 clickable | | Live THIS Day A younger friend told me about a life crossroads, which felt weighted by conundrum. I asked, "So what's next?" She replied, "I'm just waiting for God to show me what he wants from me." "OK," I said to her. "But in the meantime, until you have your life and self figured out and straightened out, I have a suggestion: Live this day, with this self, without holding back. Today; savor, doubt, embrace, question, wrestle, give, risk, love, fall down, get up, accept your incomplete and fractured self, know that anything worth doing is worth doing badly, speak from your whole heart, and whenever you can, lavish excessive compassion and mercy and healing and hope and second chances and grace and restoration and kindness on anyone who crosses your path. Who knows, we may love one another into existence. And I'm sure God won't mind." —from the book This Is the Life: Mindfulness, Finding Grace, and the Power of the Present Moment by Terry Hershey |  MorningOffering.com | † Saint Quote
"Men do not fear a powerful hostile army as the powers of hell fear the name and protection of Mary."
— St. Bonaventure † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"Essentially a soldier, the Christian is always on the lookout. He has sharper ears and hears an undertone that others miss; his eyes see things in a particularly candid light, and he senses something to which others are insensible, the streaming of a vital current through all things. He is never submerged in life, but keeps his head and shoulders clear of it and his eyes free to look upward. Consequently he has a deeper sense of responsibility than others. When this awareness and watchfulness disappear, Christian life loses its edge; it becomes dull and ponderous."
— Fr. Romano Guardini, p. 177
AN EXCERPT FROM
Meditations Before Mass † VERSE OF THE DAY
"See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him."
1 John 3:1 |  click to read more | | ST. CECILIA St. Cecilia (3rd c.) is one of the most venerated of the virgin martyrs of Rome. Her name is in the Roman Canon of the Mass. According to tradition she made a private vow of chastity to Jesus, yet her parents promised her in marriage to a suitor. On her wedding night, St. Cecilia told her husband that she had not only made a vow to remain a virgin, but that an angel guarded her purity. Her husband agreed to honor her vow and follow Christ if he could also see her guardian angel. She instructed him to first be baptized, and afterwards he was able to see her angel. Cecilia's brother-in-law also converted, and both men were eventually martyred for their faith; but not without first converting their jailer. St. Cecilia was later arrested and also sentenced to death. An executioner struck three blows but was not successful in severing her head from her body; instead, she survived for three days preaching to those who visited her in prison until her last breath. They lovingly soaked up the blood from her wounds with clothes and sponges. Her relics, along with those of her husband, his brother, and the converted jailor, were placed in the church of St. Cecilia in Rome. Because she sang hymns to Jesus in her heart on her wedding day, St. Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians. Her feast day is celebrated on November 22nd. | Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr Reading 1 1 Mc 4:36-37, 52-59 Judas and his brothers said,
"Now that our enemies have been crushed,
let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it."
So the whole army assembled, and went up to Mount Zion. Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month,
that is, the month of Chislev,
in the year one hundred and forty-eight,
they arose and offered sacrifice according to the law
on the new altar of burnt offerings that they had made.
On the anniversary of the day on which the Gentiles had defiled it,
on that very day it was reconsecrated
with songs, harps, flutes, and cymbals.
All the people prostrated themselves and adored and praised Heaven,
who had given them success. For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar
and joyfully offered burnt offerings and sacrifices
of deliverance and praise.
They ornamented the facade of the temple with gold crowns and shields;
they repaired the gates and the priests' chambers
and furnished them with doors.
There was great joy among the people
now that the disgrace of the Gentiles was removed.
Then Judas and his brothers and the entire congregation of Israel
decreed that the days of the dedication of the altar
should be observed with joy and gladness
on the anniversary every year for eight days,
from the twenty-fifth day of the month Chislev. Responsorial Psalm 1 Chronicles 29:10bcd, 11abc, 11d-12a, 12bcd R.(13b) We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
"Blessed may you be, O LORD,
God of Israel our father,
from eternity to eternity."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
"Yours, O LORD, are grandeur and power,
majesty, splendor, and glory.
For all in heaven and on earth is yours."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
"Yours, O LORD, is the sovereignty;
you are exalted as head over all.
Riches and honor are from you."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
"You have dominion over all,
In your hand are power and might;
it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all."
R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God. 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 19:45-48 Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out
those who were selling things, saying to them,
"It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer,
but you have made it a den of thieves."
And every day he was teaching in the temple area.
The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile,
were seeking to put him to death,
but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose
because all the people were hanging on his words. | Catholic Meditations
Meditation: Luke 19:45-48 Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr (Memorial) My house shall be a house of prayer. (Luke 19:46) When Jesus refers to "my house," we can understand it in different ways. The Temple in Jerusalem was seen as the house of God. Indeed, Jesus declares these words while cleansing the Temple. Let's see how else we can understand these words. My house shall be a house of prayer. Our families are part of the house of God. In fact, each family unit is said to be a "domestic church," a church in miniature. Each family forms a unique environment where everyone can grow in holiness together. So it's important to take advantage of every opportunity to do that—whether it's praying together as a family, reading Scripture, participating in the sacraments, or serving the poor together. My house shall be a house of prayer. The wider people of God—the Church—is also a house in which God dwells. This includes our fellow parishioners, the people we work alongside in ministry, and the people we share fellowship with. They are all our brothers and sisters, so we should always show them the respect and honor they deserve. Even if they favor a different spirituality than we do, they remain precious in the eyes of the Lord. So pray with them and for them. Remember also that God wants to bring all people into his house, so treat everyone you meet as a potential "household member"! My house shall be a house of prayer. The physical structure in which you attend Mass every Sunday—or perhaps daily—is literally God's house. It's more than just a building. It is a holy place where you can find Jesus, present in the tabernacle. It is a sacred space, especially during Mass, when Jesus comes to us in the form of bread and wine. Your church may not be in the wealthiest neighborhood. The building may not be designed in the most elegant style. But whatever it looks like and wherever it is, Jesus is present there. Don't ignore this incredible gift! In prayer today, thank Jesus for all the different ways he is present to you. May we all treasure every "house of prayer" that Christ has given to us! "Lord, thank you for coming to dwell with me!" 1 Maccabees 4:36-37, 52-59
(Psalm) 1 Chronicles 29:10-12 |  clickable | Mary, the Queen Mother, is the one we turn to. Not just because the bible says so, not just because the Church teaches it, but because we need her.
—DR. SCOTT HAHN
From Answering Common Objections | my2cents:
"Now that our enemies have been crushed, let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it." It happened on the month of Chislev, the 25th day, of the darkest month, that God entered and purged the temple and made His prophecy that would come true. A day would come when the entire temple would be toppled, and this is the day it began, the tower of Babylon would cease to exist, for they had already lost what the purpose was for, to carry the Holy of Holies, to care for the Holy of Holies, and the Holy of Holies said "I AM HERE!". | We pray " We praise your glorious name, O mighty God. "You have dominion over all,
In your hand are power and might; it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all." We praise your glorious name, O mighty God." Selah, Shalom my friend. | In the Holy Gospel, our Lord said only one thing today: "It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves."
And the rest was about how the "chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile,
were seeking to put him to death".
It was a revelation to read "My House Shall Be A House of Prayer". Why did He say that? And why does He continue to say that to this day? Because this wasn't written for them back then only. It is for us this day today. It wasn't to learn from their mistakes only, but to learn about our mistakes. This is the reason I have been asked to write. | Welcome to God's House.
Here we pray. Here we worship God. Here we come to give and to receive.
Welcome, for this is a sign of what is to come. Some ask for a sign, but do not come to receive. Some ask for a blessing but do not come to receive.
Welcome, you are always welcome here.
Yesterday, I heard about a visitor to our Cursillo Ultreya, last week. It was a Spanish Ultreya, and the visitor was english only, a young tall slender guy. Never been a church goer. I wound up sitting next to him the whole time he was there for the purpose of translating everything and explaining everything that was going on.
He moved back to Kansas. I told him that he was always welcome with us.
Yesterday I heard something wonderful that the young man said "I felt at home there" at the ultreya.
That is how we should feel, but you won't feel at home if you don't feel the warmth of God's love. Was it what I said? Was it what the speakers said? Was it what others said? Or was it the food made with so much love? Couldn't have been my songs and guitar playing, it was all spanish. No, something more was there....we held hands and we all prayed...God was there.
You see, a church can be a building, or a house of prayer. The Holy Cathoic Church always has God's presence there. It is then rightly, the place that holds the Holy of Holies. That is why the devil hates it so much and is this very day seeking to desecrate it by any way possible, through government, through media, through "scary movies" and defiling every single Holy day and calling it a holiday or worse, by twisting it, and by changing its every essence.
This is exactly what was going on when our Lord entered the temple and whipped out all the animals.
I remember a crazy retreat I went to in Kansas "Escuela De La Cruz". They gathered all us men in the gym and began hollering in spanish "Who all here is Macho!!!" because in spanish this means to be a manly man. Eventually they had all men yelling, and then they yelled at the men "You IMBECILES" they used a cuss word, "you are not MACHOS, you are men, not animals!!!" you see, Macho in Spanish also means "mule". They were setting us up for failure, the whole retreat had a purpose, to humiliate us, to bring us down, to knock us off our horse, and to be a priest's servant, for a Priest is a Person of Christ, and Christ's body in the Sacraments. They told us of a story of a lay man that gave his life for a priest. It was a retreat never to be forgotten, especially by me because I was flaring up at the insults they said and I told them "I'm leaving back to Texas if you don't stop profanities in the presence of our Lord". That didn't stop them, that only made things worse, "STUPID ** TEXANS" they said afterwards in a talk. That made me scrunch up inside and set lower in my desk in the classroom we sat. I bowed my head taking the insults and seemingly hatred. "Who are these Chicago people to tell me how to be a Christian?" But you know what made the difference? I took the brutal onslaught for our Lord and said "I would never leave you Lord, I will tough everything out, I will not leave you to be slaughtered". It turns out that this retreat is a twisted version of the Cursillo, turned into something else.
But, this is how things happen, and for a special reason. I learned so much there. I needed a good lesson in humility, and I'd only suggest that retreat for people with a problem with pride....Spiritual Pride. Uggh, how gross.
Not that I'm a humble man, nope, I only know one humble man...My Father Jesus CHRIST on the Cross.
We need a whipping, amen? Whippings are good for us. When I spank my kids (not abuse) but corporal punishment, as I received in schools all my life, that straightened me up. Only a Loving Father would do this. One who cares about your final outcome.
So why do you even go to Church my child?
Do you go to turn it into a den of thieves? You go take instead of give?
Do you go to inflate your head and spiritual heart? Do you go to be "blessed" and not to bless? Do you seek God's favor but not favor God?
Why do you even bother? The problem with people leaving is just that...they no longer feel anything. They never truly gave. Giving is investing.
I'm asking you to give and give and give! Give til it hurts. Give til you bleed.
Give, get insults, give, never get thanked, give, be forgotten, give, Love God, show Him what you're made of! Show Him You can be made of Love...
Think Eucharist.
Think Jesus on the Cross.
Think, the King that enters the world...
Think OUR FATHER OUR LORD AND OUR GOD!!! |  hear it read | Random Bible Verse 1 Random Bible Verse 1
1 Peter 3:12–13 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." 13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? WOW!!! Thank You Lord | |
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