†Saint Said:
"Each of you knows that the foundation of our faith is charity. Without it, our religion would crumble. We will never be truly Catholic unless we conform our entire lives to the two commandments that are the essence of the Catholic faith: to love the Lord, our God, with all our strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves."
— Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati † MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"Know, dearest daughter, how, by humble, continual, and faithful prayer, the soul acquires, with time and perseverance, every virtue. Wherefore should she persevere and never abandon prayer... The soul should advance by degrees, and I know well that, just as the soul is at first imperfect and afterwards perfect, so also is it with her prayer. She should nevertheless continue in vocal prayer, while she is yet imperfect, so as not to fall into idleness. But she should not say her vocal prayers without joining them to mental prayer, that is to say, that while she is reciting, she should endeavor to elevate her mind in My love, with the consideration of her own defects and of the Blood of My only-begotten Son, wherein she finds the breadth of My charity and the remission of her sins."
— St. Catherine Of Siena, p. 92
AN EXCERPT FROM
Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena † VERSE OF THE DAY
"It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ [Jesus]. Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God's upward calling, in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 3:12-14 |  click to read more | | ST. REGIS St. John Francis Regis (1597–1640) was born to a wealthy French merchant and his noble wife. After being educated by the Jesuits, he joined their order at the age of 18 and was later ordained a priest. He grew into a skilled preacher and catechist, and received an assignment to evangelize the French provinces that had fallen to the Protestants - the Huguenots - as well as lapsed Catholics. He devoted his life to this mission and was very successful, winning countless souls to Christ. He preached the Gospel to men, women, and children in all walks and stations of life, even traveling on foot to wild mountain parishes as a missionary priest. He would live on meager meals while spending his days in prayer, preaching, hearing confessions, and visiting prisons and hospitals. He raised controversy when he established hostels for converted prostitutes to remain chaste and work for their sustenance in the lace-making and embroidery trades. He is also remembered for stationing a granary to feed the poor, which at times was miraculously replenished. St. Regis is the patron of embroiderers, social workers, and lace makers. His feast day is June 16th. | Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 367
Reading I 2 Cor 9:6-11 Brothers and sisters, consider this:
whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver.
Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you,
so that in all things, always having all you need,
you may have an abundance for every good work.
As it is written: He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever. The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food
will supply and multiply your seed
and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You are being enriched in every way for all generosity,
which through us produces thanksgiving to God. Responsorial Psalm 112:1bc-2, 3-4, 9 R. (1b) Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth; the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Wealth and riches shall be in his house; his generosity shall endure forever.
Light shines through the darkness for the upright; he is gracious and merciful and just.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Lavishly he gives to the poor; his generosity shall endure forever; his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia Jn 14:23 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him
and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 6:1-6, 16-18 Jesus said to his disciples:
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. "When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. "When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you." | Daily Meditation: 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, . . . you may have an abundance for every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8) Paul was collecting funds for the poor in Jerusalem from the churches he had founded, and he wanted the Corinthians to give generously. So he assures them that they don't have to worry about running short on money: God will surely outdo them in generosity. Today, let's break down Paul's words to see how this principle also applies to God's grace. God is able . . . We're not able, solely on our own strength, to "do it all," but God is able. He can give us the grace we need for every situation. Unfortunately, when we're stretched thin, it's tempting to become self-reliant—and then to become anxious or discouraged. But God invites us to rely on him. Not only does he want us to ask for his help, but he also wants us to believe that he is able to help us. All it takes is a simple prayer: "Lord, I can't do this without you, but with your grace I can accomplish whatever you are asking of me." to make every grace abundant . . . God offers us not just enough grace to scrape by but an abundance—an abundance for "every good work" that he is asking of us (2 Corinthians 9:8)! Whether it's resisting a temptation, following through on a promise, or just getting through the next hour, we can count on receiving grace that has no limits. in all things . . . We might have a tendency to turn to the Lord only when we face a great need: a serious illness, the loss of a job, a broken relationship. But God's grace is not just for some things or for big things; it's for all things. He cares about our day-to-day responsibilities. He loves it when we invite him into the everyday details of our lives. Today, where do you need God's grace? Don't hesitate to ask him to help you in every task or challenge you face, no matter how minor it seems to you. Then trust that God will give it to you—in abundance! "Lord, open my eyes and heart to more of your grace." Psalm 112:1-4, 9
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 |  Listen to 2cents | my2cents:
From Saint Paul:
"Brothers and sisters, consider this:
whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver." My brothers and sisters, God loves a cheerful giver.
How happy are you when you give? Is it with resentment? Do you give with hesitation? Do you give while doubting? How do you give of your money, time, and talents to God? Most of us only like to give what is comfortable, and most of us cannot give what hurts. My friend, give to Him what hurts. Just try it. Just taste and see. Only then can we have faith in action. | We pray in the Psalms:
"Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth; the upright generation shall be blessed.
Blessed the man who fears the Lord." | Our Lord Father Jesus speaks:
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father."
Let's take into consideration what He just said about payment, that is, compensation. You will be compensated for righteous deeds. Many protestants teach against deeds in their own dogmas proclaiming faith alone, but we have here Christ our Lord speaking about performing righteous deeds, and is asking us to do them with truth and sincerity...not for show and pomp and for others to see just how good you are. That there my friend, is pride, and egotism, doing things as if to earn praise and esteem and respect from fellow men. Our Lord is going deep.
"When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you."
Again, He sees in secret, He sees thoughts. That is why 95% of my confessions are of thoughts, because I believe our Lord Jesus when He says we've committed a sin with simple anger, or lust, just by our looks we can sin and cause others to sin. And today, women dress so tightly in clothes that they force men to lust, and then blame the men for being perverts. Purity has left the nation and the world. Thoughts are causing all the harm, because thoughts soon become actions, and a lifestyle. And this is why we need to be purified, cleansed, over and over. | The first giving was spoken of in righteous deeds and giving alms.
The second we heard was of prayer:
"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them." Once again, what you are preaching should be truth and truth within. Is God our Father asking you not to preach? Of course not, Jesus commands we go out to the ends of the earth preaching and baptizing, but He is asking you not to make prayers a public stunt.
"Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you." Once again, we will be repaid for our prayer. So let us consider what we are praying for, so how about praying for mercy for others, then, perhaps, we will be paid with mercy as well. And this all begins with a breath called prayer. Pray more than you were told to pray. To pray is to live in God, to breathe in God, to exhale God. Pray always, I know I give praise and thanks in my mind and heart, in my thoughts and actions. And then my life becomes a life of prayer. Soon rosaries are no problem, Mass is hungered for, and the Holy Sacraments become important, instead of suggestions, like the COMMANDMENTS of God. And in the third instance, our Lord says:
"When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting."
Once again, and for a third time, our Lord asks us to be sincere, and from the heart, and not to produce things to make a show:
"Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."
Fasting has lost its touch in the Church lately. Fasting has become a thing of the past. This is why most prayers are not answered. Because even our Lord said of one exorcism: ""And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting." Mk 9:29.
So if you've hit a dead end in prayer, it is because we have not fasted. It is as if we put ourselves in a hole and can't figure out how to get out. There is a way to get out of the hole. Somewhere I read yesterday that falling in the (hole) is one thing, but that is why we have the resurrection, the way out of the death hole. There is a way, and it is the Way of Christ. Question is, do you give? If so, do you give cheerfully?
Do you pray? Do you pray at every moment of every part of your day in your life?
Do you fast? Fast for what is important. If someone is in dire need of prayer, then fast too.
If you believe a meeting is important, fast.
Think about Mass, think about sacrifice, think about fasting more.
I've learned a secret in ministry, in one of them anyways. For me to do good, I fast, and I pray. And then I give.
It is all together one, like the Holy Trinity.
I know I'm not supposed to let my left hand know what my right hand is doing, but you are my family, therefore, I'll let u know...I'm fasting for you right now, before speaking to you, I refrain from food, and temptations, and drink, and I pray, and then I speak. It is now going on 3 hours since I woke up and still at it for you.
What this means is I am emptying myself of myself, so that God can take possession of me, and then beautiful things happen and are seen.
You do this, and the world is put in a new light coming from the new you. Let us pray:
Lord, I want to be like You, so, I empty myself of me, so that the world will see You. Without me speaking, they see You. Without me giving, they already see You, because I've already given myself completely to You. Help me dispose of myself to You, help me to let go, and help me empty myself so that You may take full possession of the very life You have given me to be a light to the world. Jesus, you are my all. Amen | from your brother in Christ our Lord,
adrian |  click to hear | Random Bible Verse from online generator: Romans 12:21
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
