 clickable | | Surviving Stormy Seas When I shall have arrived at port, I will teach you how to travel, dear little brother of my soul, on the stormy sea of the world: with the surrender and the love of a child who knows his Father loves him and cannot leave him alone in the hour of danger… The way of simple love and confidence is really made for you. —from the book The Way of Simple Love: Inspiring Words from Therese of Lisieux by Father Gary Caster |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
"Be sure that you first preach by the way you live. If you do not, people will notice that you say one thing, but live otherwise, and your words will bring only cynical laughter and a derisive shake of the head."
— St. Charles Borromeo † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"The will of God gives to all things a supernatural and divine value for the soul submitting to it. The duties it imposes, and those it contains, with all the matters over which it is diffused, become holy and perfect, because, being unlimited in power, everything it touches shares its divine character. ... The entire virtue of all that is called holy is in its approximation to this order established by God; therefore nothing should be rejected, nothing sought after, but everything accepted that is ordained and nothing attempted contrary to the will of God. ... When God requires action, sanctity is to be found in activity."
—Fr. Jean-Pierre de Caussade, p. 15
AN EXCERPT FROM
Abandonment to Divine Providence † VERSE OF THE DAY
"So we are always courageous, although we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight."
2 Corinthians 5:6-7 |  click to read more | | ST. KIERAN THE YOUNGER St. Kieran the Younger (512-546 A.D.), also known as St. Ciaran, was born in Connacht, Ireland, the son of a carpenter. He demonstrated a great aptitude in his studies, being educated by a holy deacon who had him baptized. Kieran tended cattle in the fields before continuing his education at Saint Finnian's monastery school at Clonard, where he became a monk. He soon earned the reputation for being the most learned monk at Clonard, and was held in high esteem by his instructors and peers. Kieran's years of residence there were marked by many miracles. He also mentored, befriended, and tutored many of the founders of the Catholic Church in Ireland. Saint Kieran eventually left Clonard and went on to found the famous Clonmacnoise Abbey in West Meath Ireland, which attracted thousands of students from all over Europe. St. Kieran was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland - the first twelve bishops in Ireland consecrated by St. Patrick. He is also honored as the first Irish-born saint. St. Kieran's feast day is September 9th. | Saint Peter Claver (June 26, 1581 – September 8, 1654) A native of Spain, young Jesuit Peter Claver left his homeland forever in 1610 to be a missionary in the colonies of the New World. He sailed into Cartagena, a rich port city washed by the Caribbean. He was ordained there in 1615. By this time the slave trade had been established in the Americas for nearly 100 years, and Cartagena was a chief center for it. Ten thousand slaves poured into the port each year after crossing the Atlantic from West Africa under conditions so foul and inhuman that an estimated one-third of the passengers died in transit. Although the practice of slave-trading was condemned by Pope Paul III and later labeled "supreme villainy" by Pope Pius IX, it continued to flourish. Peter Claver's predecessor, Jesuit Father Alfonso de Sandoval, had devoted himself to the service of the slaves for 40 years before Claver arrived to continue his work, declaring himself "the slave of the Negroes forever." As soon as a slave ship entered the port, Peter Claver moved into its infested hold to minister to the ill-treated and exhausted passengers. After the slaves were herded out of the ship like chained animals and shut up in nearby yards to be gazed at by the crowds, Claver plunged in among them with medicines, food, bread, brandy, lemons, and tobacco. With the help of interpreters he gave basic instructions and assured his brothers and sisters of their human dignity and God's love. During the 40 years of his ministry, Claver instructed and baptized an estimated 300,000 slaves. Fr. Claver's apostolate extended beyond his care for slaves. He became a moral force, indeed, the apostle of Cartagena. He preached in the city square, gave missions to sailors and traders as well as country missions, during which he avoided, when possible, the hospitality of the planters and owners and lodged in the slave quarters instead. After four years of sickness, which forced the saint to remain inactive and largely neglected, Claver died on September 8, 1654. The city magistrates, who had previously frowned at his solicitude for the black outcasts, ordered that he should be buried at public expense and with great pomp. Peter Claver was canonized in 1888, and Pope Leo XIII declared him the worldwide patron of missionary work among black slaves.
Reflection The Holy Spirit's might and power are manifested in the striking decisions and bold actions of Peter Claver. A decision to leave one's homeland never to return reveals a gigantic act of will difficult for us to imagine. Peter's determination to serve forever the most abused, rejected, and lowly of all people is stunningly heroic. When we measure our lives against such a man's, we become aware of our own barely used potential and of our need to open ourselves more to the jolting power of Jesus' Spirit.
Saint Peter Claver is the Patron Saint of: African Americans
African Missions
Colombia
Interracial Justice | Memorial of Saint Peter Claver, Priest • Readings for the Memorial of Saint Peter Claver, priest Reading 1 1 COR 7:25-31 Brothers and sisters:
In regard to virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord,
but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy.
So this is what I think best because of the present distress:
that it is a good thing for a person to remain as he is.
Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek a separation.
Are you free of a wife? Then do not look for a wife.
If you marry, however, you do not sin,
nor does an unmarried woman sin if she marries;
but such people will experience affliction in their earthly life,
and I would like to spare you that.
I tell you, brothers, the time is running out.
From now on, let those having wives act as not having them,
those weeping as not weeping,
those rejoicing as not rejoicing,
those buying as not owning,
those using the world as not using it fully.
For the world in its present form is passing away. Responsorial Psalm PS 45:11-12, 14-15, 16-17 R. (11) Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear.
Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear,
forget your people and your father's house.
So shall the king desire your beauty;
for he is your lord, and you must worship him.
R. Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear.
All glorious is the king's daughter as she enters;
her raiment is threaded with spun gold.
In embroidered apparel she is borne in to the king;
behind her the virgins of her train are brought to you.
R. Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear.
They are borne in with gladness and joy;
they enter the palace of the king.
The place of your fathers your sons shall have;
you shall make them princes through all the land.
R. Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear. Alleluia LK 6:23AB R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Rejoice and leap for joy!
Your reward will be great in heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel LK 6:20-26 Raising his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said:
"Blessed are you who are poor,
for the Kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude and insult you,
and denounce your name as evil
on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!
Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.
For their ancestors treated the prophets
in the same way.
But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
But woe to you who are filled now,
for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will grieve and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you,
for their ancestors treated the false
prophets in this way."
| Daily Meditation: Luke 6:20-26 Woe to you who are rich. (Luke 6:24) Imagine you are a wealthy Jew listening to this small-town rabbi talk about the difference between being rich and being poor. Your crops are flourishing, your herds are increasing each year, your business is doing well. Prosperity is a sign of God's favor, isn't it? And yet Jesus is saying, "Blessed are you who are poor. . . . Woe to you who are rich" (Luke 6:20, 24). Is Jesus condemning you for your prosperity? No. Jesus does not look down on rich people. He was simply saying that wealth can be an obstacle to living a life of loving dependence on your heavenly Father. Not all of us would fall into the "materially prosperous" category, but anyone can be distracted by money. If we have wealth, we might be lulled into trying to fill ourselves now, to enjoy everything we can now. We might think we can rely on ourselves instead of trusting God to care for the details of our lives. If we are struggling to make ends meet, we might forget that God cares for us now even as he promises an eternal treasure in heaven. We might be fearful to care for the people around us. This is what Jesus was cautioning people about. God most certainly cares for the rich as much as he does the poor. Jesus is simply exhorting them, and us, to elevate our thinking beyond the here and now. To be generous toward those who have less and to trust God wholeheartedly for what we need. To use our wealth to show those who have less what the Father's love and care might look like. It's our preoccupation with selfish desires, our attitude of independence that has no need of God, that grieves him. After all, it's his nature to bless and satisfy and delight, whether we are rich or poor. That's what God wants to do for you today: give you confidence in him. Whatever your financial situation, put your faith in God, not in your current status. He is the only One who can bless you and fill you with joy. "Holy Spirit, line up my views on life and wealth and trust in God with the Father's perspective." 1 Corinthians 7:25-31
Psalm 45:11-12, 14-17 |  clickable | The Holy Spirit reveals many things to us. One of the most beautiful is the Spirit revealing God as our loving Father, our "Abba - Daddy." Jesus related to his Father as Abba and never before had God been spoken of in such personal and intimate terms. God as Abba is a uniquely beautiful Christian revelation. The Spirit of Jesus desires to free us from fear and a master-slave relationship to a Father-Daughter or Father-Son relationship.
— Fr. Dave Pivonka, TOR
from The Wild Goose | my2cents:
"I tell you, brothers, the time is running out."
They say that story of the evils, the devils putting weeds in to the fields, that the biggest pile of seed the go through to plant all over the world, that is...in your hearts, is the seed called "procrastination". To leave things for later, for which we most probably will never get around to, namely, fulfilling our calling to sainthood, a life lived in holiness. But there are those that are persevering. The perseverance of the saints endures and persists and becomes efficacious as a wildfire. If you smash this flame, it makes more flames. It is not of earthly origins, but of Heavenly origins. | We pray: "Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear, forget your people and your father's house. So shall the king desire your beauty; for he is your lord, and you must worship him." A nun gave her testimony, and said she decided to give her life to Jesus. And she never told her family, until the day she was about to be picked up. About 30 minutes before the ride came, she told her family the news, and they were shocked, for they had other plans for her. She grabbed her things and walked out the door where a limousine was waiting. Her groom would await in the palace, and we pray on: "All glorious is the king's daughter as she enters; her raiment is threaded with spun gold. In embroidered apparel she is borne in to the king; behind her the virgins of her train are brought to you." She goes on about her decades of life with Jesus, saying how she'd never trade it for anything else, and so we pray on: "They are borne in with gladness and joy; they enter the palace of the king.
The place of your fathers your sons shall have; you shall make them princes through all the land. Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear." | Our Lord begins:
"Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours." Take this from Him who was born in rejection, left scraps, put into a barn, a cave for animals, and his bed was a wooden feeding trough. Born into poverty, and in poverty He left, stripped even of his garments on the wooden trough. Ownership means nothing. You literally don't own anything material, not even your body, nothing is yours, as much as you try to hold on to it, and those who do choose to hold on to things are rich temporarily, and then it will all be taken away. Pyramids were built by our ancestors, for the earthly kings to be buried with their riches, and the riches were discovered and taken away. Even their bodies have been snatched. In the same way, many are trying to preserve themselves from death, cryogenics, freezing themselves, and they too will be snatched, if they haven't already. So, it is better to give, than to be taken. | "Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied." Hungry...for Jesus. He does not turn away those who seek, the Holy Spirit.
"Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh." Weeping not for self, but for Him. Think Mary Magdalene at the tomb, and Jesus appears, and she runs to tell the good news!
"Blessed are you when people hate you ... . on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!" Have you ever been called Mr. Holy, or a "holy roller?" Have you ever been scorched with "so you think you're so holy!?" and then an onslaught of curse words follows? I have. Have you ever been falsely accused for doing things in Church? Welcome to the club, if not, then, why not? Why haven't you been ridiculed yet? A true Christian will find friction in their life. This is what causes fires my friend. Positive and negative makes energy. If you have not yet suffered for Christ, try harder...try to be a real Christ follower. It doesn't feel good. Praying doesn't make you feel good. Prayer joins you to Christ. When you pray the rosary, it can be cumbersome at first. Prayed properly, it can take you into the life of Christ. Prayed improperly, it can put you to sleep. And I hate to admit, I've fallen asleep more times than I've gone into a deep entering into His life. But the few times of righteous meditation make for a true hunger.
And our Lord ends with the woes:
"... woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you..."
And this will happen in this life and even more-so in the next.
What we see here are inklings of the real eternal life.
It is better to suffer now than forever...for Christ.
It is better to give now, rather than later.
They say we should live life without regrets.
The greatest regrets in purgatory are those of not having done rightly what we should've done for Christ now.
There are no regrets in hell, just for self.
Regrets in purgatory are for Christ.
In Heaven, do regrets exist? Remorse? Pain? No. Why? Because, true faith calls for true hope.
A revelation before I leave you for today:
The book of Genesis is revelation. It is the story of mankind versus God's desires. He desires eternal purity. And impurity entered the world. In the grand scheme, it is man versus God. In the example of communism, man is a self made god. And this is the common theme for those who are against Him. They are rich, they need nothing they say. Nothing but everything God provides for life. And so the picture is one of ingratitude.
But for a holy soul, gratitude is everything.
And so we call the Body of Christ, Eucharist.
And so we are called to live out the sacrifice.
We are the church militant praying for church suffering, aiming and pleading the church victorious to be made one and whole. Lord hear our prayers as we strive to depose ourselves of earthly attachments and make you our greatest desire....Life Everlasting | Random Bible verse from online generator: Psalm 4:8 " In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. " | 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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