 clickable | | The Baggage We Carry When we go into the inner desert, we appreciate for the first time just how much unnecessary baggage we carry around. We see and gasp at the incredible artificiality of our old way of life, the flimsiness of our old values, the duplicity of our old self. The process is harrowing because it rips away everything by which we've defined ourselves. But this desert dying, this going under, is a necessary condition for the kind of "ineffable joy" and "wonderful light" that suffused Francis at the end of his time in the pit. —from the book Perfect Joy: 30 Days with Francis of Assisi by Kerry Walters |  MorningOffering.com | † Saint quote
"God writes his name on the soul of every man."
— Venerable Fulton Sheen † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"Now, may our God be our hope. He Who made all things is better than all things. He Who made all beautiful things is more beautiful than all of them. He Who made all mighty things is more mighty than all of them. He Who made all great things is greater than all of them. Learn to love the Creator in His creature, and the maker in what He has made."
— Saint Augustine, p. 136
AN EXCERPT FROM
Augustine Day by Day † VERSE OF THE DAY
"Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love."
1 John 4:7-8 |  click to read more | | BLESSED AMBROSE OF SIENA Blessed Ambrose (1220-1286) was born in Siena, Italy, the son of a book illuminator. He was born so severely deformed that his parents could not bear the sight of him. They put their son in the care of a nurse who took the child with her to daily Mass at the Dominican church. The child, often fussy, would become calm when he was placed near the altar of relics, and would cry when he was removed. While praying at the altar, the nurse would conceal the child's hideous face with a scarf. This practice continued for a year. One day a pilgrim told the nurse to remove the baby's scarf and prophesied that the child would one day become a great man. A few days later, before the same altar, the child Ambrose stretched out his deformed limbs and pronounced the name of Jesus; from that moment he was miraculously healed into a beautiful and perfectly formed child. Blessed Ambrose grew in piety and was determined to become a Dominican friar. His family and friends opposed his plan and attempted to dissuade such a handsome and talented youth from becoming a poor friar. Ambrose overcame these obstacles and joined the Dominicans at the age of 17. He studied under St. Albert the Great along with St. Thomas Aquinas, and went on to become a preacher, teacher, missionary, diplomat, and peace-broker. His skills with diplomacy earned him the respect of kings and popes alike. His feast day is October 8th. | Saint John Leonardi (1541 – October 9, 1609)
"I am only one person! Why should I do anything? What good would it do?" Today, as in any age, people seem plagued with the dilemma of getting involved. In his own way, John Leonardi answered these questions. He chose to become a priest. After his ordination, Fr. Leonardi became very active in the works of the ministry, especially in hospitals and prisons. The example and dedication of his work attracted several young laymen who began to assist him. They later became priests themselves. John lived after the Protestant Reformation and the Council of Trent. He and his followers projected a new congregation of diocesan priests. For some reason the plan, which was ultimately approved, provoked great political opposition. John was exiled from his home town of Lucca, Italy, for almost the entire remainder of his life. He received encouragement and help from Saint Philip Neri, who gave him his lodgings—along with the care of his cat! In 1579, John formed the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, and published a compendium of Christian doctrine that remained in use until the 19th century. Father Leonardi and his priests became a great power for good in Italy, and their congregation was confirmed by Pope Clement in 1595. John died at the age of 68 from a disease caught when tending those stricken by the plague. By the deliberate policy of the founder, the Clerks Regular of the Mother of God have never had more than 15 churches, and today form only a very small congregation. The Liturgical Feast of Saint John Leonardi is October 9.
Reflection What can one person do? The answer is plenty! In the life of each saint, one thing stands clear: God and one person are a majority! What one individual, following God's will and plan for his or her life, can do is more than our mind could ever hope for or imagine. Each of us, like John Leonardi, has a mission to fulfill in God's plan for the world. Each one of us is unique and has been given talent to use for the service of our brothers and sisters for the building up of God's kingdom. Saint John Leonardi is the Patron Saint of: Pharmacists | Tuesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Jon 3:1-10 The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:
"Set out for the great city of Nineveh,
and announce to it the message that I will tell you."
So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,
according to the LORD's bidding.
Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;
it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city,
and had gone but a single day's walk announcing,
"Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,"
when the people of Nineveh believed God;
they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small,
put on sackcloth. When the news reached the king of Nineveh,
he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe,
covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes.
Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh,
by decree of the king and his nobles:
"Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep,
shall taste anything;
they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water.
Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth
and call loudly to God;
every man shall turn from his evil way
and from the violence he has in hand.
Who knows, God may relent and forgive,
and withhold his blazing wrath,
so that we shall not perish."
When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way,
he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them;
he did not carry it out. Responsorial Psalm PS 130:1b-2, 3-4ab, 7-8 R.(3) If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD
LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to my voice in supplication.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,
LORD, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
that you may be revered.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
Let Israel wait for the LORD,
For with the LORD is kindness
and with him is plenteous redemption;
And he will redeem Israel
from all their iniquities.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand? Alleluia Lk 11:28 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are those who hear the word of God
and observe it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 10:38-42 Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
"Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me."
The Lord said to her in reply,
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her." | Catholic Meditations
Meditation: Jonah 3:1-10 27th Week in Ordinary Time When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way . . . (Jonah 3:10) "Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed" (Jonah 3:4). That's easily imagined, as Nineveh was known for treachery, immorality, and deceitful relations with other nations. It's easy to believe that God would want to destroy wickedness. Think about Sodom. And Gomorrah. And Egypt and the Pharaohs. But it's just as easy to imagine God forgiving everyone who repents, no matter how evil his deeds are. That's why he says, "I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live" (Ezekiel 33:11). When the Ninevites heard Jonah's proclamation, they responded exactly as God had hoped they would. Proclaiming a fast, they ate and drank nothing for three days. They humbled themselves outwardly by wearing ashes and rags, and they ceased from violence and fraud and prayed for forgiveness instead. God was so pleased with their response that he wiped out all of their guilt and decided not to carry out his plans to punish them. This is the kind of God we have—a God who loves to create and nurture, not to rage or destroy. This is the kind of God who loves you. He gives you opportunity after opportunity to turn from evil and turn back to him. He ceaselessly calls you to put aside anything that you know isn't his way and to take hold of the life he extends to you. Maybe that means asking forgiveness of someone you've hurt. Or speaking loving words to your family rather than harsh ones. Or choosing honesty in your workplace instead of deception. Or giving your time to listen to another person instead of ignoring them. At every Mass, we pray, "Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy." Not because God wants us to constantly feel guilty for our sins, but because he loves to heal and forgive and restore. So whether you consider yourself among the "wicked" or the "only slightly misguided," today is a good day to take the example of the people of Nineveh and turn back to God. "Father, I confess that I have sinned. Forgive me and help me to walk in your love once again." Psalm 130:1-4, 7-8
Luke 10:38-42 |  clickable | When it comes upon me how late I am trying to serve the Church, the obvious answer is, even saints, such as St. Augustine, St. Ignatius, did not begin in earnest till a late age.
—Blessed John Henry Newman
quoted in Newman: His Life and Spirituality by Louis Bouyer | my2cents:
"...when the people of Nineveh believed God;
they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small,
put on sackcloth."
To me, that is amazing. Faith amazed. God relented. People believed. Can you imagine telling your whole city to stop eating for 3 days? To stop playing and start praying? To tell you the truth, I think it is doable. To all the nay-sayers, I say NAY! LOL. Faith is amazing. I believe in faith. If it were not the case, I would not be writing to you for years and years on the subject. As they say, faith is what connects the known, to the unknown. | Let us pray: "Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD LORD, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?"
But what caused a huge city to repent? Afterall, the story is crazy, some guy relenting to come warn them, had been thrown into a storm, a dark sea, and a big fish swallowed him up, and he came back to tell them the message! And today, the message is 10 times larger, for Christ came, was thrown into a storm, darkness, had prayed this cup to pass, but was put into the ground for 3 days and came back to tell us to repent! Can we not fast for 3 miserable days...days of glory to God? That's all it would take for God to not annihilate the city? God hears prayers, and fastings He can hear more clearly, a true contrition, a true cry from the heart, what is truly desired. | In the Holy Gospel, Martha says to God our Lord Jesus "Tell her to help me."
TELL HER to help ME.
Bishop Barron says in his reflection today that women didn't sit at the feet of the Rabbi, only men. Was Martha trying to do some fraternal correction here? To put her in her rightful place? Our Lord speaks: | "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things."
Pause.
Raise your hand if you are anxious right now and worried about many things.
ME! I'm filled with anxiety. It is a common problem in our nation. I'm worried about many things too. Most of my worries stem from a lack of faith! I'm worried I'm not doing things right. I'm worried I could be doing more and better. I'm anxious because I feel there is no time and the day has already started. At work, where is the work? Most of my guys are standing looking at me, my equipment parked in this construction business. My wife, my kids, this parish festival, all my loved ones I pray for so much for their health, spirit, and salvation. Back to the Lord:
"There is need of only one thing." What is that "Only Thing" God is talking about? Please don't say that word I don't want to hear or have....faith.
But isn't faith an act of charity in and of itself? And charity carries many blessings. Be charitable with your heart Martha my child. Be charitable with your heart, mind, soul, mouth, body, and love! Jonah heeded, and thousands were saved. "Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."
So was Mary told to stop doing what she was doing and sit down with Mary? Now we are putting two things against each other, the contemplative lifestyle versus the active life of a Christian. I'm thinking now of an Abbot, a founder of a Carmelite hermitage nearby. The man left being an active Diocesan parish priest, to become a hermit of Mt. Carmel. The man is just as busy if not busier than ever before, because this lifestyle calls for more rigorous prayer, at least in schedule and work is non-stop, now having to provide food, shelter, and money for himself and his fellow monks. Not only has he built a hermitage, now he is trying to build a huge church, out in the middle of nowhere. And this from a contemplative lifestyle. Fully devoted.
Mary chose the better part, didn't she?
She was more fully immersed in Jesus.
Can you see more now? She was closer to the fire. Can it be that we point the fingers "I want what she's got" yet instead of getting it, we just sit where we are and cry....thus, spinning our wheels?
Get some Traction! Let's do this faith thing!
Do not be afraid to sit at the Lord's feet.
The Lord wouldn't have called you or got you this far for nothing!
That "only Thing" Mary got, would never be taken from her. And the only thing Mary had in her life....was JESUS |  hear it read | adrian Random Bible Verse 1
Matthew 5:9 9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons1 of God. Random Bible Verse 2
Romans 12:10 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Thank You Jesus | |
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