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Friday, October 29, 2021

† " “Who among you. . ."

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†Saint Quote
""Let all creation help you to praise God. Give yourself the rest you need. When you are walking alone, listen to the sermon preached to you by the flowers, the trees, the shrubs, the sky, the sun and the whole world. Notice how they preach to you a sermon full of love, of praise of God, and how they invite you to proclaim the greatness of the one who has given them being."
— St. Paul of the Cross

†Meditation of the Day
"True devotion to Our Lady is constant. It confirms the soul in good, and does not let it easily abandon its spiritual exercises. It makes it courageous in opposing the world in its fashions and maxims, the flesh in its weariness and passions, and the devil in his temptations; so that a person truly devout to our Blessed Lady is neither changeable, irritable, scrupulous nor timid. It is not that such a person does not fall, or change sometimes in the sensible feeling of devotion. But when he falls, he rises again by stretching out his hand to his good Mother. When he loses the taste and relish of devotions, he does not become disturbed because of that; for the just and faithful client of Mary lives by the faith (Heb. 10:38) of Jesus and Mary, and not by natural sentiment."
— St. Louis De Montfort, p. 55
An Excerpt From
True Devotion to Mary

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St. Narcissus of Jerusalem

St. Narcissus (c. 99 – c. 216 A.D.) was a holy and esteemed priest of Greek origin who became the 30th bishop of Jerusalem in the year 180 A.D., about a century after the city's destruction by the Romans. He was known as a miracle-worker, as well as for governing his diocese with vigor and discipline despite being in his 80th year when he was made bishop. Of his many miracles, the one for which he is most famous was turning water into oil on Holy Saturday, as recorded by the historian Eusebius: when the deacons had no oil to burn in the altar lamps for the Easter liturgy, St. Narcissus had them use water instead. After he prayed over the water and it was put into the lamps, it was miraculously converted into oil. In 195 A.D. St. Narcissus was part of a council of bishops who settled the date for the observance of Easter, deciding on Sunday and not the ancient Jewish Passover. Despite his reputation as a holy bishop, St. Narcissus drew opposition. Three enemies accused him of a serious crime and prayed that he might be cursed by God in punishment. This took a toll on the saint, and, forgiving his persecutors, he retired from public life and lived as a hermit for many years. His enemies meanwhile were struck by the calamities that they wished upon him. When St. Narcissus eventually returned to Jerusalem he was exuberantly welcomed by the faithful. He served the people of Jerusalem in many ways until his death at over 116 years old. His feast day is October 29th

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Friday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 483
Reading I

Rom 9:1-5

Brothers and sisters:
I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie;
my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness
that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart.
For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ
for the sake of my own people,
my kindred according to the flesh.
They are children of Israel;
theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants,
the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;
theirs the patriarchs, and from them,
according to the flesh, is the Christ,
who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

Responsorial Psalm

147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
He has granted peace in your borders;
with the best of wheat he fills you.
He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word!
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

Alleluia

Jn 10:27

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Lk 14:1-6

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees,
and the people there were observing him carefully.
In front of him there was a man suffering from dropsy.
Jesus spoke to the scholars of the law and Pharisees in reply, asking,
"Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?"
But they kept silent; so he took the man and,
after he had healed him, dismissed him.
Then he said to them
"Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern,
would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?"
But they were unable to answer his question.

agosp
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Daily Meditation: Luke 14:1-6

He took the man and . . . healed him. (Luke 14:4)

The man whom Jesus healed had dropsy. Nowadays, the word "edema" is used, but both words refer to a buildup of fluid in the body that causes limbs to swell, joints to stiffen, and movement to be hampered. The Pharisees who witnessed this miracle would have known Jesus' view of healing on the Sabbath because the question had already been asked and answered, to their humiliation (Luke 13:10-17). They weren't likely to welcome such a healing the second time around. But still, Jesus was offering them an invitation—this time to seek their own healing.

It's an invitation for all of us: to be healed of spiritual bloat and stiffness so that we can deepen our relationship with the Lord. It's easy to settle into a fixed, familiar understanding of who God is and what he wants. But more than anything, what he wants is an intimate and fluid relationship with us, one that moves and grows and matures daily. So Jesus wants to heal anything that hampers our movement toward him and with him.

Today, Jesus is inviting you to consider your spiritual health. If you ask him, the Holy Spirit will show you where he wants to reduce swelling or stiffness in your spiritual life. Perhaps a hint of "O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity" has begun to swell your self-image (Luke 18:11). Or maybe satisfaction with a hurried reading of Scripture or a rote recitation of prayers at Mass are stiffening your walk with the Lord. You don't have to live this way! Jot down that area of "spiritual dropsy" and tell Jesus, "I want to move freely with you."

The Lord's invitation to seek healing isn't reserved for particular days or particular people. It's for all his children, for every day. It's for you. The Pharisees kept silent in answer to Jesus' invitation (Luke 14:4). You have the opportunity to say yes. Let your response today be a joyful, grateful prayer to the one who heals you and invites you to walk more freely with him.

"Jesus, thank you for inviting me to know you more. Heal me of anything that hinders my walk with you."

Romans 9:1-5
Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20

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From Today's Holy Scripture:
"Brothers and sisters: I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie; my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart."
What would it mean to finally get some rest? Isn't it a state of mind? Some say it is. But there's more tied to the mind...it is the spirit. The state of the spirit is at hand. So what would it mean to finally get some rest and peace of mind? I would rest best if I were free from sin. Now I'm speaking of eternity. Now I'm speaking of deliverance. Now I'm speaking of the need for salvation. Now I'm leading to Christ.

psalms

We pray in Psalms:
"He has granted peace in your borders;
with the best of wheat he fills you.
He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word! Praise the Lord, Jerusalem."
All the riches our nation has enjoyed was because of Christ our Lord. But all of that could go away, believe it or not. We could become the poorest of nations, and not because of an outside attack, but because of the attack within. The enemy has infiltrated the spirit. And the immigrants want this dream of America to be made true, not to make it something else. But, politics plays games with real lives, making a mockery of humanity. Killing the unborn, and shunning the alien. Charity has its rewards, only if there is true charity, an openness to life, and Jesus Christ is the LIFE.

2cents2

We heard about our Lord:
"In front of him there was a man suffering from dropsy. Jesus spoke to the scholars of the law and Pharisees in reply, asking,
"Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?"
But they kept silent; so he took the man and, after he had healed him, dismissed him. Then he said to them "Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern,
would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?" But they were unable to answer his question."

What makes one mute? What makes one dumb? What makes one blind?

The answer is sin.

Jesus heals a man, delivers him from sin, and the spies say nothing, and consider the Lord a curse to their law, their way of thinking. Sin makes one dumb. Sin makes one do stupid things, like go against God Himself.

"Then he said to them "Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern, would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?" But they were unable to answer his question."

Funny how the Spanish translation today says "if your burro or ox fall in a well", not "your son or ox". Anyhow, what if your child fell in a well? Remember baby Jessica, the little girl that fell in a well in Texas in 1987? It made National news, and everyone was trying to help her out. Of course you would help them! You would do anything, especially if it was your own child!

For God sent His only Son. And He was put in a hole in the ground by the very people He was sent to save!
What do you think God did? He went to save!
Jesus means "HE SAVES".
This morning, an inspiration was coming into my mind during Holy Mass before writing to You. As I sat there and gazed at the Consecration in Mass, a thought hit me "everything relates to the coming of our Lord into our Lives, like the Eucharist".

Everything in our lives can be summed up, for Salvation, the purpose of God on Earth, Jesus The Christ, our Lord, and through Him our Father.
I was thankful immediately, and amazed at the same time.

Let's Pray:
Lord, THANK YOU.
Thank you for coming and dying.
Thank you for entering our lives.
Thank you for being our Light.
Thank you for being obedient.
Thank you for helping the poor.
Thank you for reaching out to us.
Thank you for the moments we forget to be thankful and yet You remain merciful.
Thank You for having me live this day in recognition of the greatest feat on earth...the arrival of God on Earth.
I pray for my people, my nation, to be your hands and feat on earth. It will be a sacrifice. But it will be good.
Because You ARE the Sacrifice, and You ARE the good my God, and you show us the WAY to live the Truth, and the LIFE.
So for this and so much more, today and forever...Thank YOU!

from your brother in Christ,
Adrian

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Job 1:21
21 And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."

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Thursday, October 28, 2021

† " When Day Came . . ."

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†Saint Quote
"OCTOBER 28, 2021
"The Holy Bible is like a mirror before our mind's eye. In it we see our inner face. From the Scriptures we can learn our spiritual deformities and beauties. And there too we discover the progress we are making and how far we are from perfection."
— Pope St. Gregory the Great

†MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"Just as God's creature, the sun, is one and the same the world over, so also does the Church's preaching shine everywhere to enlighten all men who want to come to a knowledge of the truth. Now of those who speak with authority in the churches, no preacher however forceful will utter anything different—for no one is above the Master—nor will a less forceful preacher diminish what has been handed down. Since our faith is everywhere the same, no one who can say more augments it, nor can anyone who says less diminish it."
— St. Ignatius of Antioch, p. 194
AN EXCERPT FROM
Witness of the Saints

† VERSE OF THE DAY
"Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 5:19

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STS. SIMON & JUDE

St. Jude Thaddeus (1st c.) was a blood relative of Jesus Christ and one of his Twelve Apostles. He was known for his preaching, healing, exorcisms, and his appearance was said to have closely matched that of Jesus'. He is the patron of impossible causes, desperate situations, and hospitals. He also wrote the book of the Bible that bears his name. St. Simon the Zealot (1st c.) was also one of Jesus' Twelve Apostles, but one of the most obscure. He earned his name for being zealous for the honor of Jesus, showing a holy indignation towards those who claimed Christ with their lips while dishonoring him with their manner of life. After the Ascension of Jesus, towards the end of his life, it is believed that St. Simon joined St. Jude to preach the Gospel in Persia, where they were both martyred in 65 A.D. St. Simon the Zealot and St. Jude Thaddeus share a feast day on October 28th.
See more about St. Jude Thaddeus.
See more about St. Simon the Apostle (the Zealot).

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Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles

Lectionary: 666
Reading I

Eph 2:19-22

Brothers and sisters:
You are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God,
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
Through him the whole structure is held together
and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;
in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Responsorial Psalm

19:2-3, 4-5

R. (5a) Their message goes out through all the earth.
The heavens declare the glory of God,

and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,

and night to night imparts knowledge.
R. Their message goes out through all the earth.
Not a word nor a discourse

whose voice is not heard;
Through all the earth their voice resounds,

and to the ends of the world, their message.
R. Their message goes out through all the earth.

Alleluia

See Te Deum

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
the glorious company of Apostles praise you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Lk 6:12-16

Jesus went up to the mountain to pray,
and he spent the night in prayer to God.

When day came, he called his disciples to himself,
and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:
Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew,
James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew,
Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus,
Simon who was called a Zealot,
and Judas the son of James,
and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

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Daily Meditation: Luke 6:12-16

He chose Twelve. (Luke 6:13)

If you made a movie about the life of Jesus, you know who would have the starring roles. In addition to Jesus, the actors playing Peter, John, and Judas would get top billing. But the actors playing some of the other apostles, including Simon and Jude, would probably be in the rolling credits at the end.

We don't know much about these two apostles; they have no major part to play in any of the Gospels. We do know that Simon was a Zealot, a member of a political party seeking to overthrow the Romans, so perhaps he was something of a revolutionary. Although one New Testament letter bears his name, we know even less about Jude; he's a popular saint today because he's the patron of impossible causes.

Yet after spending a night in prayer, Jesus deliberately chose these two men to be part of the Twelve. Something about them must have stood out to him. Maybe it was their loyalty to him, or their grasp of his teaching, or the way they took care of the other disciples. Whatever the reason, Jesus clearly had confidence in them. And that confidence was well-grounded: both men would one day be martyred for preaching the gospel.

Most of us don't have "starring" roles in life. Yet God has deliberately chosen us to be his disciples and to follow him. Like Simon and Jude, each of us has been "sent out" in one way or another to share the good news. Each of us has also been given a vocation—to marriage and family, the single or religious life, or the priesthood. And we may be called in other specific ways to serve God and his people.

So if you serve quietly and without much notice, know that your role in God's kingdom is still important to him. Some days you may feel unappreciated or overlooked. Some days you may even feel like you are failing. But that's not how God feels. He has chosen you for a reason, and he is confident that, drawing on his grace, you will be able to accomplish all that he has called you to do.

"Lord, help me to fulfill the calling you have given me."

Ephesians 2:19-22
Psalm 19:2-5

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From Today's Holy Scripture:
"Through him the whole structure is held together
and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;
in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."

I was teaching my RCIA class about how we are all interesting beings...not just physical beings, but spiritual, into which spirits can enter and reside.

Suddenly, not all is as it seems. And I said God can reside in us, and we must make a pure clean place for Him.

psalms

We pray in Psalms:
"The heavens declare the glory of God,

and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,

and night to night imparts knowledge.
Their message goes out through all the earth"

I find myself always in a race. Racing against time. The days go by fast. The weeks do as well, and here we are, nearing the end of another year.

And I have to find my anchor. So many things rushing at me at once always. And lately, many funerals, of my loved ones and their loved ones, their sorrows, turn to my sorrows, and time keeps racing. Evil will not stop. Darkness imparts to darkness. But day to day, light to light. We must anchor ourselves to Light...Jesus Himself.

2cents2

We heard about our Lord:
"Jesus went up to the mountain to pray,
and he spent the night in prayer to God.
When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:"

They say our Lord chose 12 disciples to renew the lost 12 tribes of Israel, well, most were lost, and not really, they were held captive by enemies, like 10 out of 12.
Our Lord came to set captives free. Even Barabas was set free, as our Lord was traded for this prisoner. Traded by Judas, his own apostle chosen by our Lord Himself.

The own brother of Joseph betrayed him, and Joseph was made a prisoner that would later become the brothers' savior.
There is a plan.
You must trust.
There is darkness you must endure, but there is light.
There was one faithful disciple, the true love of Christ, at the foot of the Cross, one Apostle, one Apostle to the Apostles-Mary Magdalene, and one Mother of Apostles, Mother Mary Herself.
All they had was what we have been granted: faith.
I'm praying for my loved ones, and for you.
I pray for faith to hang on, to be more faithful, to turn from our evil ways, that He may have a piece of Heaven for real here and now in His creation...Your heart, Your Mind, Your Soul.

Let's pray:
My Lord, You are amazing.
I invoke Your Name upon us all.
I ask that You enter our hearts to dwell.
I pray that we are more faithful than ever before.
I pray too, for mercy. Then we can begin to give rightful fruit, always, both now and forever.

from your brother in Christ,
Adrian

***
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Random bible verse generator:

mt 18:21
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

21 Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

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