 |  clickable | | Finding Our Inner Peace There will always be false prophets and deceivers, "wolves in sheep's clothing," Jesus called them. But this does not mean that we are to go about criticizing and correcting; that only separates further. It is only necessary to be true to oneself; and if it is called for, to speak our own understanding of what the truth is without denigrating others. Peace is achieved more effectively by trying to bring out the best, not pointing out the worst, in others. And we bring out the best in others by being ourselves peaceful. Our own peaceful presence will do more than trying to persuade others that we are right and they are wrong. Peacefulness is its own persuasion. That is the best option, it seems to me, for those committed to living the Gospel. The Franciscan response to sin and division is to forgive myself and my neighbor, thereby becoming peaceful in my own center, and then to reach out to others and "work mercy" with them, even with those whom I find it difficult to love, who repel me in any way. We work together toward the good, or we perish as individuals, as societies and as civilizations. —from Surrounded by Love: Seven Teachings from Saint Francis by Murray Bodo, OFM |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
"The last degree of love is when He gave Himself to us to be our Food; because He gave Himself to be united with us in every way."
— St. Bernardine of Siena
† PRAYER DURING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
O clement, O loving, O sweet Mother Mary,
We, your children of every nation,
Turn to you in this pandemic.
Our troubles are numerous; our fears are great.
Grant that we might deposit them at your feet,
Take refuge in your Immaculate Heart,
And obtain peace, healing, rescue,
And timely help in all our needs.
You are our Mother.
Pray for us to your Son.
Amen. † PRAYER OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen. † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"Prayer brings our mind into the brightness of divine light, and exposes our will to the warmth of divine love. Nothing else can so purge our mind from its ignorance, and our will from its depraved affections. It is a blessed fountain which, as it flows, revives our good desires and causes them to bring forth fruit, washes away the stains of infirmity from our soul, and calms the passions of our hearts."
— St. Francis de Sales, p. 61
AN EXCERPT FROM
An Introduction to the Devout Life VERSE OF THE DAY
"My child, if you accept my words and treasure up my commandments within you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; if you indeed cry out for insight, and raise your voice for understanding; if you seek it like silver, and search for it as for hidden treasures—then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God."
Proverbs 2:1-5 |  click to read more | | ST. FIDELIS OF SIGMARINGEN If a poor man needed some clothing, Fidelis would often give the man the clothes right off his back. Complete generosity to others characterized this saint's life. Born in 1577, Mark Rey became a lawyer who constantly upheld the causes of the poor and oppressed people. Nicknamed "the poor man's lawyer," Rey soon grew disgusted with the corruption and injustice he saw among his colleagues. He left his law career to become a priest, joining his brother George as a member of the Capuchin Order. Fidelis was his religious name. His wealth was divided between needy seminarians and the poor. As a follower of Saint Francis of Assisi, Fidelis continued his devotion to the weak and needy. During a severe epidemic in a city where he was guardian of a friary, Fidelis cared for and cured many sick soldiers. He was appointed head of a group of Capuchins sent to preach against the Calvinists and Zwinglians in Switzerland. Almost certain violence threatened. Those who observed the mission felt that success was more attributable to the prayer of Fidelis during the night than to his sermons and instructions. He was accused of opposing the peasants' national aspirations for independence from Austria. While he was preaching at Seewis, to which he had gone against the advice of his friends, a gun was fired at him, but he escaped unharmed. A Protestant offered to shelter Fidelis, but he declined, saying his life was in God's hands. On the road back, he was set upon by a group of armed men and killed. Fidelis was canonized in 1746. Fifteen years later he was recognized as a martyr.
Reflection Fidelis' constant prayer was that he be kept completely faithful to God and not give in to any lukewarmness or apathy. He was often heard to exclaim, "Woe to me if I should prove myself but a halfhearted soldier in the service of my thorn-crowned Captain." His prayer against apathy, and his concern for the poor and weak make him a saint whose example is valuable today. The modern Church is calling us to follow the example of "the poor man's lawyer" by sharing ourselves and our talents with those less fortunate and by working for justice in the world. | Friday of the Second Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 5:34-42 A Pharisee in the Sanhedrin named Gamaliel,
a teacher of the law, respected by all the people,
stood up, ordered the Apostles to be put outside for a short time,
and said to the Sanhedrin, "Fellow children of Israel,
be careful what you are about to do to these men.
Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone important,
and about four hundred men joined him, but he was killed,
and all those who were loyal to him
were disbanded and came to nothing.
After him came Judas the Galilean at the time of the census.
He also drew people after him,
but he too perished and all who were loyal to him were scattered.
So now I tell you,
have nothing to do with these men, and let them go.
For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin,
it will destroy itself.
But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them;
you may even find yourselves fighting against God."
They were persuaded by him.
After recalling the Apostles, they had them flogged,
ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus,
and dismissed them.
So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin,
rejoicing that they had been found worthy
to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.
And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes,
they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Christ, Jesus. Responsorial Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14 R. (see 4abc) One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
One thing I ask of the LORD
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia Mt 4:4b R. Alleluia, alleluia.
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 6:1-15 Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.
A large crowd followed him,
because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.
Jesus went up on the mountain,
and there he sat down with his disciples.
The Jewish feast of Passover was near.
When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,
he said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?"
He said this to test him,
because he himself knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered him,
"Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough
for each of them to have a little."
One of his disciples,
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,
"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;
but what good are these for so many?"
Jesus said, "Have the people recline."
Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.
So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,
and distributed them to those who were reclining,
and also as much of the fish as they wanted.
When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples,
"Gather the fragments left over,
so that nothing will be wasted."
So they collected them,
and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments
from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.
When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,
"This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world."
Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off
to make him king,
he withdrew again to the mountain alone. | Today's Meditation: John 6:1-15 He himself knew what he was going to do. (John 6:6) Here's a puzzle. If Jesus already had a plan for feeding thousands of people, if he knew what he was going to do, why would he ask his disciples to solve the problem? He could have miraculously removed the crowd's hunger or made food materialize before each person. But instead, he made his disciples central to this miracle. As simplistic as it might sound, Jesus wanted them to be part of what he was planning to do. So he asked them how to feed the crowd. Philip gave an analytical response. He calculated that one year's worth of wages would be needed to satisfy the people's hunger. Andrew, for his part, looked at the matter practically: this little boy's lunch, while not being nearly enough, could still help contribute to the cause. Then came Jesus' solution, a miracle so stunning that people still talk about it today. Imagine what was going through these disciples' minds as Jesus blessed and broke the bread and they started distributing it. Something was happening! A miracle unfolded before them slowly as they kept handing out bread and fish. No matter how many times they dipped into the baskets, they kept coming up with more and more food. In the end, the people had eaten their fill, and the disciples understood just a little more about how God takes care of his people. Jesus never stops working through his followers. He never stops making us an essential part of his plan—his plan to care for all his people as well as his plan to bring his believers to deeper faith. So while Philip and Andrew show us who we are, Jesus shows us who we can become. Imperfect though we are, Jesus asks us for our participation so that we can see more and more of his ways. He takes our meager offerings and multiplies them beyond our expectations so that we can grow in trust and be more willing to step out in faith. Because in the end, Jesus' plan is much bigger than our abilities—and so is his desire for us to be part of it. "Lord, help me trust that you know what you're doing. I want to be part of your plan for this world." Acts 5:34-42
Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14 |  clickable | You cannot help here or there like the physician, the nurse, the priest. You can be at all fronts, wherever there is grief, in the power of the cross. Your compassionate love takes you everywhere, this love from the divine heart.
— Letter of St. Benedicta of the Cross to her sisters in Carmel
from Communion with Christ According to St. Benedicta of the Cross by Sister M. Regina Van den Berg | my2cents: "So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.
And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes,
they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Christ, Jesus."
They left all happy because they were rejected and beat up....for Christ.
Yesterday, I'd spent a portion of my day setting up an online prayer meeting/gathering/sharing, I spent time and money, and efforts inviting even our Deacon. When it came time to be, I had rushed home to put on the laptop and make sure it set up and I had tested it an hour earlier. I waited, and nobody showed up, and after about 10 or 15 minutes of waiting, one showed up but I had already met with him couple days ago.
The whole thing was a flop, and a slap to the face. But such is the story of my life my friend. Flop after flop and slap after slap and stab after stab in the back. Why do I bring up failures instead of successes? Look at the Apostles, all they encountered was opposition, to today's saint, opposed by protestants and murdered. These are not nice stories, are they? We rather hear of the St. Francis stories seemingly all successes, but St. Francis was approaching life differently...He embodied the life of Christ...He was lost and Christ was found. For those who have the mind of Christ, let them be transformed. | "The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear? The LORD is my life's refuge; of whom should I be afraid?
One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord". So my prayers in the afternoon while exercise walking around the house were among a rosary and mental examinations, "Lord, I just received you in the Eucharist, I need your grace to accept these failures and turn them into your victories" and you know what? Grace came. Seeds were planted. God sees the seeds I threw. God sees what I may never know. I just wanted grace to give to the needy who never say thank you. I don't want a thank you or aggrandizement, let us imitate Christ. | ""This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world." Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off
to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone." He wasn't there to be crowned King by the people. He was already King by God. He didn't need their reign, we need His reign. Jesus withdrew, to be sought. That is why He hides from you in your life. That is how we are taught the Way, the Life, and the Truth. Those who seek shall find, those who knock it shall open. When people encounter Him, they are fed, for those truly seeking Him. | From Bishop Barron:
"Friends, today's Gospel tells of the feeding of the five thousand, which is a type of the Mass. Jesus is interested not only in instructing the crowds but also in feeding them. Copying this rhythm, the Mass moves from the Liturgy of the Word to the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
The disciples supply a poor pittance—five barley loaves and two fish. Jesus makes the customary Eucharistic moves in regard to the bread: taking, giving thanks, and distributing. And everyone is fed.
During the sacred liturgy, the priest, on behalf of the people, offers to God a small pittance: some wafers of bread and some wine and water. But because God has no need of these gifts, they come back infinitely multiplied for the benefit of the people.
Through the power of Christ's word, those gifts become his very Body and Blood, the only food capable of feeding the deepest hunger of the human heart. This liturgical rhythm is beautifully conveyed by the laconic lines: "Jesus took the bread, gave thanks to God, and distributed it to the people who were sitting there . . . and they all had as much as they wanted." Lord, feed me.
Lord, I need you.
Lord, need me. Lord, I want to be totally yours. |  click to hear a message | Random Bible verse from an online generator: WOW! Luke 6:35
35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit my website Going4th.com, surely you'll find me there. God Bless You! Share the Word. Share this, share what is good | | |
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