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Monday, April 30, 2018

He Will Teach You

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Seeds of Hope

I am beginning to think that in our time we will correct almost nothing, and get almost nowhere: but if we can just prepare a compassionate and receptive soil for the future, we will have done a great work. Every minute life begins all over again. Eternity is in the present. Eternity is in the palm of the hand. Eternity is a seed of fire, whose sudden roots break barriers that keep my heart from being an abyss.

—from The Art of Thomas Merton: A Divine Passion in Word and Vision

The Art of Thomas Merton
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Quote
"Commitment is doing what you said you would do, after the feeling you said it in has passed."
— St. Camillus

MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"The soul, who is lifted by a very great and yearning desire for the honor of God and the salvation of souls, begins by exercising herself, for a certain space of time, in the ordinary virtues, remaining in the cell of self-knowledge, in order to know better the goodness of God towards her. This she does because knowledge must precede love, and only when she has attained love, can she strive to follow and to clothe herself with the truth. But, in no way, does the creature receive such a taste of the truth, or so brilliant a light therefrom, as by means of humble and continuous prayer, founded on knowledge of herself and of God; because prayer, exercising her in the above way, unites with God the soul that follows the footprints of Christ Crucified, and thus, by desire and affection, and union of love, makes her another Himself."
— St. Catherine of Siena, p.1
AN EXCERPT FROM
Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena

VERSE OF THE DAY
"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Matthew 6:14-15

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POPE SAINT PIUS V

Pope St. Pius V (1504–1572) was born as Antonio Ghislieri to a poor yet noble family in Bosco, Italy. He worked as a shepherd until the age of 14, after which he joined the Dominican Order and was ordained a priest at the age of 24. He taught theology and philosophy, spent long hours in prayer, and fasted regularly. Due to his great intelligence and reputation for holiness he rose to a number of prominent positions in the Church, including Inquisitor and Bishop. In 1565 he was elected Pope and took the name Pope Pius V. As Supreme Pontiff he was a great reformer and worked to implement the decisions of the Council of Trent following the Protestant revolt. He reformed the clergy, supported the foreign missions, published a catechism, revised the breviary and missal, and named St. Thomas Aquinas a Doctor of the Church. In his alliance with Venice and Spain, and with the aid of a rosary crusade among the faithful, he defeated the Ottoman Turks in the famous and decisive Battle of Lepanto in the Mediterranean sea on October 7, 1571. This miraculous victory saved Europe from being ruled by the Ottoman Empire. The Holy Father afterwards instituted the feast of Our Lady of Victory (now Our Lady of the Rosary) in thanksgiving to Our Lady for leading the Christian forces to victory, and to encourage a greater devotion to the Holy Rosary throughout the universal Church. For this he is known as the "Pope of the Rosary." His feast day is April 30th.

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Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Reading 1 Acts 14:5-18

There was an attempt in Iconium
by both the Gentiles and the Jews,
together with their leaders,
to attack and stone Paul and Barnabas.
They realized it,
and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe
and to the surrounding countryside,
where they continued to proclaim the Good News.

At Lystra there was a crippled man, lame from birth,
who had never walked.
He listened to Paul speaking, who looked intently at him,
saw that he had the faith to be healed,
and called out in a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet."
He jumped up and began to walk about.
When the crowds saw what Paul had done,
they cried out in Lycaonian,
"The gods have come down to us in human form."
They called Barnabas "Zeus" and Paul "Hermes,"
because he was the chief speaker.
And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city,
brought oxen and garlands to the gates,
for he together with the people intended to offer sacrifice.

The Apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their garments
when they heard this and rushed out into the crowd, shouting,
"Men, why are you doing this?
We are of the same nature as you, human beings.
We proclaim to you good news
that you should turn from these idols to the living God,
who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them.
In past generations he allowed all Gentiles to go their own ways;
yet, in bestowing his goodness,
he did not leave himself without witness,
for he gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons,
and filled you with nourishment and gladness for your hearts."
Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds
from offering sacrifice to them.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 115:1-2, 3-4, 15-16
R. (1ab) Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Not to us, O LORD, not to us
but to your name give glory
because of your mercy, because of your truth.
Why should the pagans say,
"Where is their God?"
R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Our God is in heaven;
whatever he wills, he does.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the handiwork of men.
R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
May you be blessed by the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
Heaven is the heaven of the LORD,
but the earth he has given to the children of men.
R. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia Jn 14:26
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Holy Spirit will teach you everything
and remind you of all I told you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Jn 14:21-26

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him."
Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him,
"Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us
and not to the world?"
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.

"I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit
whom the Father will send in my name --
he will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you."


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Meditation: Acts 14:5-18

Saint Pius V, Pope (Optional Memorial)

When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they cried out. (Acts 14:11)

Picture today's scene. A man who had never walked before in his life had jumped up and was standing right in front of the crowd. It was an amazing miracle! No wonder the people couldn't contain their excitement. So Barnabas and Paul seized this opportunity to tell them about the One who had healed this man.

In the midst of our own uncertainties and unresolved questions, today should be a day of rejoicing as well. Why? Because God is at work. Because we are surrounded by miracles all day, every day. Our heavenly Father is reaching out to us this very moment. We may not know it all the time, but that doesn't mean that God is passive. Miracles come in many different forms, and God wants to open our eyes to see them. He wants to help us recognize that he is with us, reaching out to us and offering us his grace.

What kinds of miracles does God want to help us see? Well, think of the times when you have received some kind of inner healing or strength. Or think of a time when you knew for sure that God had forgiven you, or when you were able to forgive someone else. Think of those moments, perhaps at Mass, when you were convinced that God was with you in a special way. Or maybe you have prayed for a loved one with a serious illness, and then seen him recover without any medical explanation. Each of these is a miracle just as awe inspiring as the miracle Paul and Barnabas performed in today's first reading.

Behind all these miracles is the promise in today's Gospel: "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him" (John 14:23). No matter what you are facing today, or any day, you can hold on to this truth. God himself has chosen to live in your heart. He is with you in every circumstance, offering you his grace, peace, and hope. Your Father is always walking ahead of you, beside you, and behind you. What could possibly be more miraculous than that?

"Father, thank you for living in my heart. I can't wait to see what miracles you will work in my life today!"

Psalm 115:1-4, 15-16
John 14:21-26

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2cents

my2cents:

About Paul and Barnabas, "...they continued to proclaim the Good News." People were hunting for them to kill them. They fled. At this point, you would think they may be tempted to water down the message, or even quit. But no, that's not how the Holy Spirit works! Instead, they went to the next cities and healed a crippled man and the people thought they were the highest gods! What is the Holy Spirit telling you now? For sure...persevere.

"Our God is in heaven; whatever he wills, he does. Their idols are silver and gold, the handiwork of men. Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory." Some protestants declare that Catholics worship handiwork, idols, things fashioned by man, but as the Psalm proclaims the truth, "not to us Lord, but to your name give the GLORY!"

In comes the Lord "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him."
Dissect this quickly:
† Whoever loves me will keep my word.
Peter, do you love Me? Keep my word.

Do you love our Lord? What has He not done to prove His love? This is the greatest deficiency in the world...a father's love. Not the Father from Heaven's love but our love. We abandon things for our own whims, selfish gains, which are actually a loss. If there is no love shown, there is no love seen.
† And my Father will love him.

And this is a Father's love. It feels good to be loved, but surely, love is not a mere feeling. It is a decision, a commitment and to our Father in Heaven, it is even more than that. It is something hard to see for sure, because we can not fathom His kind of love...self sacrificing.
† And we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Jesus said He is going ahead of us to prepare a dwelling place for us, but are we preparing a place for Him at all? How can He prepare a room for us if we can not prepare a room for Him? What's more, Jesus said He'd prepare a dwelling place or mansion, not just rooms. This is what it means: Jesus says "I give you my whole heart" and you?

And the Holy Spirit wants to dwell here and now in us. How? Be open. Be praying. Be looking for Him to connect with. Be ever vigilant and watchful and staying away from sin. Be Holy. Be found with your lights on. Be pure and purely His. Be then...faithful

We can be faithful together.

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Friday, April 27, 2018

Where You Are Going

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A Diversity of Voices

Today, Father, this blue sky lauds you. The delicate green and orange flowers of the tulip poplar tree praise you. The distant blue hills praise you, together with the sweet-smelling air that is full of brilliant light. The bickering flycatchers praise you with the lowing cattle and the quails that whistle over there. I too, Father, praise you, with all these my brothers, and they give voice to my own heart and to my own silence. We are all one silence and a diversity of voices.

—from The Art of Thomas Merton: A Divine Passion in Word and Vision
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Quote
"Help me to journey beyond the familiar and into the unknown. Give me the faith to leave old ways and break fresh ground with You."
— St. Brendan

MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"Do not suppose that after advancing the soul to such a state God abandons it so easily that it is light work for the devil to regain it. When His Majesty sees it leaving Him, He feels the loss so keenly that He gives it in many a way a thousand secret warnings which reveal to it the hidden danger. In conclusion, let us strive to make constant progress: we ought to feel great alarm if we do not find ourselves advancing, for without doubt the evil one must be planning to injure us in some way; it is impossible for a soul that has come to this state not to go still farther, for love is never idle. Therefore it is a very bad sign when one comes to a standstill in virtue."
— St. Teresa of Avila, p.99
AN EXCERPT FROM
Interior Castle

VERSE OF THE DAY
"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."
Lamentations 3:22-23

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Saint Louis Mary Grignion de Montfort

(January 31, 1673 – April 28, 1716)

Louis's life is inseparable from his efforts to promote genuine devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus and mother of the Church. Totus tuus ("completely yours") was Louis's personal motto; Pope John Paul II chose it as his episcopal motto.

Born in the Breton village of Montfort, close to Rennes, France, as an adult Louis identified himself by the place of his Baptism instead of his family name, Grignion. After being educated by the Jesuits and the Sulpicians, he was ordained a diocesan priest in 1700.

Soon he began preaching parish missions throughout western France. His years of ministering to the poor prompted him to travel and live very simply, sometimes getting him into trouble with Church authorities. In his preaching, which attracted thousands of people back to the faith, Father Louis recommended frequent, even daily, Holy Communion—not the custom then!—and imitation of the Virgin Mary's ongoing acceptance of God's will for her life.

Louis founded the Missionaries of the Company of Mary, for priests and brothers, and the Daughters of Wisdom, who cared especially for the sick. His book True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin has become a classic explanation of Marian devotion.

Louis died in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre, where a basilica has been erected in his honor. He was canonized in 1947. His Liturgical Feast Day is April 28.

Reflection
Like Mary, Louis experienced challenges in his efforts to follow Jesus. Opposed at times in his preaching and in his other ministries, Louis knew with Saint Paul, "Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth" (1 Corinthians 3:7). Any attempt to succeed by worldly standards runs the risk of betraying the Good News of Jesus. Mary is "the first and most perfect disciple," as the late Sulpician Father Raymond Brown described her.

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Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter

Reading 1 Acts 13:26-33

When Paul came to Antioch in Pisidia, he said in the synagogue:
"My brothers, children of the family of Abraham,
and those others among you who are God-fearing,
to us this word of salvation has been sent.
The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him,
and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophets
that are read sabbath after sabbath.
For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence,
they asked Pilate to have him put to death,
and when they had accomplished all that was written about him,
they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb.
But God raised him from the dead,
and for many days he appeared to those
who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.
These are now his witnesses before the people.
We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you
that what God promised our fathers
he has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus,
as it is written in the second psalm,
You are my Son; this day I have begotten you."

Responsorial Psalm Ps 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab
R. (7bc) You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
"I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain."
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
The LORD said to me, "You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you."
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
"Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish."
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And now, O kings, give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;
with trembling rejoice.
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia Jn 14:6
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
No one comes to the Father except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Jn 14:1-6

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father's house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way."
Thomas said to him,
"Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?"
Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me."


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Meditation: John 14:1-6

Do not let your hearts be troubled. (John 14:1)

More and more families are living paycheck to paycheck. The middle class is eroding. Inner-city problems are on the rise. The divorce rate remains at about 40 percent. Four in ten Americans will be diagnosed with some form of cancer at some point.

That sure sounds like a mountain of trouble, doesn't it? Yet today's Gospel tells us, "Do not let your hearts be troubled" (John 14:1).

When Jesus said these words, his own mind was consumed with trouble. He knew that in the next twenty-four hours, he was going to face humiliation, pain, and death on a cross. It must have been an awful moment for Jesus.

Isn't it amazing, then, that Jesus could even think to tell his apostles, "Do not let your hearts be troubled" (John 14:1)?

So what can we conclude? First, everyone faces some sort of trouble in their lives, not just us. Things won't always go right, and we will feel grief, sadness, and pain. In short, our hearts will be troubled.

But there is good news. Jesus knows our troubles because he faced similar temptations and similar troubles in his own life. That's why he is able to sympathize with us. That's why he is able to help us (Hebrews 4:15).

Second, in the midst of our troubles, Jesus wants to tell us that he is always with us. The psalmist tells us that there will be times when we will have to walk through some dark valleys, but that whenever we do, God will be with us, comforting us and giving us the courage to make it through.

Today's Gospel is perhaps the most comforting word in all of Scripture. It can become a stronghold of safety and reassurance for each of us. So keep repeating Jesus' words: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me" (John 14:1-2). Let these words convince you of who you are and what you believe. Let it fill you with God's peace. You never have to face anything alone!

"Lord, help me stay close to you when I face trials and difficulties. Give me the grace to walk through every dark valley filled with faith and trust in you."

Acts 13:26-33
Psalm 2:6-11

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2cents

my2cents:

Saint Paul said "...for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These are now his witnesses before the people." These people witnessed to the people. These people who had gone the way got to see Jesus alive again. These people that had followed from Galilee, where He taught them and fed them and they crossed the waters following Him even as He walked on waters eventually to Jerusalem. These people followed all the way to the end of the point of life with Him...truth and faithfulness. And they are living witnesses of God's love and life and life in love.

So let us pray: "And now, O kings, give heed; take warning, you rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him; with trembling rejoice. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you". God gave us the "begotten Son". From His own heart...to ours. This is how the old has become new. The old Testament, the old Covenant, now has been transformed to be ever new and renewed in our hearts. "My Son. You are to have My inheritance, quite simply the best gift in the world, an eternal life with Me, your Holy And Righteous God, of whom you should tremble and fear and rejoice in." How though, to fear someone so loving and so humble? How can we fear Jesus? He has been given all power and might and authority, but has come as the gentle lamb, that only opened His mouth to utter love and show love and never silenced on truth. Surely though, our Father is mighty, and to tremble before. If He willed it, the world would catch on fire and shake, and lightning would cause many deaths in panic and anxieties. Yet, this kind of calamity exists in the spiritual realm. It is all too real, although unseen. For this, we need our Savior, the Sacred Heart of God.

In comes our Holy Lord and Savior: ""Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me." Like a shaking lamb, trembling in the cold and afraid, I come before the Lord, "Lord, I need you, but I'm scared to come to you". And He says again "have faith in Me, have faith in God". But Lord, the world gots me weak, I am so attached to earthly things, how can I let go...of this life? He says: "...if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be." I say "Lord, what place is it? What are you offering? What kind of place is it?" "In my Father's house there are many dwelling places". I say "Lord, I want a place in your dwelling, I want to dwell with you forever, that would be my dream come true" and I can imagine, a huge place but so full of love and compassion, a little nook to rest and the view is phenomenal....all I can see is God and I am lost in love, everything else just feeds into this immense beauty, perhaps what they call "the beatific vision". God invites us there. Ohh, it's so exciting yet so scary, and the hardest part? How will we get there? He says "Where I am going you know the way." It is true. It is written in our hearts, of every single soul anointed with the Holy Spirit. We have an interior guiding light. Jesus our Lord says "I AM the way". Jesus is the way to Heaven. The beauty can start this day. This begotten day. Where God imparts Himself to you in a special way. If you like good things in life...there is more. Do you believe? Hard to fathom if you have not experienced it. The beauty? Haven been given the chance to live even this mere morsel of God's goodness this day. And to think He did it by dying on a cross. And to think He'd do it again. As if to say "that's nothing....I love you so much".
Do we deserve this kind of love?
Your eyes have reached this for a reason.
If it were not so, you would not have read it.
Our true Home, and calling to come home, is made.

Oh Lord, how precious is your Sacred Heart

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