 |  clickable | | Holding onto the Resurrection None of us humans, not even Mary, can hold onto glory. The ordinary passages through life and death continue as they did for Mary after meeting her son as the Risen Lord following the Resurrection. The mystic, however, has indeed seen the vision, has heard God's voice. Those of us who have not are encouraged by their visions and voices to believe more firmly that beneath the appearances of our ordinary lives God's glory lies hidden. It flares out from time to time and is seen by those to whom God chooses to reveal this parallel world we believe in but do not see. —from Mystics: Twelve who Reveal God's Love by Murray Bodo |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
"Heaven is filled with converted sinners of all kinds, and there is room for more."
— St. Joseph Cafasso 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. MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"The reason why the soul not only travels securely when in obscurity, but also makes greater progress, is this: In general the soul makes greater progress in the spiritual life when it least thinks so, yea, when it rather imagines that it is losing everything ...There is another reason also why the soul has traveled safely in this obscurity; it has suffered: for the way of suffering is safer, and also more profitable, than that of rejoicing and of action. In suffering God gives strength, but in action and in joy the soul does but show its own weakness and imperfections. And in suffering, the soul practices and acquires virtue, and becomes pure, wiser, and more cautious."
— St. John of the Cross, p.149
AN EXCERPT FROM
Dark Night of the Soul † VERSE OF THE DAY
"O Lord, you will ordain peace for us, for indeed, all that we have done, you have done for us."
Isaiah 26:12 |  click to read more | | ST. MATTHIAS THE APOSTLE St. Matthias the Apostle (1st c.) followed Jesus during his entire earthly ministry and was one of his 72 disciples. Matthias was chosen by the 11 Apostles to replace Judas Iscariot after his betrayal of Christ and subsequent suicide. After Christ's Ascension into heaven, St. Matthias devoted himself to preaching Christianity among the pagans, some of them barbarians and cannibals, all over Judea, Cappadocia, and Ethiopia for over 30 years. Many miracles are ascribed to him as the pagans sought to kill him: that he was unharmed after being forced to drink poison, that he once hid by becoming invisible, and that the earth opened up and swallowed his attackers. St. Matthias also preached the need for mortification of the flesh as an aid to growth in holiness. Eventually, at God's appointed time, he was martyred for the cause of Christ, though there are conflicting traditions as to exactly where and how. St. Matthias is the patron saint of carpenters, tailors, and reformed alcoholics. His feast day is May 14th. | Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle
Lectionary: 564
Reading 1 Acts 1:15-17, 20-26 Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers and sisters
(there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons
in the one place).
He said, "My brothers and sisters,
the Scripture had to be fulfilled
which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand
through the mouth of David, concerning Judas,
who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus.
Judas was numbered among us
and was allotted a share in this ministry.
For it is written in the Book of Psalms: Let his encampment become desolate,
and may no one dwell in it.
and:
May another take his office. Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men
who accompanied us the whole time
the Lord Jesus came and went among us,
beginning from the baptism of John
until the day on which he was taken up from us,
become with us a witness to his resurrection."
So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas,
who was also known as Justus, and Matthias.
Then they prayed,
"You, Lord, who know the hearts of all,
show which one of these two you have chosen
to take the place in this apostolic ministry
from which Judas turned away to go to his own place."
Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias,
and he was counted with the Eleven Apostles. Responsorial Psalm 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 R. (8) The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever. R. The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
From the rising to the setting of the sun
is the name of the LORD to be praised.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory. R. The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high
and looks upon the heavens and the earth below? R. The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor
To seat them with princes,
with the princes of his own people. R. The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia Jn 15:16 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world,
to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord. R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Jn 15:9-17 Jesus said to his disciples:
"As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father's commandments
and remain in his love. "I have told you this so that my joy might be in you
and your joy might be complete.
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one's life for one's friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another." | Today's Meditation: Acts 1:15-17, 20-26 Matthias . . . was counted with the Eleven Apostles. (Acts 1:26) When we think of Jesus traveling from place to place, we picture him surrounded by his twelve apostles. But we don't often think about all the other people who also followed him. In today's first reading, we learn that there were about 120 men and women with Peter when he stood up to speak on Pentecost (Acts 1:15). We can assume that these people, and maybe others, had also accompanied Jesus at some point. In fact, we learn from Peter that Matthias had been with them "the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us" (1:21). Matthias was chosen to replace Judas, but what about the others? We will never know all their names, but we do know that they found Jesus so compelling that they left their homes, families, and jobs to be with him. It's possible they never knew where they would be going next or where their next meal would come from. After Jesus' resurrection, they were probably among those who formed the first Christian community, sharing all they had with one another (Acts 2:42-47). These anonymous believers were the first in a long line of hidden saints. Imagine the millions of people over the centuries whose names we will never know who have followed in their footsteps. Think especially of those who have given up homes, families, and careers to follow the Lord. They labored in God's vineyard and brought other people to faith; some even sacrificed their lives for Jesus. As we honor St. Matthias today, let's honor these men and women as well. Matthias would not have been an apostle if the lot hadn't fallen to him (Acts 1:26). But like these others, he would have still been a saint—someone who experienced the love of God, became his disciple, and did whatever God called him to do. Let's also honor the "saints" among us. Let's honor the people we know who wholeheartedly offer themselves in service to the Lord. May their witness inspire us to do the same. "St. Matthias, pray for me to have the grace and courage to follow Jesus with all my heart." Psalm 113:1-8
John 15:9-17 |  clickable | The one who is no longer interested in himself can be completely engaged in the suffering and needs of others. We can only speak about taking on the guilt of others when we have been to some degree purified. It is Mary's total purity that makes a total solidarity possible in her.
— Fr. Wilfrid Stinissen
From Mary in the Bible and Our Lives | my2cents:
"You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen..."
And to this day, this is how they choose a pope too. It is left to much prayer, and it is left to the Holy Spirit to decide. Who will be chosen to go on mission for Jesus? And for many of the first chosen, it meant their lives were being asked for...martyrdom was the lot cast unto them. They would lose their lives for the Kingdom of God. | We pray today: "Praise, you servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. Blessed be the name of the LORD both now and forever. The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people."
How much life do we have left? That is a question we may ponder as we consider our existence. That is, in the eyes of our Lord, a limiting question. You can't put a limit on the Lord. But we do. It was late, typical bed time last night. I proposed we pray for the first time the Franciscan crown. My wife said "that's 7 mysteries, I looked into it today", funny I had looked into it too. We have college nephew come over, not catholic and he listened to our conversation. I said "look, you've watched TV for hours, played games, done what you wanted, and here I'm asking for 15 to 30 minutes of dedicated prayer. The college kid looked puzzled at why the repetitive and long prayers. I said "these are the minutes we alot to focus solely on God. To meditate and ponder His life and we sacrifice our time and life for Him and unite with Him. Whence everyone saw the severity, the importance of prayer, my kids stopped trying to wimp out and were on board. And then I offered to just read the mysteries together and pray after each one. And the mysteries were about Mary, and Mary was about Jesus...it goes down to the core of life. | Our Lord steps into our lives.
""As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love. "
Yesterday we were told to remain...in the vine. Remain connected to the trunk. Remain in Him. Abide in Him. Connected spiritually, yes, but what keeps us bound is love. "If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love." Remaining can be easy or hard. And now we bring the word joy.
""I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete.
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you."
How has Jesus loved us? With a sacrificial love, right? But guess what else? And this is the exciting part: He loves us with an eternal love. An everlasting love. A love that you don't have to count years of life. That's why it is silly to think of the years in a way, but it is good in a way, to be good stewards of God's love, that is through our gifts, time, talent, and treasures. How much time do you dedicate to who you love?
How much talent do you dedicate to Love (God)?
How much of your wealth do you dedicate to God's love?
And what do you get in return? Whats in it for you? God's love.
And that supersedes everything. | "You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing."
A friend, a true friend, you can confide in. Now, I've had friends throughout life, and there are different types of friends and friendships. Some are work friends, and it is a type of limited friendship. Then you have a closer friend, that you actually hang out with and confide in. And then, there are spiritual warrior friends, the kind that are hard on each other spiritually, and love each other beyond words, that last kind is what leads to a friendship with Christ. A slave doesn't know what the Master's plan is. A friend does. God has revealed His plan to His chosen. Plans are in the hands of those He trusts. And you are now chosen and entrusted with much my friend...a huge task. It's a huge plan of salvation. It will take each and every one of us to make it happen, for we are the Body.
"It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain..". Being chosen, is an honor. They cast lots and the chosen one was graced to endure what was to come. An honor to endure the grace of God, an honor to grace the world with God. This is to bear fruit.
And the task is laid out to His friends:
"This I command you: love one another." To me, this is a tall order. Love one another. Tall, because it is seemingly impossible to love everyone. There are some that hurt you. Some abuse you. Some seem to completely dislike you.
Jesus was able to love the unlovable. You can too.
I remember I was leading an adult class years ago, and I followed orders in the book to have the class do a task for homework...to forgive someone that needed to be forgiven. Typically, people don't do their homework. But this time, a lady took it serious. She took the message serious. And she came with a story whence I asked "who was able to forgive someone?". She said with trembling voice, "my daughter committed suicide, and she did it because of her boyfriend. For a long time I've had much resentment and pains because of what he did, causing the loss of my precious daughter. But I decided to call him for this homework, and I told him that I forgave him." She sounded like a tremendous weight had been lifted from her, she seemed different that day. We were all amazed...by love. You see, forgiveness is more for you than the other party, but the other party could suffer much as well. Love heals and covers a multitude of sins.
Love one another. What a tall order, no?
I love when people are so nice to me and hospitable, offering even the shirt off their backs. I know of a poor guy that does that, is there whenever I need, even the shirt off his back. And I sometimes wonder "why can't I be like them?" Why can't I love like that?
And so I am now trying. Not that I'm thrilled to give the shirt off my back, to leave me naked, and in the cold, but that I would be able to do it out of sheer love, expecting absolutely nothing in return.
Imagine if you could love God like that?
To just love God our Father just because of pure love?
We can. And we will. If only we remain. Lord, help us love one another, as you have loved us.... | Random Bible verse from an online generator:
Galatians 5:16
Keep in Step with the Spirit 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. | 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 | | |
