Children of God All around the world people are looking for meaning and finding it in strange, even destructive places. The world needs men and women who are so in love and so convinced of the truth that they cannot help but share it with others in word and deed, that they cannot help but make Christ present in the world. More than anything else, if what we do enables us to live with evangelical zeal for the sake of the world, we just might be doing what we are called to do. Listen with the ears; see with the eyes of God. —from Called: What Happens After Saying Yes to God
franciscan media | ✞Quote
"One just soul can obtain pardon for a thousand sinners."
— St. Margaret Mary Alacoque ✞ MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"No one who follows Me will ever walk in darkness (Jn 8:12). These words of our Lord counsel all to walk in His footsteps. If you want to see clearly and avoid blindness of heart, it is His virtues you must imitate. Make it your aim to meditate on the life of Jesus Christ. Christ's teachings surpasses that of all the Saints. But to find this spiritual nourishment you must seek to have the Spirit of Christ. It is because we lack this Spirit that so often we listen to the Gospel without really hearing it. Those who fully understand Christ's words must labor to make their lives conform to His."
— Thomas รก Kempis, p.15
AN EXCERPT FROM
The Imitation of Christ ✞ VERSE OF THE DAY
"Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed from the housetops."
Luke 12:2-3 |  click to read more | | Blessed James Oldo (1364 – April 18, 1404) You've heard rags-to-riches stories. Today, we celebrate the reverse. James of Oldo was born into a well-to-do family near Milan in 1364. He married a woman who like him, appreciated the comforts that came with wealth. But an outbreak of the plague drove James, his wife, and their three children out of their home and into the countryside. Despite those precautions, two of his daughters died from the plague. James determined to use whatever time he had left to build up treasures in heaven and to build God's realm on earth. He and his wife became Secular Franciscans. James gave up his old lifestyle and did penance for his sins. He cared for a sick priest, who taught him Latin. Upon the death of his wife, James himself became a priest. His house was transformed into a chapel where small groups of people, many of them fellow Secular Franciscans, came for prayer and support. James focused on caring for the sick and for prisoners of war. He died in 1404 after contracting a disease from one of his patients. James Oldo was beatified in 1933. Reflection
The death of those we love brings a troubling awareness of our own mortality. James had that experience when he gazed into a friend's grave, and it brought him to his senses. He determined to use whatever time he had left to build up treasures in heaven and to build God's realm on earth. Our time is limited, too. We can use it well or foolishly: The choice is ours. | Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 8:1b-8 There broke out a severe persecution of the Church in Jerusalem,
and all were scattered
throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria,
except the Apostles.
Devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lament over him.
Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the Church;
entering house after house and dragging out men and women,
he handed them over for imprisonment. Now those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.
Thus Philip went down to the city of Samaria
and proclaimed the Christ to them.
With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip
when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.
For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured.
There was great joy in that city. Responsorial Psalm Ps 66:1-3a, 4-5, 6-7a
R. (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, "How tremendous are your deeds!"
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
"Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!"
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia See Jn 6:40
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Everyone who believes in the Son has eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 6:35-40 Jesus said to the crowds,
"I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
But I told you that although you have seen me,
you do not believe.
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day."
| Meditation: John 6:35-40 3rd Week of Easter I will not reject anyone who comes to me. . . . And I shall raise him on the last day. (John 6:37, 40) On April 18th, 1506—512 years ago today—the cornerstone of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome was laid. The Basilica was designed to be an awe-inspiring edifice representing the coming together of heaven and earth. Its massive dome sits atop a cruciform structure whose arms reach out in four directions. Think of heaven hovering over the four corners of earth. The Basilica can hold a staggering 20,000 people. This monument to our first pope has withstood wars, earthquakes, invasions, and the inevitable erosion of time. Of course, the Basilica won't last forever. In fact it's constructed on the site of a much older St. Peter's—a nod to the current Basilica's finite existence. For all the splendor of St. Peter's, there is another structure that is far more magnificent. It's the Church, a spiritual edifice built on the apostles, with Jesus as its cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). It's us! More than just a symbol, the Church really does connect heaven and earth. And that's why Jesus promised that it would endure. This Church has already endured for two millennia, despite persecutions, corruption, and painful divisions. Jesus has promised that everyone who is baptized into him is also baptized into his Church. He rejects no one. This means that he has swept up your life into this magnificent construction project. You are one of the "living stones" that Jesus has formed, shaped, and cemented into his Church (1 Peter 2:5). On the last day, when his project is finally complete, Jesus will raise you up with all the other saints. You will be among that "great multitude" of worshippers coming from every tribe, nation, and tongue (Revelation 7:9). So no matter how dark the world might feel today, no matter how much rejection you may suffer, no matter how many struggles you may have, always remember that one day you will bask in Christ's glorious light that fills his Temple forever. He has welcomed you with open arms, and he has a perfect place waiting for you in his heavenly home. "Lord, I am honored that you would make me a part of your Church!" Acts 8:1-8
Psalm 66:1-7 | my2cents: Our first Holy Scripture begins with "There began a great persecution of the Church...." and the Scripture ends with "There was great joy in that city." What city? The persecution city? No. In the new city. The city of God contains great joy. Where can we find this city? Because right now, I am witnessing families destroyed by divorces, I am witnessing sadness, division, and even lies and disruption/distractions aiming to keep CCD students from teachers and teachers from students, just as it has separated priests from young children. And as of late, a wealthy person has donated nearly 10 million dollars to bring abortions to our neck of the woods, just when we thought it was gone, the weeds want to come back to destroy, choke the life out of people. You see, the devil don't stop, and it won't, until the end of the world. So what about this "city of God"? It is Heaven. Heaven is for real. How do I know? Because, the bible says so, and you know who wrote the bible? God, and used our Catholic Church to bring it to the world....yet Christ belongs to the world and in the world. He has given Himself to us, to show us the way to the city of God! ""Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you, sing praise to your name!"
Come and see the works of God, his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy." Come and see the works of God, then, you may see Him, His tremendous deeds among the children He created. Then you may cry out to Him with joy, "HE LIVES!" VIVA CRISTO REY! In the Holy Gospel, our Lord speaks about the bread He provides and then says: "But I told you that although you have seen me, you do not believe." That there is the downfall of our Christian life. When the devil convinces you not to believe, and to choose something else, like...doubt. Christ only asks one thing...that we may believe. Believe! This will cause great joy, our resurrection begins with this belief! Believe! It's like I have to spend my life with a flock that disperses easily. And here we are uniting it back together, and what is the drive behind the gathering? Grace. God. Holy Spirit. This is the driving force...Love. The love of God. Belief. A strong belief at that. "And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day." This is what our Lord aims to do with every race, religion, in essence, every child that is created on the face of the earth. Some protestants don't believe in this, but it is true, everyone deserves grace, mercy, and the love of God that is only accomplished through you and me. "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day."
A slight revelation hit me while meditating on various reflections today: I have, to this point, worried tremendously about the salvation of souls, but, along the journey, I have not focused on bringing and spreading the light of Christ". Doesn't it go hand in hand? Well, see here, God does the saving part, and He can save whomever He pleases. My task is to be light, burning bright and spreading the light. This is the beauty of the spark of life. The very spark the devil extinguishes with abortions. Life is beautiful. Life is God's creation. And life is even more precious now that populations are dwindling. I do more funerals than attend or hear of baptisms.
Every wretched person you meet carries the spark of God, no matter under how much muck it hides. Bring out the light of Christ in others.
And the beauty of Heaven will be this: that you see with your own eyes the resurrected stranger you cared for It is CHRIST | |
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