| Minute Meditations St. Alphonsus Rodriguez
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.
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 Freedom If God were trying to tell me something, would I know? 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 6:10-20Brothers and sisters: Responsorial Psalm ps 144:1b, 2, 9-10R. (1b) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock! Gospel lk 13:31-35Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said, 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. 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
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