 clickable | | We Are Rich Soil for God's Word All of us are invited to be rich soil for God's word, and all of us have become rich soil in baptism. All of us have heard God's word in Scripture, in nature, in prayer, and all of us experience intimacy with God, especially in the sacraments (the external signs of a deep, interior reality). What makes the difference is both in the fullness of our response and in the level of consciousness of what is really going on within us. The kingdom of heaven is already within and around us, but because of our often lukewarm response of heart and action, we don't have eyes to see or ears to hear. —from the book Mystics: Twelve Who Reveal God's Love by Murry Bodo, OFM |  MorningOffering.com | † Saint Quote "Put up willingly with the faults of others if you wish others to put up with yours."
— St. John Bosco † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"My dear brothers and sisters, not only is prayer very powerful; even more, it's of the utmost necessity for overcoming the enemies of our salvation. Look at all the saints: They weren't content with watching and fighting to overcome the enemies of their salvation and with keeping well away from all that could offer them temptation. They passed their whole lives in prayer, not only the day, but very often the whole night as well. Yes, my dear children, we watch over ourselves and all the motions of our hearts in vain, and in vain we avoid temptation, if we don't pray. If we don't continually resort to prayer, all our other ways will be of no use at all to us, and we'll be overcome. We won't find any sinner converted without turning to prayer. We won't find one persevering without depending heavily on prayer. Nor will we ever find a Christian who ends up damned whose downfall didn't begin with a lack of prayer."
— St. John Vianney, p. 155
AN EXCERPT FROM
Manual for Spiritual Warfare † VERSE OF THE DAY
"We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us, and whoever is not from God does not listen to us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error."
1 John 4:6 |  click to read more | | POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II Pope St. John Paul II (1920–2005) was born in Poland and was a vibrant, athletic, and intelligent child. His deeply religious father played an important role in his spiritual formation after his mother's death when he was 8 years old. He studied literature, poetry, and theater before his studies were interrupted by the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939. He answered the call to the priesthood, and after entering a clandestine seminary was ordained in 1946. He completed his doctoral studies in Rome and returned to Poland where he ministered in a special way to young people. He was ordained a bishop in 1958 and attended the Second Vatican Council in 1962. He is well known for his leadership in encouraging a spiritual and cultural resistance to the Communist occupation of Poland. He was elected Supreme Pontiff in 1978, the first non-Italian pope in over 450 years, and had the second-longest pontificate in history. He was a remarkable theologian and philosopher and a guardian of orthodoxy. During his time as Holy Father he gave a multitude of important contributions to the Church including his teaching on the Theology of the Body, his emphasis on the Universal Call to Holiness, and his strong devotion to the Virgin Mary. He is also known as the "Pope of the Family." During his pontificate he beatified 1338 people and canonized 482 saints. He also visited 129 countries, making him one of the most well-traveled world leaders in history. He was canonized by Pope Francis in 2014. His feast day is October 22nd.
See More About This Saint > | Tuesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 474
Reading 1 Rom 5:12, 15b, 17-19, 20b-21 Brothers and sisters:
Through one man sin entered the world,
and through sin, death,
and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned. If by that one person's transgression the many died,
how much more did the grace of God
and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ
overflow for the many.
For if, by the transgression of the one,
death came to reign through that one,
how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and the gift of justification
come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, just as through one transgression
condemnation came upon all,
so, through one righteous act
acquittal and life came to all.
For just as through the disobedience of one man
the many were made sinners,
so, through the obedience of the one
the many will be made righteous.
Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more,
so that, as sin reigned in death,
grace also might reign through justification
for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Responsorial Psalm Ps 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17 R.(8a and 9a) Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Burnt offerings or sin offerings you sought not;
then said I, "Behold I come."
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
"In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!"
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
May all who seek you
exult and be glad in you,
And may those who love your salvation
say ever, "The LORD be glorified."
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. Alleluia Lk 21:36 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Be vigilant at all times and pray
that you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 12:35-38 Jesus said to his disciples:
"Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master's return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants." | Catholic Meditations
Meditation: Romans 5:12, 15, 17-21 Saint John Paul II, Pope (Optional Memorial) How much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift . . . overflow for the many. (Romans 5:15) You don't have to watch the nightly news to know this: at the core of our being exists a contradiction between good and evil. The injustice, violence, lies, and lust that dominate the headlines lurk also in each of us. Maybe not by our actions, but often enough in our thoughts, we are living proof that "through the disobedience of one man the many were made sinners" (Romans 5:19). And yet at the same time, we know that "where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more" (5:20). That's what is so good about the good news in Christ: you are not a pawn caught between two equal forces. Sin entered the world not at creation but through Adam. It came, not because it overpowered him, but because he freely opened the door to it and, consequently, to evil. Evil is not, and has never been, coequal with good. It is not a match for good. It is not an equally powerful force. As Pope Benedict XVI once said, "Evil comes from a freedom created, from a freedom abused" (General Audience, December 3, 2008). Good comes from God. He is himself all good. That means that his grace abounds for us. It overflows to us every day. It reigns for us through Jesus Christ! That's not theory; it's fact. Evil is subordinate to grace. Evil can be overcome by grace. You can be healed of sin because God has introduced healing through his grace. According to Benedict XVI, God came in the person of Jesus Christ in order to offer "a new source of good" for all. You can choose goodness today. Choose to acknowledge (aloud is always good) that God is all-good, all-powerful, and on your side. Choose to reject anything opposed to good that rises within you during the day, and ask for the grace to be healed of it. Remind yourself that God's grace is so much more—so much more abundant, so much more powerful, so much more effective—than the sin you see. And then choose to immerse yourself in the grace that God pours out, which he does, always and without fail. "Father, you are all good, and your goodness is greater than my sin. Thank you for your grace in my life today." Psalm 40:7-10, 17
Luke 12:35-38 |  clickable | Golden bowls of incense which are the prayers of the saints reminds us that incense is to help us focus on joining our prayers with the prayers of the saints in heaven. The senses enable ours to be elevated -- it isn't just aesthetics, it's sacramentality.
—Scott Hahn
from The End | my2cents:
"If by that one person's transgression the many died,
how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for the many." I already forgot that evangelist's name who used to be a satanic evil doer, but I do remember in his talk he said that people would say "Satan is the opposite of God". The evangelist said "that is bogus! God has no opposite! He is supreme and above all!" I am paraphrasing. But, there is no comparison at all. Why do I bring this up? Because, if sin, our sin brought death, grace awaits. What is so horrible about sin anyway? It destroys our bond, our salvation even, with God. Sin, is said in the Cathechism, is to "miss the mark". A failure. Sin brings death. And today, many won't believe neither God, nor the devil. Atheists choose to be deaf, and blind, and lame, spiritually. They rather believe in themselves as supreme. You see the egotistical problem? Auto-Sufficiency? As if self was enough? And it is not. Science can not do without psychology, and psychology can not do without philosophy and philosophy can not do without a supremacy, and it boils down to the law, and for that we have God! Love itself. | We pray "Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Burnt offerings or sin offerings you sought not; then said I, "Behold I come."
And people struggle so much with God's will. Israel grapples. The very word Israel means wrestling with God in some languages. Why do we struggle? Yesterday evening, my wife told me to take all my boys to choir practice. I herded (my flock) all of them in one by one into my truck. But my 5 year old was avoiding me at all costs, riding his star wars bike round and round the driveway with his big motorcycle helmet with spiked hairs stuck on it. At one point, he finally parked the bike after much commanding. I come outside after washing the 3 year old's face, I look to the helmet kid "Let's GO!". He came up, he was so mad, crying. I helped him ease the helmet off his head. I grabbed his head with the tips of my fingers and said "You are mad at me because you don't want to listen to me". Meaning "you don't love my commands". Finally he climbed on the truck, still mad. 2 minutes on the road later, I look in the rear view mirror, and he is sound asleep. Innocent looking. But when awake? LOL. We arrive at the church. He gets on his instrument, the chimes. He is all into it for the hour and bit we practiced. He didn't want...what was good for him. LOL. How often do we avoid....God's will? His law, His commands are so good, if we only knew! | We heard today:
"Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master's return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks."
Oh man. I rather read long parables than short ones! Short ones are so packed with spirituality and meaning! Gird your loins? We can write a book on that! Why don't you anyway? Light your lamps? What's that? What lamp? What oil? What fire? And what does this mean for my soul? Your soul? Our lives together? And be like servants? Waiting on the Master? And a wedding? Who's wedding? Open doors when He knocks? Ahhh, now we are getting somewhere. Jesus wants in. ALWAYS. | Pack lightly if you have to pack at all. For we are on a journey. Gird your loins. Carry no sack, no extra clothes, nothing. Gird your loins, trust in Him for everything.
Light your lamps. The ten virgins had 50% foolish ones who did not light their lamps, and why? They were not ready. They were too busy fooling around, with their virginity, their total devotion, total consecration, total faithfulness to God. And don't tell me you are not a fool, because we are so often fooled into sin, aren't we? If your tongue causes you to sin...then cut it off. EEK. Better to be consecrated and totally devoted, no? Use it for greater good. Your whole body can be offered to God! And even better, your entire soul with your body.
"Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival."
When asking people to volunteer at our family festival, I always say it is better to serve than to be served, "you'll enjoy it more" and for longer! And I say that for people to get involved in ministries too. Then you will love. "It is one thing to get served a burger, but another to make burgers all day and serving them". But when it comes to funnel cakes, boy do I get push back from men! LOL. Give me a child that will serve. Get me someone who will serve what I want served....LOVE.
Our Lord continues:
"Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them." The Master will then serve the servants? "Master you will never wash my feet! " Said Saint Peter our first Pope.
You see, Jesus, the Master did as He said in the parable. He came, and had them recline and served them, Manna from Heaven, on the seashore, in the upper room. He served them...HIMSELF. His very body, blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharist.
Precious. So precious. So Good. And He comes time after time for us. Knocking, waiting to serve the servants.
And all we have to do is love Him, His commands, everything that comes out of Him.
Every last drop.
So precious. So Good. "And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants." |  hear it read | adrian Random Bible Verse 1
Matthew 5:5 5 "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. AWESOME Thank You Jesus | |
