlikely people: a former Zealot, a former (crooked) tax collector, an impetuous fisherman, two "sons of thunder" and a man named Judas Iscariot. It is a reminder that we cannot receive too often. Holiness does not depend on human merit, culture, personality, effort or achievement. It is entirely God's creation and gift. God needs no Zealots to bring about the kingdom by force. Jude, like all the saints, is the saint of the impossible: Only God can create his divine life in human beings. And God wills to do so, for all of us. Quote: "Just as Christ was sent by the Father, so also he sent the apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit. This he did so that, by preaching the gospel to every creature (cf. Mark 16:15), they might proclaim that the Son of God, by his death and resurrection, had freed us from the power of Satan (cf. Acts 26:18) and from death, and brought us into the kingdom of his Father" (Vatican II, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy).   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, may I never take the gift of freedom for granted. You gave me the great blessing of freedom of spirit. Fill my spirit with Your peace and Your joy. Consciousness How do I find myself today? Where am I with God? With others? 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 eph 2:19-22 Brothers and sisters: You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Responsorial Psalm ps 19:2-3, 4-5 R. (5a) Their message goes out through all the earth. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day pours out the word to day, and night to night imparts knowledge. R. Their message goes out through all the earth. Not a word nor a discourse whose voice is not heard; Through all the earth their voice resounds, and to the ends of the world, their message. R. Their message goes out through all the earth. Gospel lk 6:12-16 Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.     Listen to audio of this reading     Watch a video reflection Conversation Jesus, You always welcomed little children when you walked on this earth. Teach me to have a childlike trust in you. To live in the knowledge that You will never abandon 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: Ephesians 2:19-22 View NAB Reading at USCCB.org Subscriber? Login to view archives. Saint Simon and Saint Jude, Apostles You are fellow citizens with the holy ones. (Ephesians 2:19) Have you ever admired a family member so deeply that you were willing to devote your life to their cause? Many people find it hard to rise above old family rivalries in this way, but this is exactly what St. Jude succeeded in doing. Scripture describes him as a "brother," that is, a near relative of the Lord. Unlike other members of Jesus' extended family who at one point thought he was mad, Jude humbly accepted Jesus first as his Rabbi and eventually as his Lord. So little do we know about this apostle who is usually paired with Simon and whose name appears just before Judas that we aren't even sure of his name. Some scholars believe that he is the "Thaddeus" named by Matthew and Mark. After the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples on Pentecost, tradition says that Jude traveled to Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), where he contended with sorcerers and magicians to preach the good news of the gospel, and was martyred by being clubbed to death. At some point and for unknown reasons, people began seeking his intercession in matters that seemed hopeless. The disciple who shares Jude's feast day is also largely a mystery. "Simon"—not Simon Peter—is described as both "Simon the Canaanite" and "Simon who was called the Zealot." The Zealots provoked a failed revolt against Roman rule in a.d. 66--70. Were they also active thirty years earlier, during Jesus' lifetime? Or did the word "Zealot" mean that Simon was on fire with zeal for the gospel? We don't know. Tradition tells us that after preaching in Egypt, Simon joined Jude in Persia and was later martyred with him. All Christians today trace our faith to those first disciples who left everything familiar to share the good news with strangers. Today's feast reminds us to pray for modern-day apostles who leave home and family and risk their lives to bring the love of Jesus to those still waiting to hear about him. "Lord Jesus, may those who leave home and family and risk all for the gospel be supported by your Spirit in the difficult task of bringing your good news to an often hostile world."   Psalm 19:2-5; Luke 6:12-16 my2cents: You may think that we have very little to go by, but it actually takes very little to make something big.  Am I talking about life at conception?  Am I talking about a thought?  What about a whisper from God?  What if God were asking for something little like...oh I don't know, maybe asking you to be a saint?  I noticed at this last cursillo there was a couple of Dallas Cowboys fans.  I am very jealous of this...as if a zealot like today's Saint.  I am jealous for God.  I don't like for sports to take over.  I don't like for your time and money and love to go for that, over God.  I am jealous, perhaps because I am zealous.  I couldn't say nothing last night as I fueled up after our rosary and reunion group of Cursillistas, at the gas station the old lady attending was cheering on her Cowboys, and I said "you know, not everyone is a fan of them".  She said "oh but I am" and then she went on, "my daddy loved them cowboys until the day he died and now I love them too".  That gets to me.  Because I pray at funeral vigils and have seen where instead of a rosary, a symbol of prayer in their hands, there is a Cowboys Jersey stretched over the body's torso.  I am jealous and mad, and I pray all the more, because the Cowboys will not get you into Heaven, it is an illusion, a love that does not love in return, not like God, not forever in eternity and beyond, because God is even beyond eternity.  And I say all of this because we are forging bonds in our loved ones lives by our loves.  Who do you love above all?  And does it show?  Now I'm talking about our love of God above all.  I see tattoos, last names, shapes, symbols, some crosses, what does all that mean?  Your life? Your love?  Where is God in your forever?  Why would I stain my skin?  Why would I stain my soul?  Because we are a body, temples built on the temples that Jesus chose.  Ahh, now Adrian is getting under my skin!  AHA!  YES.  Let's go deeper.  Why do you NOT want to be a saint my child?  Because our loves our twisted, to the point that you think you don't deserve or are called.  Today we read "you are no longer sojourners or strangers but fellow citizens with THE HOLY ONES".  SAY WHAT?  YES.  We are fellow citizens in the Kingdom of God, right now we have the opportunity to seize forever what is rightly ours, an eternal love with God.  The Psalm prays on "THEIR MESSAGE goes out through ALL the earth".  The message has landed right before your very eyes.  my child, I'm calling you for me!  And so as I knelt before the body of our faithful parishioner,Lydia, Sunday night at the funeral home, I prayed for her, and it was as if God/Jesus said "this one is mine".  She was a 72 yr. old woman that looked pretty, maybe 50 or so, and I told the people "I would not be amazed if 200 years from now they exumed her body and it would look the same as it does now, she was a saint, she put others' needs before hers, very simple".  She was more human than most.  They say her home was very small, a little house her daddy had built decades ago.  Even though it was falling apart, she would not move out. Notice again, a daughter in love with her daddy's building.  Now, let's go back to the Gospel, the building our Daddy in Heaven has built.  Don't you ever move out, but move in.  You should love this and carry it on to your children's children, the message "Love your Father in Heaven with all your heart, all your mind, all your strength".  I almost lost it when I was dedicating one last song at the funeral vigil, "Lord I Give You My Heart" at the part that sings "I give you my heart, and I give you my SOUL".  I had heard this song at my wife's ACTS retreat, and as I stared at her singing to God those words, I fell in love with a whole new woman, a daughter of God our Father, for my wife was now giving her love to her Daddy along with the nearly 40 women or so there.  I am saying this so that you will carry on the zeal of what I am jealous for...God.  I will hate what keeps you from Him, and 100% of the time it is sin.  I hope that stain is removed, because only Purity reigns in Heaven.  Only what is good, because God is good, and you are good right now, I'm serious, only here we've to dust ourselves off in preparation for what is to come... adrian Subscribe

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