 clickable | | Still in Stormy Times Amid the tumult of these electrically charged, frenzied times, contemplative living does not propose an escape from our very real, practical, and sometimes intractable problems. On the contrary, it suggests a way of being still, while still being in the storms that rage all around and within us. Like sturdy trees that bend with the breeze, wisdom-inspired living offers a deeper mooring for our being and our doing, which allows for movement even as we are deeply rooted. Seasoned by tears of joy and lament, prayer-centered presence invites us to welcome the whole world by drawing it into our heart-center. Here theology mixes with theater and prophetic action with poetry, as walls come tumbling down, making way for wonder, woe, and well-being. —from the book Wandering and Welcome: Meditations for Finding Peace by Joseph Grant |  MorningOffering.com | † Saint Quote
"You never go away from us, yet we have difficulty in returning to You. Come, Lord, stir us up and call us back. Kindle and seize us. Be our fire and our sweetness. Let us love. Let us run."
— St. Augustine † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"Much that is true of human relationships is also true of our relationship with God. Human relationships of friendship or marriage need time, attention, and care for them to continue and to grow. The same is true of our relationship with God. We have been called to union but we need to respond. As we turn to God in conversion or in a deeper awakening, besides turning away from deliberate sin—which deforms the soul, blocks the relationship and offends the Person who has sacrificed His life for us—we need to positively build the relationship by paying attention to the One who loves us. Prayer is at root simply paying attention to God."
— Ralph Martin, p. 121
AN EXCERPT FROM
Fulfillment of all Desire † VERSE OF THE DAY
"And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him."
1 John 5:14-15 |  click to read more | | BLESSED JOHN LICCI Blessed John Licci (1400-1511) was born to a poor peasant farmer near Palermo, Sicily. His mother died in childbirth, and his father was forced to leave his infant alone at home while he worked in the fields. One day a neighbor woman heard the baby's cries and, in compassion, brought the child into her home to care for him. When she laid the baby on the bed next to her paralyzed husband, he was miraculously cured of his disease. Mr. Licci was unhappy with the woman's meddling and brought his son back into his home. However, when he did so, his neighbor's paralysis returned. Mr. Licci took this as a sign that God wanted the couple to help him care for his son. This was the first of many miracles John Licci would perform throughout his life. He joined the Dominican Order in 1415 and was a friar for 96 years, the longest period known for any religious to wear the habit. His miracles include the multiplication of building materials used for a convent he founded, miraculously feeding a poor widow and her six children, raising a dead boy to life, and curing three people whose heads had been crushed in accidents. Consequently, he has been designated the patron saint of head injuries. He is the longest-living saint in the Catholic Church, dying at the age of 111. St. John Licci's feast day is November 14th. | Thursday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 494
Reading 1 Wis 7:22b–8:1 In Wisdom is a spirit
intelligent, holy, unique,
Manifold, subtle, agile,
clear, unstained, certain,
Not baneful, loving the good, keen,
unhampered, beneficent, kindly,
Firm, secure, tranquil,
all-powerful, all-seeing,
And pervading all spirits,
though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle.
For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion,
and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity.
For she is an aura of the might of God
and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty;
therefore nought that is sullied enters into her.
For she is the refulgence of eternal light,
the spotless mirror of the power of God,
the image of his goodness.
And she, who is one, can do all things,
and renews everything while herself perduring;
And passing into holy souls from age to age,
she produces friends of God and prophets.
For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom.
For she is fairer than the sun
and surpasses every constellation of the stars.
Compared to light, she takes precedence;
for that, indeed, night supplants,
but wickedness prevails not over Wisdom. Indeed, she reaches from end to end mightily
and governs all things well. Responsorial Psalm Ps 119:89, 90, 91, 130, 135, 175 R.(89a) Your word is for ever, O Lord.
Your word, O LORD, endures forever;
it is firm as the heavens.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
Through all generations your truth endures;
you have established the earth, and it stands firm.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
According to your ordinances they still stand firm:
all things serve you.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
The revelation of your words sheds light,
giving understanding to the simple.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
Let your countenance shine upon your servant,
and teach me your statutes.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
Let my soul live to praise you,
and may your ordinances help me.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord. Alleluia Jn 15:5 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the vine, you are the branches, says the Lord:
whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 17:20-25 Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come,
Jesus said in reply,
"The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed,
and no one will announce, 'Look, here it is,' or, 'There it is.'
For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you." Then he said to his disciples,
"The days will come when you will long to see
one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
There will be those who will say to you,
'Look, there he is,' or 'Look, here he is.'
Do not go off, do not run in pursuit.
For just as lightning flashes
and lights up the sky from one side to the other,
so will the Son of Man be in his day.
But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation." | Catholic Meditations
Meditation: Luke 17:20-25 32nd Week in Ordinary Time The Kingdom of God is among you. (Luke 17:21) Sometimes hidden forces are the most powerful. Think about the work that goes into digging a canal: huge machines, lots of noise, noticed by everybody. Now, compare that with the way the Colorado River carved the Grand Canyon. It was a slower process, and no one would have even noticed what was happening at first. But the final results are much more impressive. No excavation crew could ever have completed such a beautiful project! In today's Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the most powerful unseen force of all: the kingdom of God. He explains that the coming of this kingdom isn't accompanied with a lot of fanfare, and many don't notice it. Jesus' humble coming in the flesh was the inauguration of the kingdom, and that was a very quiet beginning. But from that point on, everything began to change. The kingdom's forces are now at work in a new way, and it's only a matter of time before Jesus takes up his reign in a much more public way. So we live in an "already, but not yet" time. God's kingdom truly is among us, but it is not yet fully visible. This isn't always easy for us. We want to see more; we want to experience more, but God is asking us to exercise our faith and to trust in his unseen presence and his invisible power. He wants us to live in hope—not a wistful denial of reality, but a sure and certain assurance that his kingdom truly is with us. We can be peaceful and trusting, secure in the knowledge that Jesus, our King, is in control, and we will eventually see him return in unmistakable glory. So our time is one of both rest and activity. We rest in God and his promises, but we are also active as ambassadors of the kingdom. Sometimes our work is nothing more than admiring the work of the mighty river as it carves out the magnificent architecture of the kingdom. But at other times we can point out this work in progress to someone else. And at all times we can give thanks to our King, who is always at work in the world around us. "Lord, I believe that your kingdom is here, now. And still I pray, 'Let your kingdom come!'" Wisdom 7:22–8:1
Psalm 119:89-91, 130, 135, 175 |  clickable | Everything we have is meant to be shared.
—Jordan and Jessie Schiele
from excerpt from Jerusalem Farm - Restored | my2cents:
"And passing into holy souls from age to age, she produces friends of God and prophets. For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom."
Before writing to you, I asked the Lord a question, as I gazed into a holographic pic on my desk of His face, at one angle it is the face on the shroud of Turin, and at another angle, it is His face as if He were alive, all hair there, eyes open: "Lord, what do you think of me?". His face is unchanging. His gaze is amazing. No words needed, the message is clear: "I think (only) of my love for you". The way I heard it was "I think I love you" but I knew what He meant! Because we know He loves us...our souls, that what animates this body. And this message isn't meant for me, it is meant for each of us, because I had just prayed about writing to you, as I do every day (during the week). | Let us pray: "Your word is for ever, O Lord. Let my soul live to praise you, and may your ordinances help me. Your word is for ever, O Lord." In today's first Holy Scripture, in the book of Wisdom, which the protestants have thrown out, it says "passing into holy souls from age to age...". Wisdom emanates from the face of Christ. Since He was a child He amazed everyone with Wisdom. It comes out naturally from a holy soul. Your intellect is no match for wisdom. They say wisdom comes with time and through the gift of understanding. Remember when God says "before you were formed in the womb...I knew you". That is an unfathomable wisdom. Before you were born...you were known. That is amazing. We can not fathom eternal knowing. All we can do is...be amazed. | Our Lord says something quite unbelievable, especially for one who likes to doubt everything: "...behold, the Kingdom of God is among you."
Ahh. Didn't we read a reflection, as in every day, from the "Word Among Us"? What is the "Word"? If you look at the opening lines of the Book of John it says it clearly: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Now John speaks theology, and begins with Genesis. And what were God's first words in Genesis? "LET THERE BE LIGHT".
In comes Jesus into our lives. God comes into our lives. Truth comes into our lives. Life comes into our lives. Eternity is bestowed. God's Kingdom...begins. | There are, in some schools of thought, that this is not God's Kingdom. Oops. That is contrary to what He just said. Let us not confuse this with Heaven. This is GOD's Kingdom. Perhaps not the fullness of the promised Heaven, right? God is KING. Kanye West (a popular hip hop/rap artist) is now proclaiming JESUS IS KING. There is one good thing he said in an interview, one of many he has been going through now; they asked him, "so...you're like a Christian artist now?" and he replies "I'm a Christian EVERYTHING". Amen brother. 24/7/365. Let the truth be shown by our deeds. Not just by words. Not just by what we speak, not just by what we sing, but what is truly being proclaimed, from the inside.
Our Lord continues: "There will be those who will say to you, 'Look, there he is,' or 'Look, here he is.' Do not go off, do not run in pursuit." You will never catch the Lord like that. He can appear in a flash. And even faster than that. The book of Wisdom said today "For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion". We can attempt to track motion, but what we are talking about is beyond that.
Our Lord ends today with "But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation."
And the truth spoke, and the truth happens.
They say to all desiring to be a Christ follower "be ready for the cross".
Are you willing to take this chalice? Because you will be proven as gold as Saint Peter said (our first Pope) "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ"
1 Peter 1:6-7
Evil will be used to prove your soul. Get ready for slander. Get ready for ridicule. Get ready for smears. Get ready, and tough it out. I saw a video of a Buddhist monk warrior in training, he had to take a lot of hits to the head, over and over again, strengthening muscles, and enduring much pain. When it came time to fight, at times he would not put his hands up to defend himself, he'd just let the attacker hit him on the head wearing himself out. It was a formidable sight to see. He'd just put his head down a little and take the beating.
Now, how can we do this for Christ? Start taking hits my friend. Train your heart. Train it so it is strong, for God calls us to be strong warriors of Love. Strive to be strong, that's what I told my CCD kids last night. "For many will attempt to enter the narrow gate, but will not be strong enough" says our Lord.
Another great fight move is to just step aside and let the enemy trip. But how? How will you know a hit is coming? You don't. Don't depend on motion.
Depend
On
God.
He is our Master. He is the mighty and triumphant Champion of the world.
The fight has been won. Feel free to take sides, winner, or loser.
Sin causes loss, and at times great loss....the loss of one's soul.
You are called to be one thing...the love of God, and this call is actually very demanding....it calls for EVERYTHING My Lord,
I am here for your every beckoning call....
I prayed for a message, and opened randomly, the book IMITATION OF CHRIST and listen: "Many will follow Him to the breaking of the bread, but few will drink the bitter cup of His Passion. Many revere His miracles, but few follow the shame of His cross. Many love Jesus when all goes well with them, and praise Him when He does them a favor; but if Jesus conceals Himself and leaves them for a little while, they fall to complaining or become depressed.
They who love Jesus purely for Himself and not for their own sake bless Him in all trouble and anguish as well as in the time of consolation. Even if He never sent them a consolation, they would still praise Him and give thanks.
3. Oh how powerful is the pure love of Jesus, when not mixed with self interest or self-love! .... " |  hear it read | adrian Today's Random Bible Verse
pulled from a random verse generator: Random Bible Verse 1
2 Thessalonians 3:5 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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