 clickable | | Mary Was Always With Her People Victory is for those who continually arise without being discouraged. If we imitate Mary, we cannot keep our arms folded, only complaining, or perhaps dodging the hard work that others do and which is our responsibility. This is not about doing great things, but about doing everything with tenderness and mercy. Mary was always with her people supporting the least. She knew loneliness, poverty and exile, and she learned to create fraternity and to make her home in any place where goodness took root. Let us beseech her to give us a poor spirit which is not proud, a pure heart that sees God in the face of the neediest, and great patience that we may not shrink when confronted with life's difficulties. —from Mother Mary: Inspiring Words from Pope Francis |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
"The Lord has turned all our sunsets into sunrise."
— St. Clement † Meditation of the Day
"The freshness of a living hope in God fills the soul with such energy and resolution, with such aspirations after the things of eternal life, that all this world seems to it—as indeed it is—in comparison with that which it hopes for, dry, withered, dead, and worthless. The soul now denudes itself of the garments and trappings of the world, by setting the heart upon nothing that is in it, and hoping for nothing that is, or may be, in it, living only in the hope of everlasting life. And, therefore, when the heart is thus lifted up above the world, the world cannot touch it or lay hold of it, nor even see it. The soul then, thus disguised and clad in the vesture of hope, is secure from its second foe, the world, for St. Paul calls hope the helmet of salvation. Now a helmet is armor which protects and covers the whole head, and has no opening except in one place, where the eyes may look through. Hope is such a helmet, for it covers all the senses of the head of the soul in such a way that they cannot be lost in worldly things, and leaves no part of them exposed to the arrows of the world."
— St. John of the Cross, p.175
An Excerpt From
Dark Night of the Soul † Verse of the Day "Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, 'If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." John 8:31 |  click to read more | | St. Rose Venerini (1656–1728) was born in Italy, one of four children of a pious physician and his admirable wife. Rose was a bright and gifted child. At the age of seven she made a vow to consecrate her life to God. However, she was later conflicted between her vow and living in the world. At the age of 20 she knew she must make a decision between marriage and the cloister, the only two options available to women of her day, both of which she esteemed. After much prayer and suffering she entered a monastery. Only a few months passed before she returned home upon the sudden death of her father. This was followed not long after by the deaths of her brother and mother. Still yearning to respond to God's call to the consecrated life, she began by gathering together the young women of her neighborhood to pray the rosary. She was struck by the cultural, moral, and spiritual poverty of the women, and their lack of basic Christian formation. This inspired her to begin a school for their instruction and human formation, which became Italy's first public school for girls. This was an innovation in her day, as teaching catechism belonged to the clergy. After facing initial resistance, the fruit of her work and the moral improvement of the women became evident to all. The Pope himself attended one of her classes and praised her work. Governors and cardinals asked her to open schools in their areas. Over the course of her life she opened 40 schools across Italy dedicated to the education and promotion of women for the uplifting and ennobling of society. "Educate to save" became her motto. Her feast day is May 7th. | Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 7:51—8:1a Stephen said to the people, the elders, and the scribes:
"You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears,
you always oppose the Holy Spirit;
you are just like your ancestors.
Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute?
They put to death those who foretold the coming of the righteous one,
whose betrayers and murderers you have now become.
You received the law as transmitted by angels,
but you did not observe it." When they heard this, they were infuriated,
and they ground their teeth at him.
But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit,
looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God
and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
and Stephen said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened
and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
But they cried out in a loud voice,
covered their ears, and rushed upon him together.
They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him.
The witnesses laid down their cloaks
at the feet of a young man named Saul.
As they were stoning Stephen, he called out,
"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice,
"Lord, do not hold this sin against them";
and when he said this, he fell asleep. Now Saul was consenting to his execution. Responsorial Psalm Ps 31:3cd-4, 6 and 7b and 8a, 17 and 21ab R.(6a) Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name's sake you will lead and guide me.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
My trust is in the LORD;
I will rejoice and be glad of your mercy.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence
from the plottings of men.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia Jn 6:35ab R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the bread of life, says the Lord;
whoever comes to me will never hunger.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 6:30-35 The crowd said to Jesus:
"What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you?
What can you do?
Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat." So Jesus said to them,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven;
my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world." So they said to Jesus,
"Sir, give us this bread always."
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst."
| Meditation: John 6:30-35 3rd Week of Easter He gave them bread from heaven to eat. (John 6:31) These words, spoken by the people who had just witnessed Jesus miraculously multiply loaves and fish, contained a challenge in them. "What sign can you do?" they asked (John 6:30). Can you top Moses, who gave our ancestors manna from above? He fed us during our journey to the Promised Land. We all know the answer: of course Jesus can "outperform" Moses! As he told the people, he himself is "the bread of life" (John 6:35). He is the One who came down to redeem us and to sustain us on our journey toward his heavenly home. Both Jesus and Moses offered their people a glimpse of all the good things they were journeying toward. We might say that Moses reached into the Promised Land and brought back to the people a taste of the kind of abundance they were hoping for: "a land flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:17). Jesus, too reached into the Promised Land of heaven and brought back to the people of his day a taste of the abundance awaiting them: heavenly bread that "gives life to the world" (John 6:33). But it's not just Jesus who can reach into heaven. In his resurrection, he has opened heaven's gates for us. Now every person on this earth can reach in and receive the Bread of Life. There are many ways we can touch heaven while on earth: through prayer, Scripture reading, caring for the poor, offering forgiveness, and loving our families. But the most powerful and the most important way we can reach into heaven is by receiving Jesus himself, the true Bread of Life, at Mass. Like the manna in the wilderness, this heavenly bread can nourish us on our journey through our own wilderness. Our nourishment doesn't come because the Eucharist contains some magical power, but because it is Jesus himself, Body and Blood, soul and divinity. His love, his life, his mercy, his joy, his grace—all of it is available to everyone who eats and drinks in faith. As author Scott Hahn wrote in The Lamb's Supper, "When we begin to see that heaven awaits us in the Mass, we begin already to bring our home to heaven. And we begin already to bring heaven home with us." "Jesus, true Bread from heaven, I am reaching out to you!" Acts 7:51–8:1
Psalm 31:3-4, 6-8, 17, 21 |  clickable | Become small. Become little, quiet, broken. If you can do that, you'll find Jesus.
—FR. DAVE PIVONKA, TOR
from Sign of Contradiction | 2cents:
"You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears,
you always oppose the Holy Spirit". Who was St. Stephen the first Martyr talking to? Was he talking to me and Jew? I think so. We oppose the Holy Spirit in sin. We don't want the truth even if it is given in a nice package, wrapped and offered to you. How can I say that? The truth does not set well. It can actually be scary. But the truth is liberating. Do not be afraid. Accept the truth and accept what God offers from Heaven...his Only Son. | Let us pray: "Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God. My trust is in the LORD; I will rejoice and be glad of your mercy. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit". Who were the Jews persecuting? They wanted to kill anything that was related to Jesus, so they killed the Christ and they killed anyone representing him from there on out. Why is it that Christians are the most sought out for torture and murders? You don't hear of other religions attacked so much. Because the truth is still out there....it is our Lord. And evil wants to squash it out of your life this very day. Do not lose heart. Do not grow faint nor weary. Let us pray for the revival of the light, and it begins inside of you every day. | "The crowd said to Jesus: "What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do?"
Yeah...right? What can you do? What sign can you do? To these people, He does not refute, nor rebuke as He did the Pharisees and Scribes saying "you people always ask for a sign...you will get no sign except the sign of Jonah". But no, to these followers He says with great love, ""Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." They said "give us this bread". Jesus teaches the Lord'd prayer "give us this day our daily bread".
Today He said "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger..."
More often than not, when I go to daily Mass and receive on an empty stomach, I leave satisfied. Not full, not bloated as in a regular meal, but perfectly filled, I have no more hunger, I have no desire for anything else. I believe this is what we want in faith, isn't it? The people asked for bread, for they were hungry. They sought, and they found. Jesus gave Himself to them right there on the spot "I AM the bread". As if to say "Accept Me". Do not turn away. Follow me. What can separate us from the love of God then?
A miserable soul needs mercy. What can transform misery? Mercy. Jesus can. Watch what He can do with death and all in the valley of death, with all those attempting to destroy truth. For the truth will shine so long as the Son shines in our lives. Let us pray:
Lord, you are the bread of life.
You are the source of life.
You are the provider.
You fill our souls with good things.
Fill us then always...with yourself. | adrian Random Bible Verse1
Matthew 6:2-4 (Listen) 2 "Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." Random Bible Verse2
2 Timothy 1:7 (Listen) 7 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Thank You Jesus | |
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