Test The Heart

MINUTE MEDITATIONS  Stay Calm Francis discovered the hidden secret to inner peace:  Don't react.  It doesn't make the insults OK. But it does keep us from being consumed by our own anger. — from Lent With St. Francis  St. Salvator of Horta (1520-1567) A reputation for holiness does have some drawbacks. Public recognition can be a nuisance at times—as the confreres of Salvator found out. Salvator was born during Spain's Golden Age. Art, politics and wealth were flourishing. So was religion. Ignatius of Loyola founded the Society of Jesus in 1540. Salvator's parents were poor. At the age of 21 he entered the Franciscans as a brother and was soon known for his asceticism, humility and simplicity. As cook, porter and later the official beggar for the friars in Tortosa, he became well known for his charity. He healed the sick with the Sign of the Cross. When crowds of sick people began coming to the friary to see Salvator, the friars transferred him to Horta. Again the sick flocked to ask his intercession; one person estimated that two thousand people a week came to see Salvator. He told them to examine their consciences, to go to confession and to receive Holy Communion worthily. He refused to pray for those who would not receive those sacraments. The public attention given to Salvator was relentless. The crowds would sometimes tear off pieces of his habit as relics. Two years before his death, Salvator was moved again, this time to Cagliari on the island of Sardinia. He died at Cagliari saying, "Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit." He was canonized in 1938. Comment: Medical science is now seeing more clearly the relation of some diseases to one's emotional and spiritual life. In Healing Life's Hurts, Matthew and Dennis Linn report that sometimes people experience relief from illness only when they have decided to forgive others. Salvator prayed that people might be healed, and many were. Surely not all diseases can be treated this way; medical help should not be abandoned. But notice that Salvator urged his petitioners to reestablish their priorities in life before they asked for healing. Quote: "Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness" (Matthew 10:1). Saint of the Day Lives, Lessons and Feast By Leonard Foley, O.F.M.; revised by Pat McCloskey, O.F.M.  Presence Lord, help me to be fully alive to your holy presence. Enfold me in your love. Let my heart become one with yours. Freedom Your death on the cross has set me free. I can live joyously and freely without fear of death. Your mercy knows no bounds. 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 JER 17:5-10 Thus says the LORD: Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the LORD. He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, But stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth. Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: It fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; In the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit. More tortuous than all else is the human heart, beyond remedy; who can understand it? I, the LORD, alone probe the mind and test the heart, To reward everyone according to his ways, according to the merit of his deeds. Responsorial Psalm PS 1:1-2, 3, 4 AND 6 R. (40:5a) Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked Nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, But delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night. R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. He is like a tree planted near running water, That yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does, prospers. R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. Not so, the wicked, not so; they are like chaff which the wind drives away. For the LORD watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes. R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. Gospel LK 16:19-31 Jesus said to the Pharisees: "There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.' Abraham replied, 'My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.' He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.' But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.' He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'" 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: Jeremiah 17:5-10 View NAB Reading at USCCB.org |  2nd Week of Lent He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream. (Jeremiah 17:8) Can you imagine if Jeremiah had written that the just man "is like a dandelion plant"? Who would want to be compared to a weed? But have you ever seen a dandelion root? It's substantial—at least as deep as the plant is tall—and it goes straight down. If you've struggled to pull up a dandelion in your yard, you can attest to the strength of that root! Not only does the dandelion's root help the plant anchor itself in the soil; it's also a very effective nutrient-delivery system. As the root goes deep into the soil, it absorbs the food and moisture the plant needs to stay healthy. Well, Jeremiah didn't call us dandelions, but he did say that we are like trees that God has planted. No doubt, drought will come. Heat will threaten us. That's part of life in this world. But God has planted us near life-giving waters, and he wants us to sink our roots deeply into the soil so that we can tap into them. Deep roots of faith save you in times of distress. Even when your heart feels like those gnarled and knotted roots that skim the surface of the forest, you can take comfort in the fact that there are great riches of nourishment and strength available to you. You don't have to stay on the surface! The Holy Spirit is powerful enough to help you tap into richer soil and find all the grace you need. What better way to deepen your faith than hearing his word and receiving his Body at Mass? It's the perfect place to leave your anxieties behind and immerse yourself in all that he has to offer you. Seated there in the presence of the Lord, surrounded by your brothers and sisters, you can't help but absorb his grace and strength. There is so much the Lord wants to give you—wisdom, guidance, comfort, forgiveness, freedom from guilt, release from fear, courage for your challenges. It's all waiting for you there at the altar. So come to him, root yourself in his word, and absorb his grace. "Father, thank you for planting me in the soil of your grace and presence! Lord, may I find all the nourishment I need at the table of your word and the table of the Eucharist." Psalm 1:1-4, 6; Luke 16:19-31 my2cents: I design for my2cents a different quiz every day this week, in hopes to earn the poor $10, I designed it for my2cents, take 2 minutes now for the poor. They are anonymous, I can only see what state people take the quiz in! So go for it. Click here now The last part of the 5 minutos today said: "Why don't you use me? You say I am a spring, and you do not come to drink, thirsty. You say I am good wine, but you do not inebriate yourself with me, thirsty man. You say I am music, but I do not hear you sing. You say I am perfume oil, but you do not annoint yourself. You say I am fire, but you continue in the cold. You say I am divine strength, but you do not use me, weak. You say I am Peace and you do not hear the sound of my flute. You say I am consoler, and you do not tell me your pains. You say I am gift and you do not open your hands, poor. You say I defend the poor, and you turn away from them. You say I am liberty, and you do not let my wind push you. You say I am love and you do not let me love you. You say I am witness and you do not ask. You say I am host, and you do not hear me or accompany Me." What in the world does the Holy Gospel have to do with today's 1st Holy Scripture?  And the Psalm?  The quiz asks you to remember what we read, if anything stuck, and a bonus question, what did the Lord say?  Answer and the poor receive money in your honor.  And we remember not to turn away from the poor...right?  That is what Lent helps us remember, forever.  Because in the eternal life we would have suffered for not taking into consideration the poor.  The poor beggars and homeless?  The poor across the world you could've helped today?  Yes.  The poor people down the street that don't have a heater in their home?  Yes.  The poor orphans in Mexico and other 3rd world countries? Yes.  What about the poor people down the street, poor in spirit?  YES.  What about the poor person drowning in drugs and alcohol?  YES.  The poor souls headed to hell?  Yep.  What about the poor kids out there who have no one to teach them about the saving power of our Lord?  YEs.  What about my poor chidren who have to grow up watching things that teach them wrong?  YES.  I am responsible for all of the above, and more.  Because Lazarus was at the door of the rich man and the rich man didn't notice.  Who is at the door?  Who is knocking at the door?  Jesus.  The poor is Jesus.  How many of us ignore Jesus?  We read all the beautiful words and go to church, and still ignore Jesus.  I ask a few "why didn't you take the quiz so money will be given to the poor?"  "Oh! I forgot!" and I hear "Oh, I didn't have time!", and "Oh, I didn't know I was supposed to do it?"  The very same words the rich man said while suffering torment in the next life.  But do we believe the words of a dead man that came back to the world?  NOPE.  We don't believe the stories of those that experienced life after death, and much less do we believe truly the words of JESUS who IS life after death.  It would be better to die now to self than self to death later.  This has everything to do with today's 1st Holy Scripture.  Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who will be dry in the desert, in a lava waste, in an empty earth.  Because life on earth will offer two things, temporal, and God the spiritual.  Try to fulfill yourself with earthly things and you will be left empty.  Try to fulfill yourself with God and be filled fully.  As we studied the bible last night, we studied the Kingdoms promised to Abraham.  We noticed how people become filled, like Solomon, with 700 wives and 300 concubines which left him ultimately empty, emptied of all the gold and riches and human pleasures because their gods became his.  Notice a trend. The same happens to us with all that fills our lives.  What was said is a truth I've began to experience.  I went to a little store in a nearby city, owned and operated by a Catholic Cursillista.  They asked me the typical question "how's business?" and I said "it's ok, never sure thing, it's like we have to depend on God" and he agreed completely saying this was true for him.  Wouldn't we all love to feel secure and happy? And this on a so called "international day of happiness" proposed by the United Nations General Assembly.  Sure we all want to be secure and happy, it is one of the founding principles of our nation, but do not neglect what the founding fathers brought it to help secure it...GOD.  So many will explain happiness in worldly terms, what is happinness?  To be delighted? Pleased? or Glad?  When am I most happy?  Ok then, how about making God happy?  Why?  What's in it for me?  What if I make God happy above all?  What happens?  What happens is you trade in your empty happiness and delights for true joys and peace and love from an eternal source that flows and fills and fulfills ..... FOREVER adrian click to go to food for the poor, help the POOR! Subscribe to the Going4th mailing list.

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