 |  clickable | | Winning through the Cross The gospel is not about winners over losers; the gospel really is about win/win—but very few get the message! I have to admit, ashamedly, that some people in the business and education worlds are better at this than some people in the church. They are beginning to understand that life cannot simply continue to be posited in terms of winners and losers. There has to be a way that we both can advance together. Mothers tend to have a head start in understanding this as a result of negotiating and compromising with their own children—whom they want to love equally and fully. The cross is a way of winning that tries to bring along our opponent with us. The cross is refusing to hate or to humiliate the other, because that would only be to continue the same pattern and reciprocate the violence. The cross is about authentic newness. It utterly reframes the human question and forces us to redefine success. What is it we really want? What is it we're really after? The cross is about flight, though, in the sense that we refuse the usual and predictable return punch. We flee from the predicted response so that something new and transformative can perhaps happen. We run from business as usual to reset the agenda, to reframe the question in a more positive way. It is also about fight, but with a whole new definition of what real power is and what real change is. —from The Wisdom Pattern: Order, Disorder, Reorder by Richard Rohr, OFM |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
"See, my children, we must reflect that we have a soul to save, and an eternity that awaits us. The world, its riches, pleasures, and honors will pass away; heaven and hell will never pass away. Let us take care, then. The saints did not all begin well; but they all ended well. We have begun badly; let us end well, and we shall go one day and meet them in heaven."
— St. John Vianney 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 greatest suffering of the souls in purgatory, it seems to me, is the awareness that something in them displeases God, that they have deliberately gone against His great goodness. I can also see that the divine essence is so pure and light-filled—much more than we can imagine—that the soul that has but the slightest imperfection would rather throw itself into a thousand hells than appear thus before the divine presence."
— St. Catherine of Genoa, p.41
AN EXCERPT FROM
Hungry Souls †VERSE OF THE DAY
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Colossians 3:16-17 |  click to read more | | ST. RITA OF CASCIA St. Rita of Cascia (1381-1457) was born in Italy during an era of violent strife between cities and warring family tribes. As a child she repeatedly requested to enter the convent, but instead her parents arranged her marriage to a rich, ill-tempered, and violent man. He became physically abusive, yet she met his cruelty with kindness and patience. During her eighteen years of marriage she bore two sons whom she loved deeply. After many years of persistent prayer she eventually won her husband over to greater civility and kindness. When he was murdered, her sons plotted a bloody vendetta against the culprits. St. Rita labored to guide her children into forgiveness, without success. She earnestly prayed that God would change her son's murderous intentions, or allow them to die rather than commit a mortal sin. God heard St. Rita's prayers, and soon both of her sons became ill and died. St. Rita was then free to join the convent, however, she was rejected due to her family's connection with the local violence. She finally obtained entry only after much prayer, humility, patience, and perseverance. St. Rita's life in the convent was marked by heroic charity and penance as she closely united herself and her life of deep suffering to Christ. While praying before a crucifix, St. Rita mystically received a thorn in her forehead (stigmata) from Jesus' Crown of Thorns. St. Rita is the patron saint of impossible causes, difficult marriages, and abuse victims. Her feast day is May 22nd. | Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 295
Reading 1 Acts 18:9-18 One night while Paul was in Corinth, the Lord said to him in a vision,
"Do not be afraid.
Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you.
No one will attack and harm you,
for I have many people in this city."
He settled there for a year and a half
and taught the word of God among them. But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia,
the Jews rose up together against Paul
and brought him to the tribunal, saying,
"This man is inducing people to worship God contrary to the law."
When Paul was about to reply, Gallio spoke to the Jews,
"If it were a matter of some crime or malicious fraud,
I should with reason hear the complaint of you Jews;
but since it is a question of arguments over doctrine and titles
and your own law, see to it yourselves.
I do not wish to be a judge of such matters."
And he drove them away from the tribunal.
They all seized Sosthenes, the synagogue official,
and beat him in full view of the tribunal.
But none of this was of concern to Gallio. Paul remained for quite some time,
and after saying farewell to the brothers he sailed for Syria,
together with Priscilla and Aquila.
At Cenchreae he had shaved his head because he had taken a vow. Responsorial Psalm
47:2-3, 4-5, 6-7 R. (8a) God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth. R. God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He brings people under us;
nations under our feet.
He chooses for us our inheritance,
the glory of Jacob, whom he loves.
R. God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
R. God is king of all the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia Lk 24:46, 26 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead,
and so enter into his glory.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 16:20-23 Jesus said to his disciples:
"Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn,
while the world rejoices;
you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.
When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived;
but when she has given birth to a child,
she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy
that a child has been born into the world.
So you also are now in anguish.
But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy away from you.
On that day you will not question me about anything.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you." | Today's Meditation: John 16:20-23 Your grief will become joy. (John 16:20) Imagine that you were there in the upper room with the disciples. You have been with Jesus for years, and now he tells you that in a very short time, you will no longer see him. Wouldn't you be filled with questions, as they were? How could he leave us after we've been through so much together? Doesn't he know that we have left everything to be with him—and now he's going to abandon us? Doesn't he know we'll be devastated? Jesus understood the disciples' distress and used that moment to prepare them for the grief that would overtake them upon his death. Jesus didn't gloss over their grief; he knew that it is a natural part of loss. But he also promised that it would subside. He assured them that their final reunion in heaven would wash away all sadness and bring a joy that would more than surpass whatever they felt at his death. Whether we lose a parent, a friend, a child, or a spouse, death touches every one of us. And the closer we are to that person, the harder their death hits us. But it is here that Jesus' words can speak to our pain: "I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you" (John 16:22). God knows that our feelings of grief and loss can be intense. Our pain may never go away completely, and even though we move on with our lives, we are never the same. But God promises that as we lift our tear-stained eyes in faith, we can experience his consolation and mercy and live in the hope that we will see our loved ones again. Then we begin to look at heaven and the Second Coming of Christ—not just as something far-off and unrelated to our lives—but with a deep personal longing. We begin to long to be with the Lord as well as with the ones we love. We look forward to the day when there will be no separation ever again. And that's when our sorrow turns to full joy. "Father, I long for the day when you will bring all of us together again. Come, Lord Jesus!" Acts 18:9-18
Psalm 47:2-7 |  clickable | Among creatures no one knows Christ better than Mary; no one can introduce us to a profound knowledge of his mystery better than his mother.
— St. John Paul II
quoted in Mary of Nazareth | my2cents:
"the Lord said to him in a vision,
"Do not be afraid.
Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you." Do not be afraid to speak. With this current pandemonium pandemic that has caused havoc in our society, the remnants are exposing a dark trace. As they open up bars, gyms, barbers, stores, restaurants, some governments have still decided to keep churches muzzled. Some have gone as far as saying they cannot go public. Some saying you can go public and no singing. And many saying you must wear a mask whereas no one else has to in the same circumstances. I see it as the evil one jabbing its elbow at our ribs, to be muzzled, silenced, to be afraid to speak. It's not easy speaking with a muzzle over your mouth, and it is difficult to sing full heartedly. I know I was choking on my mouth covering as I attempted to sing on Sunday. Yet our Lord says "go on speaking" and go on singing, do not be silent. Silence is deadly. When prayer is silenced in your home, other darker remnants begin to grow. But if you are not silent, He is with us. | We pray today: "God is king of all the earth.
All you peoples, clap your hands, shout to God with cries of gladness, For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome, is the great king over all the earth."
Can you shout to God with cries of gladness? Can you proclaim how awesome our God is?
He is King over all the earth. And He is amazing. More than that... | In the Holy Gospel today, our King speaks:
"Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy."
Bullies seem to rejoice, no? Who is the bully? Evil. The world, the people seem to go on being happy, and you suffer. Gyms and stores open up but the Church must remain shut in many governments. It is the suffering church. Fortunately, not unfortunately, it is good that we suffer, for that is how we grow. Working out, a true workout calls for true effort, and pain. Anything worth anything costs suffering, and sacrifice.
I just witnessed a man in tears in Mass. What was causing him tears?
I've knelt before the Blessed Sacrament, and I seen dry tears in the past.
Some of those have been my tears.
Mostly tears of hardships. Never hardly tears of rejoicing.
But take heart.
Be faithful. Our Lord speaks: | "So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you."
When I'm in the dumps, I can only see one thing, that evil called Dr. Killjoy has showed up. And to brighten up...I turn to holiness, to righteousness, to light. And in desperation, desperate prayers.
Much anguish. A little premature newborn baby boy just got heart surgery. What anguish do parents go through? What place in this world does this innocent life have?
Innocence. And innocence taken.
You will though, rejoice, whence you've endured and remained faithful.
What is rejoicing in Heaven? What is it to rejoice? Is it the worldly view of rejoicing on earth, where one appears to be frolicking in verdant pastures without a care in the world? What is suffering in Heaven?
Precious, they say. Real saints talk about this. God talks about suffering and endures much suffering, and why?
The world says suffering is stupid and horrible and to be abolished.
A church was just burned down for wanting to open back up. Someone vandalized it and wrote "now you'll stay home you hypoKRITES". Spelled incorrectly and with hatred....towards children of the light.
You see the dark remnants of the artificial pandemonium?
The two face points the finger. Maybe evil has two heads. Spiritual schizophrenia it seems. And this is an eye opening experience for all of us. Are you of two heads? Two minds?
Jesus sees that double sight. But He loves the single headed soul better because it is able to reciprocate His love...to the world.
"There is a man with no duplicity" Jesus said to Nathaniel in John 1:47: "Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Here is a true Israelite.* There is no duplicity in him."
A true person of God.
Our Lord finishes today:
"On that day you will not question me about anything.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you."
Truly seek, and truly find.
Truly desire, and you will be satisfied.
In Heaven, there is much given to the one who is faithful and true.
Think saints yes, but think more...Jesus.
The most faithful, and the most true body of Christ. Lord, we need you in our homes, in our hearts.
Lord, we are in anguish, but we await to rejoice.
Lord, in your name we ask to be consecrated to you and to be totally yours.... | Random Bible verse from an online generator: WOW Psalm 42:11 11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. | 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 | | |
