 clickable | | Prayer Is a Mystery Prayer is almost as much a mystery as God. Prayer always seems to be more than the words we use to describe it or the ways in which we understand it. Prayer is as old as the human family, stretching all the way back to the fall of Adam and Eve. Prior to disobeying God, our first parents lived in friendship with him. The intimacy they shared precluded the need for prayer. Their sin, however, produced a chasm between themselves and God. Because God created them to share his life, the desire for him not only remained, it also intensified. St. Augustine describes this as a restlessness within the human heart that can only be satisfied by resting in God. We can say, therefore, that prayer is the action that enables communication between that which is human and that which is divine. —from Prayer Everywhere: The Spiritual Life Made Simple by Father Gary Caster |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote "All the way to heaven is heaven, because Jesus said, 'I am the way.'"
— St. Catherine of Siena † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"I was sure that it was better for me to give myself up to your love than to give in to my own desires. However, although the one way appealed to me and was gaining mastery, the other still afforded me pleasure and kept me victim. I had no answer to give to you when you said to me, 'Rise, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will enlighten you.' When on all sides you showed me that your words were true, and I was overcome by your truth, I had no answer whatsoever to make, but only those slow and drowsy words, 'Right away. Yes, right away.' 'Let me be for a little while.' But 'Right away—right away' was never right now, and 'Let me be for a little while' stretched out for a long time."
— St. Augustine, p. 152
AN EXCERPT FROM
Confessions of St. Augustine † VERSE OF THE DAY
"And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God; but whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God."
Luke 12:8-9 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. |  click to read more | | ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE St. Thomas the Apostle (1st c.) was one of the twelve disciples who accompanied Jesus during His earthly ministry. He is remembered for his disbelief in the news of Christ's Resurrection until he physically saw and touched Jesus' wounds—thus earning him the name "Doubting Thomas." After Pentecost he traveled and preached throughout Persia and southeast Asia. Early traditions ascribe his main work and martyrdom to India, so that he is also called the "Apostle of India." He converted many to Christ, worked miracles, and established the Church in the East. One tradition holds that on his way to India he met and baptized the Three Wise Men of the Nativity who first venerated Jesus at Bethlehem. St. Thomas is also remembered for being a skilled carpenter, and according to Indian tradition he built the first churches in India with his own hands. St. Thomas the Apostle is the patron of India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Singapore, architects, builders, masons, surveyors, theologians, against blindness, and of people in doubt. His feast day is July 3rd. | Saint Thomas the Apostle (1st Century – December 21, 72) Poor Thomas! He made one remark and has been branded as "Doubting Thomas" ever since. But if he doubted, he also believed. He made what is certainly the most explicit statement of faith in the New Testament: "My Lord and My God!" and, in so expressing his faith, gave Christians a prayer that will be said till the end of time. He also occasioned a compliment from Jesus to all later Christians: "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed" (John 20:29). Thomas should be equally well-known for his courage. Perhaps what he said was impetuous—since he ran, like the rest, at the showdown—but he can scarcely have been insincere when he expressed his willingness to die with Jesus. The occasion was when Jesus proposed to go to Bethany after Lazarus had died. Since Bethany was near Jerusalem, this meant walking into the very midst of his enemies and to almost certain death. Realizing this, Thomas said to the other apostles, "Let us also go to die with him" (John 11:16b).
Reflection Thomas shares the lot of Peter the impetuous, James and John, the "sons of thunder," Philip and his foolish request to see the Father—indeed all the apostles in their weakness and lack of understanding. We must not exaggerate these facts, however, for Christ did not pick worthless men. But their human weakness again points up the fact that holiness is a gift of God, not a human creation; it is given to ordinary men and women with weaknesses; it is God who gradually transforms the weaknesses into the image of Christ, the courageous, trusting, and loving one. | Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle
Lectionary: 593
Reading 1 Eph 2:19-22 Brothers and sisters:
You are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God,
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
Through him the whole structure is held together
and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;
in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Responsorial Psalm 117:1bc, 2 R. (Mark 16:15) Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
For steadfast is his kindness for us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News. Alleluia Jn 20:29 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord;
blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe!
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 20:24-29 Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord."
But Thomas said to them,
"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."
Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe."
Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." | Daily Meditation: John 20:24-29 Bring your hand and put it into my side. (John 20:27) Amazing. Jesus had already appeared to the other apostles, to Mary Magdalene, and to two disciples traveling on the road to Emmaus. He had shown himself to be alive over and over again, but Thomas wasn't having it. He wouldn't believe unless he could see Jesus just as they had—and touch him, too! And what did Jesus do? He yielded to Thomas' demands and appeared again. Not only that, but he was willing to let Thomas probe and examine his body so that he could finally believe. Typically, when we think about this story, we focus on Thomas' doubts or weak faith. But today, let's focus instead on Jesus' response. Just as he had done in the Incarnation, just as he had done during his "hidden years" as a carpenter, and just as he had done when he washed his disciples' feet and allowed himself to be crucified, here again Jesus humbled himself and gave himself over to the hands of men. He cared more about meeting Thomas' need than he cared about how reasonable or appropriate Thomas' demand was. And the result of such humility? Thomas was so moved that he made the greatest and most personal proclamation about Jesus in all the Gospels: "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). Jesus will always help us to know him better. He probably won't appear physically, as he did for Thomas, but he will "show up" in countless other ways. In our prayer, in his word, in the love of a friend, in the whispers of our conscience—in these and many other ways, Jesus humbly comes to us. And of course, the humblest way of all is when he places himself in our hands in the gift of the Eucharist. Wherever he traveled as an apostle, Thomas probably told the story of how Jesus let him touch him. Let him tell you the same thing today: "Jesus is standing before you right now. He is inviting you to reach out and touch him. Let him show you that he truly is your Lord and your God." "Thank you, Jesus, for humbling yourself so much just to save me." Ephesians 2:19-22
Psalm 117:1-2 |  clickable | Christ is the true 'Lion of Judah.' The Devil tries to mimic and mock the Lion as an imposter who wants to be like a Messiah. He roars like a lion, making lots of noise like a small dog that barks but only has a small bite. He will try to roar, intimidate, and harass us. But the more we resist him and stand firm, the more the Devil will ultimately surrender and run away.
— Fr. Clement Machado
from A Dialogue with an Exorcist | my2cents:
"...you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone."
If we are built upon this foundation of martyrs, then what are we to be? If it cost so much, what is expected of us? Because they died, not in vain, but in hope, a hope that we would too give our lives for Him who gave His life for us. And we are that living hope of Christ. | We pray: "Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples! Go out to all the world and tell the Good News."
News this morning says that lawmakers in one state said all churches must stop singing and chanting (as if it were any different than screaming, shouting, or talking loud). Another state city says they will allow "poly-amorous" relationships to have the same rights and status as other married couples, and what does poly amores mean? Infidelity. No longer between one man and one woman, but several relationships, a complete opposite of what our Lord asked us to be. All the while "black (life) matters" organizers are screaming at priests and Catholics praying and accusing them and spitting on them and cussing at them, as if to say "darkness matters". You see? There is much evil in the air, no matter how you try to be compassionate. We must be firm and resolute, for we have been founded on a foundation that cost so much. Even as a nation we have been founded on much sacrifice, to be a country of God and for God, not godless, we were designed to be for God above all. All lives matter, especially the unborn, the vulnerable, the elderly and forgotten. | St. Thomas said ""Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." I will NOT believe, unless...
What? You get what you want?
Because many do this; if God doesn't do this, then I won't do that.
Faith is belief.
Faith is hope.
Faith is life.
Faith then is hope.
I ask you to be the light of Christ, and this takes faith.
I ask you to be hope, light among the darkness.
I ask for faithfulness.
Be faithful.
Be full of faith.
Be the joy the world needs to see.
Be together in unity.
If the world has been unleashed darkness, and more could come, then it is a call for lightness, more to come. And that light will come through you and me. Let the truth live, and let the truth not be silenced in fear. Our blue healer died after about 18 years of life. We buried him this week. Now coyotes seem to come closer and closer, and we saw one, me and my 6 year old boy as we walked outside, the coyotes howled, and my boy walked closer to me...I am His Father, he trusts me, and I know what must be done to protect my boy....from fear, for he has dominion, and the mind, and enough strength, if he follows my lead and my commands, my teachings...then he will be safe and happy.... We must love God's law and cherish OUR FATHER | Random bible verse from an online generator: Is 1:18
18 "Come now, let us reason1 together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. | 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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