 clickable | | An Invitation to Contentment Jesus never meant us to live in a world where we have to make a choice to be either a Martha or a Mary—where in order to seek holiness, we would have to change the temperament God gave us. Jesus was offering Martha, who was stuck in her either/or mindset, another option, the "both-and" option. He was extending to her an invitation to the one necessary thing, the one thing we need to live in intimacy with him, no matter how we are wired. He was extending to her in that moment, just as he extends to us now, an invitation to contentment, to live unhurried and unafraid, knowing that he is present, right here in the chaos of our everyday lives. And we can embrace that contentment whether we are natural sitters or natural servers. We can live knowing that we are completely surrounded by God, knowing that we are not working for his approval but for his pleasure. —from the book Who Does He Say You Are? Women Transformed by Christ in the Gospels by Colleen Mitchell |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote "The deeds you do may be the only sermon some people will hear today."
— St. Francis of Assisi †MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"Avoid worrying, then, about anything else for your children except whatever may contribute to bringing them up virtuously. For the rest, having entrusted them to God, try to see what His will for them is, to help them along the path in life He has chosen for them. Never be afraid of relying too much on Him, but rather seek always to increase your trust more and more, for this is the most pleasing homage you can pay Him and it will be the measure of the graces you will receive. Little or much will be given you according as you have expected little or much."
— St. Claude De La Columbiere, p.46
AN EXCERPT FROM
Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence † VERSE OF THE DAY
"For I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me."
Philippians 4:11b-13 |  click to read more | | Saint Martha Martha, Mary, and their brother Lazarus were evidently close friends of Jesus. He came to their home simply as a welcomed guest, rather than as one celebrating the conversion of a sinner like Zacchaeus or one unceremoniously received by a suspicious Pharisee. The sisters feel free to call on Jesus at their brother's death, even though a return to Judea at that time seems almost certain death. No doubt Martha was an active sort of person. On one occasion, she prepares the meal for Jesus and possibly his fellow guests and forthrightly states the obvious: All hands should pitch in to help with the dinner. Yet, as biblical scholar Father John McKenzie points out, she need not be rated as an "unrecollected activist." The evangelist is emphasizing what our Lord said on several occasions about the primacy of the spiritual: "…[D]o not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear…. But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness" (Matthew 6:25b, 33a); "One does not live by bread alone" (Luke 4:4b); "Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness…" (Matthew 5:6a). Martha's great glory is her simple and strong statement of faith in Jesus after her brother's death. "Jesus told her, 'I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?' She said to him, 'Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world'" (John 11:25-27).
Reflection Scripture commentators point out that in writing his account of the raising of Lazarus, Saint John intends that we should see Martha's words to Mary before Lazarus was raised as a summons that every Christian must obey. In her saying "The teacher is here and is asking for you," Jesus is calling every one of us to resurrection—now in baptismal faith, forever in sharing his victory over death. And all of us, as well as these three friends, are in our own unique way called to special friendship with him.
Saint Martha is the Patron Saint of: Cooks
Housewives
Servants
Waiters and Waitresses | Memorial of Saint Martha Reading 1 Ex 32:15-24, 30-34 Moses turned and came down the mountain
with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands,
tablets that were written on both sides, front and back;
tablets that were made by God,
having inscriptions on them that were engraved by God himself.
Now, when Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting,
he said to Moses, "That sounds like a battle in the camp."
But Moses answered, "It does not sound like cries of victory,
nor does it sound like cries of defeat;
the sounds that I hear are cries of revelry."
As he drew near the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing.
With that, Moses' wrath flared up, so that he threw the tablets down
and broke them on the base of the mountain.
Taking the calf they had made, he fused it in the fire
and then ground it down to powder,
which he scattered on the water and made the children of Israel drink. Moses asked Aaron, "What did this people ever do to you
that you should lead them into so grave a sin?"
Aaron replied, "Let not my lord be angry.
You know well enough how prone the people are to evil.
They said to me, 'Make us a god to be our leader;
as for the man Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt,
we do not know what has happened to him.'
So I told them, 'Let anyone who has gold jewelry take it off.'
They gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and this calf came out." On the next day Moses said to the people,
"You have committed a grave sin.
I will go up to the LORD, then;
perhaps I may be able to make atonement for your sin."
So Moses went back to the LORD and said,
"Ah, this people has indeed committed a grave sin
in making a god of gold for themselves!
If you would only forgive their sin!
If you will not, then strike me out of the book that you have written."
The LORD answered, "Him only who has sinned against me
will I strike out of my book.
Now, go and lead the people to the place I have told you.
My angel will go before you.
When it is time for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin." Responsorial Psalm Ps 106:19-20, 21-22, 23 R.(1a) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
Our fathers made a calf in Horeb
and adored a molten image;
They exchanged their glory
for the image of a grass-eating bullock.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
They forgot the God who had saved them,
who had done great deeds in Egypt,
Wondrous deeds in the land of Ham,
terrible things at the Red Sea.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
Then he spoke of exterminating them,
but Moses, his chosen one,
Withstood him in the breach
to turn back his destructive wrath.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. 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 11:19-27 Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary
to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died].
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him;
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus,
"Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you."
Jesus said to her,
"Your brother will rise."
Martha said to him,
"I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day."
Jesus told her,
"I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?"
She said to him, "Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world." or 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."
| Meditation: John 11:19-27 Saint Martha (Memorial) Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ. (John 11:27) Good old Martha! She was never one to hide her feelings. She had no problem saying whatever was on her mind. You might recall that when Jesus came for dinner and her sister, Mary, sat down to listen to him, Martha had no qualms about complaining to Jesus. Why wasn't Mary helping her prepare the meal (Luke 10:40)? In today's Gospel, Martha lets Jesus know just how disappointed she is that he didn't come sooner to save her brother, Lazarus (John 11:21). She can't understand why Jesus would delay when his good friend was on his deathbed. Still, despite her disappointment, Martha professes her faith in him: "You are the Christ, the Son of God" (11:27). We can be tempted to think that having faith in Jesus means we can't ever question him or wonder why he would allow some things to happen. But St. Martha shows us another way. She was totally honest with Jesus. She didn't hesitate to express her confusion, her struggles, or her feelings—but that didn't mean that her faith was weak. Even though she didn't understand, she still believed that he was "the one who is coming into the world" (John 11:27). You have a friendship with Jesus too. That means you can be as honest with him as Martha was. You can tell him when you're feeling disappointed in him. You can even tell him when you're angry with him or when you feel he has let you down. Don't worry, he won't condemn you for it. Remember: he is human as well as divine. He knows what you're feeling because he has felt it too. Rather than hurting your friendship with him, your honesty will strengthen it. Just be sure that you also affirm your belief, as Martha did. You can say, "I don't understand this situation, Jesus, but I believe that you love me and want the best for me." Before he raised Lazarus from the dead, Jesus asked Martha, "Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?" (John 11:40). That's a promise for all of us! "Jesus, I believe! Thank you for giving me the freedom to be completely honest with you." Exodus 32:15-24, 30-34
Psalm 106:19-23 |  clickable | We have come to realize that we as a family can't afford to skip our daily Rosary... and I am convinced that the world can't afford to have Catholics skip our daily Rosaries, either. Here are 5 things daily Rosaries do: 1). Transform the World. 2). Transform Families. 3). Strengthen us against Sin. 4). Transform your Life. 5). Transform your death.
—TOM HOOPES
from The Rosary of Saint John Paul II | my2cents:
"With that, Moses' wrath flared up, so that he threw the tablets down and broke them on the base of the mountain."
So Moses broke the commandments?
Or did his people break them?
Or did He break them to show them what they had done? Now the wrath and punishment would ensue. He was, perhaps, living the Spirit of God, for God is a jealous God. As if He were saying "How could you?", how could you not trust, if He leaves for a while, how could you go off and follow temptations? As if to say like the parable, in Matthew 23:38 "But suppose that servant is wicked and says in his heart, 'My master will be away a long time.' 49And he begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards The master of that servant will come on a day he does not anticipate and at an hour he does not expect. 51Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
So is a message to you and for me, let us be ready, always keeping the commandments, God's will at the forefront of our lives, beginning with "I AM the LORD YOUR GOD, thou shall not have any other false gods before ME". This means everything, doing God's will all the time, never turning away, or it could lead to our demise, like turning back, like the wife of Lot, turning into ashes, losing life instead of saving it. It not only means God's will...but salvation. | Let us pray: "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. They forgot the God who had saved them, who had done great deeds in Egypt, wondrous deeds in the land of Ham, terrible things at the Red Sea." They forgot. That is terrible, isn't it? To forget all these things God had accomplished for them, for you? To just forget. How does that happen? With my little kids, I tell them some things and they seem to forget, over and over. I tell guys at work how to do something and they seem to forget. Over and over again they forget. It's almost like I have to keep reminding them, and I get tired of it, but is there another way? Maybe an extreme punishment? Because they are already reprimanded and it is brought up to their attention. How can we "not forget"? Give thanks to the Lord always. That's how. They say that if you want to break an addiction, then, throughout the day, say an Our Father, and Glory Be on top of every hour of every day at least for 40 days. Strange huh? But it keeps God at the forefront of your life. Question is, do you want God that close and in your life? Can He be? Will He be?
It is so in Heaven, and these are training and proving grounds....to prove your love of God, and how can we prove it if we do not have it? Ahh. Now we are getting somewhere. | Let us turn to our Lord: ""Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing."
And when Martha's brother dies, He says to her "I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
She said two important words "Yes Lord". I believe. | Do you believe? Do you believe Lazarus, your brother will rise?
I know you say he is dead, but do you believe he will rise?
I know you are worried, but do you believe I Am here? The entire purpose of writing to you is to help your faith. For you to live and say "I believe". For you to turn from Martha into Mary, into a faithful disciple in love with Christ, from one doing many things for Christ, to one who is actually following in great love. I read a quote that said: "In other words, are we merely fans of Jesus or true followers? As in his own day, Jesus now is looking for souls who are willing to do more than the crowds who are fascinated by all things Catholic. He's looking for those who are willing to do what he wants them to do, say what he wants them to say, go where he wants them to go, and give up whatever he wants them to give up. That's a lot more than being a fan. In other words, Jesus is looking for souls willing to give a total commitment to him as disciples. "—Edward Sri, from Into His Likeness.
We can begin to see how faith works then right? With works yes, "work as if everything depended on you, but pray as if everything depended on Him" said Saint Augustine of Hippo. One without the other means you are making a golden calf, or you are living as a hypocrite. What good is a monk who hates dealing with people? What good does it to pray and not lift a finger? Pharisees are still alive. And let's not point too much that finger, because it happens more often than we'd like to admit, to preach more than we practice, great acts of mercy, piety, charity, and purity. So shall we preach without saying a word as some say? No, of course not. You are anxious about many things for you are from from God. You have little to no faith. You practice great acts of corporal mercy without any mercy. You say have faith and are deathly afraid of what is happening right now. "Be still and know that I AM God" says the Lord.
That doesn't mean stop life, but it means let your heart be still in Him, peace, faith, joy. Let His soft waters ebb into your heart. You don't need entertainment, you need peace. You need Jesus, now more than yesterday, and tomorrow more than today. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Mt6:34. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God.
Let this be your only concern.
When Mother Mary was so worried about Jesus, lost now for 3 days, they found Him. Seek and ye shall find.
She said "why have you done this to us?" and the young boy Jesus said "did you not know that I must be about My Father's business". The Kingdom. Where else would you find Jesus? Why should you worry? Where else shall I be? |  hear it read | adrian Random Bible Verse1
Ephesians 4:1-3 (Listen) 4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Thank You Jesus | |
