 clickable | | A Grand Humility In these "Praises of the Lord God Most High" are contained Francis's experience of God. This is who this God he has loved late and long has become for him. These praises say, "O God, this is your song, you who are beauty so old and new. Late have I loved you." And through it all Francis has tried to return such incredible love, a return of love that, Francis being Francis, was a great, though humble, love. As he sang at the end of his "Canticle of the Creatures," we are to praise God "con grande umilitate," with grand humility, not a puny, wimpy humility but a paradoxically huge, grand humility. For all his littleness and humility, there was in Francis something big, a heart full of largeness and largesse. Once Francis knew God's love, he knew, as well, what St. Augustine put so beautifully. "And you see, you were within, and I was in the external world and sought you there, and in my unlovely state I plunged into those lovely created things you have made." —from Surrounded by Love: Seven Teachings from Saint Francis |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
"Totally love Him, Who gave Himself totally for your love."
— St. Clare of Assisi † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"When we make a good resolution, we merely consider the beauty and excellence of virtue, which attracts even the most vapid minds, but we never consider the difficulties of attaining it. Consequently, cowardly souls are dismayed at the first sign of trouble and they hurriedly abandon their project. For this reason, it would be better for you to consider the difficulties which occur in acquiring virtue, rather than the virtues themselves, and to prepare yourself accordingly. You may rest assured that the greater courage you show in conquering yourself or defeating your enemies, the sooner will your difficulties diminish, and they will gradually vanish."
— Dom Lorenzo Scupoli, p. 94
AN EXCERPT FROM
The Spiritual Combat † VERSE OF THE DAY
"For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
1 Corinthians 1:18 |  click to read more | | Saint Scholastica Saint of the Day for February 10
(c. 480 – February 10, 542)
Twins often share the same interests and ideas with an equal intensity. Therefore, it is no surprise that Scholastica and her twin brother, Benedict, established religious communities within a few miles from each other. Born in 480 of wealthy parents, Scholastica and Benedict were brought up together until he left central Italy for Rome to continue his studies. Little is known of Scholastica's early life. She founded a religious community for women near Monte Cassino at Plombariola, five miles from where her brother governed a monastery. The twins visited each other once a year in a farmhouse because Scholastica was not permitted inside the monastery. They spent these times discussing spiritual matters. According to the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great, the brother and sister spent their last day together in prayer and conversation. Scholastica sensed her death was close at hand and she begged Benedict to stay with her until the next day. He refused her request because he did not want to spend a night outside the monastery, thus breaking his own Rule. Scholastica asked God to let her brother remain and a severe thunderstorm broke out, preventing Benedict and his monks from returning to the abbey. Benedict cried out, "God forgive you, Sister. What have you done?" Scholastica replied, "I asked a favor of you and you refused. I asked it of God and he granted it." Brother and sister parted the next morning after their long discussion. Three days later, Benedict was praying in his monastery and saw the soul of his sister rising heavenward in the form of a white dove. Benedict then announced the death of his sister to the monks and later buried her in the tomb he had prepared for himself.
Reflection Scholastica and Benedict gave themselves totally to God and gave top priority to deepening their friendship with him through prayer. They sacrificed some of the opportunities they would have had to be together as brother and sister in order better to fulfill their vocation to the religious life. In coming closer to Christ, however, they found they were also closer to each other. In joining a religious community, they did not forget or forsake their family but rather found more brothers and sisters. | Memorial of Saint Scholastica, virgin Lectionary: 329
Reading 1 1 Kgs 8:1-7, 9-13 The elders of Israel and all the leaders of the tribes,
the princes in the ancestral houses of the children of Israel,
came to King Solomon in Jerusalem,
to bring up the ark of the LORD's covenant
from the City of David, which is Zion.
All the people of Israel assembled before King Solomon
during the festival in the month of Ethanim (the seventh month).
When all the elders of Israel had arrived,
the priests took up the ark;
they carried the ark of the LORD
and the meeting tent with all the sacred vessels
that were in the tent.
(The priests and Levites carried them.) King Solomon and the entire community of Israel
present for the occasion
sacrificed before the ark sheep and oxen
too many to number or count.
The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD
to its place beneath the wings of the cherubim in the sanctuary,
the holy of holies of the temple.
The cherubim had their wings spread out over the place of the ark,
sheltering the ark and its poles from above.
There was nothing in the ark but the two stone tablets
which Moses had put there at Horeb,
when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel
at their departure from the land of Egypt. When the priests left the holy place,
the cloud filled the temple of the LORD
so that the priests could no longer minister because of the cloud,
since the LORD's glory had filled the temple of the LORD.
Then Solomon said, "The LORD intends to dwell in the dark cloud;
I have truly built you a princely house,
a dwelling where you may abide forever." Responsorial Psalm 132:6-7, 8-10 R. (8a) Lord, go up to the place of your rest!
Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
we found it in the fields of Jaar.
Let us enter into his dwelling,
let us worship at his footstool.
R. Lord, go up to the place of your rest!
Advance, O LORD, to your resting place,
you and the ark of your majesty.
May your priests be clothed with justice;
let your faithful ones shout merrily for joy.
For the sake of David your servant,
reject not the plea of your anointed.
R. Lord, go up to the place of your rest! Alleluia Mt 4:23 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mk 6:53-56 After making the crossing to the other side of the sea,
Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret
and tied up there.
As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him.
They scurried about the surrounding country
and began to bring in the sick on mats
to wherever they heard he was.
Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered,
they laid the sick in the marketplaces
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak;
and as many as touched it were healed. | Meditation: Mark 6:53-56 Saint Scholastica, Virgin (Memorial) As many as touched it were healed. (Mark 6:56) Jesus' reputation for healing was spreading—so much so that people were bringing him the sick "to wherever they heard he was" (Mark 6:55). And even those who just touched the tassel of his cloak were being healed (6:56). There are still crowds of people today just as hungry to encounter Jesus. So many people yearn to hear that God is real, that he loves them, and that he can touch and heal them—in heart, mind, and body. But it's up to us to reach out to them. As Linda was leaving her pew after Mass one Sunday, she noticed a woman who looked tired and discouraged still sitting in another pew. Linda was tempted to walk past this woman—she was looking forward to getting out the door quickly so she could go to brunch with her family. But she felt a persistent tug from the Holy Spirit urging her to begin a conversation, and she didn't want to ignore it. So Linda put on a smile, walked up to the woman, and said, "Hello!" The woman greeted her warmly. Then Linda asked the woman if she was okay. But the woman was definitely not okay. One child was struggling with an addiction. Another was involved in a destructive relationship and had given up on God. The tension she and her husband were feeling over these situations was causing them to fight. She had come to church desperate. Deeply moved by this woman's story, Linda felt herself welling up with compassion. She offered to pray with the woman—nothing fancy, just a simple prayer: "Jesus, I invite you into my life and into these situations. Help me to know that you are with me." Gazing at the tabernacle, the woman began to experience Jesus' presence and comfort. It was a bittersweet but holy encounter, and it led the woman to tears. Her problems didn't dissolve, but she could sense Jesus with her in them. Do you know someone who needs Jesus' love and healing touch? Consider reaching out to them. It can feel risky to step out, but it could bring someone one step closer to the Lord. And that is worth the risk. "Jesus, show me who needs your love and healing today." 1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13
Psalm 132:6-10 |  clickable | Science—the very instrument that's being used by modern atheists to say that there is no God—is screaming at us that there's a God! The discoveries of thermodynamics, the Hubble Space Telescope, and Einstein's Theories of Relativity have exploded in the scientific world and have led untold numbers of scientists to faith in God.
— Tim Staples
from Why Be Catholic? | my2cents:
""The LORD intends to dwell in the dark cloud".
And there was darkness at the time of the crucifixion. Where was the great Glory Cloud? They say it was so dark you could see the stars, if but for a few moments. The apocalypse came to be, the reign would be stripped from Israel, for this King would now rule forever, and still does until today. Until forever. | Today we pray: "Let us enter into his dwelling,
let us worship at his footstool. Lord, go up to the place of your rest."
Let us enter His dwelling. Think Mass.
Then He enters ours. If we truly seek Him and desire Him in our hearts. | In the Holy Gospel we heard: "As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him. They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was." Word runs fast. You don't need internet to run this word. This spreads through the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is upon us. Scholastica, the saint of today, simply closed her eyes in prayer, and her prayers were heard. A dark cloud appeared, and her twin Saint brother said "what have you done!". He knew what that dark cloud was. It was God's answered prayer. | So everyone was being healed, prayers were being answered, and the people " begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed."
What great faith they had. Don't you wish you could touch a tassel? Where can you find one? But this wasn't just any tassel...was it? On that note, I've heard of a place with "holy dirt" and tons of healings have happened there. I've heard of a place with "miraculous water" and tons of healings are happening there. I've heard of "blessed oils" and many healings there. But you know where there is the most healing? It's in a little bitty place, very cramped spot, room for only two...you and Jesus, in a confessional. Are you feeling sick....to your stomach? Go there. Are you feeling depressed? Go there. Are you feeling nauseated by your problems? Go there. Are you disgusted with your life? Run there. Go see the priest, is the usual penance our Lord gives, and then "get something to eat", and then we go to the Eucharist, and then the priest asks us to pray, and there is the Lord in the ark of the covenant, the Tabernacle. I haven't gone, I'll confess, since Christmas time. Our priest has been gone back to his home in Africa for what seems like forever. But honestly, that's not the problem, I know I can make other confessions in nearby towns...I just haven't gone. And I can feel all the symptoms of dis-ease in my life. I am swamped with anxiety, stress, I don't know how to handle people ridiculing me, and I've become somewhat despondent, just wondering if I am the cause of all the church problems in my community. "Maybe I should step down from everything" and follow the lead of so many that have already done so, all around me to focus on their jobs or their families and stop even going to church. You see, the dis-ease? Can you see the symptoms of this dis-ease? Pretty bad right? It leads to rapid death of spiritual life in our Lord. Truth is, I'm missing the love connection, if I choose to walk out. Without God, I cannot truly love you. It will be a temporal and fake love. The love I have through God is eternal. Instead of walking away, I should seek the tassel and seek Him in the dark cloud. What transpires after the dark cloud are signs and wonders of His promises. I'd like to just blurt out something here, I bet if 50% of all Catholics went faithfully to confession every month or more often, we'd have 80 to 90% less issues in our world, and notice, I said WORLD, not just the Catholic Church.
Why? There would be that much more light. There would be a more efficacious Holy Communion. There would be a tighter bond with our Lord. Sister Saint Scholastica, take us to touch the tassel of our Lord, so we may be with Him Forever! |  click to hear a message | ->Random Bible Verse 1<
John 1:2
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, Thank You Lord | 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 | |
