 clickable | | Follow Without Reservation If we want to be disciples of Jesus Christ, following him in complete freedom and without any reservation, the first and most important thing that we must let go of is ourselves. We must identify all that lives within us that does not bear life, that does not reflect the joy of the kingdom, that does not live up to the person Christ created us to be, and we must die to ourselves. Let go of your delusions of grandeur, self-loathing, and false selves, and follow Christ as the person he created you to be. —from the book Let Go: Seven Stumbling Blocks to Christian Discipleship by Casey Cole, OFM |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote |  click to read more | | Saint Angela Merici (March 21, 1474 – January 27, 1540) Angela has the double distinction of founding the first teaching congregation of women in the Church and what is now called a "secular institute" of religious women. As a young woman, she became a member of the Third Order of Saint Francis, and lived a life of great austerity, wishing, like Saint Francis, to own nothing, not even a bed. Early in life she was appalled at the ignorance among poorer children, whose parents could not or would not teach them the elements of religion. Angela's charming manner and good looks complemented her natural qualities of leadership. Others joined her in giving regular instruction to the little girls of their neighborhood. She was invited to live with a family in Brescia (where, she had been told in a vision, she would one day found a religious community). Her work continued and became well known. She became the center of a group of people with similar ideals. She eagerly took the opportunity for a trip to the Holy Land. When they had gotten as far as Crete, she was struck with blindness. Her friends wanted to return home, but she insisted on going through with the pilgrimage, and visited the sacred shrines with as much devotion and enthusiasm as if she had her sight. On the way back, while praying before a crucifix, her sight was restored at the same place where it had been lost. At 57, she organized a group of 12 girls to help her in catechetical work. Four years later the group had increased to 28. She formed them into the Company of Saint Ursula (patroness of medieval universities and venerated as a leader of women) for the purpose of re-Christianizing family life through solid Christian education of future wives and mothers. The members continued to live at home, had no special habit and took no formal vows, though the early Rule prescribed the practice of virginity, poverty, and obedience. The idea of a teaching congregation of women was new and took time to develop. The community thus existed as a "secular institute" until some years after Angela's death.
Reflection As with so many saints, history is mostly concerned with their activities. But we must always presume deep Christian faith and love in one whose courage lasts a lifetime, and who can take bold new steps when human need demands. | Monday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 2 Sm 5:1-7, 10 All the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron and said:
"Here we are, your bone and your flesh.
In days past, when Saul was our king,
it was you who led the children of Israel out and brought them back.
And the LORD said to you, 'You shall shepherd my people Israel
and shall be commander of Israel.'"
When all the elders of Israel came to David in Hebron,
King David made an agreement with them there before the LORD,
and they anointed him king of Israel.
David was thirty years old when he became king,
and he reigned for forty years:
seven years and six months in Hebron over Judah,
and thirty-three years in Jerusalem
over all Israel and Judah.
Then the king and his men set out for Jerusalem
against the Jebusites who inhabited the region.
David was told, "You cannot enter here:
the blind and the lame will drive you away!"
which was their way of saying, "David cannot enter here."
But David did take the stronghold of Zion, which is the City of David.
David grew steadily more powerful,
for the LORD of hosts was with him. Responsorial Psalm 89:20, 21-22, 25-26 R. (25a) My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.
Once you spoke in a vision,
and to your faithful ones you said:
"On a champion I have placed a crown;
over the people I have set a youth."
R. My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.
"I have found David, my servant;
with my holy oil I have anointed him,
That my hand may be always with him,
and that my arm may make him strong."
R. My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.
"My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him,
and through my name shall his horn be exalted.
I will set his hand upon the sea,
his right hand upon the rivers."
R. My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him. Alleluia 2 Tm 1:10 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mk 3:22-30 The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus,
"He is possessed by Beelzebul," and
"By the prince of demons he drives out demons."
Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables,
"How can Satan drive out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand.
And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided,
he cannot stand;
that is the end of him.
But no one can enter a strong man's house to plunder his property
unless he first ties up the strong man.
Then he can plunder his house.
Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies
that people utter will be forgiven them.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will never have forgiveness,
but is guilty of an everlasting sin."
For they had said, "He has an unclean spirit." | Catholic Meditations
Meditation: Psalm 89:20-22, 25-26 Saint Angela Merici, Virgin (Optional Memorial) My faithfulness . . . shall be with him. (Psalm Response) David was just a shepherd boy when he was anointed by Samuel to be the king of Israel. It was many years later, when he was thirty years old, when he actually was crowned king—hence the scene in today's first reading (2 Samuel 5:3-4). A lot happened in those years between David's anointing and his coronation—and God was with him through all the ups and downs. There was his time as an armor bearer and musician in King Saul's court and the epic showdown between him and Goliath. On numerous occasions, God protected David when Saul was hunting him down. There was also the way he helped David gain victory in the civil war with Saul's successors. Looking back, David could certainly say with the psalmist that God's faithfulness had been with him. Like David, we too have been through our own ups and downs—our own "battles" as well as our own victories. And like David, we can be confident that God will never stop being faithful to us. Even when we're unfaithful to him, when we fail or give in to temptation, he will still be at our side, always ready to forgive us and welcome us back to him. Today, take a few minutes to ask God, "When have you shown me your faithfulness?" As you reflect on the past, try to trace the hand of the Lord through the different seasons and milestones of your life. Perhaps he helped you through a difficult health crisis or a challenging season with one of your kids. Maybe you experienced a financial setback and you saw God provide. Or maybe you strayed from your faith for a time but came back to the Lord through the faithful witness or intercession of a friend or relative. Remembering that God has been faithful to you will help you grow in gratitude. It will also help you trust that in whatever challenges you may face in the future, he will be with you. Not only that, but he will bring good from whatever happens—because that's who God is. Like his love and mercy, his faithfulness endures forever! "Thank you, Lord, for all the ways you have shown your faithfulness to me!" 2 Samuel 5:1-7, 10
Mark 3:22-30 |  clickable | I am only an instrument of the Lord… I would like to lead those who come to me to him.
— St. Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein)
from Edith Stein and Companions | my2cents:
"You shall shepherd my people Israel..."
The Good Shepherd speaks. To the King. What's funny is that we are baptized a king too...one with Him. That means a lot, a whole lot; on how we treat one another, on how we treat the King, on how we look to the King, and on how we let the King live in us for the whole world.... | Today we pray: ""I have found David, my servant;
with my holy oil I have anointed him, That my hand may be always with him, and that my arm may make him strong."
Chances are too, you have been anointed, with Holy Oil, if you have been baptized or confirmed Catholic, (for sure with the oil). What does anointed mean? Chosen. Blessed to be the blessing. | "But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin."
For they had said, "He has an unclean spirit."
You've heard people yell "God is Good!" and the response they yell is "All The Time!".
But, there are some that say He is not good. And not only that, they say..He is evil. They blame all evil on Him. If He is to blame for all evil, then who do you blame for all the good? Watch the answer to that, because it cannot be contradictory, it cannot be both. Either God is all good...or not. Either He is all light...or not. How can you find the darkness in the light? How can you find the lie in the truth? You see, there is a dichotomy. Chances are, those who blame evil on our Lord, they too will blame man for evil, or all good on man. The latter is the worse. | Last week was a week full of anxieties at work, at home, at church, 3 out of the 5 days I spent dealing with funerals to help at. The other days on usual ministries. Come Friday evening, a man with an addiction, whom I've prayed for much, texted me. It was a message that said "you are unholy, unchristian, and basically worthless piece of ** ". I received the message out of the blue, just as I was about to leave the office, to end the week. It started on a bad note, and then, with a cursing. I have not responded to him. I sometimes wonder if He's bipolar, one person at one instant, and another at another. He has threatened to kill others (even family). And I'm here wondering, now what? One possible message response I was going to be was "thank you".
Another was going to be "you shouldn't curse those who are willing to help you".
Do you see why I bring up silly life examples to this 2 cents? It's not to insult the man whom I've been praying for and helping for years. No. It is to see what is happening spiritually.
Sometimes this man is very nice, especially when he needs something, he shows up.
But when he is off into his own thing, he is another person, a hater even. I've told him not to come to my house in an altered state because my children run afraid, frightened at his demeanor and threats.
Can you see what I'm talking about? I bet you do, but let me explain.
When we need something, we are good children of God.
But when we don't, we become something else, and that something else is not welcome into His Home...Heaven.
In a protestant theology, this baptized man can die today and prance right into Heaven, because "Jesus paid for all his sins". But there is evil to contend with in the soul, especially when the soul is deformed spiritually by one's own will.
Who is evil? When I was insulted, I chose not to respond, even though it hurt me inside, I know, I'm not perfectly humble, but I tried, by not falling for the fight bait, to argue, and escalate the issue, to feed evil the weakness it needs to live. So, instead, I prayed for the man. But I am severely tempted to this day, to give up on him. I'm talking over a decade of dealing with it, providing him a home, even when he was in prison, and providing for all his kids when He's not around, which is 99.5% of the time. Yet he calls them HIS family.
WRONG. My children don't belong to me. They are God's children. Nothing is ours. You my friend, you are steward of God's gifts. You are to treat God's children with utmost love, beginning in the womb.
Today, we live the usual worldly crisis. "Nobody cares".
But God does.
When you say nobody cares, point the finger my friend.
When you say in church "the people don't care", then you are speaking for them, on the dark side.
You must say "I Care", and I care enough to give my life for the flock.
You see, Jesus lives.
He lives in us. He loves through us. He shepherds through us.
He is the GOOD Shepherd.
Amen? Aren't you?
Feed my children. |  click to hear a message | ->Random Bible Verse 1< 1 Peter 4:16
16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. Thank You Lord | |
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