 |  clickable | | A Choice to Be Radical How in the world could a group of women, ranging in age from nine to ninety-three at their deaths, women formally canonized by the Catholic Church for heroic virtues and associated miracles, be considered radical? Because being a Christian is radical. The word radical comes from the Latin radicalis, meaning "of or relating to a root." When Christ and his teachings are our foundation, we are on a radical path, a path people have struggled to walk for more than two thousand years. Think about it: Is there anything more radical than loving God with your entire being and loving your neighbor as yourself? Society encourages us to worship money, status, prestige, and more. Putting God before any of that? Before our own spouses, parents, children, friends, all those people we love and would do anything for? And how about loving those who look different from us or who have betrayed us, injured us, or persecuted us simply because we're told God loves them every bit as much as he loves us? Now that's radical! —from Radical Saints: 21 Women for the 21st Century, by Melanie Rigney |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
"Helping a person in need is good in itself. But the degree of goodness is hugely affected by the attitude with which it is done. If you show resentment because you are helping the person out of a reluctant sense of duty, then the person may receive your help but may feel awkward and embarrassed. This is because he will feel beholden to you. If, on the other hand, you help the person in a spirit of joy, then the help will be received joyfully. The person will feel neither demeaned nor humiliated by your help, but rather will feel glad to have caused you pleasure by receiving your help. And joy is the appropriate attitude with which to help others because acts of generosity are a source of blessing to the giver as well as the receiver."
— St. John Chrysostom 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
"Teresa [of Avila] is as insistent as [St. John of the Cross] that there is no prayer development unless it be accompanied by purification from faults. Given what a love communion with utter Purity demands, one could not conceive the matter to be otherwise: only the pure can commune deeply with the all-pure One. Obvious as this is to the saint, the lesser of us have difficulty in understanding that we have many defects that need to be rooted out. ... In working actively at rooting out what is amiss, we are to be guided by the principles of revelation, not by a naturalistic common sense. There are people, says Teresa, who desire penance that they may serve God the better, but they are overly careful about not injuring their health. 'You need never fear that they will kill themselves . . . their love is not yet ardent enough to overwhelm their reason.' Going on 'at a snail's pace . . . we shall never get to the end of the road . . . So for the love of the Lord, let us make a real effort.'"
— Fr. Thomas Dubay, p. 113
AN EXCERPT FROM
Fire Within † VERSE OF THE DAY
"Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life and honor. One wise person went up against a city of warriors and brought down the stronghold in which they trusted."
Proverbs 21:21-22 |  click to read more | | ST. BERNARD MONTJOUX St. Bernard of Montjoux (c. 923–1008 A.D.), also known as St. Bernard of Menthon, was born to a wealthy and noble family in the Kingdom of Arles (present day France and Switzerland). As an adult he refused an honorable marriage and determined instead to give his life in service to the Church. He became a priest in northern Italy and spent more than four decades doing missionary work in the Alps. He built schools and churches, and is especially known for aiding travelers. The area where he ministered had an ancient, snowy, and dangerous pass winding through the mountains along which pilgrims traveled to and from Rome. To serve the pilgrims St. Bernard built a hospice at the highest point of the pass, 8,000 feet above sea level. Later he founded another hospice along another smaller pass. St. Bernard obtained papal approval for communities of priests to serve in the hospices, which have generously aided travelers for more than a millennium. The priests and their well-trained dogs (the St. Bernard breed named for the saint) would seek and rescue lost pilgrims. St. Bernard was declared the patron saint of skiers and mountain climbers by Pope Pius XI in 1923. His feast day is celebrated on May 28th. | Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter
Lectionary: 300
Reading 1 Acts 22:30; 23:6-11 Wishing to determine the truth
about why Paul was being accused by the Jews,
the commander freed him
and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to convene.
Then he brought Paul down and made him stand before them. Paul was aware that some were Sadducees and some Pharisees,
so he called out before the Sanhedrin,
"My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees;
I am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead."
When he said this,
a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees,
and the group became divided.
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection
or angels or spirits,
while the Pharisees acknowledge all three.
A great uproar occurred,
and some scribes belonging to the Pharisee party
stood up and sharply argued,
"We find nothing wrong with this man.
Suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?"
The dispute was so serious that the commander,
afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them,
ordered his troops to go down and rescue Paul from their midst
and take him into the compound.
The following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Take courage.
For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem,
so you must also bear witness in Rome." Responsorial Psalm 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11 R. (1) Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, "My Lord are you."
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I bless the LORD who counsels me;
even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
Because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia Jn 17:21 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
May they all be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
that the world may believe that you sent me, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 17:20-26 Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying:
"I pray not only for these,
but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
so that they may all be one,
as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
that they also may be in us,
that the world may believe that you sent me.
And I have given them the glory you gave me,
so that they may be one, as we are one,
I in them and you in me,
that they may be brought to perfection as one,
that the world may know that you sent me,
and that you loved them even as you loved me.
Father, they are your gift to me.
I wish that where I am they also may be with me,
that they may see my glory that you gave me,
because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Righteous Father, the world also does not know you,
but I know you, and they know that you sent me.
I made known to them your name and I will make it known,
that the love with which you loved me
may be in them and I in them." | Today's Meditation: John 17:20-26 I pray . . . that they may all be one. (John 17:20-21) Imagine yourself in that upper room with Jesus. He knows he will not be in this world much longer. He knows the pressures his disciples will face in his absence. As he looks around the room, he sees Simon the Zealot and Matthew the tax collector. Would they be able to stay united once he was gone? Even the brothers James and John, or Peter and Andrew, might go separate ways. And what about the people who would come to believe through their word? In those last hours, what was at the forefront of Jesus' mind and heart? Unity. It can feel like an unattainable goal for us today. Granted, we can't single-handedly resolve two thousand years of division in the Church. Disunity seems to be part of our human nature. In Jesus' time, it was division between Gentiles and Jews. Then there was the division between the Church in the East and the West. Then came the division between Protestants and Catholics. On top of all that, there is even division between brothers and sisters in one family or parish. How can we possibly become one? Remember, Jesus prays for you. The quest for unity is not limited to theological dialogues or occasional joint prayer services. It starts with Jesus helping you love the people right in front of you. Even if you don't agree with them, you can still perceive the grace of God in their lives. Because unity on a grand scale starts with everyday unity with the people you know. Think about Jesus looking at the faces of each of his disciples. Now place yourself there too. But not just you—imagine someone you are not at peace with. Maybe you and your spouse see things differently on a sensitive issue. Whenever the topic arises, a wall seems to cut you off from one another. Jesus is gazing into your eyes. He is praying that you be united. Can you come to agreement? Can you exchange views and understand each other's position? What might Jesus pray for you—and for the other person? How might he encourage you to be one? Don't give in to discouragement. Remember, Jesus himself is praying for you! "Lord, make us one!" Acts 22:30; 23:6-11
Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11 |  clickable | Am I, your Mother, not here? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the source of your joy? Are you not in the folds of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? What more do you need? Let nothing else disturb or distress you.
— Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego
quoted in Maria of Guadalupe | my2cents:
"The following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Take courage. For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome."
Take Courage my child.
Our Lord asks us to take courage when it comes time to do His will.
What is His will? His commands?
Yes.
What else? Everything. Everything He desires. And how will you know? God speaks. Honestly. But not in a typical language. Perhaps to the Super Apostles He spoke in an audible voice, as some heard Jesus when Saul turned to Paul. But the Holy Spirit speaks in the language of being, and knowing. It is out of this world, and when He speaks, you will know. And know that it is not in your head, but in your heart. For He has written in the heart and spoken from the heart. | We pray: "Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices, my body, too, abides in confidence;
Because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world, nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope."
An apostle of Christ understands the mission of life. We are to go forth and make disciples of all nations. This is His will, and if it were not important, He would not have said it before ascending to Heaven. | "Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying: "I pray not only for these,
but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you...".
In essence, our Lord that day was praying for me and for you, as if to say "I pray for my child and for Adrian, and all who will believe in Me through their word, that that all may be one as the Father is with the Son".
Take courage. Being one with the Father is the first dying, the first surrender. This is to be susceptible to His Holy Will. If I told you that you have pride in you, how would that affect you? Some see it as a good thing, the world does for sure, and so in the world, all things pride matter. But that is not the matter in the Kingdom, where the least is best. Where the forgotten, are remembered. | "Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me.." and what Glory did the Father give to Christ? The all knowing bestowed upon Him an unforgettable act of humility, and in the eyes of the world...humiliation. And Jesus gives the same gift to those who choose the Way. Want to serve Christ? Prepare to be humiliated. People in church will humiliate you, even the priests. People who don't go to church will humiliate you, even your family. Want to be one with Christ? Prepare to give glory to Christ....and this is love. Love bears all things, as Christ bears the cross. I'm afraid of glory, because I am afraid of pain and suffering...and humiliations? The number one reason I see people turn from God and being faithful....hold on to this...it is pride, the supreme weakness. Watch how when they turn away, they point the fingers, "it's because that person in church I left". It happens a lot. Because of someone's humiliation, because of someone's weakness, because of someone that handed them a cross they couldn't bear.
If I am writing with the pen from Heaven, our Lord is asking, for His will to be made known. How can you outdo each other in Heaven? Bearing the cross for one another. And the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. We do not know how this body on earth thing works, spiritually. It is an amazing feat, carnal and spirit. Angels of all kinds, both fervent to faith and others fallen. How we house hundreds and thousands is beyond comprehension. And our Lord speaks:
"I made known to them your name and I will make it known,
that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them."
When someone turns from Christ, they can turn from you easier.
And the inverse is true, when someone turns to Christ, they will not turn on you as easy. Question is, how do we turn to Christ so we may not turn from each other? Remain. Pentecost will come. For now, remain faithful. The seasons come and go, and they are not for you to know.
But remain in Him, the vine gives life, and will give life forever..... |  click to hear | Random bible verse from an online generator: WOW
Revelation 4:11
11 "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." | 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