 clickable | | Inspiration to feed your spirit. We Can Become God's Children—Now! Once we allow the love of God into our hearts, we are able to live no longer for ourselves but for him, with heartfelt charity and in genuine solidarity with other men and women. The better able we are to renounce ourselves, the better able we are to follow the Spirit. When our identity is fixed firmly on the solid foundation of Christ, we begin to experience our humanity in all its richness. We are able to see in Christ the image of the invisible God, and we become aware of our own exalted vocation to be sons and daughters of the Father. The Spirit is willingly sent by the Father and the Son in order to unite us with Christ and allow us to see ourselves as the Father knows us in the eternity of his mind. We can become God's children—now. We are adopted as sons and daughters of God. The Spirit imparts the graces we need in order to follow the example of Christ, to act rightly and do good deeds. —from the book Inspired: The Powerful Presence of the Holy Spirit by Fr. Gary Caster |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
"What does Jesus Christ do in the Eucharist? It is God who, as our Savior, offers himself each day for us to his Father's justice. If you are in difficulties and sorrows, he will comfort and relieve you. If you are sick, he will either cure you or give you strength to suffer so as to merit Heaven. If the devil, the world, and the flesh are making war upon you, he will give you the weapons with which to fight, to resist, and to win victory. If you are poor, he will enrich you with all sorts of riches for time and eternity. Let us open the door of his sacred and adorable Heart, and be wrapped about for an instant by the flames of his love, and we shall see what a God who loves us can do. O my God, who shall be able to comprehend?"
— St. John Vianney † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"If we do not die to ourselves, and if our holiest devotions do not incline us to this necessary and useful death, we shall bring forth no fruit worth anything, and our devotions will become useless. All our good works will be stained by self-love and our own will . . . We must choose therefore, among all the devotions to the Blessed Virgin, the one which draws us most toward this death to ourselves, inasmuch as it will be the best and the most sanctifying. For we must not think that all that shines is gold, that all that tastes sweet is honey, or that all that is easy to do and is done by the greatest number is the most sanctifying."
— St. Louis De Montfort, p.40
AN EXCERPT FROM
True Devotion to Mary † VERSE OF THE DAY
"The Lord exists forever; your word is firmly fixed in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast. By your appointment they stand today, for all things are your servants."
Psalm 119:89-91 |  click to read more | | ST. VERONICA St. Veronica (1st c.) is one of the holy women of Jerusalem who accompanied Jesus on the Way of the Cross. Out of her sorrow and compassion she offered Jesus her veil to wipe the blood and sweat from his face as He carried the cross on the way to His crucifixion. In gratitude for her simple yet gracious act, Jesus left an image of His face on the cloth. According to tradition, Veronica afterwards went to Rome and brought the cloth with her. This piece of cloth, known as Veronica's Veil, has been venerated as a holy and miraculous image of Jesus Christ ever since. It has been kept since ancient times in St. Peter's Basilica. On the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) in Jerusalem there is a small chapel called the Chapel of the Holy Face that was built on the site of St. Veronica's home and the location where the miracle took place. St. Veronica's feast day is July 12th. | Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Gn 46:1-7, 28-30 Israel set out with all that was his.
When he arrived at Beer-sheba,
he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
There God, speaking to Israel in a vision by night, called,
"Jacob! Jacob!"
He answered, "Here I am."
Then he said: "I am God, the God of your father.
Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt,
for there I will make you a great nation.
Not only will I go down to Egypt with you;
I will also bring you back here, after Joseph has closed your eyes." So Jacob departed from Beer-sheba,
and the sons of Israel
put their father and their wives and children
on the wagons that Pharaoh had sent for his transport.
They took with them their livestock
and the possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan.
Thus Jacob and all his descendants migrated to Egypt.
His sons and his grandsons, his daughters and his granddaughters
all his descendants—he took with him to Egypt. Israel had sent Judah ahead to Joseph,
so that he might meet him in Goshen.
On his arrival in the region of Goshen,
Joseph hitched the horses to his chariot
and rode to meet his father Israel in Goshen.
As soon as Joseph saw him, he flung himself on his neck
and wept a long time in his arms.
And Israel said to Joseph, "At last I can die,
now that I have seen for myself that Joseph is still alive." Responsorial Psalm Ps 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40
R.(39a) The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Trust in the LORD and do good,
that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will grant you your heart's requests.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
The LORD watches over the lives of the wholehearted;
their inheritance lasts forever.
They are not put to shame in an evil time;
in days of famine they have plenty.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Turn from evil and do good,
that you may abide forever;
For the LORD loves what is right,
and forsakes not his faithful ones.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
The salvation of the just is from the LORD;
he is their refuge in time of distress.
And the LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord. Alleluia Jn 16:13a, 14:26d R. Alleluia, alleluia.
When the Spirit of truth comes,
he will guide you to all truth
and remind you of all I told you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 10:16-23 Jesus said to his Apostles:
"Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves;
so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.
But beware of men,
for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.
When they persecute you in one town, flee to another.
Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel
before the Son of Man comes."
| Meditation: Genesis 46:1-7, 28-30 14th Week in Ordinary Time I am God. . . . Do not be afraid. (Genesis 46:3) We don't know exactly why Jacob felt afraid to move his family to Egypt when his son, Joseph, invited him. But a little digging and research can help us make a few educated guesses. To any Israelite living in the land of Canaan, Egyptian ways of life would seem strange and different. The men were clean shaven, unlike the Israelites. They worshipped the sun god, Ra, along with a whole host of other deities. What's more, Jacob's children and grandchildren were shepherds, but there was limited pastureland in Egypt. So Jacob was probably concerned about their livelihood. Jacob might also have feared that his children would lose their identity and turn away from the God of their fathers. Not to mention, migrating to Egypt meant living and dying in a foreign land, and it was Jacob's deepest desire to be buried in the same cave where his grandfather, Abraham, and father, Isaac, were buried. That burial place represented his beloved family, the land that God had given them, and all of God's future promises. No wonder he didn't want to leave! Given all these uncertainties, it was merciful of God to reassure Jacob that he would still grant his heart's desires. God promised to go with him into the new land and to bring him back to be buried in his home. Such promises meant a great deal to Jacob. What situations cause you uncertainty or anxiety? Like Jacob and his descendants, you might right now be facing painful partings, job changes, or opportunities that stretch you. Particularly when family traditions, values, and relationships are in a state of upheaval, fear can creep in. The next time fears about the future, big or small, start nagging you, try to remember what God told Jacob: "I am God. . . . Do not be afraid" (Genesis 46:3). God had a plan to fulfill Jacob's deepest hopes—and he already knows what is most important to you. He is your mighty God. And that is a great reason to feel encouraged. God is faithful to his faithful ones. With him by your side, you can meet the future with courage as Jacob did. "Father, I will trust in you. I will not be afraid." Psalm 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40
Matthew 10:16-23 |  clickable | There is nothing "progressive" about sin, even when it is promoted as "enlightened."
—Cardinal Francis George
from Glorious Lives | my2cents:
"And Israel said to Joseph, "At last I can die, now that I have seen for myself that Joseph is still alive."
These words are the words of a prophet.
Also the words of the prophet Simeon in the temple when Jesus and Mary are presented in the temple: "Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word,
for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel."
It was to be the reconciliation, the ultimate renewal of God's temple, for Jesus entered and His presence alone had foretold what would be...Salvation has come to this house.
Joseph's heart was now complete. Israel was now complete. The people of God can now be complete, for He came that you may have life...more abundant. | Let us pray: "Turn from evil and do good, that you may abide forever;
For the LORD loves what is right, and forsakes not his faithful ones. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord."
Beautiful Psalms that go hand in hand "Trust in the LORD and do good,
that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security. Take delight in the LORD, and he will grant you your heart's requests."
Many of my prayers have never ever been vocalized. I have never told a soul what my heart truly desires. Only God. And God speaks the language of hearts, never to an audible ear, for the Spirit of the Lord is not mere flesh and bones. I am teaching you then...to speak with Him...with the language of love...true love. Love Him, LOVE HIM. LOVE LOVE HIM. | Our Lord said today "You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved."
So...does everyone hate you now? Because of His name? Hate is such a strong word right? But not to evil. In our world today, if you don't support and are for homosexual lifestyles, you are labeled a hater, and you are said to hate. For either you love or you hate, there is no in between for them. You either love the devil or you hate it. It is very clear. Either you go to church or you don't. You see, in the things of God that is how it is, either you love Him or not. But what about the religion of "Neutrality" that is out there? It is a disguise. It is a heresy. It is anti-Christ. Most people I encounter that do not go to any church are in this "Neutrality Religion". They say they don't hate the church ...but they never say they love any church. Can you see the devil's lies? | These people are being fooled and deception by the devil is cunning. Beware. Because in front of you they are neutral, and behind you, they are worse. Neutrality is the common denominator for socialism, the ultimate god of self, the "people" rule, and no god shall intervene. You see? When you are neutral, you call yourself the ultimate judge.
Trusting the Lord means more than just saying you trust Him.
To trust is to believe and follow the Way.
The way is obedience. Jacob was obedient, as was Abraham, as was Moses. As has always been the case of a child of God. Jesus was the ultimate obedience model.
He showed love all the way to the Cross.
Love of the Father, commandments, charity, humility, purity. All things that show the way to Heaven.
If the world hates you, it hated Him first. The vineyard is here and now. And we are to tend to the vineyard.
For when Jesus returns as a child, He is "lost in the temple" and said..."did you not know that I must be about My Father's Business?" The Business of Love |  hear it read | adrian Random Bible Verse1
2 Corinthians 4:7-10 (Listen) 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. Thank You Jesus | |
