 clickable | | Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, Pray for Us A man holds a sign with a reference to his St. Padre Pio prayer group from Rovigo, Italy, before Pope Francis' arrival for an audience with St. Padre Pio prayer groups from around the world in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Feb. 6. The bodies of Padre Pio and St. Leopold Mandic were brought to Rome at the request of Pope Francis for the Year of Mercy. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)The earthly existence of Padre Pio was abundantly full of mysterious phenomena and events. However, the most important of the various charisms in his life was the stigmata, the wounds on his feet, hands, and side that he bore on his body for fifty years and recalled the "signs" of the passion and death of Jesus. For believers, these wounds demonstrated, and continue to remind us, that Padre Pio was a special person chosen by God to call the world's attention to the great mystery in history: the redemption by Jesus through the most terrible suffering, a death on a cross. Padre Pio is the only stigmatized priest in history and has come to be called an "Alter Christus," another Christ. Pope Paul VI defined him as "a stamped representative of the stigmata of Our Lord." The stigmata is the feature that identifies and characterizes the life, message, mission, and holiness of Padre Pio of Pietrelcina. —from the book Saint Padre Pio: Man of Hope by Renzo Allegri |  MorningOffering.com | † Saint Quote
"Love Our Lady and make her loved; always recite the Rosary and recite it as often as possible."
— St. Padre Pio † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"Always be impartial and just in your deeds. Put yourself into your neighbor's place, and him in yours, and then you will judge fairly . . . Frequently, therefore, examine your heart, whether it is so disposed towards your neighbor, as you would have his disposed towards you, were you to change places; for this is the true test."
— St. Francis de Sales, p. 226
AN EXCERPT FROM
Introduction to the Devout Life † VERSE OF THE DAY
"O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever."
1 Chronicles 16:34 |  click to read more | | ST. PADRE PIO OF PIETRELCINA St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina (1887–1968) was born to peasant farmers in southern Italy. By the time he was 5 years old he practiced a life of penance and made the decision to give himself completely to God. He grew up working in the fields, and at the age of 19 joined the Capuchin Franciscan friars. His Franciscan spirituality was characterized by a life of poverty, love of nature, and charity to those in need, especially to those who were his "spiritual children." St. Padre Pio had many spiritual gifts and was a great miracle-worker. These were well-documented from multiple reliable sources and included bilocation, levitation, reading souls, and physical healing by touch. Word of his holiness spread and people both pious and curious flocked to see him, especially to have him hear their confession. He is the first priest known to have received the stigmata, for which he suffered suspicion and investigation. Because of the unusual supernatural phenomena surrounding his life, he is considered one of the great visionaries and mystics of the Church. Padre Pio died in 1968 at the age of 81. He was canonized by Pope St. John Paul II in 2002. Because of the many miracles he performed during his life, he is commonly invoked as a healing saint for various ailments. His feast day is September 23rd. | Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (May 25, 1887 – September 23, 1968) In one of the largest such ceremonies in history, Pope John Paul II canonized Padre Pio of Pietrelcina on June 16, 2002. It was the 45th canonization ceremony in Pope John Paul's pontificate. More than 300,000 people braved blistering heat as they filled St. Peter's Square and nearby streets. They heard the Holy Father praise the new saint for his prayer and charity. "This is the most concrete synthesis of Padre Pio's teaching," said the pope. He also stressed Padre Pio's witness to the power of suffering. If accepted with love, the Holy Father stressed, such suffering can lead to "a privileged path of sanctity." Many people have turned to the Italian Capuchin Franciscan to intercede with God on their behalf; among them was the future Pope John Paul II. In 1962, when he was still an archbishop in Poland, he wrote to Padre Pio and asked him to pray for a Polish woman with throat cancer. Within two weeks, she had been cured of her life-threatening disease. Born Francesco Forgione, Padre Pio grew up in a family of farmers in southern Italy. Twice his father worked in Jamaica, New York, to provide the family income. At the age of 15, Francesco joined the Capuchins and took the name of Pio. He was ordained in 1910 and was drafted during World War I. After he was discovered to have tuberculosis, he was discharged. In 1917, he was assigned to the friary in San Giovanni Rotondo, 75 miles from the city of Bari on the Adriatic. On September 20, 1918, as he was making his thanksgiving after Mass, Padre Pio had a vision of Jesus. When the vision ended, he had the stigmata in his hands, feet, and side. Life became more complicated after that. Medical doctors, Church authorities, and curiosity seekers came to see Padre Pio. In 1924, and again in 1931, the authenticity of the stigmata was questioned; Padre Pio was not permitted to celebrate Mass publicly or to hear confessions. He did not complain of these decisions, which were soon reversed. However, he wrote no letters after 1924. His only other writing, a pamphlet on the agony of Jesus, was done before 1924. Padre Pio rarely left the friary after he received the stigmata, but busloads of people soon began coming to see him. Each morning after a 5 a.m. Mass in a crowded church, he heard confessions until noon. He took a mid-morning break to bless the sick and all who came to see him. Every afternoon he also heard confessions. In time his confessional ministry would take 10 hours a day; penitents had to take a number so that the situation could be handled. Many of them have said that Padre Pio knew details of their lives that they had never mentioned. Padre Pio saw Jesus in all the sick and suffering. At his urging, a fine hospital was built on nearby Mount Gargano. The idea arose in 1940; a committee began to collect money. Ground was broken in 1946. Building the hospital was a technical wonder because of the difficulty of getting water there and of hauling up the building supplies. This "House for the Alleviation of Suffering" has 350 beds. A number of people have reported cures they believe were received through the intercession of Padre Pio. Those who assisted at his Masses came away edified; several curiosity seekers were deeply moved. Like Saint Francis, Padre Pio sometimes had his habit torn or cut by souvenir hunters. One of Padre Pio's sufferings was that unscrupulous people several times circulated prophecies that they claimed originated from him. He never made prophecies about world events and never gave an opinion on matters that he felt belonged to Church authorities to decide. He died on September 23, 1968, and was beatified in 1999.
Reflection Referring to that day's Gospel (Matthew 11:25-30) at Padre Pio's canonization Mass in 2002, Saint John Paul II said: "The Gospel image of 'yoke' evokes the many trials that the humble Capuchin of San Giovanni Rotondo endured. Today we contemplate in him how sweet is the 'yoke' of Christ and indeed how light the burdens are whenever someone carries these with faithful love. The life and mission of Padre Pio testify that difficulties and sorrows, if accepted with love, transform themselves into a privileged journey of holiness, which opens the person toward a greater good, known only to the Lord." | Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest Reading 1 Ezr 1:1-6 In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia,
in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah,
the LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia
to issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom,
both by word of mouth and in writing:
"Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia:
'All the kingdoms of the earth
the LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me,
and he has also charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem,
which is in Judah.
Therefore, whoever among you belongs to any part of his people,
let him go up, and may his God be with him!
Let everyone who has survived, in whatever place he may have dwelt,
be assisted by the people of that place
with silver, gold, goods, and cattle,
together with free-will offerings
for the house of God in Jerusalem.'" Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin
and the priests and Levites–
everyone, that is, whom God had inspired to do so–
prepared to go up to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.
All their neighbors gave them help in every way,
with silver, gold, goods, and cattle,
and with many precious gifts
besides all their free-will offerings. Responsorial Psalm PS 126:1b-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6 R.(3) The Lord has done marvels for us.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R.The Lord has done marvels for us.
Then they said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R.The Lord has done marvels for us.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R.The Lord has done marvels for us.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R.The Lord has done marvels for us. Alleluia Mt 5:16 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Let your light shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 8:16-18 Jesus said to the crowd:
"No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away." | Meditation: Luke 8:16-18 Saint Pius of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), Priest (Memorial) To anyone who has, more will be given. (Luke 8:18) St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina (1887–1968), whose feast day is today, is one of the Church's best-known saints. This Italian priest is revered as a compassionate confessor and miracle worker who also bore the stigmata—the marks of Christ's wounds. Through stories about him and his words of wisdom, Padre Pio touched millions of lives, even though he rarely left his monastery. But what was behind it all? In a word: generosity. Padre Pio's life is a perfect example of what Jesus is talking about in today's Gospel. He was someone who "had" and was clearly given "more." What he had to begin with was trust in God's love, and he was given more because of his willingness to share that love with everyone he could. For Padre Pio, that meant spending long hours each day praying and hearing confessions. In his fifty-one years of ministry, he never took a vacation; he just kept pouring himself out for people. As for the "more," God rewarded Pio's generosity by pouring out even more gifts on the humble friar. When we read about Padre Pio, however, we might think, "I could never be like him!" But that's okay; you're not supposed to be exactly like him. Padre Pio—and the wide assortment of the Church's saints—teaches us that God will use anyone who responds generously to him. When we take the gifts God gives us and share them, God gives us more. The shape that "more" takes will be different for everyone. Padre Pio's life didn't look like St. Francis Xavier's. And Francis Xavier's life didn't look like Mother Teresa's. And her life didn't look like the young mother of four who brings her kids to daily Mass or the retired man who spends his days teaching English to immigrants. The key is generosity. If you're willing to share what God has given you, he will give you more and bless more people through you. Just think of Padre Pio, who spent his life in an ordinary monastery. Even in your ordinary world, God will present you with opportunities to give to other people. And when you respond in faith, you'll find that those opportunities keep growing. "Jesus, you have given me so much! Whatever you ask me to do today, I'll do!" Ezra 1:1-6
Psalm 126:1-6 |  clickable | Lucifer no longer has a monopoly dominion over humanity. He does not. We can fight back. We can be free. Free through the Cross, Baptism, Faith, Hope, and Love.
—ROBERT HADDAD
from The Devil in the Details | my2cents:
"All their neighbors gave them help in every way..."
And they were to build a church. And they gave, all sorts of people gave, all sorts of neighbors helped the king build a church.
That's where we are today. Amen? Are you helping build the Church of the King? I saw a video of a lady named Betty who died and saw "A Glimpse of Eternity". She came back completely healed after being dead for about 28 minutes. Doctors wouldn't believe her story. She said she now doesn't look down on others anymore, and wanted only to "invest in people...because...that's the only thing you can take". Of course we are talking about saving souls, right? Her experience and talk really gets one going... a miracle goes a long way. | Today we pray: "The Lord has done marvels for us. Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown, They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves." The Lord is close to the broken hearted. Blessed are the poor in Spirit. Especially those suffering for Him, and His Holy Name. Let us consider how much God loves us. And He is our King, yet, friend, and brother? How confounding are these statements, yet, they hold true. Behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. And for great reason. Sin ruins and takes life away from a soul. | Our Lord said today: ""No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed".
A silly statement right? Covering up a lamp? Why would you light the lamp to cover it, right? I mean, who would do that? Silly people, right? Or even more silly, light the lamp and put it under your bed? What's the point? It defeats the point of a lamp, (your soul) and the lighting it up (Jesus Christ in the Soul). They say the worst time and position to pray is in bed before going to sleep. What then is the point of prayer? To put you to sleep? Sure, some may need that (insomniacs etc) but to try to be in relationship with God and to give Him the moments you are passing out? Like living life for yourself and claiming you will do something for Him before you die? | "rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light."
Who enters what now? Who can see the light? When someone enters your house, they see light? How about when God enters your soul, will He see your light on a lampstand? Or will their be darkness. Will He say "I can't see you". A creature of the dark? Wouldn't you want Him to see you? Why, or why not?
He goes on, to cover this point: " there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light."
When Jesus enters, the light enters. There is no hiding from...the truth.
I try to walk in the truth. In the light. Hiding nothing. Not even my thoughts, for God hears thoughts just as if we were shouting them from rooftops! Scary thought? Or a good thought? It is good indeed. Your mind, body, and soul must always be on praise and alert and worship mode. In everything you do! That my friend, that is to have lights on, fully in search of Jesus in everything and everyone.
I love the final verse:
"To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away."
There are those of us who desire to save so many souls. Right? Yet we can't even figure out how to help a child, or another loved one, amen? But you will if you persevere in holiness. And not only that, you will be given more in the hereafter, more to do, more souls to seek and find and help! WHAT? LOL. Heaven is a busy place. It is not a place for lazyboy recliners. It is a place hustling and bustling with things to do....for Jesus. Singers singing, people building, prayer and worship full time. If my mere slight vision is of any proof, thanks to our Blessed Mother, there were myriads and myriads coming for in offering to God. And guess what? It can all start here and now! Lord, help us learn how to lift you up high in our lives, our everyday lives.
Enter our life and be our light.
Today, Lord, let us learn what it is to give, so more will be given...
Your grace and your love mean everything to me. |  hear it read | adrian Random Bible Verse 1
Jeremiah 31:3
3 the LORD appeared to him1 from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. Thank You Jesus | |
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