 clickable | | What Can We Learn from Mary? Mary's moments in the New Testament are few, precious, and significant. Sometimes, she teaches by her actions. Other times, she teaches us by her seeming inaction. Why would Mary, the mother of Jesus, born free of original sin, need to purify her heart? We venerate her Immaculate Heart to contemplate her love of God and the earthly journey on which he took her. What could we, normal, struggling children of God hope to learn from such a woman about purifying our own hearts? Ah, that's the thing about Mary. Like the family members and friends we most admire and desire to emulate, she shows strength in her vulnerability. Her lessons, while challenging, are as gentle as the shepherd we see in the Lord's face. —from the book Blessed Are You: Finding Inspiration from Our Sisters in Faith by Melanie Rigney |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
"Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring."
— St. Catherine of Siena † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"If you love God, lust has no place in your heart. Saint Augustine teaches that the sin of lust is like an iron chain that binds you fast, enslaving your will to perversity. When lust gains entry to your heart, it quickly takes root as a habit. If you don't resist and uproot it, that habit inevitably becomes necessary."
— Patrick Madrid, p. 336
AN EXCERPT FROM
A Year with the Bible † VERSE OF THE DAY
"For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly, guarding the paths of justice and preserving the way of his faithful ones."
Proverbs 2:6-8 SAINT OF THE DAY ⛪
ST. JAMES THE LESSER
St. James the Lesser (1st c.), also called St. James the Just, was one of the Twelve Apostles and the cousin of Jesus. Both James and his brother, St. Jude, began to follow Jesus in the second year of his ministry. St. James the Less was the first of the Twelve Apostles to whom the risen Christ appeared. After Jesus' ascension into heaven, James was given charge as bishop of the Church in Jerusalem, making him an important leader of the early Church. He was well-known for his prayer life and holiness. It is described that his knees and forehead were calloused due to long hours spent prostrate in prayer. His sanctity was such that he was respected by the Jews and considered by many to be a holy man. James the Less is the author of the New Testament epistle that bears his name. He was martyred by being thrown from the roof of the Jerusalem temple and then stoned and beaten to death as he prayed for his murderers. He died in the year 62 A.D. during the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero. St. James the Less is the patron saint of pharmacists and the dying. His feast day is May 3rd. |  click to read more | | Saints Philip and James (? – ?)
James, Son of Alphaeus: We know nothing of this man except his name, and, of course, the fact that Jesus chose him to be one of the 12 pillars of the New Israel, his Church. He is not the James of Acts, son of Clopas, "brother" of Jesus and later bishop of Jerusalem and the traditional author of the Letter of James. James, son of Alphaeus, is also known as James the Lesser to avoid confusing him with James the son of Zebedee, also an apostle and known as James the Greater. Philip: Philip came from the same town as Peter and Andrew, Bethsaida in Galilee. Jesus called him directly, whereupon he sought out Nathanael and told him of the "one about whom Moses wrote" (Jn 1:45). Like the other apostles, Philip took a long time coming to realize who Jesus was. On one occasion, when Jesus saw the great multitude following him and wanted to give them food, he asked Philip where they should buy bread for the people to eat. Saint John comments, "[Jesus] said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do" (Jn 6:6). Philip answered, "Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little [bit]" (Jn 6:7). John's story is not a put-down of Philip. It was simply necessary for these men who were to be the foundation stones of the Church to see the clear distinction between humanity's total helplessness apart from God and the human ability to be a bearer of divine power by God's gift. On another occasion, we can almost hear the exasperation in Jesus's voice. After Thomas had complained that they did not know where Jesus was going, Jesus said, "I am the way. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him" (Jn 14:6a, 7). Then Philip said, "Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us" (Jn 14:8). Enough! Jesus answered, "Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father" (Jn 14:9a). Possibly because Philip bore a Greek name or because he was thought to be close to Jesus, some gentile proselytes came to him and asked him to introduce them to Jesus. Philip went to Andrew, and Andrew went to Jesus. Jesus's reply in John's Gospel is indirect; Jesus says that now his "hour" has come, that in a short time he will give his life for Jew and gentile alike.
Reflection As in the case of the other apostles, we see in James and Philip human men who became foundation stones of the Church, and we are reminded again that holiness and its consequent apostolate are entirely the gift of God, not a matter of human achieving. All power is God's power, even the power of human freedom to accept his gifts. "You will be clothed with power from on high," Jesus told Philip and the others. Their first commission had been to expel unclean spirits, heal diseases, announce the kingdom. They learned, gradually, that these externals were sacraments of an even greater miracle inside their persons—the divine power to love like God.
Saints Philip and James are the Patron Saints of: Uruguay | Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles Reading 1 1 Cor 15:1-8 I am reminding you, brothers and sisters,
of the Gospel I preached to you,
which you indeed received and in which you also stand.
Through it you are also being saved,
if you hold fast to the word I preached to you,
unless you believed in vain.
For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received:
that Christ died for our sins
in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he was buried;
that he was raised on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.
After that, he appeared to more
than five hundred brothers and sisters at once,
most of whom are still living,
though some have fallen asleep.
After that he appeared to James,
then to all the Apostles.
Last of all, as to one born abnormally,
he appeared to me. Responsorial Psalm Ps 19:2-3, 4-5 R. (5) Their message goes out through all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day;
and night to night imparts knowledge.
R. Their message goes out through all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Not a word nor a discourse
whose voice is not heard;
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and to the ends of the world, their message.
R. Their message goes out through all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia Jn 14:6b, 9c R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the way, the truth, and the life, says the Lord;
Philip, whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 14:6-14 Jesus said to Thomas, "I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you know me, then you will also know my Father.
From now on you do know him and have seen him."
Philip said to him,
"Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us."
Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.
The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,
or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.
And whatever you ask in my name, I will do,
so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it."
| Meditation: John 14:6-14 Saints Philip and James, Apostles (Feast) Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me? (John 14:9) Philip didn't see the whole picture. Even though he had spent several years with Jesus, he still didn't understand who Jesus was. He didn't grasp that when he looked at Jesus, he was seeing a perfect image of God the Father. Of course, we can't blame Philip for his confusion. So much about God is a mystery to us—and it will remain a mystery until the day when we meet him face-to-face. Like Philip, you may have been following Jesus for a long time. But however long or short it's been, what would you say if he were to ask you, "Do you know me?" On one level, the answer is an obvious yes. You believe in Jesus. He is your Redeemer, the One who has won your forgiveness through the cross. He is your risen Savior, who is with you always, filling you with his Holy Spirit. But on another level, the answer for each of us is also no. We all can come to know Jesus more deeply. You may have a glimpse of his love today, but that vision can grow brighter tomorrow and the next day. You may have experienced his mercy yesterday, but doubts may linger over whether he can ever forgive that sin you committed years ago. You may believe that his Spirit is with you but underestimate his power to change you and guide you. So how do you get to know Jesus better? It doesn't happen all at once. It takes time, over days, months, and years, as you keep drawing closer to him. Each day as you spend time with him in prayer, your relationship with him deepens. Each time you receive Communion or confess your sins, you touch Jesus in real tangible ways. Each time you put aside your agenda to help someone else, you draw closer to him. Just like Philip and James, you could say that the whole purpose of your life is to keep growing in your friendship with Jesus. But it's not all your work. As you draw close to the Lord, he will draw close to you (James 4:8). So continue to reach out to Jesus. Trust that you can come to know, ever more deeply, the love of the Father in the Person of his Son. "Lord, I want to know you more each day." 1 Corinthians 15:1-8
Psalm 19:2-5 |  clickable | 'Just as two friends, frequently in each other's company, tend to develop similar habits,' John Paul wrote, 'so too, by holding familiar converse with Jesus and the Blessed Virgin, by meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary and by living the same life in Holy Communion, we can become, to the extent of our lowliness, similar to them.'
—TOM HOOPES
from The Rosary of Saint John Paul II |  clickable go see food for poor | | St. Paul said: "For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins..."
What are we passing on? What are we handing on to the next generation? What foundation? Let it be Christ first and above all. Be a witness. Let us pray: The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day pours out the word to day; and night to night imparts knowledge. Their message goes out through all the earth."
Again with spreading the message across the world. How fast can a message cross the world? Back in the day, it took a while, months at a time even. Today, minutes, and seconds. You can make a difference. That's what God wants, for you to make a difference in the world He created you to live in. | In the Holy Gospel, our Lord Jesus the Christ said these important words: "I am the way and the truth and the life."
I AM the Way. That's the lifestyle the first followers chose, and they were actually known to be called followers of "the Way". Strange. They lived a lifestyle, a way of living. And Jesus showed the way, and that's how they chose to live. People sold all their things and gave them to the church, led by the apostles (AKA, Bishops). I think it would be safe to say, that today, many don't sell their belongings and follow the Way, the way people used to in the beginning. We give a percentage if any, of our income. Right? How much do we want to live "The Way"?
Jesus says "I AM the Truth". He said to the Jews once ", "If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Continue in His Word. His Way. What He says. If you believe. Believe it for reals. Or forever quarrel with Him as the name "Israel" dictates...quarreling and wrestling with the Lord. The truth is not a philosophy, something we make up, it is not a science, it is not an idea, it is not a thing to contend with, because the truth is a person...the truth shines, and the Truth is amazing. The truth is JESUS.
Our Lord said "I AM the Life". He said "I Am the bread of life". Jesus said to Martha " "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies. 26And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" Shall I go on? Only with the Lord, yes. | Before leaving, our Lord said "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these...". Do you believe this? Jesus did amazing things. Can we do what He did? I think many of us do not believe. This means, we don't have the faith to say we can do all things. Back to the ducks in church, as they were being told they could fly like eagles, they all yelled "Amen" and waddled home. And so, I invoke our Lord to speak, and the Lord speaks. Can you do great things through Christ who strengthens you? Can you love God so much that the world can feel it? Can you be the first step taker...always? That's what we need, like Peter. He stepped out onto the waters. He actually took the first step. Nobody else dared. Everyone else saw him fail and seen a failure. No. I see a person not afraid to take the first step, in the waters of salvation where our Lord is found....
Jesus says then...Follow Me
Can you follow Him? Closer? Yes, of course you can.
Will you? |  click to hear the bible verse | adrian
Yes Lord Random Bible Verse1
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (Listen) 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Thank You Jesus | |
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