The Answer Found in Walking I am a walker. Indeed, walking is one of my favorite pastimes. I rejoice in sunrise while striding on the beach near my home or through urban landscapes when I'm traveling on business. I delight in an afternoon saunter with my wife, Kate, and our goldendoodle, taking in the beauty of Cape Cod as my dog gallops across the beach. Knowing my love for walking, a dear friend once gave me a glass paperweight, inscribed with Augustine's words: solvitur ambulando, "it will be solved in the walking." Movement awakens novel visions and stimulates creative thinking. It's difficult to hold onto old ideas when you're on the move. Walking becomes the place of possibility, intimacy, and service. God is our companion as we venture toward new horizons. —from the book Walking with Francis of Assisi: From Privilege to Activism
by Bruce Epperly |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
"Prayer is the best preparation for Holy Communion. Prayer is the raising of the mind to God. When we pray we go to meet Christ Who is coming to us. If our Creator and Savior comes from heaven with such great love, it is only fitting that we should go to meet Him. And this is what we do when we spend some time in prayer."
– St. Bernardine of Siena †MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"God cannot cease to love me. That is the most startling fact that our doctrine reveals. Sinner or saint He loves and cannot well help Himself. Magdalen in her sin, Magdalen in her sainthood, was loved by God. The difference between her position made some difference also in the effect of that love on her, but the love was the same, since it was the Holy Spirit who is the love of the Father and the Son. Whatever I do, I am loved. But then, if I sin, am I unworthy of love? Yes, but I am unworthy always. Nor can God love me for what I am, since, in that case, I would compel His love, force His will by something external to Himself. In fact, really if I came to consider, I would find that I was not loved by God because I was good, but that I was good because God loved me. My improvement does not cause God to love me, but is the effect of God's having loved me."
— Fr. Bede Jarrett, p. 51
AN EXCERPT FROM
Classic Catholic Meditations † VERSE OF THE DAY
Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens."
Ephesians 6:10-12 |  click to read more | | ST. THOMAS AQUINAS St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) was born into a wealthy and noble family in Aquino, Italy. He was the pious and brilliant son of a count, and a lucrative future was planned for him. When Thomas set off to enter the newly founded Dominican order to be a poor mendicant friar, his mother held him prisoner in the family castle in order to dissuade him. His brothers tried to destroy his purity, and thus his vocation, by tempting him with a prostitute. However Thomas resisted and turned to God for help; as a result, angels were sent to guard and preserve his chastity. This long ordeal only strengthened his vocation, and eventually he escaped and joined the Dominicans. He was ordained to the priesthood and went on to become a famed professor and prolific writer. His works remain immensely influential in philosophy and theology, the most famous being his Summa Theologica, and multiple popes have upheld him as the model of a systematic Catholic education. St. Thomas Aquinas is the foremost Doctor of the Catholic Church, known as the "Angelic Doctor" for his purity of mind and body, and remarkable intelligence. St. Thomas Aquinas is the patron of schools and universities, students, philosophers, theologians, apologists, academics, and chastity. His feast day is January 28. | Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church Readings for the Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, priest and doctor of the Church Reading I Heb 10:19-25 Brothers and sisters:
Since through the Blood of Jesus
we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary
by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil,
that is, his flesh,
and since we have "a great priest over the house of God,"
let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust,
with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience
and our bodies washed in pure water.
Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope,
for he who made the promise is trustworthy.
We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works.
We should not stay away from our assembly,
as is the custom of some, but encourage one another,
and this all the more as you see the day drawing near. Responsorial Psalm 24:1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD's are the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD? or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD, a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. Alleluia Ps 119:105 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A lamp to my feet is your word,
a light to my path.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mk 4:21-25 Jesus said to his disciples,
"Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket
or under a bed,
and not to be placed on a lampstand?
For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible;
nothing is secret except to come to light.
Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear."
He also told them, "Take care what you hear.
The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you,
and still more will be given to you.
To the one who has, more will be given;
from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away." | Daily Meditation: Hebrews 10:19-25 We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24) How simple the gospel message is! Through his cross and resurrection, Jesus has opened up a way for each of us to be set free from sin and enter into the presence of God. Jesus is risen, and the door to heaven is now wide open. But as simple and straightforward as this message is, we sometimes need help seeing the open door that's right in front of us. And that's where brothers and sisters in Christ come in. Sometimes they remind us that the sacraments are powerful and readily available. They might say, "You seem pretty burdened. Have you thought about going to Confession? The parish down the road has confessions every Saturday." Or "I'm going to an online Mass at the end of my shift today. How about joining me from your computer?" Or "I wonder if your dad might be open to receiving the Anointing of the Sick?" Sometimes they point out opportunities we might have overlooked. They might tell us about a homeless center whose food pantry is running low. They might invite us to a virtual parish Bible study we have been meaning to check out. Or they might urge us to write to our representative about an important issue. Sometimes they help us see where the Holy Spirit is already at work in our lives. "What a great idea!" a friend might say. "That sounds inspired. How can I help you make it work?" Or "You always seem to have a bigger perspective than I do. I really appreciate the way you help expand my vision." Or "You're so good at getting to the heart of a complex situation. Don't be afraid to say it the way you see it." Sometimes they exhort us to trust God and to believe when our faith is wavering. At other times, our faith helps them persevere through a challenging time. In all these ways and many more, we can "rouse one another" to a deeper surrender to the Lord! "Lord, help us to give and receive the encouragement that will make us faithful stewards of your gifts." Psalm 24:1-6
Mark 4:21-25 |  clickable | At the end of life, we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by 'I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.'
— St. Teresa of Calcutta | my2cents:
"...let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water....
We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works.
We should not stay away from our assembly,
as is the custom of some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near."
LOL sorry to copy and paste what we already read, but WOW is it good.
Put on a clean conscience, the armor of Christ too! Let's encourage one another to Heaven!
Don't stay away from assembling!
We need each other! The time is coming soon! | We pray: "He shall receive a blessing from the LORD, a reward from God his savior. Such is the race that seeks for him, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob."
Want to be a part of this race? God created a race within the human race and it is HIS race, not color, not nationality, but HIS people, HIS flock. Those that seek HIM are His race, His brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers. Me and you my family in Christ. | Our Lord asks: ""Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand?"
Why would I put a light under a bed? Why would you put His light in a hiding place? Why do we tend to hide the faith? Why do we tend to shy away? Why do we tend to want to be "cool" and not Holy? Why do we want to say "I'm spiritual but not religious?" Isn't that an oxymoron? I personally feel I hide the light halfway under the bed. And I'm being honest and trying to be sincere. Things bother me, like awesome saints, they bother me. People preaching on street corners bother me. Enthusiastic mega churches bother me. My uncle just called me and calls me brother for everything, and that bothers me. Another older man, a brother in Christ greets me with a great big hug, and kiss, and that bothers me. Why does all this bother me? Because I wish I could be an awesome saint, and I can't. I wish I could preach on streets and knock down doors, and I can't. I wish I could be one of those leading mega churches, and I can't. I can't call many brothers. Much less will I hug or kiss anybody. I can, a little, therefore, I believe I hide my light...somewhat. And remember Jesus our Lord wants to return to virgins with lights on, those purely for Him. And that bothers me...I want that. | But I take solace in what our Lord continues to say: "...nothing is secret except to come to light." What we whisper in darkness is shouted on the other side. I take solace, not because of my whispering sins, but because I trust our Lord hears my whispering prayers, "...Lord help me, a poor sinner".
He continues: ", "Take care what you hear. " Have you heard the latest juicy gossip? Have you heard the latest...bad news? The world seems full of it, right? The great information age is becoming the great dis-information age. Therefore, take care what you hear. Take care. Care about what you hear. This means, we must apply grace to what we hear. For that we need purity. For that, we must strive to be awesome saints, me and you.
"The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you." Therefore, be merciful. Be merciful about what you hear. And above all, have mercy on our Lord, in our neighbor. What you hear, is not always the complete story, or the complete truth, or the complete light, there's always more...a soul at hand.
"To the one who has, more will be given;
from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away."
They used to say in the busy times before pandemics, that if you wanted anything done in the church, don't ask someone that seems free, ask someone that's already busy in the church. Ask a busy person because they know how to manage their time. Don't ask a lazy person because they don't know how to manage their time. What this boils down to, is somewhat of truth. From my personal experience, it was always best to ask a faithful person, rather than one who is cold in the faith...therefore, cold to our Lord. For many say they Love the Lord, yet very few tend to His Will. And so, the busy get busier in Our Father's business, and those who had not, even what they had for Him was taken away...and given to another. I'm afraid many have grown cold in the pandemics, but some have grown warmer. But God doesn't want warm souls, He wants them hot and on fire...back to awesome saints. Back to knocking down doors. Back to sweating out like a warrior. My job is to stir your fire you already have. And in doing so...mine does too. For we assemble as the Body of Christ. Lord, pour fourth your Holy Spirit into our every day lives and our every day moments, I want my soul to burn bright, as the light You desire us to be! | from your brother in Christ our Lord,
adrian | Random online bible verse:
WOW!!
Proverbs 1:7
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.** | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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