 clickable | | Am I a Christian Full-Time? I ask myself: Am I a Christian by fits and starts, or am I a Christian full-time? Our culture of the ephemeral, the relative, also takes its toll on the way we live our faith. God asks us to be faithful to him, daily, in our everyday life. He goes on to say that, even if we are sometimes unfaithful to him, he remains faithful. In his mercy, he never tires of stretching out his hand to lift us up, to encourage us to continue our journey, to come back and tell him of our weakness, so that he can grant us his strength. This is the real journey: to walk with the Lord always, even at moments of weakness, even in our sins. Never to prefer a makeshift path of our own. That kills us. Faith is ultimate fidelity, like that of Mary. —from Mother Mary: Inspiring Words from Pope Francis |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
"Reading the Holy Scriptures confers two benefits. It trains the mind to understand them; it turns man's attention from the follies of the world and leads him to the love of God."
— St. Isidore of Seville † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"Man was created for a certain end. This end is to praise, to reverence and to serve the Lord his God and by this means to arrive at eternal salvation. All other beings and objects that surround us on the earth were created for the benefit of man and to be useful to him, as means to his final end; hence his obligation to use, or to abstain from the use of, these creatures, according as they bring him nearer to that end, or tend to separate him from it."
— St. Ignatius of Loyola, p.18
AN EXCERPT FROM
The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius †VERSE OF THE DAY
"Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."
Matthew 7:7-8 |  click to read more | | ST. SIMEON STYLITES THE YOUNGER St. Simeon Stylites the Younger (521-596 A.D.) was born in Antioch in ancient Syria (present-day Turkey). Like his namesake and predecessor, Simeon was drawn from a young age to a life of penance and austerity out of his great love for God. His mother was considered a saint. As a young boy he attached himself to a monastery of hermits. Their spiritual director, John, lived night and day at the top of a tall pillar, or "style", within the monastery enclosure. The holy hermits who lived in this manner, separated from the world on top of a pillar, were called "stylites." Simeon the Younger imitated John and lived on a smaller pillar erected near his larger one. Simeon continued to live in this way on three different pillars, each one higher than the next, from boyhood until his death. His final pillar was 12 meters high. During his life he was ordained a deacon and a priest. Disciples gathered around him and would climb a ladder to receive Holy Communion from his hands. He worked many miracles during the course of his life. Hearing of his great sanctity, people came from distant countries for his blessings, cures, prophesies, and spiritual advice. After his death his pillar remained a place of pilgrimage, the ruins of which still exist today. His feast day is May 24. | Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 15:22-31 The Apostles and presbyters, in agreement with the whole Church,
decided to choose representatives
and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.
The ones chosen were Judas, who was called Barsabbas,
and Silas, leaders among the brothers.
This is the letter delivered by them:
"The Apostles and the presbyters, your brothers,
to the brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia
of Gentile origin: greetings.
Since we have heard that some of our number
who went out without any mandate from us
have upset you with their teachings
and disturbed your peace of mind,
we have with one accord decided to choose representatives
and to send them to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So we are sending Judas and Silas
who will also convey this same message by word of mouth:
'It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us
not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities,
namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols,
from blood, from meats of strangled animals,
and from unlawful marriage.
If you keep free of these,
you will be doing what is right. Farewell.'" And so they were sent on their journey.
Upon their arrival in Antioch
they called the assembly together and delivered the letter.
When the people read it, they were delighted with the exhortation. Responsorial Psalm Ps 57:8-9, 10 and 12 R. (10a) I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
My heart is steadfast, O God; my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and chant praise.
Awake, O my soul; awake, lyre and harp!
I will wake the dawn.
R. I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will give thanks to you among the peoples, O LORD,
I will chant your praise among the nations.
For your mercy towers to the heavens,
and your faithfulness to the skies.
Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
above all the earth be your glory!
R. I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia Jn 15:15b R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I call you my friends, says the Lord,
for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 15:12-17 Jesus said to his disciples:
"This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one's life for one's friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another."
| Meditation: Acts 15:22-31 5th Week of Easter It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities. (Acts 15:28)
__
Today's first reading is all about growing pains. With the conversion of many Gentiles to the faith, the Church had begun to experience dramatic growth, and that growth caused some controversy among the apostles. Because things had changed, they had to change as well, and not just in the way they led the Church. They had to change their hearts to welcome people they had once considered unclean and cursed by God. So the apostles took a step back to pray, talk among themselves, and listen to the Spirit. In the end, they realized that God treated everyone equally, and so should they. They decided that not all Jewish practices were essential, circumcision in particular. All they asked was that Gentile believers refrain from some pagan practices that their Jewish brothers and sisters might find especially offensive. Doesn't this sound a lot like family life? First-time moms and dads frequently approach parenting with great enthusiasm and high expectations, both for their children and for themselves. They tend to be strict, holding to firm standards and clear lines about what is and isn't permitted. But as their family grows both in size and in age, parents experience their own growing pains. They learn that some rules are still essential, but some aren't. They may even decide that some of their earlier parenting strategies have been unhelpful. What growing pains is your family experiencing? Maybe you've been used to praying before dinner, but everyone is scattered with different activities now. Perhaps it would be better to sit together at the end of the day and pray just one decade of the Rosary. Maybe some of your children are struggling, and reasoning with them isn't helping. Perhaps it's time to increase your intercession and look for opportunities to tell stories about how God has helped you. Whatever the changes are, know that you are not going through them alone. The Holy Spirit is with you. Just follow the apostles' example. Pray. Listen carefully to each other and to the Spirit. He can help you find the best way to reflect his love and mercy to each other. "Holy Spirit, help every family to keep growing closer together and closer to you." Psalm 57:8-10, 12
John 15:12-17 |  clickable | While there is no suggestion here that all such situations of poverty can be resolved by the parish, there is no doubt that an evangelizing Catholic community can be tested by its attitude to the poor and by the measures it takes to meet them and show them Christian love.
—Francis Cardinal Arinze
from The Evangelizing Parish | 2cents:
"When the people read it, they were delighted with the exhortation."
When have you heard the Word of our Lord and been super delighted about it? It happens! A word of re-affirmation happens, or a word that promises something perhaps, or, maybe even a word of comfort. What word makes me joyful? It is beyond words, for the simple fact that we get to read and hear words God spoke, that is totally amazing. | Let us pray: "I will give thanks to you among the peoples, O LORD,
I will chant your praise among the nations. For your mercy towers to the heavens, and your faithfulness to the skies. Be exalted above the heavens, O God; above all the earth be your glory! I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord." That is what Mass is all about, giving thanks. That's what dying for Jesus is all about, giving thanks. That is what heaven is all about, giving thanks. To sing there. To give praise, honor, and glory. To exalt Him, to make Him known and let all those who know you to know that you do care, you are...His...Friend. | Our Lord introduces a new Commandment from God, from Heaven, for He does and says as the Father does and says: ""This is my commandment: love one another as I love you."
Aww, how sweet? Wait a minute, before you get all soft and mushy, watch what He says next! "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." Ok, now do you love one another? What about when someone's reputation is at stake? Do you still ridicule them, make fun of them behind their back? What about when someone severely offends and hurts you? What if someone ruined your life? YIKES! Who is your friend? Why am I saying this if Jesus said to lay your life for your so called "friends"? Because, He continues speaking! Watch: "You are my friends if you do what I command you." You are HIS friend IF you do what He says. Now we are leading to the climax for the Lord ends today with "This I command you: love one another."
There, that is the command we will be judged upon that He laid out for us as He laid His life for us, because He said "It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain...".
We have been chosen to lay down our lives.
Yes, you for reading this. Not everyone is reading this, but you are for a specific reason. The reason is a calling. The calling is a life. The life is a reason. The reason is the means in the hereafter. In the hereafter, this life will be a faint memory, a propulsion into an eternal inertia. Where are you pointed? Set your sights and your hearts to God. When people think of you, do they think of a saint, or a sinner? Or, when you think of others, do you see saints or sinners? I beg you, see the saint. I beg of you, see Jesus. I helped a vagabond, looked homeless, smelled like a homeless. He was alone and afraid. He was on a journey to find his father, traveled thousands of miles, a young man. I would take him food and meet him in church. We prayed together. He has disappeared, and I believe I met another disguise of Jesus. Do not be afraid to meet Jesus. Tell the world not to be afraid. Tell them He is waiting...to love...and to hold.... |  hear it read | adrian Sanders random bible verse generator: Random Bible Verse1
Lamentations 3:22-23 (Listen) 22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; [1]
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness. Thank You Jesus | |
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