Looking For You

Email not displaying correctly? View in your browser. Minute Meditations Peace is Perfection Peace is simplicity of heart, serenity of mind, tranquility of soul, the bond of love. Peace means order, harmony in our whole being; it means continual contentment springing from the knowledge of a good conscience; it is the holy joy of a heart in which God reigns. — from The Joyful Spirit of Padre Pio Gabriel (Michael, Gabriel and Raphael) Angels—messengers from God—appear frequently in Scripture, but only Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are named. Michael appears in Daniel's vision as "the great prince" who defends Israel against its enemies (12:1); in the Book of Revelation, Michael leads God's armies to final victory over the forces of evil (12:7). Devotion to Michael is the oldest angelic devotion, rising in the East in the fourth century. The Church in the West began to observe a feast honoring Michael and the angels in the fifth century. Gabriel also makes an appearance in Daniel's visions, announcing Michael's role in God's plan. His best-known appearance is an encounter with a young Jewish girl named Mary, who consents to bear the Messiah (Luke 1:26-38). Raphael's activity is confined to the Old Testament story of Tobit. There he guides Tobit's son, Tobiah, through a series of fantastic adventures which lead to a threefold happy ending: Tobiah's marriage to Sarah, the healing of Tobit's blindness and the restoration of the family fortune. The memorials of Gabriel (March 24) and Raphael (October 24) were added to the Roman calendar in 1921. The 1970 revision of the calendar joined their feasts to Michael's. Comment: Each of these archangels performs a different mission in Scripture: Michael protects; Gabriel announces; Raphael guides. Earlier belief that inexplicable events were due to the actions of spiritual beings has given way to a scientific world-view and a different sense of cause and effect. Yet believers still experience God's protection, communication and guidance in ways which defy description. We cannot dismiss angels too lightly. Quote: "In praising your faithful angels and archangels, we also praise your glory, for in honoring them, we honor you, their creator. Their splendor shows us your greatness, which surpasses in goodness the whole of creation" (Sacramentary, Preface for Angels). Patron Saint of: Broadcasters Communication workers Messengers Postal workers Radio Telecommunications Daily Prayer - 2016-01-13 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 Lord, grant me the grace to be free from the excesses of this life. Let me not get caught up with the desire for wealth. Keep my heart and mind free to love and serve you. Consciousness There is a time and place for everything, as the saying goes. Lord, grant that I may always desire to spend time in your presence. To hear your call. The Word of God Reading 1 1 Sm 3:1-10, 19-20 During the time young Samuel was minister to the LORD under Eli, a revelation of the LORD was uncommon and vision infrequent. One day Eli was asleep in his usual place. His eyes had lately grown so weak that he could not see. The lamp of God was not yet extinguished, and Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was. The LORD called to Samuel, who answered, "Here I am." Samuel ran to Eli and said, "Here I am. You called me." "I did not call you," Eli said. "Go back to sleep." So he went back to sleep. Again the LORD called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli. "Here I am," he said. "You called me." But Eli answered, "I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep." At that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD, because the LORD had not revealed anything to him as yet. The LORD called Samuel again, for the third time. Getting up and going to Eli, he said, "Here I am. You called me." Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth. So Eli said to Samuel, "Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'" When Samuel went to sleep in his place, the LORD came and revealed his presence, calling out as before, "Samuel, Samuel!" Samuel answered, "Speak, for your servant is listening." Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect. Thus all Israel from Dan to Beersheba came to know that Samuel was an accredited prophet of the LORD. Responsorial Psalm PS 40:2 and 5, 7-8a, 8b-9, 10 R. (8a and 9a) Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. I have waited, waited for the LORD, and he stooped toward me and heard my cry. Blessed the man who makes the LORD his trust; who turns not to idolatry or to those who stray after falsehood. R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I, "Behold I come." R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. "In the written scroll it is prescribed for me. To do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!" R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know. R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. Alleluia Jn 10:27 R. Alleluia, alleluia. My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord. I know them, and they follow me. R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mk 1:29-39 On leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you." He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come." So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee. - - - Some thoughts on today's scripture Jesus does his tour preaching and casting out devils. And we're given to understand that these two are practically the same thing -- and that, were it not for the devils (who here want to find their voice!), even disease and sickness would disappear. Jesus is going into battle head to head with the kingdom of evil. When I feel powerless before outside events, and before wayward tendencies in my own heart -- I ask Jesus, the strong one, to come to my side. 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 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: 1 Samuel 3:1-10, 19-20 View NAB Reading at USCCB.org Subscriber? Login to view archives. Saint Hilary, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Optional Memorial) Revelation of the Lord was uncommon. (1 Samuel 3:1) Up until the mid-1900s, news was a scarce commodity, and it didn't travel very fast. For example, when the American colonies declared independence, King George III of England didn't hear about it for two months! News of the famous "Charge of the Light Brigade," immortalized by the poet Tennyson, didn't reach England for nearly a month. But then came the telegraph, the telephone, television, and the Internet. Now almost anyone can get news anytime—including a lot of news that's unnecessary! Think of how God communicates with his people. In the time of the Old Testament, he usually spoke through his messengers, the prophets. And so as the writer of 1 Samuel tells us, "revelation of the Lord was uncommon and vision infrequent" (1 Samuel 3:1). But that changed when Jesus poured out his Spirit on Pentecost. The apostles spread the good news of the gospel throughout the known world in a very short time. Empowered by the Spirit, they became the equivalent of high-speed transmission! As members of the Church, we have inherited the mission of transmitting the Gospel—and what a revolutionary message it is! We carry the news that death has been vanquished, and that there's no reason to fear. We are here to let people know that it's not just the next life, but this life, that can be transformed through the power of Christ. The call to evangelize may seem intimidating, especially if you think it's all up to you. But you aren't responsible for converting someone else—just for giving what you have. Today, think about one person you know who needs to know Jesus. Pray about one action you can take that will witness God's love to that person. Perhaps you've known someone for years but have never shared your story. Or perhaps you've just met someone who is clearly in need of prayer. Take that one step of faith, and see how far the Spirit will carry it. You can become proof that revelation of the Lord is no longer "uncommon"! "Lord, who needs to hear of your life-saving mercy? How can I share your news with that person? Help me to plant just one seed of love in someone's life today." Psalm 40:2, 5, 7-10 Mark 1:29-39 Looking For You Podcast Page: http://hipcast.com/podcast/HjcFB6mX my2cents: I like those ninja theme shows, because they have a teacher they call "master", and in the case of the prophets, there is a teacher, like Eli, someone showing the way to greatness, and today the blinding Eli passes the baton to Samuel when he realizes God is speaking to this child that was left at the altar; just say this ""Speak, for your servant is listening."  Have you ever heard the Lord speak your name?  If you haven't, then try dedicating more time at the Blessed Sacrament, and also more quiet time at home with the Lord.  Turn off the TV, that horrid time killer, turn off that noise coming out of that radio, turn off even some lights and light a candle for the Lord and speak to the Lord for a short time and then most of the time, just try to sit still and Know That He Is God.  If the Lord has spoken my name, the name called warmed my heart and tugged to conversion and automatically the reply is "speak Lord, I am your servant".  Automatic, as automatic as a mother heeds the call and cry of a child, as automatic as shutting down everything when something greater has occurred, this is how it is when the Lord calls, because who He is, the creator, the Grand Master is speaking, and His word is grand and true, and wants to live through you. We pray the Psalms with our Lord "Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me."  And "In the written scroll it is prescribed for me. To do your will, O my God, is my delight..."  This is how yesterday's email reflection was left off and it picks up today.  His word is Gold, it is my treasure, it is our treasure, what He says goes, no matter where it leads us.  "Let it by thy will", I like a song that sings "have thine own way Lord".  When you surrender to the Lord and follow Him, you'll begin to witness amazing things, healings, I guess you could call them miracles, but miracles sound cheap nowadays, because compared to a spiritual healing...like being freed from demonic spirits, that there is truly amazing.  This is why I kept prodding at the RCIA students last night when I kept asking over and over "what do you think the Lord means when He says "ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened"?  I ask you the same?  One said "healings?"  And the other said "salvation" and wouldn't let up on that, adamant he was.  I said "you are all looking at temporal things...you are confining God to too little!"   Here you can ask Him for anything, the greatest in the world, and we do not...we do not ask OF HIM, of HIM to reign in our souls, of HIM, a piece of HIM to partake of HIM.  How often do you invoke the Holy Spirit into your life?  How often do you knock at the door of His heart to say "will you fall in love with me?".  Because He chases us to the ends of the earth, foolishly in Love, but we are so fooled that we do not seek Him to make Him fall in love with us!  Knock and it WILL be opened.  Ask and you WILL RECEIVE. In comes the Lord into our lives by way of the Holy Gospel and the only words He was quoted saying was " "Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come."  He wasn't going to remain only where they called Him, but going where He was not called by the people...chasing after you and me.  For if we fail to heed His call, it does not mean He isn't calling....it's that we are not listening.  Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.  Read the book by Father Mitch Pacwa "How To Listen When God Is Speaking".   You'll be pointed in the direction, like a master teaching the pupil, the young warrior to be.  There you'll learn what it means to communicate with a loved one, and that loved one ultimately ends up being our LORD, the one to be Loved...surrender, heed the call.  The reflection before my2cents said to reach out to at least one person.  In the name of the Lord do it.  If you make a difference in one life, you could make the difference of a thousand lives.  That's why the Lord deals with person by person, and an Archangel to only one person, whether to a prophet, or the Mother of our Lord.  The dealings are personal.  I have sat with some week after week, reminding them of the importance of the love of God and His commands, yet, they do not listen.  They do not follow His commands, they see me living them but do not believe.  We pick and choose what we want to believe and this, this being obstinate means the heart is still hard, not softened, not attuned to hearing His voice.  Because when the Lord speaks, you automatically say YES.  Yes Lord, I hear you, I will listen, I will follow, I will go where you lead.  The world has too many leaders and thinkers and not enough doers and followers.  Let us become a follower that leads the leader.  If my life is changed for the good of the Lord, it is because I have witnessed followers, doers.  This is the year of great things, do you doubt?  This is the year you can convert!  This is the year the Lord enters our temple!  This is the year we can consume mercy and be what we eat!  This is the year we will listen to the Master, for that warrior will be launched and is already in trials, for the suffering church is the Church of God and none more evident than in the faithful, living in harmonious joy and peace, because they are in love with God.  I invite you to do more, meet outside of Mass, community is critical, your family is a community, your Church is a community, and we are to join and be one in Holiness, especially at His table, where He serves and we are honored and blessed and in turn surrender our lives to Him by giving of ourselves because we follow Him... adrian Subscribe

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