 |  clickable | | Extending Hospitality to All "Charity enters heaven when humility opens the door." —St. María Natividad Venegas de la Torre Mexico's first female saint went from nurse to pharmacist to accountant to director of the Guadalajara hospital where her community did its first ministry. María's confidence in the Lord and her hospitality kept the hospital open and assisting all amid religious persecution. An uprising known as the Cristero Rebellion resulted in about ninety thousand deaths in three years. The rebellion came to the hospital. But instead of engaging with the government soldiers in a way that would heighten the tension (and risk the hospital's doors being closed), Madre Nati met them with courtesy and hospitality. No one who needed attention was turned away, Catholic or non-Catholic, military or civilian. She and her sisters managed to save the Eucharist from desecration by carefully hiding it in their beehives. As a result of her efforts, the hospital remained open throughout the conflict. —from Radical Saints: 21 Women for the 21st Century, by Melanie Rigney |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
"It is suffering, more than anything else, which clears the way for the grace which transforms human souls. Suffering, more than anything else makes present in the history of humanity the powers of the Redemption." — Pope St. John Paul II Meditation of the Day "The divine activity permeates the whole universe, it pervades every creature; wherever they are it is there; it goes before them, with them, and it follows them; all they have to do is to let the waves bear them on. Would to God that ... all men could know how very easy it would be for them to arrive at a high degree of sanctity. They would only have to fulfill the simple duties of Christianity and of their state in life; to embrace with submission the crosses belonging to that state, and to submit with faith and love to the designs of Providence in all those things that have to be done or suffered without going out of their way to seek occasions for themselves. ... This is the spirituality of all ages and of every state. No state of life can, assuredly, be sanctified in a more exalted manner, nor in a more wonderful and easy way than by the simple use of the means that God, the sovereign director of souls, gives them to do or to suffer at each moment." — Fr. Jean-Pierre de Caussade, p. 8 An Excerpt From Abandonment to Divine Providence † VERSE OF THE DAY "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:13-14 |  click to read more | | St. Germaine Cousin St. Germaine Cousin (1579–1601) was born in a remote French village to a peasant farmer. She was born with a deformed right arm and a disease that causes abscesses in her neck. Her mother died when she was an infant, and her father remarried. Due to Germaine's deformities, her stepmother was thoroughly disgusted with her. She severely neglected and physically abused the child, and taught others to do the same. Starving, sick, and dressed in rags with no shoes, Germaine was forced to sleep in the barn. Her stepmother once attempted to kill her off by sending her to tend sheep near a wolf-infested forest. St. Germaine was a simple and pious child, and through her extreme hardships she developed a deep interior life. She prayed the rosary and went to Mass daily, leaving her sheep to the care of her guardian angel. Even though she was emaciated, she shared the little food she had with beggars. Her piety was admired by the village children, and adults gradually became aware of her holiness, especially when news of her miracles began to circulate. St. Germaine died at the age of twenty-two, succumbing to her poor living conditions. Many years later her body was found incorrupt. Villagers began praying for her intercession and receiving miraculous cures, resulting in her canonization in 1867. St. Germaine is the patron saint of unattractive people, peasant girls, abuse victims, handicapped people, and abandoned people. Her feast day is June 15th. | Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 1 Kgs 21:1-16 Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel
next to the palace of Ahab, king of Samaria.
Ahab said to Naboth, "Give me your vineyard to be my vegetable garden,
since it is close by, next to my house.
I will give you a better vineyard in exchange, or,
if you prefer, I will give you its value in money."
Naboth answered him, "The LORD forbid
that I should give you my ancestral heritage."
Ahab went home disturbed and angry at the answer
Naboth the Jezreelite had made to him:
"I will not give you my ancestral heritage."
Lying down on his bed, he turned away from food and would not eat. His wife Jezebel came to him and said to him,
"Why are you so angry that you will not eat?"
He answered her, "Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite
and said to him, 'Sell me your vineyard, or,
if you prefer, I will give you a vineyard in exchange.'
But he refused to let me have his vineyard."
His wife Jezebel said to him,
"A fine ruler over Israel you are indeed!
Get up.
Eat and be cheerful.
I will obtain the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you." So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and,
having sealed them with his seal,
sent them to the elders and to the nobles
who lived in the same city with Naboth.
This is what she wrote in the letters:
"Proclaim a fast and set Naboth at the head of the people.
Next, get two scoundrels to face him
and accuse him of having cursed God and king.
Then take him out and stone him to death."
His fellow citizens—the elders and nobles who dwelt in his city—
did as Jezebel had ordered them in writing,
through the letters she had sent them.
They proclaimed a fast and placed Naboth at the head of the people.
Two scoundrels came in and confronted him with the accusation,
"Naboth has cursed God and king."
And they led him out of the city and stoned him to death.
Then they sent the information to Jezebel
that Naboth had been stoned to death. When Jezebel learned that Naboth had been stoned to death,
she said to Ahab,
"Go on, take possession of the vineyard
of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to sell you,
because Naboth is not alive, but dead."
On hearing that Naboth was dead, Ahab started off on his way
down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite,
to take possession of it. Responsorial Psalm 5:2-3ab, 4b-6a, 6b-7 R. (2b) Lord, listen to my groaning.
Hearken to my words, O LORD,
attend to my sighing.
Heed my call for help,
my king and my God!
R. Lord, listen to my groaning.
At dawn I bring my plea expectantly before you.
For you, O God, delight not in wickedness;
no evil man remains with you;
the arrogant may not stand in your sight.
R. Lord, listen to my groaning.
You hate all evildoers.
You destroy all who speak falsehood;
The bloodthirsty and the deceitful
the LORD abhors.
R. Lord, listen to my groaning. Alleluia Ps 119:105 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A lamp to my feet is your word,
a light to my path.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 5:38-42 Jesus said to his disciples:
"You have heard that it was said,
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.
When someone strikes you on your right cheek,
turn the other one to him as well.
If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,
hand him your cloak as well.
Should anyone press you into service for one mile,
go with him for two miles.
Give to the one who asks of you,
and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow." | DAILY MEDITATION: MATTHEW 5:38-42 Offer no resistance to one who is evil. (Matthew 5:39) Is Jesus saying that we can't defend ourselves against someone who is trying to harm us? Are we not supposed to avoid dangerous situations? No, of course not! Jesus is talking about the temptation to retaliate—to willfully return evil for evil. It's a mindset that, sadly, we still see at play today. One relative makes a hurtful comment, and the offended party retaliates by responding with a nasty text or e-mail. On a larger scale, an act of violence taken by one nation against another can quickly escalate into all-out war. It is certainly tempting to seek vengeance, yet Jesus calls us to let go of that desire as well as the anger that so often drives it. Why? Because he knows that evil can never conquer evil. He also knows that our returning blow for blow isn't going to heal our hurts. Jesus not only told us to offer no resistance to one who is evil; he also demonstrated it throughout his life. Though he had every right in the face of being falsely accused and condemned, he did not lash out against the people who were persecuting him and seeking to put him to death. We know it's only human to want to take an eye for an eye. This is why we need Jesus' help in order to resist the temptation to take revenge. It's only as we walk closely with the Lord and remember his example that we are able to take the high road—forbearing, turning the other cheek, and forgiving. The next time you find yourself tempted to retaliate with a snap remark, ask the Lord to give you the strength to keep quiet. When a coworker speaks rudely to you, try to forgive and let it go. If there's a long-standing feud or hurt in your life, take some time to pray about whether there is anger or a desire for revenge lurking in your heart. Have you forgiven the party who hurt you? Taking the high road isn't easy, and it usually doesn't come automatically, but with Jesus' help, we truly can conquer evil with good. "Jesus, help me to let go of any desire to retaliate or take revenge." 1 Kings 21:1-16
Psalm 5:2-7 |  clickable | All of us will have to render an account of our lives when we die. God will not be interested in who or what we were. No, only in this: how did we live? That will be the sole matter for judgment. A company director won't be able to pull rank on a waiter, and a fisherman's wife will be on a par with a millionaire's wife. Ships' officers will receive no preference over ships' cooks. All will be judged by exactly the same measure: did we use our talents well and for his glory? — Takashi Nagai
from A Song for Nagasaki | my2cents:
'Two scoundrels came in and confronted him with the accusation,
"Naboth has cursed God and king."
Lying...and stealing. Looks bad and is bad. What if someone asked you for your inheritance...or family heirloom? It would not set well...but soon our Lord asks for His vineyard in return. We must not hold on to the temporal...but eternal. | We pray today 'You hate all evildoers.
You destroy all who speak falsehood;
The bloodthirsty and the deceitful
the LORD abhors. Lord, listen to my groaning.- | "You have heard that it was said,
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.
Here I offer what I learn, Jesus is right...Jesus is always right.
Almost daily there's temptation to get mad...frustrated...and therefore temptation to fight. I like that Chinese proverb that says anger is like a gift...it can be offered to you but you don't have to receive it...much less open it.
Today...our Lord speaks about revenge...He speaks about watching out for pride.
I notice just about all retaliations stem from pride. -Oh yeah? I'll show them!"
And what follows is sheer evil. Bitter hatred.
Jesus stands in stark difference...scourged dripping blood...this is what He means to turn the cheek....I will not retaliate. I will not sucumb to temptation against....mercy.
Jesus middle name is mercy.
Jesus Dvine Mercy
Pray for us
Lead us away from temptation
Against mercy.
Help us be mercy and righteousness...all things body of Christ | Random bible verse from an online generator: 1John 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know 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 | | |
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