 clickable | | Jesus Meant What He Said Francis took Christ's teaching seriously. He was too honest to read Scripture selectively and too unsophisticated to spin elaborate no-risk interpretations of it. Instead, he championed the radical notion that Christ meant what he said when he spoke of love and poverty and sacrifice. To presume otherwise is to conclude that Christ was in the strange habit of always saying one thing but meaning something quite different. —from the book Perfect Joy: 30 Days with Francis of Assisi by Kerry Walters |  MorningOffering.com | † Saint Quote
"Be sure that you first preach by the way you live. If you do not, people will notice that you say one thing, but live otherwise, and your words will bring only cynical laughter and a derisive shake of the head."
— St. Charles Borromeo † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"The will of God gives to all things a supernatural and divine value for the soul submitting to it. The duties it imposes, and those it contains, with all the matters over which it is diffused, become holy and perfect, because, being unlimited in power, everything it touches shares its divine character. ... The entire virtue of all that is called holy is in its approximation to this order established by God; therefore nothing should be rejected, nothing sought after, but everything accepted that is ordained and nothing attempted contrary to the will of God. ... When God requires action, sanctity is to be found in activity."
— Fr. Jean-Pierre de Caussade, p. 15
AN EXCERPT FROM
Abandonment to Divine Providence † VERSE OF THE DAY
"So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord—for we walk by faith, not by sight."
2 Corinthians 5:6-7 |  click to read more | | ST. KIERAN THE YOUNGER St. Kieran the Younger (512-546 A.D.), also known as St. Ciaran, was born in Connacht, Ireland, the son of a carpenter. He demonstrated a great aptitude in his studies, being educated by a holy deacon who had him baptized. Kieran tended cattle in the fields before continuing his education at Saint Finnian's monastery school at Clonard, where he became a monk. He soon earned the reputation for being the most learned monk at Clonard, and was held in high esteem by his instructors and peers. Kieran's years of residence there were marked by many miracles. He also mentored, befriended, and tutored many of the founders of the Catholic Church in Ireland. Saint Kieran eventually left Clonard and went on to found the famous Clonmacnoise Abbey in West Meath Ireland, which attracted thousands of students from all over Europe. St. Kieran was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland - the first twelve bishops in Ireland consecrated by St. Patrick. He is also honored as the first Irish-born saint. St. Kieran's feast day is September 9th. | Saint Peter Claver (June 26, 1581 – September 8, 1654) Saint Peter Claver's Story A native of Spain, young Jesuit Peter Claver left his homeland forever in 1610 to be a missionary in the colonies of the New World. He sailed into Cartagena, a rich port city washed by the Caribbean. He was ordained there in 1615. By this time the slave trade had been established in the Americas for nearly 100 years, and Cartagena was a chief center for it. Ten thousand slaves poured into the port each year after crossing the Atlantic from West Africa under conditions so foul and inhuman that an estimated one-third of the passengers died in transit. Although the practice of slave-trading was condemned by Pope Paul III and later labeled "supreme villainy" by Pope Pius IX, it continued to flourish. Peter Claver's predecessor, Jesuit Father Alfonso de Sandoval, had devoted himself to the service of the slaves for 40 years before Claver arrived to continue his work, declaring himself "the slave of the Negroes forever." As soon as a slave ship entered the port, Peter Claver moved into its infested hold to minister to the ill-treated and exhausted passengers. After the slaves were herded out of the ship like chained animals and shut up in nearby yards to be gazed at by the crowds, Claver plunged in among them with medicines, food, bread, brandy, lemons, and tobacco. With the help of interpreters he gave basic instructions and assured his brothers and sisters of their human dignity and God's love. During the 40 years of his ministry, Claver instructed and baptized an estimated 300,000 slaves. Fr. Claver's apostolate extended beyond his care for slaves. He became a moral force, indeed, the apostle of Cartagena. He preached in the city square, gave missions to sailors and traders as well as country missions, during which he avoided, when possible, the hospitality of the planters and owners and lodged in the slave quarters instead. After four years of sickness, which forced the saint to remain inactive and largely neglected, he Claver on September 8, 1654. The city magistrates, who had previously frowned at his solicitude for the black outcasts, ordered that he should be buried at public expense and with great pomp. Peter Claver was canonized in 1888, and Pope Leo XIII declared him the worldwide patron of missionary work among black slaves.
Reflection The Holy Spirit's might and power are manifested in the striking decisions and bold actions of Peter Claver. A decision to leave one's homeland never to return reveals a gigantic act of will difficult for us to imagine. Peter's determination to serve forever the most abused, rejected, and lowly of all people is stunningly heroic. When we measure our lives against such a man's, we become aware of our own barely used potential and of our need to open ourselves more to the jolting power of Jesus' Spirit.
Saint Peter Claver is the Patron Saint of: African Americans
African Missions
Colombia
Comedians
Communication Workers
Interracial Justice | Memorial of Saint Peter Claver, Priest Reading 1 Col1:24–2:3 Brothers and sisters:
I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,
and in my flesh I am filling up
what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ
on behalf of his Body, which is the Church,
of which I am a minister
in accordance with God's stewardship given to me
to bring to completion for you the word of God,
the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past.
But now it has been manifested to his holy ones,
to whom God chose to make known the riches of the glory
of this mystery among the Gentiles;
it is Christ in you, the hope for glory.
It is he whom we proclaim,
admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,
that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
For this I labor and struggle,
in accord with the exercise of his power working within me. For I want you to know how great a struggle I am having for you
and for those in Laodicea
and all who have not seen me face to face,
that their hearts may be encouraged
as they are brought together in love,
to have all the richness of assured understanding,
for the knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ,
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Responsorial Psalm Ps 62:6-7, 9 R.(8) In God is my safety and my glory.
Only in God be at rest, my soul,
for from him comes my hope.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed.
R. In God is my safety and my glory.
Trust in him at all times, O my people!
Pour out your hearts before him;
God is our refuge!
R. In God is my safety and my glory. Alleluia Jn 10:27 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 6:6-11 On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught,
and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.
The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely
to see if he would cure on the sabbath
so that they might discover a reason to accuse him.
But he realized their intentions
and said to the man with the withered hand,
"Come up and stand before us."
And he rose and stood there.
Then Jesus said to them,
"I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath
rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?"
Looking around at them all, he then said to him,
"Stretch out your hand."
He did so and his hand was restored.
But they became enraged
and discussed together what they might do to Jesus. | Meditation: Colossians 1:15-20 22nd Week in Ordinary Time He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead. (Colossians 1:18) Paul couldn't have known: a few years after the believers in Colossae received this letter, their city would be decimated by a powerful earthquake. Historians tell us that the city never fully recovered. It's possible that some of the Colossian believers grieved the loss of a spouse or a child in the quake. Others, seeing their livelihoods buried in the rubble, uprooted their families and sought refuge elsewhere. Disasters have a way of confronting us head-on with the problem of suffering, don't they? Whether it's recent stories of major flooding or something more localized, like a family member's death, suffering can shake a person's faith, undermine their resolve, and leave behind emotional wounds that don't easily heal. In short, suffering threatens to drain us of hope. That's why this passage is so relevant for those who are in the midst of suffering. Not because it's a treatise on grief or pain—it doesn't mention them—but because it reveals Jesus as the source of our hope in every situation. Try to use your imagination as you think about the hope Paul talks about. Think about how the Colossians might have clung to Paul's words here in the aftermath of the quake. And of course, consider how Jesus is the basis for your hope too. Because Jesus is the head of the Church, we have hope (Colossians 1:18). Jesus would never abandon his people at the first sight of danger. He demonstrated his commitment to us by enduring the cross, preferring to shed his blood than leave us at the mercy of sin. Even in the thick of our suffering, our good Shepherd stands with us, ready to give us peace. Because Jesus rose from the dead, we have hope (Colossians 1:18). Death wasn't the end for Jesus; he overcame it. Death isn't the end for us either. We are looking forward to eternal life with the Lord. Our loved ones who have died in Christ are already with him, eagerly waiting to see us again. Because Jesus is reconciling all things, we have hope (Colossians 1:20). Right now, Jesus is reconciling everything, even our pain and grief, with his plan for us. From the "rubble" of our suffering, he's producing the fruit of maturity in our lives. "Jesus, you are the firstborn of all creation! I place all my hope in you." Psalm 100:1-5
Luke 5:33-39 |  clickable | What God has done in the telling of his story in history and in the telling of fictional stories in his parables is sanctify story itself. Storytelling is God's chosen method of telling the truth. This being so, we can see how our own stories, in their own small way, can also be conveyers of truth, and we can see how the Christian era has breathed new life into literature by sanctifying the role of storytelling.
—Joseph Pearce
from Literature: What Every Catholic Should Know | my2cents:
"It is he whom we proclaim, admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone perfect in Christ." Admonishing the sinner is a spiritual work of mercy, isn't it? What else?
Counseling the doubtful.
Instructing the ignorant.
Admonishing the sinner.
Comforting the sorrowful.
Forgiving injuries.
Bearing wrongs patiently.
Praying for the living and the dead.
Let's keep these in mind as we proceed. | First, let us pray, the more the better!
"Trust in him at all times, O my people! Pour out your hearts before him;
God is our refuge! In God is my safety and my glory."
It is hard to trust in someone that doesn't come through right?
But what about those times when it is God that seemingly doesn't come through? That's when I see tests of faith. It is then, a battle of wills.
Who's will win? | In the Holy Gospel, God's will is revealed. A withered man, a withered hand, the right hand at that. Who was supposed to be God's right hand? Israel? They were supposed to have the hand in bringing God's salvation in this world He created. Amen? What happened? It withered. That man's hand in the temple was a sign of the times. And salvation came. Jesus our Lord said to the man "Stretch out your hand." That's when it happened. Obedience of Jesus shocked them all. I live in a peculiar world. There are many agnostics. There are many who believe there is some type of God or something out there. Yet, for the little they believe, they make a big deal if you show them the truth. They want to make little of something big, and I mean making little of the grandeur of our God and how tremendously amazing a little miracle really is. The ultimate failure and weakness is to put yourself in God's place...remember, battle of the wills? | "He did so and his hand was restored. But they became enraged...".
Jesus restored what God intended. How many of us have settled for less than perfect? How many of us are comfortable with sin? How many of us have lost the truth?
In bible study yesterday, they asked "If Jesus were passing by, what would you ask for?" I joked and said waving my hand "I'm good", don't need much here, just keep on passing by (is the sentiment).
That's what the sentiment was in that temple, the makers of laws were there, the governing authority of all things, keepers of law of man, right? They said "we don't need you" like "we don't need you to tell us how to live".
Isn't that deadly spirit still around? Yes. Kids say YOLO! You Only Live Once. "Who died and made you King?"
Battle of the wills, amen?
Back to God's Spiritual works of mercy. He crosses all the check marks even if they don't want to admit or believe or hear it, He still proceeds! Counseling the doubtful. Yes. He counsels the doubters.
Instructing the ignorant. Yes, He brings light in to darkness.
Admonishing the sinner. Yes, He is bringing up the sin to the sinner.
Comforting the sorrowful. Yes, He heals the broken.
Forgiving injuries. Yes, He is forgiving the broken.
Bearing wrongs patiently. Yes, He bears wrongs even as He knows what they are thinking.
Praying for the living and the dead. Yes, He is praying constantly for all in this world and the next. Let's keep these in mind as we proceed in life. We must be the living Christ, healing a broken world. |  hear it read | adrian Random Bible Verse1
Mark 12:30-31 (Listen) 30 "'And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Thank You Jesus | |
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