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| An Ongoing Process |  | | Don't get down on yourself if you're not perfect in your walk. That's why God gives us confession. Ask God for the grace to improve and then set your mind to it. Conversion is an ongoing process. | | |
St. Magdalen of Canossa
(1774-1835)
 Wealth and privilege did nothing to prevent today's saint from following her calling to serve Christ in the poor. Nor did the protests of her relatives, concerned that such work was beneath her.
Born in northern Italy in 1774, Magdalen knew her mind—and spoke it. At age 15 she announced she wished to become a nun. After trying out her vocation with the cloistered Carmelites, she realized her desire was to serve the needy without restriction. For years she worked among the poor and sick in hospitals and in their homes, and also among delinquent and abandoned girls. In her mid-twenties Magdalen began offering lodging to poor girls in her own home. In time she opened a school, which offered practical training and religious instruction. As other women joined her in the work, the new Congregation of the Daughters of Charity emerged. Over time, houses were opened throughout Italy. Members of the new religious congregation focused on the educational and spiritual needs of women. Magdalen also founded a smaller congregation for priests and brothers. Both groups continue to this day. She died in 1835. Pope John Paul II canonized her in 1988.
 Saint of the DayLives, Lessons and FeastBy Leonard Foley, O.F.M.; revised by Pat McCloskey, O.F.M.
Presence "Come to me all you who are burdened
and I will give you rest"
Here I am, Lord.
I come to seek your presence.
I long for your healing power. 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 How am I really feeling? Lighthearted? Heavy-hearted? I may be very much at peace, happy to be here. Equally, I may be frustrated, worried or angry. I acknowledge how I really am.
It is the real me that the Lord loves. The Word of God After the crippled man had been cured,
while Peter and John were still speaking to the people,
the priests, the captain of the temple guard,
and the Sadducees confronted them,
disturbed that they were teaching the people
and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
They laid hands on Peter and John
and put them in custody until the next day,
since it was already evening.
But many of those who heard the word came to believe
and the number of men grew to about five thousand.
On the next day, their leaders, elders, and scribes
were assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest,
Caiaphas, John, Alexander,
and all who were of the high-priestly class.
They brought them into their presence and questioned them,
"By what power or by what name have you done this?"
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered them,
"Leaders of the people and elders:
If we are being examined today
about a good deed done to a cripple,
namely, by what means he was saved,
then all of you and all the people of Israel should know
that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean
whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead;
in his name this man stands before you healed.
He is the stone rejected by you, the builders,
which has become the cornerstone.
There is no salvation through anyone else,
nor is there any other name under heaven
given to the human race by which we are to be saved." R. (22) The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
"His mercy endures forever."
Let those who fear the LORD say,
"His mercy endures forever."
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
O LORD, grant salvation!
O LORD, grant prosperity!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God, and he has given us light.
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia. R. Alleluia, alleluia.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.
He revealed himself in this way.
Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,
Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,
Zebedee's sons, and two others of his disciples.
Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing."
They said to him, "We also will come with you."
So they went out and got into the boat,
but that night they caught nothing.
When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore;
but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to them, "Children, have you caught anything to eat?"
They answered him, "No."
So he said to them, "Cast the net over the right side of the boat
and you will find something."
So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in
because of the number of fish.
So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord."
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,
he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,
and jumped into the sea.
The other disciples came in the boat,
for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards,
dragging the net with the fish.
When they climbed out on shore,
they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.
Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you just caught."
So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore
full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.
Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, "Come, have breakfast."
And none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?"
because they realized it was the Lord.
Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them,
and in like manner the fish.
This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples
after being raised from the dead.
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 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: John 21:1-14 Friday within the Octave of Easter I am going fishing. (John 21:3) Jesus' resurrection left the disciples with much to think about. And yet, for all that had changed, today's Gospel reading shows that some things remained the same. Peter and the others still had to eat. They still had to take care of their families. And, wonder of wonders, they still could rely on Jesus to work wonders in their lives. This wasn't the first time that Jesus helped Peter and the others with a miraculous catch of fish. A similar thing happened at the very beginning of their discipleship (Luke 5:1-11). But now, at the end of their time with him, just as he is about to send them out to preach and build the Church, Jesus shows that he has no intention of leaving them alone. He may be ascending to heaven, but he will still be with them. He will continue to open up new and brighter horizons for them. Many of us have examples of God having worked in our lives in the past. Perhaps it was a dramatic healing or conversion. Maybe it was a gradual sense of his presence that changed our way of thinking. Maybe he helped us mend a broken relationship. These are all wonderful experiences that we should treasure. But they're not the end of the story! Today's Gospel tells us that when God steps into our lives, things change—and they keep on changing. Step by step, milestone by milestone, the Holy Spirit works to bring us closer to Jesus. Even the ordinary, everyday aspects of our lives can take on new and deeper meaning—simply because of God's presence. Is God stepping more deeply into your life right now? Yes! As much as he has done already, he wants to do even more. He wants to give you a greater sense of belonging to him. He wants to strengthen the friendships you have that are founded on him. He wants to guide you in your work and in your family. Every day, he asks you to cast your net into the sea of his grace so that you can receive deeper and deeper blessings. "Jesus, I know you have more to give me. Help me not to be satisfied with what I already have. Lord, I want to be a generous receiver of your grace!" Acts 4:1-12; Psalm 118:1-2, 4, 22-27
my2cents:
I've had the experience of experiencing a marvel of the Lord, and when I attempt to explain it serves a purpose, many I believe still do not believe...until they experience for themselves. It is the case of the doubting Thomas, but more. I say this because the chief priests in today's 1st Holy Scriptures asked Peter and John how they did this miracle, and when explained, the still did not believe...unlike the thousands and thousands that were now starting to believe. Was it the ignorant that believe? Or was it those that "just know" everything that can not believe? Because it is the case of the modern day atheist that "just knows" everything and fails to believe. That is why we have to be like children when it comes to the faith, testing the truth, but still believing with the heart. Keep that in mind as we go along.
The Psalms pray "The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." Your rejection becomes your dejection (a sad beginning). The opposite then holds true, your acceptance begins your beginning of happiness (a life with the Lord).
"By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes." It is in "our eyes" that holds what is wonderful. What do you consider wonderful? Because personally, I am "full of wonder" about our Lord, and this is good, because it means I am constantly amazed, jaw dropping moments say to me as the disciples said from the boat today "IT IS THE LORD!" WOW!!
"This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it." Last night at before our cursilla gathering, an ultreya, my wife went to visit the Blessed Sacrament with some of our children as I unloaded my guitar and food we brought. As they came back, I went to make my own visit to the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. I told the Lord we were all tired of working all day, but even more, this weak body leads to a weakened spirit, and so we needed a fire for an ultreya. And it came to be, I don't remember smiling so much at an ultreya as I did last night, and some others were too giddy too, it is the joy of the Lord! Another instance of wonder and awe....a true sign of the Holy Spirit.
In today's Holy Gospel, the professional fishermen could not catch anything all night long. A strange voice calls them out as if to say "mijos" (my children) have you caught anything yet? Meanwhile that stranger was cooking up something on the seashore. "Just try the other side". How many times has the Lord attempted to call out to you "try the other side", but the Lord says "try the RIGHT side". Try what is right, which means what is good. Try Him, try faith, and try listening for His voice ALWAYS. Children. BELIEVE! I'm not supposed to tell you what happens in our reunion groups like we had at Ultreya last night, but somehow my wife was brought up about Holy Week. They mentioned how they seen her in tears on Holy Thursday when they took away the Lord from the Blessed Sacrament and took Him to the back as if when He was arrested. Well, it came time for all reunion groups to gather, and she was called up to give testimony. Lo and behold, she gave the full account of what had happened during Holy Week. She had made it a point to go pray at the Blessed Sacrament all Holy Week, the rosary, or as much she could. This daily visiting of the Lord began a relationship, a love relationship, whereupon she said she felt the presence of the Lord and His love through the heart she had poured out. Such a strong relation that when He was "taken away" she felt her love had been taken away after coming so close. Now, let me explain (my2cents LOL), this my dear brethren, this is the Joy of the Lord. To come to that kind of intimacy with Him. To come to know, to serve, and to love Him with all our heart, mind, strength, our souls. Rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord. There is no rejoicing in revenge, but there is great rejoicing when you repent.
This rejoicing caused Peter (our first pope) to dive into the waters he tried to walk on with Jesus, this love of Jesus causes him to jump, because he had repented of ever having denied him and would rather die than to do that again. So when the beloved disciple said "It Is The Lord", Peter jumps. It is our life now. When you hear it is the Lord, you jump. Don't even stop to ask "uhh, how high?", you just dive into His love and works. He will shape you, mold you, keep you and feed you. Because "they dared not ask who He was", means this man didn't look like the former Jesus, but they knew in their hearts as we too just know...
IT IS THE LORD!
OH WOW! LORD YOU ARE SO AWESOME
 adrian
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