 |  clickable | | Mary Was Always With Her People Victory is for those who continually arise without being discouraged. If we imitate Mary, we cannot keep our arms folded, only complaining, or perhaps dodging the hard work that others do and which is our responsibility. This is not about doing great things, but about doing everything with tenderness and mercy. Mary was always with her people supporting the least. She knew loneliness, poverty and exile, and she learned to create fraternity and to make her home in any place where goodness took root. Let us beseech her to give us a poor spirit which is not proud, a pure heart that sees God in the face of the neediest, and great patience that we may not shrink when confronted with life's difficulties. —from Mother Mary: Inspiring Words from Pope Francis |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
MAY 6, 2020
"We must faithfully keep what we have promised. If through human weakness we fail, we must always without delay arise again by means of holy penance, and give our attention to leading a good life and to dying a holy death. May the Father of all mercy, the Son by his holy passion, and the Holy Spirit, source of peace, sweetness and love, fill us with their consolation."
— St. Colette 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
"The glory of a good person is the evidence of a good conscience. Have a good conscience and you will always be happy. A good conscience can bear a great deal and still remain serene in the midst of adversity, while a bad conscience is fearful and easily ruffled. Only be glad when you have done well. Evil persons are never really happy, nor do they feel peace within them; for 'there is no peace for the wicked, says the Lord' (Isa. 48:22). Even though the wicked may protest that peace is theirs and that no evil shall harm them, do not believe them. For God's wrath will suddenly overtake them, and all they have done will be brought to nothing and their plans destroyed."
— Thomas á Kempis, p.76
AN EXCERPT FROM
Imitation of Christ † VERSE OF THE DAY
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, 'The one who is righteous will live by faith.'"
Romans 1:16-17 |  click to read more | | ST. FRANCIS DE LAVAL Saint Francis-Xavier de Montmorency-Laval (1623-1708) was one of eight children born to one of France's most illustrious families. He learned his piety from his mother, and like his namesake desired to become a priest and missionary. This dream was realized when he was appointed by Pope Alexander VII to be the first Apostolic Vicar of New France (Canada). His territory covered all of what is now Canada and the central section of what would become the United States, an enormous frontier which he undertook as a great spiritual work. He landed in Quebec in 1659 when the population was just 500 people. He supported the missions, built a cathedral to the Immaculate Conception, taught devotion to Our Lady under this title, founded a seminary and an industrial school, and began the first Catholic school system in Canada. In all seasons he made long and perilous journeys by land and water to minister to his flock. When Quebec became a diocese he was consecrated as Canada's first bishop. He fought the sinister alcohol trade to the Indian tribes by having it outlawed within his territory and excommunicating those involved with it. He converted and baptized an Iroquois chief who then became a promoter of the Christian faith and won other converts among the local tribes. St. Francis de Laval was a man known for his great influence and holiness of life. His feast day is May 6th. | Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 281
Reading 1 Acts 12:24—13:5a The word of God continued to spread and grow. After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission,
they returned to Jerusalem,
taking with them John, who is called Mark. Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,
Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,
"Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul
for the work to which I have called them."
Then, completing their fasting and prayer,
they laid hands on them and sent them off. So they, sent forth by the Holy Spirit,
went down to Seleucia
and from there sailed to Cyprus.
When they arrived in Salamis,
they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. Responsorial Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6 and 8 R. (4) O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia. 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 12:44-50 Jesus cried out and said,
"Whoever believes in me believes not only in me
but also in the one who sent me,
and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.
I came into the world as light,
so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.
And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them,
I do not condemn him,
for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.
Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words
has something to judge him: the word that I spoke,
it will condemn him on the last day,
because I did not speak on my own,
but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.
And I know that his commandment is eternal life.
So what I say, I say as the Father told me." | Today's Meditation: Acts 12:24–13:5 The word of God continued to spread and grow. (Acts 12:24) Did you know that Christianity is the world's largest religion? According to the most recent available data, it makes up nearly 32 percent of the global population. Clearly, the Holy Spirit is still very active drawing people of every nation to Jesus. This theme runs through all three readings today. The first reading describes Paul and Barnabas being commissioned for their first missionary journey. The psalm prays that God's ways will be known "among all nations" (Psalm 67:3). And in the Gospel, Jesus issues his final invitation to "everyone who believes in me" (John 12:46). So how does the gospel spread? Through us! Jesus has left us in charge of his mission, and it's good to ask how we are doing. Look around, and it's clear that we have work to do. In North America and Europe, the Church is struggling. It's growing in the global South, but missionary challenges remain, and martyrdom is all too common. The thought of evangelization might be scary, but you can make a difference. You can start by praying frequently for the growth of the Church as well as for your family and friends who seem far from the Lord. You can also look for opportunities in your everyday life to plant the seeds of the gospel. Don't think you have to do everything yourself—just do your part, and leave the rest to God and to anyone the Lord might send to them. When the situation arises, ask the Holy Spirit for the courage and humility to share your faith. In the course of a conversation, you might be able to talk about a time when you felt God's care or when you felt him blessing you in some way. Or you could share a favorite Bible verse. You don't have to have perfect words or try to convert anyone—that's the Holy Spirit's job. But you can still be open and honest about your faith. For the past two thousand years, God has been calling his people to go out and share the good news. May we commit ourselves to helping it spread and grow. "Holy Spirit, show us how we can share God's love with the world." Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6, 8
John 12:44-50 |  clickable | Our Lady is essentially the first physical home of God himself, and always our home. We must strive to make a home for one another: a home of peace, of love, of worship, and of focus on God.
— Mother Mary Francis, PCC
From Cause of Our Joy: Walking Day by Day with Our Lady | my2cents:
""Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul
for the work to which I have called them."
This is a calling from above. Set apart means Holiness.
A call then, is made, to holiness, for a mission, but not alone, then, a co-mission.
"Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off." Fasting, for God, offering and praying and uniting with God, they were anointed with the Sacraments and confirmation and a co-mission.
"So they, sent forth by the Holy Spirit..." they went to where they were told to go. The Holy Spirit was the guide.
Now, let's not think far off, as if this does not apply. God has co-missioned us. We have been anointed with the Holy Sacraments. Called to be the light, the horn of salvation to where we are told to be and go. | We pray today: "May God have pity on us and bless us; may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth; among all nations, your salvation. O God, let all the nations praise you!" How will His way be known? It already has! And it shall be among us. We shall let His face shine among us. And the nuclear family becomes the focus of the nations. | Our Lord enters our lives today: "...whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness." Remember how our Lord is the light? You see lights? It is the Lord. To see means everything doesn't it? But what about those who can not see? It is another world and realm. Sin can be seen when you can see. Sin can not be seen when you cannot see. God came in a time of darkness. People did things out of custom. People did things out of tradition. And their custom and tradition became pride....darkness. When our Catholic Church changed some customs in the liturgy in Vatican II, there was an uproar. People loved their customs and traditions, as if the very Mass had been stripped from them. I met some people that no longer go to Mass since then, because it is "not the Latin traiditional Mass". You see? You see what we hold on to? Where is the truth? The truth is the light. The truth is He is with us. | "Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke...".
What God has said has been engraved in the human heart. It is the law of Moses, and the law of Noah. His words mean everything. What does your word mean? Is it truth? Is it sincerity? Maybe right now you are being held to words you said. Maybe you are held in contempt. Maybe some are discontent with what you said. Does that make your word null? God knows the heart. He knows how far we can go and how far we have gone and how far...we can get from Him. And so there is an invitation in today's Holy Gospel. An invitation to light. An invitation to the right. God is inviting us to Himself, as it is written in our sacramentalized hearts.
"I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me." | Random Bible verse from an online generator:
Proverbs 26
12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. | 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 | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment