 |  clickable | | Prayer for Presence Let us be present to the now. It's all we have and it's where God will always speak to us. The now holds everything, rejects nothing and, therefore, can receive God too. Help us, God, to be present to the place we most fear, because it always feels empty, it always feels boring, it always feels like it's not enough. Help us find some space within that we don't try to fill with ideas or opinions. Help us find space so you, loving God, can show yourself in that place where we are hungry and empty. Keep us out of the way, so there is always room enough for you. Good God, we believe that you are here and your presence gives us hope. We thank you for each day of our lives. We thank you for so many further chances to understand, to forgive again, to trust again, and to love. We thank you that we live now, that our problems are soul-sized. We ask that you teach us and lead us, that you put the thoughts into our mind that you want us to think, the feelings in our hearts that you want us to feel. Reconstruct us. Put us together because we don't know how to do it ourselves. We trust that you are hearing this prayer, and that you care for the answer more than we do. We pray therefore not alone, but with the whole body of Christ in Jesus's name. Amen. —from The Wisdom Pattern: Order, Disorder, Reorder by Richard Rohr, OFM |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
"Confession heals, confession justifies, confession grants pardon of sin. All hope consists in confession. In confession there is a chance for mercy. Believe it firmly, do not doubt, do not hesitate, never despair of the mercy of God."
— St. Isidore of Seville † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"When we are living in the world, we can easily take on the mindset of a secular society. It is important for us to cultivate in our lives, with great care, God's way of looking at things and life in general. His Word guides us."
— Rev. Thomas J. Donaghy, p. 22
AN EXCERPT FROM
Inspirational Thoughts for Everyday † VERSE OF THE DAY
"To whom then will you compare me, or who is my equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? He who brings out their host and numbers them, calling them all by name; because he is great in strength, mighty in power, not one is missing."
Isaiah 40:25-26 |  click to read more | | BLESSED ANNA MARIA TAIGI Bl. Anna Maria Taigi (1769-1837) was born in Siena, Italy, to a poor working class family. Her family later moved to Rome, and Anna took on various low-skill jobs to help with the family finances. She married a pious man with a bad temper, which helped her to grow in virtue, and together they had seven children. As a young wife and mother she discerned God calling her to renounce the vanities and worldliness that she was accustomed to. She began to give little care to fancy dress, and accepted God's grace more in her life. With her husband's consent she transformed their home into a sanctuary through which she would serve God. Although she was not wealthy, Anna would give her spare money to the poor and needy. She soon entered the Third Order of Trinitarians and grew in holiness. God transformed her into a mystic: she experienced ecstasies during prayer, and was given visions of the future and the state of other's souls which were shown to her in a miraculous golden globe of light over the course of forty-seven years. Many sought her out for spiritual advice as she attended her household duties. She refused special favors from benefactors, and instead lived a life of austerity, relying on God to provide for her daily needs. Anna Maria's life was marked with much suffering, which she joyfully embraced, and God used her as an instrument for many conversions. Her feast day is June 9th. | Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 360
Reading 1 1 KGS 17:7-16 The brook near where Elijah was hiding ran dry,
because no rain had fallen in the land.
So the LORD said to Elijah:
"Move on to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there.
I have designated a widow there to provide for you."
He left and went to Zarephath.
As he arrived at the entrance of the city,
a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her,
"Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink."
She left to get it, and he called out after her,
"Please bring along a bit of bread."
She answered, "As the LORD, your God, lives,
I have nothing baked;
there is only a handful of flour in my jar
and a little oil in my jug.
Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks,
to go in and prepare something for myself and my son;
when we have eaten it, we shall die."
Elijah said to her, "Do not be afraid.
Go and do as you propose.
But first make me a little cake and bring it to me.
Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son.
For the LORD, the God of Israel, says,
'The jar of flour shall not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'"
She left and did as Elijah had said.
She was able to eat for a year, and Elijah and her son as well;
the jar of flour did not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
as the LORD had foretold through Elijah. Responsorial Psalm PS 4:2-3, 4-5, 7B-8 R. (7a) Lord, let your face shine on us.
When I call, answer me, O my just God,
you who relieve me when I am in distress;
Have pity on me, and hear my prayer!
Men of rank, how long will you be dull of heart?
Why do you love what is vain and seek after falsehood?
R. Lord, let your face shine on us.
Know that the LORD does wonders for his faithful one;
the LORD will hear me when I call upon him.
Tremble, and sin not;
reflect, upon your beds, in silence.
R. Lord, let your face shine on us.
O LORD, let the light of your countenance shine upon us!
You put gladness into my heart,
more than when grain and wine abound.
R. Lord, let your face shine on us. Alleluia MT 5:16 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Let your light shine before others
That they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel MT 5:13-16 Jesus said to his disciples:
"You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father." | Daily Meditation: Matthew 5:13-16 Y_ou are the salt of the earth. (Matthew 5:13)_ We all know that salt makes us thirsty. So when Jesus tells his disciples that they are the salt of the earth, we understand that he is calling them to awaken thirst in other people. But did you know that he is telling you the same thing? Jesus wants everyone to thirst for him and the promise of his kingdom—and that includes the people around you. He wants you to share the good news about his love in a way that attracts them and arouses their thirst for his presence. Many people don't feel thirsty for God because they think of faith more as historical events from the past. But if someone needed water, you wouldn't send them to a dried-up river bed. You'd send them to an active, life-giving stream! So when your life shows that Jesus didn't come just to lay down a bunch of rules but to change hearts and empower us to live in a new way, people begin to thirst for what you have. For example, you could share about Jesus' ability to heal or his grace to forgive—and share stories from your life as illustrations. Sometimes, just reminding a friend that God is at work in their life right now is being salt for them. Encouraging them to ask Jesus for direction is being the salt of the earth. So too is promising to pray for their needs—and remembering to do it. In other words, you don't have to be a saint to make someone thirsty for the Lord! Always remember, you are not the source of living water for them; you just have to show them where they can find it. Take some time to think about the people around you. Do you know someone who is thirsting for the Lord but who doesn't even know it yet? Is there someone who might respond to an invitation to take a drink from the living waters of Christ? By all means pray for that person, but make sure to ask the Spirit to help you become the salt that will awaken their thirst and lead them to Jesus. "Lord, teach me how to awaken thirst for you in the people all around me." 1 Kings 17:7-16
Psalm 4:2-5, 7-8 |  clickable | The intimate daily living between two human beings is a glorious thing, but it's a perilous thing too. Our goal is heaven, and our spouse is God's plan for getting us there. Because we are human beings struggling our way through God's divine plan, there are going to be some missteps along the way. In fact, the flaws and the missteps are exactly why God gave us the gift of marriage in the first place.
— Dan and Danielle Bean
from Manual for Marriage | my2cents:
""Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink."
Elijah was thirsty. Elijah was a prophet in the name of God.
Jesus came and asked a woman for a drink at the well " When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" John 4. And the whole conversation ensues from there. But the woman obeyed, and a life transformation began.
Mt 10:42 "And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward."
Have you given a cup of water to a disciple? There are disciples that thirst out their. They thirst like Jesus would thirst on the cross. They thirst for more. Their throats run dry like parched lands. They thirst for God. Can you give them water? Can you quench their thirst? Our Lord's thirst has not been completely quenched. He still thirsts for more...souls, and His call will not go unheard. This is where you and I come into the world.... | We pray today: "Know that the LORD does wonders for his faithful one; the LORD will hear me when I call upon him. Tremble, and sin not; reflect, upon your beds, in silence. Lord, let your face shine on us."
Tremble, and sin not. Tremble before our Lord, be afraid to sin, be afraid to turn your back, for you do not want to know what else there is out there lurking behind you. Keep focused, and afraid, be very afraid to become afraid. Our Lord will keep us in Him, so long as we do not let go. I'm seeing what I did not want to see in the pandemonium pandemic, but I knew it would happen. The weak in faith have fallen away. The little active, have become inactive. The spurts of fire have become warm coals. But I see the fire that burns eternally, because I can see the light calling..."I Thirst!". | Our Lord speaks: ""You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?"
Salt makes things different. It's a season. The season gives life to what seems bland. But salts do so much more. Ionized salt is good for the body, it is a vital nutrient. Salts help retain water. My dad used to work in an "elevator" where grains and such are stored in these huge vertical cylinder silos. There, they sweated all day, and the bosses would give them salt instead of water. WHAT? It was to help them not dehydrate. Think gatorade. Think of what minerals are important...in your life and soul. We need spiritual salt. I need salt, and you need salt. We thirst for salt, our bodies call for it and yearn for it. Today, the whole world needs salt. In a bland, neutral world, we need what is good, from Heaven. | Our Lord continues:
"You are the light of the world." And your light shall not be hidden. Got faith? Share it. Got life? Share it. Got love? Let the world know...you got God.
So many believe that Christians are hypocrites, and I bet they think everybody is a hypocrite, but themselves. That's the ultimate hypocrite. The one who denies they have a problem. Where have we gone...with the light...the truth? How far down do we hide it and cover it with sin? Confession unveils the truth. Christ is revealed in a true confession. You are the body of Christ. You are the light of the world. Who can take it away?
Romans 8:38 "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.…"
Only one can take it away...letting evil have its way. Authority. Permissions. The violent will attempt to take it by force. The meek will let God inside, and do away with pride. Jesus spoke with authority. And He let the world do its thing, to show the world that the meek, the WAY will triumph. It is God's design.
So take courage. He has conquered the world. He has given the life.
Let us lift each other up to Christ, expose sin, expose our sins, and let the Holy Spirit shine! |  click to hear | Random bible verse from an online generator: James 5:8
8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. | 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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