 clickable | | St. Isidore, Teach Us to Love the Earth The distinction between creation and nature is an important one because when we discuss the integrity of nature, especially from the Franciscan tradition, we are really talking about creation, the relationship of the natural world, including humans, to the Creator. "Creation," therefore, means relationships between the human and nonhuman created order, the place of the human person within that order, and the response of the person to the created order in its relationship to God. Environment is more than nature alone; rather, it is that realm of God's goodness in the natural world that shares with us humans a deep longing for God. —from the book Care for Creation: A Franciscan Spirituality of the Earth by Ilia Delio, Keith Douglass Warner, and Pamela Wood |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote "Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them, every day begin the task anew."
— St. Francis de Sales † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"Let us not fancy that if we cry a great deal we have done all that is needed—rather we must work hard and practice the virtues: that is the essential—leaving tears to fall when God sends them, without trying to force ourselves to shed them. Then, if we do not take too much notice of them, they will leave the parched soil of our souls well watered, making it fertile in good fruit; for this is the water which falls from Heaven. ... I think it is best for us to place ourselves in the presence of God, contemplate His mercy and grandeur and our own vileness and leave Him to give us what He will, whether water or drought, for He knows best what is good for us; thus we enjoy peace and the devil will have less chance to deceive us."
— St. Teresa of Avila, p.147
AN EXCERPT FROM
Interior Castle † VERSE OF THE DAY
"For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God."
Job 19:25-26 |  click to read more | | Saint Isidore the Farmer (1070 – May 15, 1130) Isidore has become the patron of farmers and rural communities. In particular, he is the patron of Madrid, Spain, and of the United States National Rural Life Conference. When he was barely old enough to wield a hoe, Isidore entered the service of John de Vergas, a wealthy landowner from Madrid, and worked faithfully on his estate outside the city for the rest of his life. He married a young woman as simple and upright as himself who also became a saint—Maria de la Cabeza. They had one son, who died as a child. Isidore had deep religious instincts. He rose early in the morning to go to church and spent many a holiday devoutly visiting the churches of Madrid and surrounding areas. All day long, as he walked behind the plow, he communed with God. His devotion, one might say, became a problem, for his fellow workers sometimes complained that he often showed up late because of lingering in church too long. He was known for his love of the poor, and there are accounts of Isidore's supplying them miraculously with food. He had a great concern for the proper treatment of animals. He died May 15, 1130, and was declared a saint in 1622, with Saints Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Teresa of Avila, and Philip Neri. Together, the group is known in Spain as "the five saints."
Reflection Many implications can be found in a simple laborer achieving sainthood: Physical labor has dignity; sainthood does not stem from status; contemplation does not depend on learning; the simple life is conducive to holiness and happiness. Legends about angel helpers and mysterious oxen indicate that his work was not neglected and his duties did not go unfulfilled. Perhaps the truth which emerges is this: If you have your spiritual self in order, your earthly commitments will fall into order also. "[S]eek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness," said the carpenter from Nazareth, "and all these things will be given you besides" (Matthew 6:33).
Saint Isidore the Farmer is the Patron Saint of: Farmers
Laborers | Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 12:24—13:5a The word of God continued to spread and grow. After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission,
they returned to Jerusalem,
taking with them John, who is called Mark. Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,
Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,
"Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul
for the work to which I have called them."
Then, completing their fasting and prayer,
they laid hands on them and sent them off. So they, sent forth by the Holy Spirit,
went down to Seleucia
and from there sailed to Cyprus.
When they arrived in Salamis,
they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. Responsorial Psalm Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6 and 8 R.(4) O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia Jn 8:12 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 12:44-50 Jesus cried out and said,
"Whoever believes in me believes not only in me
but also in the one who sent me,
and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.
I came into the world as light,
so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.
And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them,
I do not condemn him,
for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.
Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words
has something to judge him: the word that I spoke,
it will condemn him on the last day,
because I did not speak on my own,
but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.
And I know that his commandment is eternal life.
So what I say, I say as the Father told me." | Meditation: Acts 12:24–13:5 Saint Isidore (Optional Memorial) The Holy Spirit said . . . (Acts 13:2) A famine had spread across the land, and the Christians in Antioch were concerned about their fellow believers in Jerusalem. So they raised some money and commissioned Barnabas and Paul to bring it to them (Acts 11:27-30). Their "relief mission" now completed (12:25), Barnabas and Paul joined the prophets and teachers in the church in Antioch. Fasting and praying, they asked the Lord, "What's next?" We don't know exactly what he meant when Luke, the author of Acts, wrote that "the Holy Spirit said" (Acts 13:2). The Spirit could have spoken in an audible voice, but he also might have been speaking in more ordinary ways. For example, God could have been speaking through the circumstances of Paul and Barnabas. They had proven themselves to the leaders of the Antioch church, and perhaps the time had come for them to expand the scope of their service to the Lord. God could have also been speaking through the desires of Paul and Barnabas to go on another mission trip. Maybe they were restless and eager to do more for the Lord. Or the Spirit could have spoken through an interior sense the elders had as they prayed and fasted. Perhaps the Spirit helped them realize that their peaceful, prosperous community was ready to share its gifts and proclaim the gospel elsewhere. God can speak to us in similar ways. If you've just retired and your pastor asks you to head up a new ministry, he might be speaking to you through your circumstances. If you've always wanted to work with young children and you notice that your local elementary school needs volunteers, God might be speaking to you through your desires. If you and your spouse agree to move to a different part of the country for a new job, the Spirit could be speaking through a sense you both had as you prayed about whether to accept it. God speaks to us all the time, but often in more subtle ways than we might expect. Let's be confident that he will answer us when we ask for guidance. Just as he did for those early Christians in Antioch, God is always ready to show us what's next! "Holy Spirit, help me to hear you speaking to me—in any way that you choose." Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6, 8
John 12:44-50 |  clickable | Humility is inseparable from love. Love makes us humble and, being love, God is humble. Saint Francis had this intuition speaking about the humility of God.
—FR. DAVE PIVONKA, TOR
from Sign of Contradiction | 2cents:
"Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off." Where did they send them off to? Work. God has work for us. The protestant movement has become one that says you don't have to work. It is getting more and more watered down, to the point where you won't have to lift a finger. But that does not match to what the Holy Spirit commands in the vineyard, and the sower, the farmer, the evangelizers. What sets well is doing Our Father's will. And you know it because it is engraved in your heart, designed by our Creator. | Let us pray today: "May God have pity on us and bless us; may he let his face shine upon us. So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation. O God, let all the nations praise you". His face shines. We ask His face to shine upon us. My priest is black, from Africa, but when I see Him speak to me direct, His face shines upon me. I know the directives are coming as direct will from our Lord. Truth and truths I often don't want to hear, commands to hunker down and get on my knees, and it is my relationship with the Father. How often I want things my way and not really His, but I know His way is way better, for it is the real and only way. How often do I want my cake and eat it too? How often do I want to walk the fence, the line, be neutral...not even lifting a finger? | In comes our Lord today and said "...the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. " Ahh! Back to the commands from the Father! Back to what we are being commanded to do! What is the command again? Our Lord said "whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I came into the world as light,
so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. " Be the light. Ooooh, but that is too bright, light stands out in darkness! I don't want to stand out! I want to be "cool" and "accepted" and blend in with the crowd! Eeek. Nobody wants to be that Holy Roller. Tell me, does not a priest dressed in his collar or a nun dressed in the habit stand out? Yes. Like a sore thumb! Right? Abnormal. Like a light in the dark. There is something heartwarming about seeing them...love God like that. It is a walking testimony "I Belong To God". I do not belong to this world. The world hates what is of God. Need proof? Let me roll out some anti-christian laws being proposed right now and some that are in effect. Or let me show you how many have been martyred, that is, slaughtered for being Christian in the last 100 years. Why? Hatred of light. So what do we need to do to stop this? So long as you are in this world, you will see evil. So, there is not hope? Oh yes. There is. There in the world God created a light for hope, a light to be seen in the dark world. When a baby is born, in spanish they say the woman gave light. You were given as a light to the world. Now, how about that? Will you let it burn bright? You control the dimmer switch of grace.
Let us pray:
Lord, Help me.
Help me to be your shining light, that burning blaze you desire. So often I don't ask to be your light, but help me have the desire to be your fire...of pure, pure Love in this world, a love for you, that the world can feel by your touch... |  hear it read | adrian Random Bible Verse1
Proverbs 3:9-10 (Listen) 9 Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
10 then your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine. Random Bible Verse2
Isaiah 43:2 (Listen) 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you. Random Bible Verse3
1 Timothy 1:17 (Listen) 17 To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. [1] Amen. Thank You Jesus | |
