| "Temptation to a certain sin, to any sin whatsoever, might last throughout our whole life, yet it can never make us displeasing to God's Majesty provi | |  click for more |
"Temptation to a certain sin, to any sin whatsoever, might last throughout our whole life, yet it can never make us displeasing to God's Majesty provided we do not take pleasure in it and give consent to it. You must have great courage in the midst of temptation. Never think yourself overcome as long as they are displeasing to you, keeping clearly in mind the difference between feeling temptation and consenting to it."
— St. Teresa of Avila
AN EXCERPT FROM
The Fulfillment of All Desire, p158 |
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St. Isidore of Seville BISHOP Feast: April 4 Information:
Feast Day: April 4
Born: 560 at Cartagena, Spain
Died: 4 April 636 at Seville, Spain
Canonized: 1598, Rome by Pope Clement VIII
Patron of: computer technicians, computer users, computers, the Internet, schoolchildren, students Born at Cartagena, Spain, about 560; died 4 April, 636. Isidore was the son of Severianus and Theodora. His elder brother Leander was his immediate predecessor in the Metropolitan See of Seville; whilst a younger brother St. Fulgentius presided over the Bishopric of Astigi. His sister Florentina was a nun, and is said to have ruled over forty convents and one thousand religious. Isidore received his elementary education in the Cathedral school of Seville. In this institution, which was the first of its kind in Spain, the trivium and quadrivium were taught by a body of learned men, among whom was the archbishop, Leander. With such diligence did he apply himself to study that in a remarkably short time mastered Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. Whether Isidore ever embraced monastic life or not is still an open question, but though he himself may never have been affiliated with any of the religious orders, he esteemed them highly. On his elevation to the episcopate he immediately constituted himself protector of the monks. In 619 he pronounced anathema against any ecclesiastic who should in any way molest the monasteries. On the death of Leander, Isidore succeeded to the See of Seville. His long incumbency to this office was spent in a period of disintegration and transition. The ancient institutions and classic learning of the Roman Empire were fast disappearing. In Spain a new civilization was beginning to evolve itself from the blending racial elements that made up its population. For almost two centuries the Goths had been in full control of Spain, and their barbarous manners and contempt of learning threatened greatly to put back her progress in civilization. Realizing that the spiritual as well as the material well-being of the nation depended on the full assimilation of the foreign elements, St. Isidore set himself to the task of welding into a homogeneous nation the various peoples who made up the Hispano-Gothic kingdom. To this end he availed himself of all the resources of religion and education. His efforts were attended with complete success. Arianism, which had taken deep root among the Visigoths, was eradicated, and the new heresy of Acephales was completely stifled at the very outset; religious discipline was everywhere strengthened Read the rest: http://ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/I/stisidoreofseville.asp#ixzz44rJ8OxC0 |
Sacred Space
Daily Prayer - 2016-04-04 Presence What is present to me is what has a hold on my becoming.
I reflect on the Presence of God always there in love,
amidst the many things that have a hold on me.
I pause and pray that I may let God
affect my becoming in this precise moment. 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 In the presence of my loving Creator, I look honestly at my feelings over the last day, the highs, the lows and the level ground. Can I see where the Lord has been present? The Word of God Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord Reading 1 Is 7:10-14; 8:10 The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying:
Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;
let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!
But Ahaz answered,
"I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!"
Then Isaiah said:
Listen, O house of David!
Is it not enough for you to weary people,
must you also weary my God?
Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:
the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son,
and shall name him Emmanuel,
which means "God is with us!" Responsorial Psalm PS 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 11 R. (8a and 9a) Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, "Behold I come." R. Here I am, 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 I am, 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 I am, Lord; I come to do your will. Your justice I kept not hid within my heart;
your faithfulness and your salvation I have spoken of;
I have made no secret of your kindness and your truth
in the vast assembly. R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. Reading 2 Heb 10:4-10 Brothers and sisters:
It is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats
take away sins.
For this reason, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.
Then I said, 'As is written of me in the scroll,
behold, I come to do your will, O God.'" First he says, "Sacrifices and offerings,
holocausts and sin offerings,
you neither desired nor delighted in."
These are offered according to the law.
Then he says, "Behold, I come to do your will."
He takes away the first to establish the second.
By this "will," we have been consecrated
through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all. Alleluia Jn 1:14ab R. Alleluia, alleluia. The Word of God became flesh and made his dwelling among us;
and we saw his glory. R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 1:26-38 The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin's name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end."
But Mary said to the angel,
"How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?"
And the angel said to her in reply,
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God."
Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word."
Then the angel departed from her.
Some thoughts on today's scripture ▪ This scene is an image of what true prayer is about. God comes to visit me through a messenger – a line from scripture, an event, a memory. I entertain God! God takes the initiative, and greets me, surprisingly as 'the favoured one'. What does it feel like to be God's favourite?
▪ God has something in mind for me to do; like Mary I am to bear good news to others, and the Holy Spirit will help me. God waits for my response. If I say 'Yes!' the work of God in our world will be brought forward. Like her I dare to say, 'Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.' It is all so simple and yet so awesome.
Conversation Lord, I know that when I turn to you there is no need for words.
You can see into my heart.
You know my desires and you know my needs.
I place myself into your hands. 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. |
wau.org
Catholic Meditations Meditation: Luke 1:26-38 The Annunciation of the Lord (Solemnity) _Hail, full of grace! (Luke 1:28) _ With these words, the angel Gabriel greets Mary. Interestingly, the Greek word that we translate as "hail" could just as easily be translated as "Rejoice!" Can't you imagine Gabriel telling Mary, "Rejoice! You're going to love my message"? After all, he is delivering the ultimate in good news: God is coming to earth as a man—as an infant, no less—and Mary is going to be his mother! Understanding that "nothing will be impossible for God," even a virgin conceiving a child, she embraces God's will for her without hesitation (Luke 1:37). And so through her the whole world has reason to rejoice. Rejoice! This is God's message to us every day. Like Mary, we are recipients of his grace. Take a look at your day so far—or yesterday—and think about the different manifestations of grace he has poured out on you. Rejoice in the ways you have responded to his grace. Rejoice that you have a part to play in sharing that grace with the people around you. Rejoice! Like Mary, you, too, can choose to do God's will. You may hesitate from time to time, afraid that following his will might keep you from joy. But then you can also rejoice in his mercy when you fall. Rejoice that you can become like Mary, trusting that God is good and that he wants nothing but good for you and your loved ones. Rejoice too in knowing that as you cling to him in troubling times, he will set your feet on firm and joyful ground. Rejoice! God has revealed his mind to you! He continues to speak to you through Scripture, the Church, and the Holy Spirit's promptings in your heart. Rejoice that God is in your midst, just as Jesus was with Mary. Rejoice that with his word and his promptings, you can be guided by the truth of his love and goodness. Rejoice that Christ is with you to keep you from getting lost. In a world that doubts the good news, you can remain steadfast, knowing that the Lord is with you. "Jesus, thank you for casting your lot in with me as I journey toward heaven! Through your Spirit, help me to say yes to you every day." Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10
Psalm 40:7-11
Hebrews 10:4-10 |
audio2cents my2cents:
We read today "the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son". The prophecy is fulfilled when our Lord enters this world we live in and forever changed history. Now, at what particular moment did this occur? The moment that matters is at the inception of the message into your heart. God is with us.
We prayed today the Holy Psalms. "R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will." Our Blessed Mother in Heaven lived this out, and lives it out to this day. She set the example for the world, and then...our Lord was made flesh.
The 2nd reading said ""Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me" This then, is a setting part. The Virgin Mother sets herself apart for the Lord and this is a consecration. "...in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight", because the Lord desires a contrite heart...obedience. "Then I said, 'As is written of me in the scroll,
behold, I come to do your will, O God.'" This example of self surrender is demonstrated by the Virgin Mother giving her life to the world and her world was the Christ, Jesus.
In comes the Lord through His angels, ""Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you." Today brings up an interesting question...the moment of conception, the Holy Conception of our Lord Jesus, her only son, the joy of her life. Because we say and pray at Mass "...only say the word and it shall be done", like the words of the centurion to Jesus, this army commander of elite forces, stating something in front of the world, a reminder of what a Holy Sacrament is indeed. A declaration of what is going on within. A declaration that is a promise. And it all stems because of one little word to the Lord...yes.
And it should bring up the moment Peter said in reply to our Lord's question always before us "Do You Love Me?"
And Jesus says "Then feed my sheep". And from that day forth, the sheep have been fed, never to starve to death unless they've caught a sickness called sin. And for them, the Lord comes to seek, one by one, because they are not only sheep, but HIS sheep, HIS offspring, HIS babies, HIS love Let it be YOUR will, I will follow |
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