Charting the Inward Journey Questions had lured me to take this pilgrimage to Assisi. Not only questions related to the lectures I would be giving to my fellow pilgrims in Assisi but questions about my own vocation and service. At retirement age, but still professionally active, healthy, and vital, I felt a new stirring. Francis's life challenged me to look beyond the narrow circle of self-interest to embrace a vision of world loyalty that would encompass my family and the nation but expand to include the whole earth. I needed to translate my love for my grandchildren into care for vulnerable, starving, and imprisoned children across the globe and in my own nation. I needed to chart a way of life that would promote planetary healing for generations to come. I needed to journey inward to build the foundation of the outward journey of faithful discipleship and ministry. I needed to reach out to the marginalized and forgotten from a quiet and energetic spiritual center. It was important for me to find the right balance between restlessness and peace, prophetic critique and conciliatory healing. —from the book Walking with Francis of Assisi: From Privilege to Activism
by Bruce Epperly |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
"When we pray, the voice of the heart must be heard more than the proceedings from the mouth."
– St. Bonaventure †MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"Prayer, considered as petition, consists entirely in expressing to God some desire in order that He may hear it favorably; a real desire is, therefore, its primary and essential condition; without this, we are merely moving the lips, going through a form of words which is not the expression of our will; and thus our prayer is only an appearance without reality. The way, then, to excite ourselves to pray, to put life and fervor into our prayer, and to make of it a cry which, breaking forth from the depths of the soul, penetrates even to heaven, is to conceive the real desire mentioned above, to excite it, to cherish it; for the fervor of our prayer will be in proportion to the strength of the desire we have to be heard; just as what we have but little at heart we ask for only in a half-hearted way, if even we ask it at all; so what we desire with our whole soul we ask for with words of fire, and plead for it before God with an eloquence that is very real."
— Rev. Dom Lehody, p. 4-5
AN EXCERPT FROM
The Ways of Mental Prayer †VERSE OF THE DAY
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near."
Philippians 4:4-5 |  click to read more | | ST. AQUILINUS OF MILAN St. Aquilinus of Milan (d. 1015 A.D.), also known as St. Aquilinus of Cologne, was born to a noble family in Bavaria, Germany. He received his education in Cologne, Germany and was ordained to the priesthood. He was offered the bishopric of Cologne, but turned it down in order to be a missionary priest and itinerant preacher. He traveled through various European cities fighting against the dangerous and spreading heresies of the Cathars, Manichaeans, and Arians. He was also known to work miracles by healing people from disease, especially during a cholera epidemic. He eventually settled in Milan, Italy, and was so effective in his preaching against the Arian heretics that they stabbed him to death and threw his body in the city sewer. His body was recovered and buried in the Basilica of San Lorenzo, in a chapel which now bears his name. His feast day is January 29. | Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 321
Reading I Heb 10:32-39 Remember the days past when, after you had been enlightened,
you endured a great contest of suffering.
At times you were publicly exposed to abuse and affliction;
at other times you associated yourselves with those so treated.
You even joined in the sufferings of those in prison
and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property,
knowing that you had a better and lasting possession.
Therefore, do not throw away your confidence;
it will have great recompense.
You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised. For, after just a brief moment, he who is to come shall come; he shall not delay. But my just one shall live by faith, and if he draws back I take no pleasure in him. We are not among those who draw back and perish,
but among those who have faith and will possess life. Responsorial Psalm Ps 37:3-4, 5-6, 23-24, 39-40 R. (39a) The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Trust in the LORD and do good, that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.
Take delight in the LORD, and he will grant you your heart's requests.
R.The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Commit to the LORD your way; trust in him, and he will act.
He will make justice dawn for you like the light; bright as the noonday shall be your vindication.
R.The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
By the LORD are the steps of a man made firm, and he approves his way.
Though he fall, he does not lie prostrate, for the hand of the LORD sustains him.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
The salvation of the just is from the LORD; he is their refuge in time of distress.
And the LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord. Alleluia See Mt 11:25 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mk 4:26-34 Jesus said to the crowds:
"This is how it is with the Kingdom of God;
it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land
and would sleep and rise night and day
and the seed would sprout and grow,
he knows not how.
Of its own accord the land yields fruit,
first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once,
for the harvest has come." He said,
"To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God,
or what parable can we use for it?
It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground,
is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.
But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants
and puts forth large branches,
so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade."
With many such parables
he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it.
Without parables he did not speak to them,
but to his own disciples he explained everything in private. | Daily Meditation: Mark 4:26-34 The Kingdom of God . . . is like a mustard seed that . . . springs up and becomes the largest of plants. (Mark 4:30, 31, 32) Why did Jesus use a mustard seed as an analogy for the kingdom of God? Perhaps because he knew that God often works by planting a tiny seed of an idea in our hearts, which then grows into something big through the action of the Holy Spirit. The life of St. John Bosco provides an example of how a tiny mustard seed of an aspiration can grow into a large plant. The "seed" planted by this nineteenth-century priest was an idea to provide spiritual and practical help to the poorest, most disadvantaged boys in his hometown of Turin, Italy. Bosco's work in that city multiplied to other areas, and eventually into the establishment of the Salesian religious order. These brothers and priests, along with a congregation of Salesian sisters, still devote themselves to the care and teaching of young people throughout the whole world. Here's another, more recent example. In April 2020, a ninety-nine-year-old British World War II veteran, Captain Tom Moore, decided to raise money for the National Health System as a way to support the many people falling ill with COVID-19. His modest goal was to raise $1,250 before his one-hundredth birthday—a few weeks away—by walking one hundred laps in his garden with his walker. But as word spread about this remarkable gentleman, his tiny seed of an idea grew way beyond his expectations. Eventually, 1.5 million people donated to his cause, raising over $40 million! Perhaps Jesus has planted a tiny mustard seed in your heart or in the heart of someone you know and trust. If so, as you bring the idea to prayer, consider what the next step might be. Is there some small action you can do to start things off? As you follow the lead of the Holy Spirit, you might be surprised to see this little seed grow. You might even witness something amazing happen from that tiny seed of faith! "Jesus, help me be open to the ideas you plant in my heart." Hebrews 10:32-39
Psalm 37:3-6, 23-24, 39-40 |  clickable | Any law which undermines its own purpose negates itself—it is no law at all… Virtually every political philosopher has advocated the nonbinding force of such unjust laws and have further advocated resistance and civil disobedience.
— Fr. Robert Spitzer
from his book Ten Universal Principles | my2cents:
"You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised."
I met by chance, at a random time yesterday, a man coming to pray at the church. I had gone after lunch to stop and pray, randomly. We had met once before months ago after daily Mass, whereupon, there too, I was encouraging him. He spoke of hard times, and it seemed he was going through the same things as I. We live different circumstances, but it was the same prayers to God our Father, like "are You there? Can You hear my prayer? When can I see You!" And then, this happens.
We meet each other. As if to answer our prayers, as if to say "I am here". I mean. Both of us were surprised to see each other. Literally I had been working on something by the choir and I turned around and he was right there in the middle of the church. And when I spoke, he was encouraged, and as he spoke, I was encouraged. It is strange how our Lord answers prayers. Faith is strange. And the Holy Word continues from Heaven: "But my just one shall live by faith, and if he draws back I take no pleasure in him." So am I to pleasure God our Father and not myself? LOL. My friend, to pleasure God is to do His will. Now we enter true faith, and true sacrifice. | Today we pray: " The salvation of the just comes from the Lord. Trust in the LORD and do good, that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security. Take delight in the LORD, and he will grant you your heart's requests."
And certainly, our Lord heard our prayers, and granted our requests. Question is, do you care to realize this truth? Both me having experienced it and you having to hear it. It takes faith to believe, and that too is sacrifice, and trust. But it is natural if you love. | Our Lord said: ""This is how it is with the Kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land...".
There's many seed talks. But this one is about faith too. "Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear." The seed sprouted and grew, He said. And in due time it was harvested, its fruit, its life. This is about our life with Him. Someone planted a seed of faith in you. Who did it? You may be thinking of a person, but ultimately, the seed is from the provider of the world...our Father God Himself. In faith, the sower sows. Faith that the seed will grow. And it does. And we become His harvest. His love. His desire. What if we really just died, like atheists believe? Well, would you die for the good, or for the bad? Let's say, you are promised 1,000 years in Heaven, would it be worthy it? My friend, one day with the Lord is worth everything. One day at a time. | And then comes the smallest parable that has produced some of the greatest fruit of all the bible, the mustard seed.
"It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth." Its the little things that count, right? When has a small act of kindness changed your whole day, week, month, or life? It is like a small light in the dark sky, it makes all the difference. There is no more complete darkness. And here's the other half of the parable: "But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants
and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade." Once the small light enters, it grows, and becomes the focal point, changing your whole life. I propose then to you, the light is Christ Himself. We may be thinking of so many things, but God is speaking about Himself, when He speaks of the bread, of the seed, of the Word, of the Life. Will you accept then, this tiny seed in your heart, and let it envelop your heart? Because there are other weed seeds out there that want to choke it out of your life. Lord, my encounter with You is the seed I need. May I encounter You now daily, in the little moments of light that make my day bright, and full of peace, love, and joy that only You can offer. And that will be enough...forever. | from your brother in Christ our Lord,
adrian | Random online bible verse:
WOW!!
Psalm 135:5–7
5 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.
7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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