 clickable | | Don't Squander Today Do not squander this day, say the mystics. Leave being right behind you, let it go, let it go, let it go. Return to Love. What else would we do? How else will we recognize the light? Love is running through the streets on the heels of the music, running through the pain and above the sky. It exceeds anything it encounters—recognizes all it meets, and changes everything in its wake. —from the book Stars at Night: When Darkness Unfolds as Night
by Paula D'Arcy |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
"Since love completes all, makes all hard things soft, and the difficult easy, let us strive to make all our acts proceed from love."
— St. Arnold Janssen †MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"The Devil didn't deal out temptations to Our Lord only. He brings these evil schemes of his to bear on each of Jesus' servants—and not just on the mountain or in the wilderness or when we're by ourselves. No, he comes after us in the city as well, in the marketplaces, in courts of justice. He tempts us by means of others, even our own relatives. So what must we do? We must disbelieve him altogether, and close our ears against him, and hate his flattery. And when he tries to tempt us further by offering us even more, then we should shun him all the more. . . We aren't as intent on gaining our own salvation as he is intent on achieving our ruin. So we must shun him, not with words only, but also with works; not in mind only, but also in deed. We must do none of the things that he approves, for in that way will we do all those things that God approves. Yes, for the Devil also makes many promises, not so that he may give them to us, but so that he may take away from us. He promises plunder, so that he may deprive us of the kingdom of God and of righteousness. He sets out treasures in the earth as snares and traps, so that he may deprive us both of these and of the treasures in heaven. He would have us be rich in this life, so that we may not be rich in the next."
— St. John Chrysostom, p. 152-3
AN EXCERPT FROM
Manual for Spiritual Warfare † VERSE OF THE DAY
"For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent, he will set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies round about me; and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord."
Psalm 27:5-6 |  click to read more | | ST. JOSAPHAT St. Josaphat (1580-1623) was born to a devout religious family of Ruthenian ancestry in what is now Ukraine, and was baptized in the Eastern Orthodox Church. He devoted his virginity to the Virgin Mary and grew in his reverence for ancient liturgy. During a revival of Eastern Catholic monastic life he became a monk in the Order of St. Basil, and was ordained to Holy Orders in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in 1609. He was noted for his life of asceticism, holiness, and virtue which led to his appointment as Archbishop of Polotsk in what is today Belarus. During his lifetime there was much sociopolitical and ecclesiastical rivalry between the Catholics and Orthodox, especially in the wake of the 1596 Union of Brest which saw the Ruthenian rite break with Orthodoxy and come under the authority of the Holy See. St. Josaphat was passionate about working for the reunification with Rome and won many heretics and schismatics back to communion with Rome. However, he was also strongly opposed to the Latinization of his people. This combination of views drew ire from both Catholic and Orthodox clergy. His diocese was contested by the Orthodox, and a rival Orthodox bishop was set up to oppose him, causing riots. During one uprising Josaphat tried to calm the tensions and work for reunification and peace, but his enemies plotted to kill him. A mob of Orthodox Christians entered Josaphat's home, stabbed and axed his body and threw it into a river. His body was seen glowing in the water and was recovered. After his martyrdom many miracles were attributed to his intercession. Josaphat's sacrifice became a blessing as regret and sorrow over his death converted many hearts toward reunification with the Catholic Church. In 1867 Josaphat became the first saint of the Eastern Church to be formally canonized by Rome. His feast day is November 12. | Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr Lectionary: 494
Reading 1 PHMN 7-20 Beloved:
I have experienced much joy and encouragement from your love,
because the hearts of the holy ones
have been refreshed by you, brother.
Therefore, although I have the full right in Christ
to order you to do what is proper,
I rather urge you out of love,
being as I am, Paul, an old man,
and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus.
I urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus,
whose father I have become in my imprisonment,
who was once useless to you but is now useful to both you and me.
I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.
I should have liked to retain him for myself,
so that he might serve me on your behalf
in my imprisonment for the Gospel,
but I did not want to do anything without your consent,
so that the good you do might not be forced but voluntary.
Perhaps this is why he was away from you for a while,
that you might have him back forever,
no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother,
beloved especially to me, but even more so to you,
as a man and in the Lord.
So if you regard me as a partner, welcome him as you would me.
And if he has done you any injustice
or owes you anything, charge it to me.
I, Paul, write this in my own hand: I will pay.
May I not tell you that you owe me your very self.
Yes, brother, may I profit from you in the Lord.
Refresh my heart in Christ. Responsorial Psalm PS 146:7, 8-9A, 9BC-10 R. (5a) Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia
JN 15:5
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the vine, you are the branches, says the Lord:
whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel LK 17:20-25 Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come,
Jesus said in reply,
"The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed,
and no one will announce, 'Look, here it is,' or, 'There it is.'
For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you." Then he said to his disciples,
"The days will come when you will long to see
one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
There will be those who will say to you,
'Look, there he is,' or 'Look, here he is.'
Do not go off, do not run in pursuit.
For just as lightning flashes
and lights up the sky from one side to the other,
so will the Son of Man be in his day.
But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation." | Daily Meditation: Luke 17:20-25 The Kingdom of God is among you. (Luke 17:21) When Jesus told these Pharisees that the kingdom of God was among them, he was telling them that he was the One ushering in the kingdom. This was a hard thing for the Pharisees to grasp. They had been looking for the Messiah and his kingdom for years, and were confident they would spot it based on their understanding of the Scriptures. But it was right in front of them in a surprising way. It arrived in the person of a humble carpenter and in a place and a manner they didn't foresee. Like these Pharisees, we all carry certain expectations that may prevent us from seeing the Lord among us. For example, maybe one of your adult children needs to come back to your home for a while. You might have been enjoying the peace and quiet of an empty nest, but then you realize that God is giving you an opportunity to spend extra time with your child and to cultivate a deeper relationship. Or maybe you unexpectedly had to relocate for your job. Though you did not want to move, you have discovered blessings in your new location—a vibrant parish or new friendships, for example. In all the surprises life throws at us, God wants us to focus on one thing: he is in our midst—"the Kingdom of God is among you" (Luke 17:21). And because of that, we can trust that he will bring good out of every situation we face. Change and transition may be challenging. Loss can be upsetting. Sometimes even staying still can be difficult. But God will never abandon us. He will always be at our side, whether our situation is a surprise or not. Because the kingdom came in a way they weren't expecting, these Pharisees struggled to receive it as a blessing. Instead of finding the blessings of having Jesus with them, they clung to their own understanding and opposed him. While it can be hard to let go of our ideas or plans, Jesus wants us to trust him in the unexpected. If we do, we will experience not only his presence but all the ways he wants to bless us. "Jesus, in every situation, whether expected or not, I trust in you." Philemon 7-20
Psalm 146:7-10 |  clickable | All men and women want to be quenched, and any vocation must respond to this need for quenching. Jesus has said that those who give up family, property, and marriage for the sake of his enterprise achieve many times over even in this life. What they achieve is complete vitality, love, and joy.
— Fr. Thomas Dubay, SM
from And You Are Christ's | my2cents:
"I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that the good you do might not be forced but voluntary."
Volunteers my friend. That's what the church is made of really. There are no binding agents. Or are there? In all actuality, even though you think you are volunteering, it is our right and duty as faithful citizens of Heaven....to do the will of God our Father. But many do not see this commitment called Sacrament. Many fail to see what this really means. Yet, the Church cannot and will not force you to "volunteer". That is, to give of yourself, time, talent, and treasure. That must come from within. And this is where a letter of encouragement comes. We read from Paul. And now from Adrian. You see, we carry on the message. We must be that perseverance pusher. And it must come from within. I'm just a vapor and letters right now, but the push is for something great that begins with something small. | "The LORD raises up those who were bowed down; the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob."
If you have negative eyes to read, you'll read that the Lord does not love the unjust. Right? Do you love the unjust, who have treated you unjustly? Do you love the unjust? Answer truly. Just think of that person that abused you or attempted to abuse you. Do you love them? Think of those that take advantage of you. Think of those who have stolen from you. Think of those who threatened to kill you. Think of those persecuting you right now. Do you love them?
The answer then, is about the inverse reality of a Sacrament. You are loved, no matter who you are, where you've been, or what you've done. But our answer to that love is everything. Think of the Prodigal son. It was only when the wretched son returned, that he, in his mind experienced the love that he didn't think existed anymore. Back in the good ol' days, when I was brought up in the hootin' and hollerin' of charismatics moving and dancing and singing to Jesus, you could see the love. Back in the good ol' days as a young adult, just married, I experienced Jesus in the Cursillo movement. And in every episode, things seemed to have simmered out. What's the next Pentecost? Wouldn't you like to know? When is it? I'm asking you to wait. I'm asking you to persevere in fidelity. I'm asking you to reach the inward reality in this cosmic effect. Because even the Spirit is natural. Beyond our understanding in the present moment. And for that, I encourage you to a greater faith. | "Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come,
Jesus said in reply, "The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed...".
You cannot see the Kingdom my friend. This is why Pontius Pilate and Herod and the Pharisees ridiculed Christ our Lord. Why? Because, when it comes to Christ, it's like what C.S. Lewis said "Jesus Christ was either a liar, a lunatic, or He was who He said He was ..". Who do you say that He is? The Kingdom He ushered in is worldwide and beyond. The people of God belong to Jesus. And that is who I am writing to. | "The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it."
You would wish to see Christ. You will wish you would've been there...to see, to believe, but you will not. All you will have is faith. All you will have is to...believe.
"For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day."
And this has been my experience of Christ. That, He is not stationary. That He appears in different people. That suddenly I hear Him speak. That, it is so random. That, we cannot predict His next coming. That, all we have is to believe and wait, and hope, and live His way.
And there are those that get to see Him. The pure. The innocent. This means those who truly believe. Those with true and sincere and open hearts.
"But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation."
Any true Christ follower will follow this path. They will suffer for Jesus. They will be rejected for following Jesus.
This is why many drop the cross and walk away. This is why many choose themselves first. This is why, if you see sadness in the world, the very reason. How can carrying a cross be joy? What we don't know is that Jesus is a cheerful giver. Physical pain, yes. Interior pain, mental anguish, yes. Spiritual joy? Yes. Next time you suffer something, offer it to God. Offer it for someone. See what happens? Paper cut? Offer it. Slammed finger? Offer it. Now you have something to offer to God. Right now, I'm suffering inside, heart anguish for happenings in neck of the woods. Ridiculousness is going on, that's all. I can't fathom the incomprehensible de-sensitivity that happens on all fronts and all those involved. I carry it with me, and I pray, and I pray confused. God, what am I supposed to do? I'm lost! I'm confused! And then I shoot a direct arrow of prayers to each heart that needs illumination. God will see to it that things will be made right. Once again, I have to wait, and trust, and be ready to go and move where He says to go and move.
This is the profit of a servant. Speaking of which, now we are hearing about the suffering servant. "He must suffer greatly". And the world teaches against suffering, claiming it has no value, and thus, they usher abortion, euthanasia, and the like.
So am I inviting you to suffer? I'll let you decide. They say those who love more, suffer more. Therefore, in order not to suffer, many choose not to love more. Givers of love suffer. And I'm inviting you to truly Love. Lord, give us your Sacred Heart's ray's of immense love. Break our hearts open to true Love. I know it'll hurt, but give us your light of hope, mercy, and grace! | Random Bible verse from online generator:
WOW!
Zecharaiah 7:9-10 Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, 10 do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart." | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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