 clickable | | Saint Anthony and the Child Jesus The image of Anthony holding the Divine Infant is a symbol and model for each of us. The image inspires us to go through life clinging to the wonderful mystery of the humble, self-emptying Christ, who accompanies us as a servant of our humanity and of the world's healing. This is the kind of love that radiates from the Christ child so often pictured in St. Anthony's arms. Would it not be a good idea for all of us to go through life carrying an imaginary God-child in our arms—and holding him up to the world? The child, however, is not really imaginary or fictitious. Two thousand years ago, thanks to the Virgin Mary's "Yes," the Son of God left behind his divine condition and came to dwell as a human child among us. Our faith tells us that he does accompany us each day like a humble servant—like a vulnerable child. Like St. Anthony, we do well lovingly to carry this image with us on our journey through life. —from the book Saint Anthony of Padua: His Life, Legends, and Devotions edited by Jack Wintz, OFM |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
"Viva Cristo Rey! — Long live Christ the King!"
— Blessed Miguel Pro † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"To love God's will in consolations is a good love when it is truly God's will we love and not the consolation wherein it lies. Still, it is a love without opposition, repugnance, or effort. Who would not love so worthy a will in so agreeable a form? To love God's will in His commandments, counsels, and inspirations is the second degree of love and it is much more perfect. It carries us forward to renounce and give up our own will, and enables us to abstain from and forbear many pleasures, but not all of them. To love suffering and affliction out of love for God is the summit of most holy charity. In it nothing is pleasant but the divine will alone; there is great opposition on the part of our nature; and not only do we forsake all pleasures, but we embrace torments and labors."
— St. Francis de Sales, p. 76
AN EXCERPT FROM
Finding God's Will for You † VERSE OF THE DAY
"For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? The God who has girded me with strength has opened wide my path. He made my feet like the feet of deer, and set me secure on the heights. He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your help has made me great. You have made me stride freely, and my feet do not slip."
2 Samuel 22:32-37 |  click to read more | | POPE ST. LEO III Pope St. Leo III (d. 816 A.D.) was a Roman cardinal who was unanimously elected pope on the same day his predecessor was buried. He lived during a time of tension between the popes and emperors and their respective rights, powers, and responsibilities. Unlike his predecessor, Leo recognized Charlemagne as the protector of the See of Rome, which won him many enemies among the Roman nobility. As a result, Pope St. Leo III was attacked by a mob who cut out his eyes and tongue so that he could no longer serve in his office. He survived the attack, but was imprisoned by his attackers and deposed from his office under false accusations. Leo's eyes and tongue were miraculously restored, and he was able to escape his captivity and flee to Charlemagne for protection. Charlemagne in turn took up the Holy Father's cause, escorted him back to Rome, and put his enemies on trial. A few days later, at the Christmas Mass of 800 A.D., Pope St. Leo III crowned Charlemagne as the Holy Roman Emperor. As the Roman Pontiff, Pope St. Leo III was known for being an effective administrator and for improving the Roman churches. He also paved the way for a more unified Europe, and for greater cooperation across national borders between the Church and the secular European nations to maintain their collective Christian identity. His feast day is June 12. | Wednesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 2 Cor 3:4-11 Brothers and sisters:
Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.
Not that of ourselves we are qualified to take credit
for anything as coming from us;
rather, our qualification comes from God,
who has indeed qualified us as ministers of a new covenant,
not of letter but of spirit;
for the letter brings death, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, was so glorious
that the children of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses
because of its glory that was going to fade,
how much more will the ministry of the Spirit be glorious?
For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious,
the ministry of righteousness will abound much more in glory.
Indeed, what was endowed with glory
has come to have no glory in this respect
because of the glory that surpasses it.
For if what was going to fade was glorious,
how much more will what endures be glorious. Responsorial Psalm Ps 99:5, 6, 7, 8, 9 R.(see 9c) Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his footstool;
holy is he!
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
and Samuel, among those who called upon his name;
they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them;
they heard his decrees and the law he gave them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
O LORD, our God, you answered them;
a forgiving God you were to them,
though requiting their misdeeds.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for holy is the LORD, our God.
R. Holy is the Lord our God. Alleluia Ps 25:4b, 5a R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Teach me your paths, my God,
and guide me in your truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 5:17-19 Jesus said to his disciples:
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven."
| Catholic Meditations
Meditation: 2 Corinthians 3:4-11 10th Week in Ordinary Time Glory that surpasses . . . (2 Corinthians 3:10) Have you ever watched a little child contentedly nibbling on an animal cracker while an adult nearby enjoys a gourmet dessert? That child has no idea what she's missing; she feels like she has it all. That's something of an analogy to how we might experience the surpassing glory that Paul preaches about in today's first reading. Compared to the ancient Israelites, we may feel like we have it all. They had the Mosaic law, but they didn't know God's salvation and the forgiveness of their sins as powerfully as we do. We have received the Holy Spirit, we have centuries of Church history to teach us, and we have the power of the sacraments to strengthen us and help us on the road to holiness. So we might feel like the adult enjoying the gourmet dessert—we have so much more than our fathers in faith. Yet at the same time, we might also feel like that little child chewing on her animal cracker because we know that God has so much more waiting for us when Jesus comes again in glory. On that day, all pain and suffering will be banished forever. Sickness will no longer affect us, and our bodies will not only be whole but also radiant. We won't struggle with temptation. We will desire whatever God desires, and nothing else. There in our heavenly home, we will experience the total contentment of the banquet that we experience only partially at every Mass. Thinking about our future glory is not meant to make us discontent with the present. Like the little girl with the animal cracker, we can be grateful for the blessings of "now." The Holy Spirit is giving us help to know how to pray, how to turn back to God when we feel weak, and how to be thankful. The Eucharist is helping us to overcome temptation and is making us into one body in Christ. Still, it's exciting to think that God's plan for us just gets better and better as we grow closer to him and come closer to our eternal destiny. "Thank you, Lord, for your blessings today. And even more, thank you for the promises of everything that is to come!" Psalm 99:5-9
Matthew 5:17-19 |  clickable | All the saints have come to know this profound and fundamental truth: that the purpose of our life is the glory of Heaven, and the only way to reach the goal is by absolute confidence in God.
—Ralph Martin
from Fulfillment of All Desire | my2cents:
"Such confidence we have through Christ toward God."
It's as if the real God really came and gave this confidence. Wouldn't you like to be confident, and unafraid anymore? Wouldn't you like to live this confidence, forever? What if I told you the secret was in the grace He offers? Being unafraid is one thing, but to be confident in His promises, that's a whole new aspect! Now we are leading to faith. | We pray today: "Extol the LORD, our God, and worship at his holy mountain;
for holy is the LORD, our God." Where is the mountain of God so I can go to it and begin the ascent? Where is the Holy Mountain that God chooses to live atop? And what if He decides to move mountains, and tell me it is not where I was told to go? What if life happens, and now everything changes? They say the real life begins when we are no longer on this earth. Are you confident and unafraid? Be confident that He is calling us. He is calling us to much more; so, if you give glory to God, more glory will be given in Heaven. We are not left forever in this suffering world, and for good reason. He loves us too much. He wants us already to be one with Him. | In the Holy Gospel, our Lord said it: "Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law...".
Anyone who decides to change the law is susceptible to pay for that. Let's say, I decide to drive without a seatbelt, therefore, I have decided to change the law, to say "that doesn't apply to me". Some say they don't have to pay taxes. And the list goes on and on. Does that change the law? Nope. Once you get caught, you will pay, or if an accident, you may pay gravely. That is how the law has been written from Heaven. What is tremendously scary, is how I see we teach others to follow or to break the law. And I'm speaking about the greatest law....of love. How many serious offenses have we committed against the law of Love, the Love of God, for God Himself is Love itself. Let us take seriously this law, of the love of God. Any small offense against that law will have to be brought to question. It is better to reconcile now. To pay now. To suffer now then, for having called someone a fool, or an idiot, and the list of offenses goes on and on. The most grievous sin or offense I see nowadays is a hidden torment, called "unforgiveness". Because it kills two people, the offender and the victim. God wants both saved. God wants forgiveness from both. God loves love. So we pray today:
Lord, help me teach and obey your commandments to the smallest letter. Let me proclaim and sound the horn of salvation day in and day out with my life, therefore giving greater glory to your most Holy And Precious name...JESUS |  hear it read | adrian Random Bible Verse1
2 Thessalonians 3:5 (Listen) 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. Thank You Jesus | |
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