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| Obedience to Jesus |  | | Lord, please fill my heart and soul with the confidence that you will always provide what I need, when I need it, and let me be obedient to you. | | |
St. Augustine of Hippo
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http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02084a.htm
Brewers
Theologians
Daily Prayer - 2015-08-28 Presence I pause for a moment
and reflect on God's life-giving presence
in every part of my body, in everything around me,
in the whole of my life. 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 I ask how I am within myself today?
Am I particularly tired, stressed, or off-form?
If any of these characteristics apply,
can I try to let go of the concerns that disturb me? The Word of God Memorial of Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Brothers and sisters,
we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that,
as you received from us
how you should conduct yourselves to please God--
and as you are conducting yourselves--
you do so even more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
This is the will of God, your holiness:
that you refrain from immorality,
that each of you know how to acquire a wife for himself
in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion
as do the Gentiles who do not know God;
not to take advantage of or exploit a brother or sister in this matter,
for the Lord is an avenger in all these things,
as we told you before and solemnly affirmed.
For God did not call us to impurity but to holiness.
Therefore, whoever disregards this,
disregards not a human being but God,
who also gives his Holy Spirit to you. R. (12a) Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
Justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the LORD of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD loves those who hate evil;
he guards the lives of his faithful ones;
from the hand of the wicked he delivers them.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
Light dawns for the just;
and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the LORD, you just,
and give thanks to his holy name.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just! R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Be vigilant at all times and pray,
that you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins
who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,
brought no oil with them,
but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.
Since the bridegroom was long delayed,
they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight, there was a cry,
'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'
Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.
The foolish ones said to the wise,
'Give us some of your oil,
for our lamps are going out.'
But the wise ones replied,
'No, for there may not be enough for us and you.
Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.'
While they went off to buy it,
the bridegroom came
and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him.
Then the door was locked.
Afterwards the other virgins came and said,
'Lord, Lord, open the door for us!'
But he said in reply,
'Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.'
Therefore, stay awake,
for you know neither the day nor the hour." - - - Some thoughts on today's scripture - As Christians we wait in readiness, we wait in hope and we wait together. I may be alone at my computer, but I am conscious of the thousands of my sisters and brothers who are logged on to Sacred Space with me at this very moment.
- Our entire life is leading to one point, the arrival of the Bridegroom. When he comes, may I hear him say -- as in the Song of Songs - "Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one, and come!"
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 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: Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 10-12 View NAB Reading at USCCB.org Subscriber? Login to view archives. Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Memorial) Light dawns for the just; and gladness, for the upright of heart. (Psalm 97:11) The psalms are full of promises of reward for the just and punishment for the wicked. The Lord "secures justice for the oppressed" (Psalm 146:7), but he will take away the strength of the wicked (Psalm 37). But why is it that we sometimes see suffering come to the most saintly people we know, while some of those who ignore God's ways seem to prosper? Most disturbing, why is it that the whole history of the Church shows faithful Christians being brutally persecuted, tortured, and killed. Why doesn't the Lord "secure justice" for them? Many centuries ago, St. Augustine used today's Psalm to help explain this conundrum. The light that dawns for everyone—the sun—shows us only physical reality. But in the eyes of the just, there is a different light: Jesus, the eternal Son. For those who place their faith in him, an inner light shines on the sufferings of this world and reveals a deeper reality: God is King of all creation, and he offers eternal life to his people. Whether it is at the hands of the Roman Empire, the Soviet Union, or the so-called Islamic State, Christians persecuted for their faith have found their faith to be a source of deep comfort and strength. Augustine goes so far as to talk of the persecuted faithful "preaching Christ amid their torments" and finding "joy in the iron-chair," a cruel instrument of torture. And the good news is that the power of God that brings profound freedom to the imprisoned and happiness to the oppressed is still alive and active today! Of course, tragedy and injustice continue, as we witness in painful stories like that of the twenty-one Egyptian Christians who were martyred this past February. But we should never lose sight of our hope in the Lord. As well as continuing to pray for peace, we need to pray for everyone undergoing persecution right now. As we do, let's also lift up the times when we suffer misunderstanding or prejudice for our faith. May Christ's light dawn on his people everywhere, revealing all of these situations as opportunities for his victory to be manifested in our lives! "Father, show mercy to your people, whether by sparing their suffering or by strengthening them to endure it in the light of faith." 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
Matthew 25:1-13
my2cents:
For those of us wondering "what is God's will for us today?", we read in today's 1st Holy Scripture "This is the will of God, your holiness: that you refrain from immorality...". Immorality has been taking place for as long as man can remember. And since the Lord our God has come into the picture, He has been asking that we refrain from immorality, that was the apple in the garden, that what He said "don't" and we did. We bit the apple of death...brought about by immorality. Can anyone heal us from everlasting death? Of course, only one...Jesus. Someone can make straight the crooked paths we've taken in our lives. Someone can heal the wrongdoings, and it is our Lord of the Heavens. Is it so hard to be obedient? Is it so hard to Love God? "For God did not call us to impurity but to holiness. Therefore, whoever disregards this, disregards not a human being but God, who also gives his Holy Spirit to you." Therefore...be ready, Jesus has come, is here, and is coming.
The Psalms pray "The LORD loves those who hate evil; he guards the lives of his faithful ones; from the hand of the wicked he delivers them." and "Rejoice in the Lord, you Just". So could we say we live in a world of hatred? For we are to hate evil, and evil hates us back. I read yesterday "A coalition of 130 LGBT aligned groups (including the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, NARAL, and others) just launched their first major salvo in their plan to destroy religious freedom since the tragic Supreme Court decision on marriage in June. " The launch of attack is on its way, and they will try say if you are a Christian, you are a hater. Funny how it carries a grain of truth, because we are supposed to hate evil. Yet, for a generation we were lax, cool with evil, and now it is biting us back. This is what happens. Like a parent who does not discipline their child and the child grows up hating its parents and even killing them. You should hate evil if you are striving for holiness. Why? Because evil kills...not just one another...but your soul.
In the Holy Gospel today, our Lord comes with the story of the bridegroom and the 10 virgins. Half of them were ready, and half were not. It's much like in Mathew 24:41 "Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. 42*Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. " Half will be ready? Which half of your two will be ready? The flesh, the hedonism, the easy way, or the other half that has to fight to live the harder way that gives light? Because the lamps had to give light to be recognized by the groom. Those with their lights out...remained in darkness. And they were asking at the last minute for oil which means "give me your soul because mine is not ready". YIKES. Only one person has give their life like this...Jesus, the oil. With no oil, we have no light. No Jesus, No Heaven. Know Jesus, Know Heaven. As I heard mother Angelica say this morning on EWTN satelite radio "were the virgins stingy with their oil? No, they had no time". Just like we have no time now, so it will be later, no time for you. No time to get into Heaven. No time to be with our Lord, because we were asleep, cool with evil, playing with the devil, hypnotized by the world. Let's take into account our days, our limited time. What can we do in a world of hatred? We can hate the right things. Hate what is killing us and taking away our oil. But sincerely hate it. Stop fooling around with the devil and trying to be cool and "peaceful" making deals. For we are either with the Lord or we are not. Jesus is coming in your lifetime...in the end...will you be ready shining the light or not for the King of Light, the Son Himself will shine bright as we pray in every Holy Mass these parts of the Nicene Creed "....light from light, true God from true God, consubstantial with the Father, begotten not made, We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen."
 adrian
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